1. אונקלס הגר

The Gemara relates that אונקלוס converted to Judaism, and the Caeser sent Roman troops after him, but אונקלוס drew them in with pesukim until they themselves converted. The Caeser sent another troop, warning them not to engage him in conversation. As they were taking him away, he observed to them that each rank of Roman dignitaries carries a torch for those who outrank them, and asked them if a king would carry a torch before ordinary people. They said no, and he replied that Hashem did “carry a torch” before His people, when He went before them in a pillar of fire by night to give them light. These soldiers also converted. The Caeser sent a third troop and warned them not to say anything to him. As they were taking him away, he touched the מזוזה and asked them what it was. They asked him to explain, and he said that although a human king sits inside and his servants guard him from outside, ואילו הקב"ה עבדיו מבפנים והוא משמרן מבחוץ – but with Hashem, his servants sit inside, and He guards them outside! These soldiers also converted, and the Caeser did not send other after him.

1. Burning a king’s personal articles after his death

In the Mishnah on Daf 8a, Rebbe Meir said that the king’s birthday and the day of his death are idolatrous events, prohibiting business with them three days before. The Chochomim say it is only forbidden if they burned his personal items. The Gemara infers that Rebbe Meir holds they worship idols on the anniversary of his death regardless of whether his items were burned, because he holds the burning is not an idolatrous ritual, whereas the Chochomim hold שריפה חוקה היא – burning his articles is an essential idolatrous ritual (therefore, if there was no burning, we assume they do not worship idols that day).

This is challenged from a Baraisa teaching that we burn a Jewish king’s personal articles upon his passing. If this was a pagan ritual, it would be forbidden under ובחוקותיהם לא תלכו – and you shall not follow their rituals!? Instead, the Gemara explains that this practice is not idolatrous, but a demonstration of חשיבותא – the king’s prominence. The Chochomim hold that they only worshipped idols on a death that was significant enough that they burned his personal articles.

1. The Roman festival celebrating Esav’s triumph over Yaakov

Shmuel describes another Roman festival. Every seventy years, they would bring a healthy person (representing Esav), and have him ride on top of a cripple (representing Yaakov). The rider would wear the garments of אדם הראשון, and place the flayed skin of Rebbe Yishmael’s face on his head. They hung a rare פז stone from his neck weighing two hundred zuz, and covered the streets with אינך (a precious stone). They called out before him: סך קירי פלסתר – “The ruler’s calculation is false (i.e., Yaakov’s נבואה about the גאולה). אחוה דמרנא זייפנא – The brother of our master (Esav) is a liar. Whoever sees this event today sees it, but whoever does not see it, will not likely see it (since it takes place once in seventy years). מאי אהני לרמאה ברמאותיה – What benefit did the swindler gain from his swindling, ולזייפנא בזייפנותיה – or a liar with his lying?” They would conclude: ווי לדין כד יקום דין – “Woe to this one (Esav) when that one (Yaakov) arises!”

Rav Ashi said that their words actually imply their detriment, because instead of clearly saying "זייפנא אחוה דמרנא" – the liar, the brother of our master, they say "דמרנא זייפנא", which can be interpreted as מרנא גופיה זייפנא הוא – our master himself is a liar.

Siman - Stars (11 Stars in Yosef’s dream). The ger who had placed gold stars on the garments of Roman soldiers he converted while standing near a mezuzah, next to where a king’s garments were being burned on the day of his death, refused to give a star to the healthy man who approached him while on the shoulders of a cripple.