Reish Lakish was the leader of bandits, who would rob people with tremendous alacrity and skill, once he pounced upon Reb Yochanan who told him, “if he uses his strength and determination to study Torah, he would become very noble” – after Reish Lakish managed to do so, he – and as an experienced bandit could say this with authority – “even the violent Jews, are filled with acts of compassion and charity as the pomegranate seeds!”