Solomon handed over his ring. Jin paused with the shared workshop pass in his hand.
Inspired by a source · Creative adaptationNo sign-up · All stories free
Read at your own pace.
01
Story
A visitor asked Jin and Ara about a pass at the shared workshop.
They needed to enter the room where they would work.
02
Story
Jin held the shared pass in his hand and paused.
He remembered an old story about someone who gave away one thing and lost his place too.
03
Story
In the old tale, Solomon gave his ring to Ashmedai.
He wanted to see Ashmedai’s strength for himself.
04
Story
Ashmedai threw Solomon far away and took the king’s place.
The person inside the palace had changed.
05
Story
The sages asked several people at the palace.
They compared the accounts to learn who was in the king’s place.
06
Ara
Let’s ask the coordinator which workshop the visitor is meant to use, and when.
Jin put down the shared pass.
07
Story
The coordinator confirmed the time and room the visitor would use.
The visitor got a separate pass for that room.
08
Story
The visitor went into the room that had been confirmed.
The shared pass stayed on the desk where it had been.
A thought from the Talmud
Solomon handed over his ring to see Ashmedai’s strength, and Ashmedai threw him far away. The sages asked people at the palace who was now in the king’s place.
The source idea in our own words · Not a direct quotation
A visitor needed access to the workshop. Before handing over the shared pass, Jin and Ara asked the coordinator which room the visitor would use and when. The visitor entered the room they needed, and the shared pass stayed on the desk. We can check separately what help someone needs and what access we can give them.
A modern interpretation for this story
A question to take with you
Before I hand over a pass or give someone access, have I checked exactly what I’m giving them?
Share the question together with a link to this story.
About the source and this adaptation
In the Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 68b:14–19, Solomon removes Ashmedai’s chain and gives him a ring to see his strength. Ashmedai swallows the ring and throws Solomon far away. The sages of the Sanhedrin question Benayahu and people in the royal household and realize that someone else has taken the king’s place. In section 18 Ashmedai flees when Solomon enters again. Later, section 20 records different views about whether Solomon regained the throne. The wisdom line paraphrases the ring and the inquiries. The shared workshop and Jin and Ara’s conversation are modern fiction created with AI assistance.
