Choni Hamagel:
not really so clear when he lived, some say lived about 200 years before Churban Bais Shayni / was a contemporary (in years) to R’ Shimon ben Shetach.
He was known as a “miracle worker”, and these two stories are the most famous ones about him: (both the stories that were mentioned above)
1. the story of no rain in (i think) Yerushalayim, made a circle, davened to Hahsem that he won’t leave the circel until it rains. It rained lightly- he told davened for rain to fill the wells, it then rained very hard, and he davened for the rain that was to harsh to turn into the rain they needed to nourish the crops, not destroy them, it then rain “good” rain… the really short version… (it was here that R’ Shimon ben Shetach wanted to put him in cherem)
2. He saw a man planting a tree, and asked him how long it will take to produce fruit, the man replied 70 years. Choni Hamaagal then asked, do you know you’re going to live another 70 years? and the man replied, just as my ancestors planted for me, so i will plant for my children. He fell asleep, woke up 70 years later, and saw a man by the tree and asked him if he planted it and he said, I’m the grandson. He went into the bais medrash and heard them say “In the times of Choni HAmaagel…” He went into his house and asked if C”H son was still alive, they said no, but his grandson is… sof kol sof he was so distressed that he died.
Although the there really is another description of how he died.
Really, if one wants to really understand this inyan, it has to be learned inside, with depth and obviously this inyan goes much deeper than what meets the eye. Part of it i believe is discussed as a mashal, the sleeping, galus, carob tree…
Time to learn!