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RIVARD'S, r-TT *7N"itj'» npoi omn^n / THE ../"/'^ JEWS AND THE ISRAELITES: THKIR t, h. RJVARD'S, R^^IGION, PHILOSOPHY, TRADITIONS, AND LITERATURE, IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR TAST AND PRESENT CONDITION, AND TilEIR FUTURE PROSPECTS. KEY. C. FRESHMAN, D. D. TORONTO : A. DTMT.DQE »Sc CO. 1870. CMtAP l/r^^GSIORI •^Ojvrx^it^ TOKONTO : THK DAILr T-KLEORAl'U PlilHTING IIOfJSK, '^OKNER KINO AND BAY STKEKTB, **«l I AFFECTIONATKI.V EKR.^T^. On pngo 10, read J^fpi^ not CTTT) " 306, " thist ^^ot ::hw 1 AFFB(TIOJfATKI,Y INSIRIBK THIS WORK TO TH K j^KV, Jj, JA. JPUNSHON. fA, Ji, THB HONOKRI) I'KEHIDK.NT OF THK ^nu^^n WtiU&Hx UxiUxtM iw ^mu^, IN KSTKEM KOR HIS MANY VIRTUES AND DISTINOUISHKI. TALENT.^ THE AUTHOR. M PREFACE. BV TIIK RKV. <;. 1!. SANOKIISON. Since nations began to exist, uj) to the present liour — all through the liistory of our race — no nation lias ever had a l.ieing which has gathered around itself an interest lialf so i)rofound as that which attaches to the Jewish peo])le. Nor attachcil alone ! It is interwoven with their very existence and circumstances in all periods. Like the life-blood of tlio licart permeating every particle of the physical system, inttu'Ctst ])crva(les everything relating to the .ancient people of (Jod. It is incorporated with their origin, ]»erpetuity and ultimate destiny; runs through their captivitias and emancii)ations ; their exultations and depressions; their gatherings and dispersions; their victories and defeats; their opulence and poverty; their decimations and increase ; their fidelity and apostacy ; felt in the marvellous interposition of Jehovah in their behalf, in the honors bestowed and the scourges in.flictcd l)y ji hand eipially righteous in all its ways. A people of jn-ofoundest interest! The receivers of the Divine Law, and, for ages the sole depository of the revealed will of Heaven, with a religion and a polit}' alike from God : the people whence sprung the world's i)nly hope — a ])eople on whose sin-darkened sky arose the bright, the morning star; a ])eople who, though now scattered and peeled, and torn, are yet to be brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles. As the diamond, once flashing in its own brightness on tho coronet of beauty and power, but disj)laced and lost amid the dust of earth, yet again recovered and cleansed from the gathered obscurations of many years, shall yet again flash forth in the sun- light of heaven with an unrivalled splendour, so shall the once exalted, but long a'.id still depressed .lewish nation, be lifted up bj-- an Almighty power to an altitude of gi'andeur, such as )>ro])hetic lips alone would dare^to utter. VI I'KKFACK. I ^|. Ha-Jefifdim anj) MiKVEn Ishakl supplios a want long felt by tlio studont of tliis wondorful pfM)plo. Many ponderous tomes are soniDtinios scaroliod In vain for a single fact or circumstance relative to the Jew or .ludiaism. Here, witliiu a reasonable com- pass, is brought tiigothcr a mass <»t' information such as many volumes Avouid lie sifted in \ain to furnisli. I i^nquestionaldy, many learned and devoted men have uritt(Mi on the subject, and yet have failed fo accomplish all that the present volume has achievid. For .such work tl:;' leaiiied .-tud accomplished author has enjoyed special (pialifications. Satisfactoi'ilyand successfully has he performed it. Himself foi- many years a devoted Jew, a dis- tinguisht d Eabbi. a jn'ofound seholar, a tirele-a stmlent to this hour, ].)H. FiJKSiiM.W po.ssessed abilitie:?, rpialitles an» marvel is, how so nnn-h is fovnid within so small a compass. To the theological student, whether old or young, but espe- cially to the latter, this voliune will be a ])riceless treasure. No such student <'(Ut r///'(»\/ to be without it. No ^linister's library will Ixi (X)m])lete if ITa-Jeiiudtm be not there. The lover of Jewish literature will find the following pages amine of gold to him. Not a mine Avhere now and then a little gold may be founur, but gold all through the mine and inviting acceptance. The devout Christian will, as he reads, be constantly reminded of the purity and goodness, the truth and justice of his Heavenly Father. Tlis sympathies for the Jew and for humanity will grow- stronger, anay restore the (triginal combination. Then charity. INTRODUCTION. IX ngs 8ur- ween tlie ;; storm, lor left a, as l^orne s emana- 1 works, of [tapy- !w stray invcsti- ul of one -ges ; the niicction ioal c'oii- K.l such use that iml man pugh tllG liut its v.'hich 'ovccs of iiequal Tlie ns; the best r the jut ill h(! tic )iicrcto icy of lo])ting sought C'liris- wliilo rovo- haritv. (I] which in the doctrine of abstract faith, moans h:)^'e for universal mankind, shall cease to be Avhat concrete religion made it, love only for self and self's imitators. Then man sliall acknowledge that true God-worship consists not in observance of any particu- lar customs, but in the humble, zealous cultivation of those qualities by which the Eternal has made Himself known to the world. The members of one creed shall not arrogate to them- selves peculiar moralit}' and peculiar talvation, denying both to the members of other creeds, but they shall learn that morality and salvation are the cause and cU'ect of all earnest endeavours to rise to the knowledge of revolution. jVlen shall cease to attempt the substitution of one set of forms for another set of forms ; they shall satisfy themselves v.dth being honest and dignified expo- nents of their own mode of belief, and shall not seek to coerce what heaven itself has left unfettered — the rights of conscience. They sliall strive to remove all obstacles to the spread of God- worship, by showing how superior are tlie hapj)iness, the intel- lectuality, the virtiu! of its professors ; but they shall stop there ; not even for the sake of securing their oltject, preferring their own faith for that of another. This was the original condjination under M'hich Christianity wjis I'alled into existence; this was the power which enabled it to survive the shock which had destroyed all else, and to this must it return before its mi.ssion can be per- fectly accomplished. AVhat the teachings of Sinai were to the children of Abvahani, the teachings of the other mount were to be to the rest of the world; one was not to super.icde the other, but to render it accessible. Thirdly, •Judaism and the .lews escaped the general wreck. Not ([uite purely, because Raljbinisni from within, and {jcrsecution from without, did partially what priestcraft did entirely ; but with enough of the Divine left to withstand what must have proved fatal to anything less imbued with the spirit of the Eternal. While nation contended with nation, and race with race, all made common cause against the peo])le of (Jod. Diversity of religion knew of no harmony but that which taught scorn of Israel. Men, through their various forms a)id tenet.s, looked with less fidelity to heaven than to those s]>ots of earth which held Jews as objects for persecution. If they dilt'ered in all else, they wore ummimous INTRODUCTION. ¥ li! (I'M in hatred. While the doctrine cf faith had failed to inculcate love, they had found excuses for contempt and cruelty. But through all, Judaism and the Jews remained. Over the fair face of nature there passes a convulsion; heaven sends its flooding rains, its searing lightnings; earth appears by volcanic agency, opened to entomb, and the sea, carried b.^yond its boundaries, engulfs the ruins spared from earth and heaven. Desolation holds undi.-5puted sway, and scorns to threaten that there, at least, life is forever exthiet, vitality for over annihilated. But the spirit of God still shines in the glorious sun, in the new forms of existence that permeate wave, earth, and air, in the elasticit}' with which all recovers itself in obedience to the Divine law. " Day and night, summer and winter, shall never cease.'' So it has been with Judfiism. \Miat physical convulsions do for nature, human brutality has done iov Judaism, and with like effect. The essence of eternal cxist\}nce has never ])oen eradicated, and still from ruin, from desolation, iVom despair, new life lias gu\.h'>d with unabated vigour, new vitality soaT'ed with pinion ever sublime. And why ? Because in Judai;;m the Eternal implanted tlie gem .""-om which salvation is idtimatoly to spring ; because, no matter what form religion may since Inu'o lieen, for wise jnirposes, permitted to assume, all that it contains of holy and pure is identical with the holiness and purity of Judaism, as taught by Moses nuvl the Prophets. Meanwhile, the brooklet that took its rise in the valley of the Euphrates, runs eternally on towards the illimitable oceHn It defies mortal attem[)ts to esolation ;, at least. But the ' forms of icitv with r. " Day has been •c, human 10 esscncG f)-om ruin, imahated Lud why ? om which liat form iiitted to Avith the and the ho valley ile ocean mingle \)\\\j the 1 why is ells from are the nly are cthange y ? Let much in religion eya the what is there to make him conclude that his is loss pure, less elevated, less I Divine ? Inpaganland3,whatdoes he behold but idols,grim, uncouth, I and monstrous, adored by a vrorsjiip that is childish, immoral or ' bloody, and connected with dogmas which arc ridiculous, incredible, I or revolting. Is it for the system of Jivahmiuism or Budliism, that :^ the Jew \% to forsake the institute of TJoses? Is it for such ^ notions as the Shasters can give him of Vishnu, that he is to renounce the simple, yet sublime and spiritual idea which the (.)ld Testaiiicnt presents of Jeliovali ? Is lie to turn away from 1 him tliat i-its liotw<;en the cherubim to Ijow ])efore Juggernaut I : The J in these lands ? And even as regards those who do reside Among ns, how seldom do they come in contact with a living XI 1 INTRODrt.TION. 11. >l example of the gospel ? Where are the humility, the iiinight- ness, the solf-ileiiial, the love of man, and tlic riiveronce of God^ whieh ought to flow from Chi'istianity ? The Jew casta his eye over society, and sees wealth and pleasure eagerly pursued ; the Sahbath desecrated ; the holj^ name of Ood profaned, and frauds and crimes of fre([uont occurrence. Are the fruits of Christianity he asks, better than those of Judiaism '. What will it advantage me that I. exchange the svnagogue foi- the church ^ Thus, the inconsistencies of real Christians, or the ungodliness of merely nom- inal ones, in the opinion of the Jew, completely justify him in liis rejection (»f the gospel, an\vai'ds ei''itimate I 1 ignoranee, liigotry and pro) iidice, has raised hetween those who are cliildren of one Fathei-, creatures of one God. The Author caiuiot allow tliis volume to go into the hands of the public, ^»'ithout acknowledging his indebtedness to the "Israelite," of Cincinnatti, and the " Israelite Indeed," of Xew York, from which soin-ces the Author derived a great deal of information. Also, the obligations under which he is plaited to the Eev. Dr. Nelles, President of Victoria College, who kindly gave himself the trouble of perusing the MS. And to Rev. Prof Bur- wash, M. A„ for liis many valuable find important suggestions in the treatment of the different [)arts. And im])erfoct as this volume still is, it had Ijeen much more so, it the whole had not, in its first shape, ])assed through the hands of my friend, the Rev. George Cochran, who is equally distinguished for the correctness of hia taste, and his extensive acquaintance with literature. May the Lord bo pleased to look with favor upon this effort to explain and defend truth. THE AUTHOR. Brighton, Nov. 22ud, 18G9. tlic llOpO ngthenetl I>rid(^ and RECOMMENDATIONS i>i To the Kilitor of the ChriMian Guardian. ^ DR. FRESHMAN'S NEW WORK. Dkar Sir, — I was plnar.oil to see in tlu- Guardian, tho recent ("ommendiitory notices of Dr. Freshman's new work. Having been permitted to examine a portion of the manuscript, I desire to bear testimony to the great interest and value of the production. Perhaps few men living are so well qualified as Dr. Freshman to treat of the subject he has selected. His Hebrew origin and training, his conversion to Christianity, his fine talents, liis extensive learning, and his deep sympathy with his .Jewish brethren, all seem especially to fit him for tlie task he has undertaken. Many Christians are earnestly looking for the time when "the blindness that hof? happened to Israel" shall uisripjieiir. To such persons this book will be most welcome as tending to draw tlic. attention of Chiistenuom more fully toward this important field of evangelical lalxiur; wliile to the general reader, nothing can bo uninteresting that throws light on the piust history, or present condition, of so remark- able a people. Whether we s'lbscribe tlie j)henomena of .'udaism to the operation of general laws, or to special interpositions of Providence; whether we read the facts in the light of reason or in the. luttcr light of the Cross, we have in either case a marvellous story of power and of weakness, of faith and of unbelief, of glory and of shame. Ethnology, psychology, philology, theology, all have a ])rob]em in the Jew; alone among the nations, and yet the means by which all are being gathered into one! The Doctor's treatise takes a pretty wide range, and discusses with more or less fulness, a great variety of topics, among which arc the following; — Jewish Literature, the Teachings of the Talmud, Sayings of tlie Uabbis, lliblical Studies, the Ten Tribes, Metaphysical Schools, Riibbinicnl Code of Ethics, the Synagogue, the Day of Atone- ment, Restoration of Israel, Demons. Traditions and Fables, Poetry, Position in yociety, Stumbling-blocks, &.C., Lc. \\\ some of these chapters will be found valu- able information t li ■ had nowhere else, and in others v.diat could be had only by the purchase of costly vohums, the acquisition of diflTicult languages, and years of laborious research. Nor does it often hapj)en that either (ierman or Hebrew succeeds 80 well in presenting his thuiights in an Ihiglish dress. Put the lenrned Doctor, though engaged constantly in preacliing to the Oenoans, lie.s evidently bwn a close .student of our language. It is customary witli some irities, wlieii commemling a book, to end by assuring us that "no library is complete without it." \a every library, especially every "complete" one, must conliiin poor books sis well as good kww.^, 1 will not urge so doubtful a plea, but close by evpressing a wish that Dr. I'r( simian may find a pub- lisher to bring out his work i'l ]iro]H'r stylr, and not only the Weslej-an people, but tlie public, at large, may give hi^ liii'rary labors that encouragement to which they are so well nntitled. « I am, yours tnily, Victoria College, April :il, 18()'J. S. >\. NEI.EK.S. BECOMMENDATIONS. xr To the Editor of the Christian Guardian. 1 5. conunenJiitory mine a portion (1 value of the jhiiian to treat conversion to path}- with his Drtakeii. bliiiiliieHs that : will be most lly toward this lothiug can bo 1, of -so reiuark- the ojjcration ; read the facts 1 either ease a if glory and of 'm in tiio Jew; lered into one ! 'i more or less sh Literature, |he Ten Tribes, )ay of Atone- ■, Position in e found valu- IkkI only by iuid yi ars of llirew succeeds rned I,>octor, \k\'u a elose by assuring Iccial'iy every not urge ao find a pub- jp.^oplc, but wiiicdi they KM, KM. DR. FRESHMAN'S NEW BOOK. Dbar Sir, — I have lately had an opportunity of examining in manuscrijit a new work, entitled "Ila-Jehudim," by Dr. Freshman. The work is an exposition of $ the history, religion, customs, ic., of the Jews from the time of Christ downwaula. It is divided into six parts. Part I. treats of the history and customs of the race. Part II. of the religion of the Jews, including a desciiption of many of their principal ceremonies aa practised iu modern times. Part III. treats very extensively of Jewish, literature, setting before us, not only their great writers, but also their schools of philosophy, and an account of the Talmud and Kaballa. Part IV. gives the student much valuable instruction iu the study of llel)rew language. Part V. is a kind of Jewish miscellany, varying from grave to gay, dealing with many aspects of their iocial life, and giving us a strange view of some of the aljsurdities which men of intellectual culture may believe. Part VI. is perhaps the most interesting and important of all : "The relation of Judaism and the Jews to Christianity." Hero the Doctor deala with Israel's stum- bling-blocks f^nd their means of evading the evidences of the Measiahship of Jesus. He shows also the relation nf {],o. Judaism of our Lord's times to His teachings, and the Doctrine of Christianit}', and concludes the book with a most eloquent chapter on the restoration of Israel. We look upon the work as one that will secure the attention of the scholar and critic, as well as the general reading public. It is full of interest. The materials are new to an English public, aiul th(! German-English dress, in which the Doctor presents them, adds to their interest. Here, too, thi- scholar will lind i!;any facts bearing upon the greatest question of the age, "What was the form of intellectual and religious life in the midst of which Jesus of Nazareth establislied the grand system of Christianity?" Everything which tends to elucidate this question, and make the narrative of the Gospels a living picture, set in its true relations to a back- ground of real life, will bo acceptable to the IJiblical student — and this the work before us can bcarftly fail to do. N. PURWASII, Coboaif, April, 18C9. Professor. Dr. Freshman has kindly placed tlu! mamiscript of hi:; new work in my hands for a short time. I have read it with care, and feel pleasure in adding my testinmny to that of Dr. Nelles, Prof. Burwiish, and the ChrLitian Guardian, resfiectin'^ the value of this great work. Tlie subjects handled are of permanent interest to Christian ministers and laymen of all denominations; RTid are treated with mueii learniii;:^ and ability. ^Ve have no book that 1 am aware of in the KuL^lisli languiige that at all supplies the information contained in tliis work. It will le t!ie che!i])e.<-t, fullest, and most accurate cyclopedia on Jewish matters within tlu' reach of the ]>ublic. I'Vom personal acquaintance with Dr. 1'., and from the frequent conversations with him on subjects of Old and New Testament criticism, and Hebrew literature, 1 hod reason to expect bue]\ a work as ho now presents to the Christian i)ublic. XVI llECOMMENDATIONS. An unusual interest has Leen felt in the recent controversy concerning Christ and the Talmud; and in this new work by Dr. F. the wlmle matter is discussed with gteat fulness, in tho light of a thorough acquaintance with tlie Talmud, and also of a clear scriptural knowledge of Christianity. This, together with his discussion of tlie iletaphysical systems, and Ethical Codes of the Eabbies, will prove a valuabl* acquisition to the libri-.ries of all readers, and of ministers in particular. In short it would require a lengthy levicwto present fnlly tho merits and claims of this valuable work. I hope it may speedily find its way into the library of every family in the land. Nor does this work exhaust Dr. Freshman's purpose of service in the cause of Christian authorship. He has in a state of forwardness, a commentary on dilTicult passages of the Old and New Testament, which, when published, will enrich our libraries with a new, and standard work, in this department of Biblical literature. Toronto, June .Ith, IStiO. (iEORGE COCHRAN. \ COKTE^TTS. Paok. PkEEFA( 'K ^' lyTRODVCTioN : vii Recommenuatioxs xiv PAKT FIRST. CHAPTER 1. Thk Jews — Perseoition defeats itself ; the Jews an example — Their influence in Commerce — Poetry — Philosophy — Literature— Relig- ion 1 Jews in Rome — Persecutions 4 The Samakitaij.s — Their origin — Belief — Animosities — United with Judea against Rome 4 Jews in Spain and Fbance — Early settlement — Sufferings 7 Jews in India — Emigration to Malabar — Immunities — Persecution — Relief — Intercourse with Holland — Occupation — Dr. Buchanan's account S Jews in China — Degraded Condition — Belief and Customs — Inscriptions in their Sj-nagoguo 10 The Sect of thk Chasidim, in the North of Europio 12 Jews in Hungary — Fugitives from oppression — Numbers — Occupations — Education — Religion 15 'EssENEES — Habits — Doctrines— Extinction 17 -Hellenists— Rise— Kabbalisn> Superstitions , 17 Pharisee— Ceremonies— Name -ralmudical account of Classes 19 Sadducees — Origin — Hetrodoxy — Custonss 20 The Division and Distinction of the Learned of the Nation.... 21 The Caraites — Extreme Legalism — Morality — Nazaritism — Funeral Rites — Metempsychosis 24 -Christian Jewish Sects in Russia 27 Jehud Cheber — Jethro — Rechabites — Physique — Antipathiea — Jewish Customs— Go vernment . . 28 ► Freemasonry among the jews — Curious Traditions— Synagogue in Prague — " Maranos "—Traces of Freemasonry — Alt-Neu 31 B xviii CONTENTS. CHAPTER II. ■ Thk Names of a Jkw — Heln-ew — Israelites — Jew — Origin and Import of these Niime.-i detined 35 CHAPTER III. y^ Hebrew Wome.v — Polygamy, though practiced, was discouraj^ed — High position assigned to Woman — Betrothal— Marriage — Divorce — Mu- tual duties of Husband and Wife — Love of Hebrew Women for their Kindred SO CHAPTER IV. / Position thk Jew.s weru ano are sTiLr. occrPYixu i.v SootETV 4.1 PART SECOND. CHAPTER I. Jl'DAJSM — Interest of the subject — No people more spoken of — Command the attention of the world — Present great varieties of character and social status — Tlie Times quoted — The little rill issuing in the mighty river— Ceremonies a.nd customs : 1st, those of the written law, con- taining G13 commandments ; 2nd, those of the oral law ---the Talmud ; 3rd, those customs which have arisen in course of time — All agree in the 1st and 2nd, but there is mucli difference in the 3i'd partic- ular — Classes according to nationality— Modern Caraites— Few Jews converse in the Hebrew — Origin of the Mishxa and Talmud — Superstitious regard for dreams— Justice in dealing enjoined — Cooking food — Eating — Killing animal food — Phylacteries — Duties of women — Thirteen articles of Jewish belief — Manner of making proselytes — Cabalistic magic— ^.lowish Eschatologv 43 CHAPTER II. Confession — Traditions and authority of the llabVties — Unable now to keep the Law of Mose."* — The bii-th of a son— Circumcision — Birth of a daughter — Redeeming the first-born — Cenealogy lost — Teaching of children — Courtship— Marriage — Divorce — Sabbath and its observance.-? 55 CHAPTER III. Modern Ceibbration uk the Passover — The Feast of Weeks — The New-year — The Day of Atonement — Its ceremonies — The Feast of Tabernacles — The Feast of Dedication— Feast of Purim — Feast of the destruction of the two Temples — Ceremonies for the sick, dying and dead — Burial rites 66 ! i CONTENTS. XIX CHAPTER IV. PAOK SYyAG0GUE3— Origin of Synagogues — A Lawful Assembly Ti A Cabaite Prayer 72 CHAPTER V. TuN'ER, Mfsic, AND Melodt — Miisic of the Temple which survives — Obscurity of the subject — Nature of Hebrew notation — Character of Hebrew Melorlies — Christian Chants adopted from Temple Melo- dies — Specimens reduced to modern notation 74 CHAPTER VI. AnoKATioN ANK Pravkr A Prayer of Adoration and Supplication 7<> COMMKXCE.MEXT OF MoRNlNtS PrAYER 81 Special Prater for Mondays and Thursdays 82 Prayer akd Confession on the day or Atonement 85 Closing Prayer on Day cf Atonement 90 CHAPTER VI 1. Confirmation Ckrkmony as Practised amoni; the Rkitoumed Jew*. 92 CHAPTER VIII. Day of Atonilment - Preparation — Repentance— Confession — Huiuili.i- tion 94 Atonement — Interpre+'vtion of Psalms c^., and Isaiah ix. G 97 Interpretation of the 110th Psalm by the Jews 98 Translation of isaiah ix. 6, by the .tew.s 98 CHAPTER IX. The Jewish CALENDAR—Tishri— fctn6<;i— Day of Atonement — Feast of Tabernacles — Marchesnen — October — Kisley — November — Feast of Dedication — Tevetto — December — Shebat — Janvary — Adar— i^«l- ruaru — Feast of Purim — Nisau — March — Passover — Eyor — April — Sivon — May — Feast of Weeks — Tannis — Jvne — Great Fast — Ab — July — Great Fast Day for Destruction of Jerusalem — Elul — August — Blowing of Trumpets 99 CHAPTER X. Computation of Times and Festivals — Celebration of the New Moon —Difficulties of Jowc residing out of Palestine— Present order of reckoning 119 XX CONTEXTS. PAUK \ CHAPTER XJ. A Sermon on the Creation- 123 CHAPTER XII. Dedicatory Sermon 129 CHAPTER xnr. A Sermon on Sacrifice.s . 143 CHARTEli XIV. A Sermon on Marriage 149 CHAPTER XV. A FcNKRAL Sermon IDu V . PAKT THIRD. CHAPTER I. -^Jewish Literati' re- Inguorance on this subjoot 159 CHAPTER IT. V Literary Men among the Hkbrews — Standard worlvS in Gernian and French, but not in English— Misrepresentations resulting from this — Contributions of Jewish Scholars, of twelfth to the sixteenth cen- tury, to Biblical Literature — Tlie Rabbinical Language— Its forma- tion and richness— Mistaken idea that the Jews are ignorant, or that their learning is a mere collection of tables — Like estimating English Literature from the story of J^f k the Giant Killer — Rabbin- ical translations oi Aristotle, Plato, Euclid, Ac. — Original treaties • on Grammar, Lugic Metaphysics, and the various branches of Mathe- niathicB — The Jews for four-and-a-half centuries the moat learned men in Ern'o^ie — Illustrious examples lUl CHAPTER in. ThtiTalmui) — Use made of the Talmud in modern literary investigations— A universal endeavor to gather useful thought from every source, an«l a disposition to appreciate what is good in every ancient work — In this spirit study the Talmud — Second-hand knowledge of, and refer- ence to the Talmud — Ignorance and misrepresentation of the work — Lack of a good " Introduction " to the work — The censor at Baslo — A critical edition never completed — The Editio Princepa — Ml ft^N'i'ENTS. XXI I'AUR Interdictions, Inirninga, «tc., of the book — Anecdote of Clement V, — The confiscation instigated by Pfeffer Korn — Renchlin comes in to the rescue— The cimtcst which ensued — lleuchlin'a friends— It results in the printing of the lirbt complete edition of the work at Venice, A.U. 1520 165 What is the Talmud ? — Its wide extent — The topics proposed to be treated — A body of law — It can be best judged by comparison with other bodies of law, especially with the Justinian code — The Talmud originates with the return from the Babylonish captivity— Change which took place during the captivity — Love of the Scriptures which sprung up— Its exposition "Midrash" — Four methods — P R D S — The literal, the suggestive, the homiloli •, the mystical — An allegorj- — Tlie Talmud not a systv^matic code — Rather the result of intermingled currents of thought — One logical, the other imaginative — Logic more i>fominent in study of the Law— Im- agination in that of the other portions of the Bible — " Halacha '' and "Haggada" — Mishna and Cemara — The development of the Oral Law — Its deductions from the written— The Scribes — Three periods — The Sanhedrin and schools of the second period — The teacher« and their method — The rise of Christianity— The Pharisees -The Alishna — Hillel — Akiba— .Tehuda — The contents of the Mishna — Character of its lavr's — Their administration— Capital punishment — The Gemar;is of Jerusalem and Babyh-i— Size of the Babylonian Talmud — Cause of the authority and popularity of the Talmud — The language of the the Talmud — The Haggadah — Its use to the Eastern mind — Account of the creation — Angels — God's name- - The soul— Resurrection and immortality — No eternal punishnif.at— Prophets 173 Sayikgs of the Talmvh— Synoptical history of the Talmud, Mishna, and Gemara — Account of the authors of the Bible ... 204 IGI CHAPTER IV. Tbachincjs of thk Rabbie.s— Consisting of various proverbs or moral sayings selected from the teachings of the niost celebrated Rabbles of all ages 215 CHAPTER V. Rambixical Cooi: of Ethics — Conscience — The highest maxim of moral law — God's command and not our happiness the motive to virtue — Self love not entirely excluded — The internal motive — Time of its appearance — Moral perfection finite and capable of increase — Duty of advancement — Freewill — Degrees of virtue — There are no small sins — No insuperable barrier to repentance — Degrees in sin — No man perfect — Demons— Merit not transferable— Moral judgment of ^ wmm xxu CONTENTS. ourselves — Classiiicatiou uf duties — Man should do by himself as God commands — Collision of duties — How decided — Justice pre- cedes mercy — One's own dues those of others ; and the good of the whole that of a part 247 CHAPTER VI. Extracts from Rabbinical Writings — The Spiritual Body — The Israelites at Sinai — Joshua— Enoch — R. Ribbi and Antonius 250 I I CHAPTER VII. KaBala and Kaba lists — Term defined — Two classes oi the Mystical School- -Philo and the Kabalists — Ago of the latter system — Its dialect — Divisions of the Science — Standard works — Axioms — Pan- theism —The Jetsira and Tohar 253 CHAPTER VIII. Th.". METAPHY.SrOAL St'HOOLS OF THE JewS, ANCIKNT AM) MoDERN — Sec. I. — Prcr.edinrf Maimo)hides : The Bible not mataphysical — Origin of evil — Free-will — The Talmud —MercabA — Allegorical characters of Rabbinical literjiture — The Caraites — Progress of metaphysics among tha Rabbinites— Saadia ben Joseph — The Book of Creeds- — The school at Cordova— Solomon ben Gabriel — The Fons Vitiv; — Baliya ben Joseph — Juda ha Levi and book Khozari — Diflerencos between theology and philosophy, and attempts at reconciliation - Maimonides — More Nevochim — Prohibition and burning of his work..., 254 Sec. II. — Suhsiquent io Malinon'uhs : Fabulous acc ov Lf.auvi.Ni! to Ivead Hkb>!?;w— Hebrew Reading.. 334 CHAPTER VI. Jewish Teaohkrs of CnKisxiAy SxuDENTs—Celebrated theologians and Bcholars who were instructed by Jewish teachers — Professors in Schools and Universities, and Learned men of the present day — Pre- judice against the i' the Trmplk— Where they are , 300 339 344 345 351 fONTEN'lS. XXT tmAin^Ei; vi. '"* Thk Hkiu PiUiWTfi— luiperfectiou (jf tlie (fi.'uciilogical llogistoivs -Lists of N.-imcs so iv.v as jif;ccvt;iiiicd 'if>2 (II APT!': it VI 1. Doc'i'OKS oi' DiVK-iiTV — Pipl jiiins— Htiitus and I'owoi'.s of P.abbis in dif- ferent agua ^ 3ft4 CHAl'TEll Vlll. StmooLM — Jewish ze;il in Wm uvunuAhn of Icarniiig—Vernaadar of the peaploin the time of Christ— (ifi-ck iirnliibited for sacred juirpoaca — Stricture.s on Liglitfi lot 366 CllArTEU IX. Mkdicinii ani> Cuikv'RGKKV — riij'siciaiin amoiii^st th(! llehrcws— Modes of treating tlio sick — Diaeayes mentioned in Scripture 3(W (JH AFTER X.' Thk Lost Tun' Tiuueh — Conllictiii!' Is.MAil IS Exn^AINI'D \MON-0 TIIK Jkws 40*» DEacKii'TroN- UK TUK St'i"i''i;i... Nt..,s or isiJAKi, i;y riiK KiNcs: Isaiah liii 412 ThR (yAUSK, OF THi; Sl'l'I'lTUVOS AS '1 11 K Kl\.;s WII.I. CoXOKIVK IT 412 Tub Puoi"nr;r'.s Dkfe.nck of the .lr,^T:c'K or Pkoviuknck 414 C1IAI'T]:U IV. Vhn OiinrsT iJoimow k}:om riir; P/auiiKs ? — Use of the Rabbinical \vritin;c5 in explainii);^ Uie Mrw Tt'5it;un<>nt ■■ tScvcral illustrative examples -Note on ('hrist'H relation to truth, old and new 416 ('HAFn:ii Y. Thstimony roN(i:r.Ni\.; .) I'si s rnoM a llnKoiorKD llAnni 426 ('IfAlTKR VI. [shabt/k St(.: Mnr.i no- U i.* « ks 427 CJIAPTEPv VIT. SifKPRHi.vrjs OK TilK Jews- -SnUerlii;;! in the oldt ii time-In Pritain-- On the Continent of Europe I'roni ihe wickedness of their own people- t)n account of false Mt\ssiahs — Accounted for from the Woud of CJoi) -Pawnor a better day- Notes on persecutions by Chrig- tiauB 4?,() (•HAITEP, Vlll. Tdk llESToiiATioN or l.saAi;i 4C:J OONCPUSION 4ri6 IIA-JEIIUDIM AND MIKVEII ISRAEL. PART FIH8T THE JEWISH PEOPLK AND THEIR C'JSTOMS. CHAFJ'ER I.— TFfE JJ^WS. PEKSicfirriox Ml i'cats it.soll'; tlio .Il-wsuu cxiiiniiK' -Tiuir iiilliifii<;i' in ("oaiinrvcc, — riii'tiy— riiilosopliy -I-itcnitiirc— Kfli^ioii. .Ikws in IIomk — I'.iscoutioiis. .Samaiutans-- Their oii'^'iu — IV'lii'f— Animosities — I'nited witli Jndea ag.iinst lionif. .li'.ws IN Spain anh FiiANci:— Ivnlv s'-tticinent — SiiU'eriiiLcs. .Ir.ws IN In I) I \— Enii.!j;iu1ii)ii to .Maluliiir- Iininiuiities— i'ersceutiuii — KelieC — liitcr- (•oni'.se with Holliind -<> (Uiiition -\)v. l>iieli;in:ur.s neeouiit. .Tiws in ClllNA • -l)(',:;riuleii ( '(lUiIitioii Ijcliel uiiil ('usiitins- iiiseiiptioiis in tlieir Syn;igoL,Mio. .Ti:\vs IN Hi'NiJAUV - I'll i^'i lives IVoiu oiniicssioii — Xumhers -()ecu]>iti(iiis — E lu- oiiMon --Heli^iion. Kssi;Ni;i;-; -IIliIiIi-; -Do.tiiiies -l''xtiii(::ioii. }li;i,i.i;Nisrs — Ivisc — Ivaliliiilisiii --Superstitions. I'liAUisi i;s-- ('(Mcnionics — Name — 'J'almiKli- cal account of ('hisse.s. Sai)I>i'('i;i:s— (_)iigin- -ilcl I'odoxy — Ciistoiiis. Sciuiikh -Oral Eaw -Its .s\ii;c('ssion — The Saiilieiliiin - FeiieiiiiJ!; tlie Law I'layevs. ('AiiAiTi-s ExtreiiK! Eecjiiisin — Morality — Na/.avitisin — Fniicial liitcs--Mclcin- ])'iyi'hosis. llisToiiv UK CiiiiisriAN .Ikwisii Sr.i.Ts in Htssia. .Ikihd CiiiaiKii — Icthro — IJcclialiites— Pliysic|ne — Antijiatliies ■ Jcwisli Ciistonis — I ioveniiucnt. Fui'.r.M \s()Ni;v — ('nrious'i'nulitions-- Synagogue in ria;^'iie- -" .Maiano.s"— 'I'raccs ol' Frceinasonrv - Alt-Xeii, 42f. r^i l4r.5 M rriK ,i!i\vs. Ill loi)kiii;j; v\ry llii! liistoiy of the liuiii:m lacu for Ww. last eighteen luuuliv'tl years, we limt- iiivariai'ly iouiitl that; lierseciition nud oppres- sion liiiv(; reeoiled upon t!ieuisel\ cs. Wliei) tlu^ Catliolics oinj)loye(l fire .and swonl to root out rr>te.iliUitis;ii, were iioL some of llie iii'st men tlu! world ever jjrodiiced tlio Protc^staut martyrs ( Ai;aiii, wlien I'rotes- taiiisni gaiiiuil i\w upper hand, and liereely persefuted Catholieisni, were not tlio ch'Verest and nio.stlearinv.l men tliat faitli has ever brought forth ire or liody of men wlio iniM' heeii so tlie Jjiracliles I For eighteen the martyrs f Wliere is tlierii a r [)erHev(>riugly pi irsiK d to (a'slriu'tioii as centuries, in all ))arls of the world, an lsrae!it(> has been looked uiioii as a criminal - as soiuetliing uueleau as a thing to be tram])le(l on, robbed, kicked and dfvspisi.'d. Vet, when did that race stanliilology» unotlicr class stiulied tlio JJihlc with t'le results of tlio former, l»y tlie doul)lc liglit of national traditions and the ])rodoininatiMg systems of j)hiloHoiihy, and left to jiosterity their immortal commentaries. Another class of their seholjus were entered in the same wav, Avith investigations into the Talmud, and the le.vt of our national literature, ami labored with tiie same hai)j)y result. While again one class was bu.sy to abstract tli(^ moral and religious theories of tlu) JUble, and their national literature, iind sliajie them systematically, according to the then state of pliiloHojiliy ; another class compared these results witli the dogmas of Grecian philosophy, and attempted to harmonize them both. These faint outlines of the mental and lit(;ra ry activity of our ancestors in the Arabic empires, and chiefly in Spain, v\ill enable you to form a correct judgment of their literary productions. Comparing them to Hebrew .scholars in t'hristian Empires, it must 1)0 admitted, while the former has two guides — tradition and philosophy — the latter had but one tradition ; hence, the former labored for Israel and mankind at large, while the latter a\ oi'ked almost exclusively for their people, being excluded from thi> rest of men l>y unjust mandates. Dut these two classes of scholai-.s did not renuiin long separate from each other. The Hebrew merchant brought not only the products of one country to the other ; he was also the vehicle to the exchange of the llloas manuscri[)ts, and, finally, also, the l)ool:s of dillevent lands and climes, and the scholars of cither laiul wen; benefitted by the labors of those of other countries, and the Israelite was always inclined to learn. The Hebrew scholars wrote in Hebrew, ami this was a .sacred language to which the prejudices of the priests had no objection, and which was more acces.sible to them tJuin any other language exco])t their own, and so another prophesy was fidfilled : "And the nations will go to thy light, and the kings to the lustre of thy sun ;" and also this : " T, God, have called thee injustice, and have taken tliee by the hand, and have formed thee, and .set thee to a covenant of the people, to a light of the nations ; to open the eyes of the blind ; to bring out the captive from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness, from the house of i)rison." NotwitJistanding the vigilance and severity of Rome's servar.cs, the new literature of the Hebrews was studied, and Jyatin translations wore fur- nished at an early date by the unterrificd friends of science, in the cloisters and outside of them ; and the religious views of the age under- went a revolution, to whicl» Hebrew literature had given the impulse (iti! 'ifil 4 IIA-Ii:iIUI)I.M AND MIKVKII ISRAEL. and tli(! substanco, tlio liooks und tho toaoliovs. If any credit is due to the Uei'onnatiou in tlie histoiy of lolii^ion, aliirge timomit of it may justly be c'liiiinrd by the Hebrew scholars, for most every great man of th;it ago hul Hebrew te.u-liers : and Sclmdt, this great enemy of Israel, tells Ui that jNlirtin Lnther hiiascjif hid sever.il Hebrew teachers. The t •anslation of the Bible by Martin Luther, gives abundant evidence that the lleformation was a consequence, and the Jlebrew literature of the ^[ediaival ages was the cause thereof. THK JEWS IX HOME. The Christian Clergy in the lloman States tried unceasingly to c )nv.',c. ilie Ji!ws to Christianity, and, aa they c;)uld not get hold of their so\ds in K[)ite of all t'uur tr.mbles, they took revenge on thoir ]) lor lioilics. Theodorich, King of the East Goths, who took possession of all Italy after (he death of Odoaker, showed gi'cat wisdom in sustaining his power in matters of the Church. Above tdl, he disliked the changing of religion. His successoi-, Theoilat, was, idso, very tolerant. The Jews acknowh^lged this fully, and proved their fidelity to him at the time when Justinia!i warred agiinst the East ('Toth.s. '^i'hey ha-l tnken possession of the up>)er part of the City of Na[ile'-, V/Ikmi P.rlisarius, tlie (Jeneral of Justinian, with his s )idier.;, had sturnied tiic lower ])arl (if th(; City, and lu^ld it, the Jews kept their own till they succumhed to superiority of nundiers. Belisarius admired Kueh fidelity, and recommende.d his soldicir, to treat tliem leniently, but oidy after great labor was he able to j)ut a stoj) to the carnage of his troops Quito diflert-nt was Justiidiin. He oppressed and persecuted them — treated them as hei-eties — and robbed tliem of their acpiired rights and possessioiis. Tins, he onunauded them to keej) tlie Passover on the day of tiie {.!hris!.ian Easter. H(! declared that no Jew ould lie a v/itness against iuiv Ciiristian — i)ronounced r A' no valu( -ai!f.i 1 f orba t!i' A I rcan .n!.>'s ri the e.Kcrciso of their religion, and the other Israel ics to educate their little children in the faith of their forefather: [<■, a> usual, all th( )se tecrees l o; tho C'ciincti in of the Hebrew i".;!!.;;om missed their aira. IM T(I ■ SAMATU7AXS. Justinian's sevens treat. 11.. lit, of tin" Israelites was the „ause (.fa geiiv ral i-ising of them in t.'a; ur u. Tho Sauiaritan.s united with them, .'X TlIK SAMARITANS. Ii)ths, ■' \ qilo'-. , had % thoir 11 i red % , hut ■4 f his 4 •utcd ■■< iiii'ed (he 'i Jew loats tlieir the the I cm, but with wliiit hick, Ave have to p-iss over for the moiuent, in order to give siiiue exiilanation ahout the rii^e of that sect. "> Wlien h'almunasser destroyed tlie Kinj^dom of Israel, he transferred, in acconhiiico with the tyrannical custom of las age, the ton coiunieri'd trihes of Israel into Assyria, and from tlieuce to the most distant countries of Asia, from whence they never returned, l)ut got partly mixed uj) w!th other nations; losing their identity, partlyas Itelievers iu the jNIosiiic law, but as members of other States, and partly as a j-eparate nation, under their own nders and separate government, are found there to this day. In the orphan's land of the ten tribes, and especially in the neighborhood of the c.ipital, Schomron (Samiiria), the King of "3^*- Assyria transplanted other conquered tribes, called (.'hut:.ei, after a city in Pei'sia, wherein they formerly dwelt, and, latterly, Samaritans, after the name of their new cajiital. t-^tion after settling, they suffered the consecpiences of the desolation of the land, as a herd of lumgry lions drove terror and dismay among the new inhabitants, who considered tliose accidents as a jninishment from heaven for omitting to wor.shii) the deity of the land. Tiiey rep'ji-ted, straight-off, the unlucky news to the Cyprian king, asking f u- on Israelite priest, Avho might teach them the worship of the God of this country, which re piest was rjadily granted. Thus the Chutaei got, in their opinion, a knowledge of the Cod of the Israelites, without renouncing their oUl Cods ; stopping between heathenism and tludaism, they formed a ridiculous liybrid, and the Israelites gave them the nickname of the " Lion Converts." This half-way heathenism t)f th(> Samaritans opposed a union of them with, the Israelites. Jhit the more they were initiateil in the Bible, tin; quicker they had to acknowledge that the Hebrew Cod, as the Cod of the Universe, can not suffer another one besides him. Yet, the division between both parties continued, spiritually, but the cause of it was not any longer their heathenism, but rather the way and manner iu which they understood the Hebrew religion. A full century sepai-ated and cut off from all inteicourse with the Israelites, they studied their Hebrew religion exclusively from the Pentateuch. Neither knowing, nor carhig to know, about the pi-ogress and the advancement of the IMosaic law, they returned to the stut:; of Judaism as it Avas a thousand years ago, and remained there firm, when all this time the rcligiou.s life of tlu! Israelites renovated itself, in tho course of time, through priests and jirophets- a life Avhich is itself creating and forming — yea, altering and adoi)ting itself to the dillereuce 6 lIA-JEIlUUm AND MTKYKIl ISUAKL, ^ of circumstances. Tims the Jinlaisiii of tlie Cliutivi was, for itself, the cause, ainl the Jmlaisni r.f tlio real Isniolites coiikl not amalgamate with (Hfieronces. Tliis ii,u;)it lii.twcen 8;un;irita)!s and Israelitos rose to llic liiyhest pitch of iuiimosity, when the latter showed thi'ir zeal to take pavi, with all their stivnu;tli, in the re-lmilding of tlio second temple at .Icrusalem, but were decidedly and strenuously refused hy the ^Samaritans. In consequence thereof, a certain ^lanasse, son-in-law of Sambol it, a ca])tain of the Chuta'i, and very hostile to the Israelites, Imilt ior the (Miuta'i finother temple, similar to tiiat oF Jerusalem, on I\Iount Gerisira, not far from the city of Schechem (Nablus), to Nshieh town, tlien, the most of the Samaritans einic(rati\l, and this S(!aled the sejiaration for all eternity. The iSauKiritans now live o;iiircly to uiemsclve-;, ami thus inisjmlg- meuts and scaiulali/:ing had lull play from both parties. 1'he Isiaeltics not oidy denounced the reliirion of the Samaritans as a counterfeit one, but raised against them the cry of idolatiy. Some woiihl have s;'en that thor(! was put up on 3Iount Gerisiui an image, in the form ol'.i do\e, to whic'i they paid divine homage ; the Israelites had raised and promul- gated the mjtxim, that the Chuta>i should be treated in all j)oiuts like idolaters, although even the Talmud had to acknowledge that the Samaritans kept those law.s, which they had adopted from the Israelites; more strictly and more conscientiously than the Israi^lites themselves. Notwithstanding this, the Samaritans never ceased to acknowledge them- selves the pure Israelites, and to accuse the Israelites of having falsilicd the Bible. They alHrmed that the pureworshi]) was only in the Temjde on Blount Gerisim, Avhose aitar was Imilt from stones out of the river Jordan, but not in Jerusalem, and cited as proof Deut. 27 c. 4 v. Hatred rose from day to day, and from mei-e spite the Israelites excludtJ Samaria from tlu; Holy li.'uid. Sirach ;said, '"Two kinds of i)Cople I dislike fi-om all my heart, but the tliirtl I hate as none else, the Samari- tans, the Philistines, and the crazy mot of Shechem." Hyrkan conquered them, to amalganmte them with the Israelites, took Schechem and destroyed their temple. Ilyrkan's ideas were notfulfilletl, but animosity and division increased. Both parties evaded each other like plague ridden, and troubled one another in all possible nvanners, even after Herodes had their city rel)nilt, the memory of their lost temple, wdiich never I'ose again, tilled their hearts with bitterness and rage. But a change came und> . the further dominion of Borne. Dnrinjr the many wars of Borne against Judea. who never ]>asseJ through the THE JEWS IN SPAIN AND FRANCE. 7 land of the Samaritans without iaflicting a great deal of injury, the heart of thn Samaritans left the Itomau side and inclined to tho Israel- ites. In tlin Ilebi-ew-Ronian war they made common cause with the Israelites, and fought bravely and heroically. Henceforth they had to share the fate of tlie Israelites ; yea, often they fared woi'se. At the time of tlie Emperor Autonin the Pious, the Israelites i-cceived from time to time certain favors, but to the Samaritans even the rite of circumcision was forbidden. Under the Emperor Yeno, A. D. 490, they laid claim to several Christian churches, but tliey had to pay for it with the loss of their mountain, where a Christian church was erected, which was destroyed again tinder Anastasius, by some Samaritan women. The guilty ones were sevci'cly punished by the governor of Nablos. When the Israelites wei-e severely treated under Justinian, the Samaritans made conmion cause with them, murdered a great many Christians under the liead of their own King Julianus, devastated the land, and killed the governor in his own palace. As soon as the Emperor Justinian got news of this rebellion, measures were taken to suppress it. The chief rebels were killed, the other Sam;\ritans had either to (juit the country, or, in order to save their property, embrace Christianity, which a great many did. Thus ends their history about the year 57i). ites; Ives. Ihem- ilied nple iver tred ukJ I lari- red uid sity gue fter lieh I TUB JEWS IX Sl'AlN AXD FUANCK. Even in the lirst centuries after Christ, tho Jews in Spain were already so numerous and 2)0\v(>rful, that the Christian clergy feared, the whole country wouhl turn Jew. According to doubtful memorials, there were Jews already in Spain at the time of King Solomon, but ifc is more probable, that they immigrated about 100 yeai'S A. C. from Africa to tho Pyrenie peninsula, where they soon grew in numbers, and importance. But this well-to-doism begat envy and hatred, and thus it came, that already the Synod of Eliberis^ an old Si)anish city (A.D. 300 to 313), issued tlic edict that henceforth no Christian farmer may employ Jews as husbandmen. They also forbade clergy and laity keeping com- pany, or to intermarry with the Jews ; as there is no doubt that at that time a great many Christians leaned towards Judaism. A few centuries later, in the year 582, the third council found it necessary to renew the decree against the intermarriages with Jews; and a.s the Spanish Jews were the chief tradei\s in the slave market, the Synod interdi(;ted that trade, and promised freedom to their slaves. Even the old West Gothic of Spain already made edbrts to convert the Jews by force to Christianity, ,1 ' 8 iia-jeiii;l)IM and mikveii isicael. and it is therefore easily explained, that, under such circumatancea, the Jews were pleased with the invasion of the Saracens in Spain. Jews must have settled very early in France, for Childebert I. (^tO), already ordered that no ,Ie\v shall ho seen on the streets of I'aris from Ash Thurstlay to Easter Sunday, and at Orleans a similar decix-o was passed by a society of ecclesiastics. The Jews Avero in such bad favour that Bishop Ceriol, wlio treated them kindly, was dismissed from liis othco. King Childerich (500), and King Dagober (G28), treated the Jijws with the utmost severity. Incited by King Ileraclius, Dagobcrt desired to banish the Jews, but the Abbot Damiauus an I the courts of Toulon resisted it with all their power, and for justice's and humanity's sake even assisted them by foico of arms. King Wamba then ordercil his favorite, the Count Paid, to punish the rebels, but ho united with the .lews, took Narbon; yet he had to suc- cumb to the power of the king. He and his associates were condemned, and the Jews banished. In spite of thesK unfavorable times, the Jews did not neglecit tlieir studies, and their cities wei'o celebrated foi' their Talmudical schools. THK JEWS IN' INOIA. " Af-'er the destruction of the second Temple in the 3S28th year of the creation, 31G8th of tribulation, and G8th of the Christian era, about 10,000 Je vs and Jewesses came to ISIalabar, and settled themselves at Cananganore, Paloor, Tahdam, and Porlootto. In the year 4139 B. C, and A. D. 379, Choruman Perumul, Erari Verma, eriiperor of Malabar, granted to the Jews the honor and privileges which they were to exer- cise; and which grant w^is engraved on coj)]ierplate, called Champeada, in Malayalim; and thereby appointed Josej^h Ral)liaan the head of the Jews." In the deed it is stated, that the sovereign of ISIalabar, while wielding the sceptre of royalty in a Imndrcd thousand places, granted to the Jews the privileges of using day lamps, of wearing long apparel, of making use of palanquins, umbrellas, coi>per vessels, trumpets and drums, garlands for the person, and garlands to bo suspended over the roads; and rclinquish(;>l all tax(;s for these, as well iis for houses and synagogues. The Malabar Jews resided at Cananganore rntil the arrival of the Portuguese in that quarter; but as that nation indicted great oi)pression upon them, they removed to Cochin in the year 1065 of the Christian I THE JEWS IN INDIA. 9 to of b(I the tud in cm, ami were hospitably received liy the rajiili of that phvce. He granted thein permission to buikl their .synagogue and houses next tlie pakvee, in order to protect them better; but hither they wercj foUowed by the rortugue.so, who again treated them with the utmost cruelty and injustice. Tiio arrival of tlic Dutch, who took po.sse.s.sion of Cochin in 1GC3, relieved them from tlu.'ir suilering.s, and .since that time they have lived in jicace. In the year IGSd, they 'vere visited by four Hebrew merchants from Amsterdam, wjio rejoiciul to liu I them enjoying ji state of prosperity, and agreed to live with them. 1..ey wrote an account of their reception to their brethren at Amsterdam, who sent out to them a su[)ply of books of the Law and the Prophets, th it were much wanted. Since *hat time an intimate correspondence has been maintained between thi.' tJews of Cochin and tho.se of Holland. At Amsterdam, a liturgy has been printed expre.ssly for the Israelites of INLah.bar. The White Jew.s never intermarried with their b'ack bretlircn, and look npon them as an inferior race. The latter lia\c none of -the Cohen or Levi family (Priests or Levites) among them, but tJicir rites and ceremonies in a great measure r(!S(!)nble those of tlic white Jews. Their number has been gre.itly I'educed by various c.iuses, and is stated to be somewhat over lOOO. Some time ago, several of the white Jews of Cochin addi-essed a statoment of their condition to a gentleman named Baber, of the Bombay Civil Service, in which they defend themselves rom various charges made against them by a recent traveller, and among other things, give the following account of their occu|)ations: " As for the industry of the Jews, they earn a good livelihood as handicraftsmen, being in general sawyers, fishermen, blacksmiths, brick- layers, tailors, bookbinders, and other artificers, of which inuiilier man\' for want of employment at or about Cochin, travel np the IMalabar coast to Bombay to get a subsistence; three-fourths of the Black Jewa arc vendors of household necessaries." When Dr. Buchanan, the author of '' Christian Rcsoarches," visited this interesting people in 180G, he made investigations into the character of the Hebrew manuscripts which they possessed. Hf- discovered among other remarkable writings a curious version of the New Testament. We shall give an account of it in his own word.s : — "I heard that there were one or two translations of the New Testa- ment in their possession, but they were studiously kept out of my si<^ht for a considerable time. At last, however, they were })roduced by indi- viduals in a private maiuier. One of them is written in the small 10 HA-.TEHUDI-M AND MIKVKH ISKAEL. rabbinical or Jcru.sakmi cliiuiictev, tljo other in a large stjnaro letter. the history of the former is very interestinj^. The translator, a very learned Rabi)i, conceived tlio deisign of makinp; an accurate version of the New Tcatauient, for the express [)urposo of confuting it. His style is copious and elegant, like that of a niast(;r in the language, and the trans- lation is in general faithful. It does not, indeed, appear that he v>'ished to pervert the meaning uf a single sentence, but de|)ending on liis own abilities and rcaiown as a .scholar, he hoped to l)e able to controvert its doctrines, and to triumph over it by fair contest, in the presence of tho world. The translation is complete, and writteii with greater freedom and ease towards the end, than at tho beginning. How astonishing it is that an enemy should have done this ! That he sliould have [)crsevered rcsohitely to the end of his v.-ork ; not always, indeed, calmly, for there is souKitinies a note of execration on the Sacred Person, who is the subject of it, as if to unburden his mind, and ease tlie conflict of his laboring soul. At the close of the gospels, as if afraid of the converting power of his own %ersion, he calls heaven to witness that he had undertaken the work with the professed design of opposing Epicureans, by which term he contemptuously designates the Clu-istians." Dr. Buchanan says that in. almost every house he found Hebrew books, printed or manuscript, particularly among the White Jews. TUK JKWS IK CniNA. In all probability this sect took refuge hero about the third century of the present era, but not later— coming from India across the north- western boundary of China. At first they numbered seventy clans, but at presiait not more thtin one-tenth of this number exists. Tliey are chiefly located in the centre of Kaifung city and in the vicinity of tlielr Synagogues A few are shop-keepers, some arc peasants ; but the majority are suidc in poverty and misery, almost destitute of raiment and shelter — so jioor. indeed, that some of the materials of the Synagogue premises ha\(; been sold 1 y tho professors to supply the wants of their families. Still they retain their distinctness froni tho surrounding mass(,'s of Mohannuedans and I'agans, although by the mere name of their religion. Originally they were called followers of tho Tienchuh religion, that is " tho Indian religion " — Tienchuh being the Chinese name for India — from which country the sect is reported to have come. But, instead oi vuaL jippellation, they now go by tho name T'ian-Kin Kiim TIIK .TKWS IN' CIIIXA. 11 iry — "cuttirij;' llio s'.ik;v.' sect" — beotiuM^ nvnrylhing tlic. .lews eat, mution, fowl o:- Iici'f, mus!; liavo the sinews takou out. T'lc villi cil" ciirniDi'is'.on is slili j)nicti.sed on males within oiw moutli after ')irtli. Of festivuls, ons! is " ibr poriimbuliitiug vouiid the Scrip- tures ;" blue ])onni't Mo.slems." The jKople are not jK^rmiLIf' to enter the temple with tlieir shoes on their f(!'t, iu>r the wouien with napkins on tlieir heads, tin; eomi.ion hoad-dress among the Chinese females of Ilonan province. Dowiver, the (iX])eetation of the Messiah seems lo have been (entirely lost. There seems mine able to decipher Hebrev/ writings. Indeed ihey lavve begun recently to amalgamate themselves with the myi'iad Pagans and ]Mohammedans in tiie vast popuhition of Kaifung, wdiich must amount to at least one million. .Mthough the .lews must Jiave entered ChiTia so earh' in the (Jliris- tian ii'a, it appoars that their Synagogue was 3iot built before the close of the twelfth centuiy, or nearly 1,000 years after their entrance. Jewish ])rofessors used to call this building, '' the ten)plc of Yihszedodii-uieh," in which, possibly, there was an attempt at expressing the name Israel phonetically ; buttlu^ inscription over the door at present is " the true and pur(} temple." According to the accounts lirought by the Chinese investiga- tors, the Synagogue itself stands within a third enclosure. Hero tliere is one large h;dl ciighty feet deep and forty feet wia»en's records." During their researches these luessengers copit'd many inscriptions within the Syna- gogue, and on its vai'ious pillars, some in Chinese and a few in Ilebrow charaet<>rs. We transcribe oni> or two of the latter frcm their journn], I 12 HA-JEHUDIM AND MUvVElI ISRAEL. exactly as Lliey ;ivc given )>y theinoclvcs, without vouching fur their accuracy or making any covroctiou. Over a tabhit in Chinese, siniihirto wliat i.s Ibund in ^Moluimmedan mosques or Biulhist temples, with tho customary formula — " May his imperial majesty live forever,'' itc, tlicre is this inscrip- tion: " Heai-, I) Israel ! Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, — Blessed be the name of his glorious kingdom forever and ever." These sentences are repeated in another pai't. Close to the coll for containing the Scriptures wo have this sentence: '"Inelfable is his name, for Jehovah is the Cod of Gods." Of the Chinese inscriptions, which arc very iiumerous, the following couplet is singular: '■ The sacred Scriptures c )nsist of lifty- tlu'ce sections ; these wt; recite by mouth and ineditate on, }U'.iying that the imperial sway may be firmly established. The letters of the sacred alphabet are twenty-seven; thes(! an>, taught in our households, in hope that the interests of our country may prosjicr." From two long Chinese tablets outside the gateway of tho Synagogue, the following extracts were made by the same : " From the beginning of tlie world our first father Adam handed down the doctrine to Abraham ; Abraham haiuled it down to Isaac ; Isaac handed it down to Jacob; Jacob Landed it down to the twelve [latriarchs ; and the twelve patriarchs handed it down to Moses ; Moses handed it down to Aaron ; A;ii-on handed it down to Joshua; and Joshua handed it down to Ezra, liv whom tho doctrines of the holy religion were first sent abroad, and the letters of the Jewish religion iii-st made plain." The founder of this religion is Abraham, who is considered the fir.st teacher of it. Then came Moses, who estal)lished the law and handed «lown the .sacred Avritings. After his tin\e, during the Ilan dynasty, this religio:i entered China." THK SECT or Tl[i; CHASIDIM, IN Til); NOIITJI OK KVIU)1'K. The Khasidim, or '• The Uighteous," are widely spread in several parts Oi Russia and l\daud. 'i'he princi[) U Fiabbi tlien wa.s called Kiibbi Bar, a son of the great Kablti Solomon, of Ladtli, whose fame had spread throughout IJnssia. Their mode of woi'ship diil'ers from that of all other Jews. Tht.> Chasidim being very .strict in their discipline, call other Jews Oulamshe, or worldly men, otherwise Mithnagdim, or Protestors, who look ujjon tho Chasidim with the saniv! contempt us they do upon baptized Jews. Tlioy are very careful to prevent their children comin ' under tho instruction of the Chasidim ; and if a son of theiis SECT OF TIIK CII.VSIDIM, NOUTIT uF EUROPE. 13 111 lul had of liic, or fl yoes s-'crotly oven- to llioin, lio will not Ik; roceiveil again by lii:i father when lie returns. Great division often arise in iUinilies on this account ; tliv(r.?cs letwocn man : n,l \vif(! ncour. TIkj opposite pai'ties carry tlieir aniinosiiy so far that ne'thor will oat of l)utch(_'r's meat killed l)y the other— no.- would a Chasid be allowed to 1)0 interred in the burial g;-ouiul o^ the oJier party. But, now^ bcin;;; lucre s^iread and better known, their animosity has subsiilod, and they are not so much disliked, and other JtAvs do intermarry with tliem. Tlu-y neglect much the study of the Talmml. The books which they study mo-t are the " Zohar llakados!)," /. c, t'lr holy Zohar (shining light), written by the great Eabbi Shiuioun l;(!:i Yacliai, and by his f-;on, liabbi Elizcr ; and other cabalistical books; also s-ermoiis, or lectures, l)y the modern I'abl.is of the Chasidim. They have small places of worHhi[i, Ciillod l]ol.Lhav."li■ll-a^h.s. The Chasidim, in their' worship, are very noisy, and fend of singing, clap[)iug hands and jumping, iu owlcv to l)anish v.ordly thoughts. The more pious of them continmMh''!;- ]n'ayrrs from i~ix iu IIk; moining to three in the afternoon, when they take both breakfast and iiinner at once, for no Jew will taste anything beibre his irioniing pnvye:-s, excerpt, wlien delicate in health, a single cup of tea or colfee. They return to afternoon and evening ]miyei-s, iu which they aro (,'ugaged till midnight. Before moniing p;ayer, they go to the ^likvali, ov well of purihcation. both in summer and winter ; and some also atteiul t'> their ablation, before their afternoon ]>rayei's. Ih-evious to jn-ayei-, they employ half an hour or an hour in medi- tation ; souK^ walk about in silent thought ; somi; are singing in an undertone ; others are sm(jki;ig tlieii- pipes while thus engaged. When the reader feeds [ire[)ai-ed in his riiind, he begins })rayer, ami is joined by that jiart of the congregation that may bi' in readiness to enter upon their devotions. (Some, for the sake of gi'eater privacy, r(;tire to a private room, called the "Meditation Room," for they say they would rather not pray at all than come hastily before tin; l^ord, not jicrceiving clearly in their minds whom they are about to address, ;uid for what they an^ ahout to ask. They say, i)rayer without the mind is like the body without (he soul. And, indeed, this is a great rule laid down by the Wablus ; and you lind in every Synagogue the following inscrijition on the front of the reading desk, in fold letters, " Know before whom thou standest." The grand ]>rinci|)le of tlurir system is unity and brotherly lovo. They address (^u-h otlu-r iu familiar languagr', like the Friends, except when sp( akiiig to tlie iJabbi. Their chief aim in to abolit-h self, which fit. 14 IIA-.JEIIUDI.M AND iHKVEH ISllAEL. m they call ''bitul haycsh," so that none should think oK lumscli', or ust? the phrase " I am " of himself, but to know that Jeliovali only is the great " I am." They do not speak to, or look upon, strange women, and as little as possible to their own wives. They avoid feiniles in the road; and should their way be intei'cepted by a erowd of women, they wait for tluar dispersion. They carefully banish melancholy, because, they say it eome.s from the "evil one," and in cal'alistic language is called '"sitera ochra," the opposite part. They are very libi!ral, constantly go about to do good; and visit th(! fatherless and widows. They come from a great distance to hear the llabbis, who lecture eveiy eveidng. They talce a text out of the Scriptui-es, which they explain in a cabalistical maunru-, and give the spiritual meaning of it. When the Ka1)bi has gone up to the pulpit, ho sits in a posture of meditation, his head leaning upon his hand; he beckons to the jteople to commence sinojinc', when instantlv the w]>ole concrreLration join in sin";- ing a hymn, in which two or three thousand voices often unite. They continue to sing, some with and some without words, until the spirit of the Rabbi is revived, when a sign is given bj him, and they stop in deep silence and close attention. The sermon frequently lasts two or three hours. As soon as the Rabbi leaves the pulpit, the whole con- gregation is bi'oken u)> in small companies of tlfteen or twenty in each group. Clever young men are ajipointed to repeat the sermon to these companies, while others write down the whole. In every small town or village wlun-e the Chasidim are, there is a •niecJwzir, or "repeater," who is sent twice a year to the Rabbi to be further instructed in the doctrines of the Chasidim. Every Chasid is bound to visit the Rabbi at least once in three years, and to take advice from him in spiritual matters, the Chasid's real motive for going to tlio Rabbi, is to liave the benefit of his counsel amidst the dilliculties and obstacles that he may meet in lus spiritual oovn-se, and leani liow to ovorcome any besetting sin. The Rabbi (piestions him as to liis mode of life, habits and bodily C(.nstitution, and then tells how many days he should fast, and the nights he should watch and pray, and points out suitable I'.salms. There are certain lu)urs appointtjd for communicating with the Rivbbi, when each p(U'son enters his rooiri, and has a i)i'ivate in- terview. 'Hiey, however, do not confess as the I'apists do to thei' priests. TJIK JKWS IN HUNtJAllV. THK .fLWS ]N nUXOAUY. :op in wo or cou- oacli tlieso JJuring tlie rcij;u of that ultra-popish, pricst-riddon e)npi-es.s, Maria *: Theresa, on tlic Austrian throne, Hungary l)ocamo — to use an fxi)rc'Ssiou '( of the Jews, the "city of rdii^o" to the Jowisli inliabitants of tlic pro- ,| vinccs of that empire. Very fe^^■, tliercf(.)re, of t]ie prcs(;nt Jewish ''f citizens in the hxnd ot the Magyars can trace thciir Hunuaiian origin higher ni> tijan to the fourth jreneration. Thousfh tlie Jew.s were very much opi)ressed and despisfnl in ITungary till recently, and particularly in cities where the Gernmn element ])reyailed; and, tliougli they wore subjected to many restrictions and ^yrongH, as, for instance, if a noble- man killed a Jew, his penalty \yas to pay a tine of thirty floi'ins -abont $5 — still, their condition might be considered a princely life, if compared Avitli that of their brethren in the rest of the Austrian Empire. Tlie Jewish population in J Jungary, therefore, is a conglomeration of German, IJohcmian, I\lorayian, and Polish fugitiyes. wlm there found shelter from the thie\isli olHcials of the wicked goyernment, and are, with the exception of those features and pc^juliarities com- mon to the Jewish race whereyer it is. diflt-rent in character and in degree of ci\ili/ation. 'I'hei-e are highly educated men among the .lews in lEungary, distinguished as jJiysicians, merchants, mechanics and agri- culturists, and there would lia\e been others in many ot'ier branches had they been permitted to practise them. They are in general a hospitable, kind-hearted and liberal ]K!opl(i ; a missionary, therefore, may not only fearlessly trayel through the length and breadth of the land, but may be^sure of a friendly reception on the part of the Jt;\vs. iVv I liber.— Tim numbei- of Jews in J fungary is estimated at oOO.OOO, and we think it is not exaggerated. (Jountrymen, recently arriyed, stiUe that, in the city of Pcsth alone, there are nearly thirty thousand souls of the Jewish persuasion. Next to iVsth. in res{)eet to numbers, -.wr. i )lfl- Buda and I'resbiu'g. Occupation. — Most of the Hungarian Jtnys ar« engag<'d in mercan- tile business, .some branches of which are oxclusiyely in their hands, in other branches, ns, for instance, the retailing of dry goods and small wares, they haye but few and feelJe competitors, in tlie ( Jreeks, and Armenians, who are gradually disappearing, as they are not as .skilful iis their Jewish neighbors. About thirty years ago the retail bu.siness of IVsth was exclusiyely in the hands of the (Jreciks, the Jews not being IKirnuited to oi)en a store of that kind. The Greeks, proud of their priyileg<«s of nnniopoly,' took such liigh percentage, that their customers nvtluM- waited for a Jowisli pedlar, or for the weekly fair, when the Jews ](> ii^i:l| ' y.i'.l IIA-JKHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISHAKL, wero allowed to soil tlioir goods in littlo booths or touts. It In s ulwuys bc(Mi t];e policy of tho Jews to soil iit voiy low profits, tinis e.vchani^ing tlieircapit.il ten times Jind oftener before tho jjivnid Creek merchant could once. After the Jews obtiiiued the i)rivilof>;e to op(!U retail stores in the city of Pesth, the Greeks waned gradually away, so that, at present, there are very few, if any at all. Since LSoG a gooilly number have engaged in nieehanieal trades -of various kinds; } arUiiilarly as tailors, shoemakers, turners, fringe-makers, silver, gold, an I tin smiths, watch and clock makers, itc, and a few in agriculture. Tlien; are no Jewish paupers in Hungary, and very few, and these in tl:e greater con- gregations only, wjjo ntions,and only found in Pesth and a fiiw otiier pi-ominciit places. Tiie litiM'al lucaning of liie word "cheder" is "a room," but, in the Jewisli jargon, it was understood to mean "a school-room." Imagine a f-m dl, low and (himp room, with .such a floor as mother earth gives itj two I'oai'ds, nailed xi[!on four poles, which are rammed in the ground, for tables; some lienches of the same material as seats, and a wooden chair for the " ilal)bi," or teacher, and you havi! the f.iithful picture of a "cheder." Then imagines a man, v\'ith nnkempt liaii" and b(\'ird, holding a large rod constantly in liis liand ; some ragged liooks, and a dnz(>n or two ragged, bart'footcd children around the tilile, aiul you ha\e t'.ie picture of a clunlcr, when in np;>ra- tion. The more surprising, therefore, is it that so many great men, great in the literary world, were, at least in their early days, pu[)i]s of such teu;]i(;rs, atteiulants of such cheders. lA. Saphir, the celebrated humorist in A^Icnua, and his brotliei', A. Saphir, tiie distinguished super- intendent of .schools in Pesth, bath of tluv.u i'ecei\ x'd their early education in a cheder; and the formernit seldo:n amused euijterors ami kings, v.dtli anecdotes ami experiences from the cheder. To the honor of t!ie present Emperor of Austria we must sav. thatafter he t( l» igary as an A ustrian iirovmce, noian; ant 1 hi-'h stdiools were every wliere established, and ])ut undin* go\('ramcnt yujicrvision. and arc i il low ui a ourisnniLi; con(ht-.nu. A','/; 'fiOll. The gr«!at bulk of the Hungarian .lews are orthodox, or of the ll.ibbiuic sch)oI, but by far more moderate in their own practice, and more liberal towards other religioni.Hts, than their ncighlmrs in Poland and Moravia. Ill ' THE HKLLKNLSTS. 17 , with liaiid ; iiililron (ip'.nu- iiuvn, )ils of liiMtecl siiper- oiition v.ith i'(';-i(Mit Iwliere in a lox, or lictice, In-H in THK E.SSENKKS. Tlicy rnsidecl for the most part on the borders of tlie Dead Sea, aitd were :i kind of Jewish monks, who hid ii (luiet life, ahiiost monastic and ascetic. They hated hxxury, and so abhorred covetousness and selfish- ness, that they introduced community of property. Their principal religions doctrines wt^rc : Unity of (Jod, immortality of the .soul, purification after death, and eternal reward or punishment. Their princii>al moral doctrine was, Lo\f ; lo\ t- to Goil, to our fellowmeu and to virtue. They advocated celibacy, and were allowed to take an oath only when initiated into the society. The novice received an axe, an apron and a white dress — emblems of industry and cleanlhiess. The society was oi-ganizc;d into tln-ee difl'erent degrees. Into as many classes they divided their schools and their oflicers. This sect, composed only of men who abhorred all worldly enjoyment, numbered a great many members, not only in ,Indea, but in other countries, especially in Egypt. It is true, their doctrines were excellent ; liut their scrui)ulous absti- nence, tht.'ir strict seclusion, their philosophy on the creation, their mystical do(;trines of the si)irits, and the (communion those latter hold with men, led them to an arrogant self-admiration, and the less gifted mend)crs to believe in miracles. Enjoying the reputation of j)erforming wonders, they exercised the most pernicious influence over the super- stitious peoi)le. When the Academy of Tiberias was destroyed in 300, this .sect became extinct. THK HKLLENISTS, That means, Jews speaking the Ureek language. 80 were called the .Tews living out of Palestine who had adopted the language and manners of tlu; Greeks, ami the doctrines of oriental jjliilosophy, as far as regards the ideas of (.{od and ci'eation. The founder of this class was Onias, son of Onias 111. Di.sai)pointed in his pretensions of l)eing elected as High rriest— which ofhcc* had been given to Alcyinus — lie went into Egypt. The King a]tpoint«!d him and another youth, Dositheus, couunanders-in-chief of the Egyptian army. After the pattern of the temi)le in Jerusalem, only in a reduced .scale, Onias then , where, without resiyniuir his command, Ik? ipk ntop officiated as 1 1 igh Trie.st. His followers weie Hellenist.s, who ditibred ill many a religious point fiom the JeAvs in I'alcstini-. They thought little of tra litional Judaism ; thev read the Itilil"-. but in the CJruek 18 UA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL, laiiguai^e, explaining it in an allegorical manner. The diy study of tlie ceremonial law could not satisfy mind and heart ; ])olitical oppres- sion directed the hope of the peoi)le to a transcendental and hai)2)ier order of affairs ; and hence originated, at this time, the cultivation of the Kabbalah. This science was, in the beginning, a system of mystic ideas, involving the highest questions of transcendental philosophy, founded on the most arbitrary reading of the Bible. Tliis exegesis degraded the Kabljalah to a superstitious mixtiu-e of explanations, computations, and mysterious use of signs, certain words and letters, by vii'tue of which hidden powers or problems could be discovered and made sul)Sorvient to the will of man. There exists a great analogy betweta the doctrines of the Kabbalah and those of some religious sects in Persia — a great resemblance on the pai-t of the former to the Zend- Aresta, the Persian Bible — for, since the Babylonian captivity, the Jews had remained in continual intei'coursc with their old masters. Hence, it may be inferred that the Kabbalah originated with the religion of the Persians, which was changed so far as to adapt it to the mind of the Jewish people, and that many Jewish customs, introduced by the Kabl)alah, were of Persian origin. So, for instance, the custom of looking at the point of the fingers on the evening of the Sabbath. The Persian dare not leave his bed in the morning, nor walk four steps, without having jmt on the holy girdle, tlie Kosti, believing that during the night he had been defiled by the touch of some evil spirit ; he dare not touch any part of his Ijody without washing his face and hands three times in succession. We find such regulations in the Babbinical law, founded upon similar suppositions. -J' _ We find in the Persian Liturgy, prayers to be recited before and nfter easing nature, Sec, &.c. ; such ])rayers are found also in the Jewish prayer-book. But, more clearly still can we ascribe to the Persian in- fluence all the vestiges of superstition and fear of evil spirits in which the Kabbalah and the Talmud abound. The Kabbalah assigns to the evil spirits the power of injuring man's soul and body. Maii is scarcely born before these monsters await already on the cradle to snatch them away from God and his mother. They surround man with all kinds of dangers, frighten him with the most hideous apparitioiis, and ti'ouble him even in tlie hour of death. Has he escaped them in this fatal hoiu', by virtue of his moral excellence?, then ensues the trial in the grave. They will break the sinner's bones, and tortiu-e him in the most agonizing manner. This belief of some old Rabbins in the power of evil spirits, is of Persian origin. Tlie|P>ible strictly forbids it, and common .sense ridicules it. PHARISEES. 19 l'HARI8EES. They distinguislied tliemselvos l>y tlieiv holiness, ])y a scrupulous jirixctice of a liost of cevemonies, and by a life full of resignation. They adhered strictly to the Bible and oral traditions, Avhich they believed were also given to ^Nloses on Mount Sinai. They cai'cd less for tlu? letter of the Bible than for its spii-it ; and tried, by means of lectures, ada])ted to the mind of the people, to make it the common property of all. They adopted the most liberal views of those doctrines of the Bible which clashed with the rofpiirements of the time ; softened the rigor of •criminal proceedings, and asserted that (!V(n'y sublime thought found in literature Avas boi-rowed from the Bible. They advocated a sober, reasoning and xinprejudiced faith. They were in favor of all the foreign customs which the people, in course of time, luid become accustoined to; and as the members of the supreme coui't were of tln-ir party, they exercised an immense infiuencc over the divine service and the hearts of the people ; the more so as their religious life command(;d universal regard, and they themselves willingly submitted to what they oi-dered the masses to do. Somi.' of them who, pursuing seltish interests, secretly led a life of vit-e and lust, were exposed and sharply criticised by the Pharisees them.selves. Tluiy mention six ditTerent classes of such hypocrites : ^•''t, **JI3u* CI'^iD those who make a great -ido abo\it the observance « (.f the hnv; I'ud, m^ L*''n5, tlie sycophants; :b-d. ^J^^'p 'C'T)i2, those who n tone for the sin of to-day by rei)entance to-morrow; 4th, N'J'nt: C"n5 the hypocriticid devotees: 5th, \-l3in H.-J rilD r7iC*^*N") those who make but a pn^tence of fultilling their duties ; and 0th, UNTD u*1*)i?) those who perform the divine comuiunds from mere fear of punishment. As the Sadducees on the one hand, made nothing of traditions at all, so the PharLsees, on the other luuid, diresence- — the shekinaii — was voiu-hsaffd. 'I'lic Carailcs also uii- Hcriiiiulonsly pronounce the iiHilfabht name of (Jod. His nauK! they also s|ii-ll somi'what flill'crcnl from the other Jews ; their writing it with two jods and a rar. Tlirir Sal)bath prayers are exceedingly long, ami they stay, therefore, in hynagogucs till four o'clock in tlic al'tcrnoon. 'I'licir lesti\als coincide with those (if the olliei- Jews ; ImL (hey are celelirated liy the ( 'araites in a diU'erent manner. 'I'lnis, for instance, formerly no Cai'.iitc! v/as seen on holidays in (he streets. They sliut themselv(!s up in th(>ir homes, which they did not <|uit, except for reli- gious purposes. They thus literally kept the cummandmeut, '' Ye shall not go forth from your place (in the Sabl)a(,h day." TIh^ Sabbath evo they spent in an extraordinary manner. I ntei'preting (he law literally, not ii light was sv twenty-four hours is dangerous (o life. Nor are the ( 'araites (putc* consistent in their literal int(!r|»retation of the law. Thus, tin; connnand of blowing the cornet edingly pure, ((heir strict integrity gained them th(! respect of tla^ governnn'iit under'which they lived. This fact, as also discarding a legion ol" I'abbinical notions, which I'endered the Habbinute obnoxious todn- Harbsiro-Christianpoptihition around them. illi ill! 26 HA-JEIIUDIM AND JIIKVEH ISRAEL. secured the Caraites froiri those persocutions which theu- brethren, the Rabbinate, had to suffer elsewhere. ) In marriage Liws tliey go beyond the text of the Bible, applying tO' them an interpretation of their own, whereby the circle of matrimonial choice becomes very restricted indeed. The young Caraite has often to go to a A'ery distant place to lind a bride not coming -within the degree of prohibited affinity. A strange custom among thf. Caraites is the occa- sional dedication liy parents of their children, as Xazarites, to the Lord, The liair of such cliildren is not cut, nor are these permitted to drink any wine, or, in fact, to transgre;js any of tlie laws prescribed for the observance of tlio Xa:::arltets. In this state such children are ke})t for seven years. On the anniversary of the eighth, they are taken to the synagogue, and there, for the first time in their lives, the hair of their head falls under the operation of the scissors, and a cup of wine is gi^en to them to drink. They ] ^w are like every other Caraite, and all their deprivations cease. Ther . are some, however, who submit the whole of their lives to the abstinence of a Kazarite. As many of the animals declared to be unlawful to be eaten, are only known fi'om Rabbinical tradition, rejected by the Caraites, they abstain from eating the flesh of several, especially birds ; they are par- taken of by Rabbinical Jews. For the same reason they carefully avoid eating the blood of fisli, from which a Rabbinical Jew does not abstain. They are, however, divideil in reference to the lawfulness of eating flesh boiled in or with milk. Some, like tlie Rabbinical Jews, consider it for- bidden, Avhile others are of a contrary ojiinion. A melancholy spectacle is presented by their funeral i)rocessions. Tliey adhere to the letter of the Bible, which declares a dead l)ody impure ; the body of the beloved departed is carried to the last resting place 1)y paid persons of another creed. Around, and by the side of the coffin, walk the family and friends of the decc^uscid, but the}- are scrupu- lously careful not to draw nigh. The touching of a corpse would, in their belief, render them nnclean, and contaminate them. What is strange is, that these deniers of all tradition sho\dd scrupulously observe the laws referring to the killing of animals slain, to be eaten by Israel- ites, as the Rabljinical .lews themselves, altliough most of their rites rest only on Rabbinical traditions. In these rites tliere is to be discovered a trace of the belief of some, at least, of their doctors in the transmigration of the soul. For one of these doctors teaches, that the killer, whilst per- forming his functions, should i)ray in his heart that the Lord should grant the animal a happy transmigration, in recompense for the sult'erings undergone CHRISTIAN JEWISH SECTS IX RUSSIA. 2r CHRI.STIA>f JEWISH SKCTS IN RUSSIA. Towards the close of the 18th century, the so-called Jewish sect produced a great stir in the llnssian Church. Its origin is ascribed to a Jew named Zacharias, who is described as an astrologer and necro- mancer, and who came from Poland to Novgorod, about the year 1470. He began to teach secretly tliat the only divine law was that of Moses ; that the iSlessiah was still to come; and that the worship of images was a sin. He made his first converts among clergymen and their families, who became so zealous in their new persuasion that they desired to receive circumcision. But Zacharias persuaded them not to discover by such an act their real sentiments, and to conform outwardly to the Christian religion. The clergymen strictly followed this prudent advice. The number of proselytes considerably increased, chiefly among the clergy and some princijial families of the town. These sectarians covered their real oi^inions with such a display of zeal in the rigid observance of the precepts of the Church, that they acquired a great reputation for sanctity. Two of them, Alexis and Dionysius, were accordingly transferred to Moscow, in 1480, by the Grand Didvc, Ivan Vaalorich, as priests to two of the principal churches of the capital, Alexis advanced high in the favor of that monarch, to "whom he had free access, which was a rare distinction. This circumstance gave liini great facilities for propagating his opinions, and he made many prose- lytes; the principal of them were the secretary of the Grand Duke, Theodore Kuritzin, who was employed on several diplomatic missions, and Zosimas, the Archimandarito of the convent of St. Simon, whom the Grand-Duko, on the recommendation of the same Alexis, raised to the dignity of Metropolitan of Moscow. Alexis died in 1481), and it was only after his death that his opinions became knowni. Tlie Grand Duk(! then declared that ho remi'mbored some very strange mysterious words of Alexis. It is also said that he confessed that his daughter-in-law, Helena, daughter of Stephen the Gi'cat, Prince of Wallachia, was seduced to the Jewish sect by a disciple of Alexis. The existence of this sect was discovered by Gennadius, Archbishop of Novgorod, who sent ta Moscow several 2)riests accused of having insulted the cross and the images of the .saints, of having blasidiemed against Christ and the Virgin, and denied the resurrection of tlie dead. A sjniod Avas assembled iub ]\lo.scow, in 1490, in order to try these heretics. The Metropolitan, Zosimus, presided, whoso pavticii)ation in their tenets was not then discovered. The accused denied the charge, but sutlicieut evidence \vas brought forward to prove the fact. The bishops wished to 28 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. li;!',( punisli tlio heretics severely, but the Grand Duke opposed them, and decUxred that they shouhl only he anathematized and inijjrisoned. Theodore Kuritzin, and other adherents of the sect, continued to propagate its doctrines, and to increase the number of its followers, particularly in teaching astrology. This began to spread a spirit of doubt aiid inquiry among many people- — the clergy and laymen -were constantly disputing about the dogmas of religion. The sectarians -were protected by the Metropolitan, Zosimus, who is accused of having persecuted the orthodox clei'gy. The details about this sect are contained in a Avork by Joseph, Legumenos, or Al)bot, of the^Convent Volokolainsk, who died in 15 IG, and who was the most zealous adversaiy of this sect. Zosimus resigned his dignity in 1'1:94, and retired into a convent. The persecution ceased for some time in Moscow, but the Ai-chbishoi) of Novgorod continued it in his district, Avhence many sectai'ians fled to Poland and Germany. In 1503, the representatives of the clergy who Avere sujv ported by this Joseph, induced the Grand Duke to issue an order for the trial of these heretics. They were^tried before an ecclesiastical court, of which Joseph Avas a member and the chief accuser. The heretics acknoAvledged their opinions, and maintained them to be true. They Avere condemned, and some of them publicly burnt, others had their tongues cut off, and many Avere shut \ip in prisons and convents. Nothin"' more has been heard of the sect since the date of 1503, but there noAV exists among the Koskolniks of R\issia a sect Avhich observes the IMosaic rites, and it is very probable that it is derived from the sect Avhioh Ave have described. In several parts of Poland, Turkey, and in the Russian government ©f Tula there are folloAvers of Jclesnewsheheena. The origin of this appellation is imknoAvn, and it is probalily derived from the name of their founder, or some leading member. Although Russians by origin and lan"ua"e, they strictly obserA'O the ]\Iosaic kxAv, perform circum- cision, keep the Sabbath on Saturdays, and abuse the Christian relif^ion. It may be that they ai'e the descendants of that Jewish sect which appeared at Novgorod and Moscoav at the close of the fifteenth century. .TEHUn (HEBER. The J 55, and in Jer. xxxv, 58, 59, they sire called the "sons of Rechab," or Rechal)ite.s, who according to the comniaiul of their father, abstained from wine and strong drink, from dwelling in i)ermanent houses, and from tilling the ground. This tribe is sfcill in existence, although they live isolated, anxiously avoiding to be known as Jehuds, and particularly disliking to hold intercourse with Jews. The bulk of that powerful tribe 'ive iu Arabia, near the eastern slurres of the Red Sea, and engtiged iu no other 1)usiness but that of raising cattle. In the district of Junbiui, a hcnport on the eastern shore of the Red Sea, there are some of them engaged as blacksmiths and traders with other Arabs; that is, to exchang*; their produce for other articles. The other Arab tribes call the Jehud Cheber " Arab Sab'th," which signifies, Aral)s who keep the Sabbath holy, and are not only estimated as very honest neo])le, but feared also as strong and almost giant-lik(; men. Tlicy <; «vk, it is said, the xVrabic and Hebrew lan- guages, but will hiixe nothing to do witli Jews ; and if they are ever met bv such ;..id recomiized. they deny their origin, and say that they are only Arabs. In their intercoiirse with the hitter, tluy are very careful not to touch them ; they keep, therefore, alwivs at a distance from th(,Mn, and never eat anything offered by them. They always appear on horse-back and armetl to the teeth. Persons who have had opportunities to observe them, say that ther have seen zitzith (fringes) on their garments. During the reign of Ibi-ahim I'ascha, when it was f[uite safe to travel iu those wild re";ions, two Jewish tinsmiths undertook a journey i\niony; the Aifibs to find work. They left Safet with their working tools, and passed the Jordan in a south-east direction towards the Ilauran. They found plenty of work, and being strictly orthodox, lived on bread, milk and honey, having their table at some distance from that of the Arfibs. After several weeks, sonu' A.rabs from the south came to the place where these two Jews labored at their Imsiness. At dinner, they asked the host wjio these men were who sat separately? They were told that they were "Jehud.s." The strangers laughed heartily at this information. "What I" they cried " these dwarfs Johmls l" We know many of tliem ; they are a powerful giant-like tribe." It was, however, explained to thom that there were other Jehuds besides the '* Jehud Seh'th." From time to tinu! some Jehud C'hcber made their appearance in Palestine, and even in Jerusalem; but they alway.s anxiously aM)id publicity and i-ecognition. The reusou for their doing so remains as yet inexplicable. It is certain, however, that tliey live nccording to the litw 50 HA-JEHUDIM AND MLKVEII ISRAEL. 1. ■i I ! of Moses, ami .ue not entirely mmcquainted with the heroes of the T?abbinical school. Some years ago, two Gorman Jews from Jerusalem went down to Til)eriah, to visit the sepulchre of R. Akilja. After they had perfoi-med their devotional exei'cises, and stepped outside of the cave, two stately Arabs on horseback passed by, mul asked '' What Tzaddick (pious or righteous) rests in this cave ?" The Jews answered, " Rabbi Akiba." The men immediatelv alighted and went into the cave : and after a while the Jews heard them to their great astonishment, pray in pure Hebrew. They waited imtil they finished and came out, and thou asked the men, Mdiom they supposed lobeAi'abs, whotliey were? They received in reply, "We are Jeliud Cheber ; but A\'e conjure you by the name of the God of Israel to speak to no man aboiit ns, until we are bej^ond reach." They then disappeared, on their swift animals. I It is known, however, that this tril)e lives under the government of a chief, whom they call INIelek-King. This became known by the following circumstances: — About thirty years ago, the Sultan of Zaun ah intended to fulfil the duty of a ])ilgrimage to the lioly city Mecca. Being afraid to go by sea, as usual, he made up his inind to crofs the desert. Well provided Avith all ])0ssible necessaries, and ii sufficient number of armed men, he started on his journey; but their guides soon lost their way, and after waiulering about for several days, they began to suffer for v.aut of provisions, and particularly water. After another r. The Arab told them that the tent was that of their ]\Ielek-King. and tliat they were just congregated to perform the evening pi'ayer. '^Plu'v were permitted to look into the tent, and saw a large congregation of stately men, engaged in silent devotion. The ])i]grims were immediatelv iiro\i(led with water and food, and some tents to rest in ; and after they had recovered from fatigue, they were well provided with everything they needed, aiul bi-ought upon the right track towards Mecca, Avhere the}- safely land(!rotherhood, ami in consequence of which he obtained admission. The other door was for the entrance of visitors. They apjieared in a peculiar dress, mostly in I loll • Tlie name " ^[aruuos" they received i'roin Uk; cireuin.staiicLS that they were often friglitened liy tlie cry : Maraii atha: "The jrastiT eoinc.-.," when asseoiMid together for prayer. 34 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. } .|1 si'^- f. 1 i t i ■ 1 ; ( 11 ' 1 1 ■ i monks' cowls ; and the last rule of precaution wliich tlioy emjiloyed among them, was, that whenever visitoi-s fi-oin otlier oomiiiunities were introduced, they tippeared all masked, while the visitors wore obliged to show their faces. In examining visitors who were not known to them personally, they used, like FreKinasons, certain signs, grips, and pass- words, which together with the facts of their being skilled in geometry and architecture, makes it most probable that these communities pi*ac- tised a kind of Freemasonry among themselves. But there are other circumstances which oontirm lis in that idea. The history of that pei'secuted race, thousands of which ended in " Auto ^h•/r.•^" records of innumerable cases where brethren were delivered when in great distress, from the most ciuel death, even from the foot of the scaft'uld ; and once a party of sevei'al hundred persons, men, women and chililren, who were already sentenced to be bin-nt alive on the next morning, were carried out from the prison of the In(|uisition in Lisbon, brought on boai'd of two vessrls which wei-e waiting for them, and safely landeil at Amstei'dam. One fact more we will mention. There weie often traitors in spite of all the means of precaution Avhich they employed ; but scarcely one of them esca])ed the avenging dagger. Jt found the tioaehfn'ous heart in the inner chamber of the king's palace, as well as the foot of the altar in the cathedral : his life was forfeited ; there was no spot on this globe where he co, 'd tiee to. and no cave where he could hide himself; the invisible arm of " Neiiiteance" i-eached liim evervwhere. s globe f : the CHAPTER IJ. THE NAMES OF A JEW. Hi'.Hiii'.w- iMiAKi.iTEs — Jf.w — Oiigiii and Imjiort of thesf. Niuiie.s dpfineJ. THE NAMKS OF A .IKW. Ill regard oftho name of this nation, they are known from times of old, till our day, nnder three difieicnt names. They are called Hibreios, Israelites, and also Jeius. We will give a reason for this variety. The name Hebrew, ov, more correctly, Ebri, is decidedly the oldest, as we find yet in Clenesis xiv., 13, is that the ancestor of this nation was called hy the (Jentiles Abrahmn, the TiV^/'/, because he^was from the other side of the Kiiphrates, for the Hebrew root aixir, from wliich the English word over is derived, signifies to tiansgress over eopleof the ten trilu'S, Avere carried into captivity by the Assyrian king Salamaiiasser, which was transacttnl l-'M years before Xebuchadnezzar, king of ]')abyion, destroyed Jerusalem, and as the ten tritifv-i wer(> dispersed by that tyran- nical emperor into a mount .ous i-cgion in the interioi" of Asia, so that until this time liistorv is silent in re^ai'd to the fate of those lost ten tiihes; all the surviving Israelites were called from that time Jehudim, or Jmrs — though the name Israelite is tlu^ more correct one ; for every •fehudi or Jew is, of course, an Israelite, l»ut not every Israelite a Jew, or .leliudi. CHAPTEU 111. HEBREW WOMEN. Polygamy, though ]prafti(>e(l, wns (liscmnagfd -High position assignt.-d to Woman— Betrothal — Mairiage — Divorce — Miituitl ilutie-. of Hushaml and Wife -Love ot JIebre\v Wonieu for their Kiiuhetl. HEBREW WOMEN. The position assignccl by the Hebrews to the female sex, has been frequently niisunderstooil. From the permission of ])olygiuny, from its •supposed general practice, and from isolated expressions by some Rabbins, it has been hastily inferred to have been low. To arrive at correct views on this subject, we ought to compare the position of the Hebrew female, not only with the elevated place wdiich Christianity, in acknowledgment of her I'eal vocation, has assigned her, but chiefly with that which she then occupied, and, even at the present time, holds among other eastern nations. The readers of the New Testament cannot but feel that the relations there indicated proceed upon the assumption that monogamy was the rule, and 2)olygamy the excejition. The permission of polygamy— the comparative facility of obtaining a divorce — -and the practice of keeping concubines (especially at an earlier period), may seem to militate against the fundamental idea of the marriage relation. But, against these drawbacks, we have to put the two indubitable facts, that, generally, men Avere only nnited in wedlock to one wife, and that Jewish females occu})ied not only a comparatively, but an absolutely high 2)osition. The law tlu-oughout recognized and protected the rights of a woman, and discouraged the practice of polygamy. An impartial reader cannot rise from tlie perusal, not of a few isolated passages, but of the sections, of the Mislina bearing upon this .subject, Avithout being impressed with this conviction. To the age of twelve years and one day, females were rnckoned minors (boys, to thirteen years and one day), tluring wliich period they were al)Solutely in the power of their father, who might betroth or give them in marriage, and who derived the benefit of what they might earn 1)y their personal exertions. Marriage was ]neeeded by a betrothal, which, in the Province of Judea, was celel)rated by a feast. The conditions of the marriage were then very pi'ecisely fixed, the dowiy brought by the wife, and the sum of money to be i>aid to her in case of divorce or of widowhood, .settled. HEBREW WOMEN, 37 ,-gainy. isolati'il subject, twelve lirteen in tlie ■e, and erHoniil mce of e were le suiu settled Only a homlfide breach of these engagements was deemed a valid ground for dissolving the bond thu.s formed. From the moment of this formal betrothal, the couple were looked upon as married, and the relation could only be dissolved by divorce. A betrothal might be entered into by the parties personally, or by delegates, but in order to be valid it was necessary for the bridegroom to hand to the bride, either in money or otherwise, the value of at least a perutah. Fi'om the period of the betrothal, twelve montlis were allowed to either party (if the bride was maid, and thirty days if a widow) to i)repare for the marriage. In cases of longer s ; a general bad rei)utation in the place, or the discoveiy of damaging circumstances which had been concealed before marriage. On the other liand, the ^\'ife could insist on being divorced from her husband if he Avas a leper — if he Avas allected Avith j)olypus (cancer?) — or if his trade obliged him to perform either dirty oi- disagreeable manipulations, as in the case of tanners and co})pei'smiths. To discourage a plurality of Avives, it Avas enjoined, that, in her claims, the first married Avife sliould always take preced(4ice of the second, the second of the tliird, Arc. The ordinances Avith reference to diA'orce by absent husband, Avere, as all legislation on this subject, Aery punctilious. The law specified the mutual duties and rights. The husband was boxnid to love and cherish his Avife, comfortiibly to su])port her, to redeem her if she had been sold into slaAery, and to bury her. On these occasions, the poorest Israelite* was bound to provide, at least, tAvo mourning fifes and one mourning Avoman. On the other hand, the Avife was to grind the meal, to bake, to Avash, to cook, to suckle her childrt'u, to make her husband's bt'd, and to Avork in avooI. These- regulations Avere modified if she Avas wealthy. If she had brought Avith her one slave, she Avas not recjutred to grind the meal, to bake, or to Avash ; if two shnes, she Avas also free from cooking and suckling the children ; if three slaves, she Avas not reejuired to make the bed, or to Avoi'k in AvooI ; if four shives (it is added), she might sit in her easy chair. HoAveA'er, this indulgence was limited, and, luider all circum- stances, the wife exi)ected, at least, to Avork in wool. If, by a rash \oav, a husband had forsAvorn himself not to alloAv liia wife to Avork, lie was bound immediately to divorce her, as it was thought that idleness induced insanity. The whole of the personal property of, or the income derived by, the Avife, belonged to her husband. On the other liand, he Avas bound to make over to her one-half more than her doAvry if it consisted of ready money, and one-fifth less if it consisted in nny property. Besides, the bridegroom Avas to allow las wife ono-touth ( ■ :,via- /.' it hl:bhe\v women. 39 ? tluit a ! attrac- [l laAvful I, if she not only iO.se hair, ting her >vith her I ill the liscovei'y uarnage. From her [cancer '<) i"reeal)h^ isconrage the first second of y absent IS. lantl was o redeem On these ast, two the wife ckle her These ,ght with |ce, or to ling tlu' d, or to ilu^r easy circvim- of her dowry for jtiu-moiiey. If a father gn\e away his daughter without making any distinct statement about her dowry, he was bound to allow her, at least, fifty .<>i's : if it had expressly been i)rovided that the bride was to receive no dowry, it was delicately enjoined that the In-idegroom should furnish her, before her marriage, with the necessary outfit. Even an orphan, who was gi\en away by her natural guardians, tlie paroohiiil authorities, Avas to receive, from tlio common funds, at least, fifty SKS as dowry. Any real property which a bride might liave acquired, either before her bethrothal, or between her bethrothal and her marriage, (in the latter case only if unknown to tlie bridegroom,) might again be disposeil of by her, either by sale or gift. Aluisband could not oblige liis wife to leave the Holy Land or the City of -lerusalem, or to exchange a country for a town residence, and vice versa; or a good for a bad house, and vice vema. A widow might insist on being maintained in her liusband's house, or if the siirviving relations, and she hei\self were young, in her father's house. If .she had bred in her father's house, she was at all times at liberty to claim Iier legal portion, but if she had spent twenty- five years with the heirs of her late husliand, her money was forfeite(. .s it was consiilered that (hiring that period she must have sp»>nt in charity a .sum equal to that to wliich she was legally entitled. From this curious provision, it would ai)pear that the calculated annual expenditure for purely charitable purposes, was at least one-eighth of one's income. We only add that 2)riests were bound to enquire very particularly into the purity of the family with whi:;h they allied them- selves in marriage, l(>st they might enter in^o connection Avith heathens oi- with bastards. Children begotten in ordinary wedlock, wore ordina- rily recikoned as belonging to the family of the father, but if the motlier alone was a Jewess, her offspring were p.lso considered Jews. The same pi'iviloge was also extended to the children of those who had forsaken tFudaisin. Of the first, we have an instance in the circumcision of Titus by Paul ; of the second, in the claims put forward by the daughters of the apostate Acher. llie ]K>rioil of suckling is variously stated. The Mi.shna fixes it at two years, or, at least, eighteen months. The educa- tion of daughters was almost entirely confided to their mother, and even in that of sons sh(* sustained an important part. Besides their peculiar domestic duties, daughters were to be taught the written, but not the oral law, as such studies might lead to undue familiarity with the other sex. Daughti'is »vere, whilst minor.Sj so ab,st)lutely in the power of their father, that he might even sell them into slavery. If a per.son died, leav- ing sons and daughters, the former were soh^ heirs, but were obliged to 40 HA-.IEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. support their sisters, and that altlio\i_o is, physically, the finest of his race. The bearded old Hebrew, who comes from Poland, with a wallet at his back, is often caught by admiring artists, .and i. 'e to sit for i)Oi" traits of Abraham, or Eli. These Gonstantinople Jews are mostly relics J L' DA ISM. 45 IS ; living guages of )ple ; and ey cannot a natural liich tliey itli them A "sv liter command tlie intel- tic march arrange- fths of the f past his- as well as tocracy of bborness ; lated, but m iinpar- 3dound to aracter of itiy there a.st iuter- ised gen- mouth theatre, )oor and 1 other )r. lie h dark, sonlid lous as ffic is as As a of John t of his wallet for pov- V relics of the iAhat, who Hed from the fires of the hKpiisition in "Western Europe, and their thick Shemitic Spanish is still heard in the close alleys where congregate outcasts lower than the lowest, and beings on whom the meanest Rayah may inflict in turn the hisidts which he receives from his Turkish master. They ai-e a quiet race, slender and stooping, with something weak and idiotic in their features, which are far more delicate than those of their English countrymen. Occasionally there is one whose countenance might ha\ e been intelligent, if a bettei- fortune had ever allowed any noble or elevating thoughts to be presented to the dormant mind, or the sun of hope had ever broken through the chill mist of contempt and poverty which must encircle the journey of his life. Though they are what they are, < ,ie can still imagine that in the schools of Cordova and Toledo, their forefathers were great in phi- losophy and medicine ; they were the physicians of emperors and kings, and even gave many a bishop to tlie church which persecuted them. However, the descendants are poor and miseial)le, earning a scanty meal by the sale of .stationery and petty wares, iind there they stand, at the entrance of the bazaar, whispering confidentially to each Englishman that passes, and ofl'ei-ing tlieir services, with that mysterious air of secrecy wliich characterises their race." Far down in tlie valley of time, we see a little stream making its way between shelving rocks and trickling overlisinging branches ; we b(>liolil a little rill Just escaped from its flinty birth-place, gradually urging its way to reach the bi'oad plain where other and broader streams pursue their course. But ever and anon its progress is checked by obstacles which the nature of its bed presents to it at every turn; yet the very narrowness and depth of the channel, which it has to follow, preseives its waters froni being wasted and roclaimed aloud his Ijelief and trust in One, eternal and in* 46 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. visible God, whom lie designated and adored as the Possessor of Heaven and eai-th, comprehending, under the last term, the globe on which we live, and by the other, the whole structure of the univei-se, in comparison, with which our earth is but like an atom, that dances before our eyes, ^ the bright sunbeams of a glorious summer's day. Their customs, man- ners, habits and religion, are surely worthy of an incpiiry, and deserving the serious considei-ation of eveiy one feeling an interest in that people, from which were the chief sources of revelation — or in other words, of whom the prophets and our blessed Redeemer wns born. The ceremonies and customs of the present Jews, are not all of equal authoi'ity, neither are they observed Ijy all the Jews alike, for which reason the ceremouies are divided into three classes. Tlie first includes the injimctions of the written law, viz.: those contained in the tive books of INIoses. Tliese injunctions consist of two hundred and forty-eight atfirmativos, and three liundrod and sixty-five negatives, Avhich, in all, amount to six hundred and tliivtciMi, and are called Mezvoth Ifatonth (commandments of the law.) These six hundred and thirteen commanduients are contained, as they conceiA-e, in the Hebrew Avonl Toroh, whicli signifies the bnv. The letters in this word, if con- sidennl as numbers, make up six hundred and eleven ; the better to account for tlie two remaining precepts, they insist that God himself gave the tirst, wiiich relates to liis unity, and to tlie prohibition of }>aying divine adoration to any images or state. The most learned of the Kabbis are of opinion that tlie two hundred and forty-eigjit afKrmatives. answer to the same number of members Avhich are found i^i the human body : and, forasmuch as it is written in Ecclcsiastes. '' That to keep (Jod's commaudmcnts is tlie Avliole les of tlie Rabbis ; but the latter have a natural aversion to the (Jariats, and will make no alliances, nor have any conver- sation with them; they call them ^fain':erii)U or V)astards, because they heep none uf tlas pi-ecepts of the Rabbis; but their theology is in no way different from that of tlu^ other Jews, excejtt, }terhaps, in its being more {aire, iind less superstitious, for they pay no i-egard to t]i(> ex})lica- cations of the (Jabalists ni' tiieir allegories, which iu reality, have no foundation, Tliey lielieve iu the immortality of the soul, and in a future state — iheii' liasis on tliis jioint Iieing. '• Let us make man in our own image." The spliit of man, they say, owes its rise and its origin t(; things above, and his body to those below, for, they add, their soul is of an .Vngelie nature, and immediately after flie eivation, the fiif\U'e state was made for Ihe smuI of m;\ii. 'M Ws' 48 HA-.TKHl DIM AXD MIKVEH ISRAllL. I Among our modern Jews, tliere are but coiiipaiati>-ely few who are able to discourse in the Holy Tongue, or, as they call it, Lankan Ilakodesh; they are as much at a loss with res2iect to the Chaldaic or the Targum, although they si^oke these languages whilst they enjoyed their privileges, and were in their own country. Thus, the Jews of Italy and Germany, talk Italian, Dutch and German ; those of the East and Barbary, Turk- ish and the Moscow tongues; they made these foreign languages so absolutely their own, that many of those Jews, who went from Kussia to Poland and Hungary, carried the languages with them into those countries, and tr Ui?j;i:fiteil them to tlieir posterity. Those, also, who were forced out of 8i)ain, and Hed for refuge to the East, also carried their language with them into those parts. The Jews, however, mingle many corrupt Hebrew words in their every-day conversation. But few of them, as has already been mentioned, understand the Scriptures thoroughly, much less (excejit some of their IJabbis) can they converse freely in the Holy Tongue. About one hundi'ed and twenty years after the destruction of the second Temple, Rabbi Juilah, who at that time Avas called Raljemih Hakadosh, or, our holy master — on account of his exemplary life and uncommon virtues — this Kabbi, who was a gentleman of fortune, and a favorite of the Eni])eror Antonius Pius, taking notice that the dispersion of the Jews made them negligent, and forgetful of the oial law, took therefore, and wrote down the ordinances and traditions of all the Ral)bis 112) *° ^^^^ time. This comjiendiuin of his, which is called MUhna, is divided into six jiarts. The tirst treats of agriculture and seeds — the second of festiA als — the third, of marriages, and e\ erything relating to women — the fourth, of fables and disputes — the fifth, of sacrifices and the sixth, of things clean and unclean. But this book created abundance of disputes, which, as thej' daily increased, obliged two Babbis of Babylon, one named Ravina, and the other Ravasha, to collect all the interpreta- tions, controversies, and additions which had been written down in the Mishna, together with a supplement of short histories, maxims and memorable sayings, and jilace them together, out of which they then composed the book called the Talmud. It is divided into sixty parts ; " and upon this book the Jews lay a great stress, some of them even con- sider it equal to the five books of Moses. Orthodox Jews are great Jjeliovers in dreams, so much so, that if any of them are made uneasy by a frightful dream, particulai-ly when relating to those kinds explained by Rabbis, they fast all the iiext day, that is, abstain from l)oth eating and drinking; and, in short, nothing JUDAISM. 4d but a dream can place a Jew iiniU-r obligations to fast on their Sabbath day, or iiny other feKtival. On the e\'ening following the fast, the person who Iims dreamed, and fasted accordingly, sends ior three of his friends before lie presumes to eat, to whom he says seven times, " May my dream be fortunate," to which they answer each time "Amen, God grant it so." After this ceremony, they add some passages of the Prophets, iiiid then, that the dreamer himself may have some omen, they repeat to him the words of Ecclesiastes, " Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy." after Avhich he who had fa.sted sits down to his supper. Every JeAv is oldiged, both by their written and oral law, to be true to his word ; not to over-reach or defraud any person whatever — .lew or Gentile ; and, in all their dealings, to comply with the nxles of commerce, prescribed in several ])laces in Sci-ipture, particularly in the 19th chapter oi" Leviticus, from the 33rd verse to the end. They make use of different sets of utensils, both for kitchen and table use, foi' some of them are appropriated to meat only, others for milk, but never niixed, for, when they eat meat, they must wait six full hoiu-s before tasting either milk or butter. They have, also, particular dishes, ite., set apai't for tlui Feast of the Passover. When they pur- chase such \cssels as ai'o made use of in the kitchen, they are immedi- ately ti'.keii ;nul plunged into tlie I'iver. or into any large quantity of water, before made use of. The Jews are not pernutted to taste the llesh of any four-footed beast, unless its hoof is 2)arted, and cliews it cud. They never eat rabbits or swine, neither do they eat those fish that have no scales, nor birds of ])rcv, or reptiles. Whatever they eat must bo dressed by Jews, and even the utensils must belong to their own jieople, for fear of their pollution l)y any forbidden meats : \e of the Jews are so scrupulous, as not to make use of another man's knife. Neither ai'c the}' jiermitted to eat the fat of beef, lamb or kid, nor the hiud-ijuarter of any animal, because very few are able to draw out the veins and sinews in a proper manner. They never eat the blood of a four-footed beast, or of a bird, not even an egg, if it contains the least drop of blood. Tlie pDson w];o is ajipoiuted to sbiy any bcnsts for tlic tise of the Jews, must be a pious and I'eli'gious man. lie must; study that ])rofes- aion for a certain time, and undergo au examination by the chief Kablji. This olilce is g(>ncially in connection with the duties of the minister. Only in Iflrge congregations, where they are able to su])port well, do they engage one to teach and ])reacli. and anotlier to read Vac prayers and .■) ( . 50 ha-jehi;dim and mikvkii isuakl. j)rei)are their uio.it ; but here, iu Auierica, it is niicessary for most ministers, or tlie so-calletl Rabbis, to perform this otHce for their co'.igro- gatious. There are several particuhu-s to l»o oVwerved on this occasion. The knife must be very sharp, and witliout any notches — t)ie tliroat of tlie animal must be cut at once, and the blood must flow out as fast as possil)le, Avithout any inteiTuption. When fowl ai'e killed, their blood must be immediately covered with ashes. They must not kill a cow and her calf on the same day ; neither dare they eat it. If any such beast or bird as they are permitted to eat, happens to die of itself, or if killed in any other manner than the above, they must not taste; it. They are also obliged to leave their meat i-emaiu in salt for an hour before using it, in order that the blood may come out thoroughly. They are not allowed to eat, at the same time, meal of both meat and milk, or cheese, because it is written, " Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk." According to the opinions of the ancient ilabbis, the Jews ai"e forbidden to drink any wine that has been made, tasted, or even touched, by any one beside their own people. The Russian, as well as German Jews, are very scrupulous on this point. Hefore the Jews sit down to eat at table, they must first wash their hands as cl(!an as possible. The Rabbis and ancient Jews were very particuhir about this, as well as about washing their hands when they rose in the morn- ing. As soon as they arc seated at table, tliey repeat the tweiity-thinl Plalm, " The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want," Sic, after which the master of the famil}* takes a loaf of bread, blesses, breaks it, and gives a piece of the size of an olive to each mem''jer of his household. After this ceremony, they may eat as much as they please. Tliey are ulso obliged to say grace l)cfore drinking water. E\ery Jew isobligcid to fasten to every door through which he daily j)asses, a }fesusa, or piece of parcliment, having the words " Hear Israel, the Lord our God is one God," etc., written on it, which is enclosed in a piece of tin. The portion of Scripture written on tlie parchment is to be found in Deut. vi. 4, 10 and xi. 1,'3, 22. He is als^o oljlige 1, during the time of his morning devotions, to put on TcphU'ni, commonly called frontlets or phylacteries.'''" IJoth of these last mentioned ceremonies * Two Pliylactorics, mui cu tlu' liii.il, llic ( tlior on the h'ft arm. In i\\v. oiu; tliat goes on the lioad, the !bllinYiiif,' fom- ^lassagL's, on four (litferent ^ioees of parolunent, are written viz. ; — 1. Kxod. xiii. 1, 11. 2. Kxud. xiii. 11, 17. H. Dent. vi. 4, 10. A, Deut. xi. 3, 22. In t.lio oiic that is on tlie arm, tl.ere is hut one |>ieee of parch- ment, and all the ibrmcr-iiicnliontil jiassagcs are \\ritti'ii on il. m JUDAISM. 51 111 or n- y-thiiil wliicli it, ivinl isehoIcT, oy are mg tlio called uionios )nc thai •Innent, . i, 10. l)ilVL'll- •wrere instituted by the Kabl>ts, iuid founded iipou the words iu Deut. vi. 8, 9 : " And thou shalt hind them for a sign upon thiue hand, and they shall be as fronthits between thiue eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." St. Jeroino speaks of these i)hylacteries almost in terms of contempt ; for in liis exposition on the words of the Gospel, where the phylacteries are mentioned, he says, " The Phaiisees, l^y a false construction of this i)as.sage, wrote the ten commandments of Moses on parchment, which they rolled up and tied on their forehead, making a kind of crown round their heads, that they niigiit have them always l)efore their eyes." The Caraite Jews have notiiiiig to do with these ceremonies, for they believe it is only a figura- tive mode of expression, and that when (4od directerl the Joms to write them down upon the posts of their houses, it was only with tlie intention that they should have their minds continually upon them. When the Jews pray, they are always covered with a Talltli, or largo v.hite shawl. Their head must also be covered, iind according to their Rabbis, if a Jew eftts or drinks anything, walks or c\'en sits down, witli an uncovered head, the same is considered as sacrilege among them ; and he is looked upon as a non-JeAv. He is obliged to wear a little gar- ment, having fringes at its four corners. This he must wear continually, yes, and without which he is not even permitted to walk four yards. A woman is exempt from all these customs. Slie is under obliga- tions to r{.'frain from all which men are enjoined to refrain, l)ut the IJabbi.s have agreed that no woman should be forced to (observe sucli ceremonies or customs, as reipiire any length of time for tlieir prn-foi-mances, vrith the exception nf the three following precepts : First, — To oliserve the law of purilication. Second, — After kneading her l)reail, ti m;;ke a small cake of part of the same and throw it into the tire ; and Tiiird, — To light the liunii every Friday evening, in prejiaration for tiieir Sabbath Eve. Tliere are, however, .some amongst them who :'.ro (iveii more zeal- ous ai\(l v>arla-henrted iu their religious devotions tlian their liusbands, who not oulv care to train ui) their eliildren iu the wav thcv slioidd "O, but use tlieir utmost endeavors to rechdm their husSands from a viciou.s course- of life. A lad who is a day and tliirteeu y<^'U's old, is Iienecfui'th looked Uj)on .ns a man, and is obliged to obsei've all the conunau(hnents of the lj;nv. for which reason he is ealhnl '' l'>armitzvah," which signities " A son Muder the commandments." As to girls, they are considered women at tJie age of twelve years and a-Iialf. Jewish children feel them- selves strictly bouml to honor iiial implicitly obey tlieir parents, for their Ila.bhis cavly expound to them the command, " lionour (]iv father 52 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEII ISRAEL. and thy mother," etc., and their ohligations to their parents while alive. They have also duties to fnlfil to tli(;ir deceased pai-ents, but we .shall treat more fully on this suhject hereafter. The Jews liave thirteen fundamental articles of belief, Avhich they term their creed, and are as follows ; 1-st. That there is but one God, the Creator and fir.st principle of all things, -who is self-sufhcient and independent, and without whom no created being can sid)sist. 2nd. That (iod is one and indivisible, but of a unity peculiar to Himself alone. 3rd. That God is an incorporal being, having no bodily quality of any kind Avhatever, aiul cannot be imagined. 4th. That God is eternal, and that all beings, e.Kcept Himself, had ouce II beginning. 5th. That none other but God is the object of divine adoration, and that no created being ought to be worshipped as a niediator or inter- cessor. Gth. That there have been, and may still be, prophets duly qualilied to receive the insjurations of the Suju'eme Being. 7th. That IMoses Avas a pi'ophet, superior to all other prophets, and that Goil Almighty honoured him with a peculiar gift of prophecy, which Avas novt • granted to any other. iSth. That the law Avliich Avas left them by IMoses, was the i)ure dic- tation of God Himself, and that nothing contained therein related in the least to IMoses, conseqiiently the expliciitions of those command- ments, Avhich A\ero hamled down to them by tradition, came directly from the mouth of (»od, who delivered it to Moses. 9th. That this law is unchaugeable, /.c., that nothing can either be added to or taken from it. lUth. That (Iod kiiOAVs and governs all the actions of mankind. nth. That God rewards those; avIio strictly obse)"-'> His law, and severely jiunishes those who ari' guilty of its least A'iolation ; that eterna' life is the best and greatest reward, and damnation of the soul thi? most severe punishment. llith. That a IMi'ssiali should conic, mor(< deserving than all tlio kings that havt; ever lived ; and that, although He (the Messiah) delays His coming, no ont* ought on (hat account to (|uestion the truth of it, or set an appointed time for it, much less produce Scri[)t\U'e in proof of the time of His coming. l.'Uh. 'I'hat God .shall raise the dead .at an appointed tim(\ JUDAISM. r>3 llier be iw, and titcrna' It; iiio.st 1 tlio tlclays i)t" it, or of the Th&se thirteen articles were instituted l)y Maimonid^s, a distin guished Doctor of the thirteenth century. When a stranger has any inclination to become a Jew, thi-ee Rabbis, or others of authority iind reputation, are obliged to examine him very strictly, and, if possible, ustin says, " Tlmt iu reality.. JUDAISM. 55 they are but one and the same religion ;" for wliich reason, alao, our blessed Saviour assures us that lie did not come to destroy the religion of the Jews, but to coniph'tc and perfect it. le last botli m that e, and )plievo li;ult Moses, CHAPTEK TF. The Jews liav(! no other form of confession than that which they make to God himself in their prayers ; they most commonly havd one prayer, composed alphaljetically, which they call viJu, ov confession. Mondays and Thursdays are tlu^ stated days set apart for making these solemn confessions. They are likewise rc[)eated on every fast day, as also in jirivate, on the feast of expiation. The days appointed for penance, commence on tlie lii'st of the mouth. FJlal, (September), and are held till the day of exitiatioii. Yet all times are equally i)roper for those whose minds arc uneasy, and whose consciences accuse thum. Such as ha\e not a suOicieut cai)acity to discharge this duty aright of themselves, consult some llabbi, and beg his assistance, or, if they have learning enough, they api)ly themselves to ]>ooks Avritteu upon the subject of penance, where they are infoinu'd wliut jifnance is most suited to their peculitir sins — whether abstinence or fasting, or scourging, or benefaction to the poor, or prayers and good worlcs, is nu)st proper to make an atonement for the sins they have from time to time conmiitted. Tlie Jews also acknowledge other precepts besiiles those contained in the law of Moses and in the Talmiul, vhich they call the injunction of tlu; J/(tch(i)iiiiii, (sages), whom they indulged witli the sanu) liberty of making new laws or statutes, as Mosi's himself had. TJiis privilege, they say, is founded on the words of (!od himself, who din^cted them to consult the Eklers of the Sanhedrim, or judges, for the solution of such controversies, or debates, as might arise from the law. For this reas()7i, the Jews imagine that they are under as great obligations to obey the ordinances of the llabbis, as the commandments of the Law. And, though these constitutions are inferior to those received of Moses, yet they pretend that these Elders were under the immediate influence of God, and, conseipiently, infalliable in their decisions. The whole body of Jewish tradition is comprised in that collection, entitled, the Talmud. Those llubbis who livetl inunediately after the Talm hI was Avritten, were distinguished l)y the name of mechakrim, or speculative Eabbig. s \ » ': oG lIA-JiarumM AND .MllvVi:!! ISKAKL. It must be at'knowledged thut the triulitions uow i';);ii[)0.so(l in the Tiiluuid, or at leiist a povtiou of tlu'iu, are very ancient, for the j)rimi- tive I'athei't-i of the Church not only spoke of tlieni in generah hut also quoted some of tlieni i)recis(!ly as they are found at the prescut day in the books of tlu; .lews. For our better satisfaction, we need only search the writings of Origoai, St. Ej)iphanius and St. .Icroiii'.'. more esj)ecially the latter, wlio (|uote.s a Viist number of them in liis aniKjt.itions, chieHy on thi! J'rophets. The Jews, in all ])robability, invented most of these traditioTis, when they had no settled oiacles to consult, and tluit, soon after their return from Babylon to Jerusidem. Their lvid)bis, fond of gaining ai)[)Liuse by their new interpretations of th(; law, .nud hence arose all those fables and idle allegories which are now found in the books of the Talmud. The followers of these teachings, especially the Phai'isee.-i, became, at last, the most 2>revailing S(>ct among the Jcjws. There were, howe\ or, a few lial)bis v/ho were ojiposeil to these tra- ditions, and were imi)atient to see such a number of idle chinun'as stauil in competition with the text of the law. These, then, who ai'e opposed to the traditions of the Rabbis, were designated l)y tlus name of (.'araites, a sect that has already been noticed. Although the J(!ws pi-etend that their traditions woulil ne\er have appeared in writing, had it not been for the misfortunes of the times ; yet we cannot conceive how they coidd have avoided it, for they were so numerous, that even thongh they are written, yet through careless- ness, or otherwise, they lost somt; of their j)rincipal tr.iditions ; among other,s, tlnwe I'elating to their sacrifices, for they are [)erfect strangers to the names of several animals their law prohibits them from eating. ^Notwithstanding their ignorance, they slill take; the lilierty to asseif, that they have observed the Law of Moses in all its purity and |»erfection, as he received it from the mouth of f lod upon IMount Sinai. We would lierc! just mention a single fact, by whicii will be seen, that the .Jews were not able, from the time of the destruction of their •Second Temple, to observe the law of Mo.ses. Whiit answer can they give, or what excuse liave they to oiler, for not going tlu'iee every year to visit tlie (Jity of Jerusalem, at the great feasts of I'assoviu-, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, which is a direct commandment in their law, and for which negligence no excuse can be made, for in tiiat very law is it not written : " Cursed is every one that eontinueth not in all things (hat aro written ill the books of the law to s, Adam's lirst wife ; Imt Ix-iiig disolKidient, and an eternal scold, left him and ilew up into the air. where she is considered as a noctnrn.il fnry, and an enemy to new-born babes. But mo.st of them write ilown the hun.s HA-.TEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. The opeiator, liefore he eonuneuces the operation, pronounces a blessing in the following terms : "Blessed be Thy name, O Lord, who liast instituted for us the circumcision." After the operation is com- pleted, he takes a cup of wine and repeats a benediction for the child, and at the same time gives hiin a name of Avhich his father best approves. On the same day as the child is circumcised, the father of it entertains his relations and friends in as handsome a manner as his circumstances will allow. After the entertainment benedictions and prayers are added for the infant, and they beg of God to bless him with health and pros- perity, and give him grace to live in the faith and fear of God. Som(! of the Jews spend such days in playing cards, and other like amusements. Every one who performs tl)-^ oi)eration of circumcision, has a niemo- i-anduin book into whicl; he clnv nicies tlie names of those he has cir- cumcised. Tliis l)Ook is placed in his cotliu with him when he is buried, for tliey imagine that if the number in their memorandum book corresponds to tlie nund>ers contained in their own name, they are discharged from purgatory. For instance, if the name of the circum- ciser is David, Avhich name is eipial to 14, .vud if he have circumcised 14 children, he feels certain that he is entitled to the glories of hea\en. There are no ceremonies when the new-born child is a girl, excejjt- ing that as soon as the mother is fully recovered, the father informs the Eabbi, and he repeats a short blessing for the child and the mother, and at the same time the llabbi gives the cliild a name, such as her father has designated. If a male child should happen to die uncircumcised, they circumcise him before he is buried. If the lii'st-1)orn child be a boy, it is customary, as soon as he be 30 days old, to send for one of the descendants of Aaron, Avhom they call a priest, and unto whom all tlie llrst-born, if they are males, belong, to redeem; it is in compliance with the injunction: "Sanctify unto me all the lirst-V)oru, all the iirst-born of man amongst thy children shalt thou redeem." This ccircmony is performed in the following manner : the appointed, so-called priest, sevei'al friends and relations, Iteing assembled ill the house, the father brings a considerable sum of golil and silver in one dish or basin, and the child in another, to deliver him into tlie hands of the priest, who, tui-ning to the mother, says with a loud voice, *' Madam, is this l)oy yo>irs ? '' to which she replies " Yes." " Had you no child before this, either male or female ? " To this she reidies " No." Then adds the priest, " The child being your first born, it is my right and property." Turning to the father, he r,ays, " If you an; inclined to have this child again you nnist redeem it." " This gold and silver," ■^ JUDAISM. o9 luuces a )rcl, who is com- lie cliiUl, ^proves, iitevtains instances re iuldecl ml pros- l. Some isemeuts. a memo- has cir- is Imi'iecl, nil l)Ook they are ^'. circum- I'cu incised f heaven, ■1, except- ifonns the itl T father •uinciseil, 16 he 30 lev call a long, to o mo nil alt thou uer : the ssiMiibled silver in into the ud voice, fad you ■>s '^ No." ny right cliiied to 1 silver," replies the fiither, " was brought for that purpose." The priest then turning towards the assemhlj-, says loudly, " This chihl is a first-born, and is my property according as it is written, Numb, xviii. IC, 'And those that are to be redeemed shalt thou redeem for the money of five .shekels,' instead of which I content myself with this," taking one or two of the golden or siher pieces, and returns the child to his parents. This day is also one of great joy among them. In case the father or mother are descendants of priests or Levites, they are not obliged to redeem their first-born. This observance is calle his brother's house," Avhich sentence she repeats three times. As soon as this is o\er, the Rabbi informs her that she is now at perfect liberty to marry Avhom she 2>leases. A husband can olttaiu a divorce from liis Avife for the least cause Avhatever, and is founded on Dent. xxiv. 1, " When a man hath taken a Avife, and married*her, and it comes to pass that .she lind no favor hi his eyes, Itecause he lialli found some uiicleanness in her, then let him Avrlto her a bill of divorcement, and give it in licr liand, a)id send her out of his house." IbiL the Rabbis refu.se to givv letters of divorcement, unless Avell- founded reasons are given for the act of separating. The form of tlio bill of (ii\ orce given to the Avife is callt'd OJl '' ('ett," and must be Avritten upon parchment by a .TcAvish notary, in the presence of one or moi f their learned Ilabliis or ministers. It must contain no more than twelve liiu's. and written in sipiare charactei-s, with a number of other trivial punctilious, ^loreover, neitlier tlie notary, nor the Pvalibis or Avitnes^cs, must in any Avay bo related to the party Avisliing to be divorccil. 'I'liis is tlie purport of tlie bill,-; of divorce, headed Avitl) the date of year, month, day, and name of place. iVc: "I .A. I)., vlo a-oIuu- tary and freely di\orce tliee, suid j.v.t thee aAvry. and discharge tli nee (52 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. C D., who hast fonuci'ly been ui}' wife, and 1 ilo hereby give thee I'ull and free peniiission to mariy whom thou i)lease,st." There are ten persons present at the signing of the bill, besides tin? two who sign it. After this the ceremony commences. The Rabin bids the woman to hold open her hands in order that she may receive the bill, and close them tightly again not to drop it, for if it hajjpens, that in her confusion she let it droj), another bill has to lie written, and the time postponed. The husband then gives her the bill, saying, " This is thy divorce; I put thee away from me, and give thee full liberty to marry whomsoever thou wilt." The woman takes the bill and deliv-rs it to the Kabbi, who reads it over again, and then she is divorced; but the Itabbi exhorts her not to many till after three months from the time of divorcement. There is no festival day for Avhieli Je\\s ha\e such a veneration as tlieir Sabbath-day'" — that is, such who keep strictly to their religion, for a great nuudicr publicly violate this day, especially in America. The ancient Kabbis reduced all those things M-liich God had forbidilen to bo done on the k^abl»ath-day, to thirty-nine articles, whereof each had its particular circumstance and dependencies, namely, not to plow, sow, or reap, to bottle or tie up, to wash, oi' bake, oi' card, or spin, or break anything into pieces, or buihl, or demolish, oi- beat with a hammer, or luint, or fish, or ride on horsel)ack, or write, or kiiuUe, or extinguish, or kill, or slay, ov carr}^ anything out of doors into the street, i^'c, tVc, &c. They are strictly forbidden to talk of worldly all'airs, ov make any bargains with respect to buying and selling. An orthodox Jew ;ulheres to this \ cry hrmly, and Avill forbear from conversation of any kind, except it be of a religious character. Xo .lew is allowed to v.alk over two thousand cid)its outsidt^ of any eity, town, or village, wheiein ho resides, on the Sabbath-day; neither dare tiiey ttnicli any money on that day ; neither are they permitted to play oi; any music;vl iusti'ument. On Sabbath-eve, they put on clean linen, Avasli their faces and hands, take their prayer-l)Ooks, and go to their synagogues. Tt is necessary to remark here tliat no orthdox Jew uses a razor to his face ; but, instead, either a jniir of scissors, or a sort of powder lioiled together with lime, AS'hieh causes the hair to burn av.-ay. A woman must light the lamp on Friday evening, before she goes to the synagogu(>, and, from the moment that she h;is pronounced the benediction over the lightisd lamp, the Sab- bath begins. Tin; ,l(".visli SiiMiiilli is Satunlav. JUDAISM. ()3 Tho usiiiil hymn s\m,i,' tlrst in the synagogiu* on Sabbatli eve, comniciices tlnis : " (Joino, iny htdovcd, to meet the hritle ; the presence of the Sahbuth k't us receive," i^'C. The following in the same liymn is remarkable: "Shake oil' the dust ; arise, O my people, and adorn thy- self with thy beautiful attire ; for by the hand of Jesse, the Bethlemite, redemption draweth nigh to my soul," After tlie ninety-second Psalm has been chanted, th(!Sabl)ath begins everywhere. After this meeting, the usual salutations are exchanged, not -with a "(Jood evening," or " Good night," but " A Good Sabbath to you." As soon as the parents return home, they bless their children, and sing :i song to welcome the angels who, they believe, visit them in their houses on the Sabbath. The father then takes a glass of wine in liis hand, and rei)eats the first three vers(>s of the second chapter of CJenesis, after which lie returns thanks to God for having instituted the Sabbath, and blesses the wine, of which ho then drinks a part himself, and gives n small cpiantity to those who sit at table with him. After this ho blesses the bread and distributes it to all, who then eat, and spend tho Sabbath in a joyful and happy manner. Some Jews believe that they possess an additional soul, which enters into them on Friday evening, and d(>parts from them on Saturday night ; therefore, they say, their appetites beconu^ stronger, and, hence, must eat twice as much on those days us on others. They go to the synagogue on Saturday morning, where llu y rejieat several psalms and pi-aj-ers in commendation of the Sabbath, which avo intermixed with their common prayers. The five books of Moses, which arcs written on parchment, and ntnitly array<>d, are then taken out from the ai'k, and seven persons called up to the altar to hear tho Minister nnul the allotted section for that day, for the law of ]\[oses is divided into fifty-two portions, a portion for ev(ny Sabbath in the year. After the reading of the section, the Minister reads it solemn bene- diction for the Sovereign under whose government they live, Mhei'ein ho beseeches Almighty God to keep hii\i or her in joy and [x-ace ; that all his or her undertakings may prosjier ; that his or her dominion may Ijo increased ; and that he or she may love their jieople. At the conchisiou of this prayer, he sometimes repeats a jji-iiyi'r for the departed souls, and then th(^ law is carried back to the ark. If the Mhiister is qualified enough, he delivers a short address, in wliich he commends virtue, discourages vice, etc., illustrating his ideas by passages taken out of tho Talmud. INTost of the Jewisli ^^linisters, hovv'ever, preach only monthly, I I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) h 5?, V C/j 4e\ 1.0 if" I.I 1.25 28 1.4 IM M 1.6 V] v] (9 eS e. CM'' .^ A sj. ■> '/ z;^ 1 1 1 . 1. Wi/ 1 G4. HA-JKIIIIJIM AND MIKVKH ISRAEL. or f[uai'terly, and also on their festival occasions. \N'hcn this is over, an additional service is held, instead of sacrifices, in which they repeat the order of the sacrifices, and pray that God might restore them their Temple, and enable them all once more to bring their sacrifices into that holy place. This ends the moi-ning service. In the afternoon, there is smother short service in the synagogue ; but, as soon as evening api)roaches, and tliey can discover three stars of any considerable mag- nit\ide, their Sabbath is over, and they are permitted to work, as on any other day. Yet, they always prolong the Sabbath as much as po.ssible ; for they have a superstitious ojnnion among tliem that the souls of the danuied, as well as those in purgatory, endure no pain or torments on this day. At the close of the Sabbath, they sing hymns to welcome Elijah, the prophet, who, they imagine, visits their houses every Sabbath evening, and whoui they expect to come with their long-exjiected Messiah. They then salute each other again with a '* (lod grant you a luckv week." ; is over, an repeat the them their OS into that »ii, there is :, as on any IS possible ; souls of the torments on to welcome ery Sabbath nig-expectcil grant yon a CHAPTElt HI. When tlie Sanhedrim, that is to say, the judges of Jerusalem, bore sway and exercised tlieir authority, tvo men were appointed by them, specially, to give notice of the first appearance of the moon, and \ipon their report to the Sanhedrim, i)ublic notice was given, that tlu! month ))pgaii from tliat day, and thereby they fixed their holidays, witli rela- tion to the times lu-escribed for th(>ir festival days. But since the Temple was destroyed, they settle it by computation, and print a calen- dar every year, which shows them th(! times of the new and the full moon, the seasons of the year, and their festivals. Tliey also set down the festival days of the Christians, in order to know what days are most suitable to trade with them. The fifteenth day of the month Ni'sau, answering to our April, is the first day of their feast of the Passover, which they call " J'ast'ch,'" in commemoration of the Jews' departure from Egypt. It continues a whole week, dui-ing which time they must eat unleavened bread ; they dare not even have leavened bread in their houses. The l>read they eat is called Mdtzotli. The eve on which the Passover oommonees, the table-cloth being laid as usual, three jilates are placed there<'in ; in one, is put three Passovcsr cakes, in another, the shank bone of the shoidder of lamb, and an egg, both roiujted on the coals; in the third, some lettuce and celery, or clier\il and parsley; and a cui» of vinegar, or Sidt water; likewise, a compound formed of almonds, apjiles, A-c, workiMl up to the consistence of lime. The tabl(! being thus formed, every one at table has a gla.ss or cup of win(! pliieed before him ; for on the.se nights every person is obliged to drink four glasses or cups of wine, called HIDID ^D^IN. I'lio four eups, which iire in connnemoi'ation of the four diflireut exprcs- nions in eonneetion with the redemption of the Jews from Egypt. The whole f'aniily then take hold of the dish which eontains the unleavened bread, and say f he following: "l.ol this is as the bread of afiliction, which our ancestors ate in the land of Kgypt : let all those who are hungry enter and eat thereof j and all who are necessitous como ami celelnate the Passover. At iiresent wo celebrate it here, but the next year wc^ hope to celebratt> it in the land of Israel. Thi.s year we an; servants here, but next year we hope to be frefMuen in the land of G i: ■ 66 IJA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEU ISRAEL. Isi'ael." Thus is initiated the service of the Passover. In j)reiiaration for this feast tliey must cliange all their kitchen utensils, and are not allowed to taste any beer, brandy, or anything that has leaven in it. From the day after the Passover is completed to the thirty-third day following, they spend the time in a sort of mourning, neither marrying, nor cutting their hair, nor shading themselves, nor even dressing themselves in any new clothes, or showing any [)iil)lic demon- stration of joy, for they say that, during this time, there was a great mortality among the pupils of a most celebrated Rabbi, ton thousand of whom perished in one day. Seven weeks after the first day of the Passo\er they celebrate; tho " Feast of Weeks." This feast is likewise called in Scripture " The day of tiist fruits ;" because the first fruits of the year were offered in the Temple upon that day. But the IlaT)bis give another reason for this festiA'al. They say, that, on this day, the law was gi\ en to Moses on Mount Sinai, anil hence, many Jews are accustomed to spend the whole night of that festival in reading the whole law. TJio Talmudists do not agree as to the time when the world came into existence. Some insist that it was in the S[>ring, and others again that in Avas in Autunui. The latter notion has so far prevailed, that they begin to count the months of the year from Autumn, and though it is written in Scripture of the month of '• i\74'«/i " (April), " This month shall be unto you the l)eginniiig of months." Yet they, notwithstand- ing, connnenco to count the year from tlie month Tlnlwl, (September.) The .lews hold from tradition, that jiarticulai'ly on the first day of their first numth, (lod Almighty judges (lie actions connuitted through the jjast year, and orders those things to hajipen in the coming year. This day l>eing, as it wei'O, the very ]toint of time of flu; world's birth, they imagine that (!od thereon carefully icviews all the occurrences of the j)recedlng year. This day they call the Ki'ast of the New Year, and 18 kept very solemnly by almost all Jews. On this day they promise repentance, and sound the trumpet or horn in the synagogue. Some ortho- dox .l(!ws belie\<; that every sound which proeeiids IVom tia; tnimpiit, in some mysterious way sends forth sonu,' angiils, who afterwards light with Satan, or some other evil-spirit, who occupies tho door of }[eaven, to pre- vent lu'ayers from reaching the throne of (jod. TIu>y also call upon cer- tain angels by name,and beseech them to carry their prayers Heavenward. Onfhe same day, after evening service, they go to a ri\er, and cast small crumbs of birad, or any other particles th(>y may have in their [lockets, ii:to the water, at the same time rejieating the wordw of Micah : JUD.USM. 67 (reparation id arc not 1 iu it. liirty-third ig, neither nor even He denion- as a great hoiisand of lei (rate tho iture "The I offered in son for this ) Moses on I tlio whole worlJ eamo )thers again !(1, that they Ithongh it is This month withstand- teni])er.) rst day of d through imng year. (rld's hirth, nii-nt'c's of Near, ami y promise :soiiK' ortho- nmijiet, in light with , en, U( pro- njion cer- ■avcnwai'd. [•, and cast ,(' ill their of Micah : <• Wlio is a (Sod like inito Thee, that pirdoneth ini.iuity, and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of If is h(!ritagc ? He retainetli not Tlis anger f((r (!ver, because He d(>lighted in mercy. He will turn again; He will Iiave compassion upon us ; He will suhdm^ our iniquities ; ami thou wilt cast all their sins into tho depths of the sea." After this ceremony, they imagine all tln-ir 1 no more acainst th sins are cast into the deep, to be At this feast, they nsually eat their remembered no more against tliem. bre;id with hont^y, wliieh signifies *• to have a sweet year." 'J'lieir salnta- tioii on this occasion is, " may a good year be written down for thee." Tii(! tenth dny of tlio same month, they celebrate the day of expiation, wliich is also Cidle.l the day of atonement. They ket>i) this day very strictly, for they believe that on this day all their sins and crimes are blotted out, according to Leviticus xxiii, L*7 : ''Also on the tontli day of this scNcnth moutli there shiill be a day of atonement : it shall Ix- an Jioly convocation nmo you ;" iS:c. On tlie day before this f\'sti\al, they practice a very curious cere- mony. Every Jew takes a living fowl, and swings it thrice around his head, at each time repeating, •• Let this be sacrificed in my stead." This custom is called Capfirdf/f, and though it is not actually commanded, ami is ii groundless and i^U" superstition, y(^t almost every dew perfoi-ms this ceremony. These f'owK :i re ivfterwards killed and eaten; f((r tlie .lews indulifo th'MiK elves in eiitin-' much more on tins (hiv, on account of their having to fast the whole of tlie next day. On ihe eve before the day of atonement, Hiany of them rect.i\e thirty-nine stripes with a leather strap, which is doiu" as follows : — A certain-man, who must be a pious .Jew, and appointeil for that otiioe, stands at t'le door of the synagogue and asks I'iicli one, as he jiasses in. il' he wishes to re^-eivc the tliirty-nine stripes? If the iinswrr be? •• Yes,'' ]ir. pi-ostrates liinis"lf>remony was |ieiformed uiith'r the iT.le of tho 8anh('ilrim, ami ]><'i-sims v.ho conimitteeiitanee. .Many put on their grave clothes, (in which (!\ery .lew is married, and wears them nnce ((veiy year, which is on this day of atonenn^nt), and are oliliged (o stand shoch'ss in their synagogues, when the whole i!ay is spent in prayer and weeping. Some even \'. main tlo'ir o\er night and sing p.-alms. Tlicy al.-o read the ac;.'>>int of the sacrilices, ami relate tlie eejelirafed ceri'iiamv oi the 68 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. High Priest, who was never permitted but on this day, to enter into the holy of holies, there to burn frankincense, and cast lots upon the two goats ; one of which was for the Lord and the other for Asasel. They confess their crimes and sins on this day ten times, and so loud that all may hear th(>m ; in doing which they stiike their breasts, and weep >)itterly, some even as loud as their strength permits. Children who are over twelve years old, are also obliged to fast on this day. As evening approaches, and the three stars are visible, tliey sound the horn, which denotes that the feast is ended. Then they return home from the .synagogue, and wish each other long life, with its bles- sings, in a very cordial manner. Parents also bless their children, and then sit down to a hearty meal. On the fifteenth day of tlu; same month, is cclelu'ated again the feast of tents, or tabernacles, which they call Sukatli, in commemoration of encampmeiit in the wilderness, whenjthey departed out of Egypt, and is founded on the institution which is written in the xxiii ch. 42 v. of Leviticus — "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days," »kc. Every family, therefore, makes a tent in some open i)lace near the house, which is then covered with leaves, and adorned inside in the best manner possible, with fruit and beautiful flowers. The Jews eat and drink in these tents, and some oven stay there over night. This feast is celebrated a whole week. On this feast they secure themselves with a branch of the palm tree, and thi'ee small twigs of the willow perfect and complete, according to Scrip- ture,--*' And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and Avillows of the brook." During the repetition of several psalms in their synagogues, they hold tlH?s(.' branches in their right hand, and a citron in their left, and shake them towards the four quarters of the earth. In singing some particular hynms, they move in solemn order round the altar, once a day; but on the sciventh day of this feast, they take willow branches, and move in solemn order seven times round the altar, whicli is erected in the synagogue, singing " Hosannah," which word occurs in the New Testa- ment, and was sung when our l)lossed lu'deeiner entered into the City of Jerusalem. The word " Hosannah," is a Hebrew word, and signi(ie.s, "Help! JiOrd !" or as commonly translated, ''.Save! O Lord!" On the eighth day of this feast, they Hnisli tlie reading of the five books of Moses, and spend the remainder of the day in annisements of various kinds. '••J?Bl^, JUDAISM. 69 r into the n the two es, and so ir breasts, to fast oil lible, they ley return th its l)les- Idreii, and again the icnioration Egypt, and h. 42 V. of ery family, lich is tlicn isible, with ! tents, and liole week, u treo, and g to Scrip- of goodly 1(1 willows )gucs, they |ir left, and ing some )utH' a day; dies, and |>ct('d in the few Testa- to the City id signihes, th(^ five scnuMits ot They have also a feast of Dedication on the the twenty-fifth of the month Kislef (December), in commemoration of the victory which the Maccabees obtained over the Greeks. This feast is simply celebnited by reading an additional portion of prayers, and every Jew is obliged to light eight lamps every evening, in celebration of a great miracle, which, they believe, happened with a bottle of oil in the temple. On the fourteenth of the month Adar (March), is the feast of "Pnrim," observed throughout the world, by all the Jews, in honor of Esther, the Queen, who, upon that day, [)reserved the people of Israel from the conspiracy of a wicked Haman. This feast is celebrated by reading over the history of Esther twice, after which the whole day is spent in pleasure and amusement. The ninth day of the mouth Ah (August), they keep as a fast day, in commemoration of the destruction of their two temples, for on this day they were both destroyed. They meet in their Synagogues on this day, put off their shoes, sit on the floor, and repeat the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and mourning hymns composed by their Rabbles. Here, it must be observed, that the Jews on tlieir fast days are not permitted to taste anything from the eve of one day till the eve of the next day. The Jews consider themselves in duty bound, and as a very laud- able action, to visit the sick, and assist them in time of distress. When any one is apprehensive that his life is in ajtjjarent danger, he sends fcr several persons. One at least, if possible, must be a Rabbi, or a pious Jew. In their jiresence, the sick man repeats in a solemn manner the general confession, and then humbly begs of God, if it is his blessed will, to restore him to his former state of health ; but if not granted, ho recommends his soul to Almighty God, and prays tliat his death may be accepted as an expiation for his sins. After this is over, he begs pardon of all whom he may at any time have offended, and like- wise forgives those who had done him wrong, even his most inveterate enemies. In case he have children, or domestics, he calls them to his bedside and gives them his benediction. If his own father or mother be present, he receives their blessing ; and if he desires to make his will, and dispose of the worldly estate with which God was pleased to bless him, he is at perfect liberty to do it as he pleases. There are some who, when dangerously ill, give cliarity to the poor, contribute towards the synagogue, and ask a public prayer to be offered up in their behalf, at Avliich time the Rabbi gives him an additional name. This is called ^•fjj jVliD (Pidyon Xc/eah), which, they believe, •will effect a change for the better. i 70 HA-JKHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. When the person sick is in inuuediate ilaiiger of death, they never leave his bedside, l)iit watch over hiui both day and niglit, in order to be j)resent at the separation of the soid from the body. The person wlio is present when the dying man expires, rends some part of his clothes, and it is customary among them to throw out into the streets all the water there is in tlie house, or that can be found in the neiglibor- liood, which denotes that some one lies dead not far from the place. The dead body is Avrapped in a sheet, and laid upon the floor, with the face covered. A lighted candle is placed at its head. After the corpse is thoroughly washed with warm water, he is dressed in his grave clothes, of which has already been sjjoken, and is covered with his TaJitli. Thus dre.ssed, the body is placed in a cotHu made specially for it, with a linen cloth over it, and another beneath. A small Img of earth is placed under the head, and then the cothn is covered with black and carried out of the house. All the peojile Jittending crowd around it, and as it is con.sidered very meritorious, as many as can, carry it upon their shoulders to the grave. In some places the mourners follow the coffin with lighted flambeaux in their hands, and sing mournful hymns as they march along. The nearest relatives of the deceased must also vend a .small part in one of their garments. When this is over, the coffin, nailed \\]k is lowered into the gi'ave, and each of the friends thi'ow a haudfuU of earth upon it, until the grave is filled up. On their dei)ar- tnre from the grave, each one tears up two or three hand.sful of grass, or something else, and throws it behind liim, at the same time re})eating the seventy-second psalm. Then they wash their hands, and return to their respective abodes, for no Jew is allowed to enter a liouse before he lias wa.shed his hands. When the corpse is conveyed away to the grave, a lighted lamp is jtlaced at the head of the bed, which burns for seven days without interruption. Some Jews will e\en have it burning for thirty days. They also place a glassful of water, and a towel, with the lamj), for they believe that the soul of the departed comes to wash there every night. The nearest relatives of the deceased party, after returning home from the bmial service, immediately sit down upon the flooi-, and having taken off their shoes, are served with bread, wine, and hard eggs, with which they refresh themselves. Those who are the nearest relatives reside in the house for seven days, during which time they sit and eat upon the floor, except on the Sabbath day, when thev, with a select company, go to the synagogue. During these seven days, they ai-e not permitted to do any manner of business. The husband must separate JUDAISM. 71 tlu'V never II order to riie person )iu't of his streets all ! neighbor- place. tloor, -with After the n his grave il with his pecially for nail bag of with black )wtl around irry it upon follow the •iifid hymns d must also is over, the lends throw their depar- of grass, or repeating return to St; before he the grave, IS for seven jurning for 1, with the wash there himself from his wife, and every morning and evening ten persons go into the house of mourning to pray with them, and offer u\> an addi- tional )ii~ayer for the sold of the departed one, on which great stress is laid. The Jews dress in sucli mourning clotlies as is cu.stomary, accord- ing to the country in which they live, for no di\ii\e directions are given concerning this matter. Aftci- tlie expiration of the seven days, they leave tlie house and go to the synagogue, where they order lamps to bo lighted, procure prayers to be read, and ]tromis(; charitable contributions for the sold of the l>Y. Aftef tlioi. structiou of tlic Tt'ia|)le l)y the Romans, tinder Titus, the voieo and liai'i) oF liotli Lcvitcs and poopk' Itccamc nnite, and the snrt'evings the Israelitisli natioti underwent during tlie lir:st years of their captivity aiul dispersion, h'ft them no leisure for the cultivation of music, devotional or otherwi.se ; Init as soon as pu1)lic; worshi]) could be again re-estal)lished, and "The utterance of the lips" had replaced the former "offerings of bulls,' the ancient Avell-remendjered, and traditionally preser\ed temi)le melodies, v. L're also re-introiluced, and the selection of Psalms, v.'hich then and since have formed an integral part of their prayers, were sung to them. It is scarcely to Itc doubted, that the acknowledged efficacy of music, as a handmaid to devotion, and the general inclination and aittitude of the Israelite nation for that sublime art, led them, even during that period of cai)tivity and ilistress, to repeat in their services, at least vocally, the ancient, traditional, and Acnerated tones andsacred melodies, which they naturally then valued and cherished, mort! as the sole remains of the former temple service, as consolatory tones in their distress, and as the swecst reminiscences of better times of national glory. That most of these melodies were forgotten and lost in the course of time, is a result which will not surprise any one acipiaint(>d with the iinparalltded suff»;i'ings and dispersions tlu; Israelites had to endure, during the many ages of their subsecpient history, especially when it is also considered, that the most strenuous exertions of the learned have hitherto failed to elucidate the music of the Greeks, the llomaiis, atid of other ancient nations more powerftil and prosperous than the Israiilites, and that the art of musical notation was not invented till the foiu'teenth century. Still some, thotigh very few, of these melodies e.xist, of which there is reason to sup})Ose, that owing to their h:iA'ing been traditionally preserved, and transmitted from one generation to another, v.'ith religious care and veneration, have reached our times. TUNES, MUSIC, MELODV. /•> The remliiig of the Siurctl Scriptiucs, Wiin from the earliest times, always iiccoinpiiuied by the oliservance of certain signs or accents intended to determine the sense, :ind as musical notes, which, althougii they liiivo a distinct form and figure, do not, nevertheless, present a determinate sound like our present musical notes, but their soul is dependent on oial insti'uetion, since the same signs vary in sound in the various scriptural liooks, and are modulated according to the tonor and contents of them. In considering the structure and character of the ancient melodies, tniditionally and orally descended to us, we find that either as original compositions, or as adaptations, they are eminently calculated to fulfil their intended ])nrpose ; for though simple in character, yet they are sufficiently melotleous to please the ear, anil attract the iiudtitude. They have the further merit of adaptability to the nse of a great mass, and of whole congregations, who might, perha])s, be without the aid of instrumental music to ginde and direct them. Jlenee the ca\ise of their simplicity, in order to enable them to be ac<[uired and executed by most voices, and also the reason of their shortness, which, though it proves monotonous, especially in long pieces, by the too frecpient rei)etition of the same melody, is an incon- venience overlooked by them, for they feel themselves amply compensated by the more important advantage of their being easily acipured and executed by a mixed congregation, and as easily ti'ansmitted, by constant practice, to following generations. It has also Ijeen cleai'ly pnned, that the chants of the early Chris- tians are derived from the temple melodies, and are adojited by them from the Jews. mm CHArTER VI. ADORATION AND PRAYER. A Prayer of Adoration jvud Supjtlication— A Morning Prayer — A Special Prayer for Mondays and Tlmrsdays- roiifcssion and Prayer for Day of Atonement. ADORATION" AND PRAYER. The breath of all living bless Thy name, O Lord, our God I The spirit of all flesh, continually glorify and extol Thy memorial, O our King ! Thou art God from eternity to eternity ; besides Thee, we acknowledge neither King, Kcdeenier or Saviour ; Thou redeemest, delivcrest, niaintainest, and hast compassion over us, in all times of trouV)le and distiess ; ^ve have no king but Thee. Thou art God of the first, and (iod of the last, the God of all creatiu-os ; the Lord of all pro- ductions ; Thou art adored with all naanner of praise ; who governeth the universe with tenderness, and Thy creatures with mercy. Lo ! the Lord neither slumbereth nor sleepetn, but I'ouseth those who sleep, awakeneth those who slumber ; causeth the dumb to sjieak ; looseth tliose that are bound ; sui)porteth the fallen ; and raiseth up those who droop ; and therefore, Thee alone do we worship. Although our mouths were filled with melodious songs, as the drops of the sea ; our tongues with shouting, as the roaring billoM's thereof ; our lips with praise, like the wide-extended firmament ; our eyes with sparkling brightness, like the sun and moon ; our hands extended like the towering eagles ; and o\xr feet as the hinds for swiftness ; we, nevertheless, are inca[)aV)le of rendering sufficient thanks xinto Thee, O Lord, our God ! and the God of our fathers ; or to bless Thy name, for one of the innumerable benefits which Thou hast conferred on us and our ancestors. For Thou, O Lord, GUI" God, didst redeem us from Egy[)t, and release us from the house of bondage ; in time of famine didst Thou sustain us ; and in plenty didst Thoii nourish us. I'hou didst deliA er us from the sword ; saved us from p'stilence; and from many sore and heavy diseases, liast thou withdrawn us. Hitherto Thy tender mei'cies have supi)orted us, and Thy kindness ha{\ not forsaken tis. O Lord, our God ! for.sake us not in future. Therefore the members of which Thou hast formed us, the spirit and soul which Thou hast breathed into us, and the tongue Thou hast placed in our mouths ; lo ! they shall worshi}), bless, j'l'O'ise, glorify, extol, revereii/'e, sanctify and ascribe sovereign power unto Thy name, our «lPr ADORATLOX AND PltAYKR. 77 King ! every moutli shall aclore Thej, and every tongue shall swear unto Thee; unto Thee every knee shall 1 end; eery rational being shall woi'ship Thee ; every heart shall revere Thee ; the inward part and reins shall sing praise unto Thy name ; as it is written — all my bones shall say, Lord ! who Ls like unto Thee ? who delivered the weak froni him that is too strong for him ; the poor and needy from their oppressors ; who is like unto Thee? who is equal inito Thee; who can be conipai'ed unto Thee ? great, mighty, and tremendous God ! most high God ! possessor of [Heaven and earth ! \s\- will praise, adore, glorify, and bless Thy name ; so saith David — Bless the Lord, O my sonl ! and all that is within me, Ijless His holy name. O God ! Avho art mighty in Thy strengtli ! who art great by Thy glorious name ! mighty for evei*, tremendous by Thy fearfid acts. The King ! who sitteth on the high and exalted throne, inhabiting eternity, most tixalted and holy is Thy name ; and it is written, i-ejoice in the i^ord, O ye lighteous, for to the just, praise is comely. With the mouth of the upright shalt Tliou be praised ; blessed with the lips of the righteous; extolled with the tongue of the pious ; 1)y a choir of .saints shalt Thou be sanctified. And in the congregation of many thousands of Thy peojtle, the house of Israel shall Thy name, our King ! be gluritietl in song through- out all generations; for such is tlie duty of every created being towards Thee, Lord, our God I and the God of our fathers, to render thiinks, to iiraise, extol, glorify, exalt, ascribe glory, ble.ss, niiignify, and adore Thee with all the songs and praises of Thy servant Da%id, the sou of Jesse, thine anointed. May Thy name be jivaiscd for ever, our King, the Almighty, the King; the gi-eat and holy iu heaven and u[)on earth ; for unto Thee appertainetli, () Lord ! our God, and the God of our fathers, song and praise, hymns and 2)salMis, might and dominion, victory and power, greatness, adoration, glory, holiness and majesty ; blessings und thanksgivings arc; Thine from henceforth unto e\(a'lasting ! Dlesscd art Thou, <) Lord: Almighty King, great with jiraises, Almighty to be adored. Lord of wonders, who hast accepted songs of psalmody. King, Alniig!)t\-, who livest eternally. All heings give thanks unto Thee ; they all pniise Thee, and every on.< declares that there is none holy like the Lord. They all extol Thee forever, t) Thou who fonnest all things. (> (iodl who daily oi>enost the portals of the gates of the east, and deavest the windows of the tirmanu nt; bringest forth the sun IVom i!s place, and tlu- moon from the place of its residence, and enlightenest the uni\erse, and all its inhabi- tants, wineh thou didst create according to Thy attribute of nu-rcy. i 78 HA-JEHrDDI AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. Tliou wlio with mercy illuminated the earth and tliose wlio dwell therein, and in Thy goodness every day constantly renewest the work of the crea- tion. Thou art the only King to ho e.vtolled, praised, glorified, ami exalted, over since the creation. Tliou art the everlasting God; in thine abundant mercy have compassion on us; () Lord! Thou art our strength, the rock of our fortress, the shield of our salvation, be Thou our defence. There is none to be compared Avith Thee; nor is there any besides Theej there is no other save Thee, and who is like unto Thee? There is none to Ite compared with Thee, O Lord our God, in this world ; nor is there any beside Thee, (.) our King! in a future state. There is no other s;'ve Thee, O our Redeemer I in the days of the ^^Fessiah ; and v.'ho Avill be like Thee, O our Saviour I at the resurrection of the dead 1 God is the I^ord of all productions; he is praised and adored by the mouth of every soul l)reathing; his power and goodness till the universe. Knowledge and understanding encircle him, wlio exalted himself above the angels, and is adorned with glory on Jiis hea\enly seat. Purity and rectitude are before His throne ; kindness and mercy complete his gh)ry. Tlie luminaries which our God created are good ; for He formed them witli knowltnlge, understanding, and wisdom ; l[e hath endued them with power and might, to liear rule in the world. They 'e tilled with splendor and railiate l)rig]itness ; their s[)lendor is gracel ' ;hroughout tlie wcrld. They i-ejoice when going forth, and are glad at their return; and with r(!verential awe perform the will of their Creator; they ascribe glory and majesty to His name, joy and song to the commemoration of His kingdom. He called the sun, and it rose in i'es})len.dent light ; and at His look the moon iissumed its varying form. The wluile heaveidy host ascribt; praise unto Him; tli" !-:cra[ihim 0}»hanini. and holy angels, ascribe glory aiid majesty. Who is lik(,' unto Tine, () i.oi'd ! amimg the mighty? Who is like unto Thee, O Ljrd ! among the mighty i W'lio is like unto Tlice, glori- ous in holiness, tremendous in praises, working miracles i Thou strong rook of Israel, rise in assist a nci' unto rsra<'l, and relieve acconUng to 'Hiy promis(>. .ludah ami Isi-ael. As for oiu- JJedeemer, the Lord of Hosts is His name, tlie lioly one of Israel. IJie.ssed art 'J'hou, O Lord 1 the lled(!emer of Israel. ««,' I'H VYKr.. O Lord ! (ipeii TIkui my lips, and my moutli sh:dl dlessed art tliou, () Lord ! who blesseth tho years. ( ) sound the great cornet as a signal for our freedom ; hoist the banner to collect our captives, so that we may all bo gathered together from the four corners of the earth. Blessed art thou, Lord ! who gather together tlie outcasts of his ])eople Israel. 80 HA-JEHUDLM AND MIKVKH ISRAET,. O restore our judges as aforetime, and our counsellors as at the beginning ; remove from us soi-row and sighing. O Lord ! reign Thou alone over us in kindness and mercy ; and justify \is in judgment. Blessed art Thou, () Lord ! the King who loveth righteousness and jus- tice. O let the slandertn-s have no hope ; all the wicked be annihilated speedily, and all the tyrants be cut otl" quickly ; hum])le Thou them quickly in our days. Blessed art Thou, Lord ! who destroyest enemies, and humblest tyrants. O Lord our CJod ! may Thy tender mercy be moved toward the just, the pious and the elders of Thy people, the house of Ismel ; the remnant of their scribes, the virtuous strangers, as also towards us ; and bestow a good reward unto all those who faith- fully put their trust in Thy name ; and grant that our portion may ever be with them. Blessed art Thou, O Lord ! who art the support and confidence of the just. O be mercifully pleased to return to Jerusalem, Thy City ; and dwell therein, as Thou hast promised. O rebuild it shortly, even in oiu- days a structure of everlasting fame, and speedily establish the throne of David thereon. Blessed art Thou, () Lor('stoi-i> tlie service to the inner part of Tiiine house, and :>cce]tt of the burnt offering of Israel, and their pi-ayers with lc)\e and favor. zVud luay the service of Isrtud, Thy people, be ever jileasiug to Thee. Our God ;nid the (rod of our lathers, shall cause our pniyers to ascend, and come, approach, be seen, accepted, heard, and be tliouylit on : and be renu'mbered in remembrance of us, and in i-cmembvance of our fathers ; in reinembrMucc of Thin(! anointed Messiah, the son of David, Tliy sei'Mint, and in reuicnibrance of Jerusa- lem, Thy holy city, and in eonnnemmoration of Thy p('0j)le, the house of Israel, before Thee, to a good issue : With favor, with grae(>. and with mercy, to life and jjeace. O Lord, our Hod I remember us thereon for good; visit us witli a blessing, and save us to enjoy life ; and with the word of salvation and mercy, ha\e compassion, and be gracious unto us. O have mercy upon us. ami save us, for our eyes are continually towards COMMENCEMENT OF MORNIN(J PRAVEK. 81 Thee, for Tliou, O God ! art a merciful and gracious King. () that our eyes may beliohl Tliy return to Zion with mercy. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who re.storeth His Divine presence unto Zion. We reverentially acknowledge that Thou art tlie Lord our God, and tlie God of our fathers, tlie God of all creatures ; our Former, the former of the beginning; lot blessing and thaidvsgiving be asciibed unto Tliy great and holy name, for Thou hast preserved us alive and suppoi-ted us ; even so grant us life, be gracious and assemble our cai)tives at the courts of Thy sanctuary, and to perform Thy holy will with an upright heart, for with gratitude Ave confess thee. Blessed be God, to wliom api)er- taineth all grateful praises. AV^'e adore Thee for tlie miracles, the redemption, mighty deeds, sal- A'ation and triumph which Thou didst bestow upon our ancestors in former time. O grant peace, happiness and blessing of race, favor and mercy, unto us, and all Thy people Lsrael ; bless us, even all of us together, our Father ! with the light of Thy countenance ; for by the light of Thy countenance hast thou given us, O liOrd, our God, the law of life, beue\olent love, righteousness, blessing, mercy, life and peace ; and may it please Thee to bless Thy people Israel, at all times, with Thy peace. O, my God, be ])leased to giuxrd my tongue from evil, and ray lips from \ittciing deceit. And be Thou silent, O my soul, to those who curse me, and grant that my soul may be humble as the dust to eveiy one. ()])en my heart to receive Thy law, that my soul may pursue Thy commandments. S})eedily, I Ijosoech Thee, frustrate the devices and destroy the maginations of all those who thiidc evil against me. O gnint it for Thy name ; grant it for Thy right hand ; grant it for Thy holiness ; grant it for Thy law; tliat Thy beloved may be delivered. O save me Avith Tliy right hand, and answer me. ]Mav the Avords of my moutli, iuid the meditations of my heart, be acceptable! in Thy i)resence ^^lay He Avho maketh jieace in His high heavens, grant peace unto us and all Israel. Let it be acceptable before Thee, O Lord, our God I and llie God of our fathers, that the Holy Temple may spi-edily l»e re-l)uilt in our days, and let our portion be in Thy law. CO.MArENL'EMENT t)f AI()I!N1N(; IMIAVKK. Blessed is Ho Avho said, "and tlie Avorld existed;" blessed is He ; I'Ussed is the Creator of the l)eginning ; blessed is He that sayetli and 7 82 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL, accomplished ; blessed is He who decreeth and establisheth ; blessed is He- who hath comiiassion on all ci-eatures ; blessed is He who conipensateth good reward to those who fear him ; blessed is He who liveth for ever and existeth everlasting ; blessed is He who redeemetli and preserveth ; blessed is His name ; blessed art Thon O Lord, our God ! King of the Universe ! the Almighty, merciful Father ! who is praised with the motith of His people ; extolled and glorified with the tongue of His saints and servants ; therefore with the psalms of David, Thy servant, we will praise Thee, O Lord, our God ! and with songs and praises we Avill magnify, praise and extol Thee ; yea, we will remember Thy name, and proclaim Thee our King ! our God ! the only one who liveth eternally. The King, pi-aised and glorified be His great name for ever. Blessed art Thou, Lord! a King magnified with praises. i SPECIAL miAYKK FOK MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS. He, the most merciful ! forgiveth iniquity and destroyeth not ; yea, He frefjuently turneth His anger away, and awakeneth not all His Avrath. O Lord ! withhold not Thy mercies from us ; let Thy benignity and truth pi'eserve us continually. Save us, O Lord, our God ! and gather lis from among the nations, that we may give thanks unto Thy holy name, and glory in Thy praise. If Thou Avilt mark our iniquities, O Lord ! who will be able to exist? But forgiveness is with Thee, that thou mayest be revered. O deal not with us according to our sins, nor reward lis accordhig to our iniquities. Although our iniquities testify against us, O Lord ! yet grant our request, for Thy name's sake. O Lord, remem- ber Thy mercy and benevolence ; for they are everlasting. The Lord will answer us in o day of trouble ; the name of the God of Jacob shall be our refuge. Save us, O Lord ! The heavenly King shall answer us on the day when we call. Our Father, and our King ! be gracious unto us, and ipgard us, for we are destitute of good works ; act therefore char- itably by us, for Thy name's sake. O Lord, our God ! hear the voice of our supplications, remember the covenant with our ancestors, and help us for Thy name's sake. O Lord our God ! who has brought forth Thy peojile out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and didst acquire a glorious name ; we acknowledge that we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord I according to all Thy righteousness, we beseech Thee, to let Thy anger and Thy wrath be turned away from Jerusalem, Thy City, and Thy holy mountain ; for on account of our sins, and the ini- SPECIAL PRAYER FOR MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS. 83 eased is He mpensatetU for ever and eth ; blessed 5 Universe ! 3uth of His \d servants ; ^ise Thee, O r, praise and m Thee our [ing, praised LOU, O Lord ! ■eth not ; yea, ill His wrath, lity and truth athor us from )ly name, and ) Lord ! who thou niayest or reward xis fy against us, liOrd, remem- Tho Lord if Jacob shall all answer us gracious unto lerefore char- |r the voice of jors, and help ght forth Thy idst acquire a e have done |beseech Thee, rusalcm, Thy and the ini- quities of our ancestors, Jerusalem, and thy people, are become a reproach to all who surround them. Now, therefore, O our God ! hoar the prayer of Thy servant, and his supplication, and cause Thy countenance to shine uj)on Tliy sanctuary, whicli is desolate, for Tliy sake, O Lord I O my Cod ! incline Thine ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and ])e- hold our desolations, and the desolation of Thy City, which is called by Thy name ; for we do not presume to present our supplication before Thee, for our righteousness, Init for Thy great mercy. O Lord, hear. Loi'd, forgive. O Lord, be graciously attentive, and grant our retpiest ; delay not, for Tliine own name sake. my God ! for Thy City ami Thy people are called by Thy name. Our Father, avIio art a merciful Father, sliow us a good token, and gather our dispersions from the four corners of the earth. Tlien sliall nations know, and acknowledge that Thou, O Lord, ai-t our God. And now, our Lord, Thou art our Father, and we are but as clay, yet hast Thou formed us, and Ave are the work of Thy hands. ( ) Save us, for Thy name's sake, our Creator, for Thou art our King and Redeemer. O ]jord, have com])assion on Tliy people, and deliver not thine lieritage to reproach, suffering the nations to rule over them ; for wherefore should they say among the people, where is their God 1 We know we have sinned, and there is none to intercede for us ; but Thy great name, we liopc will support us in time of trouble. We know we are destitute of good works, act therefore charitably by us, lor Thy name's sake. As a father hath compassion on l.is, so have Thou compassion on us, O Loi-d, and save us, for Thy name's sake. O have pity on Thy peo}>lo, and be merciful to thijie heritage ; spare us we beseech Thee, according to thine abundant mercy. O be gracious unto us, and answer us ; for righteousness is thine, U Lord ! Thou performest wonders at all times. We beseech Thee to look kindly, and compassionate Thy people speedily, for Thy name sake ; and through Thine abundant mercy, O Lord, our God ! be merciful to spare, and save tlie sheep of Thy 2>asturo ; and suffer not Thine anger to prevail against us, for our eyes look in suspense towards Thee, O save \is, for Thy name's sake. Have mercy upon ns, and answer us in time of trouble, for .sahation is thine, O Lord, and our hope is in Thee. Tiioii art the God of forgiveness. O pardon us, we beseech Thee, for Thou, O God ! art good and ready to forgive, and Thou, O God I art a most gracious and merciful King. O most merciful and gracious King I we be.seech Thee to remember, and have respect to the covenant made Ijetween the parts, and let the binding of the holy child (Isaac) be continually seen before Thee, for the ■m: 84 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. sako of Israel. Oui* Father and our King I O bo gracious \uito lus, and answer ii.s, for we are called by Thy great name. O Thou Avho workest wonders continually, act by us according to Thy tondor mercy. Thou wlio art gracious and merciful ; hav(! respect to us and answer us in time of trouble ; for \into Thee, O Lord ! l)elongeth salvation. Our Father, and our King, who irrt oui* shield, we beseech Thee, not to do unto \is according to our evil doings. O Lord, remember Thy mercy and tender kindness, and save us according to Thine abundant goodness ; and have compassion on us, for we acknowledge no other God l)osido.H Thee. O Lord our God, our Greater, forsake us not ; neither be Tlioii far from us ; for our soul is ojipressed. O deliver us from the sword, cajitivity, 2)estilence, plague aiid all manner of trouble and sorrow, for we hope in Thee ; init us not therefore to sliame, O Lord, our God ; but cause Thy countenance to shine on us, and remember unto us llie covenant of our ancestors, and save us, foi* Tliy name's sake. O behold our afflic- tions, and hear the A^oice of ]irayers, for Thou hearest the prayer of every mouth. O most merciful and gracious Gotl, have compassion upon us, and on all Thy works, for there is none like unto Thee. Lord, our God I our Father, King, Creator, and Redeemer, we beseech Thee noAv to pardon our tiansgressions. Thou art The living and ever existing (rod, mighty in power, gi'acious and benificeut to all Thy works ; for Thou art the Lord our God. () God, Avho art Joug-suflering and full of compassion, deal by us according to Tliine abundant nuH'cy, and save us, for Thy name's sake. Hear our prayers, O our King ! and deliver lis from all trouble and sorrow. Thou art our Father and our King, and we are called bj' Thy name ; deal therefore kindly by \is, for Thy name's sake. O desert wsi not, nor forsake \is, our former; for Thou, O God ! art a most gracious and mercifid King. O Lord, oiu- God ! tliero is none like unto Thee, gi-acious and merciful. G Omnipotent ! there is none like unto Thee, long-suftering and abundant in mercy and truth : save and deliverer us, O Omnipotent, from storms and earthquakes. Eemember Thy servants, Al)raham, Isaac and Jacob : look not unto our stubbornness, nor to our wicked- ness, nor to our sins. Turn, from thy fierce wrath, and alter the decree concerning the evil against Thy people ; and remove from us the stroke of death, for Thou art merciful : for such is Thy divini; attribute, to shew mercy gratuitously throughout every geiieration. Have compas- sion on Thy jicople, O Lord I and sliield us from Thy wratli ; and remove from iis the afflictive jilagues, and every evil degree, for Thou art tlie guardian of Israel. Righteousness, O Lord I is Thine ! but unto PUAYKK AND CONFESSIONS ON DAY OF ATONEMKNT. 85 US, confusion of face. Wlioi-*^'foio should we conijilaiii ? foi- what can we say! Wliafc can we dcchiro ? or how shall W(; justify ourselves? Let us searoli and t-xaniine our ways, and return unto Thee, for Thy right hand is stretclied oiit to receive the penitent. () Lord I save us now, wo bost'och Tlice. O Lord ! prosper us now, we beseech Thee. O liOrd ! we beseech Thee, answer \is when we call. Unto Thec^ O Lord ! we look : in Thee, O Lord, we confide. O be not silent; alHiut us not, for the heathens say, their hopt; is lost ; but imto Tliee alone shall every knew bend, and tho.se of high stature bow down. O Thou, who art ready lo receive penitent sinners ana tran.sgre.ssors, forget us not for i^ver ; foi- our increasing troubles disturl) our souls. Our Father and our King ! although we be destitute of righteousness and good woiks, yc^t renieniber unto \is the covenant math, with our ancestors, and our testimony which we liear daily, that Thou, O Lord ! art a Unity. U have respect to our atllictions ; i'ov tlu; troubles of our heart, and our ]).iins, are abundant. ILne coui[ias.sion on us, O Jjord ! in the land of oui- captivity, and ])()ur not Thy lierce anger upon us, for we are Thy people, the children of Thy covenant. () Omnipotent ! have res|)ect to our diminished glory among the nations, and our abhorred state : which is eipial to the defilement of a woman during the time of her scveration. flow long shall Thy strength nMiiaiii in ca])tivity, and Thy glory in the power of the enemy ? Awaken Thy might and Thy jealo\isy against Thine enemies, so that they may be put to shame, and be dismayed at the loss of their power ; but suffer not our weariness to seem light in Thy presence. O cause Thy mercy to precede the day of our trouble ; and though not for our sake, yet do it for Thine own sake, and destroy not the memorial of our residue, ))ut ije gracious unto a peoide who, with fervent love, twice daily proclaim the miitv of Thy name ; saying, hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is a Unity. PRAYKR AND CONFESSIONS ON THE DAY OF ATONE.MENT. Thou dost put forth Thy hand to transgressors, a)id Thy right hand is stretched out to receive the penitent ; and thou hast taught us, O Lord, our God I to make confession in Thy presence of all our iniquities, that we may restrain our hands from fraud; for thou wilt receive us, ■when we turn with perfect repentance, as thou didst the burat-offeringa, 8G IIA-JEIIUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. and sweet savours that were offered in Tliy presence, for the sake of Thy word wliich Thou jiast spoken ; for there is no end to the burnt offerings of our sins', nor any number to tlie sweet s;ivour nf c)ur trosjnisscs ; Thou knowest al.':o that our end is to be food for the worm and insect ; tliere- foro hast Tliou multipUed our means of par(k)n. What are we] Wliat is our life? \V'hat is our piety? What is our righteousness? What is our salvation? Wiiat is our ])0wer ? What is our might] AVhat shall Avo say in Thy presence, O Lord, o\u- God I and the God of our Fathei--' ' Are not tho mightiest heroes as nothing beibre Tliee] And men of fame iis if they had not existed ; wise men, as if they '.vt-'re with- out knowh'dgi?; and the intelligent, as if void of uudoir,tandiiig; for the majority (jf our actions is emptiness ; and the days of our life but vanity in Tliy prcs-'iice ; aud man's [>re-('minence over the Ijcast is nought ; for all is vanit3\ Thon didst distinguish man from the l)eginning, and didst favour him that he might stand in Thy presence ; for who can say unto Thee, what doost 'i'liou '? And although He be righteous, what can He gi\ e unto thee 1 But in love hast Thou given us, (.) Lord, our God ! this day of atonement, a termination, pardon, and forgiveness for all oui* inicpiities, that we may restrain our hands from fraud ; and return to iiorform the statutes of Thy will with an upright heart. Aiul through Thine abumlant mercies, deign Thou to compassionate us ; for Thou dost not delight in the destruction of the world ; as it is said, seek ye the Lord while He may be found ; call ye upon Him while he is near at hand. And it is said, let the wicked forsake his way, and the inicpiitious man his thoughts ; and let him return unto the Lord, for He Avill receive him with compassion ; and unto our God, for He aboundeth in forgiveness. And Thou, God of forgiveness, art gracious anil merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy ; diffusing good iibundantly. Thou dost alst) delight in the repent- ance of the wicked ; and hast no pleasure in tlu'ir death ; as it is said, say unto them, as I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from His evil way, and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; wluu-efore will ye die, O house of Israel ? And it is said, have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, saith the Lord God ; but rather that he turn from his evil ■ways and live. Anil it is said, for I liave no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, therefore turn ye and live. For Tho\i art the pardoner of Israel, and who grautest remission of sins unto the tribes in Jerusalem, and besides Thee there is none to whom we appeal for pardon and forgiveness. PRAYER AXD CONFESSION ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. 87 t' Our Goil, and Ctocl of our ancestors, may our prayers come before Thee, and withdraw not Thyself from our supplications ; for we are not so shameless of face, or hardened as to declare in Thy presence, O Eter- nal ! our God ! and the God of our ancestors, that we are righteous, and have not sinned ; verily, (we confess) we have sinnod. We liave trespassed, we have dealt treacherously, avo have stolen, we have spoken slander, we have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly; we have acted presumptuously; we have committed violence; we have framed falsehoods ; we liave counselled evil ; we have uttered lies; we have scorned; we have rebelled; we have blasphemed; we have revolted ; we have acted perversely ; we have transgressed ; we have oppi'essed; wo have been stilf-uecked ; we have acted wickedly; we have corrupted; we have done abominably ; we hare gone astray, and caused others to err ; we have turned aside from Thy excellent precepts» and institutions, and Avhich hath not profitted us; but Thou art just con- cerning all that is come upon us; for Thou hast dealt most truly, but we have done wickedly. O ! what shall we say in Thy presence, O, Thou, who dwelleft above the Universe] Or, v,-hat shall we declare unto Thee, who re siclcth above the skies ? Knowest Thou not all the secret things, as well as the revealed 1 Thou knowest all the secrets of the world, and the most liidden. transactions of all living. Thou searchest all the inward parts, and examinest the veins and heart ; so that there is nothing concealed from Thee, neither is there anything hidden fx*om Thy sight. O may it then be acce})table in Thy presence, O Eternal, our God ! and the God of our fathers, to pardon all our sins, and forgive all our iniquities, and grant us reniis on from all our transgressions. For the sin which we have conmiitteu against Thee, either by compulsion or voluntarily. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, with a stubborn heart. For the sin which we have committed against Thee, out of igno- rance. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, with the utterance of our lips. For the sin which we have committed against Thee with incestuous loudness. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, either publicly or secretly. For the sin which we have committed against Thee with deliberate deceit. And for the sin which we liave coomiitted against Thee, with. speech of the mouth. !ii 8S HA-JEHI'DIM AND MIKVEII ISRAEL. ii|!!ii- |< For tlie sin which we have coniiuitted against Tlieo, hy oppressing our ueighlxjiir. And for tho sin which we Inwo comniittt'd against Theo, by the evil cogitation of tho heart. For tlio sill wliich wo have committed against Thee, by assembling to commit fornication. And for tlio sin which wo have committed against Thoc, V)y acknowledging o\ir sins with ciir mouth, (hut do not repent in our heart.) For the sin which we have committed against Tliee, by despising our parents and teachers. And for tho sin which we have committed against Thoe, either presumptuously or ignorantly. For the sin which wo have committed against Thee, witli violence. And for the sin which we have committed against Tiiee, by the profana- tion of Thy name. For tho sin which we have committed against Thee, with detiled lips. And for tho sin which we have committed against Thee, with foolish expressions. For the sin which wo have committed against Thee, with evil imagination. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, either knowingly, or without deliberation. Yet for all of them, O God of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, and grant us remission, For tht) sin which we have committed against Thee, by denying and lying. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, by taking or giving a bribe. For tho sin which we have committed against Thee, by scoffing. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, by calumny. For the sin which we have committed against Thee, in traffic. Ajid for the sin which we liave committed against Thee, in meat and di'ink. For the sin which we have committed against Thee, by extortion and usury. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, by immodest discourse. For the sin which we have committed against Thee, by chattering. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, Avith the twink- ling of our eyes. For the sin which Ave haA'e committed against Thee, by our haughty looks. And for the sin which we have committed against Thee, with sLamelessness. Yet for all them, O God of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, and grant us remission. IMIAYKR A\» CONFESSION ON THE DAY OF ATONKMENT. 81) For the sin wliich we liiivo coinniitted iigaiust Thoe, by shaking off the yoke of thy law. Ami for tlie sin wiiicli wo have comniittetl against Thee, hy litigiousness. Foi* tho sin which wo have comniitteJ against Tlioe, hy treachery to our neighbor. And for tlie sin wliich we have coniniitteil against Thee, by envy. For tho sin which we have committed against Thoc, by levity. And for the sin Avhich we have coinniitUsd against Thee, by our stubbornness. Fo!' the sin which we have committed against Thee, by running swiftly to (l<» evil. And for the sin which we have com?nitted against Thee, by tale-bearing. For the sin which wc have committed against Thee, by false swear- ing. AtkI for the sin which we have committed against Thee, by cause, less enmity. Fur the sin which we have committed against Thee, by eml)ezzle- meut. And for tho sin which we have committed against Thee, by extasy. Yet for all them, O God of forgiveness, forgive us, jjardon us, and grant us remission. Also for the sins for which we were obliged to bring a burni-oftering. And for the sins, for wliich we were obliged to bring a sin-offering. And for the sins, for which we v '^•re obliged to bring an offering according to our ability, And for tlie sins, for which we were obliged to bring a trespass- offering, either for a certain or doubtful sin. And for tlie sins, for which we were obliged to suffer -1 e stripes of contumacy. And for the sins, for which we were obliged to suffer flagellation. And for tlie sins, for which wo incurred the penalty of death by the hand of God. And for the sins, for which we incuri'ed the penalty of extirpation and being childless. And for ou .sins, for which we have incurred the penalty of four kinds of death, formerly inflicted by our tribunal of justice, viz. : — Stoning, burning, beheading, and strangling ; for transgressing aflimative precepts, or negative precepts ; whether an action be appropriated thereto, or not, as well as those which are known to us, as those which are unknown unto us, wo have aU'eady ir'-.Je confession of them before Thee, O Lord, our God ! and the God of our fathers. 90 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. m And those wliich are unknown to ns, are known and evident before Thee, as it is r.aid the secret things belong unto Thee, O Eternal, our God! but the revealed things belong unto us and our posterity for ever, to perforin all the words of this Liw, for Thou art the pardoner of Israel, and who grantelh remission of sins unto the tribes of Jeshurun in all ages ; and besides Thee, there is none to wliom we appeal for pardon and forgiveness. O my God ! before I was formed, I Avas unworthy: and now that I have been formed, am as though I had not been formed ; dust I am at my life-time, and more at my decease. Behold, I stand before Thee as a vessel full of shame and confusion. may it be acceptable in Thy pre- sence, O Eternal, my God ! and the God of my fathers, to assist me, that I sin no more ; and the sins which I have already committed aff "nst Thee, blot out through Thy mercy, but not by Thy chastisement ami malignant sickness. C.IiOSING PRAYER ON DAY OF ATOXEJIKXT. Thou dost put forth Thy hand to transgressors, and Thy right hand is stretched out to receive the penitent ', and Thou hast taught us, O Lord, our God I to make confession in thy presence of all our ini(piities, that we may restrain our hands from ft-aud j for Thou wilt receive us, when we turn with perfect repentance, as thou didst the burnt-offer- ings and sweet sa^-ours that Avcre offered in Thy presence, for the sake of Thy word, which Thou hast spoken; for there is no end to the bumt- offerings of our sins, nor any number to the sweet s;.. >-our of our tres- passes; Thou knowest also, that our end is to be food for the worm and insect ; therefoi-e, hast Thou multiplied our means of pardon. What are we? What is our Hfel What is our piety 1 What is our right- eousness ? What is our salvation 1 What is our poAver 1 ^Vhat is our might ? What then shall Ave say in Tliy presence, Ijord, our God ! and the God of our fathers 1 Are not the mightest heroes as nothing, before Thee ; the men of fame, as if they had not existed ; Avise men, as if they Avere Avithout knowledge ; and the intelligent, as if void of under- standing ? For the majority of our actions is emi)tiiiess, and the days of our life but vanity in Thy presence ; and man's pre-eminence over the beast is nought, for all is vanity. Thou didst tlistinguish man from the beginning, and didst favor him, that he might stand in Thy presence; for who can say unto Thee, CLOSING PRAYER ON DAY OF ATONEMENT. 91 What doest Thou ? And although he be righteous, what can he give unto Tliee? But in love hast Thou given us, O Lord, our God ! this day of atonement, a termination, pardon, and forgivehess from all our ini- cjuities, tliat we may restrain our liands from fraud ; and return to perform tlio statutes of Thy will with an upriglit heart. And through Thine abundant mercies deign Thou to compassionate us ; for Thou dost not delight in the destruction of the world ; as it is said, seek ye the Lord while he is near at hand. And it is said, let the wicked forsake his way, and the iniquitious man his thoughts ; and let him return unto the Lord, for He will receive him with compassion ; and unto our God, for He abonndeth in forgiveness. And Thou, O God of forgiveness, ai-t gracious and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy ; diffusing good abundantly. Tliou dost also delight in tlie rej)ent- ance of the wicked ; and hast no pleasure in their death ; as it is said, say unto them, as I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the deatli of the wicked ; but that tlie wicked turn from his evil way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; wherefore will ye die, O house of Israel ? And it is said, have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, saith the Loi'd God, but rather that he turn from his evil ways and live. And it is said, for I have no pleasure in the death of hiin that dieth saith the Lord God ; therefore turn ye and live. Fcr Thou art tlio pardoner of Israel, and who grantest remission of sins unto the tribes in Jesurun, and besides Thee there is none to whom we appeal for ]iar(lon and forgiveness. m CHAPTER VII CONFIRMATION CEREMONY, AS PRACTISED AMONG THE REFORMED JEWS. The candidates for this oi-diuauce, if boys, are dressed in black suits^ and if girls, in white, (among the Orthodox Jews, girls are never con- firmed,) each bear a prayer-book under their ai-m, and on some occasions a boquct of floAvers in the hand. The Raljbi receives the candidates with the words of the Psalmist, " Blessed be he who cometh in the name of the Lord," etc., after which the young recite a prayer suitable to the service. This done, the Rabbi addresses the congregation on the im- portance of the occasion. At the conclusion of the address, he turns to the young, and questions them on the outlines and principles of their religion. We will quote some of the questions and replies : What is religion ? Religion is a system of doctrines, to regulate the conduct of man towai'd God, toward his fellow-man, and toward himself. What is Judaism 1 Judaism is the religion revealed Ijy God, taught by Moses, and expounded by the Prophets, and Sages of Israel. What is the first fundamental doctrine of Judaism ] There is one God, who is the Creator, Governor and Preserver of the universe, and the only God, Ruler or King, acknowledged by Israel, as Sacred Scriptures teaches : " Hear, Israel, God is our Lord, God i.s one. What is our second fundamental doctrine J Man was cx'oated in the im.ige of God ; he was gifted with a divine nature, capable of the utmost development, and he prefers, if circum- stances do not corrupt him, justice to injustice, virtue to vice, and godliness to im}>iety. What is the third fundamental doctrine ? It is the duty of man to Avorship Gotl, do His will, imitate His perfections, and love Hin» above all things ; to love his neighbor, the stranger, and his enemy, and to preserve his own life, cultivate the godly sentiments of his heart, develop his mind, strive at perfection, and become holy as Gotl is holy. What is the fourth fundamental doctrine \ CONFIRMATION CEREMONY AMONG THE REFORMED JEWS. 03 God delights in justice, virtue and purity, and is displeased by wickedness and impurity. He created man with auch a nature, that he is happy only in the practice of justice, virtue and purity ; but man fre- (piently errs, and God, in order to restore him to happiness, rewards the good, and punishes the evil doer, here and hereafter, in this world, and in the world to come. After some further questions, the Decalogue is recited, also the three different duties of man, and the holidays, and their causes. The candidates for confirmation, then declare their firm will to live and die in the religion of Israel. Next follows the blessing " Every one according to his qualities, he blessed them," in imitation of father Jacob. During the intervals, the choir sing different parts of Holy Wi-it, as also several choruses. ct of nian tivate the CHAPTER VIII. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. Preparation — Repentenoo — Confession — lluniiliatioii— Atonement —Interpretation of i'aalms ex., ami Isaiah ix., 6. THE DAY OF ATOXEMENT. The tenth day of Tishri (September) is set apart by Sacred Scrip- ture as the Day of Atonement, in regard to wliicli it is promised, " For on this day he will pardon you, to jjurify you from all your sins, that you be pure before your Grod." The last part of this verse is expounded by the ancient doctors, " Sins committed between man and his God are par- doned on the Day of Atonement, but sins committed between man and man, are not pardoned on the Day of Atoiiement, until satisfaction has been given to the offended neighboi-." Besides the additional sacrifices Avhich the Bible ])rcscribes for this day, and the services of the High Priest, as ])erformed in the Tabernacle, and the Temple, the Jews are commanded in Scripture, " And ye shall also afflict your persons." This command is expounded by the ancient doctors of the law, to liave a double signification — a negative and a posi- tive one. The negative command is, to abstain from all carnal pleasures and enjoyments, " From evening to evening," not only as an afiliction on our person, but also as a declaration of independence, and sole dominion of the mind over the body ami carnel propensities. The negative nature of these afllictions is wisely preferred to the positive, as these latter led men to the most extravagant, cruel, and revolting practices. The sacri- fices of human life to appease the gods, the wounds which the false pro- phets aftlictcd on each other to the same purpose ; the practice of the Flagellants.^ who chastised each other daily for the same reason; the confes- sions of Catholics, and the diflerent acts of cruelty inllicted Ijy the orders of Popes and Priests on the penitents, are only some of the extravagances which are prevented by this negative exposition of the Scriptural text by the ancient doctors of law. Besides all this, it must bo admitted, that abstaining one day from all carnal pleasures and enjoyments, is an excellent lesson for every man. It teaches him, that his will and his intellect actually have dominion over his i)erson, if he only desires to obey them. It teaches him how little there is necessary to make a man happy ; and few necessities are THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. 95 equal in tho scale of happiness to extensive wealth. It teaches him, moreovei', that all evil inclinations, all carnal propensities, could easily he subdued, and man could be happy, here and hereafter, if he always was "Master over his sins." Tlie positive signification of this Biblical text, is " Repentance ;" to afflict oneself witli the consciousness of sin, and the determination not to fall back again in a sinful life. The consciousness of a sinful life, to be ashamed thereof, and to feel that remorse, which is its invarial)le result, is indeed an affliction of which Cain already exclaimed " My iniquity is too gieat to bear it." It must also be admitted, that a day set apart for the sole purpose of man's rendering account to himself and his Maker, is a wise and beneficent institution. Man's occupation and aspirations in the storm-tossed ocean of life, are of such a wild nature, tliat he but sel- dom awakes from his intoxication ; scarcely ever stands still for a moment to reflect on his conduct and his course of life. He dreams on ; and runs on in wild excitement, and frequently loses all his excellencies in the roaring current of mutable life. There comes, hoAvever, the day of atonement, the watch-tower erected by Pro- vidence, and calls powerfully : " Man stand still and consider." Many do stand still ; retire from the excitement of life, Avith its numerous Joys and sorrows, its liopes and disappointments, its treasures and delusions ; they spend one day in perfect dominion over their i)as.sions, tlie source of all sins, and spend the day before God, in tho House of God, and in the worship of God. The principle on which the day of atonement is based, is one dis- tinguishing Judaism from all other creeds. They believe repentance and amendment of conduct, is all that is rerpiired to o})tain God's favor again. Some of the ways of repentance are, that the penitent calls on the Lord with weeping and supplication, practices acts of charity according to his ability ; keeps himself far from the places and objects of his sin ; changes las name, as much as to say : I am another and not the same individual who committed those sins ; changes his actions for the better, and for the way of upriglitness, and emigrates from his place, as exile is an expia- tion of sins, forcing him to humble himself, to be meek and of a modest mind. They aiso believe it deserving of great praise to be penitent, to con- fess pnblioly, make known his transgressions, uncover his sins com- mitted on his neighl)ors, and say publicly, " Verily, I have connnitted a sin on this or that nian, T have done him so and so, and this clay I do turn and rapent." m 9G iia-jehi:dim and mikveh Israel. Hi' liP' But whoevei- is too haugl.cy to acknowledge his faults, ami attempts to hide them, has not truly repented tliem, as it is said, "Who hides his transgressions, will not succeed." This can he s-.iid iu regard to pins between man and liis neighbor ; Init sins committed between man and his God sliould not be made public ; he only should return and state liis sins before God, make in public only a general confession, and it is for his best not to make them i)ublic, as it is said, " Blessed be he M'hose trangressiou is forgiven, whose sin is hidden." The Day of Atonement is considered by the Jews as the proper time of repentance for all, for the individual and the congregation ; it is the end, forgivent«s and expiation of sins to Israel, therefore, all should repent and confess their sins on the Day of Atonement. The command, in this respect, is to begin the confession the evening ]ircv!ons, before eating the last meal ; perhai)s he miglit die tliei'eof without confession of sins. Although he has confesse gi\es satis- faction, and pacifies his neighbor. Although a, restitution ()f money be made to the offended neighl)or, he nmst be jiacified also, tuul reijuested to forgive the offence. If one only ofVends his neighbor with Vvords, he must attempt to reconcile him and ni'ge him for fol•g^venes^;. If his neighbor refuses to forgive him, he must come to him with throe men of his friendB, urge him, and re.(piest his forgiveness. If he .still refuses, he must repeat it a second and a third time, and if he then would not forgive the ofi'etise, ho himself is the sinner, and the ofl'ender neeil do no more. But if the ofieuder is his teacher, he must come to him even a thousand times, \intil he is reconcikid. If one oflended his neighltor, who died Ijefore he Ii;id asked his pardon, he must go to his grave with ten men, and say in their presence, •* I have sinned before Israel's (iod, and this man; so iiiid t-t-, have I done him." If it was a money matter, he is oldiged to make restitution to the heirs of the deceased, and if no heirs are left, let him, with his con- fession, dejios'.t it at the public court. i: ATONEMENT. 97 ATONEMENT. Atonement signifies the reconciliation between God and man. Sin separates man from God, and brings liim under the dominion of the brutal passions. There are two kinds of sins : 1st. Not to do our duty, and 2nd, to do what the divine laws prohibit. The lirst is passive sin, the second is active sin. The passive sin is pi'oof of the absence of the good will. The active sin proves the presence of an evil will in the sinner. The remedy for the passive sinner is the acquirem<'nt of a good will, and the remedy for the active sinner, is to obtain dominion over his wicked pro- pensities. The application of this remedy is called " To return to God." "0 Israel return to God, thy Lord, if thou hast fallen by thine iniquity; take with you words, and return to God," itc, — (Hosea xiv., 1, 2.) "And thou shalt say unto them : thus saith God Zebaoth, return unto me saith God Zebaoth, and I will return unto you saith God Zebaoth." — (Zechariah i., 3.) "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy trans- gressions, and as a cloud thy sins : return unto me, for I have redeemed thee."— (Isaiah xliv., 22.) The act of retui'ning to God from the path of sin, consists of th« following elements : 1. The conviction of guilt or ingratitude to God. 2. Pouitence, or to feel grieved to have sinned, and to be ashamed thereof, Avliich is the severest penance to man. 3. The resolve on amendment of life. 4. In making good whatever was neglected, restoring whatever was taken unjustly from others, and I'opairing whatever we spoiled. Thus man returns, and is reconciled to his God; thus Atonement is made. God's punishment is intended for man's correction only ; for God is neither angry nor revengeful. " Tliou shalt also consider in thine lieart, that as a man cliasteneth his son, no God thy I^ord chasteneth thee." — (Deut. viii., 5). "My son despise not the chastening of God; neither be weary of his correction : for whom God loveth he correcteth ; even as a father the son in whom ho delightcth." — (Proverbs iii, 11, 12). " Behold. hai)})y is the man Avhom God correcteth ; therefoi'e despise xiot thou the chastening of the Almighty." — (Job v.. 17). If mun corrects himself nnd amends his life, punishment will not follow after the repented sin ; because it is not necessary, and God is all just, all-wise, and most gracious — (Deul. xxx., 1 to 10; ii. Sam. xii., 13 ; i. Kings, viii., -IC to 53; 21, 27, 28, 29 ; ii. Chron., xxxiii., 10 to 13 ; Psalms, xxxii. and ciii., 2 to 0). 8 98 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him retiirn unto God, and ho will have mercy upon him ; and to our Ood, for he will abundantly pardon." — (Isaiah xlv., 7.) See on this topic. — (E/.ekiel iii., 17 to 21 ; xviii., 21 to 23; and xxxiii., 1 to 20). INTEUPRETATIOX OF THE llOTII P.SALM BY THE JEWS. Verse 1 is rendered in the authorised version : — " A I'salm of David. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand nntil I make thine enemies my footstool." Now this phrase : "The Lord said unto my Lord," if prounccd by David, (they say) woidd indeed be tuvintelligible. Who can be my Lord to whom David alluded after speaking of God as " the Lord." Mendelssohn got rir the sake of i)eace ; but then he shall be successful." OH APT Eli IX. THE JEWISH CALENDAR. Tisiiui— .sV;)/lW(6-^;' — -Xtfw Year — Day of Aloiicmoiit— Fcasl of TaLcniiicks— Mak- (^UKHSi:\ — Ocfobcr — Kisij'.n — Xovcmhcr — Fcrist of Dedication — Tf.vf.tto — Diccmhcr — S] 1 1: K.n at— .Ar«Kf( '7/ — Adah — Februorn — Feast of Puiim — Nihau — March — PassoviT — ■ Va'om— April — Snux — May — Feast of Weeks — Tamus — June — (Jreat Fast— An— /«/// — fSreut Fast Day for Destruction of Jenisalem — En'i. — Avijunt — 151o\vini; of Triuiiiiets. TJIK .JKWISU (.'ALEXDAK. The first month of the Jewish year, is generally called "Tishri;" the real Hebrew name, however, is " Ethanim." In tliis month are the most important fe.ists and fasts, according to the law of Mosos, and a good many addivions fi'om the Ilabbin.s, " the 2)recepts of men," even in flat contradiction to the Divine ordinances. The Iiabbins arbitrarily made the first day of this month New Year's day, while God commanded the month " Xisnn," to be the iii-;st of the twelve, vi?:., the New Year. They cannot d(.'ny this fact, and therefore they say, that Nisan (April) is indeed tlie head, or jirincipal, among the rest of the months; but the first of Tishri is the head of days, and therefore New Year's day. According to the law of God, this day is the feast of " trumpets ; the Rabbins not only adtled one day more to the feast, but declared it to be the season wlien the Heavenly Supreme Court is in session, to judge the world, and particularly the Jew.s, and to determine everything which shall occur to every individual Jew ; life, death, and what kind of death; health, sickness, and even how much one shall gain or lose in business ; &c., ttc, is minixtely appointed. No won<.ler, tlicn, that these two days put every .lew in a condition of great solemnity and devotion. This is the very best occasion to pray for long life, health, riches and honor. The llalibins also teach, that in these days every one's sentence is written ; the righteous immediately to life, the wicked to death, and those who are half and half — like luke-warm water — are kept in suspension until the day of atonement ; and it depends from their conduct during the interval, whether they be entered in the book of life, or in the black book. The blowini.^ of the "^ ram's horn" is done in such sounds ;is ox- press nothing, neither joy nor mourning, and are very strange to every other enr but that of a Jev.-. Every sound has another name ; and angels, with ([ueei-, cabalistic n:imes, are appointed to cai-ry these sounds up before the Throne of Glory. He who sits upon it, Jehovah, is said 100 HA-JEirUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. Ii» to be so pleased with this music, that Ho at once turns from the seat of justice to that of mercy, and tears in pieces all the bands of Israel for another year. On the third day of Tishri, is the Fast of Gedaliah ; on that day we are told that the Jewish chief, who was left in the land of Israel as the governor over the few Avho remained there, of tlie poorer classes of the people, a])pointed by the King of ]3abylon, was slain by the rebels, Ismeal beu Nethaniah, and his gang. (See ii. Kings, xxv,, 22 27.) On the seventh, we are told, was given the sentence of God, that the whole generation who took pare in Avorshipping the golden calf, should die in the wilderness. The Saljbath, which is between the New Year's day and the day of atonement, is called '' the Sabbath of Repentance," and is one of the two Sabbaths on which tlie Rabbi of the Orthodox Jews preaches, if preaching it can be called. The Rabbi has six months' time to prepare an essay ou some point in the Talmud, in which he shows his wit and leai'ning ; and well he may prepare, because the learned among his con- gregation rally around him, and Avatch closely whether he says anything which does not concur with some Rabbi who lived before liim, or make some, according to their opinion, wi'ong conclusion. Woe unto him if they catch him in any of these things ; a contro- vei'sy then begins, which to a non-Jew, seems like a violent quarrel among uncivilized people. In former times, it was not a rare thing, that cnragod zealots dragged the poor Rabbi down from his ]iulpit, and pulled his grey beard. But whether the derashah (preaching) ended this way, or })eaceably, the unlearned people — the vast uiajority, there- fore — stood in awe, and admin.d the great wisdom and knowledge which fell from the lips of their Rabbi, although his language was like Chhiese to them. They left the synagogue, and said to each other, " He is a great man in Israel ; may he live a hundred years." On the ninth, is the day of preparation for the Day of Atonement, This is a xevy notable day, because eating and drinking ou (hat day are considered as meritorious as fasting on the laext. The reason Avliich the Rabbins gave for that not very unpleasant good work — to eat and drink — is this : — E-vcry Jew has, if he observes the regular daily prayers and blessings, to repeat one hundred blessings every day;* this day. however, ho ought to speak ten times as many, iiameiy, one thousand *The word "tjlessiiicr" is applied to those x'l'ayers in whicli the form "Hlrssed art Thou, Jeliovah our C< ." occurs; and this is done while taking a drink of water, a hit of bread, or a fi'uit, &c. THE JEWISH CALENDAIl. 101 This is also the tlay on which every iiioiis Jew tries to bo roleasotl from all his promises, vows aiul oaths, whicli he made during the past year. This is done hy a court of thn-e men, before whom he btands, and says tliat he regrets liaving j>romiscd, sworn, or vowed, and wishes to be re- leaseinical law. In the law of Moses, the command reads at follows: "And ve shall take vou, on the first day, a nice fruit of a 102 HA-n::iri)!.M asd >iiKvi:n i.-uiai;i. tree, limrio'ios of a p.iiin ti'e-3, ami th'j 1j Ji'.^Ii.s of tluuic ti\!.!.->:iu'l willows of tlio brooks, iuid yo sIimII rt'jolcHi bolbvo tli>' Lord," Tlie U;UMiiiiic;il law is, to ta'co a fruit from ii. tn>o, the -woxl of which miu'IIs ju:;t like the fruit; a:i:l this lui; cau.scd the poor .low.!, ti give somctiiuos o»/? h 'wired tZo/^»r« ami inoro fjr such a fruit, which i;-> not ovuii oalaMe, bocauso it was hron;.;h(; IVoiu Corfu, or soiao otli.T island in tlio Mi'dibn'raiieiin Son. On ilic twonty-Hrst day, is s'.uothor tself-made feast, called '•iloshau- nah llalibah." On this day, it i.s said, all soutenco.s and decrees Avhicli have been prc-nounoed on tho days on which the Heavenly Court was in session, are sealed, and every recourse is vain ; no appeal heing possible. l>n the twcntv-secoud dav, is the feast of the Solemn Con''rej!;ation. The llabbins added t'lo iu;xt one, the twenty-thii'd, a:ul called it "The day of ri joicing with the law." In old orthodox .lowiah synagogues^ there are ijuite tumultuous pi-oce(Hlings. The scrolls of the law are taken out from the .shrine : old and young dance, and sweetmeats, cakes and brandy are distributed freely in the house of wonship. This closes the feast in the month of Tishri. '•■ Marche.sh van," or tho month corresponding to oui' November, is the next month. There arc several fast days in i(, but they are not observed iiov,--a-days, except three, viz : on the 2(JUi, 23r(l and 27th. These are known among the Jews as the second, the flftli, and the second ; or Monday, Thursday and next jMonday. The origin of tliese days may be found in the Tulmud, Tract Taanith, " On Fasts," v.here it is said: If the seventeenth day of Marcheshvan has passed by without r.iin having fallen «luring the month, they shall fast on the next following Monday, Thiu'sday, and the Monday of next week. The reader will easily per- ceive that the Jews being deprived of their own land, have nob the slightest reason for keej)ing these fasts, Avhether rain falls in time in that land or not. But it is written in the Talmud I ]rv.vPii the seventh, it is said, Zedekiah, the King of Judah, was brought befoi'e Nebuchadnezzar, who commanded the children of the wretched prisoner to be slaughtered before the eyes of the father, and then to put out his eyes. Ni^ The third moiith is called "Kislev."' Before we .begin to give an account of the notable days in this month, we shall inform our readers of another Ilabbinicnl ordinance, of considerable antitpiity, which has been scrupulously kept, and is by orthodox Jews, still observed to this day. The day before every new-moon, with the exception of that of " Tishri," in which the New Year taking tlie place of the new moon, the latter is THK JEWISH CALENDAK. 103 not celcbratcil, is a fast chiy, and is called, " The lessor Day of Atone- ment," The service begins at one o'clock, P.M., connected with the daily evening jirayer. Those who have fasted, pnt on the ])hylacteric.s and the talith, which is not customary on other evenings. The scroll of the law is taken from the shrine, and a i)ortion of it read, to which thi'eo persons stand np to the al-memra (an elevated platform in the centime of the .synagogue, where the desk stands, on Avhich the scroll is unfolded when read). The third person reads the maftir. The portion from the law is in Exodus, 32nd chapter, from v. 1 1 to 15, and 34th chapter, from V. 1 to 11. The maftir is from Isaiah, from 55 : G to 5G : 9. Both pas- sages are very appropriate for this anil other sin.ilar occasions; for not., ing is more adapted to convi.-^e self-righteous Israel of th(;ir frailty, sin- fulness, and inconsistency, than the remembrance of tJie golden calf which their fathers made and worshijjped, a few days after they had heard '• I am Jehovah, thy God," Irom the month of the Almighty j and then the condition npon v/hich Jehovah granted them forgiveness. The second passage is, first, an earnest call to repent and to seek the Lord while He is yet to be found, and to call npon Him while lie is near ; and then it closes with glorious promise.^ and encouragements. Alas, that so very few of those who so solemnly recite these Divine testimonials, and other very excellent prayers composed for such occasions, understand not a word of it, and therefore derive no benefit fr">m the solemn service ! The idea of a public day of fasting and humiliation every month, is a good one, and might, we think, be recom- mended to Christian congregations. / On the first day of this month, it is said, King Jehoiakim burnt the reptSfle which Baruch, the son of Neriah, wrote from the mouth oi the prophet Jeremiah. There are, however, diverse opinions as to the day ; some say that it was on the fifth ; others on the seventh ; others again, on the 25th ; all, however, agree that this important act of the wicked king of Judah was committed during the month of Ivislev. On the 25th, in the evening, the feast of " Chanukah " begins. The origin of this "feast of dedication" is to be found in the book of "Maccabees." We su})pose all our readers to be acquainted with the history of that family of Jewish heroes, the Hasmoneans, who freed their land and their people from the cruel Maced -'nians, and then became the reigning honse over Judah, until the wicked Herod exterminated every branch of that truly great, royal, jiriestly family. Had this feast been instituted in commemoration of the wonderful deliverance from a mighty and cruel enemy, by means of a family of priests, Avho gathered a host of half- ■ ) , It 104 lIA-JEHUDm AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. naked and almost starving fugitives in the mountains, and who finally, by the help of the God of Israel, became the deli\erers of their people, it would stand as a monument of gratitude towards God and the noble Hasmoneans. But this is not the case. The principal reason v/liich the Kabbins give for instituting the " Chanukah," is the following miraculous event : "When Antiochus, generally called " the wicked," entered the lioly temple, he made everything in it unclean by touching it with his unholy hands. The holy oil, also, which was every year prepared for use in the holy candlestick, was all defiled ; and the temple was without oil. After the enemy was compelled to flee from the city and the whole land of Judah, the temple and its furniture underwent the lawful purifi- cation ; but, as to the oil, they Avere altogether helpless. Finally, they succeeded in finding a small liottle of nndefiled oil, which one of the priests had secreted from the grasp of the enemy. This, however, was sufficient fo]- one day only, and there was no prospect of obtaining new oil before eight days. Still, the people praised God with great joy, and the priests filled the holy candlestick and lighted the temple ; and behold ! the oil lasted full eight days, when the temple was .supplied with new oil. This miracle, then, is the principal foundation of the feast ; it lasts, therefore, eight days. The ceremony observed is simply this : Every good Jeio is provided with a chanukah-lamp, which has eight small saucers. On the fii"st evening, one of these saucer.s is filled ■with piire oil. and lighted; the second evening, two, and so on, till, on the eighth evening, all are light-^d, winch, altogether, makes thirty-six lights. In the morniug services, the " Hallel," " tSong of pvnise," com- posed of sevei'al psalms, is inserted, and another small piece of thankij- giving is in.serted in the eighteen benedictions, and in the blessings at the table, which reads as follows : " We thank Thee for the miracles, the redemption, mighty deeds, salvation and (victories) in wars, which Thoii didst to our fathers in these days and in this season." " In the days of Matthias, son of Joclianan, the high-priest, the Has- moneans and his sons, the wicked government of Javan (Greece) rose up against Thy people Israel, causing them to forget Thy laws and to pass by Thy statutes; but Thou, in Thine abundant mercies, didst rise up in their behalf, in the ers into the hands of a few; the impure into the hands of the \>\n'G) the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the CA'il-doers into the hands of those engaged in li at xh. as- up )iVSS ill itlc, the »f a luls ill THE JEWISH CALENDAR. 105 Thy law. Thou liast nuicle Thy name great and holy in Thy world ; and to Thy people Israel Thou hast done great salvation and redemption in that day. Then, Thy children came into Thy house, cleansed Thy temple and purified Thy holy place. They also lighted the lan.ps in the courts of Thy sanctuary, and appointed these eight days of Chanukah, to thank Thee, and to give praise to Thy great name." There is no other distinction between these, and other week-days ; every man rnay follow his business and do his work, except in that half hour in which the chanukah light is burning. The evenings are gener- ally spent in visiting neighbors, telling stories, or playing cards. A most deplorable circumstance is, however, t^<';.c not five per cent, of all the people who scrupulously keep the chanukah, know anything of those great events, by which it was brought into existence ; it is therefore one of the merits of modern Judaism, that they have intro- duced Israel's history in their schools, by which the children become acquainted with the wonderful dealings of God with their fathers. Would that they would teach their children of the greatest of a" jventa in the history of Israel, when God sent his only begotten Son into the world, to save that which was lost, and first of all the lost sheep of the bouse of Israel I The next month is called, iv. Hebrew, "Tebeth," and takes the place of our January. The first Sabbath in it is somewhat more than the common weekly Sabbaths, because it is combined into the " Feast of Dedication," and is called "Sabl)ath Chanukah." The third is the last day of Chanukah, and is particularly celebrated. On the eighth there is, according to the lunar account, the shortest day and longest night in the year. On the same day the Bible was translated into Greek, in the days of Talmay-Ptolemy, the King; it was therefore made a fast day, on account of the Holy Scriptures having been translated into a profane language. The ninth is another fast day, though it is not fully known what evil happened to Israel on that day. In the book " Calbo," however, we find written that this is the day in which F/AVix, "the Scribe," died, which ma}' be the ground for the fast. The tenth is on(; cf the four great fast days in the year, with the exception of the scriptural Day of Atonement. On this day Nebuchad- nezzar commenced the siege of Jerusalem, which ended with the desti'uc- tion of the city and temple. On the twenty-third, is the " Thekuphc.li," or "Winter Solstice," when the sun entcns Capricorn. The real meaning of the Thekuphah, H ^ I ' i lOG HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEII ISRAEL. however, is very little known among the Jews. Iniitoacl of tluB, the following fabulous tradition is current among them. Thc}^ are told, that four times in the year, two Kclipotli — evil angels — meet in the air and light with each other, until a drop of blood falls to the earth from, one of them. Now this drop of ])lood generally falls into a vessel, which contains fat of any kind, and this fat then is trephah, unlawful to be used and poisonous too. The falling of the blood into a}iyone's provision of fat can be prevented by ])uttiug a })iece of iron in it. It is therefore customary among the Jews to put an iron nail in the vessel in which tliey preserve fat of any kind. In addition to this precaution, the shamesh (sexton) goes, a few days before the Thekuphah, from house to house, and v.-ritcs in large letters on the door: "Beware, for the Thekuphah, Vv'hioh will fall on day and hour." The twenty-ninth is the last day of the month ; and the day previous is the "lesser day of atonement." The fifth, in order, of Hebrew months, is called " Shevat," and equal to February iu the Christian Almanac. On the fifteenth, is a day of recreation, particularly for children. This day is one of the four New Year's days according to the Talmud. It is said that on this day trees arc filled with fresh sap, and begin to shoot forth new twigs and loaves. Wo sujipose this was the case in. Palestine while under the cultivating hand of the Hebrews. There is no other day of ver}^ great importance during this month. The next month is called " Adar," and takes the place of our March. On the 7th, died [Moses, the servant of God; and it is therefore a fast day. But as this is vcy little known among the Jewish people at large, a few only keep it. On the 0th, there is another Rabbinic fast day, on account of the division which took i)lace between the two high schools ; that of Shamai and that of Ilillel, which it is said, took i)lace on that v<;ry day. (This proves that the ancient Jews knew already that sScessiuu is a great evil ; they, therefore, constituted a national fast on that day on which secession occurred.) On the 13th, is the fast of Esther, in connnomoration of the fast which that Queen ordered to her people l)efore she went to Ahasu- erus, to make petition for the lives of her kinsmen. On the 14th, is the day of Purim ; and the following that of Susan- Purim. Ouv readers will doubtless know that the name of this national feast, Purim, is derived from Pur, "lot," because Haman cast lot^ according to heatlieu superstition which month and which day was to bo THE JEWISH CALENDAR. 107 lis, the e told, the air ;h from vessel, wful to uyone's . It is essel in caution, li, from , for the )reviou3 it," and shildren. Tcdnuid. Ijegiu to 3 case in month. March, irefove a leople at [t of the Shamai (Tliis i;at evil ; i^ecession the fast Ahasu- k' Susan- national last loty las to be most favoi'able to destroy tlie- Jewisli nation. Hainan did not imder. stand the counsel of God, and, stirred up by Satan, vv-anted to destroy that nation of -whom, according to the iiesh, Messiah, the Saviour of the world, to destroy him, the evil one. It lias always been, and still is, the custom to celebrate these days v>'ith as good a table as [>ossible, and entertainments of (ivcry kind. In iny native country, Hungary, it is ])articularly custonniry that the wealthy prepare tables heavily laden with good things, and wines of diflcr(>nt kinds ; ;ind every man, without exception, is at liberty to eutev, and to eat and drinic what he likes best. In the first niglit, and on the nt^xt follov.'ing morning, the " Me- gillah," or mantiscript containing tlie Look of JCsther, is lead in turns peculiar to this sulyect only. The children, seve)-al d:iy,s before, prepare the " Ilauian Klopper." that is, an instrument which looks like a door- knocker, with a (hmble hanuncr lieating on a board. This they take along Avith them into the synagogue; aud whenever the name Ilaman is mentioned, they linock with tlutt instrument, which ])roduces it, trenien. duous noise. Tlie idt'a of it was, that the}'' knock down Hainan, that avch-eneniy of Isnu'l, n descendant of Amalek, yIio was the iirst who ofiended Israel after they had left Kgypt ; iind siuct; then the enmity between Amalek and Israel has contuiued. This feast recalls to the Jewish recollection one of those miraculous deliveriinces witli which the history of Israel aboiuuls. If the oral law, or Talmud, simply contented itself with commanding the observance, and prescribed the mode of worshij) for sucli an important season, wo should liave no fiulfc to find : but, as the oval Liw claims for itself divine origin aud authority, we are compelled to examine its pretentions and to scrutinize its features, iix order to see whether they really bear the stamp of Divinity. The following law, res[)Gcting the meal to be provided on this occasion, did certainly not come from Heaven : " A. man's duty with regard to the feast is : that he shouhl cat meat, and prepare a suitable feast, according to his means, and drin/c wiiw, iuitil he bo drunk, and fal^ asleep in his driivkenncss." The Talmud, however, is not satisfied with so iiidellnite a direction, but lays down, with its usual ]»recision, the exact measure of intoxication rcfjuired : " A man is bound to get ho drunk with wine on Pmiin as not to know tlio diircrenco between (the two sentences) Cursed bo Haman, and Blessed be Mordecai." (Megillali, fol. 7, -.)• In order, however, to meet the objections of some modern champions of the Talmud, who say that all such things are to be taken figuratively, we need only to refer to the celebrated Kabbins : R. Saloman Jarchi (generally known tnider the abridged name, llashi), and 111: 108 HA-JEHUDDI AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. 11 R. Moses Maimoiiicles, wlio, both of them, understood literal drunken- ness, and have named wine as the legitimate liquor. But, not these conimontators alone, but the Talmud itself admits no figurative intei'pi'e- tation, for, immediately after tluit famous precept, it goes on to propose ail example, and to furnish an illustration of its meaning, in the follow- ing history of the very Ilabbi on whose authority this traditional conimand rests : " liabba and R. Zeii'a took their Purim meal togethei*. When Rabba goc drunk he arose and killed R. Zeira, by cutting his throat. On the following morning, he, Rabba, prayed for mercy, and restored him, R. Zeira, to life. The following year, Rabba [)ropos('d to R. Zeira again to make their Purim meal together, but the latter refused, saying : 'Miracles don't happen every day.'" Are we, therefore, bi'ethren of the house of Israel, not your friends in trying to persuade you to abandon the doctrines of the Talmud, being contradictory to the law of God, and to embrace the doctrines of the New Testament, that jire in harmony with God's will and law '] The month corresponding to our April is known among the Jews by the name " Nisan," a name, it is su})i)osed, they brought with them from Babylon. The Hebrew name, however, is "Abib," a ripe ear, as, in that month, the barley began to rii)en. This is the " head," or lirst month in the year ; in it the most important events in the wonderful history of Israel took place, the greatest of which were the crucitixion, burial and resxirrection of Jesus of Nazareth, our glorious Messiah. The great feast of unleavened bread, or Passover, is celebrated in this month. Every Jew is careful to provide himselt and family with " Matzoth," or unleavened bread, for the week. When a .lew has thus provided himself, he feels as hapi)y as a king ; and, as often as he sits down Avith his wife and children to their meal, he or she will say : *' Thank God, we have Matzoth." Having been relieved from that care, the mistress of the house enters ui)on her duties of whitewaslung, scrubbing, and cleaning every corner, from the top to the bottom ; and then clianging everything in the kitchen, as well as the tal)le utensils, plates, dishes, knives, forks, spoons, ttc, ate in the gooil things Avhich God has provided for them, take their seats around the table; and the husband, of coiu'se, ascends his throne. The cups, Avhich are in perfect harmony with the price of the Aviiie, aiul tlie means of the host, either largo or small, are now filled; and he, Avho no HA-JP]HCDr.I AND MTKVP:H ISRAEL. Wfl thinks himself a king this evening, speaks the Ijencdiction over it and the feast, upon "whicli every one drinks a little from his cup. To the honor of onr oonntrymeu wg must here state, that they, being a sober and temperate peojile, do not obey their llabbins, who say, that every man must drink at least two-thirds of the contents of his cup, and this, too, four times during the evening; but most of them sip only a very little of the liquor. After this, the queen — for, of course, if the husband is king his wife Ls a queen — brings a wash-basin, a ])itcher Avith wat(sr, and a tDwel, and approaches the throne; the king holds his hands over the basin, and the queen pours v,-ater over them, and dries them with the towel. The profoundest sileiice reigns in the I'ooui. JTe then takes the parsley from the i)late, cuts as many portions as there are persons at the table, di2)3 them into the salt water, and, giving a portion to each, pronounces the following blessing: " Eles.sed art Thou, Jehovah, our God, King of the universe, who created the fruit of the earth." Each eats his portion. He then breaks the middle of one of the three matzoth, or the " Levite," iii twain, leaves one-half on the plate, and }>uts the other half wrapped in a white handkerchief, under one of the cushions on his throne. The egg and the bone^the representative of the Passali lamb — are taken from the plate, and all who can reach it lift tlio plate up, and say the following in the Aramaic language: "Like this poor bread is that which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whosoevca* is hungiy, let him come in and eat ; whosoever is needy, let him come in and hold Pessah with us. This vear we are here in this Jnnd ; but in the vcar to come, ire hope to he in the land of Israel ; this year we are ser\'auts : in the year to come we hope (o hn children of freedom." The cu])S are now filled a second time ; and if there is such a child present able to read Hebrew, it reads a [)assage from Hagadah, contain- ing several questions, why this feast is celebrated, and what is the meaning of these ceremonies, and why they eat mileavened bread. Then the history of the Exodus is chanted. After idl this, which takes half an hour, half of the lialell, conq)osed of the 113th and 114th I'salms, is read, the ciq) is blessed, and each drinks a little of it. The whole com- pany then wash their hands, as usual, saying the blessing. The King breaks the matzoth on the toj), or the ('ohen (Priest), and so many portions are made as tliere are partakers of the meal. Then lu; breaks the third, or the "Isi-aelite," making again portions of it, gives a piece of both to each mend)cr, and repeats the following blessing : " Blessed art thou, Jehovah, our (iod, King of the universe, that thou bringest THE JEWISH CALENDAR. Ill forth bread from the earth." Blessed art thou, Arc, &c., who sanctified, and conmiandod us to eat unleavened hread." After that, ho takes a little of the -water cress, dips it into the imitated clay, and, giving to each of the company, says : " Elessed art thou, ic, &c., who commanded us to eat hitter herbs." There remains yet one article to be disposed of— the horse-i-adish. This is cut into small pieces, put between two pieces of matzoth, and they ai'e eaten togotlier, as, it is said, Hilell the great Eabbi did so. These thinge arc then removed fi'om the table, and the real supper is now taken, spiced with friendly conversation. After supper, the cup is filled the thlnl time, and the I'.sual thanksgiving after a meal, with some addi- tions ajjprojiriate to the feast, is pronounced, and the cup, over which the blessing v/as spoken, goes around the table, and each memljer drinks of it. The szeder-plate is then replaced on the table, the door of the loom thrown open, and the following verses are sjiokeu : Psalm 70 : G and 7 ; Psalm 09 : 25 ; and Lnnient. 3 : GG. In referring to those passages, the reader will be startled with the terrible curse they contain ; we must therefore, give them a somewhat long explanation, in order to prevent the Christian reader from thinking that our Jewish brethren, in these days, entertain so sti'ong a liatred against their non-Israclitish fellow-meu as to litter against them such a horrible curse ; juhI secondly, to prevent our Jewish reader from thinking evil of us, as if, in relating this ceremony to the Christian public, we intended to raise ill-feeling towards them. What we desire, is, to show that the great majority of the Jews are igno- rant of the meaning of the cei-emonies they continue to perform, and induce them to accept of that liberty offered them by Jesus Christ, the real Passah-Iamb, slain in Jerusalem, to take away the sins of the world, and of wliich that in Egypt Avas but a typo or shadow. We desire> furthermore, to induce Christians to more zealous labor, and more earnest prayer, for Israel's deliverance from the bondage of unbelief. The introduction of this terrible curse, in the ruidst of praises and thanksgivings of joy, may be traced back to the dark ages of terrible perseciitions, which the ancient people of God suflered from the pretended followers of the sv/eet and lovely Jesus, Messiah. Xo wonder that, in remembering the miraculous deliverance of their fathers, rose up in frightful colours before their minds and filled their lips with curses upon their jici-secutors. The history of Israel in those dreadful ages contains innumerable cases in which their enemies lurked at their doors and windows to see whether they used the blood of Christian children at their passover ; and, not seldom, threw dead children into 112 ha-jehudim: and mikveh Israel. the Ghetto, synagogues, or private dwellings of the persecuted race, in order to have a pretence to f\xll on them, slaughter and rob their victims. In order, therefore, to be sure that no listening traitor watched behind the door when that curse upon their enemies was uttered, the Rabbins ordered the doors to be thrown open. This real cause for 02)ening the doors was known to a few chosen only, and not to the masses of the Jewish people, fearing that some, either through ignorance or malice, woidd carry the password over into the enemy's camp. The llabbins, therefore, invented the following story, Avluch the more easily found a hearing among the oppressed Jews, as it fully coincided with their hopes and expectations. They said that Elijah, the prophet, goes about, in the two szedcr nights, and visits many Jewish families, to sea whether they perform the ceremonies of the szeder in due form, and, of course, leaves great blessing upon those "whom he finds doing right. Every family, therefore, may expect to see the celebrated prophet enter their room, and they must be prepared for tliat happy eveuu. An additional cup, filled with wine, stands upon the table, and is called "Elijah's cup," and, before filling the cup i\\Qfourl7h and last time, the door is opened to let Elijah come in ; and it is this that most of the Jews Ijelieve to be the real cause for opening the door. The cup is now filled for the fourth time, and the second part of " Ilalell," compri ;ing from Psalm 115 to 118, inclusive, is read, sind several other songs are chanted. The blessing over the cup is then spoken, and, after each has drank of it, the thanksgiving for the fruit of the wine — or, as it is generally called, the after-hlessiivj — is said, after which it is not allowed to drink any more wine that niglit. The cere- mony is concluded with chanting some more song'<, in wliich, and particularly in the last, thore is so very little or no sense at all, that the llabbis were compelled to say, in order to satisfy the people, that it contains a sacred mystery — too sacred to be understood. Finally, the " Song of Songs " is read ; but the children and the female part of the party are generally asleep at that time. The second evening's services contain nearly the same. There is, however, an addition, namely, the counting of the Omer ; and we refer our readers to Leviticus xxiii., 10-18, the reading of which will give them the ])est explanation. The !22nd of Nisan is the last day of the fi^asfc o( uideavened bread. They ai-e now so tired of I^.latzoth— the miserable bread, as they call it — that they look with great impatience for the appearance of the THE JEWISH CALENDAR. 113 stars, for, then, they are at liberty to eat leavenetl bread, and there is a general rush to the Gentile bakers, who, knowing this, are well prepared. The month corresponding to the May of Christian nations, is called "Eyorj" ithas 29 days. In order to make our readers understand the meaning of the word "Omer," we refer them to Levit. 23, 10 — 18; and by the reading of that passage it is clearly seen, that the first sheaf of the new harvest was brought to the priest, in order to wave it before the Lord. This is the " Omer," and from that day, which was the second of the feast of unleavened bread, fifty days were to be counted; and, on the fiftieth day, two loaves of the new crop were to be brought iii as a meat oflfer- ing. Although it is plainly understood, that this counting meons nothing else but to appoint, that the interval between the waving of the sheaf and the oftering of the two loaves, shall be full seven weeks, the Rabbins made it a special duty of every Jew, even after the destruction of the Temple, when all offerings ceased, to count the days. The for- mula of this imaginary commandment is this : — " I am now ready and prepared to fulfil the commandment of counting the Omer. In the name of the union of the Holy One, blessed be He and His Shekinali, because the same is hidden and con- cealed in the name of all Israel." " Blessed art Thou, Jehovah our God, King of the universe, who had sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to count the Omer." " This day is the first (second or third, ic.) day of Omer. May it be Thy pleasure before Thee, Lord our God, and the God of our fathers, that the house of the sanctuary (the Temple) be rebuilt soon, and in our days, and give us our portion in Thy law." There is, however, another tradition connected with these days of the Omer. It is said that Rabbi Akiba — that famous Rabbi who ele. vated the Bar Cochba to the Messiahship, 130 years after Christ — had some eighty thousand disciples, who were taken away by a certain disease which commenced on the first day of the Omer, and stopped only on the thirty-third of that period, after which it raged again, till the end of the month of Eyor. On account of this sad event, the Rabbins constituted these days as a time of mourning ; no marriage or any other entertauiment is allowed during that time, and men are pro- hibited shaving. But the thirty-third day is excepted, and is tlverefore a little feast day, on which men are permitted to shave themselves, parties join in mamage, and people may amuse themselves in any way they like. 9 ii 114 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. The mouth " Sivou" cornea next, in Bible hmguage is called " Jzor," wliich melius clearness, because in this month the atmosphere is pure and i. Tar. It corresponds with the month of June, and has thirty days. Tliis is one of the uiost important seasons in the year; for, the giving of the law in the old dispensation, and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the new, took place in it. On the first is the new moon feast ; the third, fourth and fifth are called "the three days of " Hagbalah," which represent those three days on which Moses prepared the people of Israel to receive the law of God. On the sixth, is the " Feast of Weeks," on which day Israel received the Holy Law of God, who himself descended tipon Moimt Sinai, and said, " I am Jehovah thy God," a solemn scene which no other people Avas ever lionoured with, and which, alas, they forf . .ul a, few days afterwards, pointing to the golden calf, they said, *' These a're thy God, () Israel." The feast is also called Mathan Torah, " The giving of the Law," and Avere it not for the many gross supersticious with which the services of the day abound, it would be a most solemn one. But Rabbinic absurdities worked themselves into the very life-blood of the JcAvisli peojile, and defiled even their j^rayers and praises Avhich they send up to the great Jehovah. "The Feast of the "Weeks," or, as it is called in English, " Pente- cost," was also one of the three Feasts on which God commanded Israel that every male should appear before the Lord in the place that He would choose. No Avonder, then, that, when on that A-ery day the jioor, trembling discii)les of Jesus came together to pray, and the promised Comforter, for Avliom they were so anxiously Avaiting, suddenly came doAvn upon them, tliei-e Avere JeAvs from every habitable part of the globe wliere JeAvs had set+lod. They all Avere at that time at Jerusalem, in obedience to that com' iind, each of them speaking the language of the country in Avhich he lived. No Avouder, then, that they were surprised to hear these illiterate men of Galilee speakmg and pi-aising God in the language of each of them. It is to be Avondered at, however, that the brief and plain sermon of Peter resulted in the immediate conversion of three thousand iiersons, while, in our days, Avith all the light and knowledge we possess, many men sit under ministerial preaching all their life-time Avithout being converted ! On the " Feast of the Weeks,*' the pious Jews adom their synagogues and houses with green boughs of the forest and flowers, and Btrew fresh grass on the floors, thus representing Mount Sinai in its THE JEWISH CALENDAR. 115 beautiful spring dress. Of all the feasts of the year, this is, undoubt- edly, the most pleasant, as the sea.son is most desirable. May the Lord liasten the time when the true and general Pentecost shall daAvn upon all children of Israel, and the prophecy of Joel be fulfilled to its greatest extent ! " Tamus " is the next month. This name is foreign to the Hebrew, and must have been brought up from Chaldea or Assyria. It nxust have been the name of some idol, because it is mentioned in Ezek. viii., 14 : " Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house, which was toward the north, and, behold, there .sat a woman weeping for tho ' Tamus.'" Some writers maintain that it M'as the name of an idol representing the sun, identical with the Adonis in Greece and the Osiris in Egypt. This month corresponds with our July. On the 1 7th, is one of the four great fast days in the year, besides the Day of Atonement. The women in Israel wept and mourned for the imaginary death of an imaginary god, not even dreaming that their descendants would liavc to weep and mourn, in the same season, over bitter realities. This fast day, as also tlie remaining three, had already been during the second temple, as we tind them mentioned by the prophet Zachariah ^iii., 11>, where he, in the name of Jehovah Zebaoth, pi'ophesied, that, in a future age, these fasts should be turned into " days of joy and gladness, and good seasons." It is a fact, that, in this month; the walls of Jerusalem were first broken down by the besieging forces of the Chaldeans. According to the record of the Bible, this took place on the ninth day of the fourth month (Tamus). " On that day the city of Jerusalem was broken up, and all the princes of Babylon entered ; Zedekiah Avas captured in his flight, and his eyes were put out." — Jeremiah xxxiA., 2, 8. The question, why the fast day is now kept on the 17th instead of the 9th, is answered by Baba, that the Chaldeans broke up the city on the 9th, and the Romans, 500 years afterwards, broke it up on the 17th. The Rabbins, however, were not satisfied with this Biblical, and, there- fore, true historical fact, which alone is sufKcient to make a nation, once great and glorious, mourn over their loss, but, as usual, brought sonio traditions into account. The following is the passage in the Talmud, Tract Taanith, fol. 27, 1 : " Five things (evils) have happened to our fathers on the 17th day of Tamus, and five evils on the 9th of Ab. On. the 17th of Tamus, it happened that, — 1st, Moses broke the two tables of stone, on which the laws of God were written with his own finger. 2nd. Tlie daily sacrifices were suspended. 3rd. The city of Jerusalem 116 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. was broken twice. 4th. Apostomus, the wicked, burnt the law ; and, 5th. The abominations placed in the most holy place." The Tal- mud then continues to calculate, in some way or another, that these facts (and facts they arc) all took place on that very day. This month has but 29 days. The next month is called " Ab," and this name, too, is of foreign birth. It corresponds with the month of August. On the 9 th day of " Ab " is the great fast in commemoration of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and the house of God, in which His glory dwelt. The services of this fast are touching and soul-stirring for every beholder who has a heart to feel and sympathize with the woes of othei-s. On the eve of the 8th, the people congregate in the synagogue, which is but dimly lighted. The daily evening prayer is conducted in a low, almost whispering, tone. After prayer, the " reader " chants the whole book of Lameutatiojis, in doleful, heartrending tunes, while the congre- gation listen in profound silence, interrupted only by groaning, sighing and weeping, which might soften a heart of stone. Having finished the chanting of Lamentations, several other hymns of the same character are sung, and the congregation is dismissed. We will here mention an anecdote which, it is said, comes from Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The story runs thus : the king, who lived on good terms with Moses Mendelssohn, the celebrated Jewish philosopher, came once from Potsdam, his residence, to the city of Berlin, and halted at the house of Moses, wishing him to come out to his carriage and have a talk with him. The king was told that Mr. M. was not in. "Where is ho," inquired the king. "He is in the synagogue," was the reply. A few minutes afterwards, the royal carriage stopped at the door of the synagogue. The king silently entered, and stood leaning on h'' cane looking on, and listening to the heart-rendmg chanting, , and weeping. At a pause he stepped forward, I'aised his cane as -gn that he would speak, and then said : " O ye foolish Jews, why are ^ou sitting here on the floor crying like little children who have not got what they wished to have? By weeping, groaning, fasting and chanting, you will never regain your holy temple, your lost country, or rebuUd Jerusalem your city. That will not do j get up from the floor, take up arms, you have money, and I will give you soldiers and generals. Go up to Palestine, conquer it, drive out the ugly Turks, and then build your city and your temple." The old king was right ; it is exactly so. From the 17th of Tamus to the 10th of Ab men are not allowed to THE JEWISH CALENDAR. 117 g» ot rO Id [0 shave ; none are permitted to put on a new dress, no marriage, or any other kind of entertainment, is admitted. From the 1st to the lOth day of Ab, there is a kind of I^ent ; tlie Jews are i*estricted from eating meat, except on the Sabbath day. On the 13th, is another Sabbath, whicli is known by a particular name ; it is called " Sabbath Nachamu," and is derived from the portion of Scripture which commences with tlie word " Nachamu." The reader will find it in Isaiah xl. 1-28: '- Comfort, comfort ye my people." The last month is called " EUul," and corresponds to our September. The following practice is recommended during this month. Giving alms to the poor, and donations for congi-cgationnl cxiicnses, more than dui'ing the rest of the year. To attend synagogiu^ more frequently than heretofore. To pi'ay more diligently. To avoid committing sins unheeded during the whole year (this means little sins); and finally, to fast fre- quently, make confession of sins, and immerse himself, if possible, every day, or at least on those days on which he fasts. In this immersion, the sinner undresses himself entirely, goes down into the Avater, which must reach up to the breast, speak a formula of confession, and then plunges under the water. The following Psalms are particularly recomniended to be recited ftt least once a day. The 27th Psalm is among tlu) foremost, and is therefore spoken in the synagogue wherever RabbinicalJews exist. But the Psalms 77, 88, 115, and 124, are only spoken bv tln^ jnous, who believe they contain a mysterious virtue, for the purification and sancti- fication of body and soul ; to cut off all defects and plagues, their own as well as others — as far as they may concern themselves, to keep away all unclean powers in the world, and to depi'ivo the evil of all power over them. Moreover, the recital of these foiir Psalms will protect those who repeat them from evil thoughts and delusive dreams, and enable them to come before God without sin at the great Day of Atonement. On Hepentance, says Rabbi Jonah, the pious : — " The Holy One has sent us His message through His servants the prophets ; and through the prophet Ezekiel He said : "Then saith the Lord God, return, turn from all your transgressions, whereby you have ti-ansgressed, and make to your- selves a new heart and a new spirit ; for why will ye die, O house of Israeli" (18-31.) Now if there is any man who has transgressed the law of God, and desires to seek shelter under the wings of Sheehinah, and to enter upon the road of repentance, let him come ; I will give him understanding, and give him a light to make his way sure. Let him not be frightened by his own imaginations ; let him not be lalsely ashamed 118 HA-JKJIUDIM AND MIKVKII ISRAEL. i to I'oturii. lift )io iiijiii Hiiy : How can I 1)« so )»razen-faced, as to come forwaid Ijofoi'e God, after I have transgressed His holy law innumerable times, and have rebelled against Him continually 1 Am I not like k thief iipi)reheiidod in the deed 1 How can l set iny foot in His courts? No, let him not think so. The evil seducer sits like a fly in the avenue of llu! luiman heart ; is every day renewed ; is lurking and watohinf^ to avail himself of every opportunity to throw stumbling blocks in the way, arid stir up the lu'ai't to evil thoughts. Let every man consider that it is the attribute of the Creator ; blessed be He to extend His hand to ' >enting siuiiciH ; let every man, therefore como forward and repent." !l CHAPTER X. (JOMPrTATlON OF TIMES AND FESTIVALS. Culcltration of tin; new moon — iJilliculties of J(;\vs M.'Hidiiij^ o\it of I'ulc^tiuc — I'reacnt orJt.T of reokoninf(. COMI'UTATION OF TIMK A.\l> FKSTIVALS. The celebration of the New IMoon {{. e., not tlie fio-called astrono- mical )iew moon, wlien the moon is in conjunction with the Hiin) was not definitely iixed until the crescent (phase) of the moon had been actually oljserved in the sky; and when this fact was reported by honest, credi})le witnesses (who had been sent o'lt for the jiurpose of discovering it, from the high mountains near Jerustdem) to the HuprcMiie Judicial Court in Jerusalem, the president of this Ijody fixed the time of celebra- tion by exclaiming " Hallowed " before the whole assembly. Kosh Hashansh, 11, 1, 7, of 1, 8, II, G. All witnesses who were a!)le to announce, with certainty, that they had sertn the newly-visible moon, were allowed to travel on the Sabbath even, so that the prescril>cd ser- vices of the Temple might take place "at the appointed time" (Ticv. xxiii. 2). After the destruction of the second Tenijile, tbe neglect on the part of the witnesses of the Habbatical ordinance was grante each other. The intercalation of a montli, at present, always happens in the years, 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19. Such a year has, in that case, after tjie 12th, another month, both of which are called " Adar" (in the cal- endar the second is denoted by Ve-Adar). The iirst, however, is regarded as the intercalary month proper.t In former tunes, before the comjaitation of the calendar was fixed, it was possible to determine , •__ . * The Hebrew calemliir was ostablisheil uboiit 300 A. E. ('. tWlii'u the year, accordingly, has tliirteeii montlis, the feast of Purini, (ami every anniversary which occuns in.the I'Jth month) is celebrateil in the 13tli month. V22 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. from the progress of vegettition, wlietlier the new festival year could begin imuKKliately after the 12th mouth ; for according to Scripture, the first month of the year was at the same time to be the month of ripened ears. If the produce of the field had not yet so far matured, it was de- creed in the middle of tlie twelfth month, that a thii-teonth shall be added. In dispatching a decree of this kind to the inhabitants of Babylonia and Media, R. Gamaliel mentions, that the doves and lambs (which wei'C required for the paschal sacrifices) were yet too young. There was still another sign : The full moon, during Avhich the Passover was celebrated, was not to precede the vernal equinox ; in like manner, the feast of Tabernacles was not to precede the autumnal equinox, for according to Exodus, xxxiv., 22, the tfikiq^ha (turning revolution) of the year must have alieady taken [ilace when this feast is celebrated. The Rabbins understaiul by the term tekuplm, the time when the sun enters one of the four signs of the Zodiac, viz : Aries, (Spring), Cancer, (Summer), Libra, (Autumn), and Capx-icorn, (Winter), which at that time denoted a change of the seasons. It is well known, however, that now owing to the percession of the equinoix, the signs of the ecliptic no longer coincide with the eorrespondiiig constellations. From one vskupha to anothei* there elapse 91 days 7 hours, 519 thirty-one ninty-5)ixth "portions." According to Rosh Hash, it was avoided making the Sabbatical year one of 13 months, that the cultivation of the soil might not be interrupted for too great a length of time. This circumstance could not, of course, be taken into account, in case the season was not yet sufficiently advanced, and the vernal ei[uinox had mot yet arrived. Notice of the celebration of the New Moon, as determined l)y Syne- drium in Jerusalem, was given to the inhaljitants of Palestine, and even Babylonia, by means of bundles of flaming rombustil)les. These were waved to and fro iq)on the mountain tops. The flaming signals were communicated from height to height ; the nearest inhabitants of Baby- lonia, as soon as the signals reached their view, lit torches on the roofs of all th»ir houses, so that the whole region presented the aspect of being in flames. The malevolent Samaritans, however, l)y means of false sig- nals, occasioned mistakes in regard to the day of New Moon. On this account it was thenceforth proclaimed through messengers. Ise wei'e lis were Baby- le roofs If being llsR sig- l)u tills CHAPTER XI. A SERMON ON THE CREATION. The history of our first parents is the liistoiy of all their descend- ants. The;/ first entered into the battle of 'ife, and, since their days, the contest has continued without cessation. Now, it has raged with fierceness, like some struggle between phalanx and legion ; now it has subsided into sullen horror, like some midnight massacre of civilization by barbarism ; but the fight has gone through thousands of years, and still the combatants are ranged in opj)osing columns, nor will victory declare itself till one sid' ' » utterly exterminated. The God of Battles Uiinself decreed this battle when ho animated the perishabl" ' dust of the earth" with the spirit of immortality. He thus placed in antagonism the evanescent and the eternal — the impulses of nature and the restraints of conscience, passion and nrinciple, evil and good. Since then, i-eligion, philosophy, rationalism and infidelity have done their best to complicate the difficulties of the struggle ; but, eflfectually, no change has occurred, because man cannot supersede Pi'ovideuce Wliy this battle should have been ordered, is the question which has most agitated mankind. Wherefore humanity should have been so constituted that its elements naturally militate against each other, has been made the lasting problem of the world. But this is one result of the struggle itself — blind judgment against prescient wisdom. The pages of revelation solve the prp[)osition. It has been said that man is born in sin, and that, but for a vicarious atonement, the millions of earth had been created to everlasting pei'dition. It has been said that the all-perfect Eternal delegated to frail mortals the right to pardon and to anathematize. It has been said tliat belief is the privilege of power, and, hence, the sword and stake have claimed their victims ; and, in the name of that Being designated the God of Mercy, mercy has all but been annihilated. It has been said that nature is self-existent — that right and wrong have no higher source that man himself — that here is the end of life, for that there is no hereafter ; but the words of the Divinity proclaim the worthlessness of these and all other human interpretations, and light us to that know- ledge which alone can lead to the victory that shall terminate the battlo. 124 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL " We will make man in oiu* image," was tlie behest wliich called man into existence ; " and, he said, have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the heaven, and over the beasts, and over all the earth," was the fiat which declared him the lord of creation, thus pronounced to be for his service. The image of God is eternity ; the spirit of creation is love. Man, then, must have been designed eternal ; love must have been the predominate principle, not only of his being but of that of all things. Let us harmonize thi.3 with the words of Holy Writ. There is nothing in the organisation of man which needs to be terminable. We ai'e so accustomed to see he^)less infiincy progress to vigorous maturity, and then degenerate to worn out old age, to subside in death, that we do not pause to reflect if this be inherent or acquired. And yet in what does the constitution of man differ from that Avhich renders nature permanent ? Grant gravitation, inertia, and a projectile force, and tlie orbs of heaven "roll through countless ages : eternal motion in infinite sj>ace. Grant a su})ply of food as the material for animal combustion, and a supply of oxygen as the medium in whicli that combustion may be carried on, and animal life becomes as endless as " summer and winter," " heat and cold," which cease not. The spirit of creation is love. What but love infinite as the Avisdom which the harmony of the universe from the confusion of chaos, could have impressed on matter that re}>roductiveness which per- petuates without the necessity of a now creation. In everything was " its seed within itself." In everything was displayed the boundless care of boundless love for the preservation of tliat seed, so that tlie embryo might become endowed Avith the necessary vitality. In vegetables and in the inferior animals, nature and instinct stand for this spirit of love. In vegetables, the husk, the bulb, the fleshy fruit, the horny flower cup, and its demonstrations. In animals it is seen in tlie lair of the carni- vora, the nests of birds, the migrations of fish. Man develops it in obedience to the divine command which enjoins marriage, but as he is superior to all other productions, so his development is higher and more conformable to the reason which constitutes his supremacy. The spirit of creation is love. We trace it in the mutual support which animals and vegetables give to each other ; in the adaption of things to the localities in which they are placed ; in the universality of man destined to rule all ; in the agencies constantly at work to maintain the equilibrium between the inanimate and the animate, to promote intercommunication through necessity, between tlie inhabitants of dis- 1 called of the all the n, thus . Man, een the things, nothing ''e ai*e so ■ity, and e do not hat does manent 1 f heaven Grant a apply of I on, and nd cold," e infinite fusion of hich per- ling was ess care embryo )los and of love, wer cup, 10 ca mi- ps it in as he is id more support ^)tion of sal ity of laintain promote of dis- SERMON ON THE CREATIOIf; 125 ' tant climes. But, above all, we trace it in the double nature given to humanity, whereby mankind may merit what it aspires to learn. If man has been created peifection, error would have been impos- sible to him ; virtue would have been entitled to no rewn- 1, because it woidd have been inherent ; there would have been no nei >ity for any state beyond the one existence, })ecause all that creation demanded would have been fulfilled in its perfection. If man had been made with a pre- ponderant tendency to evil, cruelty, and not love, would have condemned him, to an endless and fruitless wrestle with himself, and would have judged him because he had not succeeded where success was im 'sible. If he had been born in sin, and if to it had been given doii.Jiion over him, reason, which should bless by its power to raise, would curse by its subservience to what it abhorred ; for the function of reason admits of no cavil. It is that portion of the divine within us which renders man improvable by comparison and combination ; it enables him to discriminate between that which conduces to the general weal and that which promotes the common woe, and thus it permits him to appreciate good and evil. To give man this guide, to teach him that Ids happiness depended on a course which it approved, and which it would willingly pursue, but from which it was debarred by an irresistible influence, might be the characteristic of some Indian Mahadeva, or some Roman Ate ; imjnety only could ajiply it to the Eternal God, long suffering, abundant of kindness and truth. Man, then, was not called into existence with any bias, except such as love gave. And, truly, there was the sublimity of eternal love in the idea of creating a being endowed with a double nature, so nicely balanced that the portion which was all perishable could never become utterly corrupt, because the portion which was all heavenly could never entirely lose its purity. To give to this being volition to choose its own career, and thus to secure the merit of its actions, conscience to judge those actions, and thus to be capable of working out its own liappiness, was only consistent with that love. There remains only to investigate how this sche'-iie failed. Causes produce effects. Love in the Divinity was to produce gratitude in i \an. G od was to rule through love ; man was to obey through gratitude. Conformable with man's double nature — the immaterial and the material — his gratitude was to have a double development — his religion, whicli was to be all soul ; his actions, which were to be all bodily. The type of his spirituality was the knowledge of God and of his will ; the type of his corporeality was obedience to I } ■J 120 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. the behest wliich prohibited the eating of the tree of good and evil. This knowledge of God was to be limited by Divine will : to be satisfied with this restraint was to be happy — to strive to break it was to sin. Man, yielding to ihe ignoble pleadings of appetite, eat of the forbidden fruit, and thus exhibited his desire for a knowledge which had been declared inconsistent Avith his being — a knowledge of those inhei'ent consequences of good and evil which had been impressed as mysterious laws on creation. But the Eternal had said : " On thd day thou eatest thereof thou shalt sui-ely become mortal," and man, who had braved this j)enalty, was now to learn the result of his wantonness. The fruit he found did not confer what he had coveted, but the lightning of i-eason showed him the crooked way he had chosen, and the thunder of conscience condemned him to fear. He hid himself. Then came to his cowering shame the sentence of his disobedience — not the i)unishment, but the inevitable consequences of his allowing mortal corruption to prevail in his being. Woman, the original instigator of the wrong, was to become secondary to man. Having been the means of giving death to the world, she was to provide for the continuation of her race as the mother of future generations, and, in her maternity, she was to find alike her danger and her de{)endcnce. Man, because he had yielded to be led Avhere he should ha\ e sought to guide, was thereafter to assume his legitimate 2)osition — lord of created things ; l>y bringing corruption to himself, he had brought it to all below him : " The earth is cursed on thy account." Having been the slave to his desires, he was thereafter to find in labour his servitude and his mastery. But, the image of Cod is eternity ; the spirit of creation is love. Man had Aoluntarily deprived himself of his participation in those divine principles ; it remained Avith the All Merciful that they should not, therefore, cease from earth. Then came the great law of compen- sation, which preserved man to eternity and love to creation. 3in had doomed nature to decay, life to mortality ; existence thus became incomplete. D( '-e had introduced toil and sorrow ; happiness thus became jeopardiseti. The body was thus to pay the })enalty of these evils ; the soul was to remain immortal. Through the aire of death the spirit was to pass, but beyond that dread visitation beamed an eternal future. Thus, being was rendered perfect, and eternity was preserved to the world. Woman was to risk her life to perpetuate her race ; man was to spend his days in labour, but womr i was to become a mother in obedi- w SERMON ON THE CREATION. 127 ence to her love, and in her niatemity she was to find the solace for the danger she had passed, and the affection which rendered her happy even in trouble ; man was to learn that in labour consisted his best safeguard against future temptations, and that through it alono could he procure the activity necessary to his well-being. Tlius the dependence of worajm and the labour of man were hallowed by the spirit of love. Sin had come into creation. Constant enmity had been pronounced between it and society ; " He shall bi-uise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Antagonism has been instituted between the body, which has become corrupt and perishable, and the soul, which was to remain cai)able of perfection and immortality. The design of creation, human happiness, was compromised by this battle of life ; thus volun- tarily engaged in by man. Moreover, as man had fallen from good to evil, and, as in the struggle between his contending natures (it is so in all struggles) bad passions were to be excited, and, therefore, further evil was to ensue, it became necessary that Divine wisdom should provide means for regenerations. Again, the spirit of love spoke through the mouth of the Eternal. On Adam and Eve was bestowed one compensation, to Cain was imparted another. He had taken aAvay a life, unconsciously, but still, Avickedly, because he had yielded to the influence of evil thoughts. When the stern voice of God announced to him the magni- tude of his crime and the consequences which conscience would entail : " A fugitive and a Avandercr wilt thou be on earth " — he trembled before the terrible future he had evoked, and, in the bittei-ness of his prostra- tion, he exclaimed : " My iniquity is greater than I can bear." Then, said Mercy ; "Atonement lieth at the door, and to thee is its desire ; and through it thou shalt rule." And when the guilty one, thus told that the road to heaven still lay open before him, was awakened to the new fear that some act of violence similar to his own might prevent his treading that through the gates of repentance, "But it may come to pass, that anyone meeting me may slay me." God gave him "an assur- ance " of safety, and so confirmed the fiat that expiation is the antidote for vice.* Since that time, the dawn of the world, human life has resembled an April day. Now sunshine, now shower; now the bright light of spring, now the sombre darkness of winter; but amid all, the glorious daystar remained resplendent, although temporarily obscured, and the coming summer loomed in the future as the realisation of hope. Since that time the battle of life has continued without intermission. Now 128 HA-JEHUI)IM AND MIKVKH ISRIEL. virtue has prevailed, now vice has ruled ; now men have yielded to the tlivine influence of spirit, now they have succumbed .before the debasing control of matter ; but uround all, atonement shone the great Mediator, and still before us glittered the prospect of human regeneration and human happiness, as essential to the merciful design of creation. Since that time, self love, which in mortal minds usurps the place of genuine love, has invented a thousand excuses for excesses in the cause of zeal, for shortcomings in the path of duty; but ever the charac- ter of man, in the aggregate, has continued the same. Power has abused its privileges, crime has used its oi)portunities ; philanthropy has minis- tered on the one hand to the satisfaction of conscience, on the other hand to the gratification of vanity; religion, in its purity, has taught the highest virtue, in its impurity, has inculcated the lowest vice ; it has preached charity and practised atrocities; it has spoken peace and acted war. Progress has been made to mean the advancement of the mass, and the advantage of the individual ; either merit has led the van, or it has ceded its place to nepotism ; public service has been confined to the worthy, or it has been abandoned to favoritism ; it has been wielded for the emergencies of the times, or it has rusted in the fetters of routine. Confidence in heavenly mercy has led martyrs to the grave, and has con- secrated tbem in it ; confidence in mortal resources has conducted criminals to the abysses of sin, and has there deserted them. Good has risen to the very type of the Godhead; evil has descended to the depths of perdition; bu . amid all, no man has been found pure, no man has been found so corrupt that atonement has not, at the last, proved his redeemer. Since that time, mortal cunning has devised a thousand means for deceiving itself or others, and in every way man seemed to have exerted himself to render void the decrees of Providence, founded on its own inalienable law. But ever the great principles deducible from the history before us have remained permanent. In a])pearing to shape their individual courses, men have only contributed to one hai'monized whole. Right has always jirevailed, even though wrong may have been supported by prejiulice and maintained by power. Volition, while most unrestrained, is most subservient to a superior, though unseen, will ; responsibility strives in vain to shake off its yoke because it is obedient to judgment beyond its control. And above all, no human eftbrts have been a])le to banish from earth the compensation (through a future state) or even for death, or that given for labour through atonement and regeneration ; for the image of God is eternity, the spirit of ereation is love. CHAPTER XIT. ths las lis the ape zed 3611 DEDICATORY KERMON. " Bless, O my soul, the Lord ; and all that is within nie, bless His hcly name I" Yes, oveiy aspiration of my mind, cvcvy chord and evtny impulse of my heart ; all my feelings and thought, my whole being — all unite in one exulting shout of joy, rising to Clod, my (Jreator. For this is man's true greatnesrs, tliat Thou, O Lord, hast created him in Thy resemblance and in Thy iraagn, and in Thy iulinite mercy. Thou hast hrought this truth to oiu- knowledge and to our living consciousness. Therefore bless the Lonl, (J my soul, thou daughter of heaven, and never forget this, His great mercy I \"es, this is the dignity of man, that Ke alone of all beings, feels and knows his origin. Jjorn of dust, walking upon graves, he reaches with his mind, with his soul, into Heaven itself. Thus rises now my soul upon the wiugs of devotion to Thee, fountiuu of my existence, and fervently I pray to Thee, O God I Thou v.ho hast guided me, Tliv huiid)le servant, from the be-'iiuiing of mv existence to the present day ; Tliuu who hast cidlcd me to this holy otlice of spiritual guide ; Thou v/ho hiist placed me at the head of this congregation of Israel, that I may guide and lead it as a faithful sli(!i)herd ; Thou who hast deemed me worthy to s])eak in this new. magnilicent Temple, the lirst word of consecration and of instruction, l)less the words of my mouth, that I may worthily i)vocliiim Thy glory and Thy praise. As Moses one;;, timid and full of iiesitation, answered Thy call, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue, so I trendde and hesitate ; for that which lives in my heart and inspires my soul ; that ^^■hich I fe to all ( 'lornitv. T greet vou on this dav of jidulee and of joy ; 10 m III 130 HA-JEHUDl.M A:y submitting three points to a close discussion and examination. We maintain : — I. Our Temple is an vnchangeablc monument of the lidelity and devotion of Israel to the Eternal One. II. Our Temple is a monument of the tidelity of Israel to itself. III. The Jsraelitish Temple is a monument of the tidelity of Lsraei to mankind. Ist. Our Tianple is a momuiient ol tin; tidelity of Israel to the Eternal One. Yes, thou most faithful, my people, in the dark an.l gloomy centuries of suH'ering and o[i[)ression ; mayest tliou prove tlu* same lidelity in the mild sunbeams of hai)[)ines3 and freedom. He who is acquainted with the sad history of our people during the past eighteen centuries — a history penned with blood, replete with persecution and I I 132 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISKAEL. ■ »' oppression ; He "who knows liow Israel was scoftcd and scorned, Innnbled, and persecuted. How it -was restricted and confined in its civil life ; liow its industrial and intellectual activity and development were crippled ; liow numberless funeral piles were kindled for its annihilation ; how it was accnsed of all imaginary crimes ; how this unfortunate race Avas held responsible for every public Ciihunity, and all these cruel jierse- cutions ; these false accusations for the sake of its faith, for the sake of its reliciion : lie v.dio considers and examines these thinti's calmlv and deliberately, must surely grant to Israel the honorable testimony of fidelity and devotion to the Eternal One ; he must surely admire the power of sacrifice displayed l^y the Israelite, wlio sacrificed all i aithly enjoyment, honor, riches, rank and station to iiis religion ; to his fiiitli in the Eternal One. In the time of sufrering, v.dien the sky of its fortune was veiled with gloomy clouds, Israel did not abandon its hope of a Ijetter state, of the time of the Messiali. liut Avas Israel the only sufTerer in this general }i\isory ? No. Those natioiis of tlie Old World, that liad put Israel in chiuns, groaned themse'ves under the heavy yoke of tvrannv and ilesnotism. Nav, oAen tlie enlitihtened kniffhts of uiind, Avho had recognized the failings of their time, and v.dio ventured upon tiie lioly struggle lor light, for truth, for liberty, and for humanity, geu- oi'ally fell viclims to the fanaticism of their jtcriod. Constantly the Bwoi'd of ])an)i>clrs was suspemh'd over tlic Iiead (ncn of glorious Luthei', to whose n^emory, a few weeks ago, grateful (lenuany dedicated, in ilie old City of Worms, a magniHccnt moiuunent — -a ceremony hon- ored by the presence of kings and princes. Only gradually and slowly the sunbeams of culture and of civilization dispersed the gloomy shadows of past centiu'ies. E\eu now flin execrable ghost of despolism, in its ghastly form, prowls abovit in the Old World. F.wn nt)v,- tliose nations, who once oppressed a'»d cruelly persecuied oui' innocent peojile, still groan inuler the yoke (»+■ arlntrary tyrannical pi'inces, who. for scUish jiui poses, con- demn their peo])le to miscny, want smuI wi'etchedness ; to bloody Avar, Avith its terrors, to standing Jinnies, and to (>nonuous liurdens of taxa- tion. And noAv hoAv brilliantly shines in this land of liberty and of cipialily. (lie sun of true civilization and of true lounnnily ; how con- stantly do his lieams increicse in power and in extent. Here oiu' needs but to bv> a luunan being in oi'der to enjoy huuiaii rights and liberty. Not yoiir faitli, but your acts and deeds ; the visiide fruits of faith, sjieak ami testify for you. Therefore, O [srael, tliis temph; upon the fVee soil of America is a monument not only of tlio fidelity to the Eternal (.)ne, DEDICATOEY SERMOX. 1S3 \i )nn, 11 1 CO lor con- Aiir, axa- l of con- i-ty, ifiik si)il r)ne, biit alKO a. worthy inoiiuuicnt of the perfect liberty of couscicnco, iiiul of the fraternal e<|uality of all citizens of the laud. Therefore, O Isi-ael, sound tin' hymns of virtory in this new Temple. Glorious, like the sun frovii beneath dark clouds, thuu luist come in triumph out of the dark delusions of [sast ceuturie.-,. Those formerly po-«verful nations, that hud sworn the dcstnictiou, liave themselves sulfered this fate, Init tho;i livest and thri\est, and as a testimony of thy fidelity even in the diiys of pros- perity, thou hast erected to the Eternal (.)ne, this Temple of gratitude and of i»raise. But what shall we say to thohc who, to-day, yet assert that Israel is only a fallen trunk, iuca}>abie of yielding blo.u->oms and fruit ; that Israel e.ni have wo lioiu; ; tliat its faith is not the (rue faith 1 Surely an examination of this assertion cannot excite tlio siiglitcst shadow of a doubt in the mind of Vv tiau- Israelite. On the contrary, this subject is calculated to iuotise in him iv u-cling of sacred pride. For supposing the faith of Israel in the lv<'rnal i hie. the Creator of he:iveu and earth the Faiiior of all mankind ; suj)j)t).sing all this were founded on error, what do you think, my friend, I si Id do, if God were one day to hold me resjiousible for my error ■ F sliouKl, if a niortal could lie jnrmilted to be so prcsumptaouii, I sliouldstep licfore God and remonstrate with Him ; I should di-.[.ute with llhu ; it would be my turji to come with comphuuts and repro iches to the stejis of His holy throne. I should say to him : Thou, () God, hast revealed Thyself iu Tliy majesty before the eyes of my whde jieople, so that even every servant saw Thee prophetically, and doubt vras dispei- 'd likr udst1)efore the light of the sun. Thou, eternally uiThiUigeable God, hast announced the great wonl u}U)n Sinai ; " I am tlie Lord thy God ; thou shalt have no other God beside me." On numberless occasions, Tiiou hast piniished and chastised my fatliois, whenever they left the idea of unity but for ii moment. Througli Thy ser\ant JMoses, in his farewell at tlie (do.se of his earthly career, Thou hast commanded us; '• Only takr heed tu I'.iyself and keep thv soul di]i!;eutly. lost thou forget the things whicli tliineeyes have seen, and lest thev ilenart from thv heart all the da\s cf t!iv life • but teach them, thy sons, and thy sons' son.i. Sjiccially llie day that thou stoodest luiioi'e the Lord thy God 1" Through all thy propliets^ Thou hast warned Israel not to abandon Thee, the one Lord. Through Thy great prophet Lsaiah, Tliou hast proclaimed unto us: ''Ye are my witnesses," sub' the Lord, "and my servant, -vvhom 1 ha\e chosen, that ye may know and belime Me, and understand that 1 am llo ; before Me tliere was no d'od formed, neither shall there be after Mv. ; I, oven I, am the Loid, and boside INIe there is no Saviour." And now, in the face of 134 HA-JKHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. this s;veat rovcLitiou upon Sinai ; iu tlie face of tliose lucid t(?acliings of the propliots ; iu the face of the cliastiscnicnts and jmnisliinents of my peoi^e, wlicuever tlioy abandonod their faitli in tlie one God, can it be possible tliat dai-k visions, pvoplietic sayings, o])en to the most Aaviecl interpvetatidu, slioukl be able to pi-ej\idice and to diiniuisli this faith in tlie strictest oneness of God / " AVhy," I sliould continue to argue with my God. " why, if it were Thy intention, O God, to modify this on(>nesa in the least, why didst thou not descend from Thy siii)linie throne, before the eves of the wliole jieopk', in order to silence all doubt, as Thou didst on Mounh Sinai >. Can Thy revelation upon Mount Sinai be I'ccalhsl or modified in any particular, in any way except by a similar revelation] Or should miracles be able to shake my strong belief in the Eternal One, when Moses himself destroys the belief in niii'aeles, in opposition to Thy oneness, O God, when he admonishes us, in the voice of warning, not to trust any pmphet oi- any seer even if they shouhl ap])ear with miracu- lous deeds before us ; if they dare to attack the oneness of (iod, even iu the slightest degree? I ask you, my fi-iends, if a father, having in a most sohuan manner given a strict connnand to his child, warn him that no one mav I'ccall this command, would the child not be "uiltv of the most criuiinal disobedi(;nce if he should listen to the words of even the most faithful servant, if the hither himself did not recall or change his will ? And should God l)e less strict than man / Xo, God is not a man that He should lie ; lu'ither the son of man that He should repent. He is no erring being to retouch, amend or improve His works or words. He could not be a pei'fect, omnicieut God, slnmld He revoke, oi- even modify, the word once solemnly proclaimeil. And with proud Israelitish self-consciousness, I should call the defeusiv(; lanLruaiie to God an nnuable defiance. Therefore, my friends, on this day of .Iubile(i, join in our hymns of victory, and in our songs of rejoicing, for this Temjde is a monument of thy tidelity, O Israel, to the Internal One, the Creator and Father of all mankind. 2nd. Oin- Temple is a inomnnent of the lidelity of Israel to itself. But although attempts were often made, in the gloomy past, to treivd Israel under foot ; although even to-dav many are unwillini' to acknow- ledge its historical significance, Israel never despaired of itself, always remembered its dignity, its exalted mission, never foi-got the word of God : " Israel is my first-born son ; ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people, and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a lioly nation !" And may you, my i^eople, continue to vindicate this preference, to be proud of this i>rivilege of jing a nation of priests, and DEDICATORY SERMON. 135 I 1 /en tisll i> le holf. eiul ow- Hays llof Into liucl llUH Mid let it he attested by this magniticicut Temple whicli we have btiilt ami cons'^crated. But how is this ] Many a one might reproachfully ask : W(Aild you, in our enlightened age, in this land of liberty and (Mpiality, wouhl you attempt to establish antiipiated prorogations? Would you stir u]) pride, self-conceit and presumption 1 Have not privileges of Onk people, or Onk class, in opposition to Others, brought enough iniseiy iiito the world I Shall now, even religion serve iis a cloak to pi'esumptuous privileges 1 Let us see, my friends, whether this objection, this charge, is just. Let us draw a comparison between tlie pre- roiratives and privileges of Israel, and the prerogatiA'es and privileges of the nobility of the Old World, who also assert that their ancient privi- leges are saci-ecl and unimpeachable. Let us examine and compare the ves}iective documents, in order to see how far the respective clainxs are right and justified. The privileges of the nobility of the Old World, destroy the rights of the citizen and of the peasant ; they despise the so- called lower classes of their native dignity, and of +heir iude[)endance. In shoit, these privileges of a few constitute the oppi ^ssion and sultjuga- tion of millions. The code of the old European nobility declares : One hiw for the nobleman, and another for the citizen and for the peasant, Avhile, on the other side, tlu; old docunu'ut which exalts us into a privileged pt'Ople, says : "As ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord : (Die law aiul oiie manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you." The right of nobility, O Israel, does not allow thee, as with the world's nobility, to take tithes from the peasant, but, on the contrary, thy old charter .of nol>iiity admonishes thee ; Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed that the field In-ingeth forth, year by year ; thou shalt not wholly i-eap the corners of tiiy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harv(!st ; thou shale lea\'(! them to the poor and the stranger. Tliy charter exclaims to thee : Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ; thou shalt not ciu-se the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind; thou shalt not wrest the jiidgmeut of thy poor in his cause, and thou shalt take no bribe, and the stranger thou shalt not oppress ; and a hundred similar laws of gentleness and love. Where are here the injured classes to complain of injustice and op])ressiou ? Just this, then, O Israel, is thy privilege, thy priestly mission, everywhere to i)ron»ote the welfare of thy fellow-men, to sow ha])piness and peace. Th(>refore, remain faithful, O Israel, to thyself and to thy mission ; bo proud of thy title of nobility, which no mw will dispute so long as thou remainest faithful to it. Thy ancient pi'ivileges n^'A^er in and never will be cancelled by the culture of our period. m 186 IIA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAFJ, For ill tliis consists tlie superiority of our religion, that it is Ciipalile of development and progress, that it bears ever fresh blossoms and fresh fruit. The nucleus of oiir religion is not nnxclo uj) of dead formalities and empty ceremonies ; these belong to perishable time, and share its fate. Tlierefore, remain faithful, O Israel, to the teachings of Closes, and to- the teachings of the prophets, who, though yielding to the re(purements of their own age, still taught in Moses' spirit. If you ask me now, "what the Judaism of our time requires of us, I answer you, in tlie voice of the Talmud : Just the same that our religion has required of us thousands of years ago, as the most essential thing. For this we read at the close of the Talmud treatise. Makkot's, 01 ii commandments and prohilntions, wei-e given by God to Moses, to be obeyed by Israel. David reduced these GI3 connnandments for his time to eleven, and the prophet Micah, to only three. These elev(>n commandments of David, we iind recorded in the fifteenth Psalm. Da^id begins with the Avords : *' Lord who shall altide in Thy tabei-nacle ; who shall dwell in Thy holy mount ?" Is this not the same (piestion, which, to this day, is asked by millions ; al)out wliicli there are discussions and controversies, and which so often Avith ridiculous S'df-conceit is answered incorrectly ? Who is entitled to stand in the holy mount of the Lord^ — in th(> imme- diate presence of God ? Well, my friends, to whom truth is dear, con- sider the answer well ; consider well this one point, ^^ Inch cannot Ije disregaided. Tlu* (piestion has reference to God, and the answer to your fellow-men. i"ou strive to raise to God. Direct yoiu- looks below to your fellow-men, and in tliis act yo\i ascend to God. Who shall dwell in the holy pi'esence of (Jod ? Hear the answer of the Psalmist : " He that walketh upriglitly, ami worketh righteousness, and spi'aketh the truth in his heart ; lu; that slandereth not his neighbor, nor doeth an evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his fellow- man, in Avhose eyes a vile person is despised ; but he honoreth tliem who fear the Lord. He that sw(vireth to his own injury and changeth not ; he that putteth not out his money \ipon usury, nor taketh a bril)e against the innocent ; ho that do"^h these things shall never fall." These lucid truths, satisfying heaH and mind, are unfortunately to-day inacces- sible to the great mass of men, who think to find tlu; majesty of God only in the misty and mystic, whereas his glory tills the whole earth. For, ask thousands of men : What doth the Lord reipiire of you, and how can you ascend liiw holy mountain ? and they will answer you : *' Certain mystic ceremonies ami rites ai-e the means of salvation which sui'elv lead to CJod." But what are all vour otferings ; all vour cero- ' DEDIL'A'I'OIIY SKRMON. 13'; K'O- luoiiics ; all your fonnalitioH ; your mystic ami uniutflligible i-elicious rites, co'.upareil ^vith one oli'ering ; one solenni coreuiony, -wliicli I shall now name to you, and in whose contemplation you who belic\'e you are In-inging to your God tlu; most difficult and acceptable sacriiice, must grow diuid) i For, tell me my friends, is there a more sublime, a more solemn ceremony ; is there a greater self-denial than when the father and th(f inotlier consecrate their greatest born, the joy and hap- piness of their lit'*; ; Avheu they devote their llesli and blood, their only cliild, for immolation to the Lord ? Well, the pro})het ]\Iicah asks the same question which David has })reviously asked in the loth I'salm : ' Wherewith shall J come be-fore the Lord, and bow myself before the High Ciod 1 Shall I come before Him with burnt-oli'erings ; Avith calves of a year old ] Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil I Shall I give my first-l)orn for my transgressions ; the fruit of my body for the sins of nxy soul I" () how these words move lis ; how they humiliaio and crush us ; even this greatest of all sacrifices, our beloved children, seems yet insufficient for sinful man as atonement for his guilt and his misdeeds. With trembling and hesitation, the ears are strained to listen to the continuation of the prophet's sentence. If even the resignation of the belove;! child is not a sufficient sacriiice, what then does the Mighty Lord require? And the prophet continues, punishing the stubborn, tlu; hyj/ocritical, and the wicked with reproach, and softly allaying the fear of the faithful, the j)ious and the Godly ; " He hath told thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord doth require of thee; nothing but to do justice, arid to love nun-cy, and to walk humbly with thy C>od." Here wo have the sacriiice Avhich the God of love requires of you. ]Jut have we all reached this high standaril I There are many a\1io are, it is true, just in greater things, but in smaller mattcn'S they tread justice under foot, without considering that these small acts of injustice develop the raost atrocious deeds of injustice; and others again are just in little things, but too weak and wavering to exercise and to promote justice in great things, and ha\ e love and mcu'oy, Avhich alway.s tremble on our lips. Hiis mercy, the second recpiirement of the [»ro})het, already penetrated all our hearts ? Are then? no more poor, unhappy and needy, to com- j)laiii of our hai'd-heartedness ? Alas' as long as gold and jewels, and pearls upon thy neck yield thee more enjoyment than the pearls of greateful tears, glistening in the eyes of the helpless and abandoned, thou art no follower of the laws of mercy and gentleness. And how i.s it with the third and last requirements of the prophet ! Do avc all walk -4 138 HA-.iEHUDLA[ AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. ^.'?: in humility and nioilesty with ovn- Gotl ? Do Ave live and act in God? Do wo thank and praise Him always, not in this Temple oidy, lait also at onr lionses, for all the happiness and all the j leasui-es that we enjoy t When we arise from tlu^ fiiek bed, do we acknowledge that it is He who sends recovery and life ; that it is He Avho feeds and clothes ns 1 Ami how much more exalted than your empty formalities and rites is this requirement, this holy commandment, to practice justice, to exercise loA'e and mercy, and to walk humbly before God, in which, according to the Talmud, the whole Mosaic hnv is concentrated. ' For your cere- monies can only be performed at certain times, but these sublime com- mandments can and should be observed every moment of your life, sis the Psalmist urges, the words inscribed here : I luu-e set tlu; Lord always before me, therefore remain faithful, O Israel, ever faithful to this sublime doctrine, and let this holy Temple serve as a testimonial and as a mouuuicnt to thy unchangeable fidelity to thyself, and to thy ever blessed tiuth. 3rd. Our Temple is, liowever, in tlui third i)lace, also a monument of the fidelity of Israel to all mankind. As at the time when the tem])le at .lerusaleni still existed, priests and Levites lived scattered in Palestine, in order to prepare Israel for its high mission to become a nation of priests, so God, the All-wise and All-good, after Isi-ael hud been strengthened in the idea of the oneness of God, has scattered His nation of priests over the whole world, in order gradually to educate the whole world into one people of God, into priests, so as to idealize tlie last words of Aaron's priestly blessing: *'!klav He give thee peace !" Or are the expectations and hopes of mankind ]ierhaps already fulfilled 1 Have we already reached the <-'olden age of general Immanity and brotherly love ? And esjtecially in our age of cidture and enlightenment, when natural science hns opened to the aspiring Inmian mind, never anticipated and new, untrodden paths, and imparts to it so bold and s\d)lime a flight ; does not cold skepticism \nidermine, decompose and dissolve all that has l)een trans- mitted to us by past centm-ies, as siicred iind unimpeachable? Do not the materialists de{;m themselves capal)le of storming Heaven, and of dethroning God ? What an alai'nung state of things ; the more the natural sciences gain in depth and scope, the more the human mind, formed in the image of God, unveils the mysteries of nature, so much the moi-e the infidelity and skepticism. Where shall w in this general corrui>tion, whose threatening waves spread wider and wider, and shake faith more and more, where shall we find a safe anchorage i Though I ^ DKDICATORY SEKMOX. 189 of the uvlly lied den cold •ans- not H of the liml, imch leval I lake Migh men of mind, iimterialists, may for a tiiiu; Iiooome t\w ju'ey of douht ; tlioiigh ■\vitli pvogveKsinj:; culturo, tlio ninnlxT of skei)tics may increase infinitely, and the small hand of liclievers nuiy dwindle awiiy nior(> and more, this does not diminish the eternal trnth of the assertion : ^lan, powerless, frail, Jieaven-horn man, sustained l>y a higher power, is a religions hehig, that cannot do without religion ; his soul, thongli it may go astray for a time, v.ill always long for the jiigher, the invisilde ; in one woid, religion — that is the relation of man to God — will nevei", neverdii! in man. J)Ut how and where v.ill tlicsc men of science ; these men of mind culture ; where will tli '■ men of douht, who have idready renounced all faith, when; will tlicy fuul consolation, trampiility, and satisfiction / Jiet us pi'onounce eourageonsly, and v.ithont fear, the hold hut eternal truth : It is the religion of Israel alone that extends her lo\ iiig, motherly anus, and that grants to mankind all for which the mind strives, and for which the heart longs. The religion of Israel, most ancient, y<^t e\er young, is destined to become the religion of the world, and tlun-efore we said : This magiticent and prond Temple, which is scarcely equalled by another in our city in splendor and beauty, is a monument of the lidcdity of Israel to all mankind. If you ask me by what authority I am jutititied in the bold assertion that a religion which has so often been looked upon as subdued, the religion of Israel, is pi'omised a. futur(> so rich in blessings, I answer : Will, indeed, the materialists, the men v/ho have already renounced all faith ; will the thoiisands who waver and aie victims of skepticism ; will the enlight- ened world, who consider our age perjiaps more fully penetrated liy the divine si)irit, than was the case with remote anti<[uitv ; will all these feel, indeed, inclint-d to support their fiith, with the frail crutch of old, miracidous h-gends ? No, the simpler a religion, the less it fetters the miml ; the less it restrains the freedom, of thouglit ; the less it disagrees with r(!ason ; the less it denies satisfaction to the mind and comfoH to the heart ; the more ]trospect has such a religion of becoming a univer- sal religion ; the moi-e i-eadily and the moi-e willingly will mankind accept its gentle yoke. And such a religion, simph; and sublim(>. Ave have in the i-eligion of Isracd, an \ thcrfore the palm of victory must, and will ultimately, fall to his lot. Not miracles, whose power and inHuence was destroyed already by Moses, and in his s[tirit by Maimonid(!s in the 12th, and bj' Moses Mendelssohn, in the last century, form the sujtjtort of anchorage of our religion. Its eternal, unim)»eachable truth finds its verification nnd its jiow-er of conviction in the hai-monious conformity ■with the truth, written by the finger of God in nature, and in tlio history m m 140 HA-JKHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. of inankim]. Great was tlio oiu; miracle, wiicn tlie Lord revealed Him- self to Israel on Blount 'Muai, amidst fire, .smoke ami lii,ditning, and l>y this revelation, dilfused light, and lilled the hearts with salvation auc^ ha[»i)iM(;ss. Greater I call the everlasting and ever-aotive miracli', v.hen now the Lord speaks to aU mankind, and reveals JTiiuself to the whole world in the lightning of the telegraph, and tlu; smoke of the steam vehicles, accom[)lishiiig thereby not less, but perhaps more, general bro- therh<.)od and union among the children of the whole earth. This won- derful revelation of God, however, which has been made in our time, amidst lire, smoke, and lighteuinu', which gradually will unite the nations of tlie whole earth in one fimily, and by which their sitiritual, as well as their iudustrial interests, v.ill be more and more interwoven, is a guarantee to ns of tlu; time, which Isaiah and Micah have alreadj' pro[»hetically seen and jjroclaimed, when the nations shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their si)ears into jjnining-hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against natioii, neither shall they learn war any more. And the words of tlie prophet Tsiriah v.-ill be fuUiih ". ; " And maviy jietjple siiall go and say, come ye and let us go u[) to the niounuuii of the Lord, to the house of the (lod of Jacol), and he will teach r.s in liis Avays, and avo v.'ill v/alk in his paths.'' Then will the prophetic word be realized, with which the Isra-difce, from time iaimemorial in his syna- goguesjhopefully concluded his morning and his evening prayer : '' And the Lord shall be king over all the earth ; iu that day shall there be one Lord and II is name One I'' If ]iow 1 as.serc that the whole worhl will one day be converted to the religion of Israel, I do not wish to im})ly that they will follow our present ceremonies with us, and celebrate our feast v;ith lis. No, if the edilice is com])leted, the scaffolding nnist fall I I only wish to im})ly as Israel, from time innnemorial to the present day, in good and in evil times, has encouraged itself with the Avords : "Hear, O Jsrael, the Lord, our God, is one Lord I" Wo will all the children of men, sooner or later, call unto us : •" Hear ye, O Israel, the Lord is also our (iod, lie is one Lord I'' And therefore I may exclaim from tlu! deptlis of my heart with Solomon, v,-ho consecrated the . first Teuiple : " Lut also the stranger, who is not of thy jjcople Israel, when he shall come and pray at this house, mayest Thou listen in Heaven, the place of Thy dwelling, and do according to i\ll that the stranger will call on Thee for, in order tliat all the nations of the earth may know Thy name, and fear Thee, as do Thy people Israel, and that they may tinder- Btand that this house, which I have built, is called by Thy name." Yes, these doors are open to all, of whatever belief; to you who are heavily DEDICATOllY SERMON. 141 oppressed l)y the Imvdens of life, who Wiint consolation and who are sore with snfTering. 0, my unfortunate hrother, thou who sighest and coinplainest, heavily oppressed by the burden of earthly existence, whom the chains of poverty and misery hold fettered ; thoti who feelest thy bittcM- woe a thousand fold, because thy misery affects those that are so near thy heart — wife and children. O, suffering brother, who art deficient in all that is so iuijierivtively demanded by the necessities of life ; thou Avho are wanting Ijread to still thy hunger, clothing to cover thy nakedness, a safe shelter to rest thy weary head. O thou unfortunate one, who dost not know the compassion of thy brethren, who art not wanned by the gentle breath of love and sympathy on the ])arfc of thy fellow-men, who lookest upon thyself as the outcast suflering son of mankind : dull and hopeless thou often j-aisest thy tearful eye, and from thy lijis escapes the wild cry of anguish : '-■ Whence and when shall help come to me f (), thou unfortunate one — even if the whole world were to appear to thee as a hostile cam]i — come hither to the steps of this sanctuary, and Avhat- ever oppresses thy lieart ; whatever torments and racks thee, ])our it out before God in these sik'ut halls, for Ife is a gracious and merciful God ; it is He that makes rich and poor, high and low, who gi\-es to the grave an'l recalls to life ; here thou wilt lind comfort in thy sutfei-ings. conso- lation in thy sorrow. And thou, too, my unfortunate brother, who art eutangled in the mazes of sin, whom a ice holds in hei- poisonous embrace, v.liom the world des])is(>s and forever condemns, if a consciousness of thy better self return to thee ; if repentance seize thy heart : if tliou look back with grief and longing to the lovely lields of jture innocence, come to this sanctuary with a courageous heart, confess thy guilt, thy inissdeed, pro- mise impi'ovement and atonement ; for ( Jod, the merciful, does not rerpiire tlie destruction of the sinner, but only tlie return of the sinner from his evil paths in life. But tliou, too, ]iap])v one, who baskest in the sunshine of wealth, honor and esteem ; wiio hast never eaten thy bread in tears ; wlio art in the full enjoyment of health, and all earthly joys ; ui)on whom the world lieams a smiling spi-iiig, O, forget not in the intoxication of thy good fortune, to appear often. Aery often in this liouse of (lod. Here thou shalt learn to bend thy knee before the (ilod of our destini(>s, remember- ing that tlie wheel of fortune may suddenly turn, that no earthly haj)])!- ness is permanent. TL>re thy earthly greatn(\RS shall be glorilied in the light of humility and modesty. Yes, in good iind in bad fortune, in joy 142 HA-JEIll'DIM AND MIKVHII ISIJAKL, and in sorrow, iu the sunshine of we;vlth, anil in the lUirk diiy of poverty, at the house of God, be to us a house of refuge and of comfort. Ye fathers and mothers, when a young blossom of life gladdens your parental heart, when the All-^IercifuI l>lesses you with the heavenly boon cf a son, of a diiuglitei', then come rejoicing hither to thank the kind Giver, and to intrust iu full faith the fate of the tender offspring to His care. Ye blooming boys and girls, here, before the holy ark, you will appear on the day of your contirmation, in order to vow, in the pnisence of your parents and 'if ^!ic: .dl-seeing God, fidelity to the religion of your fathers. Here, in tins Teuiple, ye will appear, ye Israelitish sons and daughtt.'rs, when the vow of eternal love and fidelity is to invito you when you enter the holy I)on(ls of matriiiKjuy, so that your houses, like his Temple, may become? tem])les of harmony and peace ! And when the sickle of death sweeps away the dear fathei', the beloved mother, from hence into the realms of eternal peace and blessedness, then, ye sons and dauichters, ve will enter this sanctuarv and pronounce the iireat " Kadisli," — tlie holy prayei- — praising God iu your sorrow, as ye thank Him in fortune and in joy. Yes, one generation passeth away and another generation cometh. As to-day we have made a pilgrinxage to this sanctuary, so we all shall, the one soouei', the other later, make a pilgrimage to the sanctuary above, for our true and permanent home is not here below, but there, above. Our soul, the heaven-liorn, rises to God, the soiu'ce of life, whence it s]trang, but our Ijodies will return to dust and ashes. Nay, these halls of stone and wood, they will by far out- last our perishable frame. And then, iu late.' days, yet thou, '. ) ! Ti.-mjde of Israel, wilt stand here, an eloi[uent monument of our lidelity to the Eternal One, to ourselves, and to all mankind. Aiiun. CHAPTEK XIII. A SERMON OX SACRIFICES. Reference to ceremonie>i, who.st; existence has been oblitenited, docs not afford nnieli interest to the general reader. The inquisitive and curious, may turn witli some degree of excitement, to the mysterious recitals connected with the names Ek'usis, Isis, or "NValhaUa ; hut this excitement dejjcnds entirely on the mystery connected with all heathen celebrations, and on the importance to in: attaclied to their interjjret- ations. Tlie simph;, unpretending rites, of the Levitical sacrifices ; their want f)f all that can awaken speculation, or leave room for controversy ; the utter cessation, not only of such religious expositions, but of every- thing analagous to them; all contribute to deaden the feelings, and to forbid sjK'culation, and therefore to dejirive the portion of the hiw before us, of much that can make reflection profitable. But something still re- mains, tt'hich may not be wholly unint(>resting, and which may i-esolvo itself into the following (piestions : — ^Vhy were sacrilices ordained as exponents of man's duties to Heaven ? IJid they tnki' tin- place of that devotion which now exhibits itself in prayer! Wli;it v/as tlieii' moral effect ? Why were sacrifices ordained as exponents of mans duly to IIeav(;n ? It nuist not be forgotten, that the Divine legislator adoiiteil into Judaism many of tin.' ceremonies already existing among idolatrous nations. Of all such ceremonies, sacrifices held by far the most uiiivers;d sway, not only among heathens, but evtir -long those older indiviihials who bowed to the true God. Already in the earliest years of creation, A\hen Abel and Cain sought to pour out into visible form the ex))res>;ion of their gratitiuh; to Heaven, sacrilice was the method they a(lo})ted. When earth, freed from the overwhelming deluge, agtiin bared her maternal bosom to nourish her restored offspring, sacrilice %\as the type by which Noah displayed his thankfulness for eseiqx^ from the unixcrsal destruction. Alii'aham, Isaac, and Jae(jli, all oil'i'red sacrifices ;is proofs of their devotion to the service of God. Nor can we wonder at this develo])ment oF human feelings. Gratitude is a .sentiment that seeks to express itself in deeds, somewhat ])arallel to the benefits which evoked it. In those times, men were essentially agricultural ; their riches con- sisted in the produce of the earth, and in domestic cattle. But the produce of the earth was either speedily [ierishaV)le, or was consumed a.s 144 H.\-.Ji;iiri)IM AXl) MIKVKIi ISMAKL. I'aB '^TSKl now, for till! oi(liu:ii'y iiiainteuanco of life. Wliiit v.c r-ill cujiital, tlierofove, the accumulation of jkisI IuIm)!-, cousistod tlicu of cattle. Cattle fonued tlio iiifMlium of (^xclianyp, allbrdcil a ready moans foi- tho invostmcnt of s\i{M'val)iiiidant vegetable i>roductioii. and thus became the general standard })y which wealth was estimated. Tho [)osscssion of cattle also rendered necessaiy the accjuisitiou of ;^i-azing land, and tho co-operation of nmncrcMis shepherds and herdsmen, and thus contributed* not only through numbers, to personal security, but to that system of colonization v.Iiich was so needed to ])revent the nomade habits of living, of idleness, and of pillage, from holding entire dominioix. To cattle, men looked., tli(>refore, as to iheir lughcst gitts, tlirougli Avliich they became respectable and respected. To cattle they owed many advantages : food, means of di-aught, clothing, and numerous domestic conveniences wei-e contributed by the quiet ox, the gentle sheep or goat. Can we be surpi-ised. then, that, in seeking to display grati- tude to the source of their wealth, men should have chosen for the expression of t'lat gratitude, that whicrli they valued most ; or tliat Cod, in ojiening, as it were, relations between hiniself and mortals, sliould have deigned to declare himself willing to accejit the trilmte which the lioliest feelings of hanianity had aln';uiy sanctified } AyHWVv.Uy not ; more, if wt! were now called on'^to (letermin" what v/ould have bee:, the most ap>)i-()]iri;ite form of devotion, v»-e shmild certainly pre nounce in favour of M-luit it-cnis to haxe possessed so n-.any claims for that peculiar end. Always at hand, always valuable, alwiiys associated with coud'ort and happiness, cattle were at Al times ready for sacrifice. Did >ome long-'jontinue;! jn-osjierity determine a man to poi'.r oirl; Ids giat irmle, the mark'-: oi' that jirosperity v.-en; tho be.-,t means for his so doing. Did some escape from sudden aeeidejit or momentary temptation, e\'oke thankfulness, the store of home at once alforde.l scope for celebrating tho escape or the resistance of teinptation. If randnti tlu-eatened, what fitter to ]>ro]>itiate than the food on which, in ease of fanune, existence depended I If we concede, then, t!i:it hiaii is called on liy gratit,.de to I'l'ovideiice, by iiis :-;"ns(! of Divine protection, and i)is want of Divine aid, to de\elop in some v/ay his tliaidrfulness, his dependance, or his penitence, \vi' nu;:;*:, at the same timw, allovv" iliat no type could have been more appropriate than the one selected. It retui-ned in ::ome way a portion of His divine; lilessing, and by enabling nr.-.n t* part with thit which was \a!!;ab](> to himself, and ren- e left to themselves. The solemn and iinjiressive words of a recognized liturgy may penetrate into the heart, altliough constant repetition render them somewhat too familiar, bat the spontaneous (effusions of a soul pouring itself out ])efore the throne of grace, must a'.aken a responsive echo in the de(!pest recesses of the mind and body. Besides, the sacrifices being once ordained, some indi- viduals might have imagined that the whole religious duty was involved in the offering, ajid, that, to jjrojntiate or atone, it was only necessary to 11 14 fl- ':: •M I 146 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. bring an ox or a lamb, with tlie certainty of its being accepted. And^^ that tliis could not have been the end of sacrifice, is too apparent to require proof. It seems clear, therefoi'e, that the devotion of our ancestors was to be of a two-fold nature — real and ideal ; the real being the visible sacrifice and ceremony, the ideal being the accompanying sentiment which animated the act, with all that rendered it lioly, and which expressed itself in the form of s2)ontaneous i)rayei'. There must have been, and, doubtless, there were, certain foi-mula which accom- panied periodical sacrifice, such as the two daily ofierings, the Sabbath and festival ofierings, c^c, these fornmlic were probably recited by the ministering jjriests, and, perhaps, repeated by the surrounding wor- shippers ; but, for personal sacrifice, tlie form of prayer was left to the feelings of the individual ; and a standard was thus furnished by man himself for estimating the sincerity of his devotion. But, it may be urged, why, if prayer was to be determined by man, should the ottering also be not so decided ] The reply will be evident from a consideration of the third point : What was the moral efi'ect of sacrifices ? Sacrifices were principally of two kinds : of atonement for sin, and thus })artook of the nature of the punishment, ttc; of thanksgiving for divine mercy, and thus they assumed the character of charity. Noav, as has been before 'bsei'ved, one of the primary objects of i)unishmeut is to set an example to the culprit of the consecpuMices entailed by misdeeds — to the world, of the evil efibcts whicli sin ]>roiluces. There is also no doubt that the discovery of gviilt, and its exposure to the eyes of one's fellow-creatures, pi-oduce more shame than the guilt itself ; and that, perhaps, the best means to prevent criuu^ would l>e to compel every criminal to publish his shame. Viewed in this light, the determining of the expiatory sacrifice, by divine command, was alike necessary to prevent the sinner from concealing his guilt, and inn)ortant to jilace him in liis true character before his fellow-nu^n. And tliis v'U be the more readily conceded when it is recollected, that, although an act of sin oflend only an individual, it is essentially a wrong against society, and that the sutl'erer has neither the power nor the right to aorjiut the culprit, without suitable rej)iiration to the otlended majesty of the law. Ilence, to leave the form of an atonenunit ottering to the sinner, would have been to deprive it of one of its most important functions, viz.: its being the Tuedium for exposing the evil-doer, and its consecjuent tendency to prevent error through shame. Even the nnist haidrntul sinner could not, at some time, fail to acknowledge the omniscience of God, and he wouhl tims, also, recognize the necessity for appeasing his A SKRMON ON SACKIFICES. 147 no iic'n lilt, -eiy 'A '^^' to lim luro sill and )rit, \vv, )as, lout Ined of Ihis anger in the wity ordained by his mercy ; the hypocrite, also, who, under the cloak of sanctity, violated every principle of monility, would, at some moment of compunction, feel impelled to attempt an expiation. Both, however, while endeavouring to make their ptjace with their offended Maker, could only do so bv allowing their fellow-men to be the witnesses of their contrition and humiliation : and thus the very best safe-guard against recurring criminality, was the abasement to which a public act of ])enitence compelled submission. And that this idea pre- vailed with the Divine legislator, may be inferrcil by the particular sacritice ordained for the involuntary sin, or for the '■ sin of ignorance." A broad line of demai'cation was thus drawn between crime and error ; ■while the one was held up in all its Hagrancy, the other was exposed only as a warning ag:iinst frailtv, and as a caution to accpiire that true knowledge of God's law which might prevent the ignorance that had fallen. But, in both cases, t.iC religious nature of the expiation de^jrived it of all that could render the sinner's humiliation a tlieine for mockery, or a means for insult. Men may pelt the victim in the stocks, but there is something so solemn and holy in an act of devotion to God, that even scoffei-s are silenced, and unbelievers can only sneei'. A consciousness of the general weakness of human nature may restrain from an acknowledgnieut of error to one's fellow-man, and may sujiport, even under the obloipiy of infectives to wliicli undiscovered evil-doers are too apt to resort, when any opi)ortunity offers for blurring another ; but there is no such excuse in conf«fSsing frailty before the perfection of heaven, for thei'c is no degradation in divine reproof In regard to the atonement oflerings, therefore, it is evident that the moral effect must have been most inipi'essive ; they deprived guilt of all means for subter- fuge, and yet awakened no revengeful feelings against human injustice ; they compelled exj)osure of crime, and thus ]»rodiiced shame, but it was a shame which left no sting in the culprit, because he felt that sincere I'epentanco was ennobling, and which atlbrded no triumph to others, because all knew their own short-c )miiigs, and were conscious that it might but too soon be their duty to atone. The ofl'erings of gratitude — '' free will and peace " — were no less beneficial, in a moral sense. They were designecl to represent nnin's thankfulness for heavenly goodness, and to be exponent of his resources in the ey^sof the world. IJut, as has been said, wealth in those times consisted in cattle, and not in money. A man's friends may l:e over or under estimated by common report, or by appeal ances, but no mistake could bo made; in respect to property which was so bulky, and, of ♦ 148 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISKAEL. necessity, so apparent to the public. If, therefore, parsimony or selfish- ness prompted to a scanty or inacV,,|iiate sacrifice, there was no room for pleading a mistaken estimate or the scarcity of availaljle capital. Just as true charity left the "corners of the field" ample, while niggai'd economy contracted them to the very corners, so a free-will offering represented the exact state of a man's i)hilanthroj)y, and afforded no excuse which the world could not well appreciate. Laws, however, are made to bind only the dishonourable ; true honesty requii-es no bridle. Real gratitude to heaven, expounded in genuine charity, needed no ordinance to enforce the magnitude of its offering ; it was only the pseudo philanthropy which selfishness puts on as a mask, which was exi)osed by the extent of its sacrifices. And thus, as now, some only give that their names may figure in subscription lists, or become cele- brated as patroi.s, so, in all times, there have been pretenders to philanthropy and traders in charity. Our means of convicting such hypoci'ites are fallible, but, before God, they are exposed in their tnie colours ; we do not succeed in detecting the fraud, and impunity begets coui'age to "'""severe, but divine wisdom is not to be deceived, and conscious dis .onesty of purpose dares not prevaricate before its heavenly Judge. And so, here again, the religious nature of the act of charity, its connection with the service of God, was the best security for its genuineness. While the publicity of the sacrifice, and the means thus afforded for comparing its adetpiacy with the known resources of the giver, were checks against the parsimony of the miser or the niggai-d- liness of the selfish, the sanctity attached to the offering was its safe-guard, alike against the pretensions of hypocrisy, and against the vanity that aims at worldly a]){)lause. Bow we, th'.i, to the wisdom which ordained sacrifice to be the preservative of honesty, the exponent of honours, which opened the door to sincere repentance, by graciously showing how its words might be proved by suitable deeds, and which secured man against frauu, and effected sanctimony by reflecting them in acts which he might safely estimate, because they were assayed in the mint of the JiOrd. CHAPTER XIV. Iiow lan lich Ithe A SERMON ON MARRIAGE. When the merciful Creator impressed upon liuniau nature the principle of love, he proA'itled the best safeguard for tJio j^rcservation ot' society. " W herefore man will leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Obedient to this law, man, tlirous'h the niarriasre contract, becomes the means of formincf the most hallowed iniion that is known to earth. Friendshi[>, as sung by poets, or painted by authors, is a beautiful idea ; the reality is too often fair on the surface, l)ut rotten at the core. Self sets up its host of Avantsand interests, and tlussi^, as various as tlie characters of men, diverge into opposite extremes, instead of converging to a centre. E\en the sublime tie tliat binds parents and children, yields to the link of marriagf! ; for as parents themselves, sought helps meet for them, so do children, in their turn, build homes elsewhere, and in the new associations, forget the old love. IJut thv ))onds of matrimony arc permanent ; man assumes them voluntarily, to part with them l)ut with death. Wife and liiisband, when the union is perfect as it should be, cease to be dilferent individuals. They are essentially the retlcx of each other. No image represented in a mirror, resemldes mere entirely its original, than do husband and wife. His interests are her interests : his success or failure is her success or failure. For her lie forgets his sternness : for Jiim, if needs be she lays aside her gentleness. For her he forsakes tli(^ most fascinating attraetions of worldly pleasure ; for him society prt^sents no alurements of her. This intimate communion benchts both. ISFan gains therefrom a solace from his labors, a haven of comfort which receives him liulleted by the storms of outer life, a refuge from himself when embittered by the coldness or falsehood of the world. Woman acquires a protection from her weakness, which commands the resj^ect of society ; a shield to defend her from the attacks of malice or violence ; a suj)i)ort which gives to her soft nature strength to endure her sliare of earth's troubles. l?ut above all, means are pi'ovided througii marriage, for the proper introduction into life of well (pialitied nu'mbers. .Man, the highest of created beings, is also the slowest to attain the nuiture dovel- opirent of his faculties. Inferior animals, recpiiring only physical powers, may be dismissed from the parents' lair, as soon as their young strength enables them to provide for their wants, and their future career ?! n i loO HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEK ISIIAEL. will derive no loss from the dismissal. iVIan roijiiiros nu^iital and moral training ; not only must his ywirs of infancy and childhood pass in necessary education ; hut even his puberty must not he without its cidtiva- tion. He needs not only precept hut practice ; it is n )t cuoui,'!! that he is taught what is right, he must see it performed ; his mind must he for- tified hy precejit, his imitativeness must be guided by examph\ And where but in the hallowed precincts of the home of marriage, can children receive this recjuisite treatnxMit. (Contrast the fate of those unfortunate victims to their partints' weakness, who are ushen^d into life without the pale of matrimony. How many fall a Jirey to disease, either of mind or morals, and become the pariahs of civilization ; how few attain to anything higher than the brute perfection of physical growth. Ibit in order that marriage may fulfil its legitimate functions, it is necessary that there be entire confidence between husband and wife. Each is the depository of the other's honor, and this is a trust so sacred, that it must bt^ guarded, even at the sacrifice of life itself. Natiire ami society league in some i'es()ect to give immunity to man, which is (hniied to woman ; but no cloud mu.st obscure the brightness of her fidelity. Pure as the unsinined snow that glitters eternal on tin; mountain top, she lives only in the insolation from all external influence. Yet the weakness of mortality ofteritimes operates against her ; she may become the object of a suspicion which she does not merit, or she may have violated her duties without being suspected. Grant the latter, and the results must not only l>e fatal to her own ju^ace of mind, b\it to her hapi)iness as a Avife, to her fulfilment of her charge as a mother. Grant the former, and the conse(iuences are no less hurtful to her. Her husband sees in her affection only a hollow mockery, a hideous skeleton fills the place of a living love in his heart ; his children become hatc^ful to him, because he doubts their mother, and instx^ad of seeking liis honie for comfort and affection, he flees from it as from something too horrible to contemplate. With these obsfucles to Iniman happiness befon* uh, can we wonder that Providence, ever so watchful in o\ir behalf, shoidd have deigned to interfere in favor of an institution of its own creation, and which tends .so much to promote its design. Now, if the demon jealousy invades a household, with all its train of attendant fiends, peace for ever departs, and tlmre is no chance that any future contingency can restore the calm once broken. In the davs of oiu* ancestors, in the haul of promise, there was a means sanctified by religion, and dictated J)y one who, having fashioned the heart of man, knoweth all its imaginations. The ofTering of Jealoiisy was at once the sure dove f hope, i-r th<«certHiii ^ A SERMON ON MARRIAGES. 151 ity. op, the >me ive the \H'T lilt Tcr on to ne >le i«, Ilia Ind ay t'i* re of e ». u arrow of destruction, between liusband and wife. Say she was innocent, before the evident manifestation of her purity, as ratified by God, even the most inveterate and deeply rooted suspicion vanished. Restored again as she deserved, to lier Imsband's arms and love, she found herself the object of increased attentions and care, that all j>ast sorrows might be obliterated ; her soul revived \inder the invigorating beams of affections, and expanded into all that is beautiful in the wife fl.ll that is tender in th(? mother ; roses again bloomed where once had grown weeds, and harmony gave to life a strain of melody to replace the jarring notes of domestic discord. Say she wtre guilty; say she were that sinful thing which had crept like a parasite into the bosom of a husband, to tear therefrom all its existence, and to leave the trunk which had supported it sapless and dead ; there was no retreating from the punishment that awaited Ik r, there was no concealment of the vengeance of outraged honor. To her GJod she appealed as the bitter waters passed her lips, and he answered as she deseived. To crime against her husband, she added peijury before heaven, and even as a physical disobedience of our first parents introduced moral corruption into themselves and their descendants, so in her case a moral deflection produced jihysical disorganization. She became a monument of her own disgrace, and thus, convicted before God and man, she could no longer pollute the liome which she had already outraged. And by this means was man defended from the effects of his unfounded suspicion ; by this means was woman either pi-eserved to lier legitimate aiul honor- able functions, or she was degraded according to her demerits, beyond the opportunity of doing further evil to her husband, or further wrong to her children. To man belongs only the present, and so fleeting ai*e the moments that pass, even as he endeavors to arrest them, they ehule his grasp, till he can scarcely call one his own. Even when he begins to act he knows not if he shall be able to accomplish. He thei-efore who opens his mouth to say that he will, opens his mouth to folly ; he that vows, and thereby attests his folly by God, commits a positive crime. The law of the Eternal, does not coerce man, it seeks to prevent rather than to punish, to restrain, not to foi'ce. Biit, Providence demands respect, and wisely insists that any pledge taken in his name shall be held sacred and inviol- able. Hence the regulations aflecting the Nazarite. A man who, having arrived at maturity, must have been fully cognizant of his own inlierent infirmities, must have felt the constant stniggle between the principles and the passions, and must have known the stitngth requisite to ensure 4.; 152 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. stal)ility of purpose, voluntarily impose on himself obligations which it might even Ije an impossibility for him to i)ei'form. His folly fully deserved that he should suffer, his sin that he should be a warning to others. It was necessary that he should, as much as possible, be sustained in the contest into which ho had thrown his nature ; it was more neces- sary that others sJiould be cautioned against involving themselves in struggles which might prove fatal to their ha])i)iness. Hence he was called on to refrain from all intoxicating and stimu- lating drinks, from all delicate and luxurious viands, so that his appe- tites not being pampered, his blood might permeate his veins under due control, and not run like liquid lire through his frame, inviting him to passion and excess. He had set hi; self a])art to CJod, and therefore God set him apart from the world and its tomj)tations, because it was better that he should altogether be deprived of the sensual pleasures, natural to his humanity, than that he should enjoy them at the expense of his honor and truth. Man is framed for social intercourse, but he should rather violate all his propensities as a solitary hermit, than aban- don himself to them as a member of society. Besides, the Israelite who took the vow cf a Nazarite, probaljly knew too well the failings which he desired thereby to cori-ect, and it was wiser to exterminate these failings, to prevent them from again leading him astray, than to permit them to exist, even though in a latent but still dangerous state. But it was nevertheless not consistant with right that man, by vowing him- self to a certain line of conduct, shoidd arrogate a right over the future. Hence, in the case of the voluntary servant, who preferred his depen- dant condition to the free lot which is man's birthright, some extei'nal distinction wtis needfid to deter others from imitating a bad example. The Nazarite, therefoi'e, was to wear his hair differently from the rest of his brother men, and was tluis to hold himself up as a constant warning, first to deter men from assuming votive obligations inconsis- tant with their condition, and not demanded Ity religion ; and, secondly, to caution them against that insane indulgence in passion which has hurried him unto excesses, to curb which, it was necessary to lean as much beyond the straight line of right as he had before fallen short of it. " The Eten;al bless thee and preserve thee ; the Eternal cause His coun- tenance to shine upon thee, and be gracious tnito thee ; the Eternal lift his countenance to thee and grant thee j)eace." These were the terms in which the priests warn commamled to bless the Israelites. Nor are they improperly jilaced in close connection with the laws of the Nazarite. Blessings, like vows, belong to the A SERMON ON MARRIAGES. 153 bst Il- ia future ; they, also, in so far as man is concerned, are empty words, whose accomplishment does not de})end upon him who utters them. God having pointed out, by implication, the imnatural condition to which man might reduce himself, and having placed before mortals a fellow-creatiire as a warning, immediately points out that other condition of lumian natiu"e by which man may subserve the claims of nature, and, still, not oppose the demands of heaven. But he especially desires that there be no mistake. In the outset, he prevents us from supposing that his power over the future is to be delegated to frail man. Blessings and curses are of God only ; man can only exhort or admonish, and, when he promises, promise in the name of Him who faileth not. Wherefore, having announced the words in which the priests are to address their flock, he distinctly says: "And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel ; I will bless theni." In other words, tliey may recommend to my people the line of conduct necessary to their welfare, but lui2)piness or misery must dejieud on me alone. And what is the intent of these words 1 The e\il consecpiences of indidgeuce having been pointed out, the contrast is at once presented. Man alone is weak and en 'Mg ; oven where his will is strongest, his volition is most weak. In spite of himself and of his independance, he requires tliat hidden and u...... ^. Ti.t support which is of God. Tliis it is which enables him to t j-ort the soul again.st the body, to maintain that in his aspirations, to fortify this in its resistance against attacks. The words of the blessing — only so called because it is a lesson, l)y the learning of which man'.s conduct shall prove a source of blessing to him — are, therefore, admoni- toiy, and mean as follows : The eternal bless thee with. His unseen and often unappreciated aid ; may He preserve thee from those eri'ing teudencics to -which men are so prone, and, which once indulged, prove so destructive ; may He cause that divine light, which is the reflection of heavenly purity, to shine on thee, and so to illumine thee that thou see the time path in which man should go, and mayest thou proceed in accordance with the road thus ])laced before thee, so that he can be gi'acious unto thee ; may He turn His countenance to thee, watching over thee and guarding thee from all ill ; and may He give thee that j>eace of conscience which arises from a sense of rectitude, and which i.s the perfection of all happiness. Thus in three different ways the portion before us displays providen, tial care for human welfai-e. But these ways, though .so o])posito in their direction, are all connected with each other, by leading to the ff'^ure, after which it is our nature so constantly to aspire. The offb*ing of 154 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. jealousy is dt'signed to promote the future liappiness of the domestic circle, and to Kcciire the affection and harmony necessary to tlie proper training of another genei'ation. The law of the Nazarite renders him a tablet whereon the past engraves indeliable chai-sicters for the benefit of the future. The blessing of the priest points out the direct road by which mill may gain salvation. The first governs the future by giving man a test whereby to detect his own weakness ; the second gives him a warning to caution him against himself ; the third shows him the source of his real strength to be dependance on God. And so, again, bow we to the ever-vigilant wisdom which seizes on eveiy phase of life, and renders it available uc our virtue and well-being. Again bend we in adoi'ation before the all-watchful mercy which makes our failings subser- vient to our hap])iness, by showing us thereby how to avoid sin. And ever as ^ j feel ourselves the objects of this wisdom and this mercy, let ns pour out our hearts in gratitude to the Divine Parent of mankind, who has created us for his glory and our own regeneration. CHAPTER XV. A FUNERAL SERMON. Mt Dkar FinEHDS, IVIex and Womkn, — We stand here on the brink of a grave. Death makes all eipial, rich and poor, high and low, old and young. The saying is, "Now such a one is also gone," — what is gone is gone. Now the numning of this ex])ression does not appear to ns qnite clear ; it is even anihiguous. For it seems to imply that there is no ditforence between the de|)artine of the jiious and virtuous, and that of the ungodly and wicked. The jnous, whose life was a continuous exertion of 1)enevolence and godliness, is, at the conclusion of his earthly careei", to occui)y the same position with the wicked and imgodly, whose life formed one chain of inifjuities and id)ominations. Imjjossible ! Such a view might lead to questioning the ways of Providence. The question might lie put : For what purpose docs the Almighty concede existence to beings whose lif(! is devoted to mischief, and cannot but raise the incessant anger of the Creator ? To this ({uery, however, our sages reply, in the treatise of Aboth, Providence watchers over everything, yet to man the choice is left to act according to his free will, as it is Avritten, (Deut. 30, 19) For behold (says God), I have placed before thee life and death, lilessing and curse, and thou ii'ayest choot.e life. Now, therefore, for the very reason because God placed man on earth for his hap{>iness and salvation, he has also endowed him Avith free-will in his actions ; for, had man been created with equal dispositions and aptitudes so that their sphere of activity, either for good or evil, would have been predetermined by their Maker, what merit Avould there have b«en iu being good and pious, since their ]U'oceedings would have been marked oiit beforehand, and what reward could have been claimed by the virtuous t Hence the struggle of man with evil desires which he has to concpier, if he wishes to be considered as a hero ; as o>ir sages observe — " Who is '"^•ongl" He that conquers his psussions ; and even as a monument is erected in honour of a hero who has well deserved of his country, in order to imortalize and ti'ansniit his memory to })ostp.'ity ; even so the pious establishesforhimself a perpetual monument unto immortality, through his godly actions and benevolent foundations. It is true some people will say : What is the good of rendering oneself innnortal ? There was many and many a prominent individual in his age who is not even reraembf;red now. And was there not also a tyrant of old, who endeavored to ensure 156 HA.-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISUAKL. to himself immortality, by inflicting a most irreparable loss on niankiau, through burning a most valuable library containing works of Romans and Greeks, which could not be replaced ? But let us dispel delusion, my friends ; let us exiimine the object and worth of immortality. Knowing, as we do, that beyond the grave every passion is hushed for ever, what good does it do the wicked that they are remembered after their death ] They cannot hear it. It can only serve to awaken once more against them the Divine judgment, to bring over them additional tortures. Their immortality therefore, can only tend towai'ds increasing their suH'erings, as it is Avritten : " But the name of the Avicked shall rot." It is dilferent with tlie pious. The remembrance of their names will always recall some benevolent features or other excellencies in their virtuous lives wherein, naturally, every well disposed person will feel his sentiments reflected and whereby he will f(!el himself stimulated to the like. They thus, even after their death, continue to do good. This is tlio distinction in tli" death of the pious. Here it cannot bo said : God is gone ; but he lives and acts continually. In this sense, my friends, I inter])ret the words of King Solomon, (Proverbs x., 7). The remembrance of the right(!Ous is for blessing to 2)osterity. If we now cast a glance at the life and activity of the deceased, we shall see at once the I'auk occupied by her. Yes, my friends, she jjrac- tised wliat was good, not like so many rich, who, revelling in abundance and enjoyments, occasionally drop to the poor a crust or so, deeming thus to have discharged their dut}', knoAving, as they do, that such is expected from them, and that they ought to give something; no, with her it was quite difierent. She did good because her kind heartedness impelled her thereto. Her hand was open at all times for those who needed sxiccour, irrespective of race or creed. No doubt she Avould have done moi'e if the dependant condition consecjuent upon her .sex had not confined her within certain limits. Still more, my dear listeners, she difi'ered, also, in this from other rich persons, that she never laid herself open to the charge of harshness, or other offences, employing charity as a means for washing out stains that might have attached to her, or as an inadequate fine, imposed as a compensation for the breach of the contract entered into with Providence, since the sacrifices made bear no pro])or- tion to the wealth accumulated. No ; with her it was not tluis, for, apart from her char';* she was exceedingly pious and God-fearing. She never missed prayer- .-i-'ne, whether in her own house or at synagogue. As late as the penitential dayg just passed, she was observed to have A FUNERAL SERMON. 157 been the worshipper eai'ly in tlie morning in the hulies' gallery. She, the septuagenarian, could make it convenient to attend the early morning service, when many younger ones found it more comfortable to stay at home. Pervaded l)y an equal spirit was her Conduct in the domestic circle. How often have I heard her say, " Children, be fair .n all yonr dealings ; better to fare on a dry crust, eai'ned honestly, than to enjoy the fat of the land, obtained by injustice. A feature in her char- acter deserving particular notice, was, that, unlike those who, in their dying hour, conscious that they cannot carry their wealth with them, dispense in charity what they cannot enjoy any longer, she, in conjunc- tion with her husband, whilst yet in the prime of life and vigour, liad funded as a " Karen Kajemeth " a capital of five hundred dollars, the interest of which was to be laid out for the benefit of the poor in the winter season. This was hitherto kept a secret. But as, now, the benevolent donor is gone, the veil may be lifted. These ai-e monuments which will rescue her name from oblivion, and which will make us feel lier loss most painfully. O ! how many tears will flow in silence to her blessed memery. But none can feel that loss more deeply than those who, in life, stood nearest to her, who had for everyone a cheering word in store, and who was beloved by every one, because, forsooth, she had love for every one. The happiness she enpyed in her family circle was corresponding. Here she could give full vent to those gentle feelings of which her whole being consisted. Here she could resolve herself M-ithout restraint into those profound .sympathies with everything that was good and lovely and holy. The contemplation of all this Avhich we possessed, and now lost, only awakens the most poignant grief in our bosoms. Alas, we have sustained a loss not easily reparable. Our only consola- tion is the I'eflection that her sweet slumber now will be followed one day by an awakening, by a blissful resurrection in the regions of light, as Hannah, in her fervent prayer, so truly exj)ressed : — " The Eternal sendeth death and i-estoreth to life, bringeth down into tJie grave and raiseth up." We now bring our remarks to a close, in the words of King Solo- mon : — " jMany daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be blessed. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let Iier own works praise her in the gates." IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 7 ^ // // :/. s -fe #/ Wr i/x 'm (/. ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 25 1^1 28 |5o "■■■ mu ss t 1^ 12.0 1.4 1.8 1.6 y //a W P. w- &. ^ 'f PART THIllD. THE LITERATUKE OF THE JEWS. CHAPTER I. IN'TUODUCTOUV, Kxtiiiit f(J' Jewish Litoratun"— Iiis, and tlit; various hramhes of Mathematies- The Jews for fourand-a-halfeenturies the most learned men in Kurope — Illustrious examples. JEWISH LITERATI-RE. Tlie Jews have a vast literature besides the ]5il>le ami the Talniud. They have hail excellent writers in all ages and zones, on all the differ- ent topics of human knowledge and genius; but there is not an Englisli l)ook in existence, in which information coiild be obtained on this point* The world knows, that Halewi, IMaimonides, Spinoza, and Mendelssohn were lfel>rew philosophers ; that Ibn Ezra, Nacliinoniv modern ; but there is not one standard work in English literature, from which tho if)*- HA-JKHIDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. 1191' inquisitive could inform himself on this topic. Gennany lias its Jest, Herzfeld and (iraetz^ France has its Basnage and Salvador w but the English literature h.as not one complete and classical work on this subject. Therefore, ignorance prevails on this subject, and any scrib- bier can write Jewish history. Therefore, whenever journalists speak of our forefathers, they will invariably misrepresent them. Therefore, none comprehends the Jewish character in its historic totality. Show us the English book that will inform a man of what Israel's philosophers wrote, what tlioy taught, and how they demonstrated it ? No such book is in existence ; therefore prejiulice and ignorance may howl of our money- making disposition ; imposters may weep and cry (and cut fantastic tricks before higli lieaven, to extort a few dimes from credulous men-women), about the wretched and nedected state of the Jewish mind. ■i'i % VV i _, V.-' t.-vv C* •.(/«f ^^' -' v^ * i\ l*- •►" 1 1 \* ( /^, .(«:. ♦c (u"'v4- 6 n CHAPTER II. LITERARY MEN AMONG THE HEBREWS. Tlirrc arc fuuiul in pvciy ilcpnitiuPiit of Tiitcratuiv, Works of Tiuvol ami (Jcograi^liy, coininciiciiig in the sevi-ntli ami eiglitli ccntiuit's, wlion travellers aiul works of tiavel were rare— Authors of works on History and Hiography — Poetry, LITEKAKY MEN AMOXCi THE HEBREWS. It is generally supposed that the mental activity of the Jews during the middle ages, was expended solely on theological speculations. This is a gi'eat error. There was scarcely a walk of literature, or branch of knowledge cultivated at the time, but it was also successfully treated by the Rabbis. Let us look to a province, supposed to liaAe been altogether deserted by ,Tewf, j'ew were the travellers during the middle ages, and still fewer the travels pu1)lished ; still, we can enumerate the following works : — The most prominent authors of travel are : Isjiac, a member of the Embassy of Charlemagne to the Khalif Hiirun er-llaschid (802,) perhaps the first who cfloctod a comnninication between France and the Baby- lonian (Jaonim ; Jacob , whost^ accounts of the east, and the Sidtan of Singair, (/) are inserted by the Karaite Jehuda Hedesi, in a work coutaiuing some historical and cosmograpLical information ; the celebrated Benjamin of Tudela, of whom difl'erent estimates have been formed, and whose travels have Iteen recently, for the first time, critically edited ; Petaclija of Regeusburg (1170-SO); Samuel Ben Samson, of France, (1210), apparently the precursor of more than MOO French and Knglish Kabbis who travtjlled to ralestine, (1211). The followiiig works also belong here : The correspondence of Cliisdai, Ben Isaac, witli the king ot the Chozirs, (G59) ; the cosmography of Gerson, Ben, Solomon, Catalno, of Aires, (13tli century) ; the imiiortant work of Esthori, (not Isiuic), Par- chi, (1322), recently re-printed, l)ut miserably incorrect : the Hebrew traiisltition of " Imaije da Momlc" (1245) ; iind a juirt of the pretended letters of Potre (or Petro), .K)!in to Pope Eugene or Frederick IV., (1412, 14(5(1). At the end of the fifteenth century, Portuguese Jews occupy no unimportant place of geogniphy. That there were never a lack among the Jews of poets, philosophers and mathematicians, even in the darkest period of Mie middle ages, is generally known ; wo will there- fore not mention them. B\u who would have thought they also had nuint'i'ous historiiins, geographers, and antifiuariaiis / Yet the enumera- 12 } !, \ l. after the year 17'28), who also took \x\> and completed, but with less ability and knowledge, the Bibliograpliical List of Sabljatai IJass (liassist, subcantor of Prague, 1G80.) The Jewish poets in the Spanish language, were celebrated by Dr. L. De Barrios, (1GS3). A biographical and Bibliographical Lexicon, collected in many and distant journeys (1 777-1 79G), was written by Ch. D. J. Asulai, of Jerusalem, at Leghorn. LEARMNO AND SCIENCE OF THE JEWS. Among the various influences that have produced the present state of Biblical knowledge throughout Christendom, we are not to overlook the element that has lieen contributed by the Jewish Rabbis, from the 1G05, S. D. 17th ■ 1 a )f the pub- 7-2S), [ledge, iigvie, .1 by icon, yCh. state irlook In the LITERARY MEN AMONG THE HEBREWS. 163 twelfth century, downward to the period of tlie Reformation. Forming a language of their own, simple but yet coniprehenaive, severely philosophi- cal and exact, built upon the basis of the Scriptural Hebrew ; yet bon'ow- ing its nomenclature from the languages of every country of tiieir capti- vity and exile — from the ruins of Babylon to the wharfs of Amsterdam — the Rabbis, like their ancient fathers, have made themselves possessors of the treasures of the Gentiles, taking and fal)ricjiting into a dialect, con- formable to the genius of their own vener.ible tongue, terms of life, and learning, and science and art, from the Arabic, and Clialdee, and 8yriac, and the Greek and the Livtin, and the Italian, and the German, and the Dutch, and the Spanish, and the Portuguese. They have embodied in those mystic syml)ols, like so many emblems of victory over Gentile nations, the results of their labors in the criticism and interpretation of those sacred records, which, in many respects, they must be allowed best to understand, as being originally written in their native tongue, of ■which they were made the earliest depositaries, and in relation to which we may still say they are the librarians of the world. There is a strong and wide-spread prejudice against the liteatiire and intelligence of the .Jews, and even among Christian men, it has bt^en too generally supposed, that leaving out of consideration the inspired proiliictions of the Hebrew Scriptui-es, wisdom has entirely perished from the sons of Abraham. The conclusion, like other prejudices, lias its origin in ignorance. Because they have heanl of the fables of the Talmud, how that the ostler of Rabbi Jutlah, the holy, was more rich than the King of the Persians ; or how every member of the great Sanhedrin was skilled in seventy languages ; or how Rabbi John Ben Narhai dispatched three hundred calves and three hundred llagons of wine at dinner ; or how three hundred asses were scarcely able to carry the keys of the treasure houses of Gorahi ; or how David, by the flight of a single arrow, killed eight hundred men at once ; or how two thou- sjind soldiers in the army of Coziba, were endued with such adroitness that wliihf they rode past, l>y a simple twitcli of their right hand, they could each }tluck up a cedar of Jiebanon ; — .such persons, tickled with curious marvels like these, and being at oncti strangers to the genius of the East, al»ounding in fiction and allegory, have hastily concluded that all the learning and actpiirements of the modern Hebrews, ai'e nothing l)ut a collection of fahsehood and infatuation. A judgment as fallacious and unfounded, ii\ regard to Hebrew literatuie, as if from the '' Adventiires of Jack tile Giant Killer," or the '• E.\i)loits of King Artliur and the Knights of the Round Table," a stranger to the comprehensive literature of our country should conclude that the literature of England was utterly ■'*:«: 1G4 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. f^ffi •■^M lit unrtcquiiiiited witli rich and intollectuiil jjliilosophy. The fact is there is no department of philosophy in which tlie modern .lews have not excelled. They have enriched their language by a translation into their peculiar dialect of the finest works of Greece, Persia and Arabisu Aristotle, Plato, Euclid, Hippocrates, and Galen ; Avienna, Averroes, and Sacrobosco, are found clothed with the dignity of a Hebrew dress. Original treaties in grammar, and logic, and metaphysics, and criticism — in arithmetic and algebra, and geometry and astronomy — and the most s\ibtle and learned questions in hermenuetics and theology, start up in the old hmguage of the Rabbi, with an accuracy and a skill, with a ])recision that may well compare with the works of the accutest school- men, or the most accomplished mathematician in any country or in any age. There can lie no question, that from tlie time of the dispersion of the Hebrews from the College of the Geonim, in Cordova, in 1039, down to their expulsion from Spain in 1492, when, according to ^Mariana, eight hundred thousand were banished, the Jews were the most learned, scientific and enterprising men in Europe. They filled the chief oflices in the court of Spain ; adorned the academies of Cordova, and Seville, and Granada ; were the chief assistants of Alonzo the Tenth, snrnamotl the Wise, in nuiking his sidoral observations, compiling his astronomical tables, and publishing his liook of Circles in that ( !lialdean science ; they were the instnictors of the Mooi's, and tlie forerunners of that brilliant course of discover)' which, under Henry Duke of Viseo ami Vasco da Gama, revealed the li(>adlands of Africa, doubled the Capo of Good Hope, and opened up a maritime road to th(! commerce! and riches of India. It was the Jews wlio carried the astronomy of Chaldea, the dialectics of (ireece, and tin; cliemistry of Spain, into the Universities of France and England. Thev taiiiiht in the Universities of Paris and of Oxford, and students fi'om ditl'ei'ent parts of the world came Hocking to the jOains of Andalusia. The works that the Jews have published in Venice, in Thessalonica, in Constantinoplo, and througliout the towns and cities of (Jermany, aro a sutlicient refutation of tliose who iniiiginc! that this branch of literaturo abounds in f(!W authors. Many thousands of volumes of Rabbinical literature, in every sftecies of excellence, are to be found in the Jewish catalogues. And one may boldly aHirm of tlu; multitude of Rabbinical books existing at this day, in every department of art and science, that the Ilebrews, even in this respect. May, with perfect facility, be com- pared with any Gentile nation. CHAPTER III. THE TALMUD. Use mailn of the Taliiunl in iihxU'IU litiT.iiy investigations — A universal cnileavnur to gather iisetul tlioiiglit from every source, iiml a disposition to apjireeiate wliat is good in every ainieiit work— In this sjiirit study tiie Talmud— Second iiand knowhiilge of, and refen-neu to the Talmud — l^noranee and inisreiiresenta- tion of the work T^aek of a good "Introduction" to the work — The censor at Basle— A critical edition never comi>letcd — The Kditio rriiicejis interdic- tions, liurnings, ki-., of tiie hook — Anlete edition of the work at Venice, A.D. If.'iO. \\ HAT is Till: T.\i.Mtii.' — ts wiile extent— The topics proposed to he treated — A hody of law-It can Lc 1' best judged liy conii'arison with other hoilicsol law, especially witli the. I ustinian «!ode — The Talmud 'iii;,diiates with the retnrn from the IJaliylonish captivity — Change which tocdc jilac e during the captivity — I.ove of the Scriptures which .sprun lit ip- — Its exposition " Miilrash the h ■• • " l''( L'thods-r. i;. 1). S. Th il- dh Till' Talnmd eral, tlie suggestive, the liomiletic, tlic mystical — An atlegoiy — J lie lalniuil not a systematic coile — liather the result of intermingled currents of tli.)Ught — One logical, the other imaginative — Logii- more prominent in stndy of the haw — Imagination in tliat of the other portions of the nihle— " Ilnlacha " and *'Haggada" — Mishna ami (iemara— Tin' development of the Oral Law- Its deduction from the written — The Sciilics — Three j'criods — The Sanhedrin and hchools of till' second period — The teaciiers and their method — The rise of Christ ia id ty — Tlie I'harisei s -The Mishna - Ililhd— .Vkilia — lehuda — The con- tents of the iMishna — (Jharactcr of its law> — Their administration— Cajiital ). )U nishment — -The (lemaras of .lerusalcm and Hahvlon — Size of the JJahvlouii ui Talmud — Cause of the aiitiiority and jiopularity of the Talmud— The language of the Talmud- The I hi dah— Its use to the Eastern mind — Account of the creiition — Angels — (Jod's name — The soul— I'esurrection and immortality — No ••ternal jiunislinient — rrophets— Select "Sayings " from the Talmud — Syno])tical liistorv of the Talmud, Mishna and (Jemara — .Vccount of the authors of the liilde. m Wliiit is the TiiliuiuU What is the nature of that strange iirotluc- tion of whicli tlu; name, inipeiceptildy ahnost, is beginning to take its place among tlie liousehoUl words of Europe ? Turn where we may in the reahiis of modern h'arning, ■wo seem to he Iiaunted by it. We meet it in tlieology, in science, even in general literature, in their liighways and in their byways. There is not a hand-liook to all or any of the many de))artnu'nts of biblical lore, .'■acred geography, liistorv, chrono- logy, numismatics, and the rest, but it.s pages contain references to the Talmud. The advocates of all religio opinions appeal to its dicta. Nay, not only the scientific investigators of Judaism and Christianity, but tho.se of Mohammedanism and Zoroastrianism, turn to it in their dissections of dognia, and legend and ceremony. If, again, wo take up any recent volume of archieological or philological transactions, whether we light on a dissertation on a I'ha'uician altar, or a cuneiform tablet, 16G J A-JEIIL'DIM AND MIKVKH ISRAKL. Babylonian weiglits, or Sassanian coins, we are certuin to find this niystciious word. Nor is it iiKTcly tlie restorers of the lost idioms of Canmin and Assyria, of Hiniyar and Zoroastrian Persia, tiiat apiteal to tlie Talmud for assistance; Imt the modern schools of (ireek and Latin philology are In'ginning to avail themselves of the classical and post- classical materials that lie scattered thro\igh it. ilurisprudence, in its tni-n, has been roused to the fact that, aj)art from the l^earing of the Talmud on the study of the Pandects and the Institutes, there are also some of those very laws of the " Medes and Persians," — hitherto hut a vague sound — hidden away in its labyrinths. And so, too, with medicuie, astronomy, mathematics, and tlie rest. The history of these sciences, during that period over which tlu; composition of the Talmud range.s — and it ranges over about a thousand yeai-s— can no longer be written withoiit some reference to the itcMiis preserved, as in a vast l»uried city, iu this Cyclopean work. Yet, apart from the facts that belong emphati- cally to these I'esjM'ctive branches, it contains other facts, of larger moment still — facts bearing upon human culture in its widest sense. Day by day there are excavated from these mounds pictures of many countries and many j»eriods, pictures of Helhus and Jiyziiiitium, Egypt and Rome, Persia and Palestine, of the temple and the forum, war and peace, joy and mourning, ]»ictures teeming with life, glowing with colour. These are, indcd, signs of the times, A mighty change has come over us. We chiblren of this latter age are, above all things, utiltarian. We do not read the Koran, the Zend Avesta, the Vcdas, Avith the sole view of refuting them. We look upon all literature, religious, legal, and otherwise, whensoever and wheresoever ])roduced, as a part and parcel of humanity. We, in a manner, feel a kind of responsibility for it. We seek to understand the phase of culture which begot these items of our inheritance, the spirit that moves upon their face. And, while we bury tluat which is dead in them, we rejoice in that which lives in them. We eni-ich our stores of knowledge from theii-s, Ave are stirreil by their poetry, we are moved to high and holy thoughts when they touch the divine chord in our hearts. In the same human spirit, we now speak of the Talmud. There is •ven danger at hand, that this chivalresque feeling — one of the most touching characteristics of our times — which is evermore prompting us to offer holocausts to the manes of those whom former genemtions are thought to have wronged, may lea«l to its being extolled somewhat beyond its merit. As these ever new testimonies to its value crowd upon us, we might be led into exaggerating its importance for the history THE TALMUD. 167 of mankind. Yet an old adage of its own says, ** Alx)ve all things study, Whether for the sake of learning or for any other reason, study. For, wlmteAer the motives that ini)>el you at first, you will very soon love study for its own sake." And, thus, even e.\aggemted exjK^ctations of the treasure-trove in the Talmud will have their value, if they lead to the study of the work itself. For, let us say it at once, these tokens of its existence, that appear in many a new publication, are, for the most part, Imt will-o'-the-wisps. At first sight one would fancy that there never was a lK)<)k more jxtpular, or that formed more exclusively the nxentiil centre of modern scholare, Orientiilists, theologians or jurists. What is the real truth ? Paradoxical 4VB it may seem, there never was a l)ook at once more universally neglected and more universally tilked of. Well may we forgive Heine, when we read the glowing desciiption of the Talmud contained in his " Romancero," for never having seen, the subject of his panegy- rics. Like his countryman Schiller, who pining vainly for one glimpse of the Alps, produced the most glowing and faithful picture of them, so he, with the poet's unerring instinct, gathered truth from hearsay and description. But how many of these ubiquitous learned quotations really fiow from the fountain-head ] Too often and too palpably it is merely — to use Sampson's agricultural simile — those ancient and well worked heifers, the " Tela ignea, Satanae," the " Abgezogener SchUingenbalg," and all their venemous kindred, which are once more being dragged to the plough by some of the learned. We say learned, for as to the people at large, often as they hear the word now we firmly believe that numbers of thenr still hold, with that erudite ■Capucin friar, Henricus Seguensis, that the Talmud is not a book but a man. " Ut narrat Rabbinas Talmud " — " as says Rabbi Talmud " — cries he, and triumphantly clinches his argument ! And of those wljo know that it is not a Rabbi, how many ai-e tliei-e to whom it conveys any but the vaguest of notions 1 Who wrote it 1 What is its bulk ] Its date ? Its contents ] Its birth place ! A con- temporary lately called it a sphinx, towards which all men's eyes are directed at this hour, some with eager curiosity, some with vague anxiety. But why not force open its li[)s ? How much longer are we to live by ■quotations alone, — quotations a thousand times usetl, a thousand times .abused 1 Where, however, are we to look even for primary instructioc ^ Where learn the story of the book^ its place in literature, its meaning And purport, and, above a'l, ils relation to ourselves ? 168 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVKH ISRAEL. I If we tuna to the time-honoured uutlioritles, we shall mostly timl tliat, in their eagerness for some cause, they have torn a few pieces off" that gigantic living botly ; and they have presented to us these ghastly anatomical preparations, twisted and mxitilated out of all shape and semblance, saying, "JJehold, this is the hook 1" Or they have done worse. The}' hav(! not garl)led their samples, Ijut have given them exactly as they found theni ; and then stood aside, pointing at them with jeering countenance. For their samples were ludicrous and grotes(pio Ijeyonil expression. But these wi.se and pious investigators, unfortunately, mis- took the gurgoyles, those grinning stone cari<:itures that mount their guard over our cathedrals, for the gleaming st les of the .saints within ;. und, holding them up to mockery and derLsion, they cried, " These be thy gods, U Israel ?" Let us not be misunderstood. When we complain of the lack of guides to the Talmud, we do not wi.sh to be ungrateful to tho.se great and earnest scholars whose names are familiar to every student, and whose labours have been ever present to our mind. For though in the whole realm of learning there is scarcely a single oraneh of stud}' to be compared, for its difficulty, to the Talmud, yet, if a man had time and patience, and knowledge, there is absolutely no reason why he .should not, up and down ancient antl modern libraries, gather most excellent hints from essays and treatises, monographs and sketches, in books and periodi- cals without number, by dint of which, aided by the stiuly of the work itself, he might arrive at some conclusion as to its essence and tendencies, its origin and development. Yet, so far as we know, that Avork, every Step of Avhicli, it must be confessed, is beset with fatal pit-falls, has not yet been done for the world at large. It is for a very good reason that we have placed nothing but the name of the Talmud at the head of our article. We have sought, far and near, for some one .special book on the subject, which we might make the theme of our observations — a book which should not merely be a garbled translation of a certain twelfth- century " Introduction," intersper.sod with vituj)erations, and supple- mented with Ijlunders, but which, from the platform of modern culture, should pronounce impartially upon a production which, if for no other reason, claims respect through its age — a book that would lead us through the stupendous labyrinths of fact, and thought, and fancy, of which the Talmud consists ; that would rejoice even in hieroglyidiical fairyjiore, in. ab.struse propositions and syllogisms ; that could forgive wild outbursts of passion, and not judge hai-shly and hastily of things, the real meaning of which may Iuva e had to be hidden under the fools cap and bells. THK TALMUD. 169 We Imve not found siali u l)Ook, nor anything iipproaching to it. But closely connected with that circumstance is this other, that we were fain to ([uote the first editions of this Talmud, though scores liaM! been printed since. Even this first edition was j)rinted in hot haste, and without due care ; and every succeeding one, with one or two exceptions, presents a sadd»n' spectacle. In the Dasle edition, of l^uS — the third in ]K)int of time, which has remained the standard edition almost ever since — that amazing creature, the censor, stepjted in. lu his anxiety to pro- tect the " Faith " from all and every danger — for the Talnnul was sup- j>osed to hide latter things against Christianity under the most innocent- looking words and phrases — this official did very wonderful things. "When he, for examj)le, found some ancient Roman, in tlie lx)ok, swearing by the Capitol, or by Jupiter " of Home," his mind instantly niisgaAC him. Surely this Roman nnist be a Christian, the Capitol the Vatican, Jui)iter the Pope. And forthwith he struck out Ronuf, and substituted any other place lie could think of, A favorite spot seems to have been Persia, sometimes it was Anvm, or Baljel. But, whenever the word *• Gentile " occiirred, the censor was seized with the most frantic terrors. A " Gentile" nould not possibly be aught but a Christian ; wlit'ther ho lived in India or in Athens, in Rome or in Canaan ; whether he was a good Gentile — and there are many such in the Talmud — or a wicked one. Instantly he christened him ; and christened him as fancy moved him^ an "Egyptian," an "Aramathoan," an '• Amalekite," an "Arab," a *' Negro" ; sometimes a whole " people ." All this is extant in our very last editions. Once or twice, attemi)ts were made to clear the text from its foulest blemishes. There was even about three years iigo, a beginning made of a " Critical " edition, such as not merely Greek and Roman, Sanscrit and Persian classics, but the veriest trash written in those languages, would ha\e had ever so long ago. And there is — M. Renan's unfortu- nate remark to the contrary nothwithstanding* — no lack of Talnnulical MSS., however fragmentary they be for the most i)art. There are innumer.ible ^ariations, additions, and corrections to be gleaned from the Codices at the Bodleian and the Vatican, in the libi'aries of Odessa, Munich, and Florence, Hamburg and Heidelberg, Paris and Parma. But an evil eye seems to be upon this book. This corrected edition remains a torso, like the two first volumes of translations of the Talmud, commenced at diftei-ent periods, the second volumes of which never saw * "It is siiid tliero is iiotiisingK- Manuscript of the TalniuJ left by whicli to cor-. rect the printed editions." — Les AiMtres, \\ 26'2. 170 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. Hi the light. It therefore seemed advisiible to refer to the Editio Princeng, as one thut is at least free from the blemislies, censorial or typographical, of later ages. Well does the Talmud supjtlement the Horatian " Habent sua fate libelli," V)y the words " even the sacred scrolls in the Tabernacle." We really do not wonder that the good Capucin of whom we spoke, mistook it for a man. Ever since it existed — almost before it exi.stetl in a pal- pable shape — it has been treated like a human being. From Justinian, who a»s early as 553 A.D. honouretl it by a special interdictory Novella, down to Clement VIII. and later — a space of over a thousand years — both the secular and the spiritual powers, kings and emperors, popes and anti-popes, vied with each other in hurling anatheniiis and bulls, and edicts of wholesale eonliscation and conflagration against this luckless book. Thus within a period of less than fifty yeai-s — and these forming the latter lialf of the sixteenth century — it was publicly burnt no less than six different times, and not by single copies, but wholesale by the waggon load. Julius III. issued his jiroclamation agjvinst Avhat he gro- tesquely calls the " Geniaroth Thalnnul" in 1553 and 1555, Paul IV. in 1559, Pius V. in 15G6, Clement VIII. in 1592 aiid 1599. The fear of it was great indeed. Even Pius IV., in giving permission for a new edition, stipidated expressly that it should appear without the name Talmud. It almost seems to have been a kind of Shibboleth, by which every new potentate had to prove the rigour of liis faith. And veiy vigorous it must liave been, to jiulge by the language which even the highest lignitaries of the Church did not disdain to use at times. Tlius Honorius IV. writes to the Archbisliop of Cantfn-burv, in 12S(I, anent that "damnable book" (liber damnabilis), admonishing him gravely, and desiring him vehemently to see that it Ije not read by anybody, since "all other evils How out of it." Verily these documents are sad reading, only relieved occasionally by some wild blunder that lights up, as with one Hash, the abyss of ignorance regarding this olyect of wrath. We remeniber but one sensible exception in tliis Babel of manifes- toes. Clement V,, in 1807, before condemning the l)ook, wished to know somethhig of it, and there was no one to tell him. Whereupon he proposnd, but in language so obscure that it left the door open for many interpretations, that three chairs be founded, for Hebrew, Chaldee, and Arabic, as the three tongues nearest to the idiom of the Talmud. The spots chosen by him were the Universities of Paris, Salamanca, Bologna, and Oxford. In time he hoped to be able to pioduoe a tmns- lation of this mysterious book. Nt A we say tJ»at this consumiMatiou THE TALMUD. 171 Ih. never came to pass I The more expeditious ]»rocess of d ^structi'ii wjis resorted to ngaiu and again, not merely in the single cities of Itiily and France, but throughout the entire Holy Roman Empire. At length a change took place in (Germany. ( )ne Pfcrterkorn, a miser- able creature, began, in the time of the Emperor Maximilian, to agitute for a new decree for the extermination of the Talmud. The Emperor lay, with his hosts, before Paria, wlien the evil-tongued messenger arrived in the camp, furnished with goodly letters by Kunigimde, the Emperor's lK?aii- tiful sister. Maximilian, wearied and misuspecting, renewed that time- lionoured decree for a confiscation, to be duly followed by a conflagiu- tion, i-eadily enough. The confiscation was conscientiously cairied out, for Pfefferkorn knew well enough where his former co-religionists kept their books. But a conflagration of a very different kind ensued. >Stej> by step, hour by hour, the German Reformation was drawing nearer. Reuchlin, the mo.st eminent Hellenist and Hebraist of his time, had been nomijiated to sit on the committee which was to lend its learned authority to the EmjuM-or's decree. But he did not relish this task, "He did not lik(! the look of Pfefrerkorn," he says. Resides which, he was a learned and honest man, and, liaving been the restorer of classical Greek in Germany, he did not care to participate in the wholesale murder of a book " wntten by Christ's nearest i-elations." Perhaps he saw the cun- ningly-laid trap. He had long been a thorn in the flesh of many of his contemporai'i(!s. His Hebrew labours had l)een looked \ipon with bitter jealou.sy, if not fear. Nothing loss was contemplated in those days — tlie theological Faculty of ^layence demanded it o])enly — that a total "Revi- sion and correction" of the Hebrew P.ible, " inasmuch as it differed from the Vulgate." Reuchlin, on his part, never lost an opportiniity of pro- claiming the high imjiortance of the " Hebrew truth," as he emphatically called it. His enemies thought one of two things would follow. By oflicially pionouncing upon the Taluaul, he was sure either to commit himself dangerously — and then u speedy end would be made of him — or to set at naught, to a certain extent, his own previous judgments in favour of these studies. He declined the projiosal, saying, honestly enough, that hv knew nothing of the book, and that he was not aware of the existence of many who knew anything of it. Least of all did its detractors know it. But, he continiied, even if it should contain attackg on Christianity, would it not be preferable to reply to them ? " Burning is but a ruthanly argument." Whereupon a wild outcry was raised against him, as a Jew, a Judaizer, a bribed renegade, and so on. Reuch- lin, nothing daunted, set to work on the book, in liis patient, hard-work- 172 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. ing manner. i 1 Next lie wrote ft brilliant defence of it. When the- Eniporor asked his opinion, he repeated Clement's proposal to found Talnmdical chairs. At each German university there should be two professoi-s, specially appointed, for the sole jjurpose of enabling students to become ac(iuainted with this book. " As to burning it," he continues^ in th'^ famous memorial addressed to the Emperor, " if some fool came and said, * ^lost mighty Eini)eror I your majesty should really suppress- and burn tlu; books of alchemy, Ijecause they contain blasphemous, ■wicked, and absurd things against our faith', what shoidd his Imperial Majesty re})ly to such a l)uflalo or ass, but this] Thou art a ninny, rather to be laughed at than followed. Now, because his feeble head cannot enter into the d{'})ths of a science, and cannot conceive it, and doe* understand things otherwise than they really are, would you deem it tit to burn such books V Fiercer and Hercer waxed the howl, and lleuchlin, the peaceful student, from a witness l)ecame a delincpu-nt. What he suffered for and through the Talmud, cannot be tohl here. Far and wide, all over Euroi)e, tlie contest raged. A whole literature of pamphlets, %ing sheets, caricatures, sjirang up. University after university was appealed to against him. No less than forty-seven sittings were held by the theological Faculty of Paris, which ended by their formal con- demnation of licuchiin. But he was not left to tight alone. Around him rallied, one l)y one, Duke Ulrich, of Wurtemburg, the Elector Fredrick of Saxony, Ulrich von Hutten, Frank von Sickingen — he who finally made the Colognians pay their costs in tlie lu ichlin trial — Erasmus of Ilotterdam, and that whole l)rilliant [jhalanx of the "Knights of the Holy Ghost," the "Hosts of Pallas Athene," the *' TahnutphiU," as the documents of the jteriod variously .style them : they whom we call the Humanists. And tlu-ir Palladium and their war-cry was — oh ! wondrous way» of History — the Talmud. To .stand up for lleuchlin, nu'ant to them, to stand up for "the Law;" to tight for the Talmud was to Jiyht for the Church. The rest of the story is written in the " Epistohe Obscuruni Vii'orum," and in the early pages of the German Keformation. The Talmud was not burnt this time. On the contrary, its tirst complete edition was printed. And in tl:e same year of grace, 1520 A.D., when this tirst edition went through the press at Venice, Martin Luther burnt the Pope's bull at Wittenberg. THE TALMUD. 173 WHAT IS THE TALMUD ? Again the question rises before ns in its whole foriniilable shape, — a question which no one has yet answered satisfactorily. Would it not indeed be mere affectation to presuppose more than the vaguest accjuain- tance with its language, or even its name, in many of our readers ] And while we would fain enlarge upon such i)oints, as a comparison between the law laid down in it, with ours, or with the contemporary Greek, Roman and Persian Laws, or those of Islam, or even with its own fun- ry other pheno- menon, in order to become comprehensible, should be considen'd only in connection with things of a similar kind ; a fact almost entirely over- looked to this day. Being ein])liatically a curpus juris, an oneyclopa>dia of law, civil and penal, eecl(>siastical and international, huniMii and divine, it may best be jmlged by analogy and comparison with otlu'r legal codes, more especially with the .lustinian code and its commentaries. What the uninitiated have taken for exceptional Rabbinical subtleties, or in matters ri'lating to the sexes, for gross offences against nuidern taste, will tlien cause the Talnuul t(i stand out rather favorably tlian otlicrwise. The Pandects and the Institutes, the Novelhe and the ResiK)usa I'ruden- tium, should thus be constantly consulted and compared. No less shoidd o\u- English law, as laid down in Blackstone, wherein w(i may sec how the most varied views of right and wrong have been finally blended 174 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. and harraonised with the spirit of our times. But the Talmud is inore- than a Book of Laws. It is a microcosm, embracing, even as does the Bible, lieaven and earth. It is as if all the piose and poetry, the science, the faith and speculation of the Old World, were, though only in faiut reflections, IkjuiuI up in it In nxce. Comi)ri3ing the time from the rise- to the fall of antiquity, and a good deal of its after-glow, the history and culture of antiquity have to be considered in their various stjiges. But, above all, it is necessary to transport ourselves, following Goethe's advice, to its birthi)laco — Palestine anil Babylon — the gorgeous East itself, where all things glow in l)rigliter colours, and grow into more fantastic shapes. The origin of the Talmud is coeval with the return from the Baby- lonish captivity. One of tlu; most mysterious and momentous periods in the history of humanity, is that 'urief .space of the exile. What were the influences brought to bear ui)on the cai)tives during that time, we know not. But this we know, that from a reckless, lawle.ss, godless populace, they returned transformed into a baud of Puritans. The religion of Zerdursht, though it has left its traces in Judaism, fails to account for that change. Nor does the exile itself account for it. ^Nlany and intense as are the I'ominiscences of its bitterness, and of yearning for home, that Lave .survived in prayer and in song, yet we know that, when the hour of libei'ty struck, the forced colonists wert; loth to return to the laud of their fathers. Yet the change is there, pal[>able, luunistakalile — a change which we may regard as almost miraculous. Scarcely aware before of the existence of their glorious national literature, the people now ])Ogan to press around these In'ands, plucked from tlio tire — the scanty records of their faith and history— with a flei'ce and i)assioiiate love, a love sti'onger even than that of wife and child. Tliese .same documents, as they were gr.idually foi'med into a canon, became the immutal^le centre of their lives, their actions, their tliouglits, their very dreams. From that time fortli, with .scai'cely any intermission, the keenest as well as the most ]>oelical minds of the nation, remained ti.xcd ui)on them. "Turn it and turn it again," says the Talmud, with regard to the Bible, " for everything is in it." /Search the Scriptures, is the distinct utterance of the New Testament. The natural consequence ensued. Gradually, imperceptibly almost, from a mere expounding and investigation, for purposes t)f edification or instruction on some special point, this activity begot a science — a science that assumed the very widest dimensions. Its technical name is already ooutaiued in the book of Chronicles. It is "Midrash" (from daraah, to hegiiu a love louts, as b centre From >vell as "Turn |e, " for lUce of [ilmost, tiou or Kcieucc [iready tish, to THE TALMUD. 175 study, expound) — a term wLicli tlie authorised version rendera by *« story."* There is scarcely a more fruitful source of misconceptioua ui)on this subject, than the liquid nature, so to speak, of its technical terms. They mean any and evorything, at once most genei-al aiul most special. Nearly all of them signify, in the first instance, simply study. Next, they are used for some one very special branch of this study. Then they indicate, at times, a peculiar method, at others, the woi'ks which have giown out of these, either general or special mental labours. Thus Midj'ash, from the abstract expounding, came to be ai)plied, first to vhe exposition itself, even as our terras " work," " investigation," *' inquiry," imply both pro- cess and product ; and finally, as a special branch of exposition — the legendary — was more popular than the rest, 'm this one branch only, and to the books that chiefly repx'esented it. For there liad sprung up almost innumerable modes of "searching the Scri|)tures." In the quaintly ingenious manner of the times, four of the chief methods were found in the Persian word Paradise, spelt in vowelless Semetic fashion, P 11 D S. Each one of these mysterious letters was taken mnemouically, as the initial of some technical word that indicated one of those four methods. The one called T(peshat) aimed at the simple understanding of words and things, in accordance with the primary exegetical law of the Talmud, " that no vei*se of the Scripture ever practically travelled beyond its literal meaning — though it might be explained, homiletically and otherwise, in innumerable new ways." The second, 11 (reme*), means Hint, i. e., the discovery of the indications contained in certain seemingly superfluous letters and signs in Scrij)ture. These were taken to refer to laws not distinctly men- tioned, but either existing traditionally or newly i)ronuilgated. This method, when more generally applied, begot a kind of memoria technica, a stenography akin to the " Notarikon " of the Komans. Points and notes were added to the margins of scriptural MSS., and the foundation of the Massorah, or diplomatic preservation of the text, was thus laid. The third D (\b'rush)y was homiletic application of that which had been to that which was and would be, of j)r()phetical and historical dicta to the condition of things. It was a peculiar kind of sermon, Avith all the aids of dialects and poetry, of parable, gnome, proverb, legend, and the rest, exactly as we find it in the New Testa- ment. The fourth, S, stood for svd, secret, mystery. This was the secret science, into which but fiiw were initiated. It was thcosophy, * See 2 Chron., xiii., 22 ; iilso, xxiv., 27. 17G HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. metaphysics, angelology, a host of wiUl .and glowing visions of things beyond earth. Faint eclioes of this science survive in Neo-Platonism, in Ctnosticisni, in tlie Kaljbahxh, in " Hermes Trismegistus." But few were initiated into these things of " the Creation" and of " the cliariot," as it was also called, in allusion to Ezekiel's vision. Yet hero again the power of the vague and niysterioxis was so strong, that the word Paradise gi-adually indicated this last branch, the secret science, only. Later, in drnosticism, it came to mean the "spiritual Christ." There is a weird story in the Talmud, which has given rise to the wildest explanations, Init which will be intelligible by the foregoing lines. '* Four men," it says, " entered P«r«f/(Ve. One l)eheld and died. One beheld and lost his senses. One destroyed the young plants. One only entered in i)eace and came out in peace." The names of all four are given. They are all exalted masters of the law. Tlie last but one, lie who destroyed the young jjlants, is Elisha l)en Abuzah, the Faust of the Talmud, avIio, while sitting in the academy, at the feet of his teachei-s, to study the law, kept the " profane books " of " Honieros," to wit, hidden in his garment, and from -whose mouth " Greek songs " never ceased to How. How he, notwithstanding his early scepticism, rapidly rises to eminence in that same law, finally falls away and becomes a traitor and an outcast, and his A'ery name a thing of unutterable horrov; how one day (it was the great day of atonement) he passes the iniins of the Temple, and hears a voice within murmuring like a dove, " all men shall be forgiven this day save Elisha ben Abuzah, wlio knowing me, has betrayed me " — how, after his death, the Hames will not cease to hover over his grave, until his one faithful disciple, the " Light of the Liw," Meir, throws himself over it, swenring a holy oath that he will not partake of the joys in the world to come without his l)elove d master, and that he will not move fi-om that si)ot nnti liis master's soul shall have found gi'ace iind salvation before the Throne; of ]\rercy — ^all this, nnd a number of otlu^r incidents, form one of the most stirring jioetical ])ictures in the whole Talmud. The last of tlie four is Akilia, the most exalted, most romantic;, and most heroic character, perliaps, in that vast gallery of the learned of his time ; lie who, in the last revolt mider Trajan and Hadrian, expiate,ut it is the business of the Geiriara to examine into the legitiniacy and correctness of the Mishnic tievclo])ment in single instances. Tiu; Pentateuch remained, under all cii'cumstances, the inunutable, divinely given constitution, the written (aw : in contradistinction to it, the Mishnah, together with the (lemaiu, WHS called the oral or Unwritten law, not unlike the lloman " Lex Non Scripta," the Sunnah, or the English Common Law. 'J'here are few chapters in the whole history of jurisprudence, more obscure than the origin, development, and comj)leti()u of this '• Oral Law."' There must have existed, from the very beginning of the ^losaic law, a number of corollary laws, which exjdained in detail most of the rules broadly laid down in it. A]»art from these, it was Imt natural that the enactment of that primitive Council of the Desert, the Elders, and their successors in each jteriod, together with the verdicts issued by the later "judges within the gates." to whom the Pentateuch distinctly refei-s, should have become precedents, and liave been handed down as such. A])ocryphal writings — notably the fourth book of Ezra — not to meu- tion Philo and the Church Fathers, speak of fabulous numbers of bookg that had been given to jMose.s, together Avith the Pentateiich ; thus indicating the common l)elief in the divine origin of the supplementary laws that had existed among the people from tiipc immemorial, .lewish 'i THE TALMUD. 17!) tmdition tvacos tlie Imlk of the oral injunctions, through a chain of dis- tinctly-named authority, to " Sinai " itself. It mentions in detail, how Moses communicated those minutia' of his legislation, in which he hfid been instructed dui-ing the mysterious forty days and nights, on the Mount, to the chosen guides of the jieople, in s\ich a manner that they should for over remain engi-aven on the tablets of their hearts. A long space intervenes between the Mosaic period and that of the Mishnah. The ever-growing wants of the ever-disturbed commonwealth necessitated new laws and regulations at every turn. A difticidtv, how- ever, arose, unknown to other legislations. In despotic states, a decree is issued, promulgating the new law. In constitutional states, a bill in brought in. The supreme authority, if it finds it meet and right to make this new law, makes it. Tlu! case was different in the Jewish common- wealth of the post-exilian times. Amongst the things that were iri-e- fleemably lost with the first tentple, were the " Urim andThummim" of the high priest — the oracle. AVith Malachi, the last prophet died. Both for the pronuilgation of a new law, and the abrogation of an old one, a higher sanction was requisite* than the mere majority of the legislative council. The new act must be proved, directly or indii-ectly, from the •' Woi'd of dod" — proved to have beenpronnilgated by the SupremoKing — liiddeu and bound up, as it were, in its very letters, from the beginning. This was not easy in all cases ; especially when a certain number of hcrniPtical rides, not uidike those used in theKomau schools (inferences, conclusions from the minor to the major, and vice verm, analogies of ideas or objects, general and special statements, \'v.), had come to ho laid n, as established legal mattei-s, they came befori; the critical eyes of the schools. And these schools themselves, in their ever restless activity, evolved new laws, according to their logical rules, even when tlifu- were not itracticallv wanted or likelv ever to come into practica] use — simply as a matter of science. Hence, there is a double action ]»erce])tilil(* in this legal develo]>nu'ut. Either the scriptural verse tonus the terminus n (jhc, or the terminus od qtiem. It is either the starting-point for a discussion, which enorary '* Decrees of Danger." AVlien Hellenic scepticisn, in its most seductive form, had^ during the Syrian troubles, begun to seek its victims, even in the midst of the " Sacred Vineyax'd,'' and threatened to nndermine all patriotism and all indei)endanee, a curse was pronounced upon Hellenism ; much a.s (jlerman |iatriots, at the beginning of this century, loatht^d the very sound- of the Frtncli languagt; ; .:• as not so very long ago, all things "foreign" were regarded with a certain suspicion in England. JJut, the danger over, the Greek language and culture were restored to their jirevious high position, in both the school and the hou.se, as indeed the union of Hel)rew and Greek, the " Talith and Pallium." " Shem antl Jai)heth," who had been blessed together by Noah, and who woidd always be blessed in nnion, was strongly insisted njjon. We shall return to the polyglot character of those days, the common language of which w.is an odil mixture of Greek, Aramaic, Latin, >Syriac, Hebrew; but the member of the Sanhedriu had to be a good linguist. He was not to lie dependent on the possibly tinged version of au interpretor. But not only was science, in its widest sen.se, rc(juired in him, but even an accjuaintancc! "with its fantastic sluulows, such as astrology. magic, and tlu; rest, in order that he, as both and judge, .should be able to enter also into the i)opular feeling about these wide-spread "arts." Proselytes, eunuchs, freedmen, were rigidly excluded from the Assembly. So were those who could not prove themselves the legitimate offspring of i)riests, Levites, or Israelites, and so, further, were gamblers, betting men, money lenders, and dealers in illegal pro- duce. To the provision about the age, viz., that the senator should be neither too far advanced in age, " lest his judgment might be enfeebled," nor too young, " lest it might be immature and hasty ;" and to the proofs I'equired of his vast theoretical and practical knowledge — for he was only by slow degrees promoted from an obscure judgeship to his native handet to the senatorial dignity — there came to l)e added also that wonderfully fine I'ule, that he must be a married man, and have children of his own- I 'I THE TALMUD. 183 lose [led Ithe H'O- III, flV Deep miseries of families would bo Initl before him, and he should bring with him ii heart full of sympathy. Of the practical administration of justice by the Sanhedrin, Ave have yet to speak, ■when we come to the corpus juris itself. It now Itchooves UH to pause a moment at those " schools and academies," of which we have repeatedly made mention, and of which the Sanhedrin formed, as it were, the crown and the highest consummation. Eigh /years before Christ, schools flourished throughout the length and the ])ri adth of the land-- education had been compulsory. While there is not a single term for ••school," to be found befons the captivity, there were, by that tinu*, about a dozen in common usag(!. Here are a few of the innuinerablc p()|>ular sayings of tlu! jx'riod, lietokening the paramount inipoi'tance which [nibiic instruction had assumed in the life of the nation : " Jenisalcui was destroyed becaus(^ the instrtuction of the young was ncglerteil." •• The W(jrlil is only saved by tlu; bi-catli of the stliool children." •• K\cn foi' the re-building of Uie Templi', the schools must not be interrupted." " Studv is more lueritorious th:in sjicritice " ••A sdiolnris greater than a pro]>Iiet." •" You slmuld ii'\cre the teacliei- exen more tli;in your fatlit-r. The latter only brought you into the worhl, the former indicates tlie way into tlic next. Ib'.t blessed is the sou who has learnt from his father ; he shall revere him both as his father and his master; and blessf-d is fbc father who .las ijisti'iicted his son." The " High (.'oUeges," oi' '• ivallali'^" only met d\iring some nionthfs in the year. Three A\-eeks before the term, the Dean })repared the stu- dent for the lectures to lie delivered by the Hector; and so ai'duous btH'ame the task, as the number of disciples increased, that in time no less than seven Deans had to be a))pointeil. Yet tin? mode, of teachiiig was not that of our mcdern Universities. The j)rofessors did not deliver lectures, which the di.sciples. like the student in " P^ui.st," con. 1 " com- fortably take home, in black and white." Here all was life, movement, de1)ate ; (piestion was met by count (piestion, answers were gi\en wrap- })eil up in allegories or ])arables, „he incpiirer was led to deduce the questionable point for himself by analogy — -the nearest approach to the Socratic method. The New Testament furnishes many specimens of this contemporary method of instruction. The highest rank in the estimation of the people, was not reserved for the " Priest," about whose real position .some extraordinai-y notions are still afloat — iior for the " Nobles" — but for these Masters of the Law, the " Wise." the " Disciples of the Wise." 184 MA-Ji:HI'l)IM AND MIKVKIl ISUAKL. Many of the most (Miiinctit " Doctors" wt-iv Imt IniniMo tnulosinon. Tliey wen; tcnt-inakcfs, saiuliil-iuiikci-s, weavers carpontei*s, tannoffl, hakers, cooks. A ncvvly-ulectcd I'vcsidcut was fouml hy his prochjcossor, who had Itecii if^noiniiioiisly deposed i'or his ovcrhtiariiii; nature, all f^rimy in the uiidsL of liis charcoal monads. Of all tliinj^s the most hated, W(M-e idleness and a.scetism ; piety and learning themselves only received their proper estimation, when joined to healthy liodily work. "It is w(!ll to udd a trade t(j your studies; you will then Ix' fn-c from sin." ''The tradesmen at their work, need not rise hefore the greatest doctor." "'(ireater is lu^ who (leii\eH his livelihood from woi-k, than h(> who fearH God," are some of the most common dicta of the period. 'I'lie exalted place thus gi\<'n to W'orK, as on tlie one hand it pre- ventcul an alijeet W(]rslii[» of leai'iiing, so on tin- other hand, it kept all ascetie eccentricities from tiie latdy of the ptu.)ple. .And there was always some danger •»f them at hand. When the temple lay in ashes, men would no longer eat nn'at oi- drink wine. A Sage renu)nstiat.ed with them, hut they replied weeping : "Once the tlesh of sacrilices was hurnt upon the altjir of (m»1. The altai- is thrown down. ( )nce lil)atiouH of wine were poured out. They are no nu)re." " iiut you eat bread ; there were bread otl'erir.gs." " You are right, master, we shall eat fruit only." " But the lirst fruits \V(^re odered up." " We shall refrain fVom them." " JJut y<»u d)-ink water, and thert! were liluitions of water." And they kn(^w not what to reply. Then he comforted them l»y the assur'i nee that He who had (hwtroyed Jerusalem, had promised to reluiild it, and that proper nuturning was right and meet, lait thai it must not he of a nature to weaken the liody for work. .Another most .striking story, is that of the Sage who, walking in a market-place crowded with people, suddenly encoinitered the Prophet Klijah, and asked him who, out of that vast multitude!, shoidd la; savcid. Whereu[>on tin; prophet first pointed t(j a weird-looking creatun;, a turn- key, " because li(* was merciiu! to his piisoneis ;" and ni'.xt two common- looking tiadesnu-n, who canm walking through tin; crowd, plea.santly chatting. TIk! Sag*; instantly rusheil towards them, and asked them Avliat were tluiir saving w, in the lirst instance, single individuals, or classes, with a whole peopl(\ and next o\ir confounding tlu' .ludaism at the time of ( 'hrist, witii that of the tinw of the Wilderness, of the Judges, or even of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The .ludaism of the tinu- of ( 'hrist (to which tjiat of our days, owing pi'ineipally to the Talmml, stands \ery near), and that of the Pentateuch, are as like each otlu;r as our England is like that (if William Ivtd'us, or our Anii-rica like that of the Indians. It is tin; glory of Christianity to hav(( caiiied those golden germs, hidden in tin; schools and among the " silent eonununity" of the hjanied, into the mark(^t of humanity. It hits communicated that "Kingdom of Heaven," of which the Talnuul is full from the iirst l)age to the last, to tin? iierd, even to tho h'iier.s. The fruits that have sprung iVom this through the wide •world, we need not here con.sitler Mut tin; misconception, as if touCiod 'I; I8(j HA-.JEHUI)1M AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. of Vengeance Inul suddenly succeeded a God of Love, cannot be too often protested against. '• Thou slialt love thy neighlx)ur as thyself," is a pre- cept of the Old Testament, as our Savioiir Himself taught His disci2)les. The " ]jaw," as Ave have seen and shall further see, was develo[)ed to a marvellously, and, perhai)s, oppressively minute pitch ; 1)ut only as a regulator of outward actions. The " faith of the heart " — the dojxma prominently dwelt upon by Paul— was a thing that stood mucli higher with the Pharisees than this outward law. It was a thing, they said, not to bo commanded bv anv ordinance, yet was "reater than all. *' Everything," is one of tlieir adages, "is in the hands of Heaven, sjive the fear of Heaven." • •• Six hundred and thirteen injunctions," says the Talmud, " was Moses instructed to give the people. David reduced tliem i\ll to eleven, in the fifteenth P.salm : Lcnnl. who shall abide in thy tabernacle, wha shall dwell on thy holy hill ? He that walketh uprightly," &c. " The pro|)het Isaiah reduced them to six (33, l-")); He that walketh righteously," itc. "The prophet Micah reduced them to thi'ee ((!, 8): What doth the Lord recpiire of thee but to do justly, and to love nu'Vi y. and to walk hmnblv with thv God l" " Isaiah once more retluced them to two (^O, 1): Keci) ye judgment and do justice." "Amos (•'», -I) reduced tliem all to one : Seek ye me and ye shall live." " Put lest it might b(» supitosed froui this that ({od could not In- found in the fulrtlnu'ut of liis whole law only, Habakkuk siiid (cap. "J v. 4): The just sliall live by his Faith." Kegai'ding these " Pharisees" or "Separatists," themsehes, no greater or more antiquated mistake exists, thiin that of their being a mere "sect" hated bv Christ and the Apostles. They were not a sect — any mon; than lloman Catholics form a "sect" in Pome, or Pi-otestants a "sei-t" in England— and they were not hated so indiscriminately l>y Christ and the Ajjostles, as would aj)pear at first sight, froui some sweeping passages in the New Testament. For the " Pharisees," as such, were at that time — .lose[>h\is notwithstanding — simply (Jie people, in contradiction to the " leaven of Herod." Those " up[)er classes" of free-thinking Sadtlucees. who, in opposition to the Pharisees, insisted on the paramount iiuport- ftnce of sacrilicea and tithes, of which they were the I'oceivers, l)ut denied the immortality of the soul, are barely n\entioned in the New Testa- ment. The wholesale denunciations ot *' Scrii)es and I'liarisees." have tm THE TALMUD. 187 been gi-eatly inisunr was undertaken l)v three eminent masters, the third 188 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. alone succeeded. Fii-st, by Hillel I, under whose presidency Christ was born. This Hillel, also called the second Ezra, was born in Babylon. Thirst for knowledge drove him to Jerusalem. He was so poor, the legend tells us, that once when > '^ had not money enough to fee the porter of the academy, he climbed x.^ the window-sill one bitter winter's evening. As he lay there listening, the cold gradually made him insen- sible, and the snow covered him up. The darkness of the room first called the attention of those inside to the motionless form without. He was restored to life. Be it observed by the way, that this was on a Sab* bath, as, according to the Talmud, danger always supersedes the Sabbath. Even for the sake of the tiniest babe, it must be broken without the slightest hesitation, " for the babe will," it is added, *' keep many a Sab- bath yet, for that one that was broken for it." And here we cannot refrain frona entering an emphatic pi'otest against the vulgar notion of the " Jewish Sabliath" being a thing of grim austerity. It was precisely tlie contrary, a day of joy and delight, a "feast abylonia, not merely as a record of past enactments, but as laws that at some time or other, with the restor- ation of the commonwealth, would come into full i)ractice, as of yore. The Mishnah is divided into six sections. These are sub-divided again into 11, 12, 7, 9 (or 10), 11 and 12 chaj^ters respectivel}', which are further broken up into 524 paragrapiis. We shall briefly describe their contents : ,; 190 HA-JKHUDIM AND MIKVKII ISUAKL. nan Section I., Seeds: of Agrariiin Laws, coniiueiicii. ; Avitli a cliapt(>v on prayers. In tliis section, t]w various tithes and donations due to tlie Priests, the Levites, and tlie poor, from the products of tli(! hinds, and further the Sabbatical yeai*, and tlie prohibited mixtures in plants, animals, and garments, are treated of. Section II., Feasts : of Sabbaths, Feast and Fast days, the work jiro- liibited, the ceremonies ordained, the sacrifices to be oftered on thera. Special cha])ters are devoted to the Feast of the Exodus from Egypt to the New Year's Day, to the day of atonement (one of the most iuipres- sive parts of the whole book), to tlie Feast of Tabernacles, and to tliat t)f Haman. Section I FT., Women: of betrothal, marriage, divorce, ifec; also of vows. Section IV., /)a>ua» God will ask an account." "When the parties stand l)efore you, loolc upon both as guilty : but when they are dismissed, let them l)oth bi' innocent in thine eyes, for the decree has gone forth." It would nut be easy to find a more humane, almost refined, penal legislation, from the days of the old world to our own. While in civil THE TALMUD. 193 stinc- 1 law. ; but ? than 1 civil ^Vlien, mcling local larties. f time , Tlie iow of in an essess. not \iUu'ly The l.)Otll the r, he Judge eve, a inced hUaue u the y are e. has ipeual civil biases, whenever larger tribunals (juries) had to be called in, a majority of one is sufficient for eitlier acquittal or condemnation ; in criminal cases a majority of one acquits, but a majority of two is recpiLsite for condem- nation. All men are accepted in the former as witnesses — always except gamblers (dice-players), betting men (pigeon-llyers), usurers, dealers in illegal (seventh year's) produce, and slaves, who were disqualified from "judging and bearing witness " — either for the plaintiff or the defendant; but it is only for tlic defence that everybody, indiscriminately, is heard in criminal cases. The cross examination of the witnesses Avas exceed- ingly strict. The formula (containing at once a whole breviary for the judge himself, ) with which the witnesses were admonished in criminal cases, was of so awful and striking a nature, that "swearing a man's life away" became an almost unheard of occurrence. " How is one," says the Mishna, " to awe the witnesses who ai'e called to testify in matters of life and death ? When they arc brought into court they are charged thus : Perchance you would speak from con- jecture or rumour, as a witness from another witness — having heard it from ** some trustworthy man" — or perchance yo\i are not aware that we shall proceed to search and to try you with close questions and searching scrutiny. Know ye, that not like trials about money, are trials over life and death ? In trials of money, a man may redeem his guilt by money, and he may be forgiven. In trials of life, the blood of hhn who has bean falsely condemned, will hang over the false witnesses, and also that of the seed of his seed, even unto the end of the world : for tlais we find that when Cain killed his brother, it is said: "The voice of thy brothei-'s blood is crying to me from the ground." The word blood stands there as in the plural number, to indicate to you that the blood of him, together with that of his seed, has been sIhhI. Adam was ci'eated alone, to show you that he who destroys one single life in Israel, will be called to account for it, as if he had destroyed a whole world But, on the other hand, ye might say to yourselves. What have we to do with tliis misery here? Remember then, that Holy Writ has said (Lev. v. 1): " If a witness hatli seen or known, if he do not utter, Ik; sliall bear his ini({uity." But jterclianco ye might say, " Why shall we bo guilty of this man's blood ]" Hememljcr, then, what is said in Proverbs (5, 1-10): "in the destruction of the wicked there is joy." The " Lex Talionis" is unknown to the Talmud. Paying " measure for measure," it says, is in God's hand only. Bodily injuries infiicted, are to be redeemed by money ; and here again the Pharisees had carried the 14 194 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. day against the Sadducees, who insisted upon the literal interpretation of that verse. The exti-eme punishments, " flagellation " and ** death," as ordered in the Mosaic Code, were inflicted in a humane manner, unknown as we have said, not only to the contemporary courts of antiquity, but even to those of Europe, xip to within the last genei'ation- Thirty-nine was the utmost number of strokes to be inflictefl ; but — the " loving one's neighbor like oneself " being constantly urged by the i)enal code itself, even with regard to criminals — if the life of the culprit was in the least degree endangered, this number was at once reduced. How- ever numerous the delinquent's transgressions, but one punishment could be decreed for them all. Not even a fine and flagellation could be pro- nounced upon the same occasion. The care of human life was extreme indeed. The Judges of capital offenues had to fast all day, nor was the sentence executed on the day of the verdict, but it was once more subjected to scrutiny by the Sanhedrin the next day. Even to the last, some favorable circumstance that might turn the scale in the prisoner's faA'or, was looked for. The place of execution was at some distance from the Court, in order that time might be given to a witness, or the accused himself, for naming any fact fresh in his favoi-. A man was stationed at the entrance to the Court with a flag in his hand, at some distance another man, o.i horseback, wiis stationed, in order to stop the execution instantly, if any favorable circumstance should still come to light. The culprit himself was allowed to stop four or five times, and to be brought back before the judges, if he had still anything ;0 urge in his defence. Before him marched a herald, crying, " The man M. M., son of N. M., is being led to execution, for having committed iuch and such a crime ; such and such arc the witnesses against him ; whosoever knows aught to his favori let him come and proclaim it." Ten yards from the place of execution* they said to him, " Confess tliy sins ; everyone who confesses his })ait in the world to come ; for thus it is written of Achan, to whom Joshua said. My son, give now glory to the God of Israel," If he "could not" offer any formal confession, he need only say, " May my deatli bo a redemption for all my sins." To the last the culprit was supported by marks of profound and awful sympathy. The ladies of Jerusalem formed a society, which provided a beverage of mixed myrrh and vinegar, that, like an opiate, benumbed the man when he was being carried to execution. There were four kinds of capital punishment — stoning, burning, slaying with the sword, and strangling. Cri. ifixion is utterly unknown THE TALMUD. 19S to the Jewish law. " The house of stoning " was two storioa high, " stoning " in the Mishnah, being merely a term for breaking the culprit's neck. Tt was the part of the cliief witness to precipitate the criminal with his own hand. If he fell on his breast, he was turned on his back ; if tlie fall had not killed him on the spot, the second witness had to cast a stone on his heart ; if he still survived, then, and then only, the whole people hastened his death by casting stones upon him. The modes of strangling iind burning were almost identical ; in both cases the culprit was buried to his waist in soft mud, and two men by tightening a cord wrapj)ed in soft cloth, round his neck, caused instantaneous deatli. In the "burning," alighted wick was thrown down his thi'oat, when he opened his moxith at his last l>reath. The corpse was buried in a special place appropriated to criminals. After a time, however, the bones were gathered together and transferred to the burial place of the culprit's kin. The relations then visited the .ludges and witnesses, as much sis to say, "We bear no malice against you. for a righteous judgment have ye judged." The ordinary ceremonies of outer mourning were not observed in such cases, but lamentation was not prohibited during the first period of grief — " for sorrov/ is from the heart." There was no confiscation of the culprit's goods. Practically, capital punishment was abrogated even Ijcfore the Romans had taken it out of the hands' of the Sanhedrin. Hero, again, the humanising influences of the "Traditions" had been at work, commut- ing the severe INIosaic Code. The examination of witnesses had been made so rigorous, that a sentence of capital punishment became almost impossible. When the guilt had, notwithstanding all these difficulties, been abso- lutely brought home, some formal flaw was sure to be found, and the sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life. The doctors of a later period, notably Akiba, who in the midst of his revolutionary dreams of a new independence, kei)t his eye steadily on a i-eform of the whole jurisdiction, did not hesitate to pronounce openly for ^tho abolition of capital punishment. A couii; which had pi'onounced one sentence of deatli in seven or seventy years, received the name of " Court of mur- dorers." So far the Mishnah, that brief abstract of about eight hundred years legal production. Jeliudah tlu; " Redactor," had excluded all but the best authenticated traditions, as well as all disciLssion and exegesis, unless where particularly necessary. The vast mass of these materials was now also collected, as a sort of apocryphal oral code. We have, dating from a few generations after the redaction of the official Mishnah, 196 HA-JEHUDIM AND MIKVEH ISRAEL. a so-called external Mishnali, (Boraita) ; further, the discussions and additions belonging by rights to the Mi.slinah, called "Tosefta," (Supple- ment) ; and, linally, the exegesis and methodology of the Halacba (Sifri, Sifra, Mechilta), much of which was afterwards embodied in the Talmud. The Mislmah, being formed into a code, became in its turn whafc the Scripture had been, a basis of development and discussion. It hatl to be linked to the Bible, it became impregnated with and obscured by speculations ; new traditions sprang u}), new methods were invented, casuistry ass\imod its sway — as it did in the legal schools that flourished at that period at Home, at Alexandria, at Berytus — and the Geinara ensued. A double Gemara : one the expression of the scliools in Pales- tine, called that of Jerusalem, redacted at Tiberias, (not at Jerusalem), about A.D. 390, and written in what may be called " East Arainiean;" the other, redacted at Syria in Babylonia, edited by R. Ashe (A.I), 3G5- 427). This final close of this codex, however, the collecting and sifting of which took just sixty years, is due to the school of the " Saboraim," at the end of the fifth century, A.D. The Babylonian Gemara is the expression of the academies of Syra, Nehardea, Pum-Veditha, Mahusa, and other places, during six or seven generations of continuous develop- ment. This " Babylonian" Talmud is couched in " Western Aramtean.'' Neither of the two codes were Avritten down at fir.^t, and neither has survived in its completeness. Whether tliere ever was a double (iemara to all the six, or e\en the first five divisions of the Mishnah, (the sixth having early fallen into disuse), is at least very doubtful. Much, however, that existed has been lost. The Babylonian Talmud is about four times as large as that of Jerusalem. Its thirty-six treatises now covei", in our editions, printed with the most prominent commen- taries (Uashi and Tosafoth), exactly 2,947 folio loaves, in twelve folio volumes, the pagination of which is k(!pt uniform in almost all editions. If, however, the extraneous portions ore substracted, it is only aljout ten or eleven times as large as the Mishnah, which was redacted just as many generations before tlie Talmud. How the Talmud itself became by degrees what tlie Mishnah had been to the Gemara, and what the Scripture had been to the early Scribes, viz : A Text ; bow the " Saboraim" and " Gaonim," those Epigoni of the " Scribes," made it the centre of their activity for centuries ; what endless commentaries, dissertations, expositions, responses, novella3, abstracts, itc., grew out of it, we cannot here tell. Only this much, we will add, that the Talmud, as such, was never fox-mally accepted by the nation, by THE TALMUD. 197 "olio ions. t(in uiy had ibcKS, tho Hess icts, iiddy cither General or Special Council. Its legal decisions, as derived from the highest axithorities, certainly formed the ba.sis of the religious law, the norm of all future decisions : as undoubtedly the Talmud is tlio riost trustworthy canon of Jewish tradition. But its popularity is much more due to an extrantjous cause. During the prosecutions against the Jews in the Persian Empire, imder Jesdegerd II., Firuz, and Kobad, the schools were closed for about eighty years. The living development of this law being stopped, the book obtained a supreme authority, such as had probably never been dreamt of by its authors. Need we udd, that what authority was silently vested in it, belo> f^ed exclusively to its legal portions? The otlier, the " haggadistic," oi legendary portion, was *' jjoetr}'," a tiling beloved by wonven and children, and by those still pensive minds which delight in flowers and in the song of wild birds. The " authorities " themselves often enough set their faces against it, repudiated it, and exjtlained it away. But th(» peojde clung to it, and, in course of time, it gave to it, and it alone, the encyclo]);edic name of "Midrash." We have now to say a few words respecting tlie language in which these documents arc couched, as furnishing an additional key to the mode of life and thoughts of the period. The language of the Mishnah is as pure a Hebrew as can be expected in those days. The people themselves spoke;, as we mentioned above, a corrupt Chaldea, or Aramaic mixed with Greek and Latin. j\lany prayers of tho period, the Targums, tho (Tinnaras, are conceived in that idiom. Even the Mishnah itself cou' not exclude those all-pervading foreign elements. Many legal terms, many names of products, of heathen feasts, of household furniture, of meat and drink, of fruit and garment, are borrowed from the classical languages. Here is a curious addition to the curious history of Avords! TIu- bread which the Semites had cast uj)on the "Waters, in the archaic Pho'nician times, came back to thom after many days. If they had given to the early Greeks the names for weights and measures, for spice and aromas, every one of which is Hebrew ; if they had imported the " sapphire, paper, emerald," the fine materials for garments, and the garments themselves, if the musical instruments, the plants, vessels, writing materials, and last, not least, tlus alphabet itself, came from the Semites; the Greek and Latin idioms repaid them, in the Talmiulical ])eriod, with full interest, to the great distress of the later scoliasts and lexicographers. The Ai-amaic itself was, as we said, the language of the people. It w.as, itself, a most pellucid and j)icturesque idiom, lending itself admirably, not only to the epigrammatic terseness of 19.S nA-.li:HUl)lM AND MIKVKH ISRAEL. the (.iomara, but also lo those prolbiindly poeticul conceptions of ii daily i)hei nenu, which hail penetrated even into the cry of the watcliiuen, tilt! passwanl of the tciiiph; guards, and the roiitine-fornnd.i of tlic critical functionary. Unfortunately, it was too jujctical at times. .Matters of a purely nn'taphysical nature, which afterwards grew into do;^nias through its vague phrase(jlogy, assumed very monstrous .shapes indeed. Hut it had Itecoine, in the liands of tlu' juHiphs a mongrel idiom ; and, though gifted with a line ieeling for (hi! distingui.slmd characters of each of tho languages then in common \ise ; ("Aramaic lends itstdf hest to (degiea, C!reek « m THE TALMUD. 199 stibtlety of the law, liis liearcx-H quietly fell away in droway shirabers. All of a 8\i(lclf!ii, lui burst out : " There was oium^ a woman, in Egyjit, who lirought forth, at one birth, six hundred thousand men !" And our i-eadcrs may fancy how his audience started up at this remarkable talo of the prolific Egyptian woman. Iler name, tlui master calmly proceeded, was Jochelxul, and she was the mother of Al uses, who wad worth as much as all thoH(i six hui:dred tliousand armed men togetlier, Avho went up from Egypt. Tlu! jjrofe.ssor, then, after a brief legendary digression, in'oceeihid witli his h^gal intricacies, and his hearers slept no more that afternoon. An eastern mind seems peculiarly constituted. Its passionate love for things wise and witty, for Htories and tales, for parables and ajjologuew, dot^s not leave it even in its severe studies. They an* constantly nt^eded, it would appear, to keep th(^ curnints of its thoughts in motion : they are the jtlaythings of the grownup irhildreuof the Orient. The Haggadah, too, has an exegesis, a system, a method of its own. 'J'hey are the peculiar, fantastic things. W(i would rather not follow too closely its learned divisions, into homiletical, ethical, liis- torical, general and special Haggadah. The Haggadah, in general, transforms Scriptui'e into a thousand themes for its variations. Everything being bound up in the Bible — tho beginning and tin; end ; there m\ist be an answer in it to all questions. Find the key, and all the riddles in it are solved. Tho pt^rsons of the Bible — the kings and the j)atriarchs, tholmroes and tho prophets, tho women and the children, what they did and what they snfl'm'ed, their happinesH and tJK'ir doom, their words and th(;ir lives — becan\e, apart from theii* presvq)])osed historical reality, a symbol and an alegory. And what the narrative had omitted, tin* llaggadaii supplied in many variations. It tilled u]) hiese gaps, as a prophet looking into the ))ast might do; it explained the motives ; it (enlarged the story ; it foiui