nˈuːmɚɹəs lˈɛdʒəndz tˈɛl ʌv hɪz mɪɹˈækjʊləs kjˈʊɹ ʌvðə sˈɪk, wˌɪtʃ wˈʌn hˌɪm fˈeɪm ɐmˌʌŋ nˈɑːndʒˈuːz æz wˈɛl æz dʒˈuːz, hɪz pˈaʊɚz ʌv klˈɛɹvɔɪəns, hɪz ɪnsˈɛsənt tælmjˈuːdɪk stˈʌdiz wˌɪtʃ wɜː sˈɛldəm ˌɪntɚɹˈʌptᵻd baɪ slˈiːp, hɪz ɛkstɹˈoːɹdɪnˌɛɹi ˈækts ʌv ɐsˈɛɾɪzəm ænd sˈɛlfflˌædʒɪlˈeɪʃən, ænd hɪz stɹˈɪkt ɹᵻlˈɪdʒəs ɡˈaɪdəns ʌv hɪz kəmjˈuːnᵻɾi.
Numerous legends tell of his miraculous cure of the sick, which won him fame among non-Jews as well as Jews, his powers of clairvoyance, his incessant Talmudic studies which were seldom interrupted by sleep, his extraordinary acts of ascetism and self-flagellation, and his strict religious guidance of his community.