3. R. Chananiah, the son of Teradion (7), said, "If two sit together and interchange no words of _Torah_, they are a meeting of scorners, concerning whom it is said, 'The godly man sitteth not in the seat of the scorners' (8); but if two sit together and interchange words of _Torah_, the Divine Presence (9) abides among them; as it is said, 'Then they that feared the Lord spake one with the other; and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name,' (10). Now the Scripture enables me to draw this inference in respect to two persons; whence can it be deduced that if even one person sedulously occupies himself with the _Torah_, the Holy One, blessed be He, appoints unto him a reward? Because it is said, 'though he sit alone, and meditate in stillness, yet he taketh it (the reward) upon him'" (11). (7) He lived about 120 C.E. He was the father of Beruriah, the wife of Rabbi Meir. (8) Ps. I, 1. Verse 2 of this psalm continues, "But his delight is in the Law of the Lord." (9) [shechinah] literally "dwelling," is a name applied to God when He is spoken of as dwelling among men. See Schechter, _Aspects, en passim_; Abelson, _Immanence of God_, p. 77 _et seq._ (10) Mal. III, 16. (11) Lam. III, 27. 4. R. Simeon (12) said, "If three have eaten at a table and have spoken there no words of _Torah_, it is as if they had eaten of sacrifices to dead idols, of whom it is said, 'For all their tables are full of vomit and filthiness; the All-present is not (in their thoughts)' (13). But if three have eaten at a table and have spoken there words of _Torah_, it is as if they had eaten at the table of the All-present, for Scripture says, 'And he said unto me, This is the table that is before the Lord'" (14). (12) Rabbi Simeon ben Yochai lived about the middle of the second century C.E., and was a pupil of Akiba. See Danziger, _ibid._, pp. 211-241. He was long thought to be the author of the well-known kabbalistic work _Zohar_, which was, however, probably written in the thirteenth century by Moses Shem Tob de Leon. See the _Jewish Encyclopedia_, art. _Zohar;_ Graetz, _History_, IV, p. 11 _et seq.;_ Schechter, _Studies_, I, pp. 18, 19, 133; and H. Sperling, in _Aspects of the Hebrew Genius_, p. 165 _et seq._ (13) Isa. XXVIII, 8. The literal interpretation of [bli makom] is, there is "no place" clean of defilement; but the word [makom] being used to designate God (see above, chapter II, n. 35), suggests the interpretation, "without mention of the name of God." (14) Ezek. XLI, 22. 5. R. Chanina, the son of Hakinai (15), said, "He who keeps awake at night, and goes on his way alone, while turning his heart to vanity, such a one forfeits his own life" (16).