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 a/ Al-f pra^enf in ////'<-)ynii^i?^u£y. 
 
THE ; , , - '.' . : 
 
 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MODEM JUDAISM 
 INVESTIGATED; 
 
 TOGETHER WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, 
 AND AN INTRODUCTION: 
 
 TO WHICH ARE APPENDED, 
 
 A LIST OF THE SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS : 
 
 AND ADDRESSES TO JEWS AND CHRISTIANS. 
 
 tUrf 
 
 BY MOSES MARGOLIOUTH, 
 
 OP TRINITT COLLEGE, DUBLIN. 
 
 BetfuatcK, b^ permission, 
 TO THE REV. ALEXANDER M'CAUL, D. D., T. C. D. 
 
 WITH A PREFACE BY THE REV. HENRY RAIKES, A M, 
 
 CHANCELLOR OF THE DIOCESE OF CHESTER. 
 
 LONDON : B. WERTHEIM, 13, PATERNOSTER ROW 
 EVANS & DUCKER, CHESTER ; 
 WILLIAM CURRY, JUN. AND CO. DUBLIN. 
 
 MDCCCXLIII. 
 

 /lU oC^ 
 
 PRINTED BY T. TH0MA9, EASTQATE ROW, CHESTER. 
 
TO 
 
 THE REV. ALEXANDER M'CAUL, D. D., T. C. D. 
 
 PRINCIPAL OF THE HEBREW COLLEGE, 
 
 PROFESSOR OF HEBREW AND RABBINICAL LITERATURE, 
 
 KINg"*S COLLEGE, LONDON ; 
 
 AND RECTOR OF ST. JAMEs"'s, DUKe's PLACE, LONDON ; 
 
 WHO HAS SO VERY USEFULLY AND ZEALOUSLY 
 
 PROMOTED THE CAUSE OF ISRAEL, 
 
 AND WHO HAS BEEN THE MEANS, UNDER GOD's BLESSING^ 
 
 OF 
 
 BRINGING MANY WANDERING SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ZION, 
 
 TO THEIR FOLD AND SHEPHERD, 
 
 AND 
 
 PROVED HIMSELF A TRIED FRIEND OF GOD's ANCIENT PEOPLE, 
 
 €W Wlovk 
 
 IS INSCRIBED AS A MARK OF SINCERK RESPECT AND GRATITUDE, 
 BY HIS AFFECTIONATE PUPIL, 
 
 THE AUTHOE. 
 
 W^62465 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The object of the present volume is to bring before the 
 Christian public some information as to the present state of 
 rehgion among the Jews, both with respect to the Cere- 
 monial and the Moral Law ; and as it may excite some 
 surprise that there should be room or occasion for such a 
 publication ; as it seems strange, that the religious prac- 
 tices, and even the moral principles of a people like the 
 Jews should be still a subject for enquiry, I feel that the 
 object of the publication may be assisted, and the prefatory 
 remarks which I undertook to add may be most conducive 
 to the purpose proposed, if I endeavour to direct the 
 reader to the causes which separated the Jews from the 
 Gentile Church, and have thrown such a cloud over the 
 usages of God's ancient people. 
 
 Up to a certain period the Jews are regarded, and with 
 justice, as the depositories of all that can be known of 
 God. To them pertained the adoption, and the glory, and 
 the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of 
 God and the promises. Theirs were the fathers, and of 
 them, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, 
 God blessed for ever. 
 
 From them therefore, from the record of their eventful 
 history, from the pure sublimity of their moral law, from 
 their ceremonial service, rich in types, and pregnant with 
 mysterious notices of things not yet revealed ; from the 
 clearer enunciation of the same future events as delivered 
 by their prophets, from their predictions increasing in 
 distinctness and particularity in proportion as the time of 
 fulfilment drew near ; from these sources the Christian 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 world has been accustomed to draw the stream, both of the 
 wisdom and knowledge of God. The Old Testament 
 Scriptures have been made the basis of all religious attain- 
 ments ; and the very perfectness of the Gospel scheme was 
 only understood by those, who contemplating it in connec- 
 tion with the law and the prophets, saw what it had to do, 
 and understood the nature of the work it had accom- 
 pHshed. When the Canon of the Old Testament Scripture 
 was closed, and the last prophet had delivered his message, 
 this source of interest ceased. The Apocryphal books 
 disclaimed the character of inspiration. There was no 
 open vision. The moral writings of the later Jews drew 
 from the canonical Scriptures many excellent truths, much 
 that was holy and great and good; but they degraded 
 what they borrowed by mixing it with their own conceits ; 
 and their best efforts were but faint and feeble echoes of the 
 wisdom revealed to their forefathers. 
 
 As the Jewish Scriptures therefore derived their value 
 from their divine original, that value ceased when revela- 
 tion was suspended ; nor was it unnatural that the Chris- 
 tian world should turn away from the literature of a people 
 whom they regarded with horror, as the crucifiers of the 
 Lord of glory, and as the enemies of truth. The first 
 effect of the Gospel had been unquestionably the conver- 
 sion of many, and the removal of that wall of partition 
 which had separated Jew and Gentile; but it seems 
 probable that as the Jews were the first called, the con- 
 versions, which took place among them, preceded the in- 
 gathering of the Gentiles; and that few, comparatively, 
 of Hebrew origin were added to the Church after the 
 invitation was extended to the Gentiles. By that time it 
 had been preached throughout Judea and Samaria, and in 
 most of the synagogues of the East. They that had ears 
 to hear, had heard, had been converted and been healed. 
 The remnant who had resisted the call, were hardened by 
 resistance ; and their original prejudice against the truth 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 was aggravated by their jealousy of the heathen converts, 
 and by the offence that was caused by their neglect of the 
 law. It is probable therefore, that after the first attempt 
 at union, the division was widened and confirmed. The 
 Jews who had rejected the Gospel were more averse from 
 Christian intercourse than before ; and when the destruc- 
 tion of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the people took 
 place, the remnants of the nation, crushed for a time, and 
 scattered through the East, rose up into separate existence 
 more obstinately attached than ever to their own religion, 
 and more hostile to that of the Gospel. 
 
 The separation which was thus begun, was not likely to 
 be overcome. The prejudice with which each party re- 
 garded the other, gained strength and bitterness in every 
 succeeding generation. The respect with which the earlier 
 Fathers were regarded, led the Christian world to follow 
 their opinions with implicit reverence ; and as it is always 
 easier for man to yield to the malignant feelings of his 
 nature than to subdue them ; as it is easier to hate and to 
 despise others, than to learn the reasons for loving and 
 honouring them; the prevailing sentiment among Chris- 
 tians towards the Jewish people was that of scorn and 
 abhorrence. In some few cases, as in that of Jerome or of 
 Origen, the value of Jewish literature was felt as assisting 
 in the correction or interpretation of the sacred text, and 
 the help of Jews was sought as essential to the right 
 understanding of the Scriptures. But in general the 
 Fathers preferred guessing at the sense of the Old Testa- 
 ment to consulting the Jewish authorities within their 
 reach ; and imagination was called in to supply a meaning 
 which might have been collected with greater accuracy from 
 those who were acquainted with the original language. 
 
 In this way the prediction concerning Israel, that the 
 people should live alone and not be numbered among the 
 nations, received a second fulfilment. Rejected by the 
 Christian world, who considered it a proof of zeal for God's 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 honour to persecute His ancient people ; shut out from all 
 opportunities of social intercourse; known only to be 
 hated ; the objects of general scorn when in abject cir- 
 cumstances, and the objects of general envy when in 
 affluence ; they were compelled to hide themselves from 
 observation ; and in secret brooded over the recollections 
 of former grandeur, or indulged in dreams of future 
 elevation. 
 
 The Eeformation introduced a different state of things, 
 and ushered in a change which was eventually to alter the 
 whole character of their condition. The first agents in 
 that mighty movement referred to the Bible for the 
 authority of every principle they laid down ; and instead 
 of the diluted or distorted sense of Scripture which the 
 writings of the Fathers occasionally presented, they avowed 
 their determination to go to the fountain head of truth, 
 and to search the Scriptures for themselves. In entering 
 on this search they soon found they were entangled with 
 difficulties, which required a new species of assistance. 
 The study of the Old Testament in the original led them 
 to look to the Jews as the most efficient guides ; and they 
 rightly deemed that its mysteries would be most satisfac- 
 torily elucidated by the men to whom the language was 
 vernacular, and whose traditional knowledge seemed unbro- 
 ken. The Rabbins, perhaps, on examination were not 
 found more satisfactory than the Fathers. If the latter 
 had gone astray in mystical interpretation and unauthorized 
 conjectures, the others had entangled themselves in niceties 
 of verbal criticism, and in idle unmeaning distinctions ; 
 but a great point was gained, when reference was made 
 to Jewish authorities ; and the pursuit of truth became 
 more reasonable, when the sense of Scripture was sought 
 through those interpretations which alone could give the 
 real and natural meaning of the text. It still may be a 
 subject of surprise that after the character of the Jewish 
 nation had been thus recognized by the Christian world, 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 and the important office they had filled as Depositories of 
 the word of God had been acknowledged, so little curiosity, 
 was felt as to their present condition, and their general 
 opinions. Their value as Interpreters of the word was 
 admitted. Men felt that the Jews had held the text of 
 Scripture inviolate in the midst of persecution and disper- 
 sion and distress ; men admitted the claim to respect, 
 which their descent involved, and agreed that they held 
 the keys of knowledge as hereditary interpreters of the Old 
 Testament Scriptures : but they did not care to penetrate 
 farther. Repulsed by the apparent disinclination of the 
 Jews to admit enquiry, and retaining enough of the preju- 
 dice of by-gone days to believe readily every thing that 
 was unfavourable; they left them to their superstitious 
 observances and exclusive habits ; and thought that it was 
 needless to examine further into the condition of a people, 
 so uninteresting in manners and habits, and from whom 
 there appeared to be so little to learn. 
 
 And yet we might have thought, that a more enlarged 
 and enlightened view of things would have led to a 
 different conclusion. We might have thought, that the 
 recollection of what had been done in and through their 
 ancestors, might have secured to the Jews an interest in 
 every mind, which had tasted the sweetness or felt the 
 power of the Word of God. If they had been rejected of 
 God, in consequence of the sin which they had accomplished 
 in rejecting the Incarnate Son; if they had been cast out 
 of the privilege which they once enjoyed in exclusive 
 posession ; and were no longer to be regarded as the people 
 of God ; they still retained claims on the gratitude of man, 
 nor had they forfeited their title to general respect and 
 veneration. The lineal descendants of Patriarchs and 
 Prophets, belonging to that very nation of whom Christ 
 came, who is over all God blessed for evermore ; they 
 might have been contemplated even in the ruin of their 
 state, with reverence and awe ; but in addition to these 
 
 b 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 natural claims, it was not unreasonable to think, that 
 underneath the ruins of their civil and religious Polity, were 
 hid treasures both of wisdom and knowledge, which would 
 amply reward the labour bestowed on their investigation. 
 The peculiar character of the people, their separate and 
 distinct existence, the firmness with which they had always 
 clung to every national usage, and the obstinacy with 
 which they had resisted the influence of the world : all 
 these facts might have justified the expectation that tradi- 
 tional knowledge would have preserved among the Jews, 
 many memorials of early history, many important moral 
 truths, many valuable illustrations of Scripture ; and might 
 have led men to anticipate the opening of a new stream of 
 light for themselves in free and confidential intercourse 
 with the Jewish people. 
 
 We must perhaps admit that experience does not prove 
 that these anticipations were just. The labour that has 
 been bestowed on the theology of Judaism ; the diligence 
 with which the rabbinical writings have been explored and 
 investigated, has been, to speak generally, in vain. Little 
 has been found where much was expected ; and the little 
 that has been found, has been so entangled by the perverse 
 ingenuity of their minds, that its application is neither easy 
 nor certain. The readers of Lightfoot, whose efforts in 
 this line are the most obvious, are dazzled by discoveries 
 which are more specious than real. Illustrations are 
 suggested which on trial disappoint expectation ; and the 
 chief satisfaction derived from the study of Lightfoot's 
 volumes, is the assurance, that much cannot be learnt, where 
 so much industry has brought to light so little that is 
 useful. 
 
 The present volume will probably strengthen the convic- 
 tion which had been previously formed. The man who 
 approaches these records of modern Judaism, with the hope 
 thatjjeiehall discover the gold or the silver of the tabernacle, 
 buried in the ruins of the Temple, or buil^ into the fabric 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 of the Synagogue, will be grievously disappointed. The 
 mantle of the Prophets has not fallen on their countrymen ; 
 and the withdrawal of the gift of inspiration is signalized 
 and made more manifest, by the change of all that used 
 to command respect and veneration in their written 
 records. Sampson when shorne of that in which his great 
 strength lay, when blinded and set to grind in the mill, did 
 not differ so much from the Sampson who wrought won- 
 ders in Israel, and turned to flight the armies of aliens, 
 as the writings of the later Jews differ from those of their 
 inspired fathers. If any resemblance can be traced, it is 
 that which is caused by servile imitation ; or if there are 
 passages which bear the mark of Jewish intellect, and 
 seem capable of proving its identity with that which we 
 have studied and admired in the Old Testament Scriptures, 
 we are compelled to feel, that we only meet with the 
 Jewish mind in dotage, when we study it in Judaism. 
 
 But though the present volume offers little to re- 
 ward the reader in the way of direct instruction ; and is 
 calculated rather to satisfy curiosity by information, than 
 to add to the knowledge of truth ; there is an indirect 
 lesson to be derived from it of the highest importance ; and 
 truths may be learnt from the disappointment of expecta- 
 tion, which under God''s blessing will be most beneficial to 
 the Christian reader. The object of this little volume is 
 to exhibit Judaism in its present aspect ; to shew us what 
 are the reliances of the modern Jews ; the grounds on 
 which they hope for present favour and future mercy ; 
 and the views they entertain of the divine will towards 
 man. To us, who know what their former hopes and con- 
 fidences were ; who are familiar with those Scriptures 
 which were originally revealed for their instruction ; and 
 who know the use and purpose to which they were applied; 
 the first impression which the book produces must be 
 wonder at the degradation which the people has under- 
 gone, and at the debasement of their mind and feelings. 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 We stand lost in astonishment at the blindness which hats' 
 happened to Israel ; and are led to ask ourselves, how it 
 was possible, that a nation which possessed the Scriptures, 
 and recognized the authority of Scripture, could have 
 wandered so far from the plain meaning of Scripture, 
 or sunk so far below the tone and the standard of truth. 
 
 A fact of such importance ought not to be passed over 
 without attention, or to be dismissed without reflection, 
 and as it seems possible to deduce from this humiliating 
 and painful picture of the Jewish mind, inferences that 
 may be profitable to the Christian world at present, a few 
 words may be given to the consideration of the causes 
 which have produced this state of things, and led to this 
 general prostration of moral and intellectual power. 
 
 At the period when we last catch sight of the Jewish 
 people in the Gospel narrative, their character seems in a 
 special degree to have been carnal mindedness. The 
 dulness of their minds, the grossness of their views, their 
 inaptitude for all spiritual representations, and their 
 proneness to admit all low and fleshly explanations that 
 could be imagined, are the continued subjects of reproof 
 from our Lord and His apostles. Their dislike of all the 
 peculiar blessedness of the Gospel scheme, led to that 
 bitter hatred with which they rejected His offbrs, and those 
 of the first evangelists ; and the Scripture narrative offers 
 no hope that any change had been effected on the people 
 by the evidence of power and of truth which followed His 
 ascension. 
 
 If wo separate the Jewish character from the circum- 
 stances by which the nation was surrounded, and speculate 
 on the manner in which such a mind would act on such 
 means as were possessed by them, the event does not seem 
 to differ widely from that which we might have expected; nor 
 are the errors of Judaism anything more than the natural 
 growth of minds and tempers such as theirs, when placed 
 in similar circumstances. It seems possible therefore, ar- 
 
PREFACE. XIU 
 
 guing from what we see in them ; it seems possible that the 
 Scriptures may be possessed and read ; and still may be 
 read in such a manner, and turned to such a purpose by 
 the reader, that the mind instead of being enlightened by 
 what is read, and made wise unto salvation by what is 
 learnt, shall be perplexed and lost in the intricacy of a 
 way which needs a guide in order to be properly under- 
 stood ; and which, clear as daylight itself to some, shall be 
 darkness visible to others. " The light of the body," said 
 our blessed Lord, " is the eye ; if therefore thine eye be 
 single, thy whole body shall be full of light ; but if thine 
 eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If 
 therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great 
 is that darkness !" Mat. vi. 22, 23. 
 
 Nor is this example inapplicable to the state of things 
 among ourselves at present, and to the error which prevails 
 where acquaintance with Scripture language is often mis- 
 taken for rehgion ; and men assume as certain that they 
 know the truth, without having considered in what sense, 
 or in what degree the truth has made them free. 
 
 But a still more affecting remark is forced upon us, when 
 we see the tendency that there is in man to draw from Scrip- 
 ture, comments or conclusions of his own, and to substitute 
 these for the simpler original ; teaching for doctrines the tra- 
 ditions of men. In no case has this been more remarkably 
 instanced than in the Jews, and in none has the effect of 
 the practice been more pernicious. The isolated character 
 of the people which shut them out from any indirect or 
 collateral illumination, left them to suffer the full conse- 
 quences of their error, when they thus began to deal deceit- 
 fully with the written word; and the state, to which they 
 have been reduced, the mental bondage under which they 
 have been groaning, and which has held all their powers in 
 subjection, proves the magnitude as well as the pernicious 
 character of the influence which has been exercised upon 
 them by tradition. 
 
XIV PREFACE. 
 
 There was a period in the History of the Christian Church, 
 when the Schoolmen exercised the same species of do- 
 minion in Europe, which the Talmudists have possessed on 
 Judaism ; and corresponding effects were at that time produ- 
 ced. The gracious providence of God ordained a check for 
 this delusion in our case: and the collision of mind which 
 grew out of the state of Society, and the political divisions 
 of Christendom, became the means of a general awakening 
 and eventually led to the Reformation. — But with the Jews 
 there was no remedial process of this sort in existence. — 
 Separated from intercourse with other nations; shut up 
 within the limits of their own prejudices, they had no 
 means of escaping from the bondage which the Talmudical 
 writers had imposed ; and every year that passed rivetted 
 the chains by which they were held in slavery. But the 
 mind itself suffers by the restraint which is imposed on its 
 operations, just as the body is stinted of its fair propor- 
 tions, if not allowed to expand itself freely, and to yield to 
 the tendency of growth ; and the intellect of a people may 
 be so affected by the arbitrary limits placed on public edu- 
 cation, that it shall either sink into weakness, or else shall 
 be found to waste its strength in laborious triflings and un- 
 profitable acuteness. 
 
 The Volume before us exhibits a painful but instructive 
 instance of this sort of effect. We see here the wisdom of 
 that people, which was once the source of light to mankind, 
 occupied about such observances as that of Phylacteries, and 
 accumulating such a mass of trifles as the Six Hundred and 
 Thirteen Precepts. We may say, in contemplating such a 
 spectacle. Lord, what is man! and we must turn away 
 humbled and confounded by this exhibition of human 
 weakness; but we must not neglect to mark the cause 
 which has produced this degradation, and to watch against 
 its operation on ourselves. It would indeed appear as if the 
 Jewish people was ordained under every dispensation to offer 
 examples to others ; exhibitions of the goodness of God or 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 of His severity ; instances of the elevation to which man 
 may be raised by the influence of the Spirit, or of the 
 degradation to which he may be reduced when allowed to 
 follow the leadings of his own perverted intellect, and left 
 for a season to himself. But in either case the lesson 
 which God is pleased to give should be studied and noted ; 
 and if we see, as in the present volume, the extent of 
 error to which man can be sunk with regard to the effi- 
 cacy of ceremonial observances, and his bhndness as to 
 moral truth ; and find the error and the blindness alike 
 proceeding from undue respect to traditional knowledge ; 
 we may gain a godly jealousy of all such unauthorised 
 additions to the rule of life, and may be led to watch 
 with greater diligence against all encroachments on the 
 word of truth. 
 
 H. R. 
 
LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. 
 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT, 
 
 IIis Grace The Lord Archbishop of York. 
 
 His Grace The Lord Archbishop of Armagh. 
 
 The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of Durham. 
 
 The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of Chester. 
 
 The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of Bangor. 
 
 The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of Ripon. (2 copies.) 
 
 The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of St. David's. 
 
 The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of Meatii. (2 copies.) 
 
 The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of Kildare. 
 
 Acland, Lady, Killerton. 
 
 Adair, Miss, Miltown grange. 
 
 Annisley, Countess, Donard Lodge. 
 
 Archer, Rev. W., Newcastle, Ireland. 
 
 Ashley, Right. Hon. Lord, iM.P. (3 c.) 
 
 Awdry, Rev. E., Chippenham. 
 
 Ayling, Rev. H., Guildford. 
 
 Bagot, Rev. D., Edinburgh. 
 
 Ball, Miss, Dublin. 
 
 Ball, Miss M., Dublin. 
 
 Ball, Miss L., Dublin. 
 
 Barber, Rev. — , Louth. 
 
 Barclay, Rev. J. T. 
 
 Baring, Rt. Hon. Sir T., Bart. (5 copies.) 
 
 Barker, Rev. S. C, York. 
 
 Barne, Rev. H., Seend, nr. Melksham. 
 
 Bascorabe, Rev. — , Colbourne. 
 
 Batchellor, Rev. — , Downside, 
 
 Bates, Rev. J. E., Brighton. 
 
 Batty, — , Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 Bay lee. Rev. J., Woodside. 
 
 Beaky, Dr., Bath. 
 
 Beamish, Rev. H. H., London. 
 
 Beaufort, Dowager Duchess of, (2 cop.) 
 
 Beaufort, Rev. D. A., London. 
 
 Benn, Rev. J., Portarlington. 
 
 Bickersteth, Rev. E., Watton. 
 
 Bigging, Mrs., Bath. 
 
 Bingham, Rev. R., Gosport. 
 
 Birks, Rev. T. R., Fell. T. C. Camb. 
 
 Blackburn & Whalley Clerical Society. 
 
 Blackeney, — , Esq. 
 
 Boutflower, Rev. H. C, Bury, Lane. 
 
 Boutflower, C. Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 Brodie, Mrs,, Liverpool. 
 
 Brooks, Rev. J. W., Retford. 
 
 Brown, Rev. T. B. L., Flint. 
 
 Bryans, R. Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 Bryans, Rev. F., Backford. 
 
 Buddicom, Rev. R. P., P. of St, Bees. 
 
 Bush, Rev. C. S., Runcorn. 
 
 Butler, Rev. W., Liverpool. 
 
 Cameron, Rev. C, Dudley. 
 
 Campbell, Rev. Dr. J,, Forkhill. 
 Carleton, F, Esq., Sydenham. 
 Carhton, Mrs., Sydenham. 
 Carr, Rev. — 
 Carter, Rev. T., Liverpool. 
 Cams, Rev. VV., Cambridge. 
 Cashel, Rev. F., Forkhill. 
 Caulson, W. Esq., Lisburne. 
 Cholmondeley,MosrHon. Marquess (2c) 
 Cholmondeley, Marchioness of. 
 Cholmeley, Mrs., Howsham, nr, York. 
 Churchill, Rev. — , Strickland. 
 Clarke, Rev. W., Chester. 
 Clarke, W. Esq., Queens' Coll. Camb, 
 Claughton, Rev. J. L., Kidderminster. 
 Cleaver, Mr. W. T., London, 
 Colborne, Rev. J., Marston Sicca. 
 Coldwell, Rev. W. E., Stafford. 
 Colter, Rev, J. R., Coachford. 
 Connor, Rev. R., Liverpool. 
 Cooke, Dr., Cheltenham. 
 Cooke, Miss., York. 
 Coote, Rev. A,, Chester. 
 Copeland, H. Esq., Liverpool. 
 Copeland, J. Esq., York. 
 Cornwall, Rev. A. G., Beverstone. 
 Cotton, Very Rev. J. H., Dean of 
 
 Bangor. 
 Crag, Rev. S., Liverpool. 
 Crisp, Mr. J,, Liverpool. 
 Croft, T. Esq., HolywelL 
 Crowther, Rev. H., Newport. 
 Cully, Rev. J,, Shrewsbury, 
 Cunliffe, Rev, J., Wrexham. 
 Daniel, Rev. A., Frome. 
 Danson, W. Esq., Liverpool. 
 Danson, W. Jun. Esq., Liverpool. 
 Dansou, Miss, Liverpool. 
 Darley, Rev. J. R„ Dungannon. 
 Davies, Rev. J., Worcester. 
 Davies, Rev. M., Connah's Quay. 
 Day, Rev. M. F., Dublin. 
 De Grey, Countess. 
 
LIST OF SUBSCIUDERS. 
 
 XVII 
 
 Davies, Rev. S., Chester, 
 Denison, iVIrs., Bramham Biggin. 
 Dixon, Rev. R, V. ; F. T. C. D. (2. c.) 
 Dowgan, Miss, Bath, (3 copies.) 
 Downall, Rev. J., Kidderminster. 
 Druramond, Rev. S. R., Brighton. 
 Durainville, Mr., Chester. 
 Dusautoy, Rev. W. S. O., Frome. 
 Eaton, Rev. T., Canon of Chester. 
 Ehdon, Rev. T., Billingham, Durham 
 Eccles, John, Esq., Leyland. 
 Eldridge, J. Esq , Newport. 
 El wall, Mr., Chester, (2 copies.) 
 Erskine, Rev. H. M., Northampton. 
 Ewbank, Rev. W., Liverpool. 
 Fairclough, T. C. Esq., Liverpool. 
 Fallon, Rev. J. M., Oswestry. 
 Falloon, Rev. W. M., Liverpool, 
 Farquhar, Sir Walter, Bart, 
 Fenner, Rev. T. P., St. Ives. 
 Ferguson, Mrs. R., Carlisle, 
 Ferris, Rev. — , Liverpool. 
 Finch, Lady Louisa. 
 Fluitt, Mrs., Birkenhead. 
 Folliott, Rev. J., Chester. 
 Fortescue, Mrs., Miltowngrangc. 
 France, Rev. T., Davenham. 
 Gardner, Rev. A. D., Holywell, 
 Gascoyne, Mrs., Mickleton. 
 Geneste, Rev. M., Covves, I. W. 
 Gerrard, J. Esq., Castle Bellingham. 
 Girdlestone, Rev. E., Deaneur. Bolton. 
 Glascott, Mrs. J., Killvan. 
 Glynne, Sir S. R., Bart. M.P. 
 Goodhart, Rev. C. J., Reading. 
 Gore, Miss L., Clifton. 
 Grantham, J. Esq., Liverpool. (4 cop.) 
 Granville, G. B. Esq., Chester. 
 Graves, Rev. — , Devizes. 
 Greene, Miss, Wittington Hall. 
 Green, T. Esq., Oxford. 
 Green, Rev. W., Birkin. 
 Grimshawe,Rev.T. S., Burton Latimer. 
 Groom, Rev. J., Padihara. 
 G. — , Miss J. 
 
 Hadfield, S. Esq., Warrington. 
 Hall, Rev. C, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 
 Hall, Rev. J., Bristol. 
 Harcourt, Miss, York. 
 Harcourt, Capt., R. N., York. 
 Harrison, Rev- M., Corp. Chr. Col. Ox. 
 Harrison, Rev, T., Stafford. 
 Hastings, Rev, H,, Areley- -Kings. 
 Haworth, Miss, Sharpies Hal!, Bolton, 
 Haworth, Rev. James, Chester. (2 cop.) 
 Hay, Miss, Dundalk. 
 Hayes, W. Esq., St. Bees' College. 
 Healy, Mr. E., Liverpool. 
 Herbert, Rev. H., Chippenham. 
 Heron, Mrs., Liverpool. 
 Hervey, Rt. Hon. & Rev. Lord Arthur 
 
 Hesketh, Miss, Leamington. (2 copies.) 
 
 Heslop, Rev. R. 
 
 Higgins, C. Jan. Esq., Turvey Hall. 
 
 Hill, Viscountess, 
 
 Hillier, Mrs, H,, Melksham. 
 
 Hirschel, Rev. R. H., London: 
 
 Hobson, Rev. S., Batley Priory, Suffolk. 
 
 Hodgson, Rev. J. S., Brinklow Rectory. 
 
 Hoisted, J, D. Esq., T.C.D. 
 
 Horlock, Rev, H. D. C. S., Box. 
 
 Horncaslle Clerical Library. 
 
 Home, Rev.T. H., Canon of St. Paul's. 
 
 Horsford, Rev. — , Downside. 
 
 Horton, Rev, J. T,, Ormskirk. 
 
 Houghton, W Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 Houghton, Mrs., Ijiverpool. 
 
 Houghton, Miss, Liverpool. 
 
 Howard, J. Esq., Liverpool, 
 
 Hume, Rev. S., Melksham. 
 
 Hume, Mrs, J,, Melksham. 
 
 Hume, Miss C, Melksham. 
 
 Hutton, Rev. T. P., Sydenham. 
 
 Hutton, Mrs,, Sydenham. 
 
 Irwine, Rev. A. P., London. 
 
 James, Mr. Horatio, Bath, 
 
 Jessep, Rev. — , Black Rock. (2 cop.) 
 
 Jones, Rev. H,, Northop, 
 
 Jones, Rev. H., Bagillt. 
 
 Jones, Mr. J,j Chester. 
 
 Jones, Mr. J., Upton. 
 
 Joseph, Rev. H. S„ Missionary to the 
 
 Jews in England, 
 Kavanah, Lady Harriette,Goresbridge. 
 Keeling, T, Esq., Runcorn. 
 Kelly, Rev. J., Stillorgan. 
 Kilvert, Rev. R,, Chippenham. 
 Kinnaird, The Hon, Arthur. 
 Kirkpatrick, A, Esq,, Dublin. 
 Knyvett, F. Esq., Chester. 
 Lazarus, Mr. J. G., Liverpool. 
 Lea, W, Esq., Liverpool. 
 Lee, Rev. W., T.C.D. 
 Leslie, Rev, E , Dromore. 
 Limerick, Rev. J,, Shrewsbury. 
 Lingard, E. Esq., Runcorn. 
 Longueville, J. L, Esq., Oswestry. (2 c.) 
 Loretf, Rev. R., Bath, 
 Lowdis, Rev. J., Chippenham. 
 Machin, Miss, Wondyales, Dorset. 
 Maples, W. Esq., Liverpool. 
 Marsh, Rev, Dr,, Leamington. (2 c) 
 Marrahle, W, Esq., T. C. Dublin. 
 Marsden, Rev. W, B., Chester, 
 Massie, Rev, R., Eccleston. 
 Matthews, Rev. J,, Chippenham. 
 Al'Caul, Rev, Dr. A., Principal of the 
 
 Hebrew College, London. 
 M'Caubland, D, Esq., Dublin. 
 M'Clelland, — Esq, 
 M'Coukey, Rev, A., Liverpocd. 
 M'Gralh, Rev, H, W,, Manchester. 
 
XVlll 
 
 LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. 
 
 M'Neile, Rev. Hugh, Liverpool. 
 Meade, Rev. R. G., Frome. 
 Methuen, Rev- — , Devizes, 
 Meyler, Rev. W., Prescot. 
 Middleton, — , Esq. 
 Minchin, Miss, Stillorgan. 
 Money, Rev. J. D., Sternfield Rectory. 
 Moore, Mrs. W. H. 
 Mounsey, G. G. Esq., Carlisle. 
 Myers, Mr. A. M., Baruet. (3 copies,] 
 M'Ewen, Rev. A., Melksham, 
 
 M'llvaine, Rev. W., Belfast. 
 M'Trar, J. Esq., Schol. T. C. Dublin. 
 Nolan, Rev. T., Liverpool. 
 Odair, G. Esq., Bellgrove. 
 Oldham, Rev. J. R., Birmingham. 
 Ollendorff, Mr. A., London. 
 Olpherts, Rev. R., Charlestown, 
 Orton, Rev. Dr. F., Hope, Derbyshire. 
 Osborn, Rev. W. C. Melksham. 
 Ould, Rev. F. Liverpool. 
 
 HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF PRUSSIA. 
 
 Parry, Rev. F., Liverpool, 
 
 Parry, Mrs., Liverpool. 
 
 Palmer, Rev. W., Worcester Col. Oxf. 
 
 Perbrick, Rev. L., Chippenham. 
 
 Peachy, Rev. J., Kirdford, Sussex, 
 
 Pearson, Very Rev. H. N., Deau of 
 
 Salisbury, 
 Penfold,Rev. Dr. G. S., Dor. Sq, Lond. 
 Peill, Rev, J. N., F. Q. C. Cambridge. 
 Penson, Rev. P., Durham. 
 Phillips, Rev. G., Fell. & T. of Q. C. C. 
 Picton, Rev. J,, Milwich. 
 Porter, IMiss Eliza, Chester. 
 Porter, Miss Ellen, Chester. 
 Preston, Rev. M. M.jCheshunt, Herts 
 Price, Miss, York. 
 Prosser, Rev. — . 
 Raikes, Rev. H., Chancellor of the 
 
 Diocese of Chester. (2 copies.) 
 Ramadgc, Mrs, 
 Ramadge, Miss. 
 
 Reddall, Rev. T., Stoke upon Trent. 
 Rcichardt, Rev. J., London. 
 Reynolds, Rev. J. J., London. 
 Rice, Mrs,, Fair ford. 
 Richards, Rev. R., Caerwys. 
 Richards, Rev. C, ^^^, Lichfield. 
 Richardson, Rev. T.,York. 
 Rigby, J. Esq., Liverpool. 
 Rose, Rt. Hon. Sir G. H., M.P. 
 Roberts, Mrs., Bath. 
 Roberts, Major, Lymington, 
 Rotter, Lieut. Col. 
 Kounthwaite, R, Esq., Liverpool. 
 Royds, Rev. C. S., Houghton. 
 Russell, Rev. E., Pontrefact. 
 Russell, Rev. W. B., Turvey. 
 Russel, Mr. Bath. (2 copies.) 
 Sadleir, Rev. Dr , Prov.ofT.C. Dublin 
 Sadleir, Rev. W. D., F. T. C. Dublin, 
 Sandon, Right Hon. Lord, M.P. 
 Savage, Rev. C. S., Tamworth. 
 Scott, Miss A., Penrith. 
 Settle, Rev. S., Winterborne, 
 Sharkley, Rev. J., York. 
 Simpson, Rev. R., Newark. 
 Singer, Rev, Dr. J. H., F. T, C. Dub 
 Skinner, Mr. J., London. 
 Smelt, Rev. M., Hinden, Sussex. 
 
 Smith, Mrs., Walter's Land. 
 
 Spcnce, Riv. J.,East Kel, Lincolnshire. 
 
 Spencer, Rev. P., Ewell, nr. Dover. 
 
 Spranger, Rev. Dr., Low Toynton Line. 
 
 Stainforth, Rev. R , Ponlefract. 
 
 Stephenson, Rev. J. H., Southport. 
 
 Stone, Rev. W., Newcastle under Iiyne. 
 
 Stubbs, Rev. J. H., Dromiskin. (2 c.) 
 
 Sawyer, Rev.W.G.,Dalby on the Wolds. 
 
 Taltershall, Rev. Dr. T., Liverpool. 
 
 Tayler, Rev. C. B., Chester. 
 
 Tciylor, Rev. R. A., Bristol. 
 
 Teed, Mrs,, Kensington. (3 copies.) 
 
 Temple, Rev. I., PJerastall. 
 
 Thackeray, Rev. E., Dundalk. 
 
 Thackeray, Dr., Chester. 
 
 Thomas, Rev. A., Dublin. 
 
 Thomas, Rev. D., York. 
 
 Thomps«»u, — , Esq., Tamworth. 
 
 Thornycroft, Rev. J., Macclesfield. 
 
 Thorpe, Major^ (2 copies.) 
 
 Tinunins, Miss, Cheltenham. 
 
 Tomlin, Mr. J., Bangor. 
 
 Townsend, Rev. G., Canon of Durham. 
 
 Trail, Rev. Dr. 
 
 Trevor, Miss 
 
 Trotter, Capt., Barnet. 
 
 Turner, Rev. H. J., Hinley. 
 
 Turner, Mr. J., Liverpool. 
 
 Twist, Rev. J. W., Newchurch. 
 
 Tweddell, Rev. R., Halton. 
 
 Vale, Rev. W.H.,Kcclesallnr. Sheffield. 
 
 Walker, Miss, York. 
 
 Wall, Rev. Dr. \Y. S., V. T. C. Dublin. 
 
 Warden, W. Esq., Chester. 
 
 Ware, Rev. J. Wyverstone, nr. Ixworth. 
 
 Watson, Dr., Liverpool. 
 
 Watson, Mr., York. 
 
 Watts, Rev, J, W., Devizes. 
 
 West, Rev. J. T. E., Stoak. 
 
 Wheatlev, Mr J,, Liverpool. 
 
 Whilby,' Rev. E., Stafford. 
 
 White, Rev. J, E., Chester. 
 
 Wilkinson, Rev. — , Downside. 
 
 Wing, Rev. J., Sievington, Bedfordsli. 
 
 Wolferden, E. Esq., Dublin. 
 
 Woodroffe, Rev. T., Colborne, I. W. 
 
 Wright, Rev. J., Latchford. 
 
 Young, Kev. E. N., Quainton 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PiiEFACE Bif Rev. Chancellor 
 
 Raikes , V 
 
 List of Subscribers xvi 
 
 Memoir of the Author [i] 
 
 Introduction [xi] 
 
 Importance of Controversy with the Jews. 
 Very little written on the subject from 8th 
 to 15th cent., [xiii]. Fierce Persecution of 
 the Jews. List of Polemic writers, [xv] 
 Fundamental Principles of Mo- 
 dern Judaism 1 
 
 I. Are Phylacteries properly inferred 
 from the passages of Scripture adduced 
 
 by the Hobbies ? I 
 
 Three Precepts, y\z. Phylacteries, Fringes, 
 and the Sign on the Door Posts are said by 
 Modern Jews to be " The Fundamental 
 Principles of Judaism," and "coeval with 
 its institution,'' 1. Totaphoth {Frontlets) 
 mean Ornaments, and not Phylacteries, 3. 
 So Prov. 3. 3, &c. Jigurative not literal. 
 T'phillin, from palal, to pray, not from ta- 
 phal, to adhere, a. Justin Martyr. Jerome, 7. 
 Phyl. not mentioned in Prophets, Apocry- 
 pha, or Yosephiu ben Goorion. Josephus. 
 Caraites never ustid Phylacteries, 8. 
 
 II. Ifow do modern Jews obey the pre- 
 cepts contained in the 4 passages re- 
 Jhredto, viz. Ex. 13, 9, 16; -Dent. 
 
 0.8; II. 18? 9 
 
 Phylactery for arm is a leathern box, 
 containing slip of parchment, on which are 
 written 4 passages, Ex. 13. I — 10; 11 — 16; 
 Deut. 6. 4—9; 1 1. 13—21. Mode of making 
 Phylactery for head, 10. " It is more 
 criminal to teach any thing contrary to the 
 ordinances of the Scribes than against the 
 written law." So Papists elevate the Pope 
 above the law of God," 12. (13 Rules of the 
 Cabalists for discovering mysteries of the 
 law, 13.) Mode of making Ph. for arm, 14. 
 Taguin, 19. Maabarta, Kcsher, 20. R'tsuoth 
 not mentioned in law of Moses, 21. 
 
 III. The mode of using Phylacteries by 
 
 modern Jews 23 
 
 Every male child bound to use Phylac 
 
 teries when he is 13 years and 1 day old, 23. 
 Then called Bar Mitswah. Time and mode 
 of putting on, 25. Prayers used. 
 
 IV. The blasphemous and profane Ab- 
 surdities connected ivith the use of 
 
 Phylacteries 28 
 
 Talmud says Jehovah wears Phylac- 
 teries ! Lipman interprets this Jiguratively, 
 but Jarchi literally, 29. Women, servants 
 and little ones exempt from use of Ph., 13. 
 Ph. examined once a year, 32. To be dis- 
 carded, if a joi or tittle is erased. 
 
 V. 'The estimation in ivhich Phylacteries 
 
 are held, as Amulets, Charms, ^c. . . 33 
 Considered as charms to drive away evil 
 spiiits, thoughts, &c. like Popish Scapular, 
 34. Foreign Jews generally connect the 
 appellation of Christianity with the impious 
 idolatry of Popery, 36. Israelites regarded 
 the golden calf as a medium of communica- 
 
 tion with God in the stead of Moses, 39. 
 Phylacteries, M^zuzah, and Fringes said to 
 preserve from sin, 38; and even to atone 
 \^for sin, 40; and secure from hell fire, 41. 
 Exclusion from heaven, punishment for not 
 wearing Phylacteries, 43. 
 VI. The doctrine of the Trinity alluded 
 to in the Prayers offered up before 
 
 putting on the Phylacteries 46 
 
 Jews pronounce Jehovah as Adonai, be- 
 cause as long as they are in captivity, Fa/t (the 
 name of the Father) and Vah (the name of 
 the Son) are disjoined, 47. They pray that 
 these names may be united. The Son of 
 God {Bain)\& the source o( wisdom {Binah) ; 
 also the foundation and the pillar that upholds 
 the tcorld, {ZohsLr.) Sh^Clwtah a person in 
 the Deity, 48. 
 
 VI [. Fringes a precept of the ceremonial 
 law, and therefore used by our Lord ; 
 but the Rabbles blended the simple pre- 
 cept with extravagant superstition. 50 
 Jews commanded to \yea.Y Fringes on their 
 
 garments, to distinguish them from their 
 idolatrous neighbours. Jesus Christ ob- 
 served this precept, 52. Jehovah said to be 
 arrayed in a Talith, 54 ; with which He 
 covered Moses that the angels might not 
 hurt him, 65; and that He studies the Old 
 Testament by day and Mishnah by night ! 
 56. 
 
 VII [. The absurd fables connected with 
 
 the making of the Talith 57 
 
 To make the " ribband of blue," wool is 
 dyed in colours mixed with the black blood 
 of a blue snail, worm, or fish, Chalazon, 
 found in the Dead Sea. Threads to be spun 
 purposely for the fringes by appointed women 
 from white wool, shorn not pulled, 63. Oral 
 Law rightly called "Jewish Popery," 65. 
 Mysteries of threads, knots, &c. Precept 
 of Fringes equal to the 613 Precepts, 66. 
 Atarah [crown) is a, band sewn on the top 
 of the Talith, 68; presented by bride to 
 bridegroom. Talith Gadol or Great Talith 
 worn during prayers ; Talith Katon or Small 
 Talith, or Arba Canforth, during whole day, 
 as inner garment, 69. 
 IX. The Rabbinical Talith bears a close 
 affinity to the Popish Scapular, in 
 
 its supposed virtues 71 
 
 {Note. — Mysteries of Oral Law. False 
 charge against the .Tews that they use 
 Christian blood in their Passover, Protest 
 of 60 converted Jews.) Small Talith said 
 to make wearer's body a chariot for the 
 Sh'chinah, cleanse the soul, &c. 72. Folly, 
 sophistry, superstition, &c. of Oral Law 
 Modern Judaism very like Popery. Both, 
 claim an Oral Law, 73 n. Prayer, whilst 
 fringes are examined, 76. Pasul, or worthless, 
 if 2 threads are torn off. Popish Scapular, 
 like Rabbinical Talith, is said to be of 
 divine appointment — to secure eternal sal- 
 vation, shorten purgatory, restore the sick, 
 bewitched, &c. 78. Simon Stock, probably 
 
XX 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 a Jew forced to embrace Christianity, is 
 supposed to have invented the Scapular^ 
 A.D. 1251, as a substitute for the Talith, 
 79. Polish Jews wear Talith on the head, 
 but English Jews carelessly on shoulders, 
 like a scarf, 80. Ceremonies of kissing 
 fringes, &c. to avert blindness, anger, &,c., 
 82. So Papists kiss the crucifix, &c. 
 {Note, 84. Chief Jewish Literary Societies — 
 1. Bahy'onian Talmud Society read 36 
 Treatises in 7 years. MishnaJi was com- 
 piled from opinions of about 170 Rabbles 
 by R. Jehuda, about A.D. 230. About a 
 century afterwards R. Jehochanan of Ti- 
 berias compiled the G^mara, being the 
 opinions of about 200 Rabbles, explanatory 
 of the Mishnah. Both together form the 
 Jerusalem l^almud, 86, About A.D. 512, 
 Rabina and llab Ashi compiled opinions 
 of about 1300 of the learned meu of the 
 Persian and Babylonian Schools, and called 
 them G'mara, which with the Mishnah form 
 the Babylonian Talmud. — 2. Mishnah So- 
 ciety read Mishnah in 3 years, 87. Its 
 reading supposed to alleviate tortures in 
 purgatory. — 3. Ain Jacob Society read 
 Ayadoth, or absurd and indecent fables of 
 Talmud. 4. Scripture Society rcAd Scriptures 
 daily with commentaries, 88, (Young men 
 often form Chevrah Tanach to read Bible 
 without comment. Tlie " S. P, C. amongst 
 the Jews" have aided this movement against 
 Rabbinism, 89.) — 5. Law Society read 
 Pentateuch with Cabalistic comments,) Jews 
 must not enter a burying place with fringes 
 uncovered, 85. 
 
 X. The virtues and merits attributed to 
 
 the Frinyes and Talith 91 
 
 Neglect of Talith to be punished in 
 Purgatory, 92. Wearing Fringes, like Popish 
 Scapular, remedy against dangers, evil 
 spirits, &c. Ben Yah (the Son of God,) 99. 
 
 XI. Ttic idolatrous superstitions con- 
 nected with the M^zuzah, or Siyn on 
 
 the Door Posts 100 
 
 They write Deut. 6, 4—9; 11, 13—20, 
 on parchment, 103; and Shadai^ and the 
 names of 3 angels '* Coozu,'^ " B'muchsaz,'' 
 and " Coozuy' outside, 104. Many Jews, 
 on going out, kiss the M'zuzah, &c. ; (so 
 Papists kiss and adore relics, &c,) : and 
 say, " In your name, C, B., and C, may I 
 go and prosper;'' (so Papists pray to angels,) 
 Fixed on right of every door, except of 
 synagogue, college, bath, &c,, 105. Women, 
 servants, and children exempt from Phylac- 
 teries and Fringes, but not from M'zuzah, 
 
 106. Private M'zuzah examined twice in 
 7 years; public M'zuzah, twice in jubilee, 
 
 107. Decayed M'zuzah, Phylacteries, &c. 
 buried with great men. M'zuzah, said to 
 prolong life, keep away evil spirits, un- 
 pleasant dreams, &c., 108, 1 1 1. Sh'Chinah 
 represented by & perfect M'zuzah, 109. 
 Intuoduction to the 613 Pre- 
 cepts 115 
 
 The 613 Precepts divided into 248 
 
 affirmative, and 365 negative, 116, Com- 
 mitted to memory, tet. 6 or 7. Called 
 Torath Katon, or The Law in Miniature, 1 17 
 
 The 613 Puecepts 118—192 
 
 Address to the House of Israel. 193 
 
 Israelites called upon Moses to be the 
 Mediator between them and God, 194. God 
 promised to raise up a Prophet like unto 
 Moses, 196, Jews now witiiout a king, 
 high priest, sacrifice, &c. Joshua was not 
 the Prophet like unto Moses, 199. Nor 
 Jeremiah, 200, Nor Elijah. But Jesus, 201. 
 When Jews rejected Jesus, grievous woes 
 came upon them, 202. Confession of sins 
 durinaf Slichoth and on 9th Ab, 203. 
 Striking resemblance between Moses and 
 Jesus, 206. Both hid in infancy — fled from 
 persecution, 2(>7, — "filled with wisdom'' — 
 vanquished devices of Satan, &c. Both 
 lawgivers ; kings, 208 ; priests, 210 ; 
 prophets; foretold calamities of Jews, 21 1, 
 &c. Both taught unity of God in tho 
 precept " Hear, O Israel: the liOrd our God 
 is one Lord,'' 210. (A converted Jew might 
 utter this passage on his death bed without 
 renouncing Christianity.) Jews wrongly 
 apply Deut. 13. to Jesus, for Ho taught 
 worship of tho true God, not of false gods, 
 212. Jews bound to hearken unto Jesus, 
 for His words came to pass, 213, Ho 
 warned them against false Messiahs, 215. 
 List of false Messiahs from Leslie. Jesus 
 foretold His own deatli, 218; and the perse- 
 cution of His disciple8,2 1 9, (Converted Jews 
 are now grievously persecuted by their un- 
 believing brethren, 220. Thus R. Moses ; 
 Mr. Cohen, &.%, 22L) Foretold that He 
 should have a Churcii and people, 221. 
 Christianity of Jewish origin, 222. 
 An Address to Christians 225 
 
 Jews have been eminent promoters of 
 science and literature, 227, Shem said to 
 have taught Theology, Jurisprudence, As- 
 tronomy, &.c. on Mt. Tabor, 230. Abraham 
 probably called Hebrew, because he was a 
 disciple of Heber, 231. Jewish learning 
 survived destruction of Jerusalem, 235, 
 Jews persecuted by nominal Christians, 236. 
 Condemned to slavery in Spain, in 7th 
 Cent, 237. Caliphs encouraged Jewish 
 literature. Nearly 700 works written by 
 Spanish Jews from 10th to l.5th century. 
 Benefits conferred on Europe by their 
 studies, 238. Jewish commentaries aided 
 Reformation, 241. e. g. Nicholas Do 
 Lyra, R, S, H'Levi. List of Hebrew poeti- 
 cal works suitable for the University Course, 
 243; by Gabirol, M. Aben Ezra, Nagid, 
 Judah ; Helevi, A. Aben Ezra, 244 ; 
 Nagera, Alcophni, Hap'nini, 245; Penso, 
 liuzaty, 246. Specimen of Hebrew poetry 
 from Wessely, 248. List of Hebrew Com- 
 mentaries for University Course, 251 ; by 
 Gaon, Jarchi, A. Aben Ezra, Kirachi, 252 ; 
 Ralbag, Aberbanel, 253. Other Hebrew 
 works, 254; by VVessely ; Maimouides,255; 
 Mori, Albo, 256. 
 
MEMOIR. 
 
 Having been requested by many of the Subscribers to the following 
 Work, to give some account of the manner in which I was brought up, 
 and also of the way in which it pleased the Father of all mercies, who 
 hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner, to lead me to a knowledge of 
 Him who came to seek and to save those that were lost ; I trust that my 
 motives in complying with this request will not be misunderstood. 
 
 We read in the New Testament that the great Apostle to the Gentiles, 
 who was also " a Hebrew of the Hebrews," was led several times to give a 
 short sketch of his manner of life from his youth (Acts 26. 4.) — of his 
 education, and also of God's calling him by His grace and revealing His 
 Son in him ; especially when he was called upon to give a reason of his 
 faith in the Lord Jesus, when engaged in controversy with his brethren 
 after the flesh, (Acts 22.) in order that the unbelieving Jews might not 
 gainsay the motives of his conversion. 
 
 As the object of the following work is to try to convince my Jewish 
 brethren of the truth of Christianity, I shall, therefore, follow the foot- 
 steps of Saul of Tarsus, and also comply with the requests of my dear 
 friends, and give here a very brief sketch of my history, showing that I 
 have not renounced the errors of Modern Judaism without mature and 
 prayerful investigation, and a firm conviction of the truth of Christianity, 
 to which I humbly trust I have been brought by the gracious influences 
 of God's Holy Spirit. The Lord, through His infinite mercy, has caused 
 me to pass from death unto life, and from the power of darkness into the 
 marvellous light of Christ Jesus. And I do earnestly pray that sinners 
 may see that the Lord is no respecter of persons, and that He " said not 
 to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain,'* (Is. 45. 19.) I do also earnestly 
 implore my God and my Saviour to keep me by His grace from any self- 
 seeking ; for I am daily more and more convinced that Satan, the enemy 
 of our peace with God, is always on the alert for an opportunity to draw 
 our attention from the things above to the things beneath. 
 
 In the end of the year 1818 I was bom in Poland, in a town called 
 Suwalki, of Jewish parents, and was brought up in all the strict observances 
 of my forefathers. When I was four years old, I was sent to a school, 
 and began to learn to read Hebrew. In the course of two months I was 
 able to read, but did not know the meaning of what I was reading. I 
 may mention one remarkable incident that happened about this time. I 
 
 [b] 
 
[ii] MEMOIR. 
 
 was one day reading at school the 24th Psalm, and coming to the 8th 
 verse — « Who is the kmg of glory ? The Lord strong and mighty," I 
 was very much struck with the expression t*)!^ niJl'' Yehovah Ezuz, 
 ("the Lord strong.") I knew very well that Yehovah signified Lord, 
 but I did not know that Ezuz signified strong ; and moreover, Ezuz is 
 the Polish pronunciation for Jesus. On coming home from school, my 
 father generally asked me — " What do you know more to day than yester- 
 day ?" I replied — " I found a very strange thing when reading the 24th 
 Psalm ; that is, that the Jewish and Gentile Gods stand together :" and 
 pointed out to my father Yehovah Ezuz. ]VIy father was terrified at the 
 idea : of course he did not blame me for it ; he knew that my ignorance 
 made me think so ; but he gave me a long lesson on the great danger of 
 defiling my lips and my thoughts with this unholy name ; and pointed 
 out to me the numberless images and crucifixes, and told me they were 
 the idols which neither see nor hear, and that the Gentiles called them 
 Ezuz. He moreover told me that by mentioning the name of Jesus 
 (which I feel now in the amplest magnitude of signification to mean 
 my Saviour), I violated the express command of God : — " Make no men- 
 tion of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." 
 (Exod. 23. 13. Josh. 23. 7.) From that day forward the name Jesus 
 haunted me. I was unhappy whenever this psalm came in my way ; I 
 folded the leaf in my Psalter to avoid reading it ; but this was of no use, 
 for the effect reminded me of the cause, especially on the day of atone- 
 ment, when every strict Jew repeats the whole Psalter ; in short, the 
 name of Jesus gave no rest to my soul, until I found that " to know Him 
 is life eternal " 
 
 After remaining about six months at this school, I had a tutor in my 
 father's house until I was nine years old ; and durmg this time I read 
 the Bible with the different Jewish Commentaries (see pp. 250, 251). I 
 was then sent to Rabbi Jacob's school at Preroshla, ten English miles 
 from my native town. He was a very celebrated man, and at his school 
 I commenced the laborious study of the Talmud. I devoted most of my 
 time to it ; in fact, I was made a slave to it. Then it was that I began 
 to rise at half-past four o'clock in the morning, and never went to bed on 
 Thursday night, sitting up and repeating what we had studied during 
 the week. All the students, though very young, were most ambitious to 
 excel one another. I made rapid progress in the study of the Talmud. 
 My father also engaged private teachers to instruct me in the Polish, 
 Russian, and German languages. After I had been a year in the above- 
 mentioned school, I was sent to a school at Grodno, of which Rabbi 
 Chayim, a great and celebrated man, was the principal instructor. I 
 
MEMoi«. [iii]' 
 
 made great progress under his tuition, in the system of deciding and solv- 
 ing Rabbinical problems. 
 
 I finished my Babbinical education, at Kalwaryia, where I had an 
 opportunity of exercising practically the learning I gathered theoretically 
 in the former schools. A very memorable circumstance occurred to me 
 during my stay at that school. When I first came to Kalwaryia, I 
 formed an intimate acquaintance with two young men. They were older 
 than myself ; however we became closely united in the bonds of friendship. 
 We met every day after our laborious studies for the purpose of taking a 
 walk into the fields, when we spoke Hebrew exclusively, trying to acquire 
 a complete knowledge of the language, both by conversation and com- 
 position ; we also composed Hebrew verses, for which the summer fields 
 furnished us with ample matter. One afternoon they came to me, 
 unusually impatient for our walk. When I asked the reason of their 
 great hurry, they replied, " We have with us a new book, which has just 
 appeared, and which we should like to read in the beautiful cornfields." 
 Now we were used to peruse together every new Hebrew work that 
 appeared, but we never went out to the fields to read them ; I asked 
 therefore, " Why should we not read this new book here ?" They an- 
 swered, " We must take care to let no one know it." (Each of them had 
 a book and kept it under his coat.) Their fathers had purchased 
 Hebrew Bibles at Kdnisberg, from the Christian Missionary, who pre- 
 sented each of them with a copy of the Hebrew New Testament ;* and 
 those were the new books they wished me to read with them. But I 
 could not get a view of it till we were removed out of sight from the 
 town. Having made me promise not to betray them, one of them gave 
 me his copy to read.f I opened it, and began to read J1')"T71J1 1BV Ht 
 n^ti^DH ^y^i "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ." I asked, 
 " Who is that n^'ti^QJl ^')li^^ Yayshua HamasUach or Jesus Christ ? " 
 They replied, *« The God of the Gentiles which you see in every street and 
 highway nailed to a cross, and before which you see Gentiles kneeling and 
 praying." (See p. 36.) I made no further observation, but continued to 
 read, and finished the first chapter. I was pleased with the genealogy 
 on account of its Jewish character ; and forgetting everything else, I 
 thought I was reading some Jewish authentic book, and liked it very well, 
 
 * A Father could not bring his son a more acceptable present, when 
 he visited Konigsberg or Warsaw, than one of the Society's Bibles. (See 
 p. 88.) 
 
 t This was the first time I ever saw a New Testament ; for though I 
 studied very much the n2io« 'p^^r^ Chizuk Emunah, or « Defence of 
 Faith," (a work written by the celebrated Rabbi Isaac against Christian- 
 ity,) which contains many passages from the New Testament, yet I 
 never saw the fountain itself. 
 
[iv] MEMOIR. 
 
 until I came to the history of the birth of Jesus, when the words |*)i^ nirT* 
 Yehovah Ezuz came suddenly to my remembrance, and I began to fancy 
 that I was reading a soul-destroying book. I thought assuredly Satan's 
 devices are insurmountable, and I felt so uneasy and guilty for reading 
 that book, that I was almost beside myself. I threw the volume on the 
 ground with horror, crying to my companions, " Satan has succeeded in 
 making you his tools, in order that you may mislead me from God's 
 truth, and fix my attention on the God of the Gentiles, which can neither 
 speak, nor hear, nor see, &c. Away with that book, the destroyer of 
 my peace !"' When I returned to my room in the evening, I was not 
 able by any means to get rid of the thought of the New Testament and of 
 Yehovah Ezuz ; moreover it was the month EUul, in which all my nation 
 prepare themselves for the great day of atonement. (See p. 203.) Little 
 did I know then of the everlasting atonement, which was made once for 
 all, in the person of Jehovah Jesus, and fully contained in the doctrine of 
 the New Testament, to which the Spirit of the Lord began at my earliest 
 age to draw my attention. But alas ! blinded as I was, I rejected and 
 trampled upon it. Oh ! deservedly might I be excluded from ever 
 beholding the sunshine of His salvation, but blessed be His name, His 
 mercy endureth for ever ! I was miserable, thinking always that the 
 Lord had given me up entirely to Satan's devices : however, I determined 
 to serve God. 
 
 A short time after this occurrence took place I returned home and 
 for a time forgot my trouble, and was much more comfortable. I devoted 
 all my time to study, anxious to get a full stock of all kinds of information. 
 In the course of six months I heard that my two faithful companions 
 had embraced infidel principles, which consisted (as the Jews said) in 
 their reading the New Testament and being sceptical respecting the 
 divine origin of the Oral Law.* This disturbed my mind a little, but I 
 thanked God that in His mercy He had preserved me from being entrapped 
 in the same net. Two years afterwards I paid a visit to a relation of mine 
 at Wladyslawova. One Saturday, being in my room by myself, I found a 
 Hebrew New Testament. I determined to read some of it, in order to 
 see whether the Hebrew in it was pure. I opened it in the middle and 
 read a page ; I still remember what part I read. It was the 8th chapter 
 of the Gospel according to St. Luke. It made again a most remarkable 
 impression on my mind. I was all attention to what I was reading ; 
 but I soon recollected what I was about, and I was so much out of 
 patience with that besetting temptation, that I cut with a pen-knife the 
 
 * Both of them were baptized by the Rev .J. G. Bergfeldt, late Mission- 
 ary to the Jews at Kdnigsberg, A. D. 1840. 
 
MEMOIR. [v] 
 
 whole of the New Testament. I now determined never again during my 
 whole life to take up or open a New Testament. But, blessed be God ! 
 He says unto the children of Israel, " And that which cometh into your 
 mind shall not be at all." (Ezek. 20. 32.) And the Lord Jesus declares 
 " All that the Father giveth me shall come to me." (John 6. 37.) 
 
 Having obtained the reluctant consent of my parents that I should 
 visit France, I set out on ray travels in July, 1837. Having heard, how- 
 ever, on my arrival at Hamburgh, that a steam packet would leave that 
 place at the end of three hours and sail to England in forty-five hours, I 
 made up my mind to go to England before I visited France. I arrived 
 at Hull on the 11th of August. 
 
 Finding after a residence of about two months in England, that the 
 Jews generally were semi-infidels, and that I could not by any means 
 enjoy their company, I began to feel very miserable, and wished myself 
 back again in Poland. I came to Liverpool on a Friday, where I deter- 
 mined to write to my parents to acquaint them with my condition, and 
 give them an account of the ungodly English Jews, and at the same time 
 to ask them for money for my travelling expenses, in order to return 
 home. Hearing that there was a converted Jew there, Lazarus by name, 
 (who is now superintendent of the Liverpool Jewish Institution for 
 inquiring and converted Jews,) who was of good report even amongst the 
 unbelieving Jews, I determined that I would go and see him, as I wished 
 to take back to Poland a description of English Jewish converts to 
 Christianity. We soon began to discuss the Christian doctrines as con- 
 tained in the Old Testament. Mr. L. urged upon me to read the New 
 Testament, but I disdained the very name, from the circumstances above 
 mentioned. I left Mr. L. about ten o'clock on that Friday night, with 
 the intention of leaving Liverpool altogether, for my mind became 
 exceedingly disturbed in consequence of my visit to Mr. L. ; for my 
 conversation with him, the New Testament, and Jehovah Ezuz, were the 
 only objects of my meditation, whether I would or not. I thought, there- 
 fore, Liverpool would be a dangerous place for me, were I to remain 
 much longer there. Accordingly I left on the following Monday, with 
 the intention of going to London and waiting there for an answer from 
 my father, and then returning home. But our thoughts are not God's 
 thoughts. I went as far as Prescot, thinking all the way of the above 
 mentioned subjects, when all at once I determined to return to Liverpool, 
 and read the New Testament thoroughly, and settle my ever troubled 
 mind on this subject. Accordingly I came to Mr. L. on Monday evening 
 and asked him to lend me a Hebrew New Testament ; he immediately 
 complied with my request. For three days I did nothing else but read 
 the New Testament, in which time I perused it from the beginning to 
 
[vi] MEMOIK. 
 
 the end. Now the reading of the New Testament, as seen from the 
 above circumstances, was calculated to make a most powerful impression 
 upon my mind ; and after three days reading, I actually could not pro- 
 duce one single objection against it ; on the contrary, my mind became 
 filled with objections against modern Judaism. I began to inquire 
 sincerely and prayerfully from the sacred scriptures after the truth of 
 Christianity, and diligently compared the Old with the New Testament ; 
 and in the course of three weeks I was perfectly convinced that the 
 despised Nazerene was Yehovah Ezuz, (according to the impression I 
 received in my childhood.) A short time afterwards, the Lord in His 
 infinite mercies enabled me to feel the eflBcacy of Christ's atonement ; 
 and being no longer able to remain silent, I went among my Jewish 
 brethren whenever an opportunity was afforded me, and reasoned with 
 them out of the Scriptures of truth, opening and alledging that Messiah 
 must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead, and that Jesus 
 of Nazareth was the Messiah. I was introduced to the Rev. H. S. 
 Joseph, (now Missionary to the Jews in England) whose church I at- 
 tended and under whose ministry I profited much. He watched my conduct 
 very closely, and baptized me on Good Friday, April 13, 1838. 
 
 Immediately after my baptism I wrote to my dear parents, and gave 
 them the reasons of my embracing Christianity. I told them it would be 
 unadvisable for me to return to their house, since there was such an 
 important difference between us. I also told them, that they should not 
 think that my condition had become improved in consequence of my 
 embracing Christianity. Until I could make myself understood in 
 English, I was in very difficult circumstances. A few months after my 
 baptism I began to procure a livelihood by giving lessons in Hebrew. In 
 the course of two months I received letters from my father, mother, and 
 a young brother, containing most affectionate entreaties to return home, 
 and lamentations over my wretched condition. If the grace of God had 
 not sustained me, I could not have withstood these great temptations. 
 However, my young and zealous brother's letter afforded me some com- 
 fort ; in the first place I saw that the arguments adduced by him against 
 Christianity were very weak and inconclusive ; and, in the second place, 
 a door of correspondence on this important subject was opened to me. I 
 delayed not replying to them, telling them how much I felt when I first 
 read their affectionate letters ; but, at the same time I felt it my bounden 
 duty from the love I felt for them to present to their view the truth of 
 Christianity, as contained in Moses and the Prophets,* whether they 
 
 ; Q- ' 
 *My address to the Jews (see p. 189)' is the substance of a letter I have 
 written to my parents. 
 
ME.MOin. [vii] 
 
 would hear or forbear. However, my dear parents seeing that they 
 could not prevail upon me to renounce Christianity and to return to their 
 house, did not wish to have any further intercourse with me ; and ceased 
 to answer my letters. Still I persevered writing to them in my usual 
 course. About two years ago I received a most severe letter from my 
 father, telling me that if I did not return immediately to his house, I 
 should never be permitted to call myself his son, «Scc. and that he should 
 prohibit my writing to him any more ; also a heart rending letter from 
 my mother written in affectionate sadness. My young brother, who had 
 improved a great deal in Jewish learning, wrote me also a most learned 
 letter, attempting to shew that Christianity has not the least foundation 
 from the word of God, and that modem Judaism is the only true 
 religion. These letters were no small trial to one who loves his parents 
 above every earthly thing, but who is anxious to follow that Saviour who 
 pronounces every one to be unworthy of Him, who loves father or 
 mother, brother or sister, more than Him. But He, when my father and 
 my mother forsook me, took me up and sustained me under these trials. 
 
 Even these letters did not keep me back from writing to my dearest 
 parents and relations ; and it pleased the Lord to change their 
 minds towards me ; and I received letters from them written in a strain 
 quite beyond my sanguine expectation, and of which the following are 
 extracts : — 
 
 " My Dear Son, — I received thy last letter which revived my spirits ; 
 seeing, though I forbade thee several times (in severe terms,) to write to 
 me any more, still thou hast persevered in writing ; therefore I beg of 
 thee to pardon my past letters. And I assure thee for the future, that 
 as thou wast when at myjiouse the dearest of all thy brothers, and the 
 beloved of my soul, and my heart and soul's chief desire was to make thee 
 a chosen vessel in the sight of God and men ; with the same love and 
 affection I love thee still, and I will continue to do to my life's end. I 
 pray thee not to be displeased with me for the past. 
 
 Thy ever affectionate father, 
 
 "Gershon." 
 
 The following is an extract from my brother's letter : — 
 " I must acknowledge I do not find any unrighteousness in thy letters, 
 but, at the same time, they are beyond my comprehension ; therefore I 
 know not what to do, I have resolved, by the help of God, to come to 
 England, and to hear from thy mouth more of thy tenets, for I am very 
 anxious about them. That the Lord may bless thee, and be with thee, is 
 the prayer of thy affectionate brother, 
 
 "Herschell." 
 
[viii] MEMOIK. 
 
 These letters gave me much comfort, and afforded me a hope that they 
 will yet one day become obedient to the Saviour's affectionate invitation, 
 — " Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give 
 you rest." I am thankful to the Hearer of prayer that my hope has 
 been realized in some degree. Some of my very nearest and dearest rela- 
 tions have decidedly made up their minds to acknowledge Jesus as their 
 Saviour and their God ; though my dear father, (to use his own words) 
 is " as yet of a fixed opinion that I am wrong." Still he continues to cor- 
 respond with me in the most affectionate terms ; I would lift up my 
 heart unto the Lord, and say : — 
 
 " Hast Thou imparted to their souls 
 A living spark of heavenly fire ? 
 O kindle now the sacred flame, 
 
 And fill their hearts with pure desire." 
 
 I will now proceed to give as brief a sketch as possible of the Lord's 
 gracious dealings with me in this country since I embraced Christianity. 
 When I had been in Liverpool about five months, searching daily the 
 Scriptures, the friends of Israel established there an Institution for en- 
 quiring Jews. I was the first inmate in that Institution, but could only 
 remain there three months, according to the (then) rules. After that, 
 my Christian friends at Liverpool kindly recommended me to the Com- 
 mittee of the London Operative Jewish Institution, where I remained 
 five months, which I spent in acquiring a knowledge of the English 
 Language. The committee then thought that I was able to maintain my- 
 self by giving instruction in Hebrew and German. I returned to Liver- 
 pool, and providentially met with some pupils. I also had a great many 
 opportunities for visiting my Jewish brethren, and declaring unto them 
 the everlasting gospel. Still my sole desire was, to devote myself en- 
 tirely to labour in the Lord's vineyard. The more I was convinced of the 
 unsearchable riches of Christ, the more anxious I was to communicate 
 the same to my fellow-sinners. The Lord in His mercy began then to 
 pave the way for that step. I met with a kind Christian friend, who had 
 just then returned from India, where he was engaged in God's work ; he 
 began to teach me Greek and Latin, in which languages I made very 
 considerable progress. Some of my friends suggested that it would be a good 
 thing for me if I could go to some University ; that I might ultimately 
 obtain sacred orders in the Church of England, to which I was always 
 very much attached. There were a great many difficulties in my way, 
 almost insurmountable ; for the college expenses are very great, 
 and my dear father, (who never considered any expense too extravagant 
 where learning could be got,) would in this instance turn a deaf ear. 
 
MEMOIR. [ix] 
 
 and moreover oppose it to the uttermost. Indeed I never dared ask anv 
 assistance from him ; I was certain of the result. Hov/ever, this did not 
 hinder me from begining to read the classics necessary for entering the 
 University ; and the Lord soon raised me up a dear friend, who assisted 
 me in defraying my expenses on entering college. In January, 1840, I 
 had the honour to enter Trinity College, Dublin. During five months of 
 that year I resided in the Hebrew College, London, where I had the 
 benefit of the valuable instruction of the Rev. Dr. M'Caul, Principal of 
 that Institution. In the second year of my academic course, I translated 
 the Phoenissse of Euripides (which was in my course) from the Greek into 
 Hebrew verse, and dedicated it to the Reverend The Provost. In the 
 beginning of my third academic year (1842) I composed a Hebrew Poem 
 on the Baptism of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and dedicated 
 it to His Royal Highness Prince Albert, and forwarded it to him, with the 
 following letter : — 
 
 " To His Royal Highness Pkince Albert. 
 
 " May it please your Royal Highness to accept, from the hands 
 of a Christian Jew, and an humble but devoted admirer of the Country 
 in which Your Royal Highness holds so distinguished a station, a Hebrew 
 Poem, composed by himself upon the introduction into the Christian 
 Church by baptism of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The 
 Poem was dictated by feelings of admiration and gratitude towards the 
 Country over which HerMost Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria sways 
 with justice and mercy a righteous sceptre. That Country in which the 
 devoted servant of Her Most Gracious Majesty and Your Royal Highness, 
 was first led to know Him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write, 
 JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
 
 " The Poem will be found to contain a description of the National and 
 Literary character of the English nation, and its August Queen, Your 
 Royal Highness, The Coronation of Her Most Gracious Majesty, the 
 auspicious Marriage of the Queen to Your Royal Highness, the happy 
 birth of a Princess and Prince, and the Baptism of His Royal Highness 
 the Prince of Wales. 
 
 " The writer trusts that his humble endeavour will tend to strengthen 
 in the breast of Your Royal Highness the interest already manifested 
 towards the benighted children of the House of IsraeL 
 
 " I have the honour to subscribe myself. 
 Your Royal Highness' most humble and devoted servant, 
 MOSES MARGOLIOUTH, 
 " Jan. 22nd. 1842." An Undergraduate of Trinity College, Dublin." 
 
 M 
 
[x] MEMOIR. 
 
 I received a very kind acknowledgment of it from H.R.H. Prince 
 Albert. I sent a copy of the above-mentioned Poem to the Board of 
 Trinity College, Dublin, Tliey kindly deposited it in the College 
 M.S. Library, and granted me a handsome prize for it. 
 
 I am now employed in instructing the inmates of the above-mentioned 
 Liverpool Institution in Hebrew, German, and English. This being my 
 last academic year, I trust, with the blessing of God, that I shall be 
 shortly admitted into Holy Orders, as a Deacon of the Venerable and 
 Apostolical Church of England. 
 
 Thus have I given a very short account of God's gracious dealings 
 with me to the present time. For the future I commit myself into His 
 hands, who declared, " Lo ! I am with you alway, even unto the end of 
 the world. Amen.*' 
 
I N T K D U C T I O N . 
 
 ** The controversy with the Jews is an important branch of Christian 
 divinity, which is comparatively overlooked, and cannot be effectually 
 cultivated toithout some knoivledge of the Rabbies." — Dr. M'Caul. 
 
 Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ repeatedly taught His disciples the 
 propriety of reasoning with the Jews, or in other words the propriety of 
 Jewish controversy. We frequently find in the New Testament that He 
 Himself was engaged in that important work ; which His followers are 
 bound to imitate. At so tender an age as 12 years His parents " found 
 Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, 
 and asking them questions." (Luke 2. 46.) Every attentive reader of 
 the New Testament will find many instances of our Lord's controversial 
 Sermons to the Jews. Hence controversy cannot be avoided in preaching 
 to unbelievers. Though controversy seldom leads to the conversion of the 
 opponents actually engaged in it ; as we do not read of many instances of 
 the conversions of the scribes and pharisecs and high priests, however 
 incontrovertible our Lord's arguments were ; yet it generally had a power- 
 ful effect on the assembled multitude. We very often read in the sacred 
 scriptures that the multitude believed on our Lord after He had been 
 reasoning with the rulers of the Jews ; and the number of believers must 
 have been sometimes very great, for after His preaching His Sermon as 
 contained in the 2l8t chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 
 chief priests and pharisees were so indignant that they would have laid 
 hands on Him, but " they feared the multitude, because they took Him 
 for a prophet." 
 
 The disciple, especially the minister of Christ, who is called upon to 
 follow His Master's footsteps, must be ready not only to preach the Gos- 
 pel to the Jews, (for to them ought preaching properly to begin, according 
 to our Lord's last command — " that repentance and remission of sins 
 should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusa- 
 lem^^ Luke 24. 47.) but also be prepared to enter into controversy with 
 them. If we take a brief view of the preaching of the Apostles, we shall 
 find it blended with controversy. St. Peter, in his sermon on the resur- 
 rection of Christ from the dead, likewise attacks the opinions of the Jew- 
 ish people in rejecting Christ, and boldly says — <* I wot that through 
 ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." (Acts 3. 17.) The Lord 
 
[xii] INTRODUCTION. 
 
 JeBus Himself, by an extraordinary voice from heaven, called to His ser- 
 vice Saul of Tarsus, a man, whose acquaintance both with Jewish and 
 Grecian learning was very considerable, and enabled him to combat the 
 Jewish Doctors and Pagan philosophers with their own arms. And 
 though he was formerly the most virulent enemy to Christianity ; yet 
 when it pleased God, by divine grace, to reveal His son in him, he became 
 the most glorious and triumphant defender of His Gospel, and was made 
 in the hands of God a chosen vessel to bear His name " before the Gen- 
 tiles and Kings, and the children of Israel :" as we find abundantly mani- 
 fested in the Acts of the Apostles and in his Epistles. For independently 
 of the miraculous gifts with which he was enriched, he was naturally 
 possessed of an invincible courage, an amazing force of genius, and a spirit 
 of patience which no fatigue could overcome, and which no sufferings or 
 trials could exhaust. It is universally supposed that to his unwearied 
 labours under divine appointment, the cause of the Gospel owed a consi- 
 derable part of its rapid progress and surprising success. We find him 
 almost incessantly engaged in controversy with his Jewish brethren. "We 
 read that St. Paul " came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the 
 Jews," and " as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath- 
 days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." And when in conse- 
 quence of " certain lewd fellows of the baser sort," he was obliged to leave 
 that place for Berea, he " went into the synagogue of the Jews." And 
 though he was obliged to quit Berea likewise in consequence of the 
 unbelieving Jews that were moved with envy, yet when he came to Athena 
 (one of the most celebrated cities in the world, whether we consider its 
 antiquity, its learning, its political consequence, or the valour of its inha- 
 bitants) and saw the city wholly given to idolatry, " he disputed in the 
 synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market 
 daily with them that met him.'' And when certain of the philosophers 
 encountered him he did not shrink from entering into controversy with 
 them even in the Areopagus, (one of the most sacred and reputable courts 
 that had ever existed in the Gentile world,) and in the very midst of the 
 judges he boldly opened his powerful lecture : — " Ye men of Athens, I 
 perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious." (Acts 17.) 
 
 Though St. Paul was repeatedly insulted, and cruelly treated by his 
 Jewish brethren, yet his zeal was not abated for their eternal welfare, for 
 he hunself tells us that his " heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel was 
 that they might be saved.'' He followed, therefore, the example of his 
 Master, and continually apprised them, in the plainest terms, of the dread- 
 ful situation they were in ; which could not be done without entering into 
 controversy at the same time. 
 
 Some of the fathers wish to tell us that the Epistle to the Hebrews was 
 written to controvert the opinions of the unbelieving Jews, i'his asser- 
 
INTRODUCTION. [xHi] 
 
 tion, however, will not be borne out by a fair examination of this Epistle ; 
 on the contrary, it will be found that it was written for believing Jews to 
 confirm and warn the Jewish Christian Church from apostacy. But this 
 is certain, that the conversion of Israel has interested the people of God in 
 every age, and therefore Jewish controversy has been cultivated to a cer- 
 tain degree, and books have been published on that important subject, 
 almost in every century. It is highly worthy of observation that Jewish 
 controversy rose and fell with the rise and fall of true Christianity. We 
 find very little written on that subject from the 8th to the 15th century ; 
 for the Christian Church was, during that period, distracted and afflicted 
 with intolerable corruptions. The pure seed of celestial truth was indeed 
 choked by a monstrous and incredible quantity of noxious weeds. The 
 beautiful simplicity of the Christian worship was corrupted with the idola- 
 try of image worship, and numberless superstitous inventions, and the 
 sacred flame of divine charity was extinguished by the uncontrollable con- 
 tentions and animosities, which the progress of these superstitions occa- 
 sioned in the Church. All orders of men, regardless of the obligation of 
 morality, of the duties of the Gospel, and of the culture and improvement 
 of their minds, rushed headlong, with a perfect security, into all sorts of 
 wickedness, from the delusive hopes that by the intercession and prayers 
 of the saints, and the credit of the priests at the throne of God, they 
 would easily obtain a remission of their enormities, and render the Deity 
 propitious. 
 
 But their neglect of Jewish controversy had not the effect of making 
 them forget the Jews altogether. No such thing! They turned the 
 sword into a preacher. — Frightful in duration, and fearful in amount, is the 
 guilt that the (then) Christian Church incurred in their ferocious outrages 
 against the Jewish people. I need only remind my Christian readers of 
 the holy inquisition, as it is profanely called. In one single year above 
 2000 were put to death, for relapsing to Judaism : many were imprisoned 
 for life, and 17,000 were subjected to corporeal punishment. Quirita 
 records, in terms of ecstacy, as a proof of faithful zeal for the Church, 
 that from the year 1483 to 1520, in the archbishopric of Seville alone, 
 between the imprisoned, the banished, and the dead, above 100,000 Juda- 
 izing heretics received their sentences. Alas ! the then Christian Church 
 did not know how, 
 
 "By winning words to conqvier human hearts. 
 And make persuasion do the work of fear."* 
 
 It is not my intention to dilate on this subject here, but I wish parti- 
 cularly to draw the Christian reader's attention to this remarkable fact, 
 that whenever God was about to show anything great in His kingdom 
 below, the cauae of Israel was brought into remembrance. At the 
 
 * JNlilton's " Paradise Kcgaincd." 
 
[xiv] INTUODUCTION. 
 
 Reformation from Popery, Luther pleaded for them thus : — " Let us deal 
 brotherly with them, as the Apostles, who were Jews, dealt brotherly with 
 us." John Foxe (the martyrologist) on the occasion of the baptism of a 
 Jew from Spain, preached a sermon, entitled " The Gospel Olive ;" 
 wherein he clearly showed the influence Popery has in keeping the Jews 
 away from Christ. About A.D. 1750, when there was a great revival of 
 religion in various Christian Churches, God stirred up the spirit of His 
 people in Protestant Germany, and the Callenberg Seminary was formed 
 at Halle, exclusively for the education of Missionaries to the Jews. Just 
 about this time, the Moravian brethren were zealous in this cause, an 
 took it up as a church ; for their Litany contained the following prayer : 
 " Deliver the ten tribes of Israel from their blindness and estrangement, 
 and make us acquainted with their sealed ones : bring in the tribe of Ju- 
 dah in its time, and bless its first-fruits among us." About the beginning 
 of the present century, when the papal kingdoms were receiving the stroke 
 of judgment, the cause of Israel was prominently brought to remembrance 
 in this country, and the " London Society for promoting Christianity 
 amongst the Jews" was formed, which has been conducted with much 
 zeal, and with great success. And not very long since has God brought 
 the cause of "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" into the prominent 
 view of the Church of Scotland. When we take these, and a great many 
 other circumstances into consideration, we must arrive at the conclusion 
 that when any great movement is to take place in God's kingdom below, 
 His last command on this earth begins to be attended to, " that repentance 
 and remission of sins should be preached in His name, among all nations, 
 beginning at Jerusalem." 
 
 At this present time, when Christian truth is more and more advanced, 
 and there are daily revivals in the Christian Church, the cause of Israel 
 excites almost an unbounded interest. It is almost the opinion of every 
 one who watches the signs of the times, that some important event is on 
 the eve of taking place. The pure Gospel is again preached at Jerusalem ; 
 the sacred sword of the Spirit is once more raised in the Holy City. 
 Thank God ! not as it was in the times of the Crusaders, but in the true 
 spirit of the reformed Gospel of Christ ; for that prelate, who was sent 
 there, went out in the spirit of peace and good will towards all men. It 
 well behoves, therefore, the Christian Student to cultivate that important 
 branch of Christian Theology, viz. Jewish controversy ; and it ought to 
 form a part of the divinity course in the Universities, where it is as yet 
 altogether overlooked. It is indeed creditable to the Council of Vienna, 
 convened in 1311, that they resolved that Oriental professorships should 
 be founded, the principal object of which should be the conversion of the 
 Jews."* 
 
 * Gesenius Geschichte dor Hob. Sprache, p. 104. 
 
INTHODUrTlOX. [xv] 
 
 I will take the liberty of giving a list of a few of the Polemic writers on 
 Jewish controversy in each century down to the present ; and I trust, 
 under God, it may be of service to those who are desirous to cultivate that 
 part of Divinity.* 
 
 The principal writers on this subject in the second century were, 
 
 1. Ju8tin Martyr ; who wrote a dialogue between himself and Trypho, 
 the Jew. This book has an advantage above all others, inasmuch as he 
 believed in the restoration of Israel, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the 
 Millenium. 
 
 2. Tertullian; but his writings are much inferior to Justin Martyr's. 
 In fact it was not possible for any of them to manage Jewish controversy 
 with much success and dexterity, as they were very little acquainted with 
 the language, the history, and the learning of the Hebrews.f 
 
 Those of the third centuiy were, 
 
 1. Hip'polytus ; but his writings have not come down to our times. 
 
 2. Cyprian^ Bishop of Carthage ; who wrote the " Testimonia conti*a 
 Judseos," which is divided into 3 books. 
 
 Those of the fourth century wei'e, 
 
 1. Eusebius, Bishop of Cjesarea ; who wrote the " Demon st ratio 
 Evangelica." 
 
 2. Gregory y Bishop of Nyssa, in Asia Minor, who wrote on the Trinity. 
 
 3. John Chrysofttonif Bishop of Constantinople, who wrote five orations 
 against the Jews. 
 
 Of the fifth century there are only 2 books extant ; one is attributed to 
 August in, and the other to Cyril of Alexandria, 
 The writings of the sixth century were, 
 
 1. A dispute of Gregentius with Herbanus, a Jew. 
 
 2. Those oi Isidore J Bishop of Seville ; who wrote disputes against the Jews. 
 
 3. Those of LeontiuSy of Neapolis, who also disputed against the Jews ; 
 "but with what success and dexterity, will be easily imagined by 
 those who are acquainted with the learning and logic of these times."+ 
 
 Of the seventh century there is only one writer worth mentioning, viz. 
 Julian Pomerius. 
 
 Of the ninth century there is one most celebrated writer on this sub- 
 ject, viz. Rabanus Maurus, Archbishop of Mentz, who wrote against the 
 follies of the Jews. There exists also an anonymous work on Jewish con- 
 troversy written in that century. 
 
 Of the thirteenth century, Raymond Martin, a Dominican monk, who 
 wrote the " Pugio Fidei ChristianBe," a most excellent and valuable work. 
 
 * The author met with an experienced Missionary to the Jews, who 
 said if he had known of these works before he commented his study of 
 Jewish controversy, he would have saved a great deal of time and labour 
 in poring over many Rabbinical writings. 
 
 t See Mosheim's Eccl. History. t Mosheim's Eccl. History. 
 
[xvi] INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Of the fifteenth century — Reuchlin, who is also to be considered us the 
 great promoter of Hebrew learning amongst the Christians. He also 
 rescued the Talmud from destruction, when the Dominicans wished to 
 bum it ; and suggested the following good plan : " The best method 
 for converting the Israelites would be to establish two masters of Hebrew 
 at each university, who might teach theologians to read the Hebrew Bible, 
 and thus to refute that people's teachers."* 
 
 The principal writers of the sixteenth century were, 
 
 1. Luther. 
 
 2. Buxtorf the elder. 
 
 From the seventeenth century and onward the writers on this impor- 
 tant subject are more numerous. The following are the principal. 
 
 1. Bartolocci — Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica. 
 
 2. Frischmutt wrote dissertations on prophecies relating to the Messiah. 
 
 3. Majiis wrote a Bynopsis of Jewish Theology. 
 
 4. Wagenseil translated tract Sotahy and wrote the " Tela ignea Satanse." 
 6. Dantz wrote a dissertation about the Sh''chinah. 
 
 6. Bishop Kidder wrote on the Messiah. 
 
 7. Leslie wrote the " Short and easy method with the Jews." 
 
 There are, however, a great many works extant on this subject written 
 in the same century. 
 
 Those of the eighteenth century were the following : 
 
 1. Schnlgen on the Messiah, and an illustration of the New Testament. 
 
 2. WclfivSyOi Hamburg, wrote the Bibliotheca Hebraica,a most valuable 
 work. 
 
 3. 0-ussitius wrote an answer to Rabbi Isaac's '* Defence of faith." 
 
 4. Eizenmenger wrote " An exposure of Judaism." 
 
 5. Allix, the "Judgement of the Jewish Church." 
 
 Of the nineteenth century the most valuable works on this subject have 
 been published by the ** London Society for promoting Christianity 
 amongst the Jews," especially those that were written by the Rev. Alex. 
 M'Caul, D.D. 
 
 Thus have I given a short sketch of the principal polemic writers on 
 Jewish controversy, and I trust, with the blessing of God, my humble 
 endeavour in publishing the following Investigation may throw some 
 light on this subject. 
 
 Rose Bank Cottage, near Chester, 
 July 15, 1843. 
 
 * See Daubigne's History of the Reformation, 
 
THE 
 
 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MODERN 
 JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 KJ\J\J XlOU 
 
 of the 613 precepts. Three of these precepts, viz. Phy- 
 lacteries, Fringes at the corner of Garments, and the 
 Sign on the door posts, are styled by modern Jews 
 " The fundamental principles of Judaism."" See Voice 
 of Jacob, No. 10. In No. 12, of the same periodical, 
 they are denominated " coeval with the institution of 
 Judaism.'"* At the present juncture, therefore, when 
 many Jews themselves begin to question their Mosaic 
 
[xvi] INTRODUCTIOSr. 
 
 Of the fifteenth century — Jieuchlin, who is also to be considered us the 
 great promoter of Hebrew learning amongst the Christians. He also 
 rescued the Talmud from destruction, when the Dominicans wished to 
 bum it ; and suggested the following good plan : " The best method 
 for converting the Israelites would be to establish two masters of Hebrew 
 at each university, who might teach theologians to read the Hebrew Bible, 
 and thus to refute that people's teachers."* 
 
 The principal writers of the sixteenth century were, 
 
 1. Luther. 
 
 2. Buxtorf the elder. 
 
 From the seventeenth century and onward the writers on this impor- 
 tant subject are more numerous. The following are the principal. 
 
 1. Bartolocci — Bibliotheca Magna Rabblnica. 
 
 2. Frischmutt wrote dissertations on prophecies relating to the Messiah. 
 ? Maiujt wrote a synopsis of Jewish Theology. 
 
 m 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 10-11, (Plate), for Plate 3 read Plate 1. 
 
 Page 17, Line 30, for 10th read lith. 
 
 Page 68-69, (Plate) for Plate 1 read Plate 3. 
 
 b 
 
 a 
 ]S 
 
 Thus have I given a short sketcu ot tne principal puioi^ix. .rxxv^io vu 
 Jewish controversy, and I trust, with the blessing of God, my humble 
 endeavour in publishing the following Investigation may throw some 
 light on this subject. 
 
 Rose Bank Cottage, near Chester, 
 July 15, 1843. 
 
 * See Daubign^'s History of the Reformation. 
 
THE 
 
 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MODERN 
 JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Are Phylacteries properly inferred from the passages of 
 Scripture adduced hy the Babbies f 
 
 FTER the Jews had returned from Baby- 
 lon, finding that all the calamities they 
 endured were in consequence of their not 
 having kept the law of Moses as they 
 ought, they determined to fulfil it to the 
 letter, and consequently ran into the opposite extreme, 
 mistaking many things, and taking literally what was 
 intended to be spiritual. They brought themselves into 
 bondage to unnecessary observances, and went so far as 
 to discover six hundred and thirteen precepts in the Pen- 
 tateuch, which every Jew is bound to observe, and to 
 which they attached ultimately great merits. — See list 
 of the 613 precepts. Three of these precepts, viz. Phy- 
 lacteries, Fringes at the corner of Garments, and the 
 Sign on the door posts, are styled by modern Jews 
 "The fundamental principles of Judaism." See Voice 
 of Jacob, No. 10. In No. 12, of the same periodical, 
 they are denominated " coeval with the institution of 
 Judaism."" At the present juncture, therefore, when 
 many Jews themselves begin to question their Mosaic 
 
^ MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 institution, and those who cannot conscientiously comply 
 with such observances, actually absent themselves from 
 congregational service ; and since our Lord and Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, (who made us free, that we should be no 
 longer subject to the law of works, but to the law of grace) 
 when reproaching our infidel ancestors takes particular 
 notice of their Phylacteries and of the Borders of their 
 Garments, (Matt. 23. 5.) it well becomes the Christian 
 Biblical Student to investigate the fundamental principles 
 of Modem Judaism, and it is no less desirable that every 
 intelligent Jew should be acquainted with the peculiarities 
 of these tenets. 
 
 For it is a stubborn fact that the great majority of Jews 
 are ignorant of their real nature and tendency, and im- 
 plicitly follow the teaching of their learned men, as but few 
 comparatively can attain an adequate knowledge of Modern 
 Judaism. Our intention, therefore, is to investigate it, 
 and submit it to the Jewish and Christian public, as unto 
 wise men, that they may judge for themselves. 
 
 We wish also to be distinctly understood, that we do 
 not for one single moment identify the Jewish nation with 
 Jewish religious tenets. We make a wide distinction. 
 If we should, therefore, in the course of our investigation 
 make use of some apparently harsh expressions against 
 Judaism, we do not mean Jews, for of them we will not, 
 cannot speak in other terms but those of love and 
 affection. 
 
 We will, therefore, at once enter upon our investigation, 
 of which the principal subjects will be Phylacteries, 
 Fringes, and the Sign on the door-posts. 
 
 We shall take them in the order mentioned by our 
 Lord; first. Phylacteries, and then the Borders of the 
 Garments, or Fringes ; though our Jewish Brethren begin 
 with the latter. 
 
 It is recorded four times in the law of Moses, (in order 
 that the Lord's law may be in the mouth of the children 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED, 6 
 
 of Israel,) s ?i*3.^ ^a ]^3?^^ ^v'''? t^Sh) '^h n;n"<^ 
 
 " And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, 
 and for a memorial between thine eyes.'' (Exod. 13. 9, 16; 
 Deut. 6. 8; 11. 18.) the commandment being the same, 
 but a little different in expression. 
 
 The meaning of these precepts will be seen by a reference 
 to similar passages in another part of God's holy word. 
 Every diligent reader of the Bible knows from experience, 
 that Holy Scripture is its own best interpreter. For 
 
 « Blind unbelief is sure to err, 
 
 And scan His word in vain. 
 God is His own interpreter, 
 
 And He will make it plain." 
 
 Now let us see Proverbs 3. 3 ; 6. 21 ; 7. 3 ; where we 
 find similar injunctions, 
 
 I V s : . - "ST • T I : • - •• : I T 
 
 j?j^b nib-by °?.ri| T'P'i^as^'bs' D^"tt)p^ 
 
 " Bind them about thy neck ; write them upon the table 
 of thine heart." " Bind them continually upon thine 
 heart, and tie them about thy neck." "Bind them upon 
 thy fingers ; write them upon the table of thine heart." 
 
 No Rabbi was ever able to make out successfully, that 
 Phylacteries were intended in these passages. 
 
 If we examine critically the real meaning of the word 
 niDiDIlD Totaplioth (which is translated in the English 
 Bible frontlets,) we shall find that it means nothing 
 else but an ornament. We do not find it mentioned more 
 than three times in the whole of the Hebrew Bible ; viz. 
 Exod. 13. 16. Deut. 6. 8 ; 11. 18. 
 
 The Christian Hebrew Lexicographer is obliged to have 
 recourse to some other of the Oriental languages for the 
 etymology of it, in order to ascertain its true signification ; 
 
4 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 but the Jew, who is acquainted with the different 
 Targumim, (Chaldee Paraphrases,) of his Bible and with 
 the Talmud, will see that it cannot mean any thing else 
 but an ornament. 
 
 In order to make our assertion good, we will refer to a 
 few places in the Chaldee Targum, and Talmud, where this 
 word occurs. 
 
 II Samuel 1. 10. lynr bv nu;^* mi;2^^*1 "And the bracelet 
 that was on his arm." Chaldee Targum paraphrases, 
 H'i;")! Vyi NnDlDilDI " The Totephta, (i.e. ornament,) that 
 was on his arm." In Ezekiel 24. 17, "I'Vi; ^2)^^^t ~|nND 
 " Bind the tire of thine head upon thee." Chaldee Tar- 
 gum paraphrases, l^j; yin* -jnDlDID " Let thy Totaphoth be 
 upon thee." Also in the 23rd verse of the same chapter, 
 "And your tires (Totaphoth, Targum) shall be upon 
 your heads." 
 
 Some Rabbies were very anxious indeed to make out 
 Phylacteries from the above passages; but Rabbi David 
 Kimchi, who was a distinguished Hebrew scholar, (though 
 not guiltless of perverting the word of God in many places, 
 and sacrificing his own grammar to his prejudices,) adheres 
 in this instance to the proper meaning, and even mentions 
 the opinions of the Rabbies, and fearlessly gives his own. 
 He explains, Ezekiel 24. 1 7, " Bind the tire of thine head 
 iMipon thee," in the following manner. 
 Dtt?N-» bv vrf D'nttJD n«D Di«rr -i«d Mirrw ««nn nruD N^n *|-i«c 
 
 ' Thy tire* means a turban for the head which is the praise 
 of man, as we find, " They shall have linen bonnets upon 
 their heads," (Ezek. 44. 18.) ; " The bonnets and the 
 ornaments of the legs," (Is. 3. 20.), and "goodly bonnets,"' 
 (Exod. 39. 28.) 
 
 We find also the word Totaphoth occurring frequently 
 
 ♦ The Hebrew word for Tire is -i«d P'air, which Targum renders 
 Totaphoth. The same word is also rendered sometimes in the English 
 Bible Bonnet, and it likewise signifies Praise, 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 in Talmud, where it cannot signify any thing but an orna- 
 ment. For instance, in tract Shahhath^ chapter 6, we 
 find among the ornaments which a woman is not allowed 
 to wear out of doors on the Sabbath-day, niDlOltDi ^h'\ 
 tniDn p'NU; prn vi^'^")C)ni " And neither with the 
 Totaphoth and Sarbitin as long as they are not sewed 
 together."" And in the G'mara the following explanation 
 is given on the question ]»lDOnD ir»f<1 niDIOIlO "WH " Which 
 are the Totaphoth, and which are the Sarbitin?" 
 
 D"nV IV nb " Rabbi Abhu said, Totaphoth are those which 
 extend from ear to ear, and the Sarbitin are those which 
 reach to her cheeks." But women are particularly exempt 
 from the use of Phylacteries, as we shall see in the progress 
 of our investigation ; and on the Sabbath all are forbidden 
 even to touch Phylacteries. What else, therefore, can 
 niDIOID Totaphoth signify, but a kind of ornament for the 
 head, exactly in the same sense as Prov. 4. 9 ? For Solomon, 
 who understood well the meaning of the law, says, " Hear, 
 ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to 
 know understanding. For I give you good doctrine ; for- 
 sake ye not my law," &;c. Then in the 9th verse, "She shall 
 give to thine head an ornament of grace; a crown of 
 glory shall she deliver to thee." 
 
 Moses, doubtless, adopting this figure, alludes to the 
 Eastern custom of putting those ornaments, which they 
 held most precious, on their turban. 
 
 It is strange that many Christian writers have mis- 
 taken the right meaning of these passages, and contended 
 for their literal fulfilment. Parkhurst, in common with 
 a few others, understands this commandment literally, 
 and not having an extensive knowledge of the Rabbinical 
 writings finds it rather difficult to give even the true 
 meaning of the word Totaphoth^ and, therefore, in his 
 Hebrew lexicon gives us a very incorrect idea of its 
 meaning. On root F)lDD Tataph, he observes — " Occurs 
 
6 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 not as a verb, but the idea seems to be to fix^ fasten^ or 
 the like; for the Targum throughout substitutes, \h^T\ 
 Tphillin from bsn Tdphal, to adhere, cause to adhere." 
 
 Now every Hebrew scholar knows that T'phillm is not 
 from Taphal^ to adhere^ but from VbD palal^ to pray ; 
 because the Phylacteries are principally used at prayers, 
 as we shall shortly see. Hence Parkhurst has decidedly 
 imbibed a wrong idea of its correct signification. 
 
 He goes on further taking the part of the Jews by 
 justifying the use of Phylacteries, and thinks that they 
 were falsely taxed by some learned men with superstition, 
 for understanding those passages literally, and he argues 
 thus — " Our blessed Saviour does not find fault with the 
 Pharisees for wearing these niDlOllO TotapTioth^ or Phy- 
 lacteries, any more than he does for wearing fringes or 
 tassels to their garments, but blames them for making 
 the one broad and the other large to be seen of men." 
 
 In his Greek lexicon he adduces Justin Martyr as an 
 authority for taking this command literally. For, in his 
 dialogue with Trypho, he tells him that " God by Moses 
 
 ipvXaKTiipiov Iv vfieffi XtTrroTaToiQ ysypannsvojv x'^P^'^^'^P**"^ Tivdv, 
 d iravT(t)Q Uyia voovfiev tlvai, irtpiKiiffOai vfidg tKeXEVffef com- 
 manded you (the Jews) to wear a Phylactery of 
 characters which we by all means judge to be sacred, 
 written on very small slips of parchment." This argu- 
 ment certainly proves nothing, for no one would for a 
 moment suppose that there would be any harm in wearing 
 the decalogue, or some other part of Scripture on their 
 forehead, and on their wrists, so long as it was not worn 
 for ostentation, even when there was no such command 
 given: on the contrary, it would be commendable. (See 
 the investigation on M''zuzah.) 
 
 There is not the least shadow of evidence that the 
 Phylacteries, which modern Jews use, were used in the 
 time of our Lord ; for St. Jerome (who flourished in the 
 end of the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth, 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 7 
 
 and went to Jerusalem, for the purpose of acq^uiring a 
 complete knowledge of the Hebrew, and also travelled a 
 great deal amongst the Jews, and thus became well ac- 
 quainted with Jewish customs and ceremonies,) comments 
 in the following manner, on Deut. 6. 8. 
 
 " Hsec Pharisaei male interpretantes scribebant in mem- 
 branis decalogum, et ligantes in fronte, et quasi Coronam 
 capiti facientes, ut semper ante oculos moverentur : quod, 
 usque hodie, Indi, et Persse, et Babylonii faciunt ; et qui 
 hoc habuerit, quasi religiosus in populis judicatur.*" 
 
 " The Pharisees interpreting this (passage) badly have 
 written the decalogue on parchment, and tied it on the 
 forehead, and made it like a coronet to the head, so that 
 it may always move before the eyes ; which the Indian, 
 Persian, and Babylonian Jews make to this very day : and 
 whosoever has this is considered by the populace as 
 most religious." From the above quotation it is evident 
 that the Phylacteries in the time of St. Jerome, and 
 of course in the time of our Lord, were quite different 
 from those at present used amongst the Jews, and 
 also that only the most religious wore them. It is 
 also very surprising that there are not any signs of the 
 Phylacteries appearing either in the Prophets or the 
 Apocrj^ha ; and not a word is mentioned about them in 
 the book which is known among the Jews by the name of 
 Yosephin ben Goorion.* 
 
 Neither does Josephus, himself a Jew, make any men- 
 tion of Phylacteries, as used by modern Jews, as will 
 appear from the following passage. " Let every one 
 commemorate before God the benefits which He bestowed 
 upon them at their deliverance out of Egypt, and this 
 twice every day, both when the day begins and when the 
 hour of sleep comes on — ^gratitude being in its own nature 
 
 * Yosephin ben Goorion, who is supposed to have lived at the time 
 of the siege of Jerusalem, wrote a history of the Jews in Hebrew, in 
 which he notices all the particular customs and ceremonies of the Jews. 
 
8 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 a just thing, and serving not only by way of return for 
 past, but also by way of invitation for future favours. 
 They are also to inscribe the principal blessings they have 
 received from God upon the doors, and show the same 
 remembrance of them on their arms ; as also, they are 
 to bear on their forehead, and on their arm, those 
 wonders which declare the power of God, and His good 
 will towards them, that God's readiness to bless them 
 may appear everywhere conspicuous about them." (4th 
 Book of the Antiquities of the Jews, c. 8.§ 13.) Josephus 
 here merely recommends the practice of wearing about 
 their persons passages of Scripture, to remind them of 
 " the principal blessings they have received from God^"* 
 and not the particular passages, which the Rabbles affirm 
 should exclusively be written on the Phylacteries. 
 
 That modern Phylacteries cannot be inferred from 
 the writings of Moses, but are altogether a Rabbinical 
 invention, will appear quite plain from an observation 
 of one of the most learned Jews. Rabbi Manassah 
 ben Israel, in his Conciliator, " Quaest. L. Exod.,"" 
 makes the following remarks. "Jubetlex ]»VDn Tephillin 
 poni inter oculos, et manibus in signum alligari. Sed 
 quid proprie sint Tephillin aut quid significet voca- 
 bulum niDlOID Totaphoth, non declaratur. Quia autem 
 fieri nullo modo potest, ut omnes congruant in tali re, 
 oportet audire Misnam, et legem oralem." " The law 
 commands that Phylacteries be put between the eyes and 
 tied on the hands for a sign. But it does not explain 
 what Phylacteries are in reality, or what is the significa- 
 tion of the word Totaphoth ; and because all can by no 
 means agree upon any single point respecting them, it is 
 necessary to listen to the Mishnah and oral law." The 
 Caraites, who have great respect for the literal interpreta- 
 tion of the Pentateuch, and are always very particular in 
 fulfilling it literally, never used Phylacteries : on the 
 contrary, they call the Rabbinical Jews D''-3')J1D DmDr? 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 9 
 
 "bridled asses." The above remarks will show that the 
 arguments advanced in the 34th number of the " Voice 
 of Jacob," in defence of the "divine institution*" of Phy- 
 lacteries, are completely erroneous. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 How do modern Jews obey the precepts contained in the 
 four passages referred to y viz, Exod, 13. 9, 16; Deut. 
 6.8; n. 182 
 
 A VING thus investigated the real meaning 
 of the passage in question, we will now 
 proceed to inquire how modern Jews 
 fulfil this important commandment; whe- 
 ther in accordance with the spirit of 
 Moses and Solomon, or with the spirit of Rabina and 
 Rab-Ashi.* 
 
 Now this is the Rabbinical notion of the precept: "And 
 it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and 
 for frontlets between thine eyes." They write the four 
 following parts of Scripture : 1st part, Exodus 13. 1 — 10 ; 
 2nd part, 11—16; 3rd part, Deut. 6. 4—9; 4th part, 
 11. 13 — 21 ; (in which the above mentioned passage is 
 found) upon one slip of parchment which is rolled up and 
 put into a little leathern box. This box is then sewed 
 together with the sinews of a clean animal, and bound 
 for a sign upon their hands. They again write the 
 four passages on four separate slips of parchment, and 
 put them into four small leathern boxes joined to- 
 
 * The compilers of the Talmud. 
 
 c 
 
10 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 gether in one ; being sewed with sinews as before ; and 
 
 they put them as frontlets between their eyes. In order 
 
 that we may have a more accurate idea of the mode in which 
 
 the Phylacteries are made, we will transcribe the rules laid 
 
 down by a famous Rabbi in his book D»n W, or " Tree of 
 
 life." Rules of Scribes, chapter 3rd: "The rule for 
 
 making Phylacteries for the head is as follows. Take a 
 
 square piece of wood: its length must be equal to its 
 
 width, and its width to its height ; but it is immaterial 
 
 if its height be more or less than its width ; it is only 
 
 requisite to be careful that its length should be equal to its 
 
 width. Make in it three deep incisions, in order that it may 
 
 be made into four compartments as here represented. 
 
 (See plate 1st.) Take a piece of leather, and 
 
 moisten it with water ; put in it the wood cut, and 
 
 ^^ ^^ ^^ make the leather come in between 
 
 ^^ ^^ ^^ every incision. Whilst yet moist 
 
 \ I / press it on both sides until there be 
 
 l^^y made in the leather the figure of a 
 
 ■Bp Shin with three heads, on the right 
 
 side of him that wears the Phylacteries, and the figure of a 
 
 . ^^ ^^ ftft^A ^^^^^ with four heads on the left 
 
 ^^ ^^ ^T 7 side ; leave the leather upon the 
 
 \ / / / wood until it is dry, and then take 
 
 ^^^^^£ off the leather from the wood cut, and 
 
 wtKm there will be four empty compartments. 
 
 Then place perpendicularly a written portion in every little 
 
 box : and this is the order of putting them in ; put XVXVS 
 
 ^IDI^ Di^ ^•6- Deut. 11. 13 — 21, in the box which is on the 
 
 right hand of him that uses them ; ^i^t^ i.e. Deut. 6. 4 — 9, 
 
 in the next; ^"^^^yi ''J ^^"D i-©- Exod. 13. 11 — 16, in the 
 
 third, next to ^Qt^ ; and ti;ip i.e. 1 — 10, in the fourth, 
 
 which is on the left hand of him that uses them. In this 
 
 manner then take the sinews of a clean beast, particularly 
 
 the sinews that are in the steps of the animal, which are 
 
 white and stiff; bruise them with stones or other hard 
 
I 
 
 
 CO 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 o 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 > 
 
 ^ 
 
 UJ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 < 
 
 X 
 
 >- 
 
 Q. 
 -1 
 
 t 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 s 
 
 1 
 
 «A 
 
 X 
 
 
 # 
 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED* 11 
 
 substances until they become like flax; then spin them, 
 and with the threads sew the divisions together at the 
 four sides ; on each side three stitches, in order that there 
 may be altogether twelve stitches according to the number 
 of the twelve tribes of Israel. If the number be lessened 
 and made ten, according to the number of ten only, let ving 
 out Judah who was a King, and Levi who was a Priest ; 
 or if the number be increased, and made fourteen, ac- 
 cording to the number of the twelve tribes, with the 
 addition of Manasseh and Ephraim, it is also right," 
 
 In many of the Rabbinical writings various reasons are 
 given why the Phylactery for the head should be divided 
 into four separate compartments. We will, however, 
 notice a few, in order to see how far the Rabbles penetrated 
 into the spirit of the law of Moses. In Talmud, tracts 
 Sanhedrin and M'nachoth, we find the following reasons : 
 
 w^nv •'p>i3Kn iis) Ci'Dv -anon roio y^^ )Ti^ id-iK i^yp:? 01 
 
 " Rabbi Akiba said. There is no necessity for that argu- 
 ment, [i.e. one advanced by another Rabbi, amongst many 
 others:] for msto^to Totaphoth means four, because Tat 
 signifies two in the language of the Cathpians, (a people of 
 Spain,) and Phath signifies two in the African or Punic 
 tongue." Rabbi S. Jarchi adopted the same view and 
 made use of it on Exod. 13. 16. 
 
 We can only say, we do not envy his theological taste. 
 The great Jewish champion, Rabbi Lipman, who wrote 
 against Christianity and a defence for Rabbinical Judaism, 
 gives us the following reason which is found in his book 
 pm3 Nitsachon. D^/ll n ^tT^ bv mW^ ^TrS}':i2 "D^ 
 
 yy^i^n ^d DH)n pi^'rin ^^ n;Dt^ DipM t^^Kin by nn':r^b^ 
 ^\w^)b^ niDn p Dt:^"it:; do^d nn ht^^ n''''X"i w^mn 
 ^j iSi i::3 bi^Du; a;nr bv nn^^nbi "T^^^ Jiu t b'^ 
 i2b2 5)^:in b:i2v minr^ -ip^:i?T o^nrn n:)n "There- 
 fore are we commanded to make the Phylacteries 
 of the head of four boxes, and to put them on the head 
 
12 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 in the place where the pulse of an infanfs brain beats, 
 for the four senses, seeing, hearing, smelling, and tasting 
 derive their source from the brain ; but to make the 
 Phylacteries for the hand, of one box only, and to put it 
 upon the left arm opposite the heart ; for strength is in 
 the arm, and the main sensorium of the whole body is 
 in the heart." 
 
 That this is not according to the law of Moses, but 
 altogether a human invention, will appear plain from the 
 following passage, as found in Mishnah Sanhedrin, c. xi. 3. 
 
 HD yb'^^n Vi^ ^DM^n TM^n nniD nnsiD nnii -iDin 
 nni b}^ ^'D)nb ms)D"iio t:^Dn "nD3 tm^d nil b:^ 1^2);b 
 
 l^Tf D^BID " It is more criminal to teach anything con- 
 trary to the ordinances of the Scribes, than against the 
 written law. He, who in order to transgress the written law, 
 says. Phylacteries are not according to the law, is not punish- 
 able as rebellious; but whoever says. Phylacteries ought to 
 have five compartments, and thus adds to the ordinances 
 of the scribes is guilty" — ^according to Rabbi S. Jarchi's 
 Commentary, '•' guilti/ of deaths The above translation 
 is a Jewish one, as may be found in the Berlin edition. 
 This affords the investigator an instance, from which he 
 may judge, which is held in higher estimation, or venera- 
 tion, the Word of God, or the word of scribes ; which 
 is more adored, God, or the Rabbies. Indeed it is as 
 blasphemous a passage as that of the Popish doctor, who 
 exclaimed, when he could not refute TindaPs Scriptural 
 arguments, " It would be better to be without God's 
 laws, than the Pope's." Alas ! both Jews and Papists 
 have gone astray from the word of God, " the fountain 
 of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken 
 cisterns, that can hold no water !" 
 
 Likewise many reasons are given for the Shin, which 
 is to be inscribed on the head Phylactery. The Rabbies 
 discovered that it is a law of Moses given on Mount Sinai, 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 13 
 
 as will appear from the following passage from Zohar ; 
 
 iDpNi : ?pD i«Ti Tj>^ «np: mm mc 'D ynxn tjS' ^ i^m s '3"oq mDob mbn i^Vcn V© ti^ 
 ^^^^ ^ %te -^^^ ^"^ P"^ ^'"^ V''^^ ^ ^^ iTr^iiin I'fen iVn i'St or '^o 
 
 [17/ ] 7/ •^'''■'" ^^"^ "^^^ '^''^ ^^ r^"^ v'*""' r°^^ ^^^ r""" ^'^ 
 
 jBr nr 44 rpj^^ ^ ^^^-^ ^£ ^j^^ Phylacteries is 
 
 a decree of Moses from Sinai, as it is written, And 
 all people of the earth shall see that thou art cabled 
 by the name of the Lord ; and they shall be afraid of 
 thee." (Deut. 88. 10.) And we stated that the name 
 of the Lord is meant by the Phylacteries on the head 
 [Shin being the initial of Shadai, Almighty.] Two Shins 
 of the Phylacteries amount to six hundred ; again, two 
 Shins amount to six, [according to the small Cabalistic 
 numbers,] which with the seven branches of the two 
 Shins amount to thirteen: which altogether make up 
 the number of six hundred and thirteen [according to 
 the number of precepts.]."* 
 
 * As this kind of Cabalistic doctrine will frequently occur in the 
 course of our investigation, it will be proper to give here a brief view of 
 the method employed by the Cabalists in discovering the various 
 mysteries which they attribute to the law, and the secret meaning of its 
 words. These rules, which are thirteen in number, will serve as a key 
 to our investigation. 
 
 1st. '}')p''^t01i Notricon ; forming a word from each letter of a 
 word. For instance — from the word ^^ti^ Sh'ma which consists of three 
 letters, the following words are composed : Dyo>^ unt2 l«ti^ " Lif* ^P 
 your eyes to heaven ;" -n^^ -i^D nti^ " To the Almighty and most 
 high King ;" m2-\^ nnzD mnlb " In tlie morning, afternoon, and 
 evening ;" from which the Rabbies infer, that three times every day, 
 i.e. morning, afternoon, and evening, prayers are to be performed. This 
 rule is also used to form two words from one ; as from /TlBtDllO ^o- 
 taphoth, the words Tat Phath, which they interpret to signify twice two ; 
 hence they infer that the Phylactery for the head is to be divided into 
 four separate compartments. Sometimes very curious and ingenious 
 combinations are derived from this system. For instance — the word 
 Q>DSJ Pasinif used in the passage, " And he made him a coat of (Pasim) 
 many colours," (Gen. 37. 3.) is made to indicate the misfortunes which 
 Joseph experienced, in being sold by his brethren to onrnD iD'iqiH) 
 UT\12 D'bbratD*' " Potiphar, Merchants (Sochrim), Ishmaelites, Midian- 
 
1^ MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 We will now state the mode of forming the Phylactery 
 for the hand, as laid down in the same book, the " Tree 
 
 ites." It appears that the Christian Fathers sometimes made 
 use of the same rule ; as for instance — our Lord and Saviour has been 
 called by them IXOYS (a Fish), because these are the initials of those 
 Greek words, " Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour." 
 
 2nd. C^')l"'iJ Tziruf^ (Anagram) ; the change of any word into others 
 by the transposition of the component letters, which form various words. 
 Thus n^TOtoi BWayshithy " In the beginning," has been anagra- 
 matized, ^im nni B'rith Aysh, " a covenant of fire," to accord with 
 Deut. 33. 2, "from His right hand went a fiery law for them." In a 
 Cabalistic book, entitled c^ip^n Tikunion, upwards of seventy com- 
 binations of this single word are formed by Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai. 
 The Cabalists say, because the Hebrew letters are spiritual, and simple 
 figures, they can, therefore, be construed different ways ; but this can be 
 done in any language. Herbert anagramatized the Virgin Mary into 
 Armyy as it is to be found in the following two lines : 
 
 " How well her name an Army doth present, 
 In whom the Lord of Hosts did pitch His tent." 
 
 "We will take a few English words more ; for instance — Astronomers 
 has been transposed into Moon starera ; Gallantries into All great sins ; 
 Old England into Golden Land ; Penitentiary into Nay, I repent it. 
 
 3rd. i^''1J0D''-3 (Guimatria, or numbering) ; this word seems to have 
 been borrowed from the Greek ycw/ttrpia, as it is a mathematical 
 system of interpreting the Scripture. Since every letter is a numeral, 
 the word is reduced to the number it contains, and compared with another 
 word containing the same value, and hence a conclusion is drawn that 
 there must be a close relation between the two words. Thus the 
 Cabalists make out that nrw rroo Saphah Achath, (one language) in 
 Gen. 11. 1, amounts to the same as '^mrt rwb L''shoun hakodesh, (the 
 sacred tongue) ; though Ushoun hakodesh is certainly one more in 
 number than Saphah Achath, so that the relation is rather inconclusive. 
 But in many instances the words amount to the same number, and are 
 very interesting. For instance, rra2 Tzemach in the passage, " for, 
 behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch," (Tzemach^) (Zech. 
 3. 8.) must mean the Messiah ; for it amounts numerically to the same 
 as DTOQ M'nachaim, " Comforter," (Lamentations 1. 16.) So rfrcj «a> 
 yavou Shilohy in the passage, " The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, 
 nor a law giver from between his feet, until Shiloh come," (yavou 
 Shiloh)y ^amounts numerically to the same as nnira Messiah ; hence 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 15 
 
 of life." " The Phylacteries for the hand to be made thus. 
 Take a square piece of wood : its length ought to be 
 
 Shiloh must be the Messiah. This rule is used in different ways : 
 sometimes an J^ is counted 100 or 1000, and ^ 200 or 2000, and so on ; 
 which they call Vn3 TUO " the great number :" and vice versa, a J^ 
 is counted 4, and ti^ 3, and is called wp tvo " ^^^ small number." They 
 have also a system of combining the last letter of the Alphabet with the 
 first, as /l^ ; next to the last with the second, as t^^, and so on ; which is 
 called the At Bash alphabet ; so that, when it suits their purpose, they 
 count Jn oney and J^ four hundred ; and so also sometimes artificial 
 words are formed by this rule ; see the 6th rule. Baal JJatoorim in com- 
 menting on the Pentateuch very often uses this kind of intrepretation. 
 Nor is this rule confined to the Jews alone : it is, in fact, an old 
 heathen doctrine ; the same which was taught by Plato and Pythagoras. 
 Some have attempted to count the number of the beast in the Revelation, 
 13. 18, according to this system ; of which the two following, one Hebrew 
 and the other Greek, are examples; >b>cm ^rcmpn ir2« Abinu Haka- 
 desha apapa, " Our holy father, the Pope ;" and also KAK02 
 OAHrOS, ** Bad guide ;" both of which amount numerically to the 
 number of the man, ** whose number is six hundred and three score and 
 six." See Calmet's Dictionary, by Taylor ; Article, Antichrist. 
 
 4ih. r\1')^ Tzurah, (Figure) ; this depends entirely on the shape 
 of the letters. For instance, a question is suggested. Why does the law 
 commence with ^he letter ^ ? The answer is, Because it is formed by 
 three lines or Ys Wavs, as this ^'), which if written in full would be 
 spelt 1^, which amounts numerically to thirteen. Multiplied by three, 
 according to the number of the ^'s, it will produce thirty nine, equal to 
 in« mrr (Jehovah is one), which is also thirty nine. With their 
 usual discernment they say, since this letter ^ has one point above and 
 one behind, it indicates that the Lord created the world, which is 
 represented by the preceding letter, that is, ^ formed by two *^ youds 
 and a ^ wav, as this J^, and making together twenty six, the same 
 number as nirp Jehovah. 
 
 The letter J«^ written in full is t^^y or Aluf (Lord). By 
 transposing the letters, the word n^d Pele, (Wonderful), is formed. 
 
 5th. nilT) ^BIDI POy^D ''ti^X") Iloshay Taivouth Vsophay 
 Tayvouth. (The initials and finals of words.) This consists in forming 
 one mysterious word either from the initials or finals of certain several 
 words. For instance, an objection was suggested against the book Esther 
 being inserted amongst the other books of holy writ, because the name rnrr 
 Jehovah, is not once mentioned therein, which is a proof of its not being 
 
u 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVEcJTIGATED, 
 
 equal to its width, and to be a finger''s width in length, or 
 a little more or less as here represented. (See plate 2nd.) 
 
 sacred. This objection was soon answered, by shewing that the name 
 r\)'n'^ Jehovah was found in the initials of the words ovH rori) 'p^'H ni'' 
 "Let the King and Haman come this day." (Esther 5. 4.) In like 
 manner, words are formed from the finals, and sometimes from the 
 middle letters, which they term nii^n ^^n Tochay Taivouth. 
 
 6th. n")1DJl T'murahf (permutation, or a change of the letters 
 of the alphabet). First reducing the twenty two letters of the 
 alphabet to eleven couples, coupling the first with the last, the second 
 with the one next to the last, &c. as ^ q> 3:d on rt eh jtt jn n3 ©3 rw 
 and then forming mysterious words from the substituted letters. 
 They assert that Jeremiah, in order that he might not provoke the King 
 of Babylon against him, by making use of the word Babylon, artfully 
 substituted -to© Shesach (in Jer. 51. 41), and that it is the same as 
 ^ ; for the two ^'s Shins stand for the two ^'s Beths, and -t Caph 
 for V Lamed, as they thus correspond. How far this is correct will be 
 seen from the end of the same verse, " How is Babylon become an astonish- 
 ment among the nations !" Thus are the Scriptures distorted in many places. 
 
 7th. l^^D") "^DH Ghasar Umalay, (defective and complete) ; which 
 consists in discovering some mysterious meaning in an apparently 
 superfluous or defective letter. Thus the word dq-,p, Tomim is de- 
 fective in l^, in the passage, referring to Rebecca, " Behold there were 
 twins (Tomim) in her womb," (Gen. 25. 24), whilst it is complete in the 
 passage, referring to Tamar, (Gen. 38. 27). The reason assigned for it 
 is, that one of Rebecca's twins was wicked, (i.e. Esau), and, therefore, is 
 the word uny\n Tomim defective ; but Tamar's twins were both 
 righteous, and, therefore, Tomim is complete. By this system they 
 sometimes run into the most extravagant absurdities ; as in the passage 
 in Gen. 2. 22, the word d-imtt bti mon **-4w<i he brought her unto 
 the man," is defective in > yod. The reason assigned is, " because 
 without the , it amounts numerically to 24, according to the 3rd rule ; 
 for the Lord adorned Eve with 24 different ornaments, and presented 
 her to Adam." Baal Hatoorim is very fond of this sort of speculation. 
 
 8th. Jnmn31 mDIJlD Stumoth Upsuchoth, (closed and open) ; 
 which consists of a speculation respecting the Q Pe, and Samech, that 
 very frequently occurs in the Hebrew Bible ; the former signifying open 
 and the latter closed. This rule is also applied, where a sentence is 
 apparently incomplete in the Hebrew, as in Gen. 4. 8, the literal transla- 
 tion of which, in the Hebrew Pentateuch is, ** And Cain said unto Abel, 
 his brother — and it came to pass, when they were in the field," &c. As 
 
cs 
 
 < 
 
 w 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED, 17 
 
 Cover it with moist leather; leave some leather below; 
 sew it all round from the four corners, except in that 
 
 here we are not informed what Abel said, the Jews pretend that some 
 great mystery is contained in the passage. But the mystery disappears 
 by referring to the Samaritan Pentateuch, where the passage runs thus : 
 
 ** And Cain said unto Abel his brother, let us go into the field. And it 
 came to pass when they were in the field," &c. 
 
 9th. np ]^^i y^r\2 yn:^ ^b^ np -srvi vno kHhih, laub 
 
 vHo K*ri. (Read and not written, written and not read) : that is, many 
 words in the text are denoted in the margin to be read differently ; as 
 in Ps. 100. 3, the written text is, -^^ton «S " ^^^ iiot we ourselves ;" and 
 it is to be read according to the margin, ^jrow ^b^ " His we are." (I give 
 this as an example, because the English Bibles with margins have the 
 same. See Baxter's Polyglott.) In some places an entire word is defici- 
 ent in the text, while it is supplied in the margin, in which word it is 
 pretended that great mysteries are concealed. 
 
 10th. Jl!)^'n;n /TlJ^p Ktanoth Uffdoloth, (small and large letters,) 
 which are sometimes found in the Hebrew Bible, Thus -, in Di^lUnn 
 (" when they were created") is small, and they a.ssert that in consequence 
 of this letter the heaven and earth were created : and as the "] which 
 represents the number 4, is large in tbe word *7nM (oiie,) that we 
 are to consider Him " King in Heaven and earth, and the four corners 
 of the world." Also the ^ in y-cf^ (Hear) is large because Israel 
 has seventy names, and the law, which can be explained seventy different 
 ways, was given to them ; and because they are distinguished from the 
 seventy Gentile nations. Sometimes a letter is found suspended above 
 the line of the others, as -,^,q (out of the wood), Ps. 80. 13, and 
 sometimes turned upside down, as C at the end of the 10th chapter of 
 Numbers. 
 
 10th. Cjl^ Chiluph (exchange), which is one letter found in the 
 place of another in the Bible ; as in nVfir (" his tent") in Gen. 13. 3, 
 n feminine is found instead of *) the third personal pronominal suffix mas- 
 culine. Such changes occur very frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures, 
 which, in fact, is nothing else but a peculiarity in the Hebrew language, 
 for which any one acquainted with the rudiments of that language will 
 be able to account. However, the Cabalists pretend that it indicates 
 profound mysteries. Some concealed mystery is also attached to the 
 
 D 
 
18 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 part which is designed for the Nmn^/'D Maaharta^ (or 
 passage, from nny Ahar to pass), the place for the nyilil 
 R'tsuah, (i.e. the thong of leather which is put in the 
 Phylacteries, which we shall explain hereafter). The 
 other things are in the same order as those for the head 
 Phylacteries, except that the four portions of Scripture 
 are written on one long slip of parchment in four 
 columns. 
 
 As in our Lord's time the Scribes and Pharisees made 
 broad their Phylacteries for to be seen of men ; so, like- 
 wise, such of the modern Jews as profess to be more holy 
 than the rest, have their Phylacteries very broad indeed, 
 and look down upon those of their brethren whose 
 Phylacteries are small, for they think it to be a sign of 
 great carelessness. Compare plates of the Polish and 
 English Jew. 
 
 About A. D. 1175, there arose a great controversy 
 
 seven letters rnaoMn as they sometimes occur superfluously at the end 
 of words, which is commonly known in grammar by the technical 
 term Paragogic. 
 
 12th. rrnpl N^Koodoth (points). There are ten vowel points; 
 five long, and five short ; the former being termed kings, the lat- 
 ter slaves; in which unspeakable mysteries are supposed to be 
 contained. In some places dots (said to be for some mysterious 
 purpose) are found on words ; as in Gen. 33. 4, on the word \rip^^ 
 (" and kissed him,") which indicates that Esau intended to bite Jacob ; 
 but when he saw Jacob, his compassion was excited, and he kissed him. 
 
 13th. D''Oj7lO Taamimf (musical accents,) which are also divided 
 into kings and ministers^ some conjunctive and others disjunctive, <fec. 
 Even in those the Cabalists do not fail to discover deep mysteries. 
 Every word in the Pentateuch has one tone accent, unless it is joined 
 to another by an horizontal stroke, like an hyphen, which is called 
 makaph; but in the Decalogue every word has two tone accents, on 
 which the Cabalists displayed their magnificent inventive powers and 
 fertile imagination, and so wasted the best part of their time. 
 
 The above few observations will furnish the Christian reader with 
 some idea of the nature of the Jewish " soul of souls," for so is this kind 
 of doctrine designated by them. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 19 
 
 between Rabbi Solomon Jarchi and Rabbi Moses 
 Maimonides on the one side, and Rabbi Tam on 
 the other side, as regards the placing of the portions 
 of Scripture in the Phylacteries. The two former 
 maintained the order above mentioned, (to which the 
 Jewish nation almost universally conforms), whilst the 
 latter contended for another order. The most strict 
 Jews use both of them ; the former they call I'Vsn 
 ♦"\r;"n " Rabbi Solomon Jarchi's Phylacteries," the 
 latter nni l^^Bn " Rabbi Tam''s." 
 
 The Jews have a traditional fable respecting the origin 
 of the above mentioned controversy, which is the fol- 
 lowing. Rabbi Tam was the grandson of Rabbi S. Jarchi, 
 and when but a little baby his grandfather took him in 
 his arms at the time when he was arrayed in his Phy- 
 lacteries. The child looking at them on his grandfather's 
 head, began to pull them pif with great vigour. Rabbi 
 S. Jarchi (according to his usual sagacity) predicted that 
 his grandson would oppose him on that point. 
 
 According to the rules laid down by the Rabbies, the 
 following seven letters 
 
 are to be written with little flourishes on the top, which are 
 called ;»Jn Taguin. They pretend that even these small 
 jots have many mysteries connected with them. From the 
 following quotation it is evident that the Jews are led to 
 believe there are numberless mysteries even in these 
 Taguin. ur\r±} n\i;D rhv^ n);u;3 n^ nQ^* m'\T\^ nn "IC^* 
 13m v:d^ ^n^ nvnii^b dohd nu7ipi nu;vu; n^'-^^prh \mo 
 nvrh n»nw u;» ^^^* din iV nQ^* ii* hv DDi;Q 'D di^v ^^ 
 
 r\"din bu; ]'Vn 'Vn rp'» Vp " Rabbi Judah said in the 
 name of Rab, When Moses ascended into Heaven, he 
 found the Holy and Blessed One binding crowns (i.e. 
 Taguin) to the letters. He said unto Him, Lord of 
 
20 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 the universe, who obliges Thee to do so ? He said unto 
 him, There is a certain man, who will appear at the 
 end of many generations : his name will be Akiba ben 
 Joseph, who will discover in each point heaps of piles 
 of treatises." Talmud, Tract Wnachoth, fol. 29. 
 
 We now proceed to the Jl^^l^^") Rtsuoth. These 
 are long slips of leather that are put through the 
 Kn")2^D Maaharta^ or passage, of the above men- 
 tioned Phylacteries, with which they fasten them upon 
 their heads and arms. The Rabbles define the breadth 
 of the Rtsuah for the head to be equal to the length 
 of a barleycorn, or a little wider. Rabbi Moses K'mutsy 
 seems to be very particular ; he defines its width more 
 accurately ; for he says it must be wider than the length 
 of a grain of wheat, and less than one of barley. Their 
 length is to be sufficient to compass the head, and to 
 make the nu^p Kesher^ or knot; and the ends must 
 hang down on the right side as far as the navel, and 
 on the left as far as the breast ; or they may be 
 longer, but not shorter. The knot is to be made like a 
 Daleth, (which every learned man must 
 be able to make.) This is the second 
 letter of the word nu? Shadai^ i.e. 
 Almighty. The first letter u; Shin is 
 on the Phylactery for the head, as 
 we have seen above ; and the third letter 
 Youd is a small Kesher^ or knot in the shape of a 
 ^^^ ♦ on the ^in2^•^ ITtsuah, i.e. the thong of leather 
 ^^^B which belongs to the hand. 
 ^^W The length of the Rtsuah for the hand 
 ^ is to be such as to go seven times round the arm, 
 and three times round the middle finger, with a 
 little surplus :* and its width is the same as that for the 
 head. So much for the manufacturing of the Phylacteries. 
 
 • The surrounding of the arm and finger are called monj Crichoutb^ 
 from "^1^ Carach, to surround. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 21 
 
 The accompanying wood cut will present a fair idea of 
 their shape as finished with the^traps, knots, &c. 
 
 Before we proceed to shew how they are used and 
 esteemed by modern Jews, the question may naturally be 
 asked, whence have they even the most remote notion of 
 the E'tsuoth? since it is not mentioned in the law of 
 Moses. Doubtless originally they were made in order to 
 fasten the Phylacteries on the head and arm; but the 
 Rabbies, who are " blind leaders of the blind,"" and fond 
 of research, pretend that extraordinary mysteries are 
 connected with them, and trace their origin to Abraham. 
 
 In Talmud, Tract Sotah^ chap. 2, we have the following 
 specimen of Rabbinical theology : ')12ii^ IDt:^! Kin \:^11 
 
 vb'^^n bu; n^^ii^n i^f2b\D2 vb'^^n bw nv')^^') nb^n b^ roin 
 •jK'T'i T'^a^ lA^p: ''^^'' Dt:/ o v"ii*n '^oy b^ i^^-n yr\Di 
 : t:^^^nnt:^ ]'>b'^^r) )bii -idij^ bnoin ')^Tbi^ n i^^n) idd 
 
 "Rabba preached in commendation of the meritorious 
 
22 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 saying of our father Abraham, ' I will not take from a 
 thread even to a shoelatchet,"* (Gen. 14. 23,) that his sons 
 were privileged with two precepts, viz. a thread of hlue 
 (Num. 15. 38,) and the Ktmah of the Phylacteries. With 
 respect to the latter it appears to be quite right, for it is 
 written, ' And all people of the earth shall see that thou 
 art called by the name of the Lord ; and they shall be 
 afraid of thee,' (Deut. 28. 10). And we learn also that 
 Kabbi Eliezer Magnus says these words refer to Phy- 
 lacteries of the head.'' 
 
 It is very distressing to see that all such monstrous 
 assertions owe their existence entirely to the most ex- 
 travagant misinterpretation of the word of God, which 
 has been a grevious source of error in the Christian as 
 well as in the Jewish Church. 
 
 The above Jewish quotation reminds us of the equally 
 absurd commentary of St. Isidore on Leviticus 11. 4 — 6, 
 who asserts, " That by the unclean animals whose hoofs 
 are not divided are meant the Jews, because they reject 
 the authenticity of the New Testament, and do not believe 
 in the Lord Jesus." Alas ! how much of this Gnosticism 
 (which was first adopted by the renowned Origen, and 
 brought down to the Church of Rome by St. Jerome) 
 prevails still in the Christian Church ! But at the same 
 time we may thank God that a great number of the 
 dignified Divines of the Church renounce that false 
 system of interpretation. 
 
 We trust that Biblical Christians will be rejoiced to 
 learn that a great number of the Jewish nation are 
 beginning to renounce the traditions of their fathers, 
 and some even the" absurdity of Phylacteries ; for we are 
 happy to say we do not find anything about them in the 
 Prayer Book of the Reformed English Jews, though, alas! 
 some renounce Moses and the Prophets as well. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 23 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The mode of using Phylacteries hy modern Jews. 
 
 E will now proceed to shew as briefly 
 as possible how Phylacteries are used 
 by modern Jews. 
 
 When a male child attains the age of 
 /^ twelve years and eleven months, his 
 father is obliged to begin to instruct him in the requisite 
 observances relating to the Phylacteries, and to impress 
 on his mind the devotional feelings required in using them, 
 and the blessings that are bestowed on him that uses 
 them rightly ; and on the other hand the terrible 
 punishments that await him that abuses them. Thus 
 the mind of the poor youth is entirely devoted to the 
 Phylacteries, and he pays more homage to them than to 
 God. During a whole month he is taught nothing else 
 but their sublime holiness. When he is thirteen years 
 and one day old, he takes the responsibility of the law 
 upon himself, and is thenceforth bound to use them. He 
 is then called niJ^Q ^n Bar Mitswah^ (son of command- 
 ment, i.e. subject to the law.) 
 
 This is much the same as confirmation in the Church 
 of England. The father is now irresponsible for the 
 transgressions of the child, and he returns thanks to the 
 Lord in the Synagogue before all the congregation that 
 He has released him from his child'*s responsibility in the 
 
 words wy::^ ^:-)to3t:^ ub^vr^ ^bu ^^rhi^ mn*' nriK inn 
 
 nt ^ti^ " Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the 
 universe, that Thou hast set me free from the punish- 
 ment of this child." For, according to the Talmud, 
 
24 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 until that time the son*'s conduct is imputed to the 
 father. If the child be clever, he delivers a lecture, 
 stating his reasons^for taking upon himself such a re- 
 sponsibility. The father considers that day a day of 
 rejoicing, and makes a sort of feast for the child's 
 teachers, which is'indeed a very solemn ceremony. 
 
 The earliest time in the morning, at which they are 
 allowed to wear the Phylacteries is p77 rODD ]^2 ")0''l^D 
 " when a person is able to distinguish between blue and 
 white." Another Rabbi says, n^j'? INT V^ ")0'»t:^D 
 " When a person is able to distinguish between a wolf 
 and a dog." A third Rabbi defines the time in another 
 way, HTiiP 1Q); bo")n non n^< *td»u;q "When a 
 person is able to recognise his friend, with whom he is 
 but little acquainted." Every Jew would be under an 
 obligation to wear them all the day long, but since he is 
 obliged to labour for his daily bread, and his attention 
 would necessarily be taken from the Phylacteries, (for as 
 long as he is arrayed in them his mind must be free from 
 every thing else), therefore the Rabbies have ordered 
 them to be used only at the time of morning prayers, 
 (which commonly last only about an hour and a half, 
 and with the most strict Jews three hours or more.) 
 Hence they are called by them yb*Dn Tphillin^ from 
 Vbs Palal to pray. Gesenius very properly renders 
 it die Gebetriemen, "Straps for prayer." The Grecising 
 Jews seem to have called them <i>v\aKTfipiaj (originally from 
 <pv\d(T(T(i}, to keep or preserve,) and hence Phylacteries^ 
 because they are reminded by*" them to keep the law, or 
 more probably because of Proverbs 6. 21, 22, "Bind 
 them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about 
 thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee ; when 
 thou sleepest it shall keep thee {(pvXaatnru) ae) ; and when 
 thou awakest, it shall talk with thee." A very great 
 number, however, of the Jews of Poland and Russia wear 
 them from morning until evening, with the view of 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 25 
 
 separating themiselves from the world, and enjoying close 
 communion with God in their studies. 
 
 In order that the mind of the Jew should be fixed upon 
 the Phylacteries, during the time he is arrayed in them, 
 Rabbi Moses Maimonides, writing on the rules of the 
 Phylacteries, lays down the following injunction, which 
 ill becomes that renowned genius : ^t2^u? D"1K I'^^n 
 
 ar:n •l^''^^^ dhd iw^ h^d*' i^bu^ vb:; Uii^ pr bD "^b'^^n^ 
 i^^i^i b^2 Krr iv bm Dt:^ n^iw^ '^^^^ Dni t:;^ ^bi^^ inj* 
 
 \T b^2 iniDDI " A man is bound to feel the Phylacteries 
 all the time that they are upon him, in order that his mind 
 may not be distracted even for the twinkling of an eye, for 
 their sanctity is greater than the sanctity of the plate which 
 was on the High Priest's forehead, (Exod. 28. 36—38) ; 
 for the plate had only one name, [i.e. the name of Jehovah 
 which is expressed by the Jews by the word D\y Shaim, 
 i.e. name,] but these (i.e. Phylacteries) have twenty-one 
 names n"^ Youd Hay [i.e. Jehovah] both for the head and 
 the hand. And for this reason every one is prohibited 
 from sleeping in them. 
 
 The following is the order in which they are put on. 
 First, the Phylactery for the hand : and he that puts it 
 on, repeats the following blessing : l^^n'^i*^ XWXV ^n^^ "fill 
 
 vb'^^n ry^'ixh ijiiiii vn^iJJDi ijjt^ip "i::^^ D^i^rr ^^ 
 
 " Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the universe, 
 who hast sanctified us with thy precepts, and commanded 
 us to wear Phylacteries." Then he surrounds his arms 
 with the Rtsuah seven times, or makes seven Crichouth 
 according to the number of words found in the following 
 passage : 
 
 "y ft K A Q O 1 
 
 ]yr\ 'n b^b ti'^^^ y^"" n^ njiis) 
 
 " Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every 
 living thing." (Psalm 145. 16.) And when he wishes to 
 know whether he has made the right number, he 
 
 E 
 
26 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 repeats these words, instead of saying, One, Two, &c. 
 Afterwards the head Phylactery is put on. It is placed 
 opposite the brain, and whilst in the act of putting it 
 on, the person repeats the following blessing : JITIK l*)"!! 
 
 ni^iD b:; ^2^:i^ vjii^iDi )mip ')^i^ obwn -^bo ^Tnbi^ mrr 
 
 Vb^n " Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the 
 universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy precepts, 
 and given to us the precept of Phylacteries." The 
 reason of the two different blessings is in consequence 
 of a controversy that existed between two Rabbies : 
 one recommended the first, and the other the second 
 blessing. However, they agreed that the poor Jew, 
 whose "fear toward God is taught by the precept of 
 men," (Isaiah 29. 13 ; col. 2. 22,) should repeat both 
 of them. Thus they make the poor Israelite repeat 
 one untruth after another in the presence of the Al- 
 mighty, and all-seeing God ; for there is no command- 
 ment whatever given by God to use the Phylacteries. 
 The passages from which they infer it are wilftilly 
 perverted, for which they will be obliged to give an 
 account on the great and terrible day of judgment. 
 
 After putting on the head Phylacteries, the Jew makes 
 again three Crichouth on the palm of his hand, and also 
 three on the middle finger, with the same WUuah, 
 The Crichouth on the palm is made like a u; on 
 the outside, and like a "T inside. (See plate of 
 Polish Jew.) Every Jew whilst putting on the Phy- 
 lacteries is under an obligation to consider the contents 
 of the four portions (as the Jews express it) in the 
 prayer before using them : -^yaim "ou -pur vmnm mn* dto ttw 
 
 •C12-0 Dm mw^ " That they contain in them God's perfect 
 unity ; (May His name be blessed !) and that we 
 should remember the signs and wonders that He 
 wrought with us when He brought us forth out of 
 Egypt, and that He has power and dominion over 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 27 
 
 things celestial and terrestrial, to do with them according 
 to His pleasure." He is then to tie them on his left 
 arm opposite his heart, it being so expressed in the 
 same prayer : nsraih I'n 123 MirrorL m:Q:n smt yroi) m ^ mrfj "uisttn 
 '.ycm -pnn> iriTiayb mb mnMrro-j ni«n mn " And that He has com- 
 manded us to put them upon the hand, as a remem- 
 brance of His outstretched arm, and that it is oppo- 
 site the heart to subdue with it the desires and thoughts 
 of our hearts to His service. Blessed be His name !" 
 He then places the head Phylactery on the part oppo- 
 site the brain, which is also expressed in the same 
 prayer: vrc cte tdi win -ftw d» Tnm«? nocjrrej mon na: tt5N-n "wt 
 too "pan* >*Tian rmysh cnsiytiyo " And upon the head opposite 
 the brain, in order that the soul which is in my brain, 
 with all my other faculties and abilities, may be devoted 
 to the service of the Creator. Blessed be His name !" 
 A certain Rabbi being rather puzzled with this order, 
 objected that since it is written " between your eyes," 
 according to the word of God, it ought to be in one 
 place, but according to the Rabbies"* institution it is to 
 be put in quite another place. Another Rabbi solved 
 the difficulty by a reference to Deut. 14. 1, lD''t£^/1 ikb') 
 Df^b DD'^T^ ri r\n')p " Nor make any baldness between 
 your eyes for the dead." He reasoned in this way: 
 "Since the place where hair grows is indicated here, 
 so Phylacteries must be put in the place where hair 
 grows." 
 
28 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The blasphemous and profane Absurdities connected with 
 the use of Phylacteries. 
 
 HE Rabbies, who require our Jewish 
 brethren to believe them "|b ■^D^* iVdm 
 
 " even when they tell them that right is 
 left and left is right,'' (as stated in 
 Rabbi Jarchfs commentary on Deut. 17. 11), attempt to 
 persuade them that the Divine Being wears Phylacteries, 
 and try to prove it in a most absurd and extravagant 
 manner; which is another instance of their wilful per- 
 version of the word of God; as we shall see from the 
 following extract found in Talmud, Tract B'rachouth^ 
 
 foi. 6. rv"!^ r\'y'\>xw r:j?3 pn^i^ hk nik in ]Ui< ^^< 
 xrsrv 'w ''h'^^n I'^i^ ir*)^ ji^nm id"? m ^"^ i^^d^q ^wav 
 
 n ^^>in'^ idd ■)xn"»') ^hyi Kip: mn^ Dt:^ o yiKn '•D^r '^d 
 pm n") n^"? iDi^ t:^^*-l2t:r ^•'S^bd i^k -ID')^^ '?n:in it;/'''?^ 
 HD KD^^r nnD-r ^'•yBn ^irr rnK in ^<^''^ n"? pm> la 
 \^^)X2. l^^^ i:i ^Kit:;> idj;d ^di V^i< inn n-'/iD 
 
 " Rabbi Abin, the son of Rabbi Ada, in the* name of 
 Rabbi Isaac, says, ' How is it proved that the holy and 
 blessed God wears Phylacteries V — It is said, ' The Lord 
 hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His 
 strength,' (Isaiah 62. 8.) His right hand indicates the 
 law ; for it is said, ' From His right hand went a fiery 
 law for them,' (Deut. 38. 2.) The arm of His strength 
 indicates Phylacteries ; for it is said, ' The Lord will give 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 29 
 
 strength unto His people,' (Ps. 29. 11.) But how is it 
 proved that Phylacteries are strength to Israel I — For it 
 is written, 'And all people of the earth shall see that 
 thou art called by the name of the Lord, and shall be 
 afraid of thee,'" (Deut. 28. 10.) And we learn that 
 Rabbi Eliezer Magnus says that these are the head Phy- 
 lacteries. Rabbi Nachman, the son of Isaac, said to 
 Rabbi Chiya, the son of Abin, " What is written in those 
 Phylacteries, which the Lord of the universe wears?" 
 He said unto them, "And what one nation in the earth 
 is Hke Thy people, even Hke Israel T (2 Sam. 7. 23.) 
 Rabbi Lipman, finding that the above mentioned five 
 Rabbies had most profanely trifled with the Deity, and 
 grossly interpreted the above five texts of Scripture, 
 (though he himself very often takes the same un- 
 warrantable liberty,) attempts to persuade us that the 
 above extract from the Talmud, and similar passages, are 
 to be taken figuratively. He says in his Book Nitsachon^ 
 (which he wrote against Christianity, and likewise as a 
 defence of the genuineness of the Talmud,) p»D*i:n ^*^ pi 
 non b\r?Q p") * * * * * '^di ]»VDn noo n'^npn\i; x^n nonnn 
 " And also this that we learn in B'rachouth ' How is it 
 proved that the the holy and blessed God wears Phylac- 
 teries,' &c. is only an allegory." This assertion of Rabbi 
 Lipman is contradicted in the next folio of the same 
 Tract, B'rachouih^ which contains another most blas- 
 phemous commentary on Exod. 33. 23. 'DD Ji)* 'ni^'DrTi 
 i^^f* ^*3ro ")D ^r:in "I'i* 1^*n♦ i^ osi n1^^* n^« n♦^<n1 
 v'j'Dn bu; ")\i;p nu;QV rC''2.^r\ r\^^rv::i ^r:hr:^ pvou; 
 " And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see 
 my back parts, but my face shall not be seen." "Rabbi 
 Chama, the son of Bizna, in the name of Rabbi Simeon, 
 says, From this we learn that the holy and blessed God 
 shewed to Moses the knot of His Phylacteries." Rabbi 
 S. Jarchi adopts this opinion in his commentary on tho 
 
30 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 Pentateuch ; and that the Rabbies also generally believe 
 in the literal meaning of the above passage in E'rachouth 
 will be seen from the remarks of the learned Aben Ezra, 
 on Exod. 33. 23. \h'^r\ Vu; nu;p iV n^^nu; not* i^'ODm 
 i^Qu;oD ^\rw i^nn »ODn in^u;*iD' ")u;nd k"? p"j pD3 D"imi 
 ^*1^ pIQV TiD o " Our wise men said that He shewed 
 him (i.e. Moses) the knot of the Phylacteries, and their 
 words are correct, but not as the wise men of our genera- 
 tion explain, that it is so literally, for this is a deep 
 mystery." 
 
 After the Jewish daily prayer an anthem is chanted, 
 in which we find the two following lines : — 
 i»3»V nN^n rV?^ "^^^ 
 
 " The knot of the Phylacteries He shewed to the meek 
 Moses when the similitude of God was before his eyes."* 
 
 When we consider these profane absurdities and per- 
 versions of Scripture, connected with modern Judaism, 
 can we view it in any other light than that of an imposi- 
 tion upon the credulity of a people that grope in the 
 grossest darkness of superstition and ignorance \ And 
 can we say that this is the religion of Moses and the 
 Prophets ? Surely not ! 
 
 When the Jews have finished their prayers they 
 take off their Phylacteries and put them together 
 in such a manner that the RHsuouth may appear like 
 doves' wings round the boxes. The reason which the 
 Rabbies give us is found in the following extract 
 from Talmud, Tract Sahhath, fol 49. col. 1. D^DU; 
 
 n "T^^^ *)nDp 1^1^*•^ p'wh t*!^vi ^n'JO j/u;''?^ r^'T^^ inio nw 
 not* no ^rnt*i 1u;^<"^D ;biD3 "h^i^ yonu; ;vdi vm^* ni vjdo 
 
 njv " At one time the Roman Emperor issued an edict 
 • David Levi's Translation. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 31 
 
 against Israel, that whosoever should wear Phylacteries 
 should have his brains dashed out. But Elisha put them 
 on and went out into the street. An executioner saw 
 him, but Elisha fled. The executioner pursued and 
 overtook him, and when he had seized him, Elisha had 
 taken them off his head and was holding them in his 
 hand. The executioner inquired. What have you got in 
 your hand ? He replied, Doves' wings : he held out his 
 hand, and there were found wings of a dove." 
 
 From all these observances Dn')tOS) D''^lOp1 Dn^yi D'^^2 
 " Women, servants, and little ones, are free :" for the use 
 of Phylacteries is designated by the Rabbies Hti^i^ JTI^Q 
 KD^^ IDtnt!^ i.e. " A precept of commission, at a specified 
 time," as they are only used by day and not by night. 
 
 From all such precepts the above mentioned parties 
 are set free ; but M'*chiltha and Yalkut Simeoni tell us 
 '^^SJl nmt2 nn'n b^^^i; m byn " Michal, SauFs daugh- 
 ter, wore Phylacteries." The Rabbies infer that the 
 Gentiles are also excluded from this privilege from the 
 passage n1^*V "p n»m "And it shall be a sign unto 
 thee.'*'' They lay stress on the word '-'•unto tliee^'' and 
 imply that the meaning is n1^fV Dnnf^V ^\ nif*V "|^ 
 "unto thee for a sign, but not to others." We find, 
 however, in Medrash^ (a Cabalistic work,) that one of the 
 grand advantages that the Messiah will confer upon the 
 Gentiles is the privilege of wearing Phylacteries ; as we 
 
 read Jl1Dl^^'? \ryh iihi^ Ki n^t^^DH -j'pD ^''K N^^^rr ui '^D^* 
 riD'? b^i^'' byt^ ^"''p^sm :lb^b^ hdid n:)D rmo wbv D^io^rr 
 
 " Rabbi Hanina said, Messiah the King will not come 
 for any other purpose than to give to the nations of 
 the world three precepts, namely, to observe the Feast 
 of Tabernacles, Palm Branches,* and Phylacteries; but 
 
 * On the Feast of Tabernacles every Jew must carry a Palm Branch, 
 with which he is enjoined by the Rabbies to compass the Synagogue. 
 
32 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 Israel will learn the law from the Holy and Blessed 
 One, as it was said, 'And all thy children shall be 
 taught of the Lord/" (Is. 54. 13.) 
 
 Every Jew is obliged to have his Phylacteries ex- 
 amined once a year. This is inferred from the words, 
 " from year to year,*" in Exod. 13. 10, as we find Yalkut 
 Simeoni, on Exod. 13. 10, m^i DlKt:; T:iD HD^D'' DVJ^D 
 
 tcmn "iw D^^t:^'? nnik oys "^b'^^nTi jin pmb " From 
 
 year to year ; that is to say, that a person ought to 
 examine the Phylacteries once in twelve months:" for 
 they are liable to be discarded as soon as one jot or 
 tittle is erased, or if a child, who knows only the 
 Alphabet, should mistake one letter for another in con- 
 sequence of a letter being erased : e. g. if the pro- 
 jecting line in n, Beth, be rubbed off, a child might 
 easily mistake it for a D, Caph. 
 
 How applicable to modern Rabbies are the words 
 addressed by our Saviour to the Scribes and Pharisees 
 of old ! — " Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and 
 swallow a camel." 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 33 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The estimation in which Phylacteries are held^ as Amulets^ 
 Charms^ Sfc. 
 
 OW we will proceed to shew, as briefly 
 as possible, how Phylacteries are gene- 
 rally esteemed by the Jewish nation. 
 
 In the first place, we will transcribe 
 an extract from their own prayers, that 
 so we may judge for ourselves concerning their opinion 
 of their efficacy, n^'nh *bv ynon^ yb'^n n))iO j;du;qi 
 ]W ti^n ^)n'-)n ^Vn nnu;noi u;ip );du;i Don?* D"n 'b 
 
 nniu;n ^r\nm 13♦^V^< >''* -['3DbD ;i2fn ♦n»'i i3on^ oy nu?}*D ♦^^» 
 n»D"iD bDn n»nQ»p i^nd n'^npn osV v''*^^ ^nan nii^D 
 PN nn V^'^nn i-^IJ^Q Jn^'n^ n'pnpll " And may the influ- 
 ence that emanates from the precept of Phylacteries be 
 drawn upon -me, that I may have a long life, and abun- 
 dance of holiness and imaginations without a thought 
 of sin and wickedness; and that Satan may not 
 deceive nor disturb us, but permit us to serve the 
 Lord as we please, according to the dictates of our 
 consciences; and may it please thee, O Lord our God, 
 that the precept of wearing Phylacteries may be 
 counted before the Holy and Blessed One, as fulfilled 
 by me, with all its particulars and scrutinies, and the 
 six hundred and thirteen precepts which hang on it. 
 Amen." 
 
 We see from the above quotation, that our Jewish 
 brethren, in their blindness, not only make Phylacteries 
 
34 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 a mediation between them and God, but also a guard 
 against Satan. But alas ! some go farther, and actually 
 consider them to operate as amulets and charms to 
 drive away evil spirits, that they may not have access 
 to them. It is not at all uncommon for superstitious 
 Jews, when they go any where by night, to take their 
 Phylacteries with them, that the devil may not have 
 nn^bTD SK'Utah^ (i.e. dominion^ as they call it,) over 
 them. The superstitious will tell you of numerous 
 deliverances from great dangers in consequence of their 
 having Phylacteries with them, as Papists will tell you 
 of their scapular. It is not at all surprising therefore, 
 that a modern Jew should attempt to prove, that papists 
 are unjustly called idolators.* 
 
 * The Editor of the " Voice of Jacob," who ia as little acquainted with 
 the intrinsic doctrine of Popery y as he is with that of Modern Judaism, 
 made such an attempt in his periodical, I felt it my duty to reply to it, 
 through the medium of the " Antidote," which I transcribe here, in com- 
 pliance with a friend's request. 
 
 "to the editob of the antidote." 
 Dear Sib, — As I know of no journal more suited than the Antidote 
 to the remarks I have to offer by way of antidote to the ^^ Voice of Jacob ,* 
 a Jewish fortnightly publication, I beg the favour of your finding them a 
 place in your next No. 
 
 I am a constant reader of the " Voice of Jacob y^ in each No. of which I 
 meet with many things objectionable, and which I purpose to answer more 
 at length in my forthcoming work, " The Fundamental Principles of 
 Modern Judaism Investigated.''* At present my business is with an 
 article headed, " Gentile Criticism, on the Jewish Press,* which appeared 
 in No. 24. In that article the Editor reluctantly attempts to prove that 
 papists are unjustly called idolaters. This apology for Popery is cer- 
 tainly a novelty in Jewish theology, and one which does but little credit 
 to the Editor of the Voice of Jacob. The following are his own words on 
 this subject : — 
 
 ** While, however, we thus decline giving an opinion, we must still con- 
 tend that if any creed has a right to pronounce a decision on the merits 
 of religions based upon Scripture, it is Judaism — the mother is the best 
 judge of the different characters of her daughters. We repeat, that we 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 35 
 
 They pray, as we have seen, that through the 
 influence of Phylacteries their imaginations may be 
 
 have no concern with the reasons which may be drawn from the gospel in 
 favour of the clamours against the Romanists, but as regards those said to 
 be deduced from Scripture, the primitive and peculiar inheritance of 
 Israelites, who are certainly its best expounders (doubtful), we feel our- 
 selves compelled, with all due deference to the amiable editress of the 
 Christian Lady's Magazine, to show how little these reasons are founded on 
 the contents of the Bible. From the circumstance, that after the Israelites 
 had worshipped the golden calf in the wilderness, three thousand of them 
 fell by the command of God, we do not perceive how it follows, that those 
 who, out of respect for a person, reverence his image, deserve the name of 
 idolaters. True, the Almighty prohibits the making of any image, but 
 then He also declares to what images He alludes, viz., such as are destined 
 to be worshipped ; (if this restriction of the original prohibition were not 
 admitted, how sinful would be the taste of the many pious Protestants 
 who lavish immense sums on statues and paintings). That the Israelites 
 regarded the golden calf, not as a symbol or mere image, but as a real 
 God, and that they were therefore idolaters, is clear from the address to 
 Aaron, * Up, make us gods, which shall go before us ;' but we never 
 remember to have read or heard that Catholics regard the images of their 
 saints as gods, and worship them as such ; besides which, we have their 
 own especial disclaimer to the contrary. Let the Conversion Society 
 decry its Catholic neighbours as much as it pleases, we cannot interfere; 
 but, after what we have just stated, unprejudiced Protestants will deem it 
 very natural that we plain Jews, who admit nothing but Scripture, and 
 who receive no interpretation of it but that handed down to us by our 
 ancestors, consider the appellations of idolaters, &c., bestowed so un- 
 sparingly upon Papists, as somewhat uncharitable and harsh, nay more, 
 as highly intolerant." 
 
 I will now consider, first, the claim of my Jewish brethren "to pro- 
 nounce a decision on the merits of religions based on Scripture ;" and 
 their premature assumption of the title of « mother," — a title which Holy 
 Scripture expressly declares they have forfeited. " Thus saith the Lord, 
 Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? 
 or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for 
 your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is 
 your mother put away." Isa. 50. 1. Again, « Plead with your mother, 
 plead : for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband." Hos. 2. 2. 
 See also Jer. 3. Hence we clearly see that the mother's judgment is 
 
36 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 without a thought of sin and wickedness. This has 
 reference to an assertion made by one of their false teachers, 
 
 altogether discarded ; and so will it continue, until she shall return to 
 seek the Lord her God, and David her king. Hos. 3. 5. Then, and not 
 until then, is it that she shall be called Ileph-zi-bah, and her land Beu- 
 lah, Isa. 53. 4. ; then it is that Jewish and Christian Churches shall say 
 to each other, Ammi and Ruhamah, Hos. 2. 1. Yes, we hope and pray 
 for that day's approach, but in Israel's present state it is arrant pre- 
 sumption to lay claim to such a position. 
 
 He continues, "but after what we have just stated, unprejudiced Pro- 
 testants will deem it very natural that we plain Jews, who admit nothing 
 but Scripture, and who receive no interpretation of it but that handed 
 down to us by our ancestors, consider the appellations of idolater, &c. 
 bestowed so unsparingly upon Papists, as somewhat uncharitable and 
 harsh, nay more, as highly intolerant." Certainly every impartial reader, 
 who has only a small acquaintance with Jews and Judaism, will be ready 
 to express his astonishment at such an assertion, for he will know that 
 Jews in Holland, Spain, Poland, Russia, and indeed, wherever Popery pre- 
 vails, are taught from their earliest infancy to look upon Christians as 
 idolaters, because of the numberless crucifixes that are placed in every 
 street, which Papists passing by, kneel before, and pray to. The Jewish 
 child abroad, as soon as he is able to talk, is taught to repeat, whenever 
 he passes a Popish mass house, «<,n Q-^n '3 i223?nn 2?ni "isspttJn yi?» 
 •* Thou shalt utterly abhor it, and thou shalt utterly detest it ; for it is a 
 cursed thing," Deut. 7. 26. When a Christian first begins to speak to a 
 foreign Jew about Christianity, he turns a deaf ear, for the Jew connects 
 the appellation of Christianity with the impious idolatry of Popery, which 
 excites in his breast no other emotion than those of abhorrence and con- 
 tempt. No sooner has the Protestant Christian obtained a hearing, than 
 the Jew expresses his great disappointment. « I thought," says the Jew, 
 ** that every one called by the name of Christian was an image worshipper, 
 but I find you are difierent from the Christians here, you consider them 
 idolaters as well as I do." Such was the experience of the Missionaries 
 of the " London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews," 
 when they first arrived in Warsaw, Cracow, Jerusalem, &c. Neither is 
 this opinion concerning Popish Christianity prevalent only amongst a 
 certain class of Jews. It is an established doctrine throughout the oral 
 law, (for which the Popish vindicator claims Divine origin !) 
 
 But we are told it is « intolerant." The renowned Maimonides, who 
 lived in the darkest ages, A.D. 1170, did not think it intolerant to pro- 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 37 
 
 n:iai n'T:i^ inn^n nniDi wi^i2 vb^^n ^b w^u; '•d b^ 
 pDT mnDn Kb wbwDn iDinm mDi Nton*' i^'?::^ 'i'? ntoniD . 
 
 nounce Popish Christianity idolatry. The following is his injunction to 
 the Jew: — i^imu n:D'n nn ni onb n^n^to nnsi: nm« bato "^b »niv 
 -nnb p^ bai n:n32 na -ni^b -now T^n nm« pDD >'7a rryi nna^ n^a 
 -ini<3'onD "13 n D"pn:"i ''D12S D:!?-i«a "'aaitJi i:''pn2"n»n onn^nnn T3n2«bnNn3 
 
 11 D^^'"? Mj'^DT im^ilb !Q3^D3 l^b -IIDb* MIH'® IQ!?!? .TIT " ^^ it 
 
 known unto you, that every city of a Nazarene nation, in which they 
 have a place of folly, (the name given by Jews to a Christian place of wor- 
 ship) which is, doubtless, an idolatrous house, is strictly prohibited to pass 
 through such a city intentionally, and more especially to dwell in it ; but 
 we who are in consequence of our sins, under their power, are obliged so to 
 do, for it has been fulfilled in us, *And there ye shall serve gods, the work 
 of men''s hands, wood and stone,' Deut. 4. 28." And if such is the law rela- 
 tive to the city, how much more with the idolatrous place itself, which 
 it is almost unlawful to look upon, much more so to enter." Surely the 
 editor of the Voice of Jacob can know but little or nothing of the interpreta- 
 tion handed down to us by our ancestors, otherwise he would not have so 
 grossly misrepresented it. Take now another authority, completely oppo- 
 site to his perverse opinion. The famous Rabbi Isaac, in his work Chizook 
 Emunah, or Strength of Truth, strongly endeavours to show that Christ- 
 ianity is a false religion, which the learned Wagenseil, justly entitles 
 "Tela ignea Satanse," or the fiery weapons of Satan, makes the following 
 reasonable remark :— |n«i ys^ 'kSDi ynm tp2 '3!» ipDD ah p» DHTfl^ >ra2 iVd«i 
 D^;m5> m b2^ nh nn-pD iVanirro rro ^3 onb n^nnirroi onm^? nnxo onbrt >Vdd ^q-cii 
 ittr nwiirnsm *' And even in their places of worship, idols of Silver and 
 gold, and graven images of stocks and stones, have not as yet ceased ; 
 especially the images of bread, which they serve and worship, as they 
 were accustomed to do a long time ago, and they do all these things 
 contrary to the doctrine of Jesus." 
 
 Whence it will clearly appear to every attentive reader, that whilst our 
 editor is talking so freely of pronouncing, deciding, expounding, inter- 
 preting, and teaching, he himself sadly lacks knowledge. The reader must 
 regard his assertion as a single voice, and not estimate it as the unanimous 
 *' Voice of Jacob," as he would fain represent it. Time and space would 
 fail me to quote the numberless passages to be found in the Oral law, in 
 direct opposition to our worthy's assertion. 
 
 It is sufficient that I have proved him to have made an unwarrantable 
 
3o MODERN JUDAISM INVESTICtATED. 
 
 " Whosoever has Phylacteries on his head, M'zuzah on 
 his door, and Fringes on his gannents, is assured that 
 
 assertion. I will now consider, as briefly as possible, his other arguments ; 
 in which he betrays a great want of Biblical and Rabbinical knowledge. 
 He says, " True, the Almighty prohibits the making of any image, but 
 then he also declares to what images He alludes, viz. such as were 
 destined to be worshipped." I must take leave to inform him, that Papists 
 really destine their images to be worshipped. In the eighth century, after 
 the perfidious and profligate Empress Irene poisoned Jier husband, the 
 Emperor, Leo IV. entered into an alliance with Adrian, bishop of Rome, 
 A.D. 786, summoned a Council at Nice, in Bithynia, which is known by 
 the title of the Second Nicean Council, in which the worship of images and 
 the cross was established, and severe punishment denounced against such as 
 maintained that ** God was the only object of religious adoration.** The 
 same decree was corroborated under Photius, at a Council held in Constan- 
 tinople, A.D. 879, and the Greeks, in commemoration thereof, instituted 
 an anniversary festival, called " the feast of Orthodoxy," (see Ceremoniale 
 Bizantinum, published by Reisk, page 92). In the eleventh century, Leo, 
 bishop of Chalcedon, published a treatise, in which he affirmed," that in the 
 images of Jesus Christ, and of the saints, there resided a certain kind of in- 
 herent sanctity, that it was a proper object of religious worship ; and that 
 therefore, the adoration of Christians ought not to be confined to the per- 
 sons represented by these images, but should extend also to the images, 
 themselves.'" Though he was opposed at first, the common practice soon 
 proved that they coincided with hira. In fact, daily experience proves 
 that the Papists make the image a substitute for God. Alas ! there is 
 something more than reverencing the image of a person, it is giving God's 
 praise to graven images, Isa. 42. 8. 
 
 Luther, who was better acquainted with Popery than our learned 
 editor, justly remarks, " One may take up the language of Elijah, and 
 mock them, saying, — * cry aloud, for they are gods, they are talking, or 
 busy, or gone abroad, or peradventure they are sleeping and must be 
 awaked.' " In the ^inS2 Nitzachon, or Victory, (written by Rabbi Lipman 
 against Christianity,) we find the following passage : — "»3 "''HQIi^ti/ HD 
 
 >*in ^^^^ ^:J^* "idij^ Kin vhr^ ^\-i'?i^D nn\\^ mn^D en 
 : d'»Vd3'? ''rbrMy\ ]n^ vh -in.^^ mn^i ''ov " what 
 
 they say, that the graven images which are in their shameful houses, 
 (i. e. the churches,) because they are the representatives of their gods. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 39 
 
 he will not sin, for it is written, ' And a threefold cord 
 is not easily broken,'" (Eccl. 4. 12.) Another Rabbi 
 
 for this reason they honour them as such, did He not say, * I am tlie 
 Lord ; that is my name ; and my glory will I not give to another, neither 
 my praise to graven images,'" Isa. 42. 8. 
 
 We are next informed that the " Israelites regarded the golden calf, not 
 as a symbol or mere image, but as a real God ; and that they were, there- 
 fore, idolaters, is clear from their address to Aaron, ' Up, make us gods, 
 which shall go before us I' " It is greatly to be regretted that he did not 
 proceed to the end of the verse, when it would have appeared that he was 
 anything but " clear" on the subject. In the latrer part of the verse the 
 children of Israel give a reason for their request, « for as for this Moses, 
 the man that brought us np out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is 
 become of him." They wanted a God, therefore in Hoses' stead. If we 
 compare scripture with scripture, we shall find that Moses is called CH/K 
 Elhoiniy or God, " And the Lord said unto Moses, see, I made thee a god 
 unto Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet," Exodus 7. 1. 
 The people wanted a governor, which they might regard as DTl^i^ Elohim. 
 (see Exod. 4. 16. 18. 19, 22. 23. Ps. 82. 6.) instead of the ^>n'?i^ 
 Moses. 
 
 In No, 18. of the Voice of Jacob, there is a review of the Conciliator, 
 written by R. Manasseh ben Israel. It opens thus, " This book will be 
 consulted with interest by every class of Biblical students." It is to be 
 regretted that he himself found no interest in consulting it ; for on that 
 very passage R. M. offers a sound and consistent commentary. I will 
 quote his words : — ** They (i.e. the Israelites) did not deny the First Cause 
 (i.e. God) by this act, nor is it to be believed that they supposed the calf 
 to be the creator of heaven and earth ; but they wanted a medium of com- 
 munication with God, like Moses. That this assumption is true, is con- 
 firmed by scripture ; for when they asked for a governor ^T! /N Elohim it 
 says, they gave a reason ; * For this Moses, the man who brought us up 
 out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him.' If, then, 
 they wanted one in the place of Moses, and Moses was not considered as a 
 God, ergo, the calf was not so held ; which is proved by the facility with 
 which they permitted Moses to burn it. They would not have permitted 
 such sacrilege had they esteemed it as a God. We consequently see, 
 that after the calf was made, Aaron proclaimed, ' To-morrow is a feast to 
 the Lord ;' he does not say, * a feast to the calf,' but * to the Lord' know- 
 ing the people were not so weak-minded as to attribute divinity to a calf, 
 the work of his hands. But although such only was their intention, they 
 
40 • MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 goes farther, and actually substitutes them for an atone- 
 ment; for he says, ^b vb^^D VDIJII^r r'^'SD TV^DTl bD 
 
 nevertheless sinned by infringing the divine precept that prohibited 
 images, and even for wishing to have a new leader, contrary to God's will ; 
 and principally, for joining this new figure of a calf with God, in his per- 
 formance of miracles, when the mixed multitude, who were the refuse of 
 the people, said, * These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of 
 the land of Egypt.' And although this was the general opinion, the 
 ignorant and common people adored the calf ; as Holy Scripture says, 
 * They offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings,' that is, they 
 worshipped it, by sacrificing to it ; doing so, because they thought they 
 adored, not the visible form, but the invisible deity within it, or the Spirit 
 of God represented by it," &c. Now I trust it will appear clear to every 
 attentive reader, that Papists fully equal the Israelites, who worshipped 
 the molten calf, and Papists are, therefore, justly called idolaters. Alas ! 
 how often do the ignorant Papist call their graven images their gods ! 
 When a Jew in Poland comes in contact with a Papist, the latter malig- 
 nantly says, ** You Jews have no God, where is your God ? And when 
 the Jew replies, my God is invisible, He is in heaven ; the Papist says, 
 that will not do, here is my God, (pointing to a graven image,) but you 
 cannot show me your God." See Eben Ezer, p. 158. 
 
 Our well-informed editor boasts of " interpretation handed down to us 
 by our ancestors." I would just ask him, what interpretations did they 
 hand down on the subject before us ? But as I have every reason to be- 
 lieve that ho is a stranger to them, I will take the liberty of introducing 
 him to some, in order that he may know that a converted Jew is not pre- 
 pared to swallow his assertions Anthout proof. The truly learned Aben 
 Ezra, (who flourished about A.D. 1150) in his Commentary on the Pen- 
 tateuch, makes the following observation — in loco. IDI*? It^Bi^ ""K 
 Vy on'? nWyb I^N'i:/ '?^^"^t:;^t:; " it is impossible to say that Israel 
 requested to make them a strange God." Again — "T1^3 "^tlbi^ Jl^DI 
 
 ^T^^b )J?'> it^'K Mt2i^ rrDDi n>i:i mii^i n:in "The word 
 
 Eluhim is an honour applicable to a corporeal form, and thus they 
 said, ' which shall go before us." Rabbi Lipman, in his book Nitzachon, 
 also adopts Aben Ezra's interpretation. 
 
 I trust our Popish Vindicator is, by this time, convinced that he is the 
 advocate of a bad cause. Nay, I trust he will join « the amiable editress" 
 in her exclamation against Popery. I am sorry that no Rabbinical Jew 
 was found in England to apprise the editor of his secession from « the 
 interpretation handed down by our ancestors," and that the painful task 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 41 
 
 " Whosoever wears Phylacteries, his sins are forgiven 
 him." Another Rabbi expresses himself more minutely 
 in this frivolous assertion IJlli^ H^IOIK ]'b'>Br) H^^DH b:i 
 imi^ n'b:h -n:): b2V i^b Orm t:^^^ "It^K "Whosoever 
 wears Phylacteries, I assure him that hell fire shall not 
 prevail against him to annihilate him."* The Rab- 
 binical writings contain a great number of similar 
 assertions, which it would be too tedious to quote. 
 
 We further read in the prayer quoted above, "That 
 it may please Thee, O Lord our God, that the precept 
 of wearing Phylacteries be considered by the Holy and 
 the Blessed One to have been fulfilled by me, with all 
 its particulars and scrutinies, and the six hundred and 
 thirteen precepts that hang on them." According to 
 the calculations of the Rabbies, the precept of wearing 
 Phylacteries is equal to all the 613 precepts. One Rabbi 
 says, JTnSJQn bj 1:1:3 nb^p^ Vb^n ^i^:iO "The Com- 
 mandment of the Phylacteries is equal to all the com- 
 mandments." Again, in Yalkut Simeoni and Shocher 
 Tob, we find the following passage : IIDJ* "lU^^^N ^2"! IDi^ 
 
 '^2i^ vh:;r2) r^sn m^D ia''''p n^'^pn dh^ -idk •'njs) ^2b r^* 
 
 mini n'?^^') DQV D-^rCI^ D^K I^KD nyb:; "Rabbi Eliezer 
 said. The Israelites complained before God, We are 
 anxious to be occupied day and night in the law, but 
 
 was left to a converted Jew. I will conclude for the present, earnestly 
 praying to the Father of all mercies, that He would 
 
 Remove the veil from Israel's eyes, 
 Make Jew and Gentile truly wise, 
 And Jesus all in all. 
 
 I remain, dear Sir, your obliged obedient Servant, 
 
 Moses Margoliouth. 
 
 Upton, near Chester, Sept. 21, 1842. 
 
 * The above quotations are also to be found in Ephstein's Jewish 
 Prayer Book. 
 
4? MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 we have no time. The Holy and Blessed One said to 
 them, Perform the Commandment of Phylacteries, and 
 I will count it as if you were occupied day and night 
 in the law." The Zohar attaches to them the greatest 
 merits, as will be seen in our investigation on Wzuzali. 
 
 In Talmud, Tract Sanhedrin^ we find a circumstance 
 connected with Phylacteries that may be worth while 
 mentioning, to shew how far their statements are pro- 
 bable. D-riD -iDiJ* 'h'byn •'dv ^nn b^ ^y^ -^^vb)^ •'i-i 
 D'':n r^'b^rr\ u^v^ ^'i^vy\ bt^^^> Y-i>ib ^byf 'r'Kptn^ 7^''r^r\v 
 
 DHD Kii< u^* 'b n^:nti; yh'^n 'bbrry "Rabbi Eiiezer, 
 
 the son of Rabbi Jose, the Galilean, said, The dead 
 which Ezekiel restored to life, (Ezek. 37.) went to 
 the land of Israel and married wives, and begat sons 
 and daughters. Rabbi Jehudah-ben-B''thayrah rose upon 
 his feet and said, I am one of their grandchildren, and 
 these are the Phylacteries which my grandfather left me, 
 and they were theirs." 
 
 As the Jews attach great merit to the strict observ- 
 ance of Phylacteries, so do they believe that very great 
 condemnation will follow the neglect of them. In the book 
 Zohar we find the following mystery : »n«33 ^a"? n'op bi»n |moi 
 
 "But to him who goes out of doors without Phylac- 
 teries on his. head, or Fringes on his garment, and 
 enters the Synagogue and says, ' I will bow down towards 
 thy holy temple,' the Holy and Blessed One replies, — 
 Where is my reverence ? Behold thou speakest falsely." 
 In the books of Ahudraham and ^macJc we find the fol- 
 lowing passage, p D^* N^j* ni.T f<in V^*^u;»o ^^^* Vd ^*'7 
 V» ]»VDn lb I'Nu; 'D Vdi i'Vddi nbo n1^* oni; 'w ^h u;* 
 D'D\r;V miiOD 1n1^* nm-ro pbi n^n^ Ninu; nn^ iv p"i iV 
 " Not every Israelite is a Jew, except he has two 
 witnesses, the Sign of Circumcision and Phylacteries ; 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 43 
 
 and whosoever has not Phylacteries, has only one witness 
 that he is a Jew, and therefore we count him as excluded 
 from heaven." In Talmud, Tract Bosh Hashanah^ fol. 1 7, 
 col. 1, we find the following passage : pi:j3 '7^f")U;♦ ♦TOID 
 ^■mv Dou.* nn ^onoi DJnub ;nnv ]Dun ob^yn movv »yu;"is3i 
 nni nDnu73 ;nQu;3i nVD ts''J ^"rn ")u;y dou; nnj^b u;in 
 o CD»^u;"i DniDyi -)0^*3u; D'p'li: 'b:in niDD nnn inniDO 
 
 CZDD''?^ niDD nnn nD>* n'n» "The transgressors of 
 Israel in their persons, and the transgressors of the 
 Gentiles in their persons, descend into hell, and are 
 judged there twelve months. At the expiration of the 
 twelve months their bodies are utterly destroyed, and 
 their souls are burnt, and the wind scatters them 
 beneath the soles of the feet of the righteous : for it 
 was said, 'And ye shall tread down the wicked, for 
 they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet.'"'' 
 (Mai. 4. 3.) In the same page Rabba asks for an ex- 
 planation of the words, -)DK ^TV^ ^J^D lS3i:il bvH'^'^ ^VtTS"^ 
 yh'^'E^n T]112 Vhl NJlH)p1p 1") " The transgressors of 
 Israel in their persons;" and he receives the following 
 explanation. " Rab replied, That is the skull that does 
 not wear Phylacteries."''' Rabbi Tam makes out from 
 the above, that the transgressors of Israel in their 
 persons are such as even wear Phylacteries, but not 
 in the right place. He comments upon the above 
 passage in the book of Jasher in the following manner. 
 
 K'ln i^nspnp -idk vh\^ r'^^'Bri mo vhi ikd -lD^^p k'piq 
 vh') iniiQi yh'^n rvy!2^:^ Vn yh^^n mo k*?! nS:i'7i:in 
 
 D31-12 7K"lti^'' " Because he (i.e. Rab) does not say, he who 
 does not wear Phylacteries, but the carcaphtha (i.e. the 
 skull) that does not wear Phylacteries, he means to say, if he 
 wears Phylacteries on his forehead and not on the crown, 
 which is the proper place for the Phylacteries, he is 
 called a transgressor of Israel in person.'''' We find a 
 passage to the same effect in Tract M''Gillah. bv IJ-H^ 
 
44 MODERN JUEAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 rii:^D ^11 nr ^•^n )mr2 ''if he put it on his forehead, this 
 is the way of a heretic.*" Rabbi S. Jarchi gives a reason 
 for the above assertion, V'n M^bto no n"7apa ]'dnd la^w© 
 " Because he does not believe in the tradition which our 
 Rabbies of blessed memory have taught." 
 
 Can there be a plainer confession that modern Judaism 
 is not the religion of Moses and the Prophets, but of the 
 Rabbles ? Alas ! how awfully true are the words of the 
 evangelical Prophet ! " Wherefore the Lord said. Foras- 
 much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and 
 with their lips do honour me, but have removed their 
 hearts far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by 
 the precept of men : Therefore, behold, I will proceed to 
 do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous 
 work and a wonder : for the wisdom of their wise men 
 shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men 
 shall be hid." (Is. 29. 13, 14.) How remarkably is the 
 above prediction fulfilled in the nation of Israel, though 
 they occupy a very high station amongst the wise men of 
 this world ! O ! what an awful illustration of the words 
 of the Holy Spirit, " Men by wisdom knew not God !'• 
 How awfully marvellous is the work that the Almighty 
 has done amongst this people ! Yea, it is indeed a great 
 wonder, for in that most essential and noble part of true 
 philosophy, which has for its object the salvation of a 
 fallen, ruined race, how has the wisdom of their wise men 
 perished, and how is the understanding of their prudent 
 men hid ! Woe ! woe ! they are ignorant of God's 
 righteousness. May the Lord hasten the happy time, 
 " when all Israel shall look upon Him," whom their fore- 
 fathers " have pierced, and know Him," who is " the end 
 of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth !" 
 
 The Rabbles, wishing to impress the minds of their 
 ignorant brethren with the deep and mysterious import 
 of these superstitious observances, make the following 
 assertion : "l^SK ^K 11ND D'p^Dy HDH '"b'^^D bv JIHID 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 45 
 
 D^'^n:) TOH '^b'^^Ji JT^iiD r)^bvr:i o dhd mp i^sk p/t^d'? 
 
 "TIJ^D " The mysteries of Phylacteries are extremely deep : 
 it is impossible to write even a few of them, for the virtues 
 of the precept of Phylacteries are very great/"' In order 
 to convince some of our English Jewish brethren, (who, 
 generally speaking, are not skilled in the Hebrew language,) 
 that the Rabbles actually do impose upon their ignorance, 
 I will transcribe for them a translation of the above 
 passage, which was given by Rabbi Michal B'harar 
 Abraham Ephstein, in his edition of the Jewish Prayer 
 Book, which, with a translation in Jewish German, was 
 republished last at Carlsruhe, 1805, " The mysteries of 
 Phylacteries are altogether so great, that few persons, who 
 are not very great and learned men and Cabalists, can 
 rightly understand them. The Holy and Blessed One gave 
 us the precept of Phylacteries, that He might bring us 
 unto such a high degree, which it is impossible to describe." 
 Thus we wish the Jew to consider that the Rabbles and 
 Popish Priests are they who impose upon the ignorance 
 of the Jewish population, and not the Christians, who are 
 guided by the word of God. 
 
'*" MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The doctrine of the Trinity alluded to in the prayers offered 
 up before putting on the Phylacteries. 
 
 E now proceed to draw the serious 
 attention of the Jews to a remarkable 
 acknowledgment made by them in the 
 prayers, which they offer up before they 
 put on the Phylacteries — viz. that whilst 
 they at present deny the existence of the Son of God, 
 the only Mediator between Grod and men, they un- 
 consciously acknowledge and hail Him as the " Upholder 
 of the Universe."''' 
 
 We would earnestly ask our Jewish brethren in the 
 language of one of their Rabbies, nriNU? no lowb i7»QU;n 
 "[♦DO ^^♦^^1Q " Let your ears hear what proceeds out 
 of ^your mouth," as our brother Saul, of Tarsus, also 
 said, " I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray 
 with the understanding also." Consider, then, what 
 you are about. We will speak as unto wise men, judge 
 ye. The Prayers before putting on the Phylacteries 
 begin thus : vtm-n rpws'cn vCyp tut ntsb fV^nn ras-iob ^"nn ^>n pio ^ann 
 itrm ta D«3 n'u rt'' oo «Trb ^ravm " Behold ! I am devoting 
 my head and arm, for putting on the Phylacteries, to 
 the singular name of the Holy and Blessed One, to 
 unite the name Yah with Vah^ with a perfect unity in 
 the name of all Israel." The reason for adopting this 
 form is founded on Zohar (a book which I have already 
 mentioned, and which is kept in great reverence 
 among my nation), in which it is asserted that as 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 47 
 
 long as the Jews are in captivity n» Yah and ni Vah 
 are disjoined. And this is the reason they give for not 
 pronouncing TVin^ Jehovah as it is written, but instead of 
 it, ''JIK Adonai. 
 
 But we are very anxious to make them mindful of a 
 great mystery in connection with the above mentioned 
 prayer, as recorded in the book of Zohar, viz. That Yah 
 is the name of the Father, and Vah the name of the Son 
 of God. The Zohar is full of this doctrine. In another 
 place in the same book, where mn» is analyzed, we find 
 the following, wi npn« rrcm ^' rv p Mn^!?D«i «n-Qn ^ " Wav 
 is the Son of God, the candlestick in the middle, and 
 wisdom'^ is called on account of His name."" 
 
 It is important also to mention that the Son of God is 
 designated in that Book the foundation and the pillar that 
 upholds the world. I will just quote a few of a multitude 
 of passages that are found to the same effect, ^rh rrh rm 
 ni ]!i irrxn kh^s^omt v(na$ ^rvvc^ pirn n«n iiip pic tn: *t3 "It is better 
 for a man to have a neighbour near, than a brother 
 afar off, that is, the middle pillar, who is the Son 
 of God." In the next page we find the following : 
 dT\s TD' pnsi "TOK^^ pna i?3\rni5 tw t)Q3? hs im^ nbwn iTq bj? " On 
 what does the world subsist T [The answer is], 
 " Upon one pillar, whose name is Just^ for it is said, 
 ' And the just is the foundation of the world.' " There 
 is also the following passage in the same page : vmys> ^rvin•^ 
 Ny:i «D^ irTK rrm '«h'3?!?DNn " For He is the middle pillar, 
 for on Him alone is the building supported." 
 
 We will make one quotation more from the prayer 
 above mentioned, with the view of shewing that it was 
 dictated with a distinct idea of the Holy Trinity in Unity, 
 though the modern Jews blaspheme this doctrine. Now 
 
 * p Bain is the word for Son, n:»a Binah for wisdom ; so that they 
 mate out the Son to be the source of wisdom, which is most scriptural. 
 See Prov. 8. 
 
48 MODEItN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 that the ancient Jews considered the nyzxn SJCChinah 
 as a person in the Deity equal to the Father and the Son, 
 will appear very clear from the following mystical com- 
 ment on Isa. 43. 7. VJ1^<11 nilD"?! ^^12^:1 i^lplin b^ 
 
 \Ti<^i KJijoti:; vn Dl^^ ni^^Dj vh^vb^ rrvw ^'i^ vn-)^i> 
 
 ND O^^JDi^l VnX2V in^Kl DIN \\^ " ' Every one that is 
 called by my name : for I have created him for my 
 glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.** 
 In the above mentioned [quotation from Ezek. 1. 26], 
 ' The likeness as the appearance of a man above upon 
 it,' means the Sh^Chinah; for it is Hke the middle 
 pillar. The Holy and blessed One, with His SK'Chinah 
 will then be called man, for HE is the middle pillar." 
 
 We are here reminded of the declaration of the great 
 Apostle of the Gentiles that " in Him, [the Son of God], 
 dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." We quote 
 the above passages because they are in connection 
 with the Phylacteries ; but we could cite a multiplicity 
 of passages from the ancient Jewish writings which 
 prove the Eternal Trinity. This divine doctrine is indeed 
 obscurely set forth in these writings ; but still the 
 diligent investigator will find many traces of it in various 
 passages, which we have not room to quote. 
 
 The following quotation, though not connected with 
 phylacteries, may be interesting to Jews and Christians, 
 as it proves the ^KChmah a real person, even according 
 to Jewish tradition HDW mXVy\ U'W ^b^ WV "1 "iDi* 
 
 WT bii'^^'' ^<»t^ n-niD d^jit in bv ri^ii^v n^ot^^rr 
 
 n^lti^n " Rabbi Jochanan said, the SK'Chinah was sitting 
 three years and a half upon the mount Olives, thinking, 
 peradventure Israel may repent." Preface to Aichah 
 Rabthi (a Cabalistic Book), fol. 54. col. ] . 
 
 I had a conversation lately with an unbelieving Israelite, 
 who was extremely attached to his Phylacteries, and who 
 would not eat any thing without first praying in them. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 49 
 
 (for no Jew ever eats any thing before his prayers in the 
 Phylacteries). I told him I was investigating the funda- 
 mental principles of modern Judaism, and pointed out to 
 him the same things that I have written here, and shewed 
 him the idolatry connected with them. The Jew began 
 to think seriously, and found that the use of the Phylac- 
 teries is a pernicious ceremony. The next day he did not 
 put them on, nor ever afterwards ; and I am thankful to 
 the Author and Finisher of our faith, who " said not unto 
 the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain," that this Jew is 
 no longer " going about to establish his own righteous- 
 ness," which is as " filthy rags," but has " submitted 
 himself unto the righteousness of God" through Christ 
 Jesus, and is now clad in the garments of salvation. 
 
 May the Lord of His infinite mercy grant that this 
 my humble endeavour may tend to enlighten many of 
 my poor brethren who are still wandering in the darkness 
 of sin and error ! 
 
50 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Fringes a precept of the ceremonial law^ and therefore 
 used hy our Lord; hut the Bahhies blended the simple 
 precept with extravagant superstition. 
 
 N the proceeding chapters we have in- 
 vestigated the Phylacteries of the modern 
 Jews, and have come to the conclusion 
 that they have not the least shadow of 
 scriptural authority, but are a pernicious 
 invention of men. We will now investigate the second 
 fundamental principle of modern Judaism, viz. n*2i'iC 
 Tsitsith^ or Fringes. 
 
 Before we proceed to investigate the nature of the 
 Fringes^ we must bear in mind that they are altogether 
 different from Phylacteries. The former are indeed a 
 divine institution, but the Rabbies have according to 
 their usual perverseness corrupted it. It is also evident 
 that the Lord Jesus Himself wore them at the comers of 
 His garments, as we shall have occasion to prove in the 
 progress of our investigation. 
 
 The order for making fringes upon the borders of the 
 garments was nothing more than a remembrancer to 
 them of their duty, that they might not sin through 
 negligence. The Jews, being a peculiar people, were 
 thus distinguished from their neighbours in their dress 
 as well as in their diet, and taught by such little instances 
 of singularity not to be conformed to the customs of the 
 heathen in greater things. The necessity for such marks 
 of distinction is evident from the proneness of the Jews to 
 adopt the practices of surrounding nations ; as we find 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 51 
 
 it expressly mentioned in Ps. 106. 35, " But were mingled 
 among the heathen, and learned their works." 
 
 Let us, in the first place, consider the order of fringes 
 as we find it recorded in God's holy word: mn"' HD^^^I 
 
 arh w::^ nn'bi^ n1D^<1 bi^'^v'^ •'^n bi^ lyi nD^^'? r\v^ bi^ 
 b^T]^ 5]:jDn n'T:i bv ')^r):^ aniib nnnn -s^d b:^ n-'^i^i: 
 bD Di^ DniDn iJTiK Dn^N"n n^:i'':ib dd^ n^m nb^n 
 DJ1N iii^i^ ny::; '^lni^^ Djan^ nni^ ^^^r^n i^^i ''r)))ir2 
 Dn^n"»i •'/iiiiD b^ ni^ Dn^wi n^tn ]^d^ Dnnn>< D-^jiir 
 
 : DJTr^J*^'? D''i:^1p " And the Lord spake unto Moses, say- 
 ing, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that 
 they make them fringes in the borders of their garments 
 throughout their generations, and that they put upon the 
 fringe of the borders a ribband of blue : and it shall be 
 unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and re- 
 member all the commandments of the Lord, and do them : 
 and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own 
 eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring : that ye may 
 remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto 
 your God." (Num. 15. 37 — 40.) Again, we find in 
 another part of God's word, i/niJ^ bv 1^ nU?W D»Vi:i 
 :nn nD:in n\r/^* iniD3 niDiS " Thou shalt make thee 
 fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith 
 thou coverest thyself." (Deut. 22. 12.) 
 
 An attentive perusal of these passages will convince the 
 reader that the Israelites were commanded literally to 
 wear ''^fringes in the borders of their garments!''' The 
 particulars connected with the precept evidently shew the 
 same, and for the very reason recorded in the above 
 mentioned passage. For, after the repetition of some 
 ceremonial appointments, the chapter closes with that 
 great and fundamental principle of true religion, "Be 
 holy unto your God," i. e. Be separate from sin and 
 sincerely devoted to His service ; and that great reason 
 for all His commandments is again and again inculcated, 
 " I am the Lord your God." Did we more firmly belie ve^ 
 
52 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 and more frequently and seriously consider, that God 
 is our Lord and Redeemer, we should see ourselves 
 bound in duty, interest, and gratitude, to keep all His 
 commandments. 
 
 Some argue that the Clergy ought for this reason always 
 to wear their canonicals, that they might not fall into 
 open sin ; but there is no necessity for such remembrancers 
 to the Chi'istian Minister who has God''s law written on 
 the tables of his heart, and who can say with the Apostle, 
 " The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made 
 me free from the law of sin and death.'" (Rom. 8. 2.) 
 However, the Lord Jesus, who was "made under the law," 
 observed this precept according to the law of Moses. 
 This will appear from the Gospel of St. Luke (8. 43, 44.) 
 
 JLal yvvri ovaa iv pvaai aliiuTOQ UTrb Iriov Sit)dtKa, ijrig iarpoXg 
 TrpoaavaXijjaaaa oKov rbv ^iov, ovk icrxvffcv vtt avSsvbg OtpaTrevOrjvaif 
 frpoffiXBovcra uTriaOev, ijiparo tou Kpaairkcov rov Ifiariov avTov. 
 
 "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, 
 which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither 
 could be healed of any, came behind Him, and touched 
 the harder of His garment.*" The word icpatnrsdov, craspedon, 
 which is derived from the Chaldee, and which is translated 
 in the English version " border^'''' signifies literally fringe. 
 The same word occurs in Matt. 23. 5, where our Lord 
 reproves the Scribes and Pharisees for doing "all their 
 
 works to be seen of men :'"* ^ai ^lyaXvvovai ra Kpd<nrtSa Tuiv 
 
 tfiaTib)v avrCjv, " and enlarge the borders [literally, fringes^ 
 of their garments." 
 
 Onkelos, in his translation of the Pentateuch into 
 Chaldee, uses the same word, craspedon^ in Num. 15. 38, 89, 
 
 KiDin NS):3D-r kibdi^d by/ T):iji^i pnin^ :]inniDj ''Sid 
 
 inSJDIlD^ \\:b \\rV^ ^rb'Dm "Speak unto the children 
 of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in 
 the borders of their garments throughout their genera- 
 tions, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 53 
 
 ribband of blue : And it shall be unto you for a fringe.'"' 
 He also translated it thus, in Deut. 22. 12, lO);n piDbns 
 : nn •Dsnm iniDD 'D^d yn^it* b:; *]b " Thou shalt make 
 thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, where- 
 with thou coverest thyself." In the above passage nn^'H 
 is rendered piDDnD in Chaldee, and Kpacnrtda in the 
 Septuagint. 
 
 It is very likely that the poor woman mentioned in 
 St. Luke 8. 43, 44, entertained the same notion which 
 prevails still amongst the most superstitious part of my 
 nation, concerning the efficacy of the fringes, and the 
 virtue that emanates from them ; and, as Jesus was 
 esteemed a superior person, she actually thought within 
 herself, " If I may but touch the fringe of His garment, I 
 shall be whole." We have every reason to believe, 
 therefore, that the Lord Jesus Himself wore fringes. 
 Thanks be to God, for sending us His only begotten Son, 
 to take the law and its curse upon Himself, and for 
 " clothing us with the garments of salvation," and giving 
 us Christians a witness within ourselves, that we need not 
 those beggarly remembrancers, but with His help can 
 shew, by our conduct and conversation, to whom we 
 belong. 
 
 The unbelieving Jews, however, who are as yet 
 ignorant of the righteousness of Christ, and are 
 always anxious to establish their own righteousness, 
 still wear fringes, and moreover mix up the simple 
 precept with many superstitious fables, and absurd 
 observances. When we investigate this system only 
 for a moment, our hearts must be filled with joy and 
 gratitude to Almighty God that Christ is " made unto us 
 wisdom and righteousness," and that we have no desire to 
 establish our own righteousness according to the teaching 
 of the Rabbles, whose wisdom is foolishness with God. At 
 the same time it must be confessed that there are a great 
 
54 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 many ideas connected with the precept of Fringes worthy 
 of the Christian'*s attention, and which, I trust, will not be 
 confounded with its superstitious observance. I will at 
 once, therefore, proceed to state the rules laid down by 
 the Eabbies with regard to the D'l^'lf or Fringes^ and 
 the reasons adduced by them to prove the divine appoint- 
 ment of these rules. 
 
 From the above mentioned passage, " Thou shalt make 
 thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, where- 
 with thou coverest thyself," the Rabbles at first concluded 
 that the fringes should be put in the upper garment^ as it 
 is particularly stated "wherewith thou coverest thyself;" 
 and laid it down as a rule of faith. But at a later period 
 the Jews were ordered to make an especial garment for 
 the purpose of putting fringes on it, which is commonly 
 called by Rabbinical writers n'^JlD Talith^ which signifies 
 a vestment^ but is generally applied to that particular 
 upper garment, which has the fringes in its four corners. 
 It resembles a napkin, or a shawl in shape, and is made 
 of white sheep or lamb's wool. The Rabbles are very 
 particular as to the whiteness of the Talith. They order 
 it to be of the same whiteness as the garment of the 
 "Ancient of days," which "was white as snow." (Dan. 
 7.9.) 
 
 As the Rabbies assert that Jehovah wears Phylacteries^ 
 so do they maintain that He is arrayed in a Talith. Thus 
 Rahhi Sadiah Gahon comments on Dan. 7. 9, n^bioa F]riynm 
 abiDS la'MTDn y^brih m3 abcD nja"? "And He is attired in a 
 white Talith^ like snow, in order to make our sins white 
 as snow." 
 
 In Talmud, Tract Bosh Hashanah^ fol. 17, col. 2, we find 
 the following perverted comment on Exod. 84. 6, "112^^") 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 55 
 
 Dph 'pmD ^:K1 ntrr " ' And the Lord passed by before him, 
 and proclaimed."* Rabbi Jochanan said if that passage 
 had not been written, it would be unspeakable. It teaches 
 that the Holy and Blessed One attired Himself like a 
 messenger of a congregation, [i. e. the Minister of a 
 Synagogue,] and shewed to Moses the order of prayer. 
 He said unto him. Whenever the children of Israel sin, 
 let them do before me according to this order, and I will 
 pardon them." Rabbi B'chai remarks on this comment : 
 f]TDrn2©i V3D^ pnn: i'« n\up2i nVcn -no ^2lnbb Ma© mn -inxm n^narr 
 :n^'j:on " The meaning of this passage is that He came to teach 
 us the order of prayer and supplication, how we should 
 supplicate Him, and that we should also put on a 
 Talithr 
 
 After a fair investigation of this subject, every impartial 
 reasoner must at once come to the conclusion that this is 
 not the religion of Moses and the Prophets. In another 
 Rabbinical or Cabalistical treatise, called Bahhoth^ (ch. 22.) 
 we find the following comment on Deut. 9. 2, '"?» mrr no^'i 
 
 inb2n> nV© vbs) irrVto nnpn \d-idi "'And the Lord said unto 
 me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence."* Rabbi 
 Azariah, in the name of Rabbi Judah bar Simon, in the 
 name of Rabbi Judah bar Aleai, said. Whilst Moses was 
 about to descend, the angels came to kill him. What did 
 he do but take hold on the Holy and Blessed One"'s throne? 
 The Holy and Blessed One spread His Talith over him, 
 that they might not hurt him."*"* One is ready to exclaim, 
 It is impossible that any body could ever have been guilty 
 of thus perverting God"'s word ; yet it is an undeniable 
 fact, that the Jewish Rabbles, and Popish Priests, are 
 guilty of such outrageous crimes. I will quote only one 
 passage more to the same effect. Rabbi M'nachem Har- 
 kanti, in his commentary on the Pentateuch, on Exod. 
 
56 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 19, fol. 7, col. 8, which is also found in the Chaldee Targum 
 of Pseudo Jonathan, says, nm mi^i ^rm± banar) «rw33 n«n^ p 
 Yrays2 pvsr) nybra lYin NV^r^ws wdd-i ffTiVi rfeQ*? 'mr> «nb« «irrr? rrraw p^ nd'w 
 :n3T2?D niD xirca pns* «in «>Vbii ^^nni n«^i2 n^re\ «rm«T pob ww 
 " So does the congregation of Israel begin to declare the 
 praises of the Lord of the Universe, and say, This God 
 will I worship who is attired during the day in a Talith as 
 white as snow, and studies the twenty four books of the 
 law, the prophets, and the hagiography, [i. e. the Old 
 Testament, which is divided into twenty four books], 
 and in the night He studies the six orders of Mishnah." 
 Thus we see the result of investigating " the fundamental 
 principles of modern Judaism ;"" we find them to be 
 blasphemous principles ; they present Jehovah subject to 
 like passions with ourselves. Alas ! they present the 
 Creator looking for instruction from creatures ; as, ac- 
 cording to their assertion. He makes it a rule to study the 
 Mishnah every night — He " with whom there is no 
 night!" 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 57 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The absurd fdbhs connected with the making of the Talith, 
 
 INCE in the progress of our investigation 
 we shall have occasion to speak more of 
 the idolatry connected with the modern 
 Talith^ I shall confine myself to a descrip- 
 tion of its form. At the same time we must 
 give the Jews credit for scrupulously attending to the letter 
 of the Scriptures ; and as it is written, " And they put 
 upon the fringe of the border a ribband of blue," it will be 
 found that every Talith has on its border blue stripes. This 
 is generally done by first dyeing the wool blue, and then 
 weaving it at the borders of the Talith. But as they 
 are accustomed to add to almost every word found in 
 the Scriptures a multitude of their own inventions, they 
 did not leave even that simple sentence in its original 
 simplicity. 
 
 We will just examine a few of these comments, to 
 see whether they are in accordance with the religion of 
 Moses and the Prophets. In the Book D"n XV "Tree 
 of life,"" in the treatise on Fringes^ we find the following 
 directions with regard to the dyeing of the blue : p^ma -era 
 p33 vbrwd ini« ^hiQi 'p3 rrmr) ■» p2DQ -p -n«i tdi -«!? pi© rc^:^ buj n'jan 
 D'a 'i2ioi nrro idti w i^h V25> rroTrc ]^i1^ r« f«'2Di p?n toiV"^ hd icvr:^ p^msrro 
 p>3 rra»nD "w iDijn n pm2"i tmN i^nnirn pno ds? mi^ Din rw D^:m3i rfran 
 :™mz?n 1M!? pwj rrrrs b© n'nn rm ^yti " How is the blue of fringes 
 dyed? The wool is dipped in lime, afterwards washed 
 until it becomes clean, then boiled with soap, as the 
 
 I 
 
68 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 dyers do, in order that it may imbibe the colour; and 
 then they bring a certain snail, whose colour is like to 
 that of the sea, and whose blood is black : it is found in 
 the Dead Sea. The blood is then put with colours into a 
 pot, and boiled : the wool is then put into it, until it 
 becomes like the sky ; and this is the blue of fringes whose 
 dyeing is never altered." 
 
 This snail, which is called by the Rabbles pr'jn chala- 
 zon^ is the cause of a great deal of controversy amongst 
 them. Some assert it to be a species of fish, others a kind 
 of worm. There is also a great variety of assertions 
 concerning its locality. I will just quote a few passages 
 from the Rabbinical writings concerning this remarkable 
 creature, which will illustrate more fully that " they made 
 the word of God of none effect through their traditions." 
 In Talmud, Tract Wgillah^ fol. 6, col. 1, we find the 
 following passage, which is a remarkable instance either 
 of the great ignorance of the plain text of the Scriptures, 
 under which some of the Rabbles laboured, or of their 
 iniquitous and wilful perversion of God's holy word. The 
 passage of Scripture, to which I am now alluding, is found 
 in Judges 5. 18, "Zebulun and Naphtali were a people 
 that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places 
 of the field." oro rra ninb tod: r]-in or p"?!! '2ttj rm rm-ra •» nsnno pVin 
 
 b» 1^ pns ^"ni lb inw !min:i Dn3> nn: ^ m^rw erf? nn: mwb nwj3i onn nn: ^ 
 : piVf m 'OTCttJ F]DV i-\ -in : "nn ':d!q '3Din i«"ip' nr? D^yi in«3ttj p"6n 'T 
 " But Zebulun complained of his share, for it is said, 
 ' Zebulun is a people that reproacheth his soul even unto 
 death, because Naphtali's portion was on the high places 
 of the field."* Zebulun said unto the Holy and Blessed 
 One, ' Lord of the Universe, to my brothers Thou hast 
 given fields and vineyards, and to me Thou hast given 
 hills and mountains ; to my brothers Thou hast given 
 lands, but to me hast Thou given seas and rivers.' He 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 69 
 
 (i.e. God) said to him (i.e. Zebulim) ' All will have need 
 of thee because of thy Chalazon^ for it was said, " they 
 
 shall call the people unto the mountain ; for they 
 
 shall suck of treasures hid in the sand," ' (Dent. 33. 19.) 
 
 Rab Joseph teaches that "treasures"''' mean the Chalazon^'' 
 Upon this passage Rabbi Solomon Jarchi makes the fol- 
 lowing comment: J^^Dil IDia TirniiJI Dnn'"? DN1 ]D H*?!^ Pi^H 
 
 yi'yprs^ D^tonti^n '^d?^ 'iKip'' in q^d;; - Dnp^ D^Dia -)3d:ji 
 :iit:^n m )^^rw pr'^n n? ''^at:^ "pin ^:3rtD ^'ly^'^ jnijp^ :^nnb 
 
 " The Chalazon ascends from the sea upon the mountains, 
 and with its blood blue is dyed, and, therefore, sold for 
 a precious price. They shall call the people unto the 
 mountains, they shall gather themselves from ail the tribes, 
 to buy the treasures hid in the sand. Treasures mean 
 the Chalazon ; because it was a valuable thing." 
 Another Rabbi gave th« following definition of Chalazon : 
 
 Dnp^ VDi ^y^b rhDD rw)^ hdiii n:^ D^wt:^^ 
 
 " The body, (i.e. the colour,) of the Chalazon is like unto 
 the sea, and its structure is like unto a fish, and it comes 
 up once in seventy years, and with its blood blue is dyed, 
 and for this reason it is very dear." Maimonides, in 
 treating on the Talith^ has the following passage : "]D 1^^<^ 
 
 •^iriD i^in nbon D**!! "And afterwards they bring the 
 blood of chalazon ; it is a fish whose colour is like the 
 colour blue, and its blood is as black as ink, and it is found 
 in the Dead Sea." 
 
 The above quotations are only a few of the numberless 
 passages found in the various Rabbinical writings. Surely 
 the investigator of modern Judaism must come to the 
 conclusion that it is not the religion of Moses and the 
 Prophets. I appeal to my Jewish brethren, while reading 
 these pages, whether they do not discover that the object 
 of the Rabbies was to make the commandment of God 
 
60 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 of none effect through their tradition ? Instead of in- 
 terpreting the word of God in its simple and obvious 
 signification, they obscured it with their own intolerable 
 inventions, ridiculous arguments, and fabulous superstitions. 
 I should also wish my dear Jewish brethren to understand 
 that I have not rejected the authority of the Rabbies 
 without careful and mature consideration. This alone it 
 was, which, under God's blessing, enabled me to discover, 
 that their teaching is opposed to Divine revelation, and 
 induced me to renounce their dogmas. Would to God 
 that my brethren would begin to investigate them more 
 fully ! They would soon come to the same conclusion ; 
 their breasts would heartily assent to the word of the Lord, 
 " My people hath been lost sheep : their shepherds have 
 caused them to go astray."" (Jer. 50. 6.) But, alas ! 
 " the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach ; they 
 have no delight in it." 
 
 The Rabbies never fail to find out some reason or other 
 for the peculiarity of every precept ; nor did they leave 
 "the ribband of blue"" unaccounted for, and have favoured 
 us with a reason which is rather far-fetched. I will refer 
 my readers to a passage in the Talmud, part of which I 
 had occasion to quote in my investigation on Phylacteries, 
 as found in Tract Choolin^ chap, 6, fol. 29, and Sotah^ 
 
 chap. 2. fol. 17, Di* ^Tyi^ Dn-)nx -sr^^v -ijt:;2 Km ^^1 
 
 b:^ i?^-T) n-TiJi "b'^^n b^ r^y^:i1 i^r^bu^^ "^y^n b^ n;;i:iJii 
 "1 K:)m - ^DD ii*n''i '^'^bv ^^"^p:J mn^ Dt:^ ^d v"iKn ^D:ir 
 Ji^DJi b\^ toin K^K \Di^i2^ '"h'^^n ^bi^ -^D')^* bM:\n ^\ybi^ 
 
 KDJ"? rp")T TP'^b HDH D^l U'^b HDH nb^D^ >:)S)Q D^JIWli 
 
 n^^:i;DD v^:in jinjT) bi^i]^'> •'h^k mn'' ni^ iNn^i itDi^m lu^n 
 
 n^]^:Db a't^^n n:^v:i^ I'BVn r):±> " Rabba preached in 
 commendation of the meritorious saying of our father Abra- 
 ham " I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet,' 
 (Gen. 14. 23,) that his sons were privileged with two pre- 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 61 
 
 cepts, viz. the thread of Uue^ (Num. 15. 38,) and the slips 
 of leather of the Phylacteries. As to the latter it appears 
 quite right ; for it was said, ' And all people of the earth 
 shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord ; 
 and they shall be afraid of thee," (Deut. 28. 10), and 
 we learn that Rabbi Eliezer Magnus said. This means the 
 head Phylactery ; but how is a thread of blue inferred ? — 
 Because Rabbi Mair hath said, The reason why blue 
 should be distinguished from all other colours, is, because 
 blue is like unto the sea, the sea is like unto the sky, and 
 the sky is like unto the throne of glory ; for it was said, 
 ' And they saw the Lord God of Israel ; and there was under 
 His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and 
 as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.'" (Exod. 
 24. 10.) 
 
 The investigator of modern Judaism may smile, without 
 giving offence, at the theological taste of our Rabbles, nor 
 do the modern Jews deny that the above specimen of 
 interpreting Scripture is infallible. When the students 
 of the Hebrew College visited Holland, in 1841, and when 
 they argued with a learned Jew upon the same subject, he 
 quoted this very passage of the Talmud, and contended for 
 its authenticity. I appeal to my brethren's champion in 
 this country, Mr. Newman, who pretends to rectify " the 
 perverted constructions of Scripture," are not our brethren 
 rightly reproached with " wilful blindness and with not 
 daring to examine the word of God, lest their eyes become 
 open,"* and able at least to distinguish light from dark- 
 ness ; for dark and cloudy indeed have the Rabbles made 
 their scriptural light. 
 
 Why does he not endeavour to rectify the really " per- 
 verted constructions of Scripture," which are numberless in 
 the Talmud? in almost every page of which voluminous 
 
 * See « Voice of Jacob," No. 15. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 work, " They that are unlearned and unstable wrest the 
 Scriptures unto their own destruction." I repeat, if Mr. 
 Newman is really anxious to rectify the perverted con- 
 structions of Scripture, there is ample room for him in the 
 writings of the Rabbies. 
 
 We must now proceed to investigate how large the 
 Talith nmst be, in order to oblige the wearer to put 
 fringes on it ; for it is not lawful, according to the tradi- 
 tion of the Babbies, to have fringes in all sorts of 
 garments. Here again we behold them making the word 
 of God " of none effect," for it makes no difference at all ; 
 it says, " Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them 
 that they make them fringes in the borders of their 
 garments," &c. but the Rabbies actually contradict the 
 word of God, and forbid the Jews to insert fringes in 
 some garments : for they say, " We will tell you on what 
 garment you must put fringes ; do not confine yourselves 
 exclusively to the law of Moses and the Prophets, for that 
 is what the heretics do." In Shidchan Aruch we read : 
 
 : T\'Dvb "^^^^ yi"! ^Tt^^ p^t^rn im"? i^nriDn pp bv inn") 
 
 " The size of a Talith that must have fringes is, that it 
 should cover in length and breadth the head, and the 
 greatest part of the body of a boy who is able to walk by 
 himself in the market place, and is not in want of another 
 person to take care of him." It must not be of a smaller 
 size than this, but it may be a great deal larger. Those 
 worn by the majority of the Jews are very large. The 
 Jews in Poland, Holland, Russia, Turkey, and Palestine 
 have them as large as would cover the largest man in his 
 length and breadth from head to foot. The very strict 
 Jews think it a great merit to have their Taliths very 
 large. 
 
 We will now proceed to investigate the most important 
 part of the Talith, viz. n»lf'^ Tsitsithy fringes. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 63 
 
 The first rule the Talmudists laid down with regard to 
 the fringes is, ]Q\D'7 V"i^ i^*r\'W "|nv ^iDinn " It is necessary 
 that the threads should be spun for that purpose." 
 Another Rabbi explains this more fully: '"illDil nVnnn "IQN^'U; 
 
 " The man who spins them must say at the beginning that 
 he does it for the sake of fringes, or he must say to a woman. 
 Spin for me fringes for a Talith." D'lDy 'iN\i;i;U7 n')i*)£ 
 DVD:; 'p^iDf^b ba^MJ' on bbt nm n»n3i bins " No threads spun 
 by a Gentile are allowed to be used, for it is written, Speak 
 unto the children of Israel ; signifying to preclude 
 Gentiles." There are a few directions relative to the 
 spinning of fringes in some of the comprehensive Jewish 
 Prayer Books, which I think it proper to quote, in order 
 to shew that it is not a private opinion of a certain Rabbi, 
 (for some of my contemporary unbelieving brethren try by 
 such a reply to evade the arguments forced upon them 
 against the authenticity of the Rabbinical writings,) but 
 that these rules are admitted by the Jews as binding, and 
 are in full force unto the present day ; indeed, if any Jew 
 should neglect to adhere to them, he would be bound, 
 according to the Rabbies, to bring a sin-offering, if the 
 temple were yet standing. We find, therefore, in the 
 Jewish Prayer Book, edited by Epshtein, the following 
 passage : l^lirOH W^mr^ HS)"' "IDiJQ D^T^in DWV^ HS^I 2)^ 
 
 r^i^:^ ub Kn-'t^ -iDijn did'? nitoi n? ira^ mnn n^ii^iin 
 p llu^^);'2; n^ivton nbT^n^ nDi^^t:^ ]t2\Db ^'••nio vnjiti; nn^ii 
 
 : ''b^D^ ]r2^b ^•'IID i6 DKT 'n':^'^:^ n^b " it is good and pro- 
 per to make the fringes of nice wool, and the women 
 that spin fringes [for there are women appointed for this 
 very purpose] should be very particular about them; and 
 it is good to wash the wool, in order that it may be white 
 and beautiful, for it is written, ' This is my God, and / 
 
64 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 will heautlfy Him^^ (Exod. 15. 2,) and our Rabbies of 
 blessed memory have said, Make thyself beautiful before 
 Him with precepts ; viz. by making a beautiful Talith 
 and beautiful fringes ; also with all other precepts. They 
 must be spun for this very purpose ; i.e. they that 
 spin must say at the commencement of spinning, that 
 they do so for that purpose ; for if they are not spun pur- 
 posely for fringes, it would be unlawful to use them." 
 
 The wool, of which the fringes are made, must be shorn, 
 neither pulled or plucked. We shall find a reason for it 
 in the following passage, as found in Talmud, Tracts 
 M''nachoth and Soocah^ and also in Shulchan Aruch^ 
 Dn»Jo ;»2^nn l^*:^nu?^ D»j:ipn rnwn ^tyino n^'^'^ir^ |»u;i3; vn 
 
 jmifO nrn D1U;0 DVlOm * i:inn niD^ '^•'U;Q "Fringes are 
 not to be made of wool that is taken hold upon by 
 thorns, when sheep are lying between them, neither of 
 hair that has been plucked out of a beast, nor from 
 the remainder of a shuttle that the weaver leaves at 
 the end of the cloth : because this would be dishonouring 
 the precept." We may safely make use of our blessed 
 Saviour's words, " Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat 
 and swallow a camel," (Matt. 23. 24) ; for as they did in 
 the time of our Lord, so do they even now; they lay 
 stress on unnecessary things, and omit the weightier 
 matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and truth. 
 
 The threads composing the fringes are four in number, 
 and are passed through an eyelet hole, made about the 
 breadth of three fingers from each corner of the gai:pient ; 
 these threads are doubled in order to make eight, in 
 accordance with the rules laid down in the Talmud and 
 Shulchan Aruch ; and if one thread should be added, the 
 garment is profaned by it. Seven of the eight threads 
 
 * " / will prepare Him an habitation.'''' — Eng. Vers. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. Q5 
 
 are to be of equal length, but the eighth must be a great 
 deal longer, which is designated by the Rabbies WDXO 
 ^hamesh, or servant ; for they twist this long thread 
 thirty-nine times round the rest, though we do not find 
 a word of all this in the writings of Moses and the 
 Prophets. The Rabbies assert that the above rule was 
 dehvered to them orally, \D'i< 'DO ]D*ii "one man 
 from the mouth of another,'' as they call it, and the 
 modern Jews digested it into one of the fundamental 
 principles of Judaism, and have taken the liberty to style 
 it " coeval with the institution of Judaism."" (See " Voice 
 of Jacob,' No. 12.) Every impartial investigator will 
 think that the learned Dr. M'CauPs epithet is justly 
 applied to the Oral law, viz. " Jewish Popery." 
 
 They assert that there is an importance attached to 
 every thread, and to every knot, belonging to the fringe. 
 There are also 5 knots between the 39 twists ; the first 
 knot after 7 times twisting, the second after 8, the third 
 after 11, the fourth after 13. The mysteries connected 
 with these threads, knots, &c. are said to be CD'bnJ 
 nSDn by nhv^b yti^ □»^*■^U1 " Great and terrible, and cannot 
 be described on paper." Some Cabalists are of opinion 
 that Abel's death was caused through a controversy with 
 Cain on the mystery of fringes. In Rabbi M'nachaim 
 Harkanti's commentary on the Pentateuch we find the 
 following remark on Gen. 4. 8, 'D nbapn ♦b};n nifp 11QN* 
 n'^*i£ n^unsn nn^n bnn r=:v VP nTOt* " A few of the 
 Cabalists said, that the conversation between Cain and 
 Abel was on the section of fringes." Many of these 
 mysteries are found in Talmud, Zohar and Medra- 
 shim, and a great many other Rabbinical writings. To 
 quote them all would be almost impossible. I will, 
 however, quote a few of them from Epshtein's Introduc- 
 tion to the Modern Jewish Prayer Book: ma an^b cr ^rcrQr^ pj^Vi 
 pQ!) in^i ban wi tiu5? rydna ^m-Qi ittJS? Tnt< >ttr'7a:n n:"intt) ^i'ojn ns'Stt? piubnri ■I'^Na 
 12© n^V^n sin -pV^ miTw bio mb *d'D ^n: '>*TmrTC)i Via rha inw tkv pQ3 o""? 
 
 K 
 
66 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 pb rnr^i mijon f)r\ m-iiN a'nn '3 nt>:'i "mj tid «im a''nn ''j ni-viN '3 rr^'s f^n 
 np*tt» nswa ma© n>n' in xd'^ 'oi - Wb "i^nno -«c«d m:?^ a''''-in "dj rrir!? man bip© 
 'rp nvni« na33 ^m h orro moiiZTNTi manD "•:«?! yny pp n'fea p Vna n^Voi in n"'^^ 
 :Tn« mrr Vt tw 1223 ''r -p -nsT ou^rro *m n:u3 V n'ttj^'no TO'iai nirnn 
 " And as regards the twists, we ought to conduct ourselves 
 thus : in the first space make 7, in the second 8, in the 
 third 11, and in the fourth 13, and then they amount alto- 
 gether to 39, according to the number of Y'hdvah JEchad^ 
 (i.e. One Jehovah.)'* Talf (dew,) has also the same 
 numerical value. And M'harshal, (i.e. Kabbi Solomon 
 Luriah,) gave a sign upon it: Tal Oroth Talechah, 
 ['' Thy dew is as the dew of lights,"' Is. 26. 19,] that is, 
 the Ji^^^ith on which fringes hang, for the word oroth 
 (lights) amounts to 613, according to Guimatria, [i.e. the 
 3rd Rule employed by Cabalists ;] and this is a great and 
 terrible mystery, for 613 lights are connected with the 
 precept of fringes; therefore is the precept of wearing 
 fringes equal to all the 613 precepts, as we have shewn 
 above. And he in whom the fear of Heaven is, during the 
 time of his making the fringes, either in the great Tahth, 
 or small one, must think of the two first spaces which are 
 7 and 8, amounting to 15, which is the number of the 
 letters n» Yah, or Jah, of the Sacred name ; of the third 
 space which is 11, being the same number as n) Vah of 
 the Sacred name ; and of the last, which is 13, being the 
 number of mtf Aechad, (one). He means to say there is 
 One Jehovah,''"' 
 
 The length of the fringes is to be 12 fingers breadth; 
 4- must be in the 4 spaces and 5 knots, and 8 in the rest ; 
 how^ever, they may be made extremely long, only not 
 shorter than 12 fingers' breadth. It is comsidered by the 
 Jews as a mark of great piety to have their fringes very 
 
 * See 3rd Rule of the Cabalists, page 14. 
 
 I Tal ^^ is composed of Teth (9) and Lamed (30). Being transposed 
 by Rule 2nd, (page 14), these letters make the number 39. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 67 
 
 long. We find in Talmud, Tract Gittin, chap. 5, fol. 56, 
 col. 1, an account of three rich Jews who endeavoured to 
 support the inhabitants of Jerusalem, during the siege 
 under Vespasian; one of whom in consequence of his 
 wearing long fringes, is particularly distinguished by the 
 name of Ben Tzitzith Haxath IJlii'':^ HDMi:^ JID^H /I'^lli''^ \1 
 mriDD ^n:i bv rvn:^^ " He was called Ben Tzitzith Hax- 
 ath, [the son of fringes of carpets,] because his fringes 
 were dragged along on carpets." Eabbi S. Jarchi 
 states also that his fringes were dragged along on car- 
 pets, in consequencs of their length. 
 
 The Pharisees, being destitute of the life and power of 
 the precept within, endeavoured to supply its place 
 from without by enlarging their fringes, &c. and thus 
 aimed at acquiring greater esteem among the common 
 people. For these ostentatious practices they were re- 
 proved by our Lord Jesus, when He tabernacled among 
 
 men — ^ai fieyaXvvovtri to. Kpa<nrf.5a rwv ifiarliov avrStv ; which 
 
 ought to be translated " And enlarge the fringes of their 
 garments." (Matt. 23. 5.) 
 
 St. Jerome, in his commentary on Matt. 23. 5, gives us 
 the following account relative to fringes : " Superstitiosi 
 magistri captantes auram popularem, atque ex mulier- 
 culis sectantes lucra, faciebant grandes fimbrias; et 
 acutissimas in eis spinas ligabant, ut videlicet ambulantes 
 et sedentes interdum pungerentur, et quasi hac ad- 
 monitione retraherentur ad officia Domini, et ministeria 
 servitutis ejus." " The superstitious teachers court- 
 ing popular favour, and seeking profit from silly 
 women, made their fringes long, and tied to them very 
 sharp thorns, in order that when they walked or sat they 
 might occasionally be pricked ; and, as it were, by this 
 admonition might be reminded of their duty towards the 
 Lord, and of the ministrations of His service." 
 
 Various reasons are also given for the number of 
 threads, knots, &c. by the Rabbles. I will quote here 
 
68 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 the reason given in BcmI Haturim^ on Numbers 15. 38, 89, 
 
 vrmp 'n tttm tern x-rar rrmo nnpo ta«? nna mD» rwaxi n^a S nTOr'rms pb 
 niyiym rrcys rw<xho yranr? pin naiD© Tn« bi im :m"in ""oxm rmox^, iiDrTD na 
 rrrar^ Di«n n« crVjion Dnn« " Therefore did the Lord command 
 to make four fringes at the four corners of his garments, 
 in order that he may remember whithersoever he turns, 
 and on each fringe five knots, that he may remember the 
 five books of the law; and there are in each fringe eight 
 threads, that he may be prevented from committing any 
 crime with the eight members, that man is apt to commit." 
 The same TaHth has also an mD}; AtaraJi or crown^ 
 which is a band sewn on the top of the Talith ; for without 
 it the Jews might be apt to mistake the top for the 
 bottom; which would be considered a great breach of 
 the following Rabbinical law, ^nniQ vh^ n\r;npn \bvO 
 " We are to progress in holiness, and not to retrograde 
 in sacred things.'" For there is a far greater sanctity 
 attached to the top which is on the head, than to the 
 bottom. The rich Jews generally have a very expensive 
 Atarah^ embroidered beautifully with gold and silver, and 
 consider it as a very meritorious act.* Even this Atarah 
 is not exempt from many intolerable absurdities, which 
 the Rabbies attached to it ; though not a word about it 
 is found in the writings of Moses or the Prophets. 
 
 • A Talith, with a very expensive and beautiful Atarah^ is presented 
 by the bride to her bridegroom, on the day of their marriage, wrought 
 by the bride herself. The fringes are added by the young men who 
 come to receive the bridegroom ; and as soon as the bridegroom puts it 
 on the following passage is repeated with great joy, " Go forth, O ye 
 daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown (Atarah, J 
 wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals (or mar- 
 riage) and in the day of tbe gladness of his heart" Cant. 3. 11 : for during 
 the first week of his marriage the bridegroom is considered as a kinff, and 
 the bride as a queen. Rabbi S. Jarchi thus comments on the above 
 passage: n-s^2?a'i ]'VDnm nbos ]'rn2D« n^ii ]V2 ni2a "^ Ye 
 daughters of Zion ; children who are marked with circumcision. Phylac- 
 teries, and fringes;" for -.vs Zion signifies in Hebrew a Mark. 
 
F 
 
 
 THE CI 
 
ATE I 
 
 Y^-'' 
 
 V -, , '.'••-^2!^v -„ 
 
 iT TALITH. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 69 
 
 The above remarks refer to Vn:i m'VlO Talith Gadol, 
 or Great Talith^ (see plate 3) ; but there is another 
 Talith which is called ;Dp m»blD Talith Katon^ i. e. 
 Little Talith. According to the institution of the Rabbies^ 
 the Jews are obliged to wear fringes the whole day ; but 
 in order to avoid the odium and ridicule likely to be 
 incurred by the singularity of appearance in such a dress 
 as the Talith Gadol, they use it only at prayers, either in 
 the synagogue, or at home, if prevented from going 
 to the synagogue. In order, therefore, that they may 
 fulfil the injunction of wearing fringes the whole day, 
 (which were designed to remind them of God's precepts, 
 not only during prayers, but all the day long), they have 
 another kind of vestment for that purpose, called by some 
 Talith Katon^ or small vestment^ (for it is very much 
 smaller than the other), and by others niD3D J;n"l^* Arha 
 Canphoth^ oy four corners. It consists of two quadrangular 
 pieces generally of wool, the same as the Talith Gadol, 
 joined together by two broad straps, and a space left 
 sufficient for the head to pass between, exactly like a 
 Popish scapular, (compare plates 4 and 5). From each 
 of the corners hangs a fringe of the above mentioned 
 description, so that the wearer may act according to the 
 tradition of the Rabbies ; namely, V^B*? r\^T)^ "^TW n^HD 
 rm'O:! mOD r\'^rV^ no Vini^'? U'rW^ " Two fringes are 
 to be turned in front, and two at the back, in order 
 that the wearer may be surrounded by precepts." 
 
 This Talith Katon is worn constantly ; some Jews make 
 it into the shape of a waistcoat, or jacket, and use it as an 
 inner garment. The Talith Katon, as worn by the Jews 
 in Poland, Russia, and Jerusalem, is very long, and so 
 made as to present the fringes to their view (although 
 it is used as an inner garment) and thus remind them of 
 God's commandments ; but the Jews in England are very 
 careless in their observance of the precept of the Oratl. 
 Law, which imperatively enjoins that the fringes should Bb 
 
70. MODERN JUDATj^M INVESTIGATED. 
 
 visible. They wear them in such a way as not to be 
 visible at all. (See plate 4.) 
 
 We may well ask, what do our brethren in England say 
 who agree with the writer of the article in the " Voice of 
 Jacob," (Nos. 19 — 23,) "Is the Oral Law of Divine origin, 
 and, therefore, binding upon the Jews V Do they as 
 boldly assert as the writer, when speaking of the Oral 
 Law, " To us, they [i.e. traditions] are the fence, they 
 are the safeguard which prevents the distraction of our 
 religion,"" whilst they themselves neglect the majority of 
 the laws which are Oral ? As my intention is not to refute 
 the trifling arguments of the writer of the above men- 
 tioned article, I refer my reader to the numbers of that 
 periodical, which will be found too vague to stand long. 
 It is rather singular that the writer does not attempt to 
 refute in it Wagenseil's ' Tela Ignea Satance^'' Eizen- 
 menger's * Endeckung der Judenthum^ or Dr. M^CauFs ' Old 
 Paths!' The writer in the " Voice of Jacob" cannot pretend 
 that these eminent authors are unworthy of his notice on 
 account of their ignorance of Hebrew, although he refused 
 to answer a pamphlet of Qb pages, on the ground that the 
 author of it, "one of themselves," was not sufficiently 
 acquainted with Rabbinical literature. 
 
PLATE 4 
 
 THE SMALL TAUTH 
 
PLATE 5 
 
 THE POPISH SCAPULAR 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 71 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The Bahhinical Talith hears a close affinity to the Popish 
 scapular^ in its supposed virtues. 
 
 HERE are as many absurd doctrines and 
 superstitious and profane fables connected 
 with the Talith as with the Popish scapu- 
 lar ; it may well be called a Rabbinical 
 scapular. 
 
 The two vestments, i.e. the Talith Gadol and Katon^ 
 are very distinct from each other ; yet the essential 
 difference is not revealed to all, but to the great Oabalists 
 alone ; as will be seen from the following quotation* from 
 the writings of ITA^ri^ (a great Cabalistic writer,) which 
 
 * This, and the numerous quotations already referred to, will furnish 
 my reformed brother with ample matter to make his assertion good, that 
 the religion of the Oral Law is connected with a multiplicity of 
 mysteries ; and very frequently profane ones ; while at the same time I 
 most solemnly protest against that false charge brought against my 
 brethren, that they use Christian blood in their Passover ; and as a proof 
 of my firm conviction that this charge, so often brought against them, 
 is a foul and satanic falsehood, I, together with 59 of my converted Jewish 
 brethren, thankfully and zealously embraced the opportunity of protesting 
 against it in 1840, when that columny was revived. See Dr. M'Caul's 
 " Reasons for believing that the charges lately revived against the Jewish 
 People are baseless falsehoods ;" which was dedicated, by permission, to 
 Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. See also "Jewish Intelligence," 
 August, 1840. I mention this because the writer of the article, " Is the 
 Oral Law of Divine origin ?" found fault with a reformed brother of his 
 who stated that the authoritative books of the Jews contain mysteries, 
 and supposes a Christian might be led to think that they really use 
 Christian blood from such an expression. 
 
72 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 is also quoted in Bpshtein's Prayer Book : vj^2^ ^/ITI 
 
 m:^ia hdh iiop nb:^ I'W') ^n.-) n'b^ tid n^npn 
 
 j^:) Kin itop ji^^D TiD o D irop rr^yto ]d na-^n ijiv nb^a^Qi 
 
 yn miDn i^DD m^ wi^m^n tt^npn Jivnn n*3:in m^nt:;^ 
 b::^ n^-ii ''^j; di "iDij;r >j3n Kin ipn nn^ bD o nn rn^'? 
 
 : bM:t "ini n IpriD DHD "THK ^D " it is well known to 
 the Cabalists that the respective mysteries of the 
 great and small Talith are as different from each 
 other in their virtue as the east is from the west. 
 The mystery of the Talith magnum is in virtue far greater 
 than the Talith parvum ; still the mystery of the 
 small one is also extremly great ; for by putting on the 
 Talith Parvum the wearer's body is made a chariot for 
 the Sh''chinah, like the sacred creatures who bear the 
 throne of glory ; but it is sufficient for the searcher into 
 those things to know that each is a different performance, 
 and that through the different blessings [attached to the 
 use of each garment,] he accomplishes a great object." 
 Now, I appeal to the writer of the above mentioned 
 article, " Is the Oral Law of Divine origin, and, therefore, 
 binding upon the Jews V does not such a dogma deserve 
 all the " expressions of abuse" which the writer of the 
 little pamphlet, himself a Jew, has bestowed upon the 
 Oral Law? Are the expressions, "absurd, arrogance, 
 caprice, dark-minded despotism, folly, iniquitous insen- 
 sibility, misrepresentation, nonsense, oppressive perversion, 
 quibbling, ridicule, sacrilegious sophistry, superstition, 
 tyrannical, wicked," &c. &c. (See "Voice of Jacob," 
 No. 19,) too extravagantly bestowed on the Oral Law? 
 Every serious investigator could not but pronounce them 
 thus ; indeed nothing approaches nearer to modern 
 Judaism than Popery ; on the foreheads of both the 
 mystery of iniquity is inscribed in characters of blasphemy. 
 If the writer of the above article were pleased to make a 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 73 
 
 distinction between Christianitij and Popery, he " would 
 remain destitute of even a single characteristic, according 
 to his way of reasoning.* 
 
 * In order to make this remark intellegible to my readers, I will quote 
 the writer's own words, as found in the Voice of Jacobj No. 21 : « But 
 before we enter on this subject, we must first ascertain what parts of the 
 Law constitute the characteristics by which our religion is so strikingly 
 marked, as to be distinguished from all other religious systems ; and if, 
 after we have pointed out these peculiar characteristics, we can shew that 
 obscurities affect passages which treat of these constituents of Judaism, 
 then the opponents of the Oral Law cannot maintain that the right 
 understanding of such passages is of no importance to our religion, since 
 no one can attempt to deny that characteristics must constitute an 
 essential part of that law to which they belong. The contents of the 
 mtn Torah (i.e. the Law) refer, either to historical facts, metaphysical 
 truths, and moral principles, or to ceremonial enactments. The historical 
 part being of no importance to our subject, we pass it by. By meta- 
 physical truths we understand these communications of the Almighty, 
 which refer to things, the inquiry into, and the elucidation of which, 
 form the object of that philosophical doctrine called metaphysics, such 
 for instance, as the Unity of God, His qualities, &c. This part of the 
 Law, and especially that which relates to the Unity of God, has been, 
 and is still, regarded by many as its peculiar characteristic. This 
 position, however, cannot stand the test of reasoning. The Unity of 
 God, though no doubt a fundamental doctrine of Judaism, does not 
 particularly characterise it, since it must be admitted that the Ma- 
 hometans are as strictly Unitarians, as the Jews. Mahoraetanism is not 
 less imbued with this doctrine than Judaism ; and all the consequences 
 resulting from an adherence to it, are not less scrupulously regarded by 
 Mahometans than by the Jews. It is evident, therefore, that a feature which 
 is the property of two religions, can by neither of them be claimed as its 
 peculiar trait. The same remarks apply to the moral principles of the 
 Torah. Whilst Mahometanism drew from the Torah the doctrine of the 
 Unity of God, Christianism borrowed from it all those moral precepts 
 which constitute the chief merits of that offspring of Judaism. The 
 precept " Love thy neighbour as thyself," the pith of all morality, is not 
 less earnestly inculcated by Christianism than by Judaism. When, 
 therefore, we find the distinguishing characteristics of our religion, 
 neither in its metaphysical truths, nor in its moral enactments, — where 
 else are we to look for them ? Decidedly to that part of the Torah which 
 
 L 
 
74 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTiaATED. 
 
 We will now briefly consider how these garments are 
 used. The Talith Parvum must be put on immediately 
 after they awake from sleep ; for it is unlawful to go 4 
 cubits' distance without fringes, according to the Rabbies ; 
 to which conduct very great merit is attached, as will be 
 seen from the following quotation from Shulchan Aruch : 
 
 n'-)'nv^ nn rbv r^'yw^ \r\r2mn "in^"? rhr^:\ rh^yD 
 
 \ 7Wr^\):W in bd7 imi^ ^^DDH r^Vr^p^ " Every man is 
 to take care not to walk 4 cubits'* distance without 
 some vestment of fringes, for this is a great means 
 to cleanse the soul, and a spirit of purity and sanctity 
 rests upon him which helps him forward in every sacred 
 thing;" which is another characteristic of the scapular. 
 And whenever the Jew is about to put on any vestment of 
 fringes, he has to say, bu; ^ynbon U^nbnn'? 'Di:! nf* ioro ':jn 
 j-l»y»\^ " Behold, I prepare my body to be clothed with a vest- 
 ment of fringes ;" and whilst he is in the act of putting it 
 on, he offers up the following thanksgiving, nin» nriN yro. 
 
 " Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, 
 who hast sanctified us by thy precepts, and hast given to 
 us the precept of fringes." 
 
 The Talith Magnum is worn only during Prayers above 
 
 r-elates to the mission, for the performance of which the Almighty haa 
 chosen Us as his peculiar people, and has vouchsafed to us a revelation 
 [i.e. the Oral Law] whose recognition alone can secure happiness to 
 mankind." Now we may, without violation of truth, make use of our 
 writer's expression against his antagonist, " We might content ourselves 
 with not pulling down houses of cards, which must eventually fall of 
 themselves ;" for by a slight investigation we shall find Popery as well 
 claiming an Oral Law as its characteristic ; for Popery says, " The Tradi- 
 tion of the Fathers, and decrees of general councils are to be received as 
 authoritative and binding." According to our writer's hypothesis, modern 
 Judaism has no distinguishing characteristic at all, for an Oral Law " is a 
 feature which is the property of two religions, and, therefore, can by 
 neither of them be claimed as its peculiar trait." 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 75 
 
 the clothes, the reason for which custom is given in page 
 69 ; but before it is put on a prayer is offered up, the 
 purport of which is to implore the Almighty that the 
 performance of this single precept should be equivalent to 
 the performance of all the 613 precepts. It runs thus : 
 
 n^'pb^ -^mi n')mb •'^lij-ii:^ ^'^:^b yiTi '')b:\ dS^t bu^ 1:11-1 
 ri'inrnz^ jinnT^n b^^ "nrrrn^i ^^n-nnn nDDDu; nw2n b:i 
 nNiri'^ '♦jniii* 'nbi^-) ^nbi^ mn^ ^^'^^bn r 2i"» ''n^ : n^n-iini 
 DHi^ b:; uv b:^2^ dim "iii:i;« j^y^ nnTn'? b^)^^ nrw 
 ni2iD bD av b^y) Dvrr w^pb bDM^m : Dvvn i6 mijQ nvvD 
 ^i)in D'pb b:iM^ i^bv hdi n^:; nr^r^ nr)"Tj '^:^b ]r2iv^ 
 DniK ^JiD^p )bi^2 ^OH)^ n':;n^i nwyob n2r^n 'n^^nt^ 
 n^r^ib '^r)^m^ mti '\^B:b ''^nn m^b nmn r\] n^ b^^ nmt:^^ 
 ]niii^p'\bn '^b hm'' nai Donnn d-'t:) n^Dt:;^i D^iirrnn onni^ 
 
 Kin D7li^^ " Lord of the Universe, it is revealed and known 
 to Thee, that my desire is to do thy pleasure, and to perform, 
 all the precepts which Thou hast written in Thy law, and to 
 attend to all the warnings, which Thou hast denounced in. 
 Thy law. May it please Thee, Lord my God, and the 
 God of my fathers, that Thou mayest be my helper, that I 
 may be prevented from transgressing, either to day, or any 
 day, even one of the 365 precepts of prohibition ; and 
 that I may be enabled to perform to day, and every day, 
 every precept that may happen to come in my way of the 
 248 precepts of commandment.* And as for those which I 
 cannot perform, may my good will be taken as a deed, 
 and may it be considered with Thee as if I had actually 
 fulfilled them ; and that it may be made, through my 
 fulfilling this precept, a spiritual garment, for my soul, 
 spirit, and breath, for my 248 spiritual members, and for 
 my 365 spiritual veins ; that through it I may have a Rab 
 binical mantle in the world of spirits, in the garden of 
 Eden, and be clothed in it, at the resurrection of the 
 
 * The 613 precepts are thus divided, see introduction to the 613 
 precepts. 
 
76 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 dead, in the world to come." This is another illustration 
 of the Apostle^s testimony, " That they have a zeal for 
 God, but not according to knowledge." May the Lord 
 hasten the promised time, when it will be rightly 
 directed. 
 
 Before the blessing is uttered, it is always necessary 
 that the fringes should be examined,* whether they are all 
 right. It is also requisite that the threads of the fringes 
 should be separated from each other ; for, according to 
 the Cabalistical writings, every thread represents a great 
 hypostasis and is as a separate light ; but when the fringes 
 are mixed up, it is tantamount to mixing the hypostasis 
 and the lights with each other, for which the wearer is 
 liable to be punished severely. The Cabalists made a 
 sign for that purpose, viz. the Hebrew word n'if'i^, 
 from the letters of which they form the following sentence, 
 TD<n vnvs'iJ nnc^ p'^2{ " The righteous man separates his 
 fringes always." (See rule 1st, page 13.) Whilst the 
 fringes are being examined, the following is repeated 
 with peculiar gravity : phlHi '^rfyi^ HIH^ n^n^ JIK ^ti/S: ''Din 
 
 a'D^ HDi:) n^'pra -nx nioi:? r)^:ib mm mn im^j^ 
 niiiD'T ni)irow 2i'o:irnn:' "•31:1 n^ ]r2'^r2 'Tin :n^n^D 
 ^f2'n'^') i^nii n^ri:)^D£;i ^^1^ mn s^t^^no iin^ nwb 
 
 iwi n-n/ii niJiDD \^-)in r^iiJiD U'pb n^^i^ir b^ n^biD^ 
 r)')i':i b:; ^2^)^^ nn^ivib Dnn:ii >3:)D by n':^')^ nnb 
 V'pib nr^n D^m wb nr^M n^Dn ''D JibDn V/i3 ^2^n 
 
 J^^^:>^J2 ^H)"):) ^^^T)^ '^2iiV DM*) "TODrT KDD^ HDH i^^pim 
 
 n-'^i^iin mKi nn^:) nv^) nnnK n^Di '^nom 5]D^nn ^d 
 ID ntn d-A^^ n'bi!^:i hddjid ''^j^t^ n^:i^ mn nb^:^n 
 by^ py pi Nin D^i:i;^ ni^2 D'^b^sib^ pa*n Np'ibn'? nir^^ 
 10 •'Jiysrii ■'riQt:^:'! ^3i.*ii '^bi b^i^n n'^T^i jd^^d n"* 
 yy> ^m:) ob'T') nnby vdjj t:^n3> ji>':>Dm D^:i^''nn 
 
 * The fringes are liable to become worthless, or as it is called by the 
 Rabbies Vi^dq Pasul, when 2 threads out of the 8 are torn off, even from one 
 corner fringe only ; and if a blessing is pronounced on a Talith when it 
 is Pasul, the utterer is guilty of taking the Lord's name in vain. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 77 
 
 D^:r^;rn mnp c^^oin^ ^:i>^ "riKn pni ^pi' vbm by ^^:) 
 
 nfil " Bless the Lord, my soul: O Lord my God, Thou art 
 very great ; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty ; 
 who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, who 
 stretchest out the heavens like a curtain. Behold, I pre- 
 pare my body to cover myself with a commanded covering 
 for the only sacred and blessed name and His SIi' chinah, 
 with fear and love, with perfect unity in the name of all 
 Israel. Behold, I come to cover myself with a vestment of 
 fringes, to perform the precept of my Creator, as it is 
 written, ' That they make them fringes in the borders of 
 their garments, throughout their generations, and that 
 they put upon the fringe of their borders a ribband of 
 blue.' For blue is like the sea, and the sea is like the 
 sky, and the sky is like the throne of glory ; and as I am 
 covering my body with fringes, so may my soul, its 248 
 members, and its 365 veins, be covered with the light of 
 the fringes which amount to 613 ; and just as I cover 
 myself with a Talith in this world, so may I merit a 
 Rabbinical mantle and a beautiful Talith in the world to 
 come, even in the garden of Eden ; and may my soul, 
 body, spirit, and prayer, be delivered from the external 
 ones [i.e. the devils, who are generally denominated thus 
 by the Rabbles] on account of the precept of the fringes. 
 And may the Talith spread its wings over them, and save 
 them, ' as an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over the 
 young.' I come, therefore, to increase sanctity amongst 
 the celestials, and to purify all wickedness and all blemishes 
 that I have committed with my eyes, hands, and body, 
 in this world." 
 
 I will quote only a few lines from the " Book of the 
 Scapular," and will leave the reader to judge whether 
 there be any analogy between Popish Christianity and 
 Rabbinical Judaism. " The .singular prerogatives of this 
 holy confraternity of the scapular^ above all others, are, 
 
78 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 first, that it is not a human invention, but as the Divines 
 say, ' de jure divino^ having its institution immediately 
 from heaven. Secondly, that it is favoured with the 
 singular protection of the Queen of Heaven, who is the 
 patroness and advocate of this confraternity. Thirdly, 
 that it hath the promise of eternal salvation. Fourthly, 
 it avails much to abbreviate the expiating flames of 
 purgatory. Finally, ever since its first institution it hath 
 been favoured by Almighty God with many graces and 
 miracles, insomuch that by means of the sacred scapular, 
 the sick have been frequently restored to their former 
 health, persons bewitched and possessed of the devil, have 
 been delivered ; women in travail have been miraculously 
 assisted. Briefly, it is known by daily experience, that 
 the scapular is a sovereign preservator and remedy against 
 all the evils of this life, both spiritual and temporal ; in so 
 much that the devils many times have been heard to howl 
 and cry most miserably, ' Woe to us by reason of the 
 sacred scapular of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Mount 
 Carmel.'' " Here we see a striking similarity in the super- 
 stitious "fables," which have been "cunningly devised" 
 both by Jews and Papists to show the peculiar sanctity of 
 the Talith and the Scapular ! How forcibly are we 
 reminded of the prediction of St. Paul, in his 2nd Epistle 
 to Timothy, (4. 3, 4,) " For the time will come when they 
 will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their own lusts 
 shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching 
 ears ; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, 
 and shall be turned unto fables." 
 
 Baal Haturim, with his usual fertile imagination, makes 
 the following remarks on Num. 15. 39. vnmi? nim ':« Tt'y^nn -tdm 
 KDsVi srpb TTDTm D^TM r^^•2 pb F):qi3?d 'n"i>< nno Tiri«3"i :Dnin una'? n-^vhoD crDTQiro 
 Nirro n ycrh jDmoa ^o'oai r\\p2 V^i mr^ p«d3 nVij? ^D>:a cjh n'sa n^:ra :"nD3n 
 
 iww: 'Dja br D3n« m^ni " The Holy and Blessed One said, My 
 desire is that you should be dressed like the angels who are 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 79 
 
 clothed in linen, and as thou hast seen Me dressed ; and on 
 this account He commanded blue, which is a colour like to 
 that of the sky, and the throne of glory. Tzitzith, fringes^ 
 according io At Bash Guimatria is numerically equal to 
 Kisee, my throne^^ alluding to the throne of glory ; Tzi- 
 tzith, fringes, according to the ordinary Guimatria is the 
 same in number as T^dahotli, righteousness, and also as 
 N'^sharim, eagles ; which is as much as to say, Whosoever 
 is careful in the observance of the precept of fringes, merits 
 to behold the presence of the BKchinali ; as it is written, 
 " As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness.'''' He 
 likewise merits that which was said, " And I will bear you on 
 Eagles'' wings.'''' I deem this in some degree worse than 
 the superstitious fable of the scapular. Alas ! how many 
 passages of God's word have been perverted and cor- 
 rupted by the Jews in connection with the Talith and 
 Fringes. We have strong reasons for supposing that 
 poor Simon Stock was a Jew forced to embrace Popery, 
 (as he lived at the time when England was popish, and 
 turned the sword into a preacher, whose watchword to the 
 Jew was death! or the cross!) and he being desirous of 
 having something like the Talith, pretended that he 
 received from the Virgin Mary the sacred scapular, to which 
 many meritorious privileges were supposed to be attached, 
 very much resembling those of the Talith.-f We may 
 
 ♦ By rule 6th, page 16, n^S'r? is equivalent to >j^d3 i-©- 91. 
 
 t The most intolerable claim of the Scapular to be of Divine institu- 
 tion is thus asserted in the Scapular Book, " As he (i.e. Simon Stock) 
 was upon his knees in the Oratory, the most Glorious Virgin environed 
 with celestial splendour, in the company of many thousands of angels 
 appeared to him, and, holding the Sacred scapular in her hands, said to 
 him these words, " Receive, most beloved son, the scapular of thy order, 
 a sign of my confraternity, a privilege both to thee and all Carmelites, 
 in which he that dieth shall not suffer eternal fire ; behold the sign of 
 salvation ; a safeguard in danger, the covenant of Peace, and everlasting 
 
80 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 here observe that converts from one superstitious reli- 
 gion to another generally pretend to be favoured with 
 some extraordinary vision. We read lately of such 
 an instance in the person of M. Alphonso Eatisbone. (See 
 "Jewish Intelligence,'' for July, 1842.) 
 
 After having examined the fringes, and rehearsed the 
 prayers alluded to, the head is to be wrapped up in the 
 Talith^ and the following benediction to be repeated : 
 
 vjiii^Dn ^yD'^p "^t:r^^ x=h')yr\ i^d ij^h^k nin^ nn^ inn 
 
 : J1^:i'':i2 s^D^r/in'? IJlliJ") " Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, 
 King of the Universe, who hath sanctified us with Thy 
 Spirit, and commanded us to be robed with fringes.'' 
 After having repeated the blessing, the face is uncovered, 
 and another mysterious ceremony is performed, as described 
 by the immortal ITAri^ bn or p' -kiii? n^'^iorr rv> Vnj rc'm ^ -p>att5 tt« 
 -\-2i n-2r2 't p ivriD id n\an »m« ■pbn 'id y> TiDsn b^Dtt? r^no ^ urvT^ rv<;'^ 
 : TiD dV Nim "jwrnj " After he had blessed God over the Talith 
 magnum he should take the Talith^ which is on his right side, 
 with the two fringes, and put them on his left shoulder, and 
 stand thus as long as it would take to walk four cubits, that 
 thus the four fringes may be on his left side as well ; and this 
 performance is by reason of a mystery." How thankful 
 should we be for the religion of our Saviour Jesus Christ 
 to which agree the words of Moses and the Prophets ; a 
 religion which is exempt from all such pretended mysteries 
 as belong to modern Judaism ! 
 
 The Talith is to be on the head, especially that part 
 where the AtaraJi is put on, from the commencement of 
 morning prayers until the end. (See plate of the Polish 
 Jew.) The English Jews, however, who are always 
 striving to conform to the fashion of the world, have their 
 Talith made like a scarf, and throw it over their shoulders, 
 
 alliance.' Having said these words, she left the sacred habit in his 
 hands, and vanished. This happened on the 16th day of July, A.D. 1251, 
 in the Carmelite convent, Cambridge." 
 
ENGLISH JEW 
 
 /// /ay pnu/^r^f />/ ////' rfy/ia^^i/ue . 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 81 
 
 (just as the ladies wear their scarfs,) during their morning 
 prayers, with the greatest carelessness. (See plate of the 
 English Jew.) The Rabbles denounce such persons as 
 apostates, and stigmatize them with the wicked character 
 of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. The following is their 
 opinion concerning such : UVi^l 'p^^D JD'bl^^n ]'^ybvf2n ]r]')i^^ 
 
 :ii:i '^inik nDbu^n ''Jtiki iaj^:i dh^'?:; "But with respect 
 
 to those who throw the Talith off their heads after asking 
 the blessing, and who pray without covering the head 
 with the Talith, of such was said, ' and hast cast me behind 
 thy back.'" (1 Kings 14. 9.) 
 
 There is in the Jewish daily Prayer Book one part 
 called VQ^ DJ^np IPriatli sKma^ to which the Rabbies 
 attach great importance, and not a few mysteries. It is 
 composed of certain passages of Scripture relative to the 
 Phylacteries, Fringes, and the M'zuzah, viz. Deut. 6. 4 — 9 ; 
 11. 13—21 ; Num. 15. 15—41. (This is the order as 
 placed by the Rabbles.) Before they come to the K'riatli 
 slCma there is an excellent little prayer for their ingather- 
 ing from the four corners of the earth.* When they come 
 to that prayer, they collect the fringes from the four 
 corners of the Talith^ between the little finger and 
 the next to it, and hold it opposite to the heart, in 
 supposed accordance with the injunction in Deut. 6. 6, 
 " And these words which I command thee this day shall 
 be in [or upon] thine heart;" and they are held so during the 
 repetition of the K'riaih sKma. When they come to the 
 passages, " And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine 
 hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes," 
 
 * The prayer runs thus : " And bring us in peace from the four comers 
 of the earth, and lead us safely to our land ; for Thou art a God working 
 salvation, and Thou hast chosen us from every nation and tongue, and 
 Thou hast drawn us near to Thy Great Name for ever with faithfulness ; 
 we give thanks unto Thee, and are united unto Thee with love. Blessed 
 art Thou, O Lord, who chooseth His people Israel through love." 
 
 M 
 
82 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 they touch both Phylacteries, and kiss their hands in the 
 place where they touched the Phylacteries ; and whenever 
 they repeat the word r\*)i*)L fringes^ they touch their 
 eyes with the fringes, and then kiss them. Perhaps the 
 reader will be able to fancy the ludicrous sight of a 
 synagogue full of Jews, sometimes of thousands, all at once 
 engaged in kissing their fringes ; better than I am able to 
 describe it. The reason, which the Rabbles give for the 
 kissing, is, ni^on n^* nnnb HD " To love the precept." 
 Here again we see a great affinity between Popish 
 Christianity and Rabbinical Judaism. Popery enjoins its 
 votaries, "kiss the crucifix, and exalt it every where ; yet 
 pretend that you do not adore it, but Him who died on 
 it." Rabbinism likewise enjoins its votaries "to adore, 
 kiss, and love the Phylacteries and Fringes ; but not as if 
 they were worshipping them, but as it were to shew 
 respect to the Giver of them. I must confess, however, 
 that I find in it a selfish motive as well : for the Oabalists 
 write, inQ Do»); nvDD n»b ^*n ah vy^ bv vnvj^»2^ ran noyan 
 " Whosoever passes his fringes continually upon his eyes, 
 does not come soon to blindness." The great Oabalist 
 H'A'ri teaches thus, D^D 13QD yonb nitD Nin n^bDnonn dj 
 P13D ]0Q Ninu; " Even to look at them is beneficial to remove 
 DVD anger; for it is the same in number as F)3D corner.'''' Indeed 
 after a very serious investigation we must come to the con- 
 clusion that modern Judaism has nothing to do with Moses 
 and the Prophets, but is complete Popery ; and however 
 ' hateful,' however ' irritating a reproach,' the word " Idol- 
 aters," may seem ' to an Israelite,' it is still an undeniable 
 fact, that modern Jews, especially those addicted to the 
 forms of the Rabbles, (who are almost all), are not 
 worshipping the true God; but, as I have already shown, 
 and wiU yet show, ' a being of their own imagination,' and 
 were therefore justly styled by the uncompromising and 
 zealous servant of God (the Rev. H. M'Neile) " Idolaters;" 
 and every real friend of the true God, and His ancient 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 83 
 
 people, the Jews, must re-echo the sentiments of that 
 dignified divine, who proved himself a faithful and unaffected 
 friend to Israel indeed, — " It is God-like love to tell them 
 plainly the dreadful situation in which they are placed ; and 
 it is God-less liberalism to act a contrary part." 
 
 Strange to find, however, there are good and pious 
 Christians, who profess to love the Jews, and would yet 
 conceal from their view, their precarious state for fear of 
 hurting their feelings, and would even insist, that the con- 
 verted Jew, who is taught by the Spirit which giveth life, 
 and not by the letter which killeth, should still wear the 
 fringed garment, (See Christian Lady's Magazine^ for May, 
 1843, p. 438 — 447,) which the Rabbies have so adulterated, 
 that it must have become an abomination in the sight of 
 God. We know of a truth, that the Lord does not delight 
 in the performance of ceremonies which became abused, 
 though He himself ordained them. Thus we find, " To 
 what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? 
 saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, 
 and the fat of fed beasts ; and I delight not in the blood of. 
 bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to 
 appear before me, who hath required this at your hand to 
 tread my courts f (Isa. 1. 11, 12.) Now we find all these 
 ordained in the law of Moses by God Himself, in the most 
 unequivocal terms, but, alas, the children of Israel deviated 
 from the right motive, and the giver abrogated it, and 
 promised a new covenant, for the old they did break. 
 The scriptural Church of England adopted the same 
 measure with regard to ceremonies : " Some at the first 
 were of godly intent and purpose devised, and yet at length 
 
 turned to vanity and superstition, which not only for 
 
 their unprofitableness, but also because they have much 
 blinded the people, and obscured the glory of God, are 
 worthy to be cut away and clean rejected." 
 
 After service the members of the Talmud association 
 resort to the t£^")TDn /T'l college in their Talith and Phylac- 
 
84 MODEEN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 teries to read the Talmud,* and the rest of the Jews put 
 off the TalitJi, and return home to their respective occupa- 
 
 * Since very little is known about the different societies existing 
 amongst the Jews, it will be desirable to give a short sketch of a few 
 of them, especially of the literary ones ; for besides their many bene- 
 volent societies, which are highly commendable, (for every one at all 
 acquainted with the' Jews must acknowledge that their national character 
 is generous and warm hearted,) they have numerous literary societies, 
 a few of which I will endeavour to describe. 
 
 The first and most important is the Babylonian Talmud Society ,• 
 designated o^ttJ niin "Chevrah Shas" whose object is to study, and 
 to promote the study of the Talmud. All the members constituting this 
 society are first-rate Talmudists, and most respectable. The following 
 are a few of its rules. 
 
 No one can be admitted into this society unless he is able to read the 
 Talmud with facility, and understand it thoroughly ; he must also be 
 recommended by members ; his character must be blameless ; and he is 
 required to pay a certain sum into the treasury. During the first three 
 years he is considered a junior, or as he is called by them ^ott5 Shamesh, 
 i.e. Steward : he has no vote ; but is required to carry out notices for 
 convocations, to collect subscriptions, &c. All, whether rich or poor, 
 must observe these rules. At the expiration of three years, he is to pay 
 another sum of money, and to make a feast for the members of the 
 association, and he then becomes a lawful member. If the candidate for 
 admission happens to be the son of a senior member, he is entitled to 
 certain privileges. Every member must be an annual subscriber ; with 
 which subscriptions schools are established, books bought, and poor 
 Talmudic students clothed, &c. 
 
 Every member must read a folio every morning ; after public morning 
 prayers all the members are required to meet in the Beth Ilamedrash, or 
 college, (which is generally near the synagogue,) and to read it together ; 
 but as some are occasionally prevented from attending public service, they 
 must read it by themselves at home ; but as many of them as attend the 
 synagogue, immediately after service retire to their college in their 
 Talith and T'philliny and read it, and discuss it together. They attempt 
 to reconcile many glaring contradictions, and unfounded assertions ; a 
 great deal of ingenuity and acuteness is displayed, and thence arise 
 numberless disputes. Of these disputes they are passionately fond ; and 
 it is an object of their highest ambition to defend their own tenets, and 
 attack those of their opponents. All those Talmudists are capable of 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 85 
 
 tions. It would be considered a heinous crime to enter a 
 burying place with the fringes visible, and no less impious 
 
 reasoning powerfully upon any subject with which they are acquainted. 
 The Chief Rabbi always presides, and is umpire, to avoid endless con- 
 troversy ; for there are sometimes a hundred together, and Bometimes a 
 great many speak at once. At the conclusion of a treatise, (for Talmud 
 consists of 36 treatises,) every member must be present ; then is a time 
 of rejoicing ; they provide wine and biscuits and partake of them 
 immediately after the conclusion. The Patron deliveres a lecture, 
 shewing the connection between the treatise just finished and the 
 following one. If it happens to be on a fast-day, the fast is made null 
 and void, and they are very ingenious in arranging the readings in such a 
 way as to make them end on a fast-day. Once in seven years the whole 
 of the Talmud is concluded ; when a grand feast takes place, which is a 
 day of great rejoicing. Rabbles are invited from different places to 
 attend ; for its conclusion varies in their respective towns ; a great many 
 honours are conferred on such as have distinguished themselves in 
 discovering something new, or in appearing to reconcile some really 
 irreconcileable statements. 
 
 The Babylonian Talmud is more studied than the Jerusalem Talmud. 
 They were compiled by different Rabbles at different periods. The 
 following is a brief view of their origin. 
 
 After the destruction of Jerusalem, and the awful calamities which 
 befel the Jews in Alexandria in the second century, Jewish learning found 
 a retreat partly in Judea, and partly on the borders of the Euphrates, 
 The learned Jews of Judea established a school at Jamnia, which at a 
 subsequent period was removed to Tiberias, over which the descendants 
 of Hillel presided in lineal succession, under the title of ^"©3 Nasie, or 
 Prince. About the beginning of the third century, i.e. about A.D. 230,* 
 Rabbi Jehuda then being Nasie, or Prince, (who is also called xDMprr 
 the Saint,) compiled the n:iDD Misknah from the opinions of 170 
 Rabbles. About a century afterwards, a disciple of his. Rabbi 
 Jehochanan by name, the Principal of a college at Tiberias, in Judea, 
 compiled the various opinions of about 200 learned Rabbles, explanatory 
 
 ♦ It would be worth while to attend to the dates, for it is a remarkable 
 fact that the Jewish Rabbles ran parallel with the Christian Rabbles into 
 superstition ; for instance, in the same century when Rabbi Jehuda 
 compiled the Mishnah, the renowned Origen, by his unhappy method of 
 interpreting the Scriptures, opened a secure retreat for all the errors that 
 a wild and irregular imagination can produce. 
 
86 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 to enter within 4 cubits of the place where a dead person lies; 
 for which notion the Rabbies assign the following reason. 
 
 of the Mishnah, which is called G^mara, or completion ; for though the 
 Mishnah was perspicuous to the superior understanding of Rabbi Jehuda, 
 it was hardly intelligible to the majority of readers ; Rabbi Jehochanan 
 added therefore the G''mara to the text of the Mishnahj and denominated 
 it ^o'j'ttjn' Tio^n ^^^ Jerusalem Talmud. About the same time 
 Martin, Bishop of Tours, had the audacity to maintain that the Emperor 
 is inferior in dignity to one of the Presbyters. 
 
 The Jews, who settled on the borders of the Euphrates and Tigris, 
 established three schools there ; one at Nahardea, another at Pumbeditha, 
 and a third at Sura j all in the dominions of the Kings of Persia. These 
 Persian, or as they were commonly called, Babylonian schools, would not 
 at first subscribe to Rabbi Jehochanan's productions. In the sixth 
 century, or about A.D. 512, therefore, Rabina and Rab-Ashi compiled the 
 opinions of about 1300 of their learned men, (who were far more numerous 
 than those of Judea,) which is also called G'mara, or completion, and 
 added it to the Mishna (as it was admitted by all) and designated it the 
 *bll TioVn Babylonian Talmud, and very properly so, for it is an 
 extraordinary Babel, or most inconceivable mixture of political economy, 
 ethics, a little astronomy, logic, metaphysics, jurisprudence, allegories, and 
 fables of the most ridiculous and contemptible nature, &c. ; whilst at the 
 same time it contains many valuable truths, and many other subjects 
 worthy of attention. Every thinking Talmudist must own that Rabina 
 and Rab-Ashi made a very unhappy selection. This is a great deal 
 more extensive in its materials, and also more studied than the Jerusalem 
 Tabnud. 
 
 In the same century the Roman Pontiffs, struggled hard for universal 
 dominion, the Benedictine order arose, Evagrius wrote a fabulous 
 Ecclesiastical History, and Gregory wrote his epistles and dialogues, in 
 which he manifests a most shameful and superstitious weakness, and an 
 extreme aversion to all kinds of learning. Ennodius, a Bishop of 
 Ticinum, now Pavia, disgraced his talents, and dishonoured his eloquence, 
 by his infamous adulation of the Roman Pontiff, whom he elevated above 
 all mortals. Isidore, Bishop of Seville, wrote his commentary, a specimen 
 of which we gave in page 22. To these may be added the writings of heretics 
 that distracted the Church at that period. 
 
 Having thus given a bird's eye view of the origin and progress of 
 Jewish tradition, the reader will be able to form some idea how the 
 Talmud came to have such authority, how the system arose and how it 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 87 
 
 " It would be mocking the dead, who are incapable of per- 
 forming the precepts which the Lord has enjoined; and it is 
 
 gained the immense influence which it now possesses, by viewing and 
 comparing the authority, and immense influence which the writings of 
 the Christian fathers of that period possess over the deluded votaries of 
 the Church of Rome. 
 
 The second literary association is called nattJD man Chevrah Mishnah, 
 or Mishnah Society ; into which inferior persons are admitted ; because 
 it is considered much easier than the Talmud. It is conducted on the 
 same plan, only with less pomp. The members of this society, who 
 happen to be members of the Talmud society, read the appointed chapter 
 in Mishnah before morning service. In fact, every member of the Talmud 
 society is a member of the Mishnah society. As Mishnah is a great deal 
 less than Talmud, it is concluded once in three years : so that in every 
 Beth Hamedrash in Poland are to be seen two large tables at each end 
 of the room, crowded with Jews, who study those books in their Talith 
 and T'phillin, and display much earnestness. Some poor Jews, who 
 are rather ignorant, sit by them, and listen to the explanation ; so that 
 some instruction is afforded to the poor and ignorant. When a rich Jew 
 dies he sometimes leaves a legacy for poor but learned men ; that every 
 morning during a whole year they may read in his behalf a chapter in 
 the Mishnah, which, he thinks, will alleviate his tortures in purgatory ; 
 for Talmudic Jews firmly believe in a purgatory; according to their 
 opinion even the most righteous Jew must lie eleven months in 
 purgatory. 
 
 The third literary association is called 2pj^> <ri^ rtMrf Chevrah Ain 
 Yakob, or Ain Jacob society, also designed for promoting the daily 
 reading of that book which is called rm3« Agadoth. It consists of all 
 the allegories, absurdities, fables, indecencies, and wonders found in 
 Talmudic lore. Mr. Finn, in his Sephardim, rightly styles it " one of 
 the most trashy, and cumbrous impositions that ever depraved a nation's 
 intellect, or undermined their moral principles, not superior, if equal to 
 the Koran, and only one step above the legends of Hindoo Brahmins : 
 containing, indeed, a few spangles of gold, the relics of a pure tradition, 
 but the greater part being of base metal and encrusted with a poisonous 
 oxide." If the Rabbi who took the trouble to extract all the above 
 mentioned articles, had published an edition of Talmud without them 
 he would indeed have wrought a good work ; for Talmud purified from 
 these abominations would certainly present a noble specimen of Hebrew 
 literature. 
 
 Maimonides was very anxious to have them all abolished from the 
 
 y 
 
88 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 written (Prov. 1 7. 5.) ' Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth 
 his Maker/ " If any Jew happened to enter a burying- 
 
 Talmud. Had he but braved the displeasure of our Rabbies more firmly, 
 he would have certainly written against these absurdities, but he has not 
 left us in the dark after all concerning his opinion of these Agadoth. 
 In his Moreh N'bochimf or "Guide to the Perplexed," we find the 
 following passage as an excuse for not explaining them : " And if one of 
 the many foolish Rabbies reads these histories and proverbs, he will find 
 an explanation not necessary ; for to a fool every thing is right, and he 
 finds no difficulty anywhere. And if a really wise man reads them, there 
 will be but two ways in which he will consider them. If he take them 
 in their literal sense, and think them bad, he will say, This is foolishness, 
 and in so doing, he says nothing at all against the foundation of the 
 faith." He also wrote to Rabbi Joseph, *• Beware of wasting time in the 
 exposition and laborious poring over the G'mara ; for I have read much 
 therein, and drawn from it but little profit." No wonder, therefore, that 
 the writings of that truly learned man were often condemned to the 
 flames ; but it is rather surprising that he is now held up as an advocate 
 for G*mara, (see " Voice of Jacob), though Talmud expressly pronounces 
 that "those who reject the Agadoth, as did Zadok and Baithos, are 
 deniers of the law, and as such are condemned on account of the great- 
 ness of their wickedness and sin for ever, even for ever and ever." 
 
 It is most distressing to see crowds of aged Jews sitting in the Beth 
 Hamedrashf and reading the Agadoth, thinking that thereby they do 
 God service. The members of this society are generally to be found 
 reading it about half-past two o'clock, P.M. It is the reading book of 
 aged Jews who are no longer able to join with the young men, whose 
 mental capacities are in their vigour, in discussing difficult subjects con- 
 tained in Talmud ; for Ain Jacob is considered light reading. It is a book 
 which might be classed with Tom Thumb, or Jack the Giant Killer. A 
 great number of tradesmen get poor young students to read it with 
 them. The rules of this society are somewhat similar to those of the two 
 former. 
 
 The fourth association is termed j^-\po Ti^:iri Chevrah Mikra, or 
 Scripture Society ; its object is to read the Scriptures together daily at 
 the Beth Hamedrash. The appointed hour is before public evening 
 prayers j it is conducted by a very learned man, who reads aloud, and all 
 the members listen with profound attention ; there is no disputing here, 
 but every thing is in perfect order. Questions are asked, but in a spirit 
 of humility. The commentaries employed for that purpose are those of 
 Bashi, or Jarchi, Kimchi, Aben Ezra, Abarbanal, M'zudoth David, &c. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 89 
 
 place inadvertently with his fringes uncovered, he is 
 obliged to confess it among other crimes; the Rabbles have 
 
 The members of this society have a profound knowledge of the Scriptures. 
 Since the " London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews" 
 began to accommodate the Jews abroad with cheap copies of the Old 
 Testament free from all the above commentaries, there is generally to 
 be found in every large town inhabited by Jews in Poland and Russia, a 
 society of young men called -ij^n man Chevrah Tanachj whose object is 
 to read the Bible without any comment ; for which purpose these young 
 men have a room for themselves ; for the Beth Hamedrash would not be 
 allowed for that purpose. All these young men are sceptical about the 
 Rabbinical oracles, and it is most probable that the present movements 
 amongst the Jews, and the cry for reformation, and "no Rabbinism," owe 
 their existence, under God, to the London society, in giving free course 
 to the oracles of God amongst the Jews, to whom they were first committed. 
 
 The fifth association is called nmn man Chevrah Torah, or the Law 
 Society, whose object is to study the Pentateuch, with all the Cabalistic 
 commentaries, viz. Zohar, Medrash, Yalkut, Alshich, &c. Alshich is a 
 great favourite with them. This society consists of all kinds of tradesmen, 
 who are busy the whole week, and can scarcely find time to attend the 
 synagogue. They assemble themselves on the afternoon of Saturday in 
 the Beth Hamedrash, (as it is read only there for their benefit,) when 
 their Principal reads the Pentateuch aloud, and explains it, so that the 
 most ignorant can understand. It is indeed a wonderful scene to behold 
 a Jewish Beth Hamedrash in Poland on a Saturday afternoon ; to sec 
 ten or twelve large tables surrounded with pious Jews who have a zeal 
 for God. Were even their greatest enemy to witness such a scene, he 
 would be struck with their piety. It would inspire him with a spirit of 
 love and affection, and his prejudice would be turned into sincere respect 
 for the Jewish nation : but the fact is, their real state is far from being 
 known and considered by the majority of British Christians. 
 
 The Torah Society have a fast day on the seventh day of the month 
 Adar, (which is generally about the end of February, or the beginning of 
 March), as it is supposed that Moses died on that day. This year (1843) 
 having two Adars, the 7th of the first Adar happens on the 7th of 
 February, and the 7th of the second Adar on the 9th of March. It often 
 occurs that a person is a member of all the societies. 
 
 Thus have I given a brief view of a few of their literary associations, 
 all of which tend to keep learning alive, and always secure a great 
 number of learned men among them. 
 
 N 
 
90 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 inserted the following in the great confession:* 11^22 ''JlD^Il 
 D'*S:i^ n^'^'^:i2 ^^^^2pT^ " I walked on a burying-place 
 with my fringes uncovered." 
 
 Having thus briefly investigated the use of the Talith, it 
 will be almost needless to repeat, that modern Judaism is 
 not the religion of Moses and the prophets. Would to 
 God they had been mindful of God's righteousness ! They 
 would not have perverted God''s word so awfully in order 
 to establish their own. 
 
 The Caraites do not wear the fringes as the Rabbinists 
 do, but only at morning prayer, when they put on the 
 Talith, which is made of cotton with four fringes. The 
 fringes of the Caraites also differ widely in the number of 
 the threads from those used by the Rabbinical Jews. They 
 consist ofthirty two, because it is written, " Speak unto the 
 children of Israel, and bid them that they make them 
 fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their 
 generations; and that they put upon the fringes of the 
 borders a ribband of blue, and it shall be unto you for a 
 fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the 
 commandments of the Lord, and do them,'' (Num. 15. 
 38, 39.) The Caraites say, all the commandments of God 
 are contained in the five books of Moses, which begin with 
 the letter s, and end with the letter b, which amount 
 numerically to thirty-two; they say, when we look upon 
 these thirty-two fringes, we remember the whole law. Six- 
 teen of the threads of their fringes are of white silk, and 
 sixteen of blue silk. (See The Bev. J. C. EwaWs Letter 
 from Jerusalem, in the Jewish Intelligence, Vol. viii, p. 407.) 
 
 * It is not a confession before a Rabbi, in which they differ from the 
 Papists ; they confess only to God, and not to man. The great confession 
 I allude to is a most humiliating one. It is really not fit to be 
 translated ; they confess that they commit daily about 360 crimes ; some 
 of which it is almost impossible for any human being to be guilty of, and 
 some of which are most absurd and ridiculous. Vide Epshtein's Prayer 
 Book, p. 45, 46, 47. Compare confessional questions at Maynooth College. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 91 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The virtues and merits attributed to the Fringes and 
 Talith. 
 
 E will now briefly consider the merit and 
 influence attached by the Rabbies to the 
 fringes; which are as extravagant and re- 
 pugnant to the truth as those attached to 
 the phylacteries. In the prayer-book above 
 alluded to, we find the following assertion: JT'iJ^i: D^fiiD 10)^1 
 
 HD pn "iBDH bv rrbvrh v^^ U'vrs^y\ D^^n:i tsstd non 
 r\wyr\ b2 t:):^ ^b^\>^'^ ly^^'^'i mi^^D rhr\y Vti r)^^v 
 :nin^ rm'a b^ ni* DJinDn Dni>^ UIV'ir^^ ^i2)^y£) "With 
 
 regard to the precept of fringes, great and terrible mys- 
 teries are connected with it; they are too numerous to 
 be placed on record ; but what the Rabbies of blessed 
 memory said will suffice. Great is the precept of fringes, 
 which is equal to all the precepts put together ; for it 
 was said, ' That ye may look upon it, and remember all the 
 commandments of the Lord.^" (Num. 15. 39.) 
 
 In the book Zohar, wherein every thing is magnified 
 with the magic glass of intolerable superstition, we find the 
 following assertion in reference to the Talith : IVIin ^"IIH 
 
 DJiij^i 'w^ M^r2mb m:ibr2 or ^d nwvb dikpt bv 
 nD r}^r\ D'^iar^ nQt:^:n mn^ rvb:^n uy\ ubyi:^ u'^m^:^ 
 
 :^'?^^^r rT1D^:ib rh nWVb " There is a great obligation 
 imposed upon man to make a garment for his soul daily, 
 in which garments he is to enter into the garden of 
 Eden [i.e. Paradise,] in which he will rise at the 
 resurrection of the dead ; and on that day on which 
 
92 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 he has not made a garment for his soul, he is judged 
 in hell with great punishments ; and even the whole 
 object of the souFs descending into this world is for the 
 sake of making those garments for herself." Here is 
 another proof that Rabbinical Judaism does not differ much 
 from Popish Christianity ; for both have corrupted the truth 
 of God with heathen philosophy, falsely so called ; therefore, 
 both teach the doctrine of a purgatory. The Jew believes 
 likewise that the fringes may serve as amulets, and preserve 
 the wearer from all sorts of dangers ; and keep him out of 
 the devil's reach, as plainly appears from the following 
 quotation : n''5"is«3 rnins^ d'o mTiDn "jj s^ti' iy«ir f)n n:v'ro n^jrs m!JQ □'v^^ n 
 
 ia ffwrnb mo'^im D':i!?nnb "todn >» ttrin'^Drr mi ^uibnoc toito T51 nmm n^nm 
 ibsn D'inb mm«n p dtttii rasr^m D^oi!?nn -d " Whosoever performs 
 the precept of fringes, as it ought to be, though he does 
 not know all the mysteries, still does a great act for him- 
 self after his death, when his soul will be clothed with 
 the light of the fringes, which are 613 exceedingly white 
 lights from the world of perfect mercies; and it is impos- 
 sible for the externals and Klipoth, [terms for different 
 sorts of evil spirits,] to lay hold on him, who deserves 
 to be clothed with that garment, for the externals and 
 Klipoth flee from those white lights." 
 
 It will be seen from the following quotation that similar 
 virtues are attributed to the Popish Scapular: " The sca- 
 pular is a sovereign preservator and remedy against all 
 the evils of this life, both spiritual and temporal ; inso- 
 much that the devils have been heard to howl and cry most 
 miserably, saying. Woe to us by reason of the sacred 
 scapular of the blessed virgin Mary on Mount Carmel." 
 (Vide page 78.) The fringes are also a safeguard, not 
 only to the wearer, but also to those that take hold on 
 them, and even to Gentiles, as we learn from the following 
 assertion, found in Emek Hamelech Shaar Haolam Hato- 
 hoo^ (The King's valley, in the gate of the deformed 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 93 
 
 world), chap. 20, fol. 17, col. 3: bn u^:y*7ffn "» rv^ayan -jibo^ pi iniNa 
 n'?a«D 112 1^ D"vn b^j^ rraVcj pM -m p tj ■» nraixn ■n!?:?' pun prm n^:innnn 
 TOQ Nittj riDbo "^wi "i"? rr-nm iDian rrcwM) t» nirvj Ti-ra rwsiob i-mm thm -to I'bi^ 
 i7n«' moi«m n^ViQn'Cj nij'sn mya m.T ^« F^:Da y^m niniNn ta i>m' nwon nrc 
 mrmnm mronn 'asfeo rrrottj onb mvib in "At that time Messiah 
 shall reign over the celestials and terrestrials ; and the 
 evil spirits and devils will trouble the nations, with the per- 
 mission of the Son of David, as was the case of Solomon 
 with Hiram, king of Tyre, to whom he sent a certain 
 devil, and made him go down to the seven habitations 
 of hell, until he consented to him, and complied with him, 
 and as he also did with the Queen of Sheba. By reason 
 of the strong terror of Messiah, all nations will come 
 and take hold on the skirt of him that is a Jew, by 
 reason of the merit of the fringes which are in the 
 Talith^ and the nations will hold it, in order that they 
 may have protection from the destroying angels and 
 the evil spirits." 
 
 My Jewish brethren do well to evade when they are 
 asked by one of themselves, " Why has not the Oral Law 
 been translated V We perfectly agree with them in 
 thinking that " it would be detrimental." (Vide " Voice of 
 Jacob," No. 24.) The English Jews (the generality of 
 whom are not gifted with a thorough knowledge of their 
 religion) might then be able to judge for themselves 
 whether "the Oral Law is of divine origin;" the unanimous 
 " Voice of Jacob" would then be "It is not binding." 
 
 No Rabbinical Jew would ever dare to go out in a dark 
 night without wearing his fringes ; he is actually convinced 
 that the devil can have no niD'Vu; Sh'litah, or dominion over 
 him, so long as he wears the fringes ; but no sooner has he 
 put them off than he stands in jeopardy of being 
 carried off by some evil spirit, for the reason above 
 mentioned. 
 
 In Talmud, Tract JSTnachoth, chap. 4, fol. 44, col. I, we 
 are favoured with an instance of a compensation for 
 
94 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 wearing fringes ; the tale is too indecent to be translated ; 
 my Jewish brethren, however, recite it every Friday.* 
 May the grace of God turn them from those fables to 
 " the words of eternal Hfe !" We learn that Rabbi^Nathan 
 
 said, r^l^r)2 iiy)m\D r^bp mi:^ i? ]^^< ]nj;i ^dk K>:)n 
 1rS7^ ^*ii noD yiv '^Ti^ 2r\yb') rnw ni:^^ i/id ]>ii^ 
 
 D'^T'^ JniiiOD " There is not a single light precept, which 
 is recorded in the law, that is not rewarded in this world; 
 and in the world to come I know not how great its reward 
 is to be ; go, and learn from the precept of fringes." 
 
 * The Jews divide the Psalms into seven parts ; equal to the number 
 of days in the week, which some repeat immediately after their morning 
 
 prayers, and others before their prayers. The following is the division : 
 
 Sunday, from the 1st to the 29th Psalm (incl.) ; Monday, from the 30th 
 to the 50th ; Tuesday, from the 51st to the 72nd ; Wednesday, from the 
 73rd to the 89th ; Thursday, from the 90th to the 106th ; Friday, 
 from the 107th to the 119th ; and Saturday, from the 120th to the end. 
 After the daily Psalms have been read, they repeat the Maamadoth, 
 which consist of pieces taken from the Pentateuch, the Prophets, the 
 Mishnah, the G'mara, and the Agadoth. They are somewhat similar to 
 the Popish Breviary. The Rabbles say :ir,x3>n p wirro ^b nmin dv "nn DimMn 
 " He that says them every day is sure that he is a son of the world to 
 come." A great many Jews, who are very ignorant, have committed to 
 memory the Psalms, and the Maamadoth, in Hebrew, though they do 
 not know the signification of one single word. What an advantage it 
 would be if the Oral Law were translated ! The misguided children of 
 Israel would then be able to discern that the reasons given in the " Voice 
 of Jacob," No. 24, are altogether baseless, as I may have occasion to shew 
 at some future period. The editor did well to jump at once to the con- 
 clusion " that it must ever remain a sealed book to the mass, and be in- 
 telligible only to those who have acquired the necessary preparatory 
 knowledge ; that is, to those who have applied themselves to Jewish 
 theology." — Here we have another attribute of Popish Christianity. 
 
 I was very much pleased with the following suggestion in the AthencBum^ 
 of Feb. 1843. " A translation of the Talmud would tear away the veil of 
 sanctity with which this ritual is invested ; the absurd fables with which 
 the G'mara supports the precepts of the Mishnah, would do more to refute 
 the latter than all the learning and eloquence of our modem controver- 
 sialists." Dr. Pinner is now engaged in translating the Talmud into 
 German. I trust a translation into English may ere long be undertaken. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 95 
 
 Rabbi B'^chai is very precise as to the number of 
 servants which every strict observer of fringes is to have 
 as a reward ; he comments thus (for it is a commentum 
 indeed, though he borrowed it from Talmud) on Num. 15. 
 
 89—40: D^s^^J^ *)n•^^^ x^m)ry\ n^it n^)^ m:iD D^''pDn b:^ 
 TDW Ymrw 'i^T\'n dv2 n^m -lQ^5:t:^ nnnar ri^i^^i r^y\^m 
 HD^ji ^i2^b nin^ t^^^N n^^^ C)n:n r^ywb "pjd D^^^:i?i 
 mw on iy\ry\^ U'v:rD ddd;? d^h^k w^t:^ o DDD:ir 
 
 iTlKD n^'iDti^l D''3^l»^ " Whosoever performs the precept of 
 fringes is privileged to be served by 2800 servants ; for it 
 was said, ' In those days it shall come to pass that ten men 
 shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even 
 shall take hold of the skirt [literally, corner] of him that 
 is a Jew, saying. We will go with you : for we have 
 heard that God is with you."* (Zech. 8. 23.) Now there 
 are 70 nations; 10 men of every nation amount to 700 
 on one corner, and therefore on 4 corners to 2800." 
 Every Rabbinical Jew believes implicitly, and fully antici- 
 pates to realize, all the above mentioned privileges as a 
 reward for carefully observing the precept of fringes ; and 
 as they believe the Oral Law to be of Divine origin, and, 
 therefore, binding, any one expressing a doubt on the 
 subject would be stigmatized as an heretic or seceder. 
 The Jews of this country, however, even those who attempt 
 to prove that the Oral Law is of Divine origin, are cautious 
 in propagating such a doctrine. It appears that they 
 suspect that their auditors are not prepared to believe 
 such absurdities. I shall give here an exposition delivered 
 in the Synagogue Hall, St. Helen's, London, on Saturday, 
 June the 4th, 1842 ; the subject was fringes, as that 
 precept was contained in the portion appointed to be read 
 in the synagogue on that Saturday.* After reading the 
 
 ♦ The Pentateuch is divided into 54 portions, according to the number 
 of Saturdays in the year. Every Saturday a sermon or exposition is 
 delivered, sometimes on the portion appointed for Saturday, but generally 
 the text is selected from Talmud, especially in Palestine, Poland, Russia, 
 Turkey, and Holland. 
 
96 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 text as found in Num. 15. 37 — 41, the expounder pro- 
 ceeded as follows: " In this passage, the first apparent in- 
 congruity is the change from the third to the second person, 
 by the introduction of the words n*)i')ib DdV n»ni ' And it 
 shall be unto you for a fringe,'' which, besides, seem to have 
 no connexion whatever with either the preceding or suc- 
 ceeding sentences: the second point requiring explanation 
 is the words Dn'^DH DD'N^ll ' that ye may look upon it and 
 remember ;' for at first it appears impossible to suppose 
 that the simple fact of seeing the fringes, could make us 
 remember the commands of God, still less Dn'\i;);t perform 
 them : the next words that present a difficulty, are l*Tinn ^*b1 
 ^131 DDDnb nnti 'and that ye seek not after your own 
 hearts,"* «Sz;c. for we are at a loss to know, why we should 
 not follow the incHnations of our hearts, since we have been 
 sent by Providence into this world, not only with every 
 means to secure happiness, but with every desire to 
 attain that great end of our existence; and lastly, what 
 connexion is there between the concluding verse and the 
 other parts of the paragraph? Before attempting the 
 exposition of these apparent incongruities, it will be 
 necessary to state, that the command concerning ri'if'Jf 
 fringes is but a link in the great chain that binds us to the 
 Almighty, and it will, therefore, be requisite to regard the 
 nature of that chain, by considering the vocation of Israel, 
 and the mission with which they have been intrusted. As 
 was stated above, man is born to secure felicity, and it 
 would therefore seem strange, that any individual or body 
 of individuals should neglect those sacred duties which are 
 so eminently fitted to promote happiness; notwithstanding 
 this, however, history informs us but too frequently of a 
 belief in a multiplicity of gods, and of the forgetfulness of 
 all kindly feelings by the offering of human sacrifices, under 
 the dreadful impression that such offerings were acceptable 
 to Heaven. 
 
 *' Under these circumstances, it was necessary for the 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 97 
 
 furtherance of His great design, that Providence should 
 interfere : now there were two ways of doing this: — the 
 first was to compel men to act properly, but then there 
 would be no merit in doing well, no crime in vice, for free- 
 will would be destroyed ; the second was to establish Truth 
 in some convenient place, guarded by suitable officers, whose 
 duty it should be, not only to preserve their charge in all 
 its pristine purity, but to promulgate the beauties of it 
 to all mankind. 
 
 " These were the means adopted, but that they might be 
 effectual, it was further essential that the place in which the 
 Truth was established should be distinctly marked out, 
 and that its guardians should have some distinctions 
 whereby they might at once be recognised. The place in 
 which God has deposited this Truth, is our holy law — the 
 guardians are We. That the Law is the source of Truth 
 there can be no doubt, the fact is too generally admitted 
 to require proof: — ^that we are its guardians, is also beyond 
 contradiction : it therefore, only remains for us to see 
 if we are sufficiently distinguished to be recognised as 
 public officers : this it will not be difficult to prove, for we 
 are unlike all mankind in three things — in our habitations, 
 our food, and our dress ; our houses have parapets and 
 n)J)^0 ' the sign at door posts :"* our food is select, to 
 our dresses we attach n'i^'if fringes ; the superior import- 
 ance of this last distinction will become manifest, when we 
 reflect that the two former are local, and only present when 
 we are either in a Jewish dwelling or at meals, while our 
 dress is at all times and in all places on us, and we there- 
 fore, can never forget the n*)i^'ii fringes, besides which, in 
 our connexion with other nations, our dress is ever the 
 object most likely to attract their attention, and thence to 
 inform them of our vocation. 
 
 " With these reflections, the passage to be expounded 
 becomes clear. The verb V'^ Tsits, means to blossom or 
 look cheerfully, the substantive n^if'lf Tsitsith, means any 
 
 o 
 
98 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 thing hanging Hke a blossom, and attracting notice. 
 Hence, after having been commanded by God to do some- 
 thing extraordinary to our dress, by the insertion of a blue 
 thread ; we are told n'ii'lfb DD*? n»ni ' And it shall be unto 
 you for a fringe,** a thing on which every one shall look; 
 the change to the second person being used to call parti- 
 cular attention to the passage, and to point out its great 
 importance. At the same time, however, that it excites 
 notice from others, it will also remind you, (continues the 
 passage) of your duties ; for when you behold it, you will be 
 reminded of your high calling, of your being distinguished 
 above all other nations, and then D/lli^ DJmDH you will 
 remember that you are the guardians of the Eternal Truth, 
 and then DJlli^ DJl^W) you will perform the commands 
 enjoined you. Hence, it appears, that the word rrni ' And 
 it shall be,' is not superfluous. Men were formerly led 
 astray by wrong impressions of the nature of God, and by 
 false conceptions of His worship : they attributed defects to 
 their divinities, and imitated them ; God therefore, com- 
 manded DD^2^ nni* MiMlT) i^b you shall not turn after the 
 inclination of your hearts, where these false notions are 
 engendered: DD"'J^)^ "'IHi^") nor after your eyes, which con- 
 vey what you witness in others, and thereby confirm you in 
 their errors. When you have done this, continues the 
 Almighty, then you will have performed your duty, and 
 then will that end be attained for which I have chosen a 
 pecuhar people, whom, for the benefit of mankind, I have 
 brought out of the land of Egypt, and whom I require to 
 do my behests — " I am the Lord your God." 
 
 " Our sages have commanded the daily reading of this 
 portion concerning n^^^2 fringes, in conjunction with the 
 Vnw Slb'ma, [Deut. 6. 5 — 9. See page 81.] because the 
 Sh''ma contains W^t^^ Jllo'PD ^1^ ph^p the recognition of 
 the Unity of God, because n»m ' And it shall be,' 
 [Deut. 11. 18 — 21,] contains the reception of the 
 precepts: while Jl'^T'^ completes the chain, by telling us 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 99 
 
 why the Almighty thought proper to reveal His religion 
 to us, and why He distinguished us by so many peculiarities: 
 these reasons our sages find in the portion /rm^^s." 
 
 I do not intend to offer any comment on the orthodoxy 
 of the above exposition, but leave it to the reader to com- 
 pare with God's holy word, and not with the reasons of 
 Talmudic sages. 
 
 I cannot conclude my investigation of fringes without 
 pointing my brethren to the Lamb of God, the n» p Ben 
 Yah^ the Son of God. Our ancient Rabbles have, accord- 
 ing to their system of Theology, shewn how closely the Ben 
 Yah is connected with the precept oifr'mges ; I cannot but 
 remind them, that, whenever they put on the fringes^ the 
 Son of God should be brought to their remembrance. 
 Were I to quote all the passages that occur in the oral 
 law, in which the llabbies connect the Son of God 
 with the precept oi fringes^ this volume would become 
 inconveniently large. I will, however, refer my Jewish 
 brethren to a few places in Zohar^ which they may in- 
 vestigate for themselves. See Vol. iii. pages 228, 262 — 
 265, 308 — 310. I trust, with the blessing of God, in a 
 future work, to give copious extracts from both Talmuds^ 
 Zohars^ Medrashim^ Yalhutim^ Alshich, Il''A''ri, <Sfc. 
 which will throw a great deal of light on the ideas of 
 the primitive Rabbles concerning the Father, the Son, 
 and the Holy Ghost, one God Jehovah Jesus. Though 
 much has already been written on this subject, I find num- 
 berless very striking passages in those books to that effect, 
 which have never been touched upon as yet, worthy of the 
 attention both of Jews and Christians. 
 
100 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 The idolatrous superstitions connected with the M''zuzah^ or 
 Sign on the Door Posts. 
 
 HE third fundamental principle of modern 
 Judaism, which is considered by the Jews 
 analogous to that of Phylacteries and 
 Fringes, is the nntQ M^zuzah^ which signi- 
 fies a door-post; but the Rabbies generally 
 apply this term to a square piece of parchment, on which is 
 inscribed some passage of Scripture, which is rolled up, and 
 fastened to the door-post of every Jewish house. 
 
 We will, first of all, consider the text of scripture on 
 which this precept is founded. The institution of the 
 M'zuzahre^U on Deut. 6.9; 11. 20. niHTD b^l DnnriDI 
 "l*li7t:^21 *|n^2 " And thou shalt write them upon the posts 
 of thy house, and on thy gates." The use of it, if it had 
 not been corrupted, and if unreasonable virtues had not 
 been attached to it, would have been innocent and useful in 
 itself, especially in the infancy of the Jewish church, when 
 there were only few written copies of the whole law; and 
 when only at certain feasts the people had the opportunity 
 of hearing the law read. It would be very desirable and 
 proper to select some weighty and comprehensive passages 
 of the law, especially the decalogue, and to write them 
 upon their door-posts, and upon their walls, in order that, 
 either coming in or going out, they might recollect the pre- 
 cepts of their God ; as even now is found in Jewish houses 
 
MODERN JODAISM INVESTIGATED. 101 
 
 the decalogue framed, and hung on the wall,* that they 
 may have it continually before their eyes. The same is also 
 to be found in every Jewish synagogue over the Ark, where 
 the rolls of the Pentateuch are kept. Doubtless the 
 Christians borrowed from the Jews the custom of having 
 the ten commandments written over the communiontable, 
 which owes its origin to the above mentioned text. It was 
 prudently and piously provided by the first reformers of the 
 Church of England, that then when Bibles were scarce, 
 some select portions of scripture should be written upon 
 the walls and pillars of the churches, that the people might 
 become acquainted with them. Rabbi Moses Alshich's 
 commentary on Deut 6. 9. is very interesting: 7^ D-n^DD*) 
 
 Dii iii^n i^niDD nybv n'f2^ ^^-nD r^'iiD^v ]iiJ"i ^n^ idini 
 KDti; "iDiKi nriDn n")o;r "laijir nii^ nD^^i t:^i^D ni^^KJi 
 JIN b'n innt^ o;^ Dip^n ^:)^<'^^ i^r2\D ^dm^ ijj^ni uii^ ^jji^n^ 
 
 in t:^^::^ Dipo b:i2 iinn> m:i yy D^xn DpDi nt:a^> 
 :nnTDn 2'n htd D'':3D^ nr D>/in ^bi^ ^b'^^i^ din Ji-in 
 liDt^TD '^1ln2^ inoi iNini io^d^ d'pidii:^ ^Qosn i^'^bj^ 
 lK"i> n':'::^ D:ir niton inin p nion i^^'pi^^i -|"inn> innnK ninrn 
 
 D"T>i " 'And thou shalt wi-ite them upon the posts of thy house, 
 and on thy gates.** This may be expounded by Rabbi Jochanan 
 ben Zaccai's blessing to his disciples when he said. May it 
 please God, that the fear of heaven be as great upon you as 
 the fear of flesh and blood ; and as he himself explained, 
 and said, A man is apt to commit a fault secretly, and says, 
 Peradventure some one will see me; but he does not say, 
 Lest God should see me. Therefore, our Rabbles, (of 
 blessed memory) eulogized such an one who would not do 
 any thing in his private chamber which he would not do in 
 a public place. For this reason the Blessed One has com- 
 
 * Many Jews have the decalogue written on a nice piece of parchment, 
 and keep it in their Prayer Book, with the superscription >nj3«j r^^rT> >n^n« 
 rj-^OM ^2 ^3'n>Q >3 -,,QP « I have set the Lord always before me; because 
 He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." (Ps. 16. 8.) 
 
102 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 manded that whereever there is a habitation for men, even 
 if there were a thousand houses, one within the other, there 
 should be a M^uzali^ even on the innermost: in order that 
 whensoever thou comest into thy house, and into thy bed 
 chamber, thou mayest recollect His blessed love, and that 
 thou shouldest not deviate from the good way, though no 
 man may see thee.*" The same Rabbi makes the following 
 remark on Deut. 11 20, which every Biblical student will 
 readily admit to be a commendable idea : JIITVD 7^ Dil^JIDI 
 
 niDtm -iiDon ^d d^^p^ innn^ 'b nji.^ a;iii:j "in^D o -iidt'? 
 
 l"l"rn iriD^a IIDT^ in;;::^ JlintD " 'And thou shalt write 
 them upon the posts,"* that thou mayest remember that 
 thou art His, (Blessed be He !) as a servant whose ear was 
 bored, that thou mayest perforin all that is recorded, and 
 that thou mayest remember at thy entering, to talk of them 
 when thou sittest in thine house ; also at thy going out, 
 that thou mayest look to the posts of thy gates, to re- 
 member them when thou walkest by the way."" 
 
 Rabbi Solomon Jarchi remarks on Isai. 57. 8 : *^^^^') 
 
 nornt:^ niuvn ^dq in nm) iJjnDT n^c^v nritam r&vr^ 
 
 nni^ \Ta\ urb rs^ym Dnn>^ D%i'?i^ rvxiv "Tin:^;! ^irvw 
 i^DJi \rs2b '^ '^nrsw pnDtn nrrjm nnTom n'^in 
 
 " ' Behind the door also and the posts hast thou set up thy 
 remembrance ;** thou hast made to thyself something of the 
 kind of thy worship, that thou mayest continually remem- 
 ber that worship instead of the command, ' And thou shalt 
 write them upon the posts of thy house, and thy gates.' 
 I gave you the precept of M'zuzah that ye may always 
 remember my worship, but ye have neglected my worship 
 for the worship of strange gods, and have set up a re- 
 membrance for them behind the doors and the posts, and 
 have dispensed with the memento I gave thee for a con- 
 tinual remembrance."' There can be no harm in writing 
 passages of Scripture on the door posts, with the view 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 103 
 
 of impressing the commandments of God more strongly on 
 the mind. But we are sorry to say that the Rabbies go 
 much further than this, and regard the M'zuzah with 
 superstitious reverence, approaching to idolatry. 
 
 We shall, in the first place, consider how the M'zuzah is 
 made, and in the next place, in what estimation it is 
 held. 
 
 In the book Yoreh Dayah (one of the standard codes 
 of Modern Judaism) in the treatise on M'zuzah, ch. 288, 
 we find the following injunction: r\X\Xt:i\\ n^* ;oniD "!l^O 
 
 " How is a M'zuzah to be written ? — The portions " Hear, 
 O Israel," (Deut. 6. 4—9), " And it shall come to pass," 
 Deut. 11. 13 — 20,) are written on one page, in one column, 
 and a margin is left above and below, about half a 
 nail." It must be written on parchment, which must 
 be ruled ; for if not ruled, there is not any virtue in 
 it. The number of lines are 22, and all the lines must be 
 of equal length. The same injunctions relative to the ink 
 and writing, laid down for writing the Phylacteries, are 
 applicable to the M'zuzah. Nothing must be added to the 
 above two passages of Scripture in accordance with the 
 precept of the Rabbles, who commanded as follows : ^^D^* 
 
 HTD Jin''D 1:1:13 nti; ]^imD yinnDt^ k^n hdixjd nn ^^u\rb 
 
 D'^JBlt:^ " It is strictly prohibited to add to it [i.e. the M'zuzah] 
 any thing; but nu; Shadai is to be written only on the outside, 
 opposite to V hay ah [" And it shall come to pass," which 
 word if anagramatized makes Jehovah^l which is written 
 within." 
 
 Various reasons are alleged by the Rabbles for the in- 
 scription of the word Shadai. They arrived at last at some 
 ingenious discoveries in that word. In the book n h'H Col Bo 
 we find the following sentence, formed from each letter of this 
 word nu; Shadai bxnto'' m^ initio " The Almighty watches 
 the habitation of an Israelite." (See 1st Rule of the Oaba- 
 
104 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 lists, p. 13.) In the book Zohar on Deut. 6, we find the 
 following passage : i^b'^h KJiriD Kt^^Hp K^^ti/ H^'^m nn ^^n 
 
 '^im ^:hr2 n^m : i^n )^12^ 'h:i\)b nn'^D D"'::^-ini< nt:; nt ^:Lri 
 nn^D") ^'ik:h^ intoD '^dd t:;: 11 tdjj ^ihd^ nn^Q 
 
 " Oome and see Vhayah^ the sacred name backwards, 
 [i.e. the last syllable of Jehovah comes before the first] ; 
 and Shadai is inscribed outside, opposite the very name ; so 
 that within is Vhayah^ without is Shadaif in order that the 
 son of man be preserved every side within and without." We 
 see plainly, therefore, that it is no longer a remembrancer 
 but actually a Jewish household god, which every one who 
 loves the word of God must discard. Besides Shada% three 
 angelic names are inscribed, in whose names every Jew 
 (that knows all the particulars about the M'zuzah), prays 
 for success, whenever he goes out to do business. In 
 Yoreh Day ah we read the following : ^^^'2 IIJID^ \^'yrV\^ ^"W 
 
 niDiDDrr nvji*ii^ on mn*' 1J'•^^^* rvsrr^ 1.1:1 itd tddidi 
 
 mn^ ^Trbt^ rwrV rSSrsS^ " it is also customary to write 
 outside ' Coozu B'muchsaz Coozu "* opposite to ' the Lord our 
 God is one Lord.'' These letters [i.e. of the three angels] 
 come next to the letters of niir ^ynba n)n* "the Lord our 
 God is one Lord.' "* The words Coozu B^muchsaz Coozu 
 are written reversely in order that each letter may come 
 opposite to the letter after which it comes next. Great 
 sanctity is ascribed to those names: a great many Jews 
 are wont, whenever they go out on business, to touch 
 their M'zuzah, and kiss the fringes saying, rDDIDn inD "jOU^n 
 ^♦'7i:^^1 "^i^ inD " In your name, Coozu, B'muchsaz, Coozu, may 
 I go and prosper." What shall we say to this ? Alas ! how 
 derogatory to God ! How is God robbed of His honour ! 
 At least it is divided betwixt Him and His creatures ; who, 
 as God claims with justice as His sole prerogative, the 
 religious worship and adoration, the supreme love, trust, 
 
 * The letters of ^n^ Coozu in the Hebrew alphabet come next to those 
 of nin» * Jehovah/ [i.e. 3 follows ,, 1 follows n &c.] ; the letters of iddidi 
 B*muchsaz, come next to those of i^'n^w Mo-hainu, 'Our God/ 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 105 
 
 and dependence, of the whole human race. Surely, praying 
 to angels is neither a Mosaic, nor a prophetic, but a 
 Popish tenet ! 
 
 The JSTzuzah is rolled together, the ends of tlie lines 
 coming inside, and the scroll is put into a cane, or a 
 cylindrical tube of glass or tin, in which a hole is made, that 
 the word nu; Shadai may be visible. This tube is fastened 
 to the door post by a nail at each end. The Rabbles differ 
 very much with regard to the fixing of the Wzuzah^ 
 whether it should be on the right or on the left ; however, 
 it is now universally admitted that it should be fixed on 
 the right side, and a rule to the same effect is laid down in 
 Yoreh Dayah : " It must be fixed on the right of him 
 that enters the door." One Rabbi, however, makes an 
 absurd attempt to prove from Scripture that it should be 
 so fixed, as we shall see from the following quotation from 
 Talmud, Tract M'nacJwth, Chap. 3rd. fol. 34, col. 1. 
 
 vh^v "11 Kini n^D^:;D i^S)H) yr^ n'lyp N^^^ ni bvot:^'^ nn 
 in^ii in np-'i ^^^^ ]ni< ihdh irinn*' npn kjhd idj^ 
 noti; ijjiii n noi t:^^K Kin r^^'^ niTon ^i:^ iniK inn 
 \i JT-n i^niDH 5]DDrT bn n^ ^vr\ nDx» D^:inDn " Rab 
 
 Samuel bar Acha said before Rab Papa in the name 
 of Rabba bar Ulla, From this passage [it is proved that 
 the Wzuzah is to be fixed on the right side:] 'But Jehoiada 
 the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, 
 and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh 
 into the house of the Lord: and the priests that kept the 
 door put therein all the money that was brought into 
 the house of the Lord.' '' (2 Kings 12. 9.) 
 
 Since the word M'^zuzotli^ as found in the Bible, is a noun 
 of the plural form, the Rabbles, with their usual quickness 
 of comprehension, inferred that a M''zuzah should be placed 
 on each door of a habitable house, whether parlour, bed- 
 room, kitchen, or cellar. (See page 101.) The Jews abroad 
 never go out of, or come into, the house, without saluting 
 and kissing it as they pass it. Can it be wrong to say 
 that Modern Judaism very much resembles Popish 
 
106 
 
 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 Christianity? for Romanists likewise kiss and adore 
 relics. 
 
 Before a Jew fastens the Wzuzali to the door-post, he 
 repeats the following grace : "o^np -ro^ dVisjtt ^ ^•srbA mrr rrrw -p-o 
 nrno snnp^ is-isi vnisoa " Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, 
 King of the universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy 
 precepts, and commanded us to fix a M''zuzahr Though 
 not a word is mentioned in the law of Moses about fix- 
 ing, the modern Jew dares to say in the presence of God 
 that such is the Divine command ; and why ? Because 
 Talmud teaches them that they are to obey the Rab- 
 bles in preference to the Bible. The following quota- 
 tion from Rabbi David Bar Joseph Abudraham will 
 afibrd another illustration of Rabbinical exposition in 
 direct opposition to the grammatical sense of the com- 
 mandments : ^\>'^v r^Ti^ nn^n^n DJinjiDi iryyt) >3W1 
 
 JHDJl "Although it is recorded, 'And thou shalt write 
 them,' the writing is not the principal precept, but the 
 fixing. It cannot be said, 'And thou shalt write them 
 upon the posts of thy house** — that thou shouldst write them 
 upon the stones, which are in the posts, for we explain 
 ' and thou shalt write ** to mean an entire writing.*"* And 
 thus these Rabbles justify the form of the above mentioned 
 grace. 
 
 The M'^zuzah is in its obligation stronger than Phy- 
 lacteries and Fringes; for from the two latter women 
 servants and children are exempt, but in the former they 
 are included. In Yoreh Dayah^ ch. 291, we find the 
 
 • The Hebrew word Dnanoi Uchthavtam (^ And thou shalt write 
 them ") is thus misrepresented, in order to harmonize their teaching. 
 They detach the pronominal suffix nn ^«»^ (them) from the verb ^n^ cathabh, 
 to write ; and tarn signifies likewise entire ; so that they make out that 
 the M^zuzah must be written on one entire thing j which could not be 
 done on stones, for then, perhaps, they would be obliged to write on two 
 or three stones. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 107 
 
 following injunction : un^v') o'^m 1y^^^ HTiiDi U'y^n b'Dn 
 : Dn'^nns'? nritD dw:^^ wy^pn ra^ lOJnDi " All are 
 
 bound to have a Ifzuzah, even women and servants; 
 little ones are to be trained to make a M'zuzah for 
 their doors." 
 
 The M'zuzah is liable to be worn out, and, therefore, 
 to become useless, just as the Phylacteries. (See p. 32.) 
 It must be examined, therefore, according to the following 
 rule, contained in Yoreh Dayali ch. 290 : *7^n^ JltlTD 
 
 ^nvi D^D^rs D-'nn bm u^^d vy^'i 0^0:1^3 npmjj 
 
 " A private Wzuzah is to be examined twice in seven 
 years, and that belonging to several persons twice in a 
 jubilee." If it should be worn out and decayed, they bury 
 it with some great man. They do the same with 
 Phylacteries, the Pentateuch, and other books, as they are 
 not accustomed to destroy anything on which the name of 
 God is inscribed. With the late Rabbi S. Herschel were 
 buried four decayed Pentateuchs, and several packets of 
 old Prayer Books. (See " Voice of Jacob," No. 32.) 
 
 The synagogue and college, being houses of prayer and 
 learning, and not of residence, do not require any Wzuzah;'^ 
 nor is any to be introduced into a bath, &c. ; the reason 
 given for which is: r\X\\n DU7 nvrh D'QU; lU^ V^ 
 " The appearance of a M''zuzali there, would be no honour 
 to heaven." When a Jew changes his residence, he is not 
 to take with him the M''zuzah on penalty of the untimely 
 death of his children ; but if a Gentile is to follow him, he 
 is at liberty to depart with it. 
 
 The sanctity of the M''zuzah is not so great as that of 
 the Pentateuch and Phylacteries, as evidently appears 
 from the following passage : |'U;iV X^ ^^^^^ n")in *)DD 
 
 J rhp rw\i\)h rrs^on vi^r^pn \n''y\n yiw ni^^n ono 
 
 * The Caraite Jews reverse the order. They have no M'zuzah on the 
 doors of their houses, but have on the doors of their synagogues. See 
 Rev. F. C. Ewald's Letter, from Jerusalem, in the "Jewish Intelligence," 
 Vol. 8, p. 407. 
 
108 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 " A copy of the law or Phylacteries, which has decayed, 
 must not furnish materials for a ISfzuzah ; for we must not 
 descend from a greater to a less sanctity."" Still the virtues 
 of M^uzah (inferior as it is in sanctity to that of the Phy- 
 lacteries) are transcendently great, as described in Talmud, 
 Zohar, Medrashim, and other Rabbinical writings. It 
 would fill a large volume merely to translate them. We 
 will, however, only confine ourselves to a few, in order to 
 shew what fancied merits the (miscalled) " Orthodox,"''' or 
 rather Rabbinical Jews, claim for observing that precept. 
 In Yoreh Day ah we find the following : tei nwo m nmb ^-nn 
 iTsrn^ TO i^m ij'M D«i yii >d'i to' i3nN> na nvnn " And 
 every one must particularly attend to it, [i.e. M"'zu- 
 zah,] for whosoever attends to it, the days of himself 
 and his children will be prolonged, and whosoever does not, 
 they shall be shortened." The author of Baal Haturim 
 attempts to prove from Scripture the reason for such an 
 assertion : n^rraDn wi' vh rmran n' b»M) : iit p^o? rr^ yc£r\ \ -jn^n rmr^ •» onanDi 
 "fTO' T br -j^ mrv "pottj mrr dm? "» pTD\cn -irau) dm 'd vch -pom : QD^na bw 
 " ' And thou shalt write them upon thy door-posts \ next 
 to which comes, ' That your days may be multiplied f for 
 by reason of the M'zuzah the destroyer shall have no 
 admittance into your houses. Again, next to it comes 
 * For if ye shall diligently keep"* [all these commandments] 
 in order that the Lord may be thy keeper, and the Lord 
 thy shade upon thy right hand." (See Deut. 11. 20—22 ; 
 Ps. 121. 5.) 
 
 The M'zuzah is considered by the Jew as a sentinel to 
 keep away from them evil spirits and fairies ; therefore, 
 when they are sometimes troubled with unpleasant dreams, 
 they think there must be something wrong with the 
 M'^zuzah ; they fancy that either a letter, or a jot, is 
 rubbed off, and they immediately send for the scribe to 
 examine it ;* for as long as the M"'zuzah is perfect it 
 
 * The proper person appointed to examine the Pentateuch, Phylacteries, 
 and M'zuzahf is called ^cid Sophair, or scribe, for he alone is authorized by 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 109 
 
 represents the SKchinah^ and the Almighty and His 
 angels watch him ; but as soon as it gets spoiled any 
 way, God and His angels withdraw, and the evil spirits 
 get access to the door. That the Rabbles call the Sh'chinah 
 M'^zuzah^ will appear from the following quotation out of 
 Zohar : «rv3«nNn ntids?! vniDUo :mira nNnpn« unTDto s nnra n«2^n K"np"«D 
 iTiT ^TTHl niTDi «nmn '-ni) :n© n«npn« n'"m «n pnsi xniobm nSn pin«T 
 " The eighth precept is M'zuzah ; the Sh'chinah is called 
 M'zuzah, (the mystery of the covenant,) from the attribute 
 of the middle pillar* of the letters of Jehovah, and from the 
 attribute of the righteous One; it [M'zuzah] is called 
 Skadai, or Almighty; Shadai being the signature of the 
 King, who is Jehovah." Here we have a specimen of the 
 impenetrable obscurity of Cabalistic doctrines, which, 
 notwithstanding their obscurity, are regarded with the 
 deepest reverence by the Rabbinical Jews.f 
 
 In another part of the same book a certain Rabbi gives 
 the following extraordinary narration : ]v''^n HDD >^li* T>4 
 
 •)n^D :n^:;-)ji^ nnr;:: m in m^^i i^nv^ K-'nni r^'J^^t vv^ip 
 : bi^ivi^n ])r\pb'\r\ ni^:^^ : i:n 'tib i}^\i^n nr nDKi niDD 
 
 '^Q^t:r-)n^* :^^t:^np ^^D^t:;-)n in^Bi^n "ii^D^ti^-ini* n-'jjD iD'-t^^njii* 
 '''?"'H)ni •'Jill in^t^/ni iD^t:^-iJi>^ :m:iDi in^-'siroorn ')n''''t:^in^2 
 
 iTM^b:; i^:ibr2 ^^2 pji^i^i ra^t:;-! K^nn i^n/isi nnrna pn'^mi 
 
 " Rabbi Aba said, How many holy armies are present at 
 that time when the son of man fixes a M^zuzah to his 
 
 the Rabbles to write them. He must be a very pious person, and have an 
 extraordinary knowledge of the Pentateuch, as to every jot and tittle. 
 
 * The middle pillar is an epithet given by the Cabalists to the Son of 
 God. (See p. 47.) So that in each of the fundamental principles of 
 Modern Judaism the Son of God holds a prominent part, and yet modem 
 Jews think that the idea of a Son of God, is " exclusively a Gentile one," 
 as they term it. The middle pillar is the letter ") Wav of the word nirp 
 Jehovah, and 1 Wav is also the middle letter of the word p^lra M'zuzah. 
 
 + The sect called an^Dn Chasidim consider such barbarous obscurities 
 a proof of inspiration. 
 
110 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 door ! All of them proclaim and say, ' This gate is the 
 LordV [Ps. 118. 20.] ; Israel's is a happy portion; then it 
 is that Israel is proclaimed to be the son of the holy King; 
 for they are all marked by Him ; they are marked in 
 their bodies, with the sacred mark, [i.e. circumcision] ; 
 they are marked in their garments, in their meritorious 
 robes, [i.e. the Talith and Fringes ;] they are marked on 
 their heads, on the phylactery boxes, with the name of 
 their Lord [seep. 13;] they are marked in their hands 
 with the sacred straps ; they are marked in their houses, 
 with the M'zuzah on the door ; they are marked in every 
 thing that they are the sons of the Most High King." 
 
 We will quote only one passage more of the same book, 
 that our modern Jewish brethren may not think themselves 
 libelled when they are told that they are professors of a 
 most extravagant and superstitious religion, which is not 
 by any means the religion of Moses and the Prophets : 
 
 Dpi li^'^b'h r]']:!h^2 onpK t:^: nil Kwt:^i ]')V^^ ''ii l?3^* 
 vb''^r)^ n^t^^nn vb'^^n mj* Kis^i imji iv i^nmsi '^"Tnt:^^') 
 
 :xt:^np i^f2^i i^o'^^^ ntitDn ^^-^^i^ :n^/T'n-T rrar-inQ i^p^:h 
 Vp^y) : n^Dji? ]^:nnrD ]wnp VDi^bn w^^^ : n'n'^i i^v'^n^ 
 
 ii^:)bt2'i rtn±> ^-ip^ inn :^*t^;^p i^i'^Di Kjjpm'? Kip> inrr 
 "1DX1 rnDi^ in'b)? ^nt:^^<t:;np i^n^^ tj^i^Di i^^p^ Ksii^nB^ 
 ikpbv i^^np i^n^^ ^^1^^ vi:i nj^sriN in nt^^K ^Kit^^ 
 Tii^b:; KD^a n-'ps) inn i^^'^P i^^bD n'^Dp n^b); i^nox : K^jir^ 
 : n'^Dp ]:;i)r2DU)i^i ^n n^byn ^n ]^Ti^ b^ n^Dp iddd^ 
 -ii:ir i^b^ : iDt^ '•it^in'?") mn^ ^ki^^ v:j3^ iniT -isd nnnn rr^n 
 HD r?:^'?^ in^^i n^^^r innDi :n^n nnnti/D nnpi k^k 
 
 : ^D^l^n Jinn;; nnn " Habbi Simeon said, after the son of 
 man rises in the middle of the night, and gets up and is em- 
 ployed in the law, until the morning comes ; after he puts 
 Phylacteries on his head, and Phylacteries with the sacred 
 mark on his arm, and puts on the fringes, and when he begins 
 to go out of the door of his house, and passes by the ^fzuzah, 
 the sign of the sacred name, then four holy angels join 
 him, and go with him from the door of his house, and 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. Ill 
 
 conduct him to the synagogue, and cry out before him, 
 Pay homage to the image of the holy King, pay homage to 
 the King^s son ; to the precious appearance of the King ; 
 the Holy Spirit rests upon him, and cries and proclaims, 
 ' O Israel, in whom I will be glorified,' (Is. 49. 3.) Then 
 the Holy Spirit ascends above, and testifies before the holy 
 King; then the supreme King orders that all that has 
 been announced before Him, concerning all the children of 
 His temple, should be recorded before Him; as it ia 
 written, ' And a book of remembrance was written before 
 Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon 
 His name.' (Mai. 3. 16.) But not only this, but the Holy 
 and Blessed One boasts of him, and announces him in all 
 worlds, saying, 'Behold what my son is doing in the 
 world.' " We must come to the conclusion that the mass 
 of the Jewish people are not at all acquainted with the 
 internal doctrines of modern Judaism ; for if such supersti- 
 tion should be attributed to an intelligent Jew he would 
 at once reject it, as derogatory to Jehovah. Nor are 
 such profane absurdities found in the Zohar only, but in 
 almost every Jewish theological work. In the Targum of 
 Pseudo Jonathan on Cant. 8. 3, we find the following 
 
 paraphrase : K/i:i;^:iD nif2i^ ''2p2r\n ')yt2'^ '^wi^i ntin ^bi^r2\l; 
 i^rh)!! >t:?ii i^Tt2'> nroD2 ^^nriTD ikv'^p'i >t:^nii ^'pKDti; 
 
 ^1 K^nnb KpiD^ Wl n^bl 'pn b^pb "'His left hand 
 should be under my head, and His right hand 
 should embrace me.' The congregation of Israel 
 saith, ' I am elect above all people, because I bind my 
 Phylacteries on my left hand and on my head, and the 
 M'zuzah is put on the right side of the door ; the last 
 of which [the M'zuzah] looks to my bed chamber, that the 
 devil may not be permitted to injure me.' " Another 
 eminent theologian assures the Jews that the efficacy of the 
 M'zuzah is so great, that he who observes it will be kept 
 from sinning. [See also p. 37, 38.] 
 
112 MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 Now if we refer to Talmud, we find that this dogma is 
 taught with the unanimous consent of the Rabbies. In 
 tract jyFnachoth^ chap. Hatcliayhth^ we find the following 
 remarkable doctrine : u;npn pSDU; b^nu;* jOOn pnn iJn 
 
 n»2i»i:i in'ni);na \^^r\^ |n»u?N"i2 rbsn r^iicon j^in inn 
 ^v '^'r^hr^ Dvn yn\i; in '^o^* ^.t'?);'! in>nnDn nno ]nn:ins 
 Ipiy ♦DDir;Q " Our Rabbies taught, The Israelites are be- 
 loved, for the Holy and Blessed One compassed them about 
 with precepts ; they wear phylacteries on their heads, phy- 
 lacteries on their arms, fringes on their garments, and the 
 M'zuzah on their gates, and concerning them did David 
 say, 'Seven* times a day do I praise Thee because of Thy 
 righteous judgments.'*" (Ps. 119. 164.) Surely modern 
 Jews cannot pretend to say that their " fundamental 
 principles" are " coeval with the institution of Judaism." 
 They rather resemble the corrupt traditions of Popery. 
 If we examine a few more Rabbinical passages concerning 
 the MPzuzah^ we shall find it assimilated to the Almighty 
 Himself. In the Talmud, Tract M^nacliotli^ fol. 33, where 
 a controversy takes place on what side it should be 
 fixed, we find the following argument advanced by a 
 certain Rabbi : XXI^ry JTIDD )^V HNII Ntll N:iOn Ol ^DJ^ 
 
 Kim D:ia3DD ]nt:^v vmv p ^:^^< rvi^^ry mD viniD inij^ 
 
 inD*:D3 I'Q^rt Tb m-nai di«o "i^'d' t b» " Rabbi Chanina 
 said come and see, that the custom of flesh and 
 blood is not like the custom of the Holy and 
 Blessed One. The custom of flesh and blood is, the King 
 sits within, and the people watch him without ; but the 
 custom of the Holy and Blessed One is not so ; His 
 servants sit within, and He watches them without ; for it 
 was said, ' The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade, 
 on thy right hand/" (Ps. 121. 5.) On which Rabbi 
 
 * Thus the Rabbies make out that David meant by seven, four fringes, 
 two phylacteries, and one M'zuzah. 
 
MODERN JUDAISM INVESTIGATED. 118 
 
 S. Jarchi makes the following observation : " ' Upon thy 
 right hand ;' for the M''zuzah is on the right hand on 
 entering the house." How different from the simple 
 Mosaic precept ! 
 
 In Tract Avodah Zarah^ fol. 11, we are favoured with 
 the following marvellous history relative to the conversion of 
 Onkelos, wherein the M^zuzah forms an important feature : 
 
 nnnnN •'NDn-r nj):i ^v'^'p -rit:; t'^:i\^ D\^'yh\) in D1^p:)^* 
 
 ND>^^ ^'rh iQi* I'^mi 'h\>)D iino n^D l^b^ rxh no^n t^b^h 
 N"ii3>3 ^^-^vs)>^ 'i2\> t^-ys^ lopj nivb^j i^D*?^! i^rb'^n ^2b 
 
 ''r:i\> K"n: to^pj napn 'in'p '^D^< k'? n^*? hdk ^t:;:^^^ 'i2pr::i vr\^^ 
 "Tin TTK (ID DiQt:^) n:ii dqv dh^jie)'? i^in ^ii n-'JiDi '?^^'^t:^^ 
 
 ''ND "in*? iDNi n'?:ir nn^ I'-mi^ NJiniD nrn I'^t^**) rxh '^>^ •'j 
 n-Ji i^Q ub'sv ^^ i^injD "in"? "^D^< Jih^ i^ kd'»k n'»'? iidn ^^rr 
 ria;^ napn i'pki yiniQ ^^\M^ ]nDi:;D v"in:i?i d^:32d nt:;v dti 
 nwD -[Kini insi: niDt:^^ n^n^ 'Hid yiraD i^Dt^^Q >^im D^:3nD 
 
 D^l^ "T^l "Onkelos bar Clonimus became a proselyte; the 
 Romish Caesar sent for him ; he [Onkelos] drew them [the 
 messengers] into conversation upon the Scriptures, and 
 they became proselytes likewise. He [Caesar] sent again 
 an army of Romans after him, and charged them not to 
 speak to him at all ; when they took him, and began to 
 return with him, he said unto them, I will tell you a 
 worldly thing ; a cardinal holds a light for a pope, a pope 
 for a duke, a duke for a prince, a prince for a king. Does 
 the king, then, hold a light for the people? They said 
 unto him. No ; he said unto them. The Holy and Blessed 
 One holds a light for Israel ; for it is written, ' And the 
 Lord went before them, by day in a pillar of a cloud to 
 lead them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire to give 
 them light ; to go by day and night; (Exod. 13. 21.) They 
 also became proselytes. He sent another army after him ; 
 and strictly ordered them not to commune with him on 
 any topic whatever. When they seized him, and departed, 
 
114 MODERN JUnAISM INVESTIGATED. 
 
 he saw the M'zuzah, put his hand upon it, and said to 
 them, What is this ? and they rejoined, tell thou us ; he 
 said unto them, The custom of the world is, a king of flesh 
 and blood sits within, and his servants guard him without ; 
 but with respect to the Holy and Blessed One, His servants 
 are within, and He guards them without, as it was said, ' The 
 Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from 
 this day forth, and even for ever more."* (Ps. 121. 8.) 
 Even they became proselytes. He sent no more after 
 him." 
 
 Thus we see that the Babbies did not scruple to invent 
 such occurrences, (pious frauds would be too good a name 
 for them,) in order to deify the M'zuzah. 
 
 What can a thinking Israelite say after a fair investiga- 
 tion of the internal doctrines of the " Fundamental 
 principles of modern Judaism V Will he say that they are 
 " coeval with the institution of Judaism ?" Alas ! the word 
 of God says, " My people are destroyed for lack of 
 knowledge ;" for they wilfully shut their eyes to the light 
 of truth, and actually reject knowledge. Would to God 
 that Israel's attention were more directed to their long 
 neglected national state ! They would soon find that our 
 ancestors have not transmitted unto us the law of God in 
 its original purity, but have corrupted it with their absurd 
 and profane traditions, which they have exalted above the 
 word of God. It is engraved, as with a pen of iron, 
 " Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will 
 also forget thy children."" (Hos. 4. 6.) 
 
 We would earnestly invite our Jewish brethren to 
 examine closely whether modern Judaism is based on the 
 word of God, or on the doctrine of erring men ; if they did 
 so, their illusion would soon be dissipated and the general 
 cry would be 
 
 rDiBi bpn i^2r2 k:d 
 
 «MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN." 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE SIX HUNDRED AND 
 THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 
 
 ^ HE Jews having a zeal for the letter of 
 the law, and desirous of establishing their 
 ^] own righteousness by the works of it, have 
 counted every word and letter of the 
 Pentateuch, in order to ascertain how 
 many precepts it contained, that they might know what 
 they were commanded to do, and what they were pro- 
 hibited from doing. They have, after a great waste of 
 time, disco versd that the law contained 613 precepts. 
 The Rabbles assert that the multiplicity of precepts which 
 God has given to the nation of Israel in preference to all 
 others,* is a sign of His predilection for them. Every 
 Jew repeats every Saturday during the six summer 
 monthsf the following passage : "IDIK ^''li^pjl? ]2 N'':3:n '•11 
 
 inK^i min bn^^ ^pl2 ]yDb ysn ^^'» ir2i^m tnii^Di niin 
 
 " Rabbi Chanania ben Akashia has said, the Holy One 
 (blessed be He !) has been pleased to render Israel meri- 
 
 * The Gentiles, who are commonly called in Talmud n: ':i Sons of 
 Noah, had only seven precepts given to them. 
 
 t The Rabbies have appointed one chapter of a treatise of Mishnah, 
 called mii^ 'pi 5 Pirkay Avoth, or Chapters of the Fathers, to be 
 repeated by the Jews every Saturday afternoon during the six summer 
 months. It consists of six chapters ; they contain many admirable 
 precepts, and inculcate true piety. But they also repeat with great 
 gravity Rabbi Chanania's dogma. Every Saturday afternoon during 
 the six winter months they repeat Psalms, 104, 120—134. 
 
116 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 torious; therefore He multiplied to them the law and 
 the commandments, as it is said, * The Lord is well 
 pleased for His righteousness"' sake ; He will magnify the 
 law, and make it honourable.'" (Is. 42. 21.) 
 
 The 613 precepts are divided into 248 HW /TliiD 
 affirmative precepts, or precepts of commission ; and into 
 ^id5 nz^^D K? n*t2iD negative precepts, or precepts 
 of omission. The Rabbies are very ingenious in making 
 out that each precept they perform is equal to 613. 
 (See p. 33, 41, QQ, 75, 77, 92.) They have also disco- 
 vered that the law of Moses corresponds with the 
 construction of the human body, for it has 248 members, 
 according to the number of the affirmative precepts ; and 
 365 veins, according to the number of the negative pre- 
 cepts : hence they pray, "And that it may be made, 
 through my fulfilling this precept, a spiritual garment 
 for my soul, spirit, and breath, for my 248 spiritual 
 members, and for my 365 spiritual veins." (See p. 75.) 
 
 The Rabbies assert that all the Patriarchs fulfilled the 
 613 precepts. Rabbi S. Jarchi thus comments very 
 gravely on Gen. 32. 4. l^l'^D :i^n/1 ^^^1 ''nn:) : 'TTS^i \lb DV 
 
 D"'^in " ' I have sojourned with Laban '' Garty^ [' I have so- 
 journed,"'] according to Guimatria [see p. 14], amounts to 
 613, by which he [i.e Jacob] wished to communicate 
 [to his brother Esau], It is true I have sojourned with 
 the wicked Laban, but still I observed the 613 precepts, 
 and I have not been infected with his evil deeds." Baal 
 Haturim makes the same remark on the above passage 
 of Scripture. 
 
 A great many Rabbies published them in the Hebrew 
 language in the form of a book, of which some were 
 translated into Latin ; but I never met with a translation 
 of them into English, except that of D. Levi, who put 
 them at the foot of each page of his translation of the 
 Pentateuch. He appears, however, to have aimed at 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. ^ 117 
 
 giving as little information as possible ; being afraid, I 
 suppose, of Gentiles prying into them ; and the Rabbies 
 strictly enjoined DW i^b 'i^TV '^)^Db n")in nil mO'lD ]''^ 
 Di:^T b2 D''ZOH)t:^D'» ''i:i b^b ]D " Let no explanation of 
 the words of the Law be given to a Gentile, for it was 
 said, ' He hath not dealt so with any nation ; and as 
 for His judgments, they have not known them.' " 
 (Talmud, Tract CK'Gigah, chap. 2nd, fol. 13, col. 1.) 
 I hope, therefore, a more complete translation of them 
 into English will be acceptable both to English Jews and 
 Christians. It will also serve as a synopsis of all Jewish 
 customs and ceremonies.* 
 
 The strict Jews make their children commit to memory 
 (when they are between six and seven years of age) all 
 the 613 precepts, as they consider a thorough knowledge 
 of them to be a key to the Oral Law, though the majority 
 of them are unintelligible to a child. Rabbi Gedaliah, of 
 Amsterdam, published a catalogue of them, in 1 745, which 
 he designated ]^'p JmJl Torath Katon^ or the law in 
 miniature. He says in his preface : D/TUZOpH DH^^ll nDTtC^ 
 
 ns) bv'i'^ rr\^n tid'?'? br\:^ r^n^'ob ur\b nh^i na bv:i r^v^b 
 
 N^l*) no Dm ^ni " Which children are to learn in their 
 infancy, to know them off by heart ; which will be a great 
 introduction for them to learn the Oral Law ; and also that 
 what they have learned in their youthful days they may re- 
 member in their old age ; that they may know to do them, and 
 live by them in this world and in the world to come." 
 In offering this list to the public, (which will be in some 
 measure a translation of his Torath Katon^ I will en- 
 deavour to follow the order of that celebrated Rabbi. f 
 
 * There are, however, numberless particular observances attached to 
 each precept, which are scarcely possible to be described. 
 
 + This being the list which the author was obliged to learn off by 
 heart, when only between six and seven years of age. 
 
118 * THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 I purpose, however, to give a few notes from the Talmud, 
 &c. when occasion may require. 
 
 The same Rabbi affirms ^^^:\ IpJlD JlliiDn l)d? n"* b^) 
 
 ^in^ d^*);? '•^n^ nj^t:; vt'^i inni*^ " And through the 
 
 learning of the precepts, [the man] is preparing his 
 body, members, and veins, that he may attain to the life 
 of the world to come.*''' May the Lord hasten the 
 happy time when Israel shall know that Christ is the 
 only way whereby we can enter into life eternal, and 
 that he who does not enter by Him, " but climbeth 
 up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber !*" 
 O ! may they soon know, " that as many as are of the 
 works of the law are under the curse : for it is written, 
 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things 
 which are written in the book of the law to do them." 
 (Gal. 8. 10, Deut. 27. 26.) O ! may they soon look unto 
 Him, who " redeemed us from the curse of the law, being 
 made a curse for us." 
 
 ** Believing we rejoice 
 
 To see the curse remove ; 
 We bless the Lamb, with cheerful voice, 
 
 And sing His bleeding love." 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 
 
 " These are the Commandments, which the Lord com- 
 manded Moses for the children of Israel, in Mount Sinai."* 
 (Lev. 27. 34.) 
 
 1. To propagate the human race by marrying at a 
 proper age ;f for it is written, " And God blessed them, 
 
 * This is Rabbi Gedaliah's heading at the commencement of his 
 Torath Katon. 
 
 f The proper age mentioned by the Rabbies is 18; but those that 
 marry at 13 are very meritorious, as will appear from the following 
 passage, which occurs in many places in Talmud and other Rabbinical 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 119 
 
 and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and 
 replenish the earth, and subdue it." (Gen. 1. 28.) 
 
 2. To circumcise male children on the eighth day after 
 their birth ; for it is written, " This is my covenant, which 
 ye shall keep, between me and you, and thy seed after 
 thee; every man-child among you shall be circumcised." 
 (Gen. 17. 10.) 
 
 3. To abstain from the shrunken sinew ; for it is written, 
 " Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew 
 which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, 
 unto this day." (Gen. 32. 32.) 
 
 4. To consecrate the new moon, and to calculate the 
 (year's) time in the house of judgment nearest to the land 
 of Israel, and to fix the holy day accordingly; for it is 
 written, " This month shall be unto you the beginning of 
 months : it shall be the first month of the year to you." 
 (Exod. 12. 2.) 
 
 5. To slaughter in the temple on Easter-eve, and even 
 on the Sabbath, the Paschal lamb ; to be either a male 
 lamb, without blemish, one year old, or a kid ; for it is 
 written, " And the whole assembly of the congregation of 
 Israel shall kill it in the evening." (Exod. 12. 6.) (Evening 
 means after the middle of the day. Talmud). 
 
 writings, and which Rabbi Joseph Karo adopted in his fourth Code of 
 Laws, called Tur Ehen Haezer, chapter 1st. «t5»tt? "jwi©' ^3 bv mijQ 
 
 "It is incumbent on every Israelite to marry a wife at the age of 18 ; 
 but whosoever hastens and marries at the age of 13, renders himself 
 very meritorious." So that amongst the very rich and learned Jews 
 abroad, such marriages frequently take place. An instance of it is 
 mentioned in the "Jewish Intelligence" for May, 1843, in Dr. Mac- 
 gowan's letter from Jerusalem. According to the Rabbies, the Jewish 
 Jury is to compel every one to marry who has passed his 20th year, and 
 has not married. A person that does not marry is considered as a 
 murderer, "jm-ivd'd pVnoriM) nrsm^ D-n:i " and cause* the Sh'chinah to 
 depart from Israel." 
 
120 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 6. To eat the Paschal lamb on the first night of the 
 Passover ; at least each person must eat a piece thereof 
 of the size of an olive, besides the general meal ; for it is 
 written, "And they shall eat the flesh in that nighty roast with 
 fire, and unleavened bread : and with bitter herbs they 
 shall eat it." (Exod. 12. 8.) 
 
 7. Not to eat the Paschal lamb raw, or boiled ; for it is 
 written, " Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water ;" 
 (Exod. 12. 9.) or with any other beverage, but every part 
 of it must be roasted on the fire. 
 
 8. Not to leave a part of the Paschal lamb ; for it is 
 written, " And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the 
 morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning 
 ye shall burn with fire.'' (Exod. 12. 10.) 
 
 9. To remove out of our possession all leavened sub- 
 stances before the noon of the day preceding the Passover; 
 for it is written, " Even the first day ye shall put away 
 leaven out of your house." (Exod. 12. 15.) (By "the 
 first" is understood the day preceding the Passover. T.) 
 
 10. To eat Passover cake,* of the size of an oHve at 
 least, on the first night of the Passover ; for it is written, 
 " In the first month, on the 1 4th day of the month at 
 even, ye shall eat unleavened bread." (Exod. 12. 18.) 
 (On this night it is a duty to eat Passover cakes; for 
 the remainder of the Passover it is optional). 
 
 11. No leavened substance should be found in our posses- 
 sion during the whole of the Passover ; for it is written, 
 " Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your 
 houses." (Exod. 12. 19.) 
 
 12. Not to partake of things that are mixed with 
 leavened substances ; for it is written, " Ye shall eat 
 nothing leavened." (Exod. 12. 20.) 
 
 The Hebrew word n^jo Matzah^ which is usually translated unlea- 
 vened bread in the English Bible, signifies literally cuke^ and is generally 
 applied to the Passover cakes. 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 121 
 
 13. Not to give of the Paschal lamb to an apostate 
 Israelite ; for it is written, " This is the ordinance of the 
 Passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof." (Exod. 
 12. 43.) 
 
 14. Not to give of the Paschal lamb to a foreigner, or to 
 hired servants ; for it is written, " A foreigner and an 
 hired servant shall not eat thereof." (Exod. 12. 45.) (By 
 " a foreigner " is understood a heathen who abandons 
 idolatry, but continues to eat unlawful meat ; an " hired 
 servant" means a proselyte that is circumcised, but not 
 baptized. T.) 
 
 15. Not to carry a part of the Paschal lamb out of the 
 community ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not carry forth 
 ought of the flesh abroad out of the house." (Exod. 12. 46.) 
 (Which, according to the Rabbles, means out of the 
 community). 
 
 16. Not to break any bone of the Paschal lamb ; for it 
 is written, "Neither shall ye break a bone thereof." (Exod. 
 12. 46.) 
 
 17. No uncircumcised person is to eat of the Paschal 
 lamb ; for it is written, " For no uncircumcised person 
 shall eat thereof." (Exod. 12. 48.) (Not even an Israelite 
 that remained uncircumcised ; which may take place when 
 all his brothers died, in consequence of undergoing that 
 ceremony. T.) 
 
 18. To dedicate the first-born male children as holy to 
 the Lord ; for it is written, "Sanctify unto me all the first- 
 born," &;c. (Exod. 13. 2.) 
 
 19. Not to eat leavened bread on the Passover ; for it 
 is written, " There shall no leavened bread be eaten." 
 (Exod. 13. 3.) 
 
 20. No leavened substance shall be seen in our habita- 
 tions ; for it is written, " Neither shall there be leaven 
 seen with thee in all thy quarters." (Exod. 13. 7.) 
 
 21. To speak of the deliverance from Egypt, to the 
 children, and even to himself, on the first night of the 
 
122 THE SIX HUNDBED 
 
 Passover ; for it written, " And thou shalt shew thy son 
 in that day, saying. This is done because of that which the 
 Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt." 
 Exod. 13. 8.) (" This is done," refers to the eating of 
 unleavened bread, which is a duty at that time. T.) 
 
 22. To redeem the male firstling of an ass ; for it is 
 written, " And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem 
 with a lamb." (Exod. 13. 13.) (And the lamb must be 
 given to the Priest. T.) 
 
 23. To break the neck of the firstling of an ass, if not 
 redeemed ; for it is written, " And if thou wilt not redeem 
 it, then thou shalt break his neck." (Exod. 13. 13.) 
 
 24. Not to walk on the Sabbath day to a great distance ; 
 for it is written, " Let no man go out of his place," &c. 
 (Exod. 16. 19.) (The Rabbles limited the distance to two 
 thousand cubits.) 
 
 25. To believe that a God reigns over the universe, who 
 gave existence to all creatures ; that He sees and knows 
 every thing, even the thoughts of man ; and that nothing 
 was created in the universe except by His will ; for it is 
 written, "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee 
 out of the land of Egypt," &c. (Exod. 20. 2.) 
 
 26. Not to entertain the idea that there is another God 
 besides Him ; for it is written, " Thou shalt have [in 
 thought] no other gods before me." (Exod. 20. 3.) (" For 
 the Lord He is the God in the heavens above, and over the 
 earth beneath ; there is no other.") 
 
 27. Not to make for others, nor get made by others, any 
 image that is worshipped ; and even when not to be wor- 
 shipped, the making alone is unlawful ; for it is written, 
 *' Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image," &c. 
 (Exod. 20. 4.) 
 
 28. Not to bow down to an idol, though the worship 
 thereof does not consist in that ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not bow down thyself to them," &c. (Exod. 20. 5.) 
 
 29. Not to worship an idol in its ordinary manner of 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 123 
 
 worship, though that be rather a disgraceful one, as the 
 exposures to Peor, or the throwing of stones at MarcoHs, 
 or the offering of hair to Ohemosh ; for it is written, " nor 
 serve them." (Exod. 20. 5.) 
 
 SO. Not to swear falsely, or without cause ; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy 
 God in vain." (Exod. 20. 7.) 
 
 31. To sanctify the Sabbath-day at its commencement, 
 and to " distinguish" the greatness thereof from the other 
 days at its termination ; for it is written, " Remember the 
 Sabbath-day to keep it holy." (Exod. 20. 8.) 
 
 32. Not to work on the Sabbath-day ; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not do any work." (Exod. 20. 10.) 
 
 33. To honour father and mother ; for it is written, 
 " Honour thy father and thy mother." (Exod. 20. 12.) 
 
 34. Not to commit murder ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not kill." (Exod. 20. 13.) 
 
 35. " Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Exod. 20. 14.) 
 
 36. Not to steal a living being ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not steal." (Exod. 20. 15.) (The commandment in 
 Levit. 9. 2, refers to property. T.) 
 
 37. Not to give false witness; for it is written, "Thou 
 shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." (Exod. 
 20. 16.) 
 
 38. Not to covet another person's property; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not covet." (Exod. 20. 17.) 
 
 39. Not to make a human figure, even for ornament; 
 for it is written, " Ye shall not make with me [i.e. a human 
 figure^ according to Talmud] gods of silver, neither shall 
 ye make unto you gods of gold." (Exod. 20. 23.) 
 
 40. Not to build an altar of hewn stones, that is, stones 
 that were shaped by iron instruments ; for it is written, 
 "And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt 
 not build it of hewn stone." (Exod. 20. 25.) 
 
 41. Not to ascend to the altar by steps, that the ascend- 
 ing person may not be exposed; for it is written, "Neither 
 
124 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar."' (Exod. 20. 26.) 
 
 42. To judge a Hebrew slave according to the laws 
 given for that purpose ; for it is written, " If thou buy an 
 Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh 
 he shall go out free for nothing."" (Exod. 21. 2.) 
 
 43. To marry the Hebrew maid-servant that we have 
 purchased, or induce one of our sons to marry her ; for it 
 is written, " If she please not her master,"" &lg. " And if 
 he have betrothed her unto his son,"" &c. (Exod. 21. 8 — 9.) 
 
 44. To allow the Hebrew maid-servant to be redeemed ; 
 for it is written, " Then shall he let her be redeemed."" 
 (Exod. 21. 8.) (i.e. He must not compel her to complete 
 her time of service, but permit her to be redeemed at any 
 time.) 
 
 45. Not to sell the Hebrew maid- servant ; for it is 
 written, " To sell her unto a strange nation he shall have 
 no power,"" fcc. (Exod. 21. 8.) 
 
 46. Not to deprive the Hebrew maid-servant, much less 
 any other Hebrew girl (being his wife) of her food, her 
 raiment, or her connubial privilege; for it is written, "Her 
 food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage shall he not 
 diminish."" (Exod. 21. 10.) 
 
 47. Not to strike father, or mother; for it is written, 
 " And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be 
 surely put to death."" (Exod. 21. 15.) 
 
 48. To put him to death by strangulation; for it is 
 written, " Shall be surely put to death."' (And by death 
 generally strangulation is to be understood. T.) 
 
 49. To fine a person for doing a bodily injury to his 
 fellow-creature ; for it is written, " And if men strive 
 together,"" &c. (Exod. 21. 18.) (This is called the law 
 of fines.) 
 
 50. To execute some of those that are liable to the 
 severest penalty of the law by the sword ; one of those 
 that must suffer this capital punishment is the individual 
 who has slain another, even if the deceased be the mur- 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 125 
 
 derer's own heathen slave ; for it is written, " He shall be 
 surely punished.'''' (Exod. 21 20.) (The Hebrew implies 
 vengeance^ which the Rabbies say must be executed with 
 the sword./; for it is written, ^'■the avenging sword.'''' 
 Lev. 26. 25.) 
 
 51. To enforce the law concerning an injuring ox; for 
 it is written, " If an ox gore a man," &c. (Exod. 21. 28.) 
 (Not only an ox, but any injuring animal ; the owner 
 must pay for the first offence half the injury done, and for 
 repeated offences the whole injury. T.) 
 
 52. Not to eat the flesh of the stoned ox ; for it is 
 written, "And his flesh shall not be eaten.'" (Exod. 21. 28.) 
 (His flesh becomes unlawful from the moment that the 
 sentence is passed against him. T.) 
 
 53. To enforce the laws concerning an exposed pit, 
 that might prove the cause of accidents ; for it is written, 
 " And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a 
 pit," &;c. (Exod. 21. 33.) 
 
 54. To enforce the laws concerning theft ; for it is 
 written, " If a man shaU steal an ox, or a sheep," &c. 
 (Exod. 22. 1.) 
 
 55. To enforce the laws concerning the injuries done 
 by cattle in the fields of others ; for it is written, " If a 
 man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall 
 put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field ; of 
 the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vine- 
 yard, shall he make restitution." (Exod. 22. 5.) 
 
 6Q. To enforce the laws concerning damage done 
 through fire ; for it is written, " If a fire break out, and 
 catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing 
 corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindleth 
 the fire shall surely make restitution." (Exod. 22. 6.) 
 
 57. To enforce the laws concerning persons entrusted 
 with goods ; for it is written, " If a man shall deliver unto 
 his neighbour money, or stuff, to keep, and it be stolen 
 out of the man's house," k>c. (Exod. 22. 7,) (If he swear 
 
126 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 that the article entrusted to him was stolen, he need not 
 make any restitution.) 
 
 58. To observe the laws with respect to plaintiff and 
 defendant, when each makes a different assertion ; for it is 
 written, " For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, 
 for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost 
 thing, which another challengeth to be his," &c. (Exod. 
 22. 9.) (He that admits a part of the other's assertion 
 must take the oath. T.) 
 
 59. To observe the laws concerning paid keepers, and 
 persons who have taken things on hire ; for it is written, 
 " If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or 
 a sheep," &c. (Exod. 22. 10.) (Restitution must be 
 made, although the article be stolen. T.) 
 
 60. To observe the laws concerning persons borrowing 
 things ; for it is written, " And if a man borrow aught of 
 his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof 
 being not with it, he shall surely make it good." (Exod. 
 22. 14.) 
 
 61. To fine the seducer according to the laws laid down 
 for that purpose ; for it is written, " And if a man entice 
 a maid that is not betrothed," &c. (Exod. 22. 16.) 
 
 62. Not to suffer to live any person performing any 
 witchcraft, though the feminine only is spoken of in the 
 text ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not suffer a witch 
 to live." (Exod. 22. 18.) (The Scripture speaks of the 
 then existing circumstances, when females only practised 
 witchcraft. T.) 
 
 // 63. Not to vex a stranger by words : for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt neither vex a stranger." (Exod. 22. 21.) 
 64. Not to oppress a stranger in money affairs ; for it is 
 / written, "Nor oppress him," (Exod. 22. 21,) (i.e. in money 
 affairs. T.) 
 
 Q5. Not to afflict the orphan or the widow ; for it is 
 written, " Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless 
 child." (Exod. 22. 11.) (For God is the father of orphans 
 and widows. T.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 127 
 
 66. To lend to the poor Israelites; for it is written, 
 " If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor 
 by thee, &c." (Exod. 22. 25.) (And this is considered 
 superior to almsgiving. T.) 
 
 67. Not to press the poor debtor when his inability 
 to pay is known ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not be 
 to him as an usurer." (Exod. 22. 25.) 
 
 68. Not to be in any manner connected with a loan on 
 interest ; that is, neither to be surety, scribe, nor witness; 
 for it is written, " Neither shalt thou lay upon him usury." 
 (Exod. 22. 25.) 
 
 69. Not to revile the judges ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not revile the gods* (or the judges)." (Exod. 22. 28.) 
 
 70. Not to blaspheme the holy name ; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not revile the gods (or God)." (Exod. 22. 28.) 
 
 71. Not to revile the ruler or the king ; for it is written, 
 " Nor curse the ruler of thy people." (Exod. 22. 28.) 
 
 72. Not to offer the heave-offering previous to the 
 "first-fruits;" nor the first "tithe" previous to the 
 " heave- offering," nor the second "tithe" previous to the 
 first; for it is written, "Thou shalt not delay to offer the 
 first of thy ripe fruits and of thy liquors." (Exod. 22. 29.) 
 (i.e. The order is not to be changed.) 
 
 73. Not to eat the flesh of an animal that has been torn 
 by wild beasts ; for it is written, " Neither shall ye eat 
 any flesh that is torn^of beasts in the field." (Exod. 22. 31.) 
 (The flesh of any animal that could not have lived twelve 
 months longer, is considered unlawful. T.) 
 
 74. Not to listen to one of contending parties in the 
 absence of the opponent ; for it is written, " Thou shalt 
 not raise a false report." (Exod. 23. 1.) (This precept 
 is considered to be broken by those who listen to the 
 slander, as well as by the slanderer himself. T.) 
 
 * The judges are called q^h^n Elohim (gods,) because in judging 
 according to God's Law, they are considered to be in the place of God. 
 
128 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 75. Not to allow an ungodly man to be a witness ; for 
 it is written, " Put not thine hand with the wicked to be 
 an unrighteous witness." (Exod. 23. 1.) 
 
 76. Not to sentence to capital punishment until those 
 that find the prisoner guilty exceed in number by two, 
 those that pronounce him not guilty ; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." (Exod. 23. 2.) 
 
 77. In cases that would involve capital punishment, not 
 to pronounce that prisoner guilty whom we at first pro- 
 nounced not guilty ; for it is written, " Neither shalt thou 
 speak in a cause to decline after many, to wrest judgment." 
 (Exod. 23. 2.) 
 
 78. To take the opinion of the majority; for it is written, 
 " To dechne after many." (Exod. 23. 2.) 
 
 79. Not to have compassion on the poor in a case of 
 justice ; for it is written, " Neither shalt thou countenance 
 a poor man in his cause." (Exod. 23. 3.) 
 
 80. To ease a neighbour''s cattle that is lying under its 
 burden ; for it is written, " If thou see the ass of him that 
 hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear 
 to help him," &c. (Exod. 23. 5.) 
 
 81. Not to make the law bear against an ungodly man ; 
 for it is written, " Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of 
 thy poor in his cause." (Exod. 23. 6.) (" Poor ' means 
 here, poor in godliness. T.) 
 
 82. Not to enforce the law by circumstantial evidence; 
 for instance, if witnesses have seen one person pursue 
 another with the intention of killing him, and did not 
 see that the deed was committed by him, but immediately 
 afterwards saw the murdered man, and also the murderer 
 with a bloody sword in his hand ; it is unlawful to enforce 
 the law unless the witnesses have seen the act of murder 
 itself ; for it is written, " And the innocent and the 
 righteous slay thou not." (Exod. 23. 7.) 
 
 83. Not to take a bribe ; for it is written, " And thou 
 shalt take no gift." (Exod. 23. 8.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 129 
 
 84. To leave free all the agricultural produce of every 
 seventh year ; for it is written, " But the seventh year 
 thou shalt let it rest and lie still," &c. (Exod. 23. 2.) 
 (This is called the year of release.) 
 
 85. To rest on the Sabbath-day; for it is written, "And 
 on the seventh day thou shalt rest." (Exod. 23. 12.) 
 
 86. Not to swear, nor cause others to swear, by an idol; 
 for it is written, " And make no mention of the name of 
 other gods." (Exod. 23. 13.) 
 
 87. Not to seduce others into idolatry ; for it is written, 
 " Neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." (Exod. 23. 13.) 
 
 88. To celebrate three feasts ; for it is written, " Three 
 times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year." 
 (Exod. 23, 14.) 
 
 89. Not to kill the Paschal lamb while leavened sub- 
 stances are yet in the house ; for it is written, " Thou shalt 
 not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread." 
 (Exod. 23. 18.) 
 
 90. Not to keep the offering-pieces of the Paschal lamb 
 over night ; for it is written, " Neither shall the fat of my 
 sacrifice remain until the morning." (Exod. 23. 18.) 
 
 91. To bring the " First-fruits" into the temple ; for it 
 is written, " The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou 
 shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God." (Exod. 
 23. 19.) 
 
 92. Not to boil flesh in milk ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk." (Exod. 23. 
 19.) (This verse occurs three times in the Pentateuch; 
 viz. Exod. 23. 19; 34. 26; Deut. 14. 21 ; one against the 
 eating, another against enjoying any pleasure from it, and 
 the third against the cooking. T.J 
 
 93. Not to enter into a covenant with any one of the 
 seven nations ; for it is written, " Thou shalt make no 
 covenant with them, nor with their gods." (Exod. 23. 32.) 
 (The " seven nations" are the Canaanites, the Hitites, the 
 
ISO THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 Amorites, the Perizziteis, the Jebusites, the Hivites, and 
 the Girgashites^. 
 
 94. Not to permit idolaters to dwell in the land of 
 Israel ; for it is written, " They shall not dwell in thy land, 
 lest they make thee sin against me." (Exod. 23. 33.) 
 
 95. On entering the holy land, to build a temple, that 
 sacrifices may be offered, and the feasts celebrated there ; 
 for it is written, " And let them make me a sanctuary, 
 that I may dwell among them." (Exod. 25. 8.) 
 
 96. Not to remove the staves from the rings of the ark ; 
 for it is written, *' The staves shall be in the rings of the 
 ark ; they shall not be taken from it." (Exod. 25. 15.) 
 
 97. That every Sabbath the Priests should place the 
 shew-bread and the pure frankincense before the Lord; for 
 it is written, "And thou shalt set upon the table shew-bread 
 before me alway." (Exod. 25. 30.) (Every Sabbath the 
 priests did eat the bread after they had burned the 
 incense. T.) 
 
 98. That the priests prepare the lights of the '* Candle- 
 stick " before the Lord ; for it is written, " In the taber- 
 nacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before 
 the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it." (Exod. 
 27. 21.) 
 
 99. To dress in the sacerdotal garments made for the 
 service ; for it is written, " And they shall make holy 
 garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons ; that he 
 may minister unto me in the priest's office." (Exod. 28. 4.) 
 
 100. Not to loosen the breastplate from the Ephod ; for 
 it is written, "And that the breastplate be not loosed from 
 the Ephod." (Exod. 28. 28.) 
 
 101. Not to tear the "hem ;" for it is written, " It shall 
 have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, 
 as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it he not rent^ 
 (Exod. 28. 32.) 
 
 102. The priests are to eat the holy meat of the sin 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 131 
 
 and trespass offerings, and the owners that of the offerings 
 of atonement ; for it is written " And they shall eat those 
 wherewith the atonement was made." (Exod. 29. 33.) 
 
 103. To burn incense twice a day ; for it is written, 
 " And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every 
 morning : when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn 
 incense upon it."" (Exod. 30. 7.) 
 
 104. Not to perform any service on the golden altar 
 within the temple, besides the burning of the incense daily 
 from one day of atonement to the other ; for it is written, 
 " Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt 
 sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink 
 offering thereon." (Exod. 30. 9.) 
 
 105. To offer half a shekel every year ; for it is written, 
 " This they shall give, every one that passeth among 
 them that are numbered, half a shekel." (Exod. 30. 13.) 
 (To be given by those who are 20 years of age and up- 
 wards, to purchase therewith the daily and additional 
 sacrifices, and other necessaries for the temple. T.) 
 
 106. The priest is to sanctify his hands and feet at the 
 laver ; for it is written, " For Aaron and his sons shall 
 wash their hand^ and their feet thereat." (Exod. 30. 19.) 
 (This is called the sanctification of hands and feet.) 
 
 107. To anoint the high priests and the kings with the 
 oil of ointment ; for it is written, " And thou shalt make 
 it an oil of holy ointment." (Exod. 30. 25, and Levit. 
 30.19.) 
 
 108. Not to anoint any one else with this oil; for it 
 is written, " Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured." 
 (Exod. 30. 32.) 
 
 109. Not to make any oil like the above for other pur- 
 poses ; for it is written, " Neither shall ye make any other 
 like it." (Exod. 30. 32.) 
 
 110. Not to make incense similar to that used in the 
 temple for other purposes ; for it is written, " Ye shall 
 
132 THE SIX HUNDKED 
 
 not make to yourselves according to the composition 
 thereof." (Exod. 80. 37.) 
 
 in. Not to eat or drink of any thing that is offered to 
 idols (including wine that is intended to be used in an 
 idolatrous worship*) ; for it is written, " Lest thou make 
 a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, &c. and thou 
 eat of this sacrifice."" (Exod. 34. 15.) 
 
 112. To rest from agricultural labours every seventh 
 year ; for it is written, " Six days, &c. in earing time, and 
 in harvest thou shalt rest." (Exod. 34. 21.) 
 
 113. Not to eat flesh with milk; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk." 
 (Exod. 34. 26.) 
 
 114. Not to inflict the punishment of flogging, or one 
 of the four different capital punishments, on the Sabbath 
 day ; for it is written, " Ye shall kindle no fire throughout 
 your habitation on the Sabbath day." (Exod. 35. 3.) 
 (This means, to bring no one to suffer death by fire, or to 
 suffer any other punishment. T.) 
 
 115. To make the burnt sacrifices according to law; 
 for it is written, " If his offering be a burnt sacrifice," &c. 
 (Lev. 1. 31.) (It must consist of a male without blemish.) 
 
 116. To make the meat offering according to law; for 
 it is written, " And when any will offer a meat offering," 
 &c. (Lev. 2. 1.) 
 
 117. Not to offer any leaven or honey on the] altar; 
 for it is written, " For ye shall burn no leaven, nor any 
 honey, in any offering of the Lord^" &c. (Lev. 2. 11.) 
 
 * The strict Jews never drink min& from vessels which have been 
 touched by Gentiles, after the wine has been poured into them. The 
 reason alleged in Talmud for this prohibition is the probability that such 
 wine might have been consecrated by the Gentiles for some idolatrous-, 
 purpose. Should a bottle or glass of wine be touched by a Gentile, it 
 must be poured into the streets, for it is unlawful to be used in any way 
 whatever. T. 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 133 
 
 (By "honey"''' in the Pentateuch is understood the syrup 
 produced from dates. T.) 
 
 118. Not to bring any sacrifice or offering without salt ; 
 for it is written, " Neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the 
 covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering." 
 (Lev. 2. 13.) 
 
 119. To salt every sacrifice and offering ; for it is writ- 
 ten, " With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt." 
 (Lev. 2. 13.) 
 
 120. That the judges bring a sacrifice, if they have 
 taught an improper doctrine, and the majority of the 
 community have acted upon it ; for it is written, '^' And 
 if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, 
 &c. then the congregation shall offer a young bullock," &c, 
 (Lev. 4. 13.) 
 
 121. That every individual bring a fixed sacrifice when 
 he has committed a sin through ignorance, for which he 
 would have been "cut off;" for it is written, " And if any 
 one, &;c. then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the 
 goats." (Lev. 4. 27, 28.) (It is called a "fixed sacri- 
 fice" because rich and poor must bring alike.) 
 
 122. To bear witness before the judges if we know any 
 thing concerning our neighbour ; for it is written, " And 
 is a witness whether he has seen or known of it ; if he do 
 not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity." (Lev. 5. 1.) 
 
 123. To bring a variable sacrifice for having unwittingly 
 defiled the temple, or any thing pertaining to it, or for 
 having unwittingly uttered an oath of any kind ; for it is 
 written, "And he shall bring his trespass offering unto 
 the Lord," &c. (Lev. 5. 6.) (It is called "variable 
 sacrifice," because it changes according to the means of 
 the individual ; the rich brings a female from the flock ; 
 the poor a couple of young pigeons ; and the very poor the 
 tenth part of an ephah of flour. T.) 
 
 124. Not to separate the head from the neck, when the 
 sin offering consists of pigeons; for it is written, "He 
 
184 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 shall wring, «Sz;c. but shall not divide (separate) it." (Lev. 
 5. 8.) (The ceremony was performed by cutting with the 
 nail through the windpipe, but was not to separate the 
 head from the body. T.) 
 
 125. Not to put any oil on the sin offering ; for it is 
 written, " He shall put no oil upon it." (Lev. 5. 11.) 
 
 126. Not to put frankincense on it; for it is written, 
 " Neither shall he put any frankincense thereon." (Lev. 
 5. 11.) 
 
 127. To pay for having unwittingly derived an advan- 
 tage from things dedicated to the temple, or for heave 
 offerings, their value, and the fifth of their value besides ; 
 the offender must moreover bring a trespass offering ; for 
 it is written, " If a soul commit a W'e^ass, «Sz;c. he shall 
 bring, &c. and he shall make amends for the harm that 
 he hath done in the holy thing, and sh^U add the fifth 
 part thereto." (Lev. 5. 15, 16.) 
 
 128. To bring trespass offering when in doubt whether 
 or not we have committed a sin, the wilful doing of which 
 would have subjected us to be " cut off;" and to bring a 
 sin offering when such a sin has been committed uninten- 
 tionally ; for it is written, " And he shall bring a ram 
 without blemish out of the flock with thy estimation, for a 
 trespass offering." (Lev. 5. 18.) (If afterwards he is 
 certain of having committed the sin, he must bring a sin 
 offering. T.) 
 
 129. To restore the articles robbed, when repenting of 
 the deed ; for it is written, " He shall restore that which 
 he took violently away." (Lev. 6. 4.) (i.e. If the article 
 is in existence ; but if it is impossible for him to restore 
 it, let him pay its value, and be guiltless. T.} 
 
 130. To bring a trespass offering for sins that we are 
 now aware that we have committed unintentionally, whe- 
 ther it be in trespassing upon dedicated things, or robbery, 
 or concerning a betrothed maid-servant, or a false oath in 
 money matters ; for it is written, " And he shall bring his 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 135 
 
 trespass offering unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out 
 of the flock." (Lev. 6. 6.) (This is a certain trespass 
 offering.) 
 
 131. That the priest remove daily the ashes from the 
 altar ; for it is written, " And take up the ashes." (Lev. 
 6. 10.) 
 
 132. To keep a continual fire on the altar; for it is 
 written, " The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar." 
 (Lev. 6. 13.) (Every morning and evening wood had to 
 be placed upon the altar, and to be kindled. These offices 
 were performed on the altar ; first, upon it were offered 
 the sacrifices ; secondly, from it were taken the coals in 
 the fire-pan, to burn the daily incense ; and thirdly, upon 
 it was maintained the perpetual fire. T.) 
 
 133. Not to extinguish the fire on the altar ; for it is 
 written, " It shall never go out." (Lev. 6. 13.) 
 
 134. That the priests eat the remainder of the offerings 
 after the burning of the "handful;" for it is written, 
 "And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat." 
 (Lev. 6. 16.) 
 
 135. Not to bake the remainder of the offerings with 
 leaven ; for it is written, " It shall not be baken with 
 leaven." (Lev. 6. 17.) 
 
 136. The high priest is to bring daily an offering of a 
 tenth part of an ephah of fine flour, half in the morning, 
 and half in the evening ; for it is written, " This is the 
 offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer 
 unto the Lord." (Lev. 6. 20.) (This is the pan-offering ; 
 and every priest, when commencing to officiate, had to 
 bring such an offering.) 
 
 137. Not to eat any priestly offering ; for it is written, 
 " For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly 
 burnt; it shall not be eaten." (Lev. 6. 23.) (Of this 
 offering, made by the priest himself, the " handful" is not 
 taken, but the whole is offered. T.) 
 
 138. To perform the sin-offering according to law; for 
 
186 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 it is written, " This is the law of the sin offering," &c. 
 (Lev. 6. 25.) (There is but one law for all sin offerings.) 
 
 139. Not to eat of the flesh of that sin offering, the blood 
 of which is sprinkled on the golden altar; for it is written, 
 " And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought 
 into the tabernacle, &;c. shall be eaten : it shall be burnt 
 in the fire." (Lev. 6. 30.) 
 
 140. To perform the trespass offering according to law; 
 for it is written, " And this is the law of the trespass 
 offering,^' &c. (Lev. 7. 1.) 
 
 141. To perform the peace offering according to law; for 
 it is written, " And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace 
 offerings," &;c. (Lev. 7. 11.) 
 
 142. To leave nothing of the offering of thanksgiving; 
 for it is written, " And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace 
 offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that 
 it is offered ; he shall not leave any of it until the morn- 
 ing." (Lev. 7. 15.) 
 
 143. To burn whatever holy meat remains beyond the 
 time fixed for the different sacrifices, during which it might 
 be eaten ; for it is written, concerning the peace offering, 
 "But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the 
 third day shall be burnt with fire." (Lev. 7. 17.) (There 
 are four different sorts of holy things : first, the burnt 
 offering that was burnt altogether ; secondly, the sin and 
 the trespass offerings, which were eaten by the priests ; 
 thirdly, the peace offerings, eaten by the offerers, the 
 priests taking only the breast and the shank; and fourthly, 
 the thanksoffering. T.) 
 
 144. Not to eat an "abomination;" for it is written, 
 " Neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it : 
 it shall be an abomination." (Lev. 7. 18.) (When the 
 priest, whilst slaughtering or offering a sacrifice, enter- 
 tained the thought of eating or burning certain parts of it 
 after the time fixed for these purposes, the sacrifice is 
 called an abomination. T.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 137 
 
 145. Not to eat holy meat that has been defiled ; the 
 transgressor, however, does not incur the punishment of 
 being "cut off;" for it is written, "And the flesh that 
 toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten." (Lev. 
 7. 19.) (But he that in an unclean state eats holy meat is 
 liable to be "cutoff.'' T.) 
 
 146. To burn such holy meat as has been defiled ; for it 
 is written, " It shall be burnt with fire." (Lev. 7. 19.) 
 
 147. Not to eat the fat of clean cattle; for it is written, 
 " Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of 
 goat." (Lev. 7. 23.) (For parts of these are offered as 
 sacrifices ; but it is lawful to eat of the fat of clean animals 
 that are not used for sacrifices. T.) 
 
 148. Not to eat the blood of cattle, animals, or birds ; 
 for it is written, " Ye shall eat no manner of blood." 
 (Lev. 7. 26.) 
 
 149. The priests are not to enter the temple with long 
 hair like mourners ; for it is written, " Uncover not your 
 heads." (Lev. 10. 6.) 
 
 150 Nor to enter the temple in torn g*arments ; for it is 
 written, " Neither rend your clothes." (Lev. 10. 6.) 
 
 151. The priests are not to leave the temple during 
 service ; for it is written, " And ye shall not go out from 
 the door of the tabernacle." (Lev. 10. 7.) (There is a 
 double prohibition given to the high priest ; " neither 
 shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary 
 of his God," &c. (Lev. 21. 12.) 
 
 152 No priest who has partaken of wine, or other 
 intoxicating drink, is to enter the temple, or to teach any 
 of God"*s laws ; for it is written, " Do not drink wine nor 
 strong drink, &c. when ye go into the tabernacle, &c. And 
 that ye may teach the children of Israel." (Lev. 10. 9 — 11.) 
 
 153. To examine the beast intended to be eaten, con- 
 cerning the marks described in the Bible ; for it is written, 
 " These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the 
 
138 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever parteth the 
 hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud," &c. 
 (Lev. 11. 2 — 3.) (Both of these marks are absolutely 
 necessary. T.) 
 
 154. Not to eat an unclean beast; for it is written, 
 " Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the 
 cud, or of them that divide the hoofs," &c. (Lev. 11.4.) 
 (For they have but one of the marks. T.) 
 
 155. To examine the fish intended to be eaten, con- 
 cerning the marks described in the law ; for it is written, 
 " These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters : whatso- 
 ever hath fins and scales," «Szic. (Lev. 11. 9.) 
 
 156. Not to eat an unclean fish ; for it is written, " Ye 
 shall not eat of their flesh," &c. (Lev. 11. 11.) 
 
 157. Not to eat an unclean fowl ; for it is written, "And 
 these are they which ye shall have in abomination among 
 the fowls," &c. (Lev. 11. 13.) (All fowls not mentioned in 
 the list of the unclean are lawful. T.) 
 
 158. To examine the locusts intended to be eaten, 
 whether they have the marks described in the law ; for it 
 is written, " Yet these may ye eat, &c. which have legs 
 above their feet." (Lev. 11. 21.) 
 
 159. To observe that the 8 creeping things mentioned 
 in the law are highly unclean, and are capable of defiling 
 ordinary things to the first and second degree, and heave- 
 offerings to the third degree, and holy things to the fourth; 
 for it is written, " These also shall be unclean unto you 
 among the creeping things," &c. "the weasel, and the mouse, 
 and the tortoise after his kind, and the ferret, and the 
 chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole." 
 (Lev. 11. 29 — 30.) (Some defile even by being carried, 
 and others do not, except by a direct touch. They can 
 defile only when dead, for no living creature is unclean 
 except a human being. When the unclean thing touches 
 the first object, it is said to defile to the first degree, and 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. lt^9 
 
 when the first object touches a second object and defiles it, 
 the original unclean thing is said to defile to the second 
 degree, &c. T.) 
 
 160. All kinds of vegetable produce, when they are 
 gathered, are not liable to become unclean by contact with 
 an unclean thing, unless they have been previously mois- 
 tened with water, oil, honey, milk, wine, dew, or blood, 
 [or any other liquid, according to Talmud] ; for it is 
 written, "Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which 
 such water cometh shall be unclean."" (Lev. 11. 34.) 
 
 161. That a piece of a carcase of the size of an olive 
 be considered an unclean thing and capable of defihng 
 ordinary things to the first and second degree ; heave- 
 offerings to the third degree; and holy things to the fourth 
 degree ; either by being carried or by being touched ; for 
 it is written, " And if any beast, of which ye may eat, 
 die," (fee. (Lev. 11. 39.) (A beast that has died of any 
 disease, or, after being slaughtered, has been pronounced 
 unclean, is called a carcase. T.) 
 
 162. Not to eat any creeping thing; for it is written, 
 " And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth 
 shall be an abomination: it shall not be eaten." (Lev. 11. 41.) 
 
 163. Not to eat the small creeping things which are 
 found on fruits and seeds ; for it is written, " And every 
 creeping thing that creepeth,'' &;c. (Lev. 11. 41 — 42.) (There- 
 fore great caution must be observed to see that fruits and 
 other eatables be free from mites. T.) 
 
 164. Not to eat the small insects that float on the water; 
 for it is written, " Ye shall not make yourselves abominable 
 with any creeping thing." (Lev. 11. 43.) (Therefore great 
 care must be taken to filter the water intended to be used 
 in food or drink. T.) 
 
 165. Not to eat the insects that come into existence 
 through putrefaction ; for it is written, " Neither shall ye 
 defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing." 
 (Lev. 11. 44.) 
 
140 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 166. That a woman be unclean for seven days after the 
 birth of a male-child, and for a fortnight after the birth of a 
 female child; for it is written, "Of a woman," &c. (Lev. 12.2.) 
 
 167. No unclean person to eat of the holy meat before 
 he has used the bath, and the sun has set — and if liable 
 to an offering, until that be made ; for it is written, " She 
 shall touch no hallowed thing," &c. (Lev. 12. 4.) 
 
 1 68. That the woman who has become a mother bring a 
 sacrifice at the expiration of 40 days after the birth of a 
 son, and at the end of 80 days after the birth of a 
 daughter; see Lev. 12. 6. (If she be poor she brings two 
 turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, one for a burnt 
 offering, and one for a sin offering. T.) 
 
 169. Any person afflicted with leprosy is to consult the 
 priest ; who will pronounce him clean, or otherwise ; or 
 when the priest can see no marks of uncleanness which can 
 confine the afflicted person, he is to conduct himself ac- 
 cording to the priest's orders ; for it is written, '• When a 
 man shall have in the skin of his flesh," &c. (Lev. 13. 2.) 
 
 1 70. Not to shave the hair of the scall ; for it is written, 
 "But the scall shall he not shave." (Lev. 13. 33.) 
 
 171. Persons afflicted with leprosy to observe the whole 
 process laid down in the law ; for it is written, " And the 
 leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent," &c. 
 (Lev. 13. 45.) 
 
 172. To proceed with leprous garments according to 
 law; for it is written, "The garments also that the plague," 
 &c. (Lev. 13. 47.) 
 
 173. That the cleansing of a leprous man, or garment, 
 or house, be effected and proceeded with according to law; 
 for it is written, " This shall be the law of the leper in the 
 day of his cleansing," &c. (Lev. 14. 2 — 32.) 
 
 1 74. That the leper shave his hair twice ; and the seven 
 days intervening between his first and second shaving are 
 caUed " counting days ;" for it is written, " And shave off 
 all his hair." (Lev. 14. 8.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 141 
 
 175. To bathe in the waters of a well, in order to be 
 purified from any uncleanness ; for it is written, " Also he 
 shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean."" (Lev. 
 
 14. 9.) (The well must contain water enough to cover the 
 whole body ; the Rabbies have fixed the quantity of water 
 to be not less than 40 measures. T.) 
 
 176. Persons recovered from leprosy to offer one burnt 
 offering, one sin offering, one trespass offering, and one log 
 of oil ; if poor, a lamb for a trespass offering, the tenth 
 part of an ephah of flour, a log of oil, and two turtle- 
 doves, or young pigeons ; one for a burnt offering, and one 
 for a sin offering ; for it is written, " And on the eighth 
 day he shall take," &c. (Lev. 14. 10—21.) 
 
 177. To consider a leprous house as unclean; for it is 
 written, " And he that owneth the house shall come and 
 tell, &c. as it were a plague in the house."" (Lev. 14. 35.) 
 (Even a learned man must not say " a plague,"" but " as it 
 were a plague."" T.) 
 
 178. Persons afflicted with the disease described in Lev. 
 
 15. 2. to be unclean, and capable of defiling others. 
 
 179. These persons when restored to bring the sacrifice 
 ordained in the law; (Lev. 15. 14.) 
 
 180.— 183. 
 
 184. The priests are not to enter the temple except at 
 the appointed hours for the performance of their offices ; 
 for it is written, " That he come not at all times into the 
 holy place," &;c. (Lev. 16. 2. 
 
 1 85. The high priest is to perform the service for the 
 day of atonement, in the order prescribed; for it is 
 written, " Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place," &c. 
 (Lev. 16. 3.) 
 
 186. Not to sacrifice out of the court what should have 
 been offered in the interior; for it is written, "And 
 bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle."" Lev. 
 17. 9.) 
 
142 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 187. To cover the blood of a slaughtered beast or fowl ; 
 for it is written, "And whatsoever man, &c. which hunteth 
 or catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten ; he shall 
 even pour out the blood thereof, [slaughter it] and cover 
 it with dust." (Lev. 17. 13.) * 
 
 188.— 211. 
 
 212. To fear parents ; that should they even strike the 
 son, or spit at him, he must not shame them ; for it is 
 written, " Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his 
 father." (Lev. 19. 3.) (Talmud says ''• to fear'''' means not 
 to sit in his place, nor to speak in his place, nor to 
 contradict him). 
 
 213. Not to turn unto idols, either in thought, or by 
 word, or with a look ; for it is written, " Turn ye not unto 
 idols." (Lev. 19. 4.) (e.g. Whenever a Jew passes a 
 Christian place of worship, especially in foreign countries, 
 he is enjoined to turn his face from it). 
 
 214. Not to make an idol even for a heathen ; for it is 
 written, "Nor make to yourselves molten gods." (Lev. 19. 
 4.) (And he that makes an idol for himself commits a 
 double sin, one in the mere making, and the other in 
 appropriating it. T.) 
 
 215. Not to eat of the remainder of holy meat after the 
 time of consumption fixed for the respective sacrifices ; for 
 it is written, " And if aught remain until the third day, 
 it shall be burnt in the fire."" (Lev. 19. 6.) 
 
 216. Not to reap the whole produce of the field, but to 
 leave uncut a corner of the field for the poor ; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy 
 field." (Lev. 19. 9.) 
 
 217. To leave a comer of the field for the poor ; for it 
 is written, " Thou shalt leave them for the poor and 
 stranger." (Lev. 19. 10.) (By stranger is understood a 
 pious proselyte, but even the idolatrous stranger is per- 
 mitted the same privilege for the sake of peace. T.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 143 
 
 218. Not to glean the ears of corn that drop in the 
 course of reaping ; for it is written, " Neither shalt thou 
 gather the gleanings of thy harvest." (Lev. 19. 9.) 
 
 219. To leave the ears dropped (not through accident) 
 for the poor ; for it is written, " Thou shalt leave them,*" 
 &c. (Ley.%19. 10.) (One or two ears may be called 
 "gleanings," but not three. In all doubtful cases they 
 are to be called " gleanings."" T.J 
 
 220. Not to collect all the fruits of the vineyard ; for it 
 is written, "And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard." 
 (Lev. 19. 10.) 
 
 221. To leave the corner and gleanings in the vine- 
 yard ; for it is written, " Thou shalt leave them for the 
 poor and stranger. (Lev. 19. 10.) 
 
 222. Not to pick up every grape that is dropped in the 
 vineyard in the course of the vintage ; for it is written, 
 "Neither shalt thou gather every grape," &c. (Lev. 
 19. 10.) (Two are called " droppings," but not three. T.) 
 
 223. To leave the " droppings" of the vineyard for the 
 poor ; for it is written, " Thou shalt leave them," &c. 
 (Lev. 19. 10.) 
 
 224. Not to steal any thing belonging to one''s neigh- 
 bour, even were it only to vex him for a time, or with the 
 intention of restoring it four or five fold ; for it is written, 
 " Ye shall not steal." (Lev. 19. 11.) 
 
 225. Not to keep back other people's money intrusted to 
 us, or placed in our hands in any other way ; for it is 
 written, " Neither deal falsely." (Lev. 19. 11.) 
 
 226. Not to swear after denying it ; for then he would 
 commit a double sin, that of lying and that of profane 
 swearing. 
 
 227. Not to swear falsely ; for it is written, " And ye 
 shall not swear by my name falsely." (Lev. 19. 12.) 
 
 238. Not to hate with a covert hatred ; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart." (Lev. 
 19.17.) 
 
144 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 239. To reprove any one (the young should even reprove 
 his elder) that conducts himself improperly; whether in 
 things human or divine; for it is written, "Thou shalt in 
 any wise rebuke thy neighbour." (Lev. 19. 17.) (Talmud 
 says, even a hundred times ; the reward for the observance 
 of this commandment is very great, and he that can, but 
 will not, hinder the commission of a sin, will himself be 
 caught therein.) 
 
 240. Not to put any one to the blush in the presence 
 of other people, but to reprove him at first privately ; for 
 it is written, " And not suffer sin upon him.'' (Lev. 19. 17.) 
 (But when the person has been reproved concerning spi- 
 ritual things to no purpose, it is lawful to shame him, to 
 publish his wickedness, and to render him contemptible, 
 until he turn from his evil way. T.) 
 
 241. Not to avenge one's self; viz. not to say, I will do 
 unto him as he has done unto me ; for it is written, "Thou 
 shalt not avenge." (Lev. 19. 18.) (For we ought to be- 
 lieve that whatever happens to us, whether good or evil, 
 comes from God. T,) 
 
 242. Not to bear in mind, or mention the injury our 
 neighbour has done to us, even though there is no inten- 
 tion of retaliating ; for it is written, " Nor bear any 
 grudge." (Lev. 19. 18.) (We ought to believe that the 
 injuries inflicted have been sent to us from God for our 
 sins ; and with this conviction we shall live at peace with 
 all men, and gain the blessing and peace of God. T.) 
 
 243. To love every Israelite with a perfect love, and be 
 as careful of him as we are of ourselves and our property ; 
 for this is the great principle in the law — " love thy neigh- 
 bour as thyself." (Lev. 19. 18.) 
 
 244. (Lev. 19. 19.) 
 
 245. Not to sow two different seeds in the holy land, 
 as wheat and barley, beans or lentiles ; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not sow thy seed with mingled seed." (Lev. 
 19. 19.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 145 
 
 246. Not to eat of the fruit of a tree during the first 
 three years of its plantation. (Lev. 19. 23.) 
 
 247. That all the fruit a tree bears in the fourth year of 
 its plantation be holy, and that the owners eat it like the 
 second tithes in Jerusalem; for it is written, "But in the 
 fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the 
 Lord withal.^' (Lev. 19. 24.) 
 
 248. In youth not to indulge in excess in eating and 
 drinking ; as is mentioned of the stubborn and rebellious 
 son, who, being a glutton and a drunkard, is to be put to 
 death ; for it is written, " Ye shall not eat any thing with 
 the blood.'"* (Lev. 19. 26.) (That is, not to eat in a man- 
 ner that will bring us to commit murder ; for most of the 
 sins committed by man arise from excess in eating and 
 drinking. T.) 
 
 249. Not to use enchantments, that is, not to say, be- 
 cause the bread dropped out of my mouth, or the stick out 
 of my hand, it bodes me good or evil ; and on that account 
 not to abstain from that which we intended to do ; for it 
 is written, " Neither shall ye use enchantment." (Lev. 
 19. 26.) 
 
 250. Not to say that certain hours are propitious, or 
 otherwise, for certain things ; for it is written, " Nor ob- 
 serve times." (Lev. 19. 26.) 
 
 251. Not to shave the corner of the head (the hair 
 covering the temple), for it is written, " Ye shall not 
 round the corners of your heads." (Lev. 19. 27.) 
 
 252. Not to shave even a part of the beard ; (one of the 
 five corners of the beard, of which there are two on each 
 cheek bone, and one beneath, called the ear of the beard) ; 
 for shaving any one of them a person is to be flogged; and 
 if he shave them all at once, to be flogged five times ; for it 
 is written, " Neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy 
 beard." (Lev. 19. 27.)* 
 
 * The Jews in this country say this precept is broken only when a razor 
 is used, and therefore evade it by using some other instrument. 
 
 U 
 
146 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 253. Not to print any marks on our flesh; for it is 
 written, " Nor print any marks upon you." (Lev. 19. 28.) 
 (It is not a trespass, unless the marks are indeHble, T.) 
 
 254. To revere the temple by being humble in heart 
 when entering it for prayer ; for the glory of God resteth 
 there, and He commanded us to fear ; for it is written, 
 " And reverence my sanctuary." (Lev. 19. 80.) (In our 
 exile the synagogue is our temple. T,) 
 
 255. Not to consult those that have familiar spirits, nor 
 perform any of their ceremonies; for it is written, 
 "Regard not them that have familiar spirits." (Lev. 19. 31.) 
 
 256. Not to perform any ceremonies of the wizards, 
 (which are somewhat like the ceremonies of people having 
 familiar spirits, and both contain a kind of idolatry ;) for 
 it is written, " Neither seek after wizards," &c. (Lev. ]9. 
 31.) (The punishments are given in Lev. 20. 27.) 
 
 257. To honour wise men, and to rise up before them ; 
 for it is written, " Thou shall rise up before the hoary 
 head, and honour the face of the old man." (Lev. 19. 32.) 
 (It is glorifying God to honour His servants, (sages). If 
 an old man be ignorant, but godly, we are also bound to 
 honour him ; for it is written, " But he honoureth them 
 that fear the Lord." Ps. 15. 4. We are not bound to 
 honour even learned men if they are not godly. T.) 
 
 258. Not to deceive in any kind of measure or weight ; 
 for it is written, " Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judg- 
 ment, in mete-yard, in weight, or in measure." (Lev. 19. 35.) 
 
 259. To have very correct scales, measures, and weights, 
 so that no deception whatever shall take place ; for it is 
 written, " Just balances, just weights," &c. (Lev. 19. 36.) 
 (Great blessings will attend the observer of this precept. T.) 
 
 260. Not to curse one's parents even after their death by 
 their respective names ; the transgressor is to be stoned ; for 
 it is written, " For every one that curseth, &;c. his blood 
 shall be upon him." (Lev. 20. 9.) (" His blood," &c. 
 always means stoning. T.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 147 
 
 261. That the Jury condemn some criminals to be 
 burnt; for instance, such as offend against Lev. 20. 11. 
 
 262. Not to adopt the manners of the nations ; for it is 
 written, " And ye shall not walk in the manners of the 
 nations." (Lev. 20. 23.) (Not to adopt any one of their 
 manners. T.) 
 
 263. That the ordinary priest shall not defile himself by 
 the dead, except such as are mentioned in the law ; for it 
 is written, "There shall none be defiled for the dead among 
 his people," &;c. (Lev. 21. 1.) (For all others are bound 
 to attend to the dead among his people. T.) 
 
 264. That the priests shall defile themselves for those 
 relatives mentioned in the law, viz. father, mother, son, 
 daughter, brother, and sister \ if the priests are not willing 
 to do so, they are defiled against their will; for it is 
 written, " For her may he be defiled." (Lev. 21.3.) 
 
 265. That no priest who has to use the bath shall per- 
 form any service in that day, until after the setting of the 
 sun ; for until then he is unclean to the second degree ; 
 for it is written, " They shall be holy unto, their God," &ic. 
 (Lev. 21. 6.) 
 
 266.-267. (Lev. 21. 7.> 
 
 268. That no priest shall marry a divorced woman ; for 
 it is written, " Neither shall they take a woman put away 
 from her husband." (Lev. 21. 7.) (Even when she has 
 been only betrothed to another. T.) 
 
 269. To sanctify the children of Aaron, and to let them 
 have precedence in all holy affairs, because the Lord has 
 chosen them, and set them apart for His service ; for it is 
 written, "Thou shalt sanctify him therefore," &c. (Lev. 
 2L 8.) 
 
 270. The high priest is not to enter the tent containing 
 any dead ; even where other priests are bound to incur 
 defilement [by Precept 264] ; for it is written, " Neither 
 shall he go in to any dead hody? (Lev. 21. 11.) (He is 
 not to enter the same room. T.) 
 
148 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 271. The high priest must not defile himself by touching 
 a dead body, either directly or indirectly, not even those of 
 his parents ; for it is written, " Nor defile himself for his 
 father or for his mother." (Lev. 21. 11.) (But he may 
 touch a dead body when there is no one else to attend 
 to it. T.) 
 
 272. The high priest is to many a maid ; but she must 
 neither be in her minority, nor far advanced in age ; for it 
 is written, " And he shall take a wife," &c. (Lev. 21. 13.) 
 
 273. He is not to mary a widow, even if she had been 
 only betrothed ; for it is written, " A widow, &c. shall ho 
 not take.'' (Lev. 21. 14.) 
 
 274. Lev. 21. 15. 
 
 275. That no priest that is afflicted with a lasting 
 blemish is to serve in the temple ; for it is written, " Who- 
 soever he be of thy seed that hath any blemish, let him 
 not approach to offer the bread of his God." (Lev. 21. 17.) 
 
 276. That no priest afflicted with a temporary blemish 
 is to serve in the temple as long as the blemish is on him ; 
 for it is written, " Let him not approach to offer." (Lev. 
 21. 17.) 
 
 277. That no priest afflicted with a blemish is to enter 
 the temple ; for it is written, " Only he shall not go in unto 
 the vail," &c. (Lev. 21. 23.) 
 
 278. That no priest, when in a state of uncleanness, is 
 to perform any service in the temple ; for it is written, 
 " Profane not my holy name." (Lev. 22. 2.) 
 
 279. No priest, while in an unclean state, is to eat of 
 the heave offerings ; for it is written, " What man soever 
 of the seed of Aaron, &c. he shall not eat of the holy 
 things until he be clean." (Lev. 22. 4.) 
 
 280. No stranger is to eat of the heave offerings ; (the 
 "first-fruits" are also called heave-offerings) ; for it is 
 written, " There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing." 
 (Lev. 22. 10.) 
 
 281. No sojourner, or hired servant, of the priest, is to eat 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 149 
 
 of the holy things ; for it is written, " A sojourner, &c. 
 shall not eat of the holy thing." (Lev. 22. 10.) (A 
 sojourner is a continual hireling, and an "hireling" is 
 merely temporary. These and the Hebrew slaves are not 
 called the priest's property ; but a heathen slave and the 
 priest's beast are such, and they may eat of the holy 
 things. T.) 
 
 282. No uncircumcised priest is to partake of the holy 
 things ; this is a deduction from similar expressions. The 
 terms " sojourner and hireling" are used in Ex. 12. 45, 
 concerning the paschal lamb, and in Lev. 22. 10, con- 
 cerning holy things ; [and as all uncircumcised persons 
 are commanded to abstain from the one, (Ex. 22. 40.) so 
 they must also abstain from the other. T.\ 
 
 283. The "profane" woman is not to partake of the 
 holy things ; viz. the heave offering, the breast, and the 
 shank, which any other daughter of the priest might eat ; 
 for it is written, " If the priest's daughter also, &c. she 
 may not eat of an offering of the holy things." (Lev. 22. 12.) 
 
 284. Not to partake of things of which the tithes and 
 heave offerings have not yet been given ; for it is written, 
 " And they shall not profane the holy things, «Sz;c. which 
 they offer {shall offer, Heh.^ unto the Lord." (Lev. 22. 15.) 
 
 285. Not to bring any animal with a blemish near the 
 altar, (even when not sacrificed ;) for it is written, " But 
 whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer," [bring 
 near, Heb?^ (Lev. 22. 20.) 
 
 286. That all animals brought as sacrifices be perfect in 
 their kind, and free from blemishes ; for it is written, " It 
 shall be perfect to be accepted." (Lev. 22. 21.) 
 
 287. Not to make a blemish* in the holy things ; for it 
 
 * All first-born animals, without blemishes, are considered by the Jews 
 holy unto the Lord, and should be offered at the Temple, if it were in 
 existence. Hence they are not sold or killed, unless they are accidently 
 blemished. The above Precept is intended to guard against the owners 
 of such animals causing blemishes on them, in order that they may be 
 released from this obligation. 
 
150 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 is written, "There shall be no blemish therein." (Lev. 
 22. 21.) 
 
 288. Not to slaughter for a sacrifice any animal having 
 a blemish ; for it is written, " Blind, or broken, «Sz;c. ye 
 shall not offer these unto the Lord." (Lev. 22. 22.) 
 
 289. Not to burn as an offering the "parts" of any 
 animal that had a blemish ; for it is written, " Nor make 
 an offering by fire of them upon the altar," (Lev. 22. 22.) 
 (By "parts'" is understood fat of the intestines, kidneys, 
 flanks, caul, &c. Lev. 3. 9. T,) 
 
 290. Not to sprinkle the blood of unsound animals on 
 the altar ; for it is written, " Ye shall not offer," &c. 
 (Lev. 22. 24.) 
 
 291. This is a Talmudical precept, founded on Lev. 
 22. 24. 
 
 292. Not to offer as sacrifices unsound animals, pre- 
 sented by heathens for that purpose ; for though we infer 
 from Lev. 22. 18, that we may receive from their hands 
 vows and freewill offerings, yet it is unlawful to sacrifice 
 an unsound animal in their behalf; for it is written, 
 " Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread 
 of your God of any of these." (Lev. 22. 25.) 
 
 293. The animals offered as sacrifices to be not less than 
 eight days old ; for it is written, " When a bullock, or a 
 sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven 
 days under the dam, and from the eighth day," &c. (Lev. 
 22. 27.) 
 
 294. Not to slaughter an animal and its young in one 
 day ; for it is written, " Ye shall not kill it and her young 
 both in one day." (Lev. 22. 28.) 
 
 295. Not to do any thing from which might proceed a 
 profanation of His name, (Blessed be His name !) who has 
 chosen us among all nations to be His beloved people ; for 
 it is written, " Neither shall ye profane my holy name." 
 (Lev. 22. 32.) (A profanation of the holy name consists 
 in profane swearing, in the improper conduct of people 
 well versed in the law, or in committing one of those three 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 151 
 
 sins concerning which it is said, that a man should suffer 
 death rather than be guilty of them ; viz. idolatry, forni- 
 cation, and murder. The sin of profaning the holy name 
 is greater even than that of idolatry; for God is more 
 indulgent with regard to the latter than with regard to the 
 former. T.) 
 
 296. To glorify the holy name (i.e. holy One). "We are 
 bound to observe the commandments, even if we should 
 forfeit our life through it; for it is writtrn, " I will be hal- 
 lowed among the children of Israel : I am the Lord which 
 hallow you." (Lev. 22. 32.) (Although it is said con- 
 cerning the Commandments, that man " shall live thereby^'* 
 we must nevertheless at all times be ready to lose our life 
 rather than commit either idolatry, or fornication, or mur- 
 der ; for the death suffered in such a case is life ever- 
 lasting. TJ 
 
 297. To rest from servile work on the first day of the 
 Passover ; for it is written, " In the first day ye shall have 
 an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein." 
 (Lev. 23. 7.) (Any work connected with the preparation 
 of victuals is not unlawful ; for it is written, " Save that 
 which every man (soul) must eat, that only may be done 
 of you." (Ex. 12. 16.) This is a general rule in all 
 holidays. T.) 
 
 298. Not to do any servile work on the first day of the 
 Passover ; for it is written, " In the first day ye shall have 
 an holy convocation : ye shall do no servile work therein." 
 (Lev. 23. 7.) 
 
 299. To offer an additional sacrifice all the seven days 
 of the Passover ; for it is written, " Ye shall offer an 
 offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days." (Lev. 
 23. 8 ) (The Babbies say the offerings on these days must 
 be the same as those commanded to be made at the new 
 moons ; viz. two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs for 
 burnt offerings, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. 
 T.) 
 
152 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 300. To rest from servile work on the seventh day of 
 the Passover ; for it is written, " In the seventh day is an 
 holy convocation." (Lev. 23. 8.) (The days intervening 
 between the first and the seventh are called "common," 
 and some works are permitted thereon, as explained in the 
 Oral Law. T.) 
 
 301. Not to do any servile work on the seventh day of 
 the Passover ; for it is written, " In the seventh day is an 
 holy convocation : ye shall do no servile work therein." 
 (Lev. 23. 8.) 
 
 302. On the second day of the Passover to bring an 
 offering of a sheaf of barley, together with a lamb without 
 blemish, one year old, as a burnt offering; for it is written, 
 " Then ye shall bring a sheaf, &c. ; on the morrow after 
 the Sabbath the priest shall wave it." (Lev. 23. 10 — 11.) 
 (Tradition informs us that this is the second day of the 
 Passover, for the first day was also called " Sabbath," and 
 therefore the second is "the morrow after the Sabbath." T.) 
 
 303. Not to eat of new corn before the expiration of the 
 16th of the month Nisan, (the second day of the Passover;) 
 for it is written, " And ye shall eat neither bread, nor 
 parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day," &c. 
 (Lev. 23. 14.) (This prohibition extends only to the five 
 kinds of corn ; viz. wheat, barley, oats, rye and peas. T.) 
 
 304. Not to eat (new) parched corn before the expiration 
 of the 16th day of Nisan ; for it is written, " Nor parched 
 corn," &c. (Lev. 23. 14.) 
 
 305. Nor green ears before the same day; for it is 
 written, " Nor green ears," &c. (Lev. 23. 14.) 
 
 306. To count the days of Omer (sheaf) daily and weekly 
 from the day on which the sheaf is offered until the end of 
 seven weeks ; for it is written, " And ye shall count unto 
 you from the morrow after the Sabbath, &c. even unto the 
 morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty 
 days." (Lev. 23. 15—16.) (On the fiftieth day is the 
 Pentecost.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 153 
 
 307. To offer on the Pentecost two leavened loaves of 
 wheat, and the sacrifices pertaining thereto, besides the 
 additional sacrifice for the day; the bread must be the 
 produce of the holy land ; for it is written, " Ye shall 
 bring out of your habitations two wave loaves." (Lev. 
 23. 17.) (The sacrifices offered with the bread were seven 
 lambs free from blemish, one young bullock, and two rams 
 for burnt offerings ; also one kid for a burnt offering, and 
 two lambs for peace offerings. The congregation had no 
 peace offerings but these, which were called "assembly- 
 lambs," and were eaten by the priests, as well as the 
 bread after the ceremony of waving had taken place. T.) 
 
 308. To rest from servile work on the Pentecost, which 
 is called a " solemn assembly," and on which day the law 
 was given ; for it is written, " And ye shall proclaim on 
 the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto 
 you." (Lev. 23. 21.) 
 
 309. Not to do any servile work on the day of "solemn 
 assembly ;" for it is written, " Ye shall do no servile work 
 therein." (Lev. 23. 21.) 
 
 310. To rest from servile work on the first of Tishri, 
 which is New Year's Day ; for it is written, " In the 
 seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have 
 a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy 
 convocation." (Lev. 23. 24.) 
 
 311. Not to do any work on the New Year's Day; for 
 it is written, " Ye shall do no servile work therein." (Lev. 
 23. 25.) 
 
 312. To offer an additional sacrifice on the New Year's 
 Day ; for it is written, " But ye shall offer an offering 
 made by fire unto the Lord." (Lev. 23. 25.) (i.e. One 
 bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and one kid ; these were 
 offered besides the additional sacrifice for the beginning of 
 months, and that for the Sabbath, if the new year hap- 
 pened to be on that day.) 
 
 313. To fast on the 10th of Tishri, which is the day of 
 
}54 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 atonement ; for it is written, " Also on the 10th day of 
 this 7th month there shall be a day of atonement : it shall 
 be an holy convocation unto you ; and ye shall afflict your 
 souls." (Lev. 23. 27.) (The Jews are required to abstain 
 from eating, drinking, bathing, &c. during the day of 
 atonement, as well as during the 9th day of Ab, on which 
 the destruction of Jerusalem is commemorated. T.) 
 
 314. To offer an additional sacrifice on the day of atone- 
 ment ; for it is written, " And offer an offering made by 
 fire unto the Lord." (Lev. 23. 27.) (One bullock, one 
 ram, seven lambs, and one kid for a sin offering. T.) 
 
 315. Not to do any kind of work on the day of atone- 
 ment ; for it is written, " And ye shall do no work in that 
 same day." (Lev. 23. 28.) (There is no difference between 
 the day of atonement and the Sabbath day ; except that 
 wilful work in the former is punished by "cutting off," 
 and that in the other by stoning. T. ) 
 
 316. Not to eat or drink on the day of atonement ; for 
 it is written, " For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be 
 afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off." (Lev. 
 23. 29.) 
 
 317. To rest from all kinds of work on the day of atone- 
 ment ; for it is written, " It shall be unto you a Sabbath 
 of rest." (Lev. 23. 32.) 
 
 318. To rest from servile work on the first day of the 
 feast of tabernacles ; for it is written, " The fifteenth day 
 of this 7th month shall be the feast of tabernacles, &c. 
 On the first day shall be an holy convocation." (Lev. 
 23. 34, 35.) 
 
 319. Not to do any servile work on the first day of the 
 feast of tabernacles ; for it is written, " Ye shall do no 
 servile work therein." (Lev. 23. 35.) 
 
 320. To offer an additional sacrifice on the feast of 
 tabernacles ; (the additional sacrifices of this feast are not 
 the same every day, for the number of bullocks are dimin- 
 ished every day, as stated in Num. 29. 13 — 36 ;) for it is 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 155 
 
 written, " Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by 
 fire unto the Lord." (Lev. 23. 36.) 
 
 321. To rest from work on the eighth day of the taber- 
 nacles, which is called the solemn assembly; for it is 
 written, " On the eighth day shall be an holy convocation 
 unto you." (Lev. 23. 36.) 
 
 322. On the day of the solemn assembly to offer an addi- 
 tional sacrifice of one bullock, one ram, seven lambs ; and 
 one kid for a sin offering; for it is written, "And ye shall 
 offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord." (Lev. 
 23. 36.) (This is a feast of itself, and not included in the 
 feast of tabernacles. T.) 
 
 323. Not to do any servile work on the feast of tho 
 solenm assembly ; for it is written, " And ye shall do no 
 servile work therein." (Lev. 23. 36.) 
 
 324. To take on the days of tabernacles a palm-branch, 
 a citron, two twigs of the willow tree, and three twigs of 
 pure myrtle; for it is written, "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 willows 
 of the brook," &c. (Lev. 23. 40.) (The Rabbles say that 
 the citron is meant by "boughs [fruit, HehJ\ of goodly 
 trees," and the myrtle by " boughs of thick trees." T.) 
 
 325. To dwell in a booth during the seven days of the 
 feast; for it is written, "Ye shall dwell in booths seven 
 days." (Lev. 23. 42.) (To observe this commandment 
 properly, we must eat, drink, and sleep in the booth ; and 
 consider this as a fixed, and the house as a mere temporary 
 place of residence. T.) 
 
 326. Not to till the land in the seventh year ; for it is 
 written " But in the seventh year, &c. thou shalt neither 
 sow thy field," &c. (Lev. 25. 4.) 
 
 327. Not to do any horticultural labour in the seventh 
 year ; for it is written, " Nor prune thy vineyard." (Lev. 
 25. 4.) 
 
 328. Not to reap in the usual manner whatever the land 
 
156 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 may produce in the seventh year from seeds dropped dur- 
 ing the last harvest ; for it is written, " That which 
 groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not 
 reap." (Lev. 25. 5.) (But it is lawful to reap small quan- 
 tities when required for food. T.) 
 
 .329. Not to gather the fruits produced by the trees in 
 the seventh year ; for it is written, " Neither gather the 
 grapes of thy vine undressed.'' (Lev. 25. 5.) (i.e. Not in 
 the usual manner, but in a different way, it is lawful ; for 
 then it would be seen that the fruits are free for all.. T.) 
 
 830. That the high senate count every year of the fifty, 
 and every week in the year, until the year of "jubilee*" 
 arrives, in the same manner that we count the days of 
 the omer or sheaf number ; for it is written, " And thou 
 shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times 
 seven years." (Lev. 25. 8.) (Making 49, and on the 50th 
 is the "jubilee.") 
 
 331 . To blow the trumpet on the day of atonement in 
 the year of "jubilee ;" for it is written, " Then shalt thou 
 cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day 
 of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye 
 make the trumpet sound throughout all your land, &c. and 
 proclaim liberty." (Lev. 25. 9 — 10.) (To publish thereby 
 that the slaves have gained their liberty on that day ; that 
 estates revert to their owners, and that the land must 
 remain untilled. T.) 
 
 832. To sanctify the 50th year by abstaining from 
 tilling the land, and leaving free whatever it may produce, 
 as in the year of release ; for it is written, " And ye shall 
 hallow the fiftieth year." (Lev. 25. 10.) 
 
 833. Not to till the land, nor to do any horticultural 
 labour in the year of jubilee ; for it is written, " A jubilee 
 shall that fiftieth year be unto you : ye shall not sow." 
 (Lev. 25. 11.) 
 
 334. Not to gather, nor to reap in theusual manner any 
 fruit grown of itself in the year of jubilee; for it is written, 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 157 
 
 " Neither reap that which groweth of itself in it." (Lev. 
 25. 11.) 
 
 335. Not to gather in the usual manner the fruits of 
 the trees in the year of jubilee ; for it is written, " Nor 
 gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed." (Ley. 
 25. 11.) 
 
 336. To judge by commercial laws whether a bargain be 
 valid ; for, according to the law, the legal possession of 
 things is gained by payment, but the wise men have also 
 declared drawing, or raising, or obtaining the delivery of 
 an article as means of gaining possession; for it is writ- 
 ten, " And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buy est 
 ought of thy neighbour's hand," «fec. (Lev. 25. 14.) (The 
 legal right to some things is gained either by money, or by 
 a bill, or by possession. T.j 
 
 337. Not to deceive any Israelite in commercial aifairs ; 
 for it is written, " Ye shall not oppress [deceive, Heb.] one 
 another." (Lev. 25, 14.) (This refers to pecuniary de- 
 ceptions. T.J 
 
 338. Not to deceive any one by words ; for it is written, 
 "Ye shall not therefore oppress one another." (Lev. 25. 1 7.) 
 (This refers to verbal deceptions. T.) 
 
 339. Not to sell in the holy land any field so that it 
 cannot revert in the year of jubilee; for it is written, "The 
 land shall not be sold for ever." (Lev. 25. 2S.) 
 
 340. Houses, fields, vineyards, pleasure gardens, and all 
 kinds of estates, to revert, without any payment, and with- 
 out any charge, to their owners in the "year of jubilee;" 
 for it is written, " And in all the land of your possession 
 ye shall grant a redemption for the land." (Lev. 25. 24.) 
 
 341. The redemption of property within a walled city to 
 take place before the expiration of a year [after the sale], 
 otherwise the property is to remain in the possession of the 
 purchaser, and not to revert to its former owner in the year 
 of jubilee ; for it is written, " And if a man sell a dwelling 
 house in a walled city," &;c. (Lev. 25. 29.) 
 
158 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 S42. Not to change the suburbs or the fields of the 
 Levites ; for it is written, " But the field of the suburbs of 
 their cities may not he sold'' (Lev. ^5. 24.) (i.e. May not 
 be changed. T.) 
 
 343. Not to lend money on interest ; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury." (Lev. 
 25. 37.) (He who lends on interest will finally become 
 poor. T.) 
 
 344. Not to cause a Hebrew slave to do any degrading 
 or humiliating, or very painful work, that is generally done 
 by heathen slaves ; for it is written, "Thou shalt not compel 
 him to serve as a bond-servant." (Lev. 25. 39.) 
 
 345. Not to sell a Hebrew slave publicly in the market 
 place in the manner that heathen slaves are sold, but 
 privately, and in an honourable way ; for it is written, 
 " They shall not be sold as bondmen." (Lev. 25. 42.) 
 
 346. Not to let a Hebrew slave do any work that is not 
 required, for the sole purpose of oppressing him; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not rule over^him with rigour." 
 (Lev. 25. 43.) 
 
 347. The servitude of heathen slaves to continue for 
 ever; for it is written, " They shall be your bondmen for 
 ever." (Lev. 25. 46.) (The heathen slave can gain his 
 liberty only when his master has deprived him of an eye or 
 a tooth, or any of the 24 chief members that do not grow 
 again. T.) 
 
 348 Not to permit a heathen resident in the holy land 
 to rule over the Hebrew slave with rigour; for it is written, 
 " And the other shall not rule with rigour over him 
 in thy sight." (Lev. 25. 53.) (But endeavour to redeem 
 him. T.) 
 
 349. Not to prostrate ourselves before a stone image, 
 even when worshipping God ; for it is written, " Neither 
 shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow 
 down unto it." (Lev. 26. 1.) 
 
 350. To enforce the law of Estimation, when a person 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 159 
 
 dedicates himself or another to the Lord, whether male or 
 female, &c. according to Lev. 27. 2 — 8. 
 
 351. Not to change things once dedicated to the Lord; 
 for it is written, " He shall not alter it (make it of a 
 different kind) nor change it (give another thing of the 
 same kind.)" (Lev. 27. 10.) 
 
 852. Both the substitute, and the animal for which it 
 has been made, to be holy ; for it is written, " Then it and 
 the exchange thereof shall be holy." (Lev. 27. 10.) 
 
 853. An animal dedicated to the Lord, and after the 
 dedication found to have a blemish, to be valued and 
 redeemed according to the judgment of the priest ; for it 
 is written, " Then he shall present the beast before the 
 priest; and the priest shall value it." (Lev. 27. 11, 12.) 
 (An unclean animal dedicated to the expenses of the 
 temple, must also be placed before the priest to be valued. T.) 
 
 354. Houses dedicated to the temple, and intended to 
 be redeemed, must be valued by the priest, and a fifth more 
 than the value must be given instead ; for it is written, 
 " And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy 
 unto the Lord, &ic. he shall add the fifth part," &;c. (Lev. 
 29. 14, 15.) 
 
 855. Fields dedicated to the temple, and intended to be 
 redeemed, to be valued and paid for as stated in Lev. 27. 
 16—25. 
 
 356. Not to change the offerings ; that is, not to change 
 the first-born into a burnt-offering, or the peace-offering 
 into a trespass-offering, or the trespass -offering into a sin- 
 offering ; for it is written, " Only the firstling of the beasts 
 which should be the Lord's firstling, no man shall sanctify 
 it." (Lev. 27. 26.) 
 
 857. To observe the laws concerning devoted things; 
 for it is written, " Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that 
 a man shall devote unto the Lord," &c. (Lev. 29. 28.) (If 
 a person says, "this shall be devoted," and does not 
 expressly say "devoted to the Lord," or "to the repairs 
 
160 THE SIX HUNDTIED 
 
 of the temple," the things so devoted belong to the 
 priest. T.) 
 
 358. Not to sell any field, or piece of land, or moveable 
 thing, that has once been devoted, but it is to be given to 
 the priests of that watch ; for it is written, " Or redeemed," 
 (Lev. 29. 28.) (The difference between things dedicated 
 (\z;Tp Kodesh) and things devoted (D^in Chairem) is, that 
 the former can be redeemed, and the latter cannot. T,) 
 
 359. Not to redeem fields, or pieces of land, or moveable 
 things that have once been devoted, but to give them to 
 the priests ; for it is written, " None devoted, &;c. shall be 
 redeemed." (Lev. 27. 29.) 
 
 360. To give a yearly tithe of all clean animals raised in 
 our folds, and to eat the tithes in Jerusalem, after having 
 offered the fat and blood thereof on the altar ; for it is 
 written, " And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the 
 flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the'rod," &c. (Lev. 
 27. 32.) (The flock was allowed to pass through a narrow 
 opening, and counted ; every tenth was then marked, and 
 all those bearing the mark were holy unto the Lord, and 
 called the tithe of the herd. T.) 
 
 361. Not to sell the tithe of the herd, but it is to be 
 eaten by the owner, or by any one else in Jerusalem ; for 
 it is written, " It shall not be redeemed." (Lev. 27. 33.) 
 (Jerusalem is the place of assembly for the " wise," and a 
 man, by going there, will learn the fear, the law, and the 
 statutes of God. T.) 
 
 362. To send all defiled persons out of the camp ; for it 
 is written, " That they put out of the camp," &c. (Num. 
 
 363. No defiled person is to enter the temple, for it 
 resembles the habitations of the gate Niknor, which is the 
 commencement of "Israel's court;" for it is written, "That 
 they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell." 
 (Num. 5. 3.) 
 
 364. When willing to turn unto God to confess the sins 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 161 
 
 we have been guilty of ; for it is written, " Speak unto the 
 children of Israel, when a man or woman shall commit any 
 sin, &c. then they shall confess their sin which they have 
 done." (Num. 5. 6, 7.) (A. sincere repentance, and a full 
 determination to forsake the evil way, are certain remedies 
 for the sinner; but he must take care not to sin again. 
 Neither repentance, nor the day of atonement, can procure 
 forgiveness for wrongs between man and man, until the 
 injured party be reconciled. T.) 
 
 2Q5, To bring the suspected wife before the priest, that 
 he may do as stated in Num. 5. 15. 
 
 366. Not to pour oil on the offering of "the suspected;*" for 
 it is written, "He shall pour no oil upon it." (Num. 5, 15.) 
 
 367. Not to put frankincense on the offering of " the 
 suspected ;" for it is written, " Nor put frankincense 
 thereon." (Num. 5. 15.) 
 
 368. The Nazarite shall not drink either wine or any 
 other strong drink ; for it is written, " He shall separate 
 himself from wine and strong drink," k>G. (Num. 6. 3.) 
 
 369. The Nazarite is not to eat fresh grapes ; for it is 
 written, " Nor eat moist grapes." (Num. 6. 3.) 
 
 370. Nor dried grapes ; for it is written, "Nor eat moist 
 gi-apes or dried." (Num. 6. 3.) 
 
 371. Nor the kernels of the grapes; for it is written, 
 " from the kernels even," &c. (Num. 6. 4.) 
 
 372. Nor the husks of the grapes; for it is written, 
 " From the kernels even to the husk." (Num. 6. 4.) 
 
 373. No person is to shave even one hair of his head 
 during his Nazariteship ; for it is written, " There shall no 
 razor come upon his head." (Num. 6. 5.) 
 
 374. The Nazarite is to let his hair grow during his 
 Nazariteship ; for it is written, " And shall let the locks of 
 the hair of his head grow." (Num. 6. 5.) 
 
 375. The Nazarite must not enter the room containing 
 a corpse ; for it is written, " He shall come at no dead 
 body." (Num. 6. 6.) 
 
 T 
 
162 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 876. Nor defile himself with any corpse ; for it is writ- 
 ten, " He shall not make himself unclean for his father,'"* 
 &c. (Num. 6. 7.) (But he may do so for a forsaken 
 corpse ; the Nazarite must abstain from strong drink, 
 from shaving, and from approaching the dead. T.) 
 
 377. The Nazarite is to shave his head when his Na- 
 zariteship is completed ; for it is written, " And this is the 
 law of the Nazarite, &c. and the Nazarite shall shave," &;c. 
 (Num. 6. 18.) '(If he happened to defile himself during his 
 Nazariteship, he had not only to shave, and to bring a 
 sacrifice, but also to recommence the term of his separa- 
 tion. T.) 
 
 378. The priests shall bless the people every day ; for it 
 is written, " On this wise ye shall bless," &c. (Num. 6. 23.) 
 (And the persons bestowing the blessing are themselves 
 blessed. T.) 
 
 379. Every one of the tribe of Levi is bound to assist in 
 carrying the ark on his shoulders, when it is to be removed 
 from one place to another ; for it is written, " Because the 
 service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was, that 
 they should bear upon iheir shoulders." (Num. 7. 9.) 
 (Both priests and Levites may carry the ark, as both are 
 called Levites. T.) 
 
 380. Any person not having kept the Passover on the 
 14th of Nisan, must do so on the 14th of lyar (one month 
 later); for it is written, "The fourteenth day of the second 
 month at even they shall keep it." (Num. 9. 11.) 
 
 381. To eat the second paschal lamb with unleavened 
 bread and bitter herbs on the evening of the 14th of lyar ; 
 for it is written, " And eat it with unleavened bread and 
 bitter herbs." (Num. 9. 11.) 
 
 382. Not to leave part of the second paschal Iamb until 
 the next morning ; for it is written, " They shall leave 
 none of it,'' &c. (Num. 9. 12.) 
 
 383. Not to break any bone of the second paschal lamb; 
 for it is written, " Nor break any bone of it." (Num. 9. 12.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 163 
 
 384. To blow with trumpets in the temple at the offering 
 of every sacrifice, and also in troublous times ; for it is 
 written, " And if ye go to war, &c. Also in the day of 
 your gladness, &c. ye shall blow with the trumpets," &c. 
 (Num. 10. 9, 10.) 
 
 385. To take a cake from every dough, and give it to 
 the priest ; for it is written, " Ye shall offer up a cake of 
 the first of your dough," &;c. (Num. 15. 20.) (The 
 quantity of dough from which a "cake" must be given, 
 is the tenth part of an ephah, which is as much as 
 would contain 43} eggs. This is one of the 24 gifts 
 which God has granted to His servants the priests; 
 viz. 1 . Cattle sin-offerings ; 2. Fowl sin-offerings ; 3. Cer- 
 tain trespass-offerings ; 4. Doubtful trespass-offerings ; 
 5. Congregational peace-offerings; 6. The leper's log of 
 oil ; 7. The remains of the sheaf; 8. The two wave-loaves; 
 9. The shew-bread; 10. The remainder of the meat- 
 offerings; ]1. The firsthngs; 12. The firsi>fruits; 13. The 
 leavings of thank and peace-offerings, and the ram of the 
 Nazarite ; 14. The hides of dedicated beasts; 15. The 
 heave-offerings; 16. The tithes; 17. The cake; 18. The 
 redemption money for the first-born son ; 19. The redemp- 
 tion money for the firstling of an ass ; 20. The first shear- 
 ings ; 21. The shoulder, the cheekbones, and the maw; 
 22. The possession-fields; 23. The devoted fields ; 24. The 
 things of which the stranger has been deprived. T.) 
 
 386. To put fringes to every garment that has four 
 corners or more ; for it is written, " And bid them that 
 they make fringes." (Num. 15. 38.) "And also thou 
 shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy 
 vesture." (Deut. 22. 12.) 
 
 387. Not to follow the incHnations of our heart which is 
 inclined to wickedness, nor yield to the passions excited in 
 us by the sight of our eyes, which see and desire carnal 
 things ; for it is written, " Seek not after your own heart 
 and your own eyes." (Num. 15. 39.) 
 
164 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 388. The priests must watch the temple within, and the 
 Levites without ; for it is written, " And they shall keep 
 thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle."'"' (Num. 
 18. 8.) (This is not a watch of fear, but one of honour; 
 like that observed in the palaces of kings, that all things 
 be in their proper order. T.) 
 
 S89. The Levites are not to do any service which has 
 been either exclusively reserved for the priests, or ap- 
 pointed to a brother Levite. Nor are the priests to per- 
 form any service exclusively reserved for the Levites, or 
 appointed to be performed by a brother priest ; for it is 
 written, " Only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the 
 sanctuary, and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also 
 die." (Num. 18. 3.) (And it is also written, " Every one 
 according to his service, and according to his burden." 
 (Num. 4. 49.) Priests performing any service of the Le- 
 vites, are punished with stripes, and Levites doing the 
 service of priests, are punished with death. T.) 
 
 890. A stranger that is not of the seed of Aaron must 
 not perform any of the four services exclusively reserved 
 for the priests ; for it is written, " And a stranger shall 
 not come nigh unto you."" (Num. 18. 4.) (The four ser- 
 services are, sprinkHng (the blood), burning (the incense), 
 pouring out the wine, and pouring out the water. T.) 
 
 391. Not to abolish the watching of the temple; for it is 
 written, " And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary."" 
 (Num. 18. 5.) 
 
 392. Every Israelite must redeem his first-born son (if 
 the mother is a daughter of Israel) from the priest with 
 five shekels ; for it is written, " The first-born of man 
 shalt thou redeem.""' (Num. 18. 15.) 
 
 393. Not to redeem the firstlings of clean animals in the 
 same manner as that in which we are commanded to re- 
 deem the firstHng of an ass ; for it is written, " But the 
 firstling of a cow, &ic. thou shalt not redeem." (Num. 
 18. 17.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 165 
 
 894. The Levites are to be appointed gate-keepers, and 
 gingers in the temple ; for it is written, " But the Levites 
 shall do the service of the tabernacle." (Num. 18. 23.) 
 
 395. To give to the Levites the first tithes of all pro- 
 duce of the land ; for it is written, " But the tithes, &;c. 
 I have given to the Levites." (Num. 18. 24.) (This is 
 the remuneration of their services in the temple ; when 
 redemption of tithes is mentioned, it refers to the second 
 tithes only. T.) 
 
 396. The Levites are to give a tithe of the tithes which 
 they have received to the priests ; for it is written, " Thus 
 speak unto the Levites, When ye take of the children of 
 Israel, &;c. then ye shall offer, &c. even a tenth part of the 
 tithe." (Num. 18. 26.) 
 
 397. To prepare the ashes of the red heifer for the 
 ready use of those requiring them; for it is written, 
 " Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee a 
 red heifer, &;c. And it shall be unto the children of Israel," 
 &c. (Num. 19. 2—10.) 
 
 398. To observe the laws concerning the defilement by 
 corpses ; for it is written, " This is the law, when a man 
 dieth in a tent," &c. (Num. 19. 14.) 
 
 899. The defiled water shall purify the unclean, and de- 
 file the clean ; namely, the sprinkling ; for it is written, 
 "And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean, 
 &c. he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash 
 his clothes." (Num. 19. 19—21.) 
 
 400. To adjudge an inheritance according to the law; for 
 it is written, "If a man die, and have no son, then he shall 
 cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter." (Num. 
 27. 8.) 
 
 401. To offer in behalf of all Israel two continual sacri- 
 fices daily, one in the morning, and one in the evening, or 
 afternoon ; for it is written, " This is the offering, &c. 
 which ye shall offer day by day for a continual burnt 
 offering." (Num. 28. 8.) 
 
166 THIS SIX HUNDRED 
 
 402. To oifer two lambs every Sabbath day ; for it is 
 written, " And on the Sabbath day two lambs," &c. 
 (Num. 28. 9.) (This was the additional sacrifice for the 
 Sabbath. T.) 
 
 403. To offer an additional sacrifice on the first of every 
 month ; for it is written, " And in the beginning of your 
 months ye shall offer," &c. (Num. 28. 11.) 
 
 404. To offer an additional sacrifice on the feast of 
 Pentecost ; for it is written, " Also in the day of the first- 
 fruits, (fee. but ye shall offer the burnt offering," &;c. (Num. 
 28. 26, 27.) 
 
 405. To hear the sound of the horn on New Year^'s 
 Day;* for it is written, "And in the seventh month, on 
 the first day of the month, &c. it is a day of blowing the 
 trumpets." (Num. 29. 1.) 
 
 406. To observe the laws laid down in scripture with 
 regard to disallowing any vows ; for it is written, " If a 
 man vow a vow unto the Lord," &;c. (Num. 30. 2 — 16.) 
 (We learn from tradition that a wise or pious man may 
 disallow the vows of any person. T.) 
 
 407. Not to change the things that have been once 
 vowed; and a man is bound to fulfil his vow, though he 
 did not bind himself to it by any oath ; for it is written, 
 " He shall not break his wordr (Num. 30. 2.) 
 
 408. To give to the Levites some cities to dwell in, as 
 they take no share with the rest of Israel in the holy land ; 
 for it is written, " Command the children of Israel that 
 they give unto the Levites, &c. cities to dwell in." (Num. 
 35. 2.) (Six of these cities admitted emry one that pre- 
 
 * Modern Jews believe that on New Year's Day their sins are weighed 
 in heaven in one scale, and their merits in the other, and that their guilt 
 or innocence is determined by the preponderance. They also believe that 
 Satan is very assiduous in reminding God of their guilt, but that the 
 blowing of the trumpets confuses him. They assert that Satan accused 
 Job on New Year's Day. 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 167 
 
 sented himself as a manslayer ; the rest only those that 
 were known to be such, and not murderers. T.) 
 
 409. Not to execute a criminal without bringing him be- 
 fore a court of justice ; although witnesses should have 
 seen him commit the crime, and have warned him against 
 it ; for it is written, " That the manslayer die not until he 
 stand before the congregation in judgment." (Num. 2>h. 12.) 
 (Even if the judges of the chief tribunal had seen the crime 
 committed, the criminal must not be executed without 
 bringing him before another tribunal to pass his sentence. 
 T.) 
 
 410. The tribunal must send every manslayer from his 
 dwelling-place to a city of refuge ; for it is written, " And 
 the congregation must restore him to the city of his re- 
 fuge." (Num. 35. 25.) 
 
 411. No witness is to speak any thing besides his evi- 
 dence during the trial of the case ; for it is written, " But 
 one witness shall not testify against any person to cause 
 him to die." (Num. 35. 30.) 
 
 412. Not to take satisfaction, however great, for the 
 life of a murderer ; for it is written, " Moreover ye shall 
 take no satisfaction for the Kfe of a murderer," &c. (Num. 
 35. 31.) 
 
 413. Not to take satisfaction from the manslayer, to 
 clear him from exile ; for it is written, " And ye shall take 
 no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his re- 
 fuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land." 
 (Num. 35. 32.) 
 
 " The book of Deuteronomy is a repetition of the 
 law. There is no doubt that all the 613 command- 
 ments were given to Moses on mount Sinai, or in the 
 tabernacle, during the first year ; that he told them to the 
 children of Israel, and that there is nothing new in the 
 "repetition," except the words of the covenant. We 
 must not wonder at finding many commandments in Deu- 
 
168 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 teronomy which have not been mentioned in the other four 
 books of Moses, since our "wise men"" (blessed be their 
 memory !) have said that there is no "first"*' or "last" in 
 the law ; and as the law is the perfection of all wisdom, it 
 is possible that there was a reason for placing the sections 
 and the letters thereof in the places they now occupy ; for 
 every thing was designed by the order of the Holy One, 
 who is the Lord of wisdom."**" Rahhi Gedaliah, 
 
 414. Not to appoint a judge that is not versed in the 
 law, as he might dismiss the guilty and sentence the inno- 
 cent, from ignorance ; for it is written, " Ye shall not 
 respect persons in judgment." (Deut. 1. 17.) 
 
 415. The judge is not to be deterred by the fear of man 
 from passing a correct judgment, nor in any wise to regard 
 the loss he might have to sustain through his sentence ; 
 for it is written, "Ye shall not be afraid of the face of man, 
 for the judgment is God's." (Deut. 1. 17.) 
 
 416. Not to covet even in heart any thing belonging to 
 our neighbour ; for it is written, " Neither shalt thou covet 
 thy neighbour's house." (Deut. 5. 21.) 
 
 417. To believe sincerely that God is the Creator of all 
 things, that He is One, that there is no unity like His, and 
 that without an associate. He is Lord of all ; for it is 
 written, " Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." 
 (Deut. 6. 4.) 
 
 418. To love the Lord; for it is written, "And thou 
 shalt love the Lord thy God." (Deut. 6. 5.) (To love the 
 Lord means to love His law ; continually to meditate 
 therein how to do His will ; to perform all His command- 
 ments cheerfully, and to have no other desire but to acquire 
 a better knowledge of the Lord. T.) 
 
 419. To study the law, and to teach it to others ; for it 
 is written, " And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy 
 children." (Deut. 6. 7.) 
 
 420. To repeat the words, " Hear, Israel," &c. morn- 
 ing and evening ; for it is written, " And thou shalt talk 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTs!. 169 
 
 of them, &;c. and when thou liest down, and when thou 
 risest up." (Deut. 6. 7.) 
 
 421. To bind the phylacteries upon the hand; for it is 
 written, " And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine 
 hand." (Deut. 6. 8.) 
 
 422. To tie them round the head; for it is written, 
 "And they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes." 
 (Deut. 6. 8.) 
 
 423. To fix on the door-posts certain portions of the 
 scripture ; for it is written, " And thou shalt write them 
 upon the posts of thy house." (Deut. 6. 9.) 
 
 424. Not to tempt the prophet that reproves the people, 
 and teaches them the ways of repentance, when convinced 
 of the truth of his prophecy ; for it is written, " Ye shall 
 not tempt the Lord your God." (Deut. 6. 16.) 
 
 425. Wherever they may be, to kill and destroy all that 
 are of the seven nations ; Canaanites, Hittites, &c. who 
 had possession of the holy land before it was conquered ; 
 for it is written, " And utterly destroy them." (Deut. 7. 2.) 
 
 426. Not to spare any idolater whatsoever, nor say any 
 thing in praise of him ; for it is written, " Nor shew mercy 
 unto them. (Deut. 7. 2.) 
 
 427. Not to intermarry with the unbelievers; namely, 
 the seven nations ; for it is written, " Neither shalt thou 
 make marriages with them." (Deut. 7. 3.) (But it is 
 now lawful to contract marriages with converts from any 
 nation, as it is now impossible to distinguish the seven 
 nations from the others. T.) 
 
 428. Not to derive any benefit from dresses or orna- 
 ments wherewith idolaters adorn their idols ; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is 
 on them." (Deut. 7. 25.) 
 
 429. Not to have about us any thing belonging to an 
 idol; for it is written, "Neither shalt thou bring an abomi- 
 nation into thine house." (Deut. 7. 26.) 
 
 430. To give thanks after eating a satisfying meal ; for 
 
170 
 
 THE SIX HUNDHED 
 
 it is written, " When thou hast eaten and art full, then 
 thou shalt bless the Lord thy God." (Deut. 8. 10.) 
 
 431. To love the stranger; for it is written, " Love ye, 
 therefore, the stranger." (Deut. 10. 19.) 
 
 432. To fear God constantly; for He punishes those 
 that trespass His commandments; for it is written, "Thou 
 shalt love the Lord thy God." (Deut. 10. 20.) 
 
 433. To pray every day ; for it is written, " Thou shalt 
 fear the Lord thy God ; Him shalt thou serve." (Deut. 
 10. 20.) 
 
 434. To associate with people truly versed in the law, 
 that we may learn from them to do the will of the holy 
 One ; and it will be accounted unto us as if we had asso- 
 ciated with the Shechinah ; for it is written, " And to 
 Him shalt thou cleave." (Deut. 10. 20.) (To cleave to a 
 wise or ^ious man, is considered the same as cleaving unto 
 God. T.) 
 
 435. When it is necessary to prove any thing, to swear 
 by the name of God ; for it is written, " And swear by His 
 name." (Deut. 10. 20.) 
 
 436. To destroy all idols, their houses, and their wor- 
 shippers ; for it is written, " Ye shall utterly destroy all 
 the places wherein the nations, &c. served their gods." 
 (Deut. 12. 2.) 
 
 437. Not to erase any of the holy names, nor any 
 thing that is holy, nor demolish any house dedicated to the 
 worship of God ; for it is written, " Ye shall not do sa 
 unto the Lord your God." (Deut. 12. 4.) 
 
 438. To offer all sacrifices that we are bound to bring, 
 or that we have freely vowed to bring, on the first feast 
 after the vow, or the freewill offering, has been made; for 
 it is written, " And thither thou shalt come : and thither 
 ye shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices," &c. 
 (Deut. 12. 5.) 
 
 439. Not to offer up any sacrifice without the " court ;" 
 for it is written, " Take heed to thyself that thou offer not 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 171 
 
 thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest." (Deut. 
 12. 13.) 
 
 440. To offer up all sacrifices in the temple; for it is 
 written, " But in the place which the Lord shall choose in 
 one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, 
 and there thou shalt do all that I command thee." (Deut. 
 12. 14.) 
 
 441. To redeem all animals dedicated, and afterwards 
 found to have a blemish ; to purchase with that money 
 another animal for a sacrifice ; and the animal with the 
 blemish is to be eaten by the owner as something entirely 
 common ; for it is written, " Notwithstanding thou mayest 
 kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul 
 lusteth after." (Deut. 1^. 15.) 
 
 442. Not to eat the second tithe of the corn out of 
 Jerusalem ; for it is written, " Thou mayest not eat within 
 thy gates the tithe of thy corn." (Deut. 12. 17.) (Unless 
 it be redeemed. T.) 
 
 443. Not to consume the second tithe of the wine out of 
 Jerusalem ; for it is written, "Thou mayest not eat, &;c. 
 the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine." (Deut. 12. 17.) 
 (Unless redeemed. T.) 
 
 444. Not to consume the second tithe of the oil out of 
 Jerusalem; for it is written, " Of thy oil." (Deut. 12. 17.) 
 (Unless redeemed. T.) 
 
 445. Not to eat the firstling without a blemish out of 
 Jerusalem ; for it is written, " Or the firstlings of thy 
 herds." (Deut. 12. 17.) 
 
 446. Not to eat of the sin or trespass offering out of the 
 court ; for it is written, " Thou mayest not eat within thy 
 gates, (fee. or the firstlings of thy herds." (Deut. 12. 17.) 
 (This verse refers especially to trespass or sin offerings ; 
 but at the same time it is a caution against eating any 
 holy article out of the walls of Jerusalem ; since we infer 
 from the assertion, "Thou mayest not eat within thy 
 
172 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 gates," that nothing must be eaten out of the appointed 
 place for the consumption thereof. T.) 
 
 447. Not to eat any part of the burnt offering ; for it is 
 written, " Thou mayest not eat within thy gates, &c. nor 
 any of thy vows which thou vowest." (Deut. 12. 1 7.) (And we 
 learn from tradition that " vows^' mean burnt-oiferings. T.) 
 
 448. Not to eat of sanctified meat before the blood has 
 been sprinkled (before the altar) ; for it is written, " Thou 
 mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, &c. 
 nor thy freewill offerings." (Deut. 12. 17.) 
 
 449. The priest must not consume the first-fruits 
 abroad ; for it is written, " Or heave-offering of thine 
 hand." (Deut. 12. 17.) 
 
 450. Not to neglect giving the Levites their appointed 
 presents, especially on the feasts of the Lord; for it is 
 written, " Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the 
 Levite as long as thou livest upon earth." (Deut. 12. 19.) 
 (At present we must give it to the poor. T.) 
 
 451. To kill an animal in the proper manner, when we 
 intend it to be eaten ; for it is written, " Then thou shalt 
 kill of thy herd, &c. as I have commanded thee." (Deut. 
 12. 21.) 
 
 452. Not to eat part of a living animal; that is, not 
 to cut a limb, or even as much flesh as the size of an 
 olive from an animal while yet alive ; for it is written, 
 " And thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh." 
 (Deut. 12. 23.) 
 
 458. To bring from abroad into the temple all sin, 
 trespass, burnt, and peace-offerings that we are bound to 
 offer ; for it is written, " Only thy holy things which thou 
 hast, and thy vows thou shalt take, and go unto the place 
 which the Lord shall choose." (Deut. 12. 26.) 
 
 454. Not to add any thing either to the written law, or 
 to the oral law ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not add 
 thereto." (Deut. 12. 32.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 1 73 
 
 455. Not to diminish either from the written or from 
 the oral law. 
 
 456. Not to listen to, nor to believe, a person who is 
 prophecying in the name of an idol; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet." 
 (Deut. 13. 3.) (Even though the sign given by him should 
 take place, we must not mind him, but he must die by 
 strangulation. T.) 
 
 457. Not to be sparing in taking vengeance on any one 
 who entices to idolatry ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not 
 consent unto him," &c. (Deut. 13. 8.) 
 
 458. Not to lend an ear to the words of the enticer; for 
 it is written, " Neither shall thine eye pity him." (Deut. 
 13. 8.) 
 
 459. The enticed party is not to save the enticer, when 
 in danger of death ; for it is written, " Neither shall thine 
 eye pity him." (Deut. 13. 8.) 
 
 460. The enticed party is not to represent favourably 
 the case of the enticer, though he could do so ; for it is 
 written, "Neither shalt thou spare." (Deut. 13. 8.) (i.e. Not 
 plead in his favour. T) 
 
 461. The enticed party, when capable of doing so, must 
 not neglect to find the enticer guilty ; for it is written, 
 "Neither shalt thou conceal him." (Deut. 13. 8.) 
 
 462. Not to entice any one of the house of Israel to 
 idolatry ; for it is written, " And shall do no more any 
 such wickedness as this is among you." (Deut. 13. 11.) 
 
 463. To question the witnesses separately, and to 
 examine them well, that the truth of the case may be 
 known ; for it is written, " Then shalt thou inquire, and 
 make search, and ask diligently, and, behold, if it be truth," 
 &c. (Deut. 13. 14.) 
 
 464. To burn every idolatrous city with all its contents, 
 and to kill its inhabitants ; for it is written, " And shalt 
 burn with fire the city, and all the spoil," &;c. (Deut. 13. 16.) 
 
 465. Never to rebuild an idolatrous city ; for it is 
 
174 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 written, " An heap lor ever ; it shall not be built again." 
 (Deut. 13. 16.) (But the ground may be converted into 
 gardens, &;c. T,) 
 
 466. Not to take, nor to derive any advantage from the 
 property of an idolatrous city ; for it is written, " And 
 there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine 
 hand." (Deut. 13. 17.) (This is extended to all things 
 belonging to an idol. T.) 
 
 467. Not to cut ourselves in any part of our body on 
 account of a dead person, or for the sake of an idol ; for it 
 is written, " Ye shall not cut yourselves." (Deut. 14. 1.) 
 
 468. Not to make any baldness on account of the dead ; 
 as the ignorant do ; for it is written, '* Nor make any 
 baldness between your eyes for the dead." (Deut. 14. 1.) 
 
 469. Not to eat any sacred things that have become 
 defiled ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not eat any abomin- 
 able thing." (Deut. 14. 3.) 
 
 470. To examine fowls whether they have the stated 
 marks ; for it is written, " Of all clean birds ye shall eat." 
 (Deut. 14. 11.) 
 
 471 . Not to eat any insects, as flies, or bees, &;c. ; for 
 it is written, " And every creeping thing that flieth, &;c. 
 they shall not be eaten." (Deut. 14. 19.) 
 
 472. Not to eat of animals that died of themselves, or 
 that have been made unlawful in the slaughtering thereof ; 
 for it is written, " Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth 
 of itself." (Deut. 14. 21.) 
 
 473. To give the second tithe ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed." (Deut. 
 14. 22.) (The owners could eat it in Jerusalem after 
 being redeemed. T.) 
 
 474. To give tithe to the poor every third or sixth year 
 of the " release," instead of the second tithe ; for it is 
 written, " At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth 
 all the tithe," &c. (Deut. 14. 28.) (In the first, second, 
 fourth, or fifth year, the second tithe was given ; in the 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 175 
 
 third and sixth the poor-tithe ; and the first tithe was 
 given every year. T.) 
 
 4:75. Not to demand any debts in the year of release ; 
 but all shall be cancelled, and no more asked for ; for it is 
 written, " Every creditor that lendeth ought, &c. shall 
 release it, he shall not exact it," &c. (Deut. 15. 2.) 
 
 476. To demand the debts from a foreigner (idolater), 
 and not to extend the time for him ; for it is written, " Of 
 a foreigner thou mayest exact it again." (Deut. 15. 3.) 
 
 477. To release all debts in the year of release; for it is 
 written, " But that which is thine with thy brother thine 
 hand shall release." (Deut. 15. 3.) (At present this duty 
 is incumbent upon us by the authority of the Rabbles ; for 
 by the law release cannot take place except Israel have 
 possession of the holy land. T.J 
 
 478. Not to abstain from giving charity to, or conferring 
 a favour upon, any of the children of Israel, when it is in 
 our power to do so ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not 
 harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor 
 brother." (Deut. 15. 7.) 
 
 479. To give charity to, and to assist, the poor in what- 
 ever he may require ; for it is v^ritten, " But thou shalt 
 open thine hand wide unto him." (Deut. 15. 8.) 
 
 480. Not to be deterred from lending to the needy by 
 the fear of the " release ;" for it is written, " Beware 
 that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, 
 The seventh year, &c. is at hand." (Deut. 15. 9.) 
 
 481 . When the Hebrew slave has gained his liberty at 
 the "release," or the "jubilee," or at the death of his 
 master, not to send him away empty; for it is written, 
 "And when thou sendest him out free from thee thou 
 shalt not let him go away empty." (Deut. 15. 13.) 
 
 482. When the Hebrew slave is going away, to furnish 
 him with necessaries ; for it is written, " Thou shalt fur- 
 nish him liberally," &c. (Deut. 15. 14.) 
 
 483. To do no labour with sanctified animals ; for it is 
 
176 THE SIX HUNDIJRD 
 
 written, " Thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy 
 bullock;' (Deut. 15. 19.) 
 
 484. Not to shear the wool of sanctified animals ; for it 
 is written, "Nor shear the firstlings of the sheep." (Deut. 
 15. 12.) 
 
 485. Not to eat any leavened substance after the middle 
 of the day previous to the feast of Passover; for it is 
 written, "Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it^ 
 (Deut. 1 6. 3.) (Heh. " upon it."" Hence they infer that 
 no leavened substance should be eaten after the paschal 
 lamb is slain, i.e. after twelve o'clock at noon. T.) 
 
 486. Not to leave any part of the feast offering until the 
 third day ; for it is written, " Neither shall there any 
 thing of the flesh which thou sacrificedst the first day at 
 even remain aU night until the morning." (Deut. 16. 4.) 
 (The feast-offering was brought at the same time as the 
 paschal lamb, to increase the rejoicing when the company 
 was very large ; the meat thereof was allowed to be eaten 
 during two days and one night. Three sacrifices were 
 offered at every feast ; the sight- offering, the joy-offering, 
 and the feast-offering. Deut. 16. 4. refers to the feast- 
 offering, which was killed with the paschal lamb. T.) 
 
 487. Not to offer the paschal lamb on a private high 
 place, even when high places were allowed ; for it is writ- 
 ten, "Thou may est not sacrifice the passover within any of 
 thy gates." (Deut. 16. 5.) 
 
 488. To rejoice in the feasts ; for it is written, " And 
 thou shalt rejoice in thy feast." (Deut. 16. 14.) (By 
 bringing joy-offerings, which are incumbent even on women; 
 and a man ought to make his whole family joyful by new 
 dresses, and other presents. T.) 
 
 489. Every male person must shew himself in the temple 
 at three fixed periods of the year; viz. at the feasts of 
 Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles ; for it is written, 
 " Three times in a year shall all thy males appear," &c. 
 (Deut. 16. 16.) 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 177 
 
 490. Not to go to tho temple without a sacrifice, which 
 is the sight-offering ; for it is written, " And they shall not 
 appear before the Lord empty." (Deut. 16. 16.) 
 
 491. To appoint judges and officers to rule the people; 
 for it is written, " Judges and officers shalt thou make 
 thee," &c. (Deut. 16. 18.) 
 
 492. Not to plant trees in the temple, or near the altar, 
 for beauty or ornament ; for it is written, "Thou shalt not 
 plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the 
 Lord thy God." (Deut. 16. 21.) (The whole court is 
 meant by the expression " near unto the altar." T.) 
 
 493. Not to raise an image (a high building of stones or 
 clay) ; for it is written, " Neither shalt thou set thee up 
 any image," &c. (Deut. 16. 22.) 
 
 494. Not to offer up as a sacrifice an animal that has 
 a blemish, though this blemish may be cured ; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God 
 any bullock, or a sheep, wherein is blemish," &c. (Deut. 
 17. 1.) 
 
 495. To hear and to obey the opinions of the chief 
 tribunal with regard to our holy law; for it is written, 
 *' And thou shalt do according to the sentence, &c. and 
 according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou 
 shalt do." (Deut, 17. 10, 11.) 
 
 496. Not to oppose or alter the sentences of the chief 
 tribunal in affairs regarding the law; for it is written, 
 "Thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they 
 shall shew thee, to the right hand, or to the left." (Deut. 
 17, 11.) (Though they be mistaken, we must not oppose 
 them ; should they even call right left, and left right, we 
 must still obey ; for God told us to hearken to them. T.) 
 
 497. To appoint an Israelite as king; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee." (Deut. 
 17. 15.) (Kings can be proclaimed only by the consent of 
 the chief tribunal and the prophet. After the election the 
 king is anointed with the anointing oil. The crown, and 
 
 a2 
 
1 78 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 all offices in Israel, are hereditary, provided the legal suc- 
 cessors be godly men. T.) 
 
 498. Not to place on the throne any one that is not an 
 Israelite; for it is written, "Thoumayest not set a stranger 
 over thee which is not thy brother." (Deut. 17. 15.) 
 
 499. The king is not to have more horses than requisite 
 for himself and his retinue ; for it is written, "But he shall 
 not multiply horses." (Deut. 1 7. 1 6.) 
 
 500. Not to leave the holy land, and take up a per- 
 petual residence in Egypt ; for it is written, " Ye shall 
 henceforth return no more that way." (Deut. 17. 16.) 
 
 501 . The king is not to have more than eighteen wives ; 
 for it is written, " Neither shall he multiply wives to him- 
 self." (Deut. 17. 17.) 
 
 502. The king is not to amass more money than is neces- 
 sary for himself and his retinue ; for it is written, "Neither 
 shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold." 
 (Deut. 17. 17.) 
 
 503. The king is to write for himself a copy of the holy 
 law, over and above the copies left to him by his father, and 
 besides the copy which he is obliged to have in common 
 with every Israelite ; for it is written, " That he shall 
 write him a copy of this law." (Deut. 17. 18.) 
 
 504. No one of the tribe of Levi is to take a share in the 
 holy land ; for it is written, " The priests, the Levites, and 
 all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part, nor inheritance 
 with Israel." (Deut. 18. 1.) (Except the cities and 
 suburbs mentioned above ; that the Levites may always 
 be at leisure to study the law, and do the holy services. 
 T.) 
 
 505. Not one of the tribe of Levi is to take a share in 
 the " spoil ;" for it is written, " No part nor inheritance." 
 (Deut. 18. 1 .) (Inheritance refers to the holy land, and 
 part to the spoil. T.) 
 
 506. To give to the priest the shoulder, the cheeks, and 
 the maw, from every animal that is slaughtered ; for it is 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. i79 
 
 written, " And they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, 
 and the two cheeks, and the maw." (Deut. 18. 3.) (Ex- 
 clusive of the parts from the sacrifices. T.) 
 
 507. To give to the priest the great heave-offering, which 
 is one out of fifty measures of all corn, wine, and oil ; for 
 it is written, " The first-fruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, 
 and of thine oil, &c. shalt thou give him." (Deut. 18. 3.) 
 
 508. To give to the priest the first shearing ; for it is 
 written, " And the first of the fleece of thy sheep." (Deut. 
 18. 3.) 
 
 509. The priests and the Levites must serve in the tem- 
 ple ; for it is written, " Then he shall minister in the name 
 of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do," 
 &c. (Deut. 18. 7.) (There were 24 priestly watches ; 
 every watch ministered on its sabbath ; but on feasts all 
 were alike ; for it is written, " And if a Levite come," &c. 
 which refers to q> feast, T.) 
 
 510. Not to use divination ; for it is written, " There 
 shall not be found among you any one, &c. that useth 
 divination." (Deut. 18. 10.) (It is divination to hold a 
 stick in the hand, and say, "Shall I go, or shall I not go?" 
 for it is written, " My people ask counsel at their stocks, 
 and their staff declareth unto them." Hos. 4. 12. T.) 
 
 511. Not to do any kind of conjuration ; for it is written, 
 " There shall not be found among you, &;c. an observer of 
 times, or an enchanter, or a witch." (Deut. 18. 10.) (For 
 to all these the Amorites were addicted ; but whatever is 
 done as a remedy is permitted. T.) 
 
 512. Not to charm serpents or scorpions; for it is writ- 
 ten, " There shall not be found, &c. or a charmer." (Deut. 
 18. 10, 11.) 
 
 513. Not to consult with familiar spirits ; for it is writ- 
 ten, "Or a consulter with familiar spirits." (Deut. 18. 10, 11.) 
 
 514. Not to consult with a wizard; for it is written, "Or 
 a wizard." (Deut. 18. 10, 11.) (A wizard is a certain 
 animal that speaks through witchcraft. T.) 
 
180 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 5^5. Not to inquire from the dead; for it is written, 
 "Or a necromancer." (Deut. 18. 10, 11.) (i.e. By ab- 
 staining from food, and remaining in the burial ground 
 during the night, to be affected by an evil spirit. T.) 
 
 516. To perform whatever any prophet bids us do as a 
 temporary thing, idolatry excepted; for it is written, " The 
 Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet, &c. unto 
 him ye shall hearken." (Deut. 18. 15.) (But not to per- 
 severe in destroying or increasing the commandments ; for 
 God never alters His law. For the moment, however, we 
 must do whatever the prophet bids us, if we are convinced 
 of his being a true prophet ; witness Elijah on the mount 
 Cannel, offering sacrifices out of the temple. T.) 
 
 51 7. Not to prophesy falsely in the name of the Lord ; 
 for it is written, " But the prophet which shall presume to 
 speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded 
 him to speak," &c. (Deut. 18. 20.) (The prophet that 
 speaks things which he has not heard from God, or which 
 have been told to another prophet, but not to him, or that 
 speaks in the name of strange gods, is to be punished with 
 strangulation. T.) 
 
 518. Not to prophesy in the name of any idol ; for it is 
 written, " Or that shall speak in the name of other gods," 
 &c. (Deut. 18. 20.) 
 
 519. Not to be afraid of killing the false prophet; for it 
 is written, " But the prophet hath spoken it presump- 
 tuously ; thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deut. 18. 22.) 
 
 520. To have six cities of refuge in the holy land, 
 whither the manslayer might flee; for it is written, "Thou 
 shalt separate three cities for thee ; (three were on the 
 other side of Jordan ;) for it is written, " Thou shalt pre- 
 pare thee a way," &c. (Deut. 19. 2, 3.) (The roads were 
 such as to present no obstacle to the manslayer; and 
 finger-posts, with the word " Refuge" on them, were fixed 
 in all places where several roads presented themselves. T.) 
 
 521. Not to spare him that killed his neighbour, or that 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 181 
 
 deprived another of any member of his body; for it is 
 written, " Thine eye shall not pity him." (Deut. 19. 13.) 
 
 522. Not to remove the landmark so as to change the 
 borders of the holy land; for it is written, "Thou shalt not 
 remove thy neighbour's landmark." (Deut. 19. 14.) (In 
 the holy land it is doubly sinful ; being a removal of the 
 border, and a robbery. T.) 
 
 523. No man shall suffer either corporeal or pecuniary 
 punishment upon the evidence of one witness only ; even 
 though he be a very pious and learned man, or a prophet ; 
 for it is written, " One witness shall not rise up against a 
 man for any iniquity, or for any sin." (Deut. 19. 15.) 
 (The witness must not " rise," i.e. come forward without 
 being summoned. If he is summoned, his testimony on 
 oath is received in confirmation of the statement of the 
 defendant, who is thereby released from taking an oath. 
 In two cases only are we authorised by the law to admit 
 the evidence of only one witness ; viz. to save the " sus- 
 pected" woman from drinking the bitter waters, and to 
 prevent the neck of the heifer from being struck off. The 
 " wise men" have also permitted a woman to marry upon 
 the evidence of one witness as to her husband's death; and 
 at all times one witness must be credited when he says, 
 this is lawful, or, this is unlawful. T.) 
 
 524. To do unto false witnesses as they intended to do 
 unto others by their evidence ; for it is written, " Then 
 shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto 
 his brethren." (Deut. 19. 19.) 
 
 525. To appoint a priest for the army, that in time of 
 war he may exhort the people after the manner prescribed 
 in the law ; for it is written, " The priest shall approach 
 and speak," &c. (Deut. 20. 2.) (The priest may also 
 add to the prescribed words whatever he thinks proper to 
 excite the hearts of the people to turn unto God; that 
 they may not fall in their iniquities, but prosper in their 
 wars. T.) 
 
182 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 526. Not to be afraid of the enemy in time of war, nor 
 to flee from him; for it is written, "Neither be ye terrified 
 because of them." (Deut. 20. 8.) 
 
 527. To offer peace to the inhabitants of every city 
 before going to war with them, on condition that they 
 submit to our king, and receive the seven commandments; 
 for it is written, " And it shall be, if it make thee answer 
 of peace, &c. that all the people that is found therein 
 shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee."" 
 (Deut. 20. 11.) 
 
 528. Not to let any one of the seven nations live that 
 falls into our hands at any time, if we can take his life 
 without risking our own ; for it is written, " But of the 
 cities of these people, &;c. thou shalt save alive nothing 
 that breatheth." (Deut. 20. 16.) (In wars with any 
 other nation that refused peace, the children and the 
 women are permitted to live. The seven nations are, 
 the Canaanites, the Perizzites, &;c. T,) 
 
 529. When besieging a city, not to cut or destroy any 
 fruit tree ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not destroy the 
 trees thereof by forcing an ax against them." (Deut. 
 20. 19.) 
 
 530. Whenever a slain person is found in the field or 
 the road, and it is not known who was the murderer, to 
 strike off the neck of an heifer in the rough valley ; for it 
 is written, " If one be found slain," &c. (Deut. 21. 13.) 
 
 531. Not to till or sow in the "rough valley" where 
 the heifers neck is struck off; for it is written, " Which 
 is neither eared nor sown." (Deut. 20. 4.) 
 
 532. To proceed with the " beautiful women," as stated 
 in the law ; for it is written, " And seest among the cap- 
 tives a ' beautiful woman,' &c. she shall shave her head, 
 and pare her nails," &c. (Deut. 21. 11, 12.) 
 
 533. Not to sell the "beautiful woman" after she has 
 been admitted to the privileges of a wife ; for it is written, 
 " And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 183 
 
 shalt let her go whither she will ; but thou shalt not sell 
 her at all;' (Deut. 21. 14.) 
 
 534. Not to make the " beautiful woman" do the work 
 of a servant-maid; for it is written, "Thou shalt not make 
 merchandize of her, because thou hast humbled her." 
 (Deut. 21. 14.) 
 
 535. To execute some criminals by hanging; for it is 
 written, "And thou hang him on a tree." (Deut. 21. 22.) 
 (The blasphemer and the idolater were first stoned, and 
 then hanged. T.) 
 
 536. Not to leave the bodies of the hanged on the tree; 
 for it is written, " His body shall not remain all night upon 
 the tree." (Deut. 21. 23.) 
 
 537. To bury those that have been stoned, or have 
 suffered any other death, by the sentence of the tribunal, 
 the same day on which they were executed ; for it is 
 written, " But thou shalt in any wise bury him that day." 
 (Deut. 21. 23.) 
 
 538. To restore lost articles to their owner ; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt in any case bring them again unto 
 thy brother." (Deut. 22. 1.) 
 
 539. Not to turn our eyes from the thing which our 
 brother is losing, as if we were not aware of it ; for it is 
 written, " Thou mayest not hide thyself." (Deut. 22. 3.) 
 (Therefore if we see our neighbour running into destruction 
 by his sins, we must endeavour to lead him back, and in- 
 duce him to repent ; for this is to restore his soul. T.) 
 
 540. Not to suffer the beast of an Israelite, much less an 
 Israelite himself, to crouch under his burden ; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass, or his ox, 
 fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them." (Deut. 
 22. 4.) 
 
 541. To lift the burden upon a beast, or upon a man, 
 when found alone ; for it is written, " Thou shalt surely 
 help him to lift them up again." (Deut. 22. 4.) 
 
 542. Women must not dress in men's clothes ; for it is 
 
184 
 
 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 written, " The woman shall not wear that which pertainetli 
 unto a man." (Deut. 22. 5.) 
 
 543. Men must not dress in women's clothes ; for it is 
 written, " Neither shall a man put on a woman's garment." 
 (Deut. 22. 5.) 
 
 544. Not to take a bird's nest, when the dam is with 
 the young ones ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not take 
 the dam with the young." (Deut. 22. 6.) 
 
 545. To send the dam from the nest before the young 
 are taken ; for it is written, " But thou shalt in any wise 
 let the dam go, and take the young to thee." (Deut. 22. 7.) 
 
 546. To remove all stumbling-blocks or dangerous places 
 from about our dwellings, and to make every building 
 secure ; for it is written, " Thou shalt make a battlement 
 for thy roof." (Deut. 22. 8.) 
 
 547. Not to leave any dangerous places in our lands or 
 houses, for though nothing happens to man without the 
 will of God, we must nevertheless not leave any place 
 wherein a person is liable to accidents; for it is written, 
 " That thou bring not blood upon thine house." (Deut. 
 22. 8.) 
 
 548. Not to sow two different species in the vineyard, 
 nor mix hemp, and onion seed, or other vegetables of 
 different kinds ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not sow thy 
 vineyard with divers seeds." (Deut. 22. 9.) 
 
 549. Not to eat the produce of such mixtures ; for it is 
 written, " Lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, 
 and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled." (Deut. 22. 9.) 
 
 550. Not to plough with an ox and an ass together ; for 
 it is written, " Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an 
 ass together." (Deut. 22. 10.) (Nor do any other work 
 with them, or with any two animals of different kinds. T.) 
 
 551. Not to wear a garment woven of wool and flax; 
 for it is written, " Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers 
 sorts, as of woollen and linen together." (Deut. 22. 11.) 
 
 552. The ceremony of marriage is to be considered binding 
 
AND TFITRTEEN PRECEPTS. 185 
 
 after the man has said to the woman, " Thou art affianced 
 unto me by this ring, according to the law of Moses and 
 Israel," or by a money bill containing the same words ; 
 for it is written, " If any man take a wife," &c. (Deut. 
 22. 13.) 
 
 553. The man that spreads a false report about his wife 
 must live with her always, though she be ever so disagree- 
 able; for it is written, "And she shall be his wife," (Deut. 
 22. 19.) (The man was also flogged, and fined 100 
 shekels of silver. T.) 
 
 554. The man that spreads a false report about his wife 
 shall never be permitted to divorce her ; for it is written, 
 " He may not put her away all his days." (Deut. 22. 19.) 
 
 555. To stone some criminals ; amongst others the "be- 
 trothed damsel ;" for it is written, " And ye shall stone 
 them with stones that they die." (Deut. 22. 24.) 
 
 556. Not to punish those who commit a crime through 
 compulsion ; for it is written, " But unto the damsel thou 
 shalt do nothing." (Deut. 22. 26.) 
 
 557. 558. Deut. 22. 29. 
 559. 
 
 560. A bastard is not to marry a daughter of Israel; for 
 it is written, " A bastard shall not enter into the congre- 
 gation of the Lord." (Deut. 23. 2.) 
 
 561 . Not to intermarry with the males of the Ammonites, 
 or Moabites, even after their conversion ; for it is written, 
 "An Ammonite, or Moabite, shall not enter into the 
 congregation of the Lord." (Deut. 23. 3.) (The females 
 may be married after their conversion. T,) 
 
 562. Never to make peace with the A.mmonites and 
 Moabites; (they not being included in the 527th command- 
 ment ;) for it is written, " Thou shalt not seek their peace 
 nor their prosperity all thy days for ever." (Deut. ^3. 6.) 
 
 563. Not to be unfriendly to the descendants of Esau, 
 after they have been converted ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother." 
 
 b2 
 
186 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 (Deut. 23. 7.) (Whatever he did to us was done by the 
 decrees of God, through the blessing which our father 
 Isaac bestowed upon him. Gen. 27. 40. He was, there- 
 fore, but an instrument in the hand of the Lord. T.) 
 
 564. Not to be unfriendly to the Egyptians, or to 
 abstain from intermarrying with them in the third gene- 
 ration after their conversion ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not abhor an Egyptian ; because thou wast a stranger 
 in his land." (Deut. 23. 7.) 
 
 565. No defiled person is to enter the camp of the 
 Levites, for it resembles the habitations of the holy hill ; 
 for it is written, " He shall not come within the camp." 
 (Deut. 23. 10.) 
 
 566. To have an appointed place without the camp ; for 
 it is written, " Thou shalt have a place also without the 
 camp." (Deut. 23. 12.) 
 
 567. Each soldier to have a digging instrument attached 
 to his weapon ; for it is written, " And thou shalt have a 
 paddle upon thy weapon." (Deut. 23. 13.) 
 
 568. Not to deliver up the slave that escaped from his 
 master abroad, and took refuge in the holy land ; for it is 
 written, " Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the ser- 
 vant which is escaped from his master unto thee." (Deut. 
 23. 14.) (This is the privilege of the holy land. The 
 master is also bound to give a written dismissal to his 
 former slave. T.) 
 
 569. Not to oppress even with words the slave that 
 escaped from his master abroad, and came to the holy 
 land; for it is written, "He shall dwell with thee, &c. 
 thou shalt not oppress him." (Deut. 23. 16.) 
 
 570. 571. 
 
 572. Not to pay interest to an Israelite; for it is writ- 
 ten, " Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother," &c. 
 (Deut. 23. 19.) (The borrower is here cautioned not to 
 pay interest. The sin of taking usury is so great, that the 
 wise men have declared that all who are in the least con- 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 187 
 
 cerned in usurious transactions are as if they denied the 
 existence of God, the delivery from Egypt, and the resur- 
 rection from the dead. T.) 
 
 573. To take interest from all not belonging to our 
 nation, and to pay interest when we borrow from them ; 
 for it is written, " Unto a stranger thou may est lend upon 
 usury." (Deut. 23. 20.) 
 
 574. Not to delay bringing the vows, or freewill offer- 
 ings, or other sacrifices that we are bound to bring ; for it 
 is written, " When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord 
 thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it." (Deut. 23. 21.) 
 (This commandment is not broken until three feasts have 
 been allowed to pass. T.) 
 
 575. To perform all that we have bound ourselves to do 
 by word of mouth ; for it is written, " That which is gone 
 out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform," &c. (Deut. 
 23. 23.) 
 
 576. The hireling must be allowed to eat, during his 
 work, of all eatables about which he is engaged ; for it is 
 written, " When thou comest into thy neighbour's vine- 
 yard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own 
 pleasure." (Deut. 23. 24.) 
 
 577. The hireling must not take away with him any of 
 the eatables about which he is engaged, nor must he give 
 any to other people ; for it is written, "But thou shalt not 
 put any in thy vessel." (Deut. 23. 24.) 
 
 578. The hireling is not to eat in the time of his em- 
 ployment ; though of things attached to the ground he may 
 eat whilst walking from one labourer to another ; still he 
 must not do so when actually employed ; for it is v^ritten, 
 " But thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's 
 standing corn." (Deut. 23. 25.) 
 
 579. To divorce by a bill (a parchment) whenever a wife 
 is to be divorced ; for it is written, " Then let him write 
 her a bill of divorcement," &;c. (Deut. 24. 1.) 
 
 580. Not to retake the divorced wife after she has been 
 
188 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 married or affianced to another ; for it is written, *' Her 
 former husband, which sent her away, may not take her 
 again to be his wife." (Deut. 24. 4.) (But before she is 
 married again, he may retake her. T.) 
 
 581. The newly married man is not to go out in the first 
 year on distant marches, or on any martial business ; for 
 it is written, " He shall not go out to war, neither shall he 
 be charged with any business." (Deut. 24. 5.) 
 
 582. The newly married man is to remain with his wife 
 a whole year ; for it is written, " And shall cheer up his 
 wife." (Deut. 24. 5.) 
 
 583. Not to take to pledge any instrument for preparing 
 food, neither at the time when the loan is made, nor at any 
 other time; for it is written, "No man shall take the nether 
 or the upper millstone to pledge." (Deut. 24. 6.) 
 
 584. Not to remove the marks of leprosy ; for it is 
 written, "Take heed in the plague of leprosy," &c. (Deut. 
 24. 8.) 
 
 585. The lender is not to take a pledge from the bor- 
 rower, either by going into his house, or by standing out- 
 side and reaching to the things within, but he may have it 
 done by an officer of the tribunal ; for it is written, " Thou 
 shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge." (Deut. 
 24. 10.) 
 
 586. Not to refuse the pledge to its owner, when he has 
 need of it, but to return it to him daily, or nightly, as it 
 may be required ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not sleep 
 with his pledge." (Deut. 24. 12.) 
 
 587. To return the pledge to its owner whenever he has 
 need of it ; for it is written, " In any case thou shalt de- 
 liver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down." 
 (Deut. 24. 15.) 
 
 588. To pay the hire every day, and not to delay it to 
 another day; for it is written, "This day thou shalt give 
 him his hire," &c. (Deut. 24. 15.) 
 
 589. Not to admit the evidence of witnesses who are in 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 189 
 
 any way related to the parties in whose behalf evidence is 
 required ; for it is written, " The fathers shall not be put 
 to death for the children, neither shall the children be put 
 to death for the fathers." (Deut. 24. 16.) 
 
 590. Not to pervert the judgment of the strangers, or 
 the orphans; for it is written, "Thou shalt not pervert the 
 judgment of the stranger," &c. (Deut. 24. 17.) 
 
 591. Not to take a pledge from a widow, whether rich 
 or poor ; and if a pledge has been taken, the tribunal is to 
 enforce its restoration ; for it is written, " Nor take the 
 widow's raiment to pledge." (Deut. 24. 17.) 
 
 592. To leave the forgotten sheaf for the poor, as the 
 gleanings are left ; for it is written, " And hast forgot a 
 sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it : it 
 shall be for the stranger," &c. (Deut. 24. 19.) 
 
 593. Not to take the forgotten sheaf ; for it is written, 
 " Thou shalt not go again to fetch it." (Deut. 24. 19.) 
 (This precept applies to any produce. T.) 
 
 594. To flog certain criminals ; for it is written, " And 
 to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a 
 certain number." (Deut. 25. 2.) 
 
 595. Not to flog the criminal more than he can bear; for 
 it is written, " Forty stripes he may give him, and not 
 exceed." (Deut. 25. 3.) (The criminal was examined as 
 to the number of stripes he could endure, but he never 
 received less than three. T.) 
 
 596. Not to prevent an animal from eating of the things 
 about which he is employed; for it is written, "Thou 
 shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn." 
 (Deut. 25. 4.) 
 
 597. The childless widow must not marry a stranger as 
 long as her late husband's brother has not declared his 
 unwillingness to marry her ; for it is written, "The wife of 
 the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger." (Deut. 
 25. 5.) 
 
 598. To marry the wife of a brother who died childless ; 
 
190 THE SIX HUNDRED 
 
 for it is written, "And take her to him to wife," &c. (Deut. 
 
 25. 5.) 
 
 599. The childless widow is to loose the . shoe of her 
 brother-in-law, if he declines to marry her ; for it is writ- 
 ten, " And loose his shoe from off his feet." (Deut. 25. 9.) 
 
 600. To save the pursued, were it even with the life of 
 the pursuer; for it is written, "Then shalt thou cut off her 
 hand." (Deut. 25. 12.) 
 
 601. Not to spare the pursuer; for it is written, " Thine 
 eye shall not pity." (Deut. 25. 12.) 
 
 602. Not to keep in our house, or by us, any short 
 weights or measures ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not 
 have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small." 
 (Deut. 25. 13.) 
 
 603. To repeat vocally every day of our life the evil 
 which Amalek did unto us ; for it is written, " Eemember 
 what Amalek did unto thee." (Deut. 25. 17.) 
 
 604. To destroy none of the seed of Esau except 
 Amalek; but of him none should be left, either male or 
 female, great or small ; for it is written, " Thou shalt blot 
 out the remembrance of Amalek." (Deut. 25. 19.) 
 
 605. Not to forget the evils which the seed of Amalek 
 did unto us when we came out from the land of Egypt ; for 
 it is written, " Thou shalt not forget it." (Deut. 25. 19.) 
 (His effrontery, namely; for when all the other nations 
 trembled and were afraid at hearing what the Lord had 
 done for us, Amalek was, as it were, the first dog that 
 snarled at us ; for it is written, " Amalek was the first of 
 the nations." Num. 24. 20. TJ 
 
 606. To commence with the praise of God's goodness 
 towards our father Jacob, whenever the first-fruits are 
 brought into the temple ; for it is written, " And thou 
 shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God," &;c. (Deut. 
 
 26. 5.) (And to finish with the evils of the Egyptian 
 bondage. This is called the First-fruit Recitation. T.) 
 
 607. To confess before the Lord that we have done all 
 
AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 1.91 
 
 that He commanded us to do with regard to the heave - 
 offerings and tithes, and that we have not appropriated 
 them ; for it is written, " Then thou shalt say before the 
 Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things 
 out of mine house," &c. (Deut. 23. 13.) (This is called 
 the Tithe Confession ; which was made in the 4th and 7th 
 year of the release. • T.) 
 
 608. Not to eat the second tithe on the first day of mourn- 
 ing; for it is written, " I have not eaten thereof in my mourn- 
 ing." (Deut. 26. 14.) (Nor must any other sanctified 
 article be eaten on the first day of mourning. T.) 
 
 609. Not to eat the second tithe in uncleanness even in 
 Jerusalem ; for it is written, " Neither have I taken away 
 ought thereof for any unclean use." (Deut. 26. 14.) 
 
 610. Not to expend the money of the second tithe, except 
 in eating and drinking, and anointing ; for it is written, 
 " Nor given ought thereof for the dead." (Deut. 26. 14.) 
 (Meaning that even for the charitable purpose of burying 
 the dead, I have not given ought thereof. T.) 
 
 611. To walk in the ways of the Lord, and to endeavour 
 to be as like unto Him as we are capable of being ; for it 
 is written, " And walk in His ways." (Deut. 28. 9.) (As 
 God is kind, gracious, and merciful, we must endeavour to 
 be so likewise ; as He clothes the naked, visits the sick, 
 and comforts the mourners, we must also strive to do so ; 
 in short, we must act towards others as we would wish 
 God to act towards ourselves ; and God will look upon us 
 with kindness. T.) 
 
 612. To assemble all the children of Israel, men, women, 
 and children, on the second day of the feast of tabernacles 
 after every year of release ; for it is written, " Gather the 
 people together, men, and women, and children," &;c. 
 (Deut. 31. 12.) (The king then reads to them the whole of 
 Deuteronomy in the women's court. T.) 
 
 613. Every Israelite must write for himself a copy of the 
 holy law ; for it is written, " Now therefore write ye this 
 
192 THE SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN PRECEPTS. 
 
 song for you." (Deut. 31. 19.) (i.e. Write the law con- 
 taining this song, for the law is not written in chapters. 
 At the present time this commandment includes also the 
 duty of buying as many books as possible, that we may 
 learn therein to know, and to do the will of God, and to 
 serve Him with all our heart, for that is the object of our 
 existence. Through this we shall also live to see the 
 speedy arrival of the Messiah. Amen. T.) 
 
 It is a duty to lend our books to such as have no means 
 of purchasing any ; for that, our Rabbies said, was meant 
 by the words, " Blessed are they, &c. and he that doeth 
 righteousness at all times." Ps. 106. 3. 
 
ADDRESS TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 
 
 |iiB^;S3£S/^^ Y dearly beloved brethren of the house of 
 XW ^{(fljs'^r I®^^®^' ^ ^^ v^^y ^^^^ aware that you 
 M ^SPi ^2 ^^^^^ ^^^ scruple to construe the motives 
 ^^t^J~^\^A ^^ i^y publishing the foregoing investiga- 
 ^^^^^^^^ tion^ altogether differently from my real 
 intentions. Diverse as light from darkness will be 
 the sentiments that will arise in your breasts toward 
 me, from those that animate mine towards you; al- 
 though I have, at the commencement of my investi- 
 gation, declared that I make a wide difference between 
 Jews and Modern Judaism. The former I esteem, respect, 
 and love, with unequalled affection; whilst the latter, after 
 a mature examination and weighing in the balance of the 
 Bible, I found to be wanting, and unworthy of professing 
 follow^ers of Moses and the Prophets ; and, therefore, as a 
 disciple of theirs, I renounced it, being positively convinced 
 that it is contrary to the will and word of the living God. 
 Still I am persuaded, that you will look upon my motives 
 quite in a different light, and censure me severely for my 
 conduct. Indeed, as a converted Jew, I must not expect 
 any thing from my unbelieving brethren but hatred and 
 calumny. In fact, this is the frequent experience of the 
 converted Jew^ either from your public journals, or private 
 conversation. Inspired, however, with an unqualified con- 
 sciousness of my innocence of any calumny whatever, I am 
 emboldened to declare my warm and steadfast attachment 
 to you, my brethren according to the flesh, (though pro- 
 
 c2 
 
194 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 bably it may be rejected by you as incredible,) in the 
 words of Saul of Tarsus to the Church of Corinth, — " And 
 I will very gladly spend and be spent for you ; though the 
 more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. Be it so, 
 I did not burden you." However, it is a faithful saying, 
 " From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." 
 
 Whether you will hear, therefore, or whether you will 
 forbear, my dear Jewish brethren, the love I feel for the 
 salvation of your souls constrains me to direct your atten- 
 tion to Him, of whom Moses in the law and the Prophets 
 did write, who is the only Mediator between God and 
 man, through whom alone a sinner may have access to an 
 offended God, who is out of a Mediator a consuming fire, 
 as we shall prove, with divine assistance, from the sacred 
 volume of revelation. I will draw my arguments chiefly 
 from the fountain of God's own word, as we all agree that 
 there is but one source of truth in the world, which is the 
 Bible. The more deeply we drink of its living water, the 
 more is the veil of error and obscurity on all subjects 
 removed from our eyes. And thus far are we fully war- 
 ranted to conclude, that any system which would debar our 
 minds from free access to this heavenly source of light, 
 must be a system of which the ultimate end is not the pro- 
 motion of the knowledge of truth. Thank God, that Moses 
 and the Prophets left books behind them, which are not 
 only " able to make us wise unto salvation,"" but also make 
 us ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh 
 us a reason of the hope that is in us. 
 
 Let us, therefore, turn to the simple but most sublime 
 Mosaic records, which invigorate our faith in God's pa- 
 ternal providence, and enhance our reverence of His 
 glorious majesty. There we find our nation feeling the 
 urgent necessity of a Mediator, and impatiently praying 
 for one; yea, that they were ready to perish for the want 
 of a Mediator, for they discovered that they were not able 
 of themselves to approach Him, whom they have so griev- 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 195 
 
 ously offended from time to time, nor even to hear His 
 voice. Therefore they immediately called upon Moses to 
 be their mediator, expressing, as it were, their conviction, 
 that this very Moses, whom they hated, persecuted, and 
 almost stoned, was to be their intercessor and preserver ; 
 and thus they addressed him impatiently: — 
 
 1^2 b2 ro ^D : i:jnDi "nj; ^T7lb^ mn- b^p r\i^ :;n\:;b ^:m^^ 
 nnp : 'r]'^ i:dd Vi^r) iijid "^niD D^'-n n^nbi^ b^p };f2u; it^x 
 iTbi^ "imji riKT ^^'nbi^ mn^ -idk'' iwi^ bD n^^ vr^m iiD^ 
 :^ym^ ^^V^^^^ ybi^ ^Tnbi^ mn*' -im> ^vi^ bD jik 
 
 " Now, therefore, why should we die ? for this great fire 
 will consume us ; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God 
 any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh 
 that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out 
 of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived I Go thou 
 near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say ; and 
 speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak 
 unto thee ; and we will hear it and do it.**' (Deut. 5. 
 25—27.) 
 
 Here, my dear Jewish brethren, we have an unequivocal 
 scriptural proof of the necessity of a Mediator. But we 
 also find that God most graciously heard the pathetic 
 prayers of our ancestors in Horeb, and accordingly pro- 
 mised them a Mediator, even a Prophet like unto Moses. 
 
 Now let us, therefore, carefully examine the page of 
 divine revelation on that all-important subject. In Deut. 
 18. 15 — 19, we read God's gracious declaration to Moses 
 
 on this subject : ynbi^ mn^ 1^ uy ''Ji^:) yni^r2 inipD K^nj 
 t^NH n^^ M^K mn^ b)p jik ^^r^^b c^dk i^b -ID^^^ bnpn 
 
 nm '^nn:) iidj dh^hk mpD nub u^pi^ kuj nna-r -wvi^ 
 iD'i^n n-'m n:')2i^^ -iii^K bD ni^ Uii'bi^ nm vsn 
 ^r2^D u^niN ^jjk '♦Dt:a "in> nt^^K nni bi^ yr^^D'^ k^ i\L^i^ 
 
 " The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet 
 from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me ; unto 
 
196 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 Him ye shall hearken, according to all that thou desiredst 
 of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, 
 saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord m.y 
 God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die 
 not. And the Lord said unto me. They have well spoken 
 that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Pro- 
 phet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will 
 put my words in His mouth ; and He shall speak unto 
 them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come 
 to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words 
 which He shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."" 
 Our nation made themselves responsible to hear and obey 
 all the words of that Prophet or Mediator ; for such was 
 their declaration to Moses : " And speak thou unto us all 
 that the Lord God shall speak unto thee, and we will hear 
 it and do it.**"* (Deut. 5. 27.) The same declaration of 
 obedience is equally binding with regard to the Prophet 
 like unto Moses ; nay rather, severe punishment is de- 
 nounced against disobedience ; for the God of our fathers 
 positively declares : " And it shall come to pass that who- 
 soever will not hearken unto my words which He shall 
 speak in my name, I will require it of him." 
 
 Since, therefore, it is impossible for any creature to 
 have access to a God who is a consuming fire without a 
 Mediator, how can we reconcile Jehovah's promises with 
 the present condition of our nation, my dear Jewish bre- 
 thren, if we reject the great salvation which God has 
 wrought in Israel, through His Son Jesus Christ, the only 
 Mediator between God and men ? Where is our Prophet 
 like unto Moses? How can we, how dare we approach 
 Him, before whom angels veil their faces ? We have no 
 king like David, who was able to communicate with God 
 through the ephod; we have no high prie^^t, who was able 
 to enter once at least the holy of holies, to atone for our 
 sins; we have no sacrifice, verifying to the letter the words 
 
HOUSE OF ISRA.KL. 197 
 
 of the Holy Spirit; *'For the children of Israel shall abide 
 many days without a king, and without a prince, and with- 
 out a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an 
 ephod, and without teraphim." (Hos. 3. 4.) But we have 
 neither a Prophet like unto Moses, who boldly pleaded for 
 our ancestors, saying, " Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their 
 sin — ; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book 
 which Thou hast written." (Exod. 32. 32.) Could we, 
 as Jews, to whom were committed the oracles of God, be 
 worse than a heathen? and pronounce the Lord to be 
 a man that would lie, or the son of man that He would 
 repent ; who would say and not do it, or who would speak 
 and not make it good ? For to such a conclusion must we 
 come, if we for a moment consider the present melancholy 
 condition of our nation, who reject the mediatorship of 
 Jesus, and thus have no means whatever of access to God, 
 in consequence of which their prayers are unanswered. It 
 is worth while noticing here a Jewish tradition, which 
 occurs in Yalkut Simeoni and Medrash on Ps. 91, which 
 is as follows : ^^m^ oriw nr "» pw ;yMi nri oVin f^nm bi^-w rra >:eq 
 Drr TWO nm«i 'ntj nv vt> pb towmj Ds^-nn ni^^pn «iiV tto"? bM 'cmDon o© 
 ibi •>rT35?«i '^^v -nD«:tt3 p3>:"i ]^bDno " What is the reason 
 that the Israelites pray in this world and are not answered? 
 Because they know not the ineffable name, but in the time 
 to come [at the coming of the Messiah], the Holy and 
 Blessed God will make them know, for it is said, ' There- 
 fore my people shall know my name.' (Is. 52. 6.) At 
 that time they shall pray and be answered, for it is said, 
 * He shall call upon me, and I will answer him." " (Ps. 
 91. 15.) Dear Jewish brethren, what an awful thought, 
 that for the last 1800 years, the prayers of our nation 
 have been rejected, and only because they are ignorant of 
 a certain ineffable name ! And is God, who is abundant 
 in mercy and compassion, keeping us in ignorance for so 
 long a time ? No, my dear brethren. He is untainted in 
 His holiness, unbending in His justice, unchanging in His 
 
198 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 truth ; let God be true and every man a liar ; He has not 
 left His people without a Mediator, through whom every 
 faithful believer has access to Him, and can pour forth his 
 soul in the importunity of prayer, and cry, Abba, Father. 
 
 My dear Jewish brethren, the love of Christ constraineth 
 rae to disclose Him to your view as the Prophet like unto 
 Moses, and as the Mediator between an offended God, and 
 a fallen ruined world. The learned Bishop Butler observes, 
 " There is not, I think, any thing relating to Christianity 
 which has been more objected against, than the mediation 
 of Christ, in some or other of its parts. Yet, upon tho- 
 rough consideration, there seems nothing less justly liable 
 to it " Had Moses and the Prophets left no books behind 
 them, there might, perhaps, have been some prejudices 
 against it, but not now. Some of our most eminent Bab- 
 bies taught this doctrine with remarkable perspicuity. 
 Rabbi Joseph Albo, in his book onpy Ekarim^ 2nd 
 part, chap. 28, fol. 54, col. 2, has the following orthodox 
 passage : it *» ocrra pisn y^yo b^ 'y:?o« imviV "i:pT!? mrr ircran dmj sinDn «npn 
 " The scripture calls Messiah's name Jehovah our Bight- 
 eousness, because He is to be our Mediator^ that we may 
 obtain God's righteousness through Him."" So that it is 
 rather surprising that modern Jews, who claim to be the 
 "best expounders" of the holy scriptures, (see page 35,) 
 should object to this scriptural doctrine. Yea, 1 am per- 
 suaded, my dear Jewish brethren, that all objections 
 against this blessed and gracious word of life are errone- 
 ous in themselves, and owe their existence entirely to a 
 want of due consideration and study of the word of God. 
 Nor can I conceal my conviction, that all such prejudices 
 are chargeable with no small measure of guilt. For if God 
 has indeed spoken, who shall lightly presume to disregard 
 or disbelieve? nay, rather, who should not esteem it his 
 highest privilege to listen and to obey \ 
 
 I purpose, therefore, briefly to show, with the help of 
 God, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Prophet 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 199 
 
 like unto Moses, and that God's mercy endureth for ever. 
 I am not ignorant that this prophecy has been miscon- 
 strued by our Rabbies as referring to Elijah, Jeremiah, 
 and other prophets ; but I am also aware, that it was only 
 done in order to evade the irresistible Christian arguments 
 on that point ; and I cannot help saying, that they have 
 wdlfully shut their eyes against the Truth, for every one who 
 at all reads the pages of Eternal Truth, must see a great 
 difference between Moses and the above-mentioned pro- 
 phets. Nor, indeed, did our nation ever suppose that this 
 prophecy referred to the above mentioned prophets, till of 
 late. 
 
 Moses was a lawgiver, as we read, " And this is the law 
 which Moses set before the children of Israel." (Deut. 
 4. 44.) Again, " Moses commanded us a law, even the 
 inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." (Deut. 33. 4.) 
 Joshua never gave any law ; he was obliged to conform to 
 the law of Moses. Moses was appointed leader of the 
 children of Israel, by the mouth of the God of Israel Him- 
 self, whilst Joshua was appointed by Moses, according as 
 the Lord commanded him. Moses delivered his brethren 
 from tho Egyptian bondage ; Joshua never did any such 
 thing. Moses received the law on Mount Sinai from the 
 very hands of God ; Joshua received it from the hands of 
 Moses, a fellow mortal like himself. Moses was perse- 
 cuted by his brethren ; Joshua was honoured and revered. 
 Moses attested his mission by miracles ; we do not read of 
 any one miracle performed by Joshua. I could multiply 
 contrasts of this kind, but the above will suffice to show 
 the great difference between them. 
 
 But besides all these, the voice of God testifies that 
 Joshua was not the Prophet like unto Moses; for that 
 Prophet was to rise at some future period, for it is on 
 record, " I will raise them up a Prophet ;" but Joshua 
 was already risen. It appears the Holy Ghost made pro- 
 vision against such an erroneous interpretation, for we 
 
200 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 read, Deut. 34. 10, " And there arose not a propliet since 
 in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to 
 face," though in the preceding verse we are told, " And 
 Joshua the son of Nun was full of the Spirit of wisdom, 
 for Moses had laid his hands upon him, and the children of 
 Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord com- 
 manded Moses."" There can be no greater evidence that 
 Joshua was not the Prophet like unto Moses. 
 
 Nor can it be said of Jeremiah^ as some would have it. 
 For if we for a moment consider the great contrast between 
 Moses and Joshua, we shall find a far greater contrast 
 between Moses and Jeremiah ; but we read of nothing 
 peculiar in the case of Jeremiah, except that he saw the 
 children of Israel go into captivity, whilst Moses brought 
 them out of captivity. 
 
 It is altogether out of the question to suppose that 
 Elijah was the Prophet like unto Moses (for which even 
 some Christian writers contend) ; for Elijah, instead of 
 making intercession for Israel, (which is the office of a 
 mediator, and as Moses continually did,) made intercession 
 against Israel, saying, " I have been very jealous for the 
 Lord God of Hosts : for the children of Israel have for- 
 saken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy 
 prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left ; and 
 they seek my life, to take it away." (1 Kings 19. 10.) 
 
 Had Jeremiah and Elijah even all the above charac- 
 teristics which Moses possessed, we could not properly say 
 that either of them was the Prophet like unto Moses; for he 
 acted in the capacity of king, priest, and prophet to all 
 Israel ; but each of the above-mentioned prophets belonged 
 only to a part of Israel ; viz. Jeremiah to Judah, and 
 Elijah to Ephraim. Some of our Rabbies, seeing the diffi- 
 culties they had to grapple with, try to make us believe 
 that all the prophets are meant. This shows that they 
 are reduced to the last extremity ; for it is written, " a 
 prophet," and not prophets; and besides our nation at 
 
HOTISE OF ISRAIX. 20 1 
 
 large, to this very day, magnify Moses above all prophets, 
 and style him wa^izn bs b© ]2-i " Prince of all the 
 Prophets." Every morning does our nation repeat in 
 the service the following : 1Jl^:iD ''^i^ bi^ IJJl^ IDXinJ :^B^ 
 
 DK ii^'2^) i^'2: l^y n^DD bi^y>D'2 Dp k-'? in^iKBri^ 
 
 "jri^li^Dn which Isaac Levi translates, " The inspiration of 
 His prophecy He gave unto His peculiarand glorified people. 
 Yet never hath there arisen in Israel a prophet like unto 
 Moses, who beheld the similitude of His glory." So that 
 if we look to any of the prophets mentioned in the Old 
 Testament, we must come to the conclusion, " And there 
 arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses." 
 
 As soon as our attention is directed to the New Testa- 
 ment, and our views are reflected from the mirror of 
 revelation only, we must join the men of Israel of old, v>^ho 
 exclaimed, when they had seen the miracles Jesus did, 
 " This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into 
 the world." (John 6. 14.) For in the New Testament 
 we find the prediction of Moses explained by the Holy 
 Ghost by the mouth of Peter, when he preached to our 
 nation in the temple at Jerusalem, and addressed them 
 thus ; " Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your 
 sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall 
 come from the presence of the Lord ; And He shall send 
 Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom 
 the heaven must receive until the restitution of all things, 
 which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy pro- 
 phets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto 
 the fathers, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up 
 unto you, of your brethren, like unto me ; Him shall ye 
 hear in all things, whatever He shall say unto you. And 
 it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear 
 that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." 
 (Acts 3. 19—2.3.) 
 
 Though the above sermon was preached in the temple, 
 
 2d 
 
202 ADDRESS TO THI? 
 
 where many learned expounders of the law niist have been 
 present, we read of no contradiction. So irresistible were 
 Peter's arguments that the priest, the captain of the tem- 
 ple, and the Sadducoes laid hands upon them [i.e. Peter 
 and John] and put them in hold unto the next day. A 
 strange way of opposing the Truth. Yet it is a system com- 
 mon to all, who love darkness rather than light; but thank 
 God, truth will prevail ; for we read, " Howbeit many of 
 them which heard the word believed ; and the number of 
 men was about five thousand." (Acts 4. 4.) 
 
 But, dear Jewish brethren, were there even no such plain 
 and unequivocal explanation, as that given by St. Peter, 
 to guide us, if we only contemplate the affecting state 
 (past and present) of our nation, since the appearance of 
 Jesus of Nazareth, we might well be induced to conclude, 
 that He was the Prophet like unto Moses ; for no sooner 
 did they reject the Lord of Grlory, even Jesus of Naza- 
 reth^ than the mandate issued in case of disobedience, "And 
 it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto 
 my words which He shall speak in my name, I will require 
 it of him," had its fulfilment in the amplest magnitude of 
 signification. Wrath came upon our nation to the utter- 
 most ; heaven from above, earth from around, and hell 
 from beneath, were moved against them ; armies enclosed 
 them, prodigies affrighted them, pestilence devoured them, 
 famine consumed them, and seditions rent them in pieces ; 
 our magnificent city was transformed first into the slaugh- 
 ter-house and then into the sepulchre of our forefathers ; 
 indescribable were the sufferings, unprecedented the car- 
 nage, and unimaginable the horrors of the scene ; eleven 
 hundred thousand victims fell by the sword, the plague, or 
 the famine ; Jerusalem was turned into heaps, and our 
 glorious temple had not one stone left upon another, and 
 Judea itself became a frightful wilderness. How sincerely 
 ought our nation to make the following alphabetical con- 
 
HOITSK OF ISRAEL. 203 
 
 fession, not only during the few days of S^lichoth,* but 
 daily. It is indeed an affecting confession : — 
 
 i:i^KiDnn ^22b nn ^wd i^jdo n'?:) 
 
 i::! I'^t^^D Dnna^ ijiddi:; bv '\:h2D 
 
 ^y22v mnn nni: di^d r^^ p^ns 
 
 ^Tn^vnr:^ "^^nt:; iib ina^i 
 
 " We have transgressed more than any people. We are 
 more confounded than any generation. Joy has departed 
 from us. Our hearts faint by reason of our sins. Our de- 
 sirable place has become corrupt. Our crown is taken away. 
 
 * From the last week in the month Ellul, (which is generally about 
 the middle of September, and a week before the Jewish New Year,) 
 until the Day of Atonement, (which is generally about the beginning 
 of October,) the Jews are particularly prayerful, repenting of, and con- 
 fessing their sins, which they have contracted during the whole year. 
 They suppose that all their works are brought into account on New Year's 
 Day and the Day of Atonement, and that the short interval between 
 them is allotted them to amend their lives, which they spend in prayer 
 and fasting. Hence those days are called niri'Vo ^'Uchoth, from 
 nbo Salachf to forgive, because they pray for pardon. They also 
 have additional prayers early in the morning. In Palestine, Turkey, 
 Russia, Poland, «&c. the Jews generally assemble in their synagogues on 
 those days, about three o'clock, a.m. for the purpose of prayer. For this 
 year (1843) the days of SHiclioth will commence on the 17th of September, 
 and end on the 5th of October. 
 
204 j^DDRESS TO TUB 
 
 The habitation of our sanctuary has been destroyed by 
 reason of our wickedness. Our palace has become a deso- 
 lation. The beauty of our land belongs now to strangers : 
 our strength to aliens. They have robbed our labour 
 before our eyes, yea, from us "scattered and peeled." 
 They have put their yeke upon us. We have borne it 
 upon our shoulders. Servants have ruled over us. There 
 is none that doth deliver us out of their hands. Many 
 troubles have compassed us. We have called upon Thee, 
 O ! Lord, our God, but Thou hast departed from us by 
 reason of our transgressions. We have turned away from 
 following Thee. We have gone astray, and were lost. 
 And as yet we have not acknowledged our errors ; and 
 how can we be so presumptuous and stiffnecked as to say 
 before Thee, O our God, and the God of our fathers, that we 
 are righteous and have not sinned I when verily we have 
 sinned." 
 
 Here our nation makes confession of certain errors. Is 
 it not more than probable, nay, next to certain, that the 
 rejection of Jesus of Nazareth, or the Prophet like unto 
 Moses, is the principal error, which our nation have not as 
 yet acknowledged ? And is it not worth while to consider 
 with prayer and supplication, whether our nation is not 
 enduring all its sufferings in consequence of this grievous 
 error ; for beyond all contradiction, they are as yet suffer- 
 ing for unacknowledged sin. It appears almost, that the 
 compiler of the above confession laboured under the burden 
 of the awful mandate, " And it shall come to pass, that 
 whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He shall 
 speak in my name, I will require it of him." 
 
 We may notice another very remarkable confession, 
 which our nation make every year, on the 9th day of the 
 month Ab, when mourning for the destruction of Jeru- 
 salem. After reciting a long catalogue of the calamities 
 that have befallen them since that time, it finishes thus : 
 
HOUSE OF 1SR\KL. 205 
 
 D'i^'^n ubr^b vipn n^1^ 
 D^:i;-in '^d^ b:i b}; ^in 
 
 D^ynii^ i^b wv "it:;^ ^\i^^ 
 
 *' And the Holy Spirit makes complaints against them, 
 Woe ! by reason of my wicked neighbours. They pro- 
 claim what sufferings they have endured, but are silent as 
 to their evil deeds. They proclaim their sufferings, when 
 women ate their offspring, but they conceal their wicked- 
 ness in killing a priest and a prophet in God''s sanctuary." 
 What an extraordinary confession ! The third Person in 
 the Godhead chides them for their tardy acknowledgment 
 of their misdeeds, and puts them in remembrance of the 
 heinous crime of murdering those that were sent to them ; 
 and did not the Prince of Life, whom our nation denied in 
 the presence of Pontius Pilate, when he was determined to 
 let Him go, breathe the same spirit ? when He poured out 
 that pathetic lamentation : " O ! Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 
 thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which 
 are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy 
 children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens 
 under her wings, and ye would not ! Behold, your house 
 is left unto you desolate ! For I say unto you, ye shall 
 not see me henceforth till ye shall say. Blessed is He that 
 Cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt. 23. 37—39.) 
 
 My dear Jewish brethren, I would say unto you, in the 
 words of Jesus of Nazareth, when affectionately addressing 
 Himself to the inhabitants of our holy city. He beheld and 
 wept over it, saying, " If ye had but known, even ye, at 
 least in this your day, the things which belong unto your 
 peace, but now they are hid from your eyes." There is, 
 indeed, no necessity for more proofs to convince us, that 
 Jesus of Nazareth was the Prophet like unto Moses. The 
 above evidences sufficiently show, that our nation suffer 
 
200 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 according to the prediction, " And it shall come to pass, 
 that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He 
 shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." 
 
 " All who hear Him not shall perish, 
 'Tis the purpose of the Lord ; 
 Vain the hope that many cherish, 
 While unmindful of His vv^ord : 
 One decree there is for all ; 
 They who hear Him not, must fall." 
 
 But in order to show it more clearly, I shall endeavour, by 
 the help of Him who hath no pleasure in the death of a 
 sinner, but rather that he should return and live, to trace 
 the history and character of that extraordinary man 
 Moses, in which we may observe in one view, the singular 
 resemblance to that of Jesus of Nazareth. Though at first 
 Christ and Moses may seem very unlike one another, as 
 the Gospel and the Law, as the ministration of righteous- 
 ness, and the ministration of condemnation ; but if the 
 Lord, by His infinite grace, is pleased to open our eyes, 
 then we indeed see wondrous things out of His law; we 
 find that " the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto 
 Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Gal. 3. 24.) 
 
 Let us take, therefore, at once a brief view of their 
 history and character. Moses was hid in his infancy from 
 the cruel edict Pharaoh issued, that every male child in 
 Egypt should be destroyed. Jesus was hid from the rage 
 of Herod, who " slew all the children that were in Bethle- 
 hem, and in all the coasts thereof." It would not be out 
 of place to mention here an old and remarkable Jewish 
 tradition, which will illustrate the analogy more forcibly. 
 Rabbi S. Jarchi observes, on Exod. 1. 16: ]ntDm win p d« 
 DfTM srcnon p 1V7 yrsm lyiarjSM ^b rfcaw on^in ■» ^'jn T3pD .-m wb mro 
 " * If it be a son, then ye shall kill him.' Pharaoh was 
 very particular with the males only, because his magicians 
 told him, that a son was about to be born, who should 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 207 
 
 save them [i.e. the Israelites]." This is very similar to 
 the history of Jesus. " Behold there came wise men from 
 the east to Jerusalem, saying, " Where is He that is born 
 King of the Jews ?" " When Herod the king had heard 
 these things he was troubled," and began to lay snares 
 for the destruction of the child Jesus. But He that sitteth 
 in the heavens laughed them both to scorn, and had them 
 in derision. Moses was obliged to flee his country; Jesus 
 likewise was obliged to flee his place of nativity for Egypt. 
 Moses returned by the command of the Lord, saying, 
 " Go, return into Egypt ; for all the men are dead which 
 sought thy life." (Exod. 4. 19.) A similar command 
 was given for the return of Jesus ; for, " Behold an angel 
 of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 
 saying. Arise, and take the young child and His mother, 
 and go into the land of Israel : for they are dead which 
 sought the young child's life." (Matt. 2. 19, 20.) Moses 
 refused to be a king's heir ; Jesus would not be made a 
 king. Moses was instructed in all knowledge; Jesus 
 " grew and waxed strong in Spirit, filled with wisdom ; 
 and the grace of God was upon Him." (Luke 2. 40.) 
 Moses contended with magicians, the devil's agents, and 
 vanquished them ; Jesus contended with Satan himself, and 
 conquered him. 
 
 Moses was a lawgiver ; so was Jesus. I must here 
 advert, for a moment, to an objection which exists in the 
 minds of our nation against the new law. Every one 
 conversant with the Old Testament must say that such 
 an objection is not founded on the word of God ; for 
 there we expressly find : ^/rnDI HIH^ D^^J D''K1 D'D^ mn 
 
 Hj^-rn nnn min'' n>i n^^ bi^^^'' nu r\^ "Behold 
 
 the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a 
 new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the 
 house of Judah ;" (Jer. 31. 31;) but that it owes its 
 existence to an unscriptural article of faith, made long 
 after the publication of the New Testament, by D'^'^D"! 
 
208 
 
 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 Rambam, or Maimonides, in order to keep us in the dark, 
 which is as follows : TM^nn ui^W HD^Z^ n^lDSl VDi^t2 ^2i^ 
 
 *\DU^ " I believe with a perfect faith, that this law will never be 
 exchanged, nor will there be any other law given from the 
 Creator, blessed be His name !" (9th Article of the Jewish 
 Creed.) This article of faith is not only diametrically 
 opposed to divine revelation, but also to ancient Jewish 
 tradition. In Yalkut Simeoni we find the following pas- 
 sage : rfrra V© v^TOD ^^ v:Db d'2^' uyn 'm idtiti pi? pn n-cv nvnb n'lpn •vns 
 3tm' n'npm ^bi3fa<lyo u^y^ nosVi n'apn Vo 1:^30 m'roi rrom orr'^JT ■» d'toi^ 
 rrc?o T ■» pb Tnr^D rroin rmn >imT\ " The Holy and Blessed One 
 will sit in the garden of Eden and lecture, and all the 
 righteous men will sit before Him, and all the celestial 
 army shall stand upon their feet, and the sun and the 
 planets at the right hand of the Holy and Blessed 
 One, the moon and the stars on his left hand; and the 
 Holy and Blessed One will sit and discuss the new lau\ 
 which He shall give through the Messiah." Hence it appears 
 that the ancient Jewish Rabbies were fully convinced that 
 the new law would be given through the Messiah. 
 
 In the appointed service for the first Saturday in the 
 month Nisan, (which is about the beginning of April,) we 
 find a description given of the events that shall happen in 
 this month, where the following is also mentioned : D1 ]D^'rh 
 rW'in rnn irn^b r\Vin "When a new law shall be given, 
 a new covenant made." The objection, therefore, is sup- 
 ported neither by the word of the living God, nor by the 
 tradition of our wise men. Our nation must, therefore, 
 cancel one article of their faith ; either the 6th, which is, 
 
 " I believe with a perfect faith, that all the words of the 
 Prophets are true ;" or the 9th, above alluded to; for they 
 are evidently opposed to each other. 
 
 Moses was a king ; as we read in Deut. 33. 5 : " And 
 he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 209 
 
 and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.'"* Like- 
 wise Jesus was a king : "And when He was come nigh, 
 even now at the descent of the mount of OHves, the whole 
 multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God 
 with a loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had 
 seen; saying, Blessed be the king that cometh in the name 
 of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest." 
 (Luke 19. 37, 38.) Pilate, after conversing with Jesus, 
 was obliged to confess, " I find no fault in this man,""* and 
 most probably, struck with His humility, believed the word 
 of God more than our apostate Priests, Scribes, and Pha- 
 risees, remembering the words of the Prophet, " Rejoice 
 greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, daughter of Jeru- 
 salem ; behold, thy King cometh unto thee ; He is just, 
 and having salvation ; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and 
 upon a colt, the foal of an ass." (Zech. 9. 9.) We have 
 every reason to suppose that Pilate, watching all the move- 
 ments of Jesus of Nazareth, sincerely asked, " Shall I 
 crucify your King V and perseveringly called Him thus ; 
 he determined that He should be called so, and therefore 
 exclaimed, " Behold your King !" And even after the 
 crucifixion of Jesus, his faith was stronger than theirs ; for 
 he " wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writ- 
 ing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews ;" and 
 when the infidel chief priests objected to it, Pilate firmly 
 withstood them. Thus it will be more tolerable to him in 
 the day of judgment than to them. But Jesus is yet to be 
 King of the Jews, and acknowledged as such, when the 
 heads of the people and the tribes of Israel shall he gathered 
 together, "He will pour upon the house of Israel, and upon 
 the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and sup- 
 plication ; and they shall look upon Him whom they have 
 pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one that 
 mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for 
 Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born." (Zech. 
 12. 10.) Then shall the whole of our nation shout with a 
 
 2 E 
 
210 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 voice as that of many waters, with enraptured acclamation, 
 "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.^"* 
 (Luke 13. 85.) 
 
 Moses was a priest, as we read, Ps. 99. 6, " Moses and 
 Aaron among His priests."*' Jesus is a Priest for ever 
 after the order of Melchisedec, the King of Righteousness. 
 
 Moses was q> prophet. Every one reading the predictions 
 of Jesus, as contained in the New Testament, must ac- 
 knowledge that Jesus was the greatest Prophet of the 
 two. 
 
 Moses taught the children of Israel the doctrine of God's 
 unity in the following precept: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord 
 our God is one Lord." (Deut. 6. 4.) Jesus also taught 
 particularly the same doctrine ; for we read of "one of the 
 scribes," who came and asked Jesus, saying, "Which is 
 the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, 
 The first of all the commandments is. Hear, Israel, the 
 Lord our God is one Lord.''* (Mark 12. 29.) 
 
 * Modem Jews are apt to advance this passage as an argument against 
 the Holy Trinity; becanse they say it speaks here of an unequivocal 
 unity. But it is very remarkable, that the ancient Jewish divines and 
 expounders of the law taught from this very passage the doctrine of the 
 Triune Jehovah. I will quote a passage from the 2nd vol. of Zohar, 
 fol. 160, col. 2, in order to make my assertion good, rbn tm «p ^rtm^ 
 TT Mb '^rrdj -rw >^ "i3Vfb« '^ p»jx> "Israel unites the three hypostases, the 
 Lord, our God, One Lord, to make all, to be but One." On the same page 
 we find the following passage p^p nbro «Tun wn win nt i^t nrbt^ ^^T 
 " The Lord, our God, Lord ; this is the mystery of the Unity in three 
 hypostases." Now the above are expositions on Deut. 6. 4 ; therefore no 
 objection can be urged from it against the orthodox faith of a Trinity in 
 Unity. The unbelieving Jews are very fond of asserting that no Jew can 
 become a real Christian, and, therefore, that all converted Jews are neces- 
 sarily impostors ; and in proof of this assertion, they generally relate that 
 they know of many converted Jews who, on their death-bed, exclaimed, 
 "irw m.T xsrhA mrr Vtnttr SJtaw ** Hear, O Israel : the Lord 
 our God is one Lord." Of course the assertion and the proof owe their 
 existence to their ignorance of the New Testament ; for were they at all 
 acquainted with it, they would know that the first promulgators of Chris- 
 
HOUSE OP ISRAEL. 211 
 
 Moses brought darkness on all the land of Egypt ; the 
 death of Jesus brought darkness on all the land of Judea. 
 After Moses brought darkness, the first-born of the Egyp- 
 tians were slain. The darkness in consequence of the 
 crucifixion of Jesus, was followed by the destruction . of 
 the Jews, (who are called first-born,) by Titus Vespasian. 
 
 Moses predicted the calamities of the Jews ; Jesus fore- 
 told the horrible siege and destruction of Jerusalem. The 
 spirit in Moses was put on the seventy elders; the spirit 
 of Jesus was poured on the twelve apostles and the seventy 
 disciples. Moses vanquished kings and nations of the 
 earth ; Jesus leads captivity captive the kings and nations 
 of the world, through His everlasting Gospel. Moses 
 conquered Amalek by holding up his hands ; Jesus con- 
 quers Satan and sinners by His intercession in heaven. 
 Moses turned away the wrath of God from the rebellious 
 Israelites ; Jesus turns away the wrath of God from all the 
 millions of His people by His death and intercession. 
 Moses ratified the covenant between God and the Is- 
 raelites, by blood sprinkled on the people (Exod. 24. 7, 8); 
 Jesus ratified the covenant of grace by the shedding of 
 His own blood. Moses instituted the passover; Jesus 
 instituted the last supper in remembrance that He, our 
 Passover, was sacrificed for us. Moses lifted up the ser- 
 pent ta cure the Israelites that were stung; Jesus was 
 lifted up on the cross, to cure our souls stung and poisoned 
 with sin. The love of Moses for his nation was repaid 
 with ingratitude and enmity. All of us, even believers, 
 have been ungrateful to Jesus Christ, and sometimes ene- 
 
 tianity were Jews, and Jews only ; who counted not their lives dear to 
 them in order that they might preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. 
 They ought to remember, that the head cornerstone of the Christian Church 
 is a Jew, and the injunction, « Hear, O Israel : the Lord our God is one 
 Lord,*^ is His teaching, as well as that of Moses ; and it may properly h» 
 the dying words of every faithful Christian, not only Jewish but also 
 Gentile. 
 
212 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 mies of His cross, as the children of Israel are even now, 
 to whom He came first, but they sought to kill Him. 
 Moses was ill-used by his own family ; the near relations 
 of Jesus did not believe on Him. Moses had a wicked 
 and . perverse people to deal with for forty years ; Jesus 
 had to deal with a people who were designated ' serpents ^ 
 and ' a generation of vipers.' Moses was very meek above 
 all men ; Jesus was infinitely meeker than Moses, and all 
 the meekest men in the world. The people could not get 
 into the land of Canaan until Moses was dead. Not one 
 soul could ever be admitted into the kingdom of heaven 
 but on the foundation of the death of Christ, who hath 
 opened the kingdom of heaven, by His atoning blood, to 
 all believers. Moses died on account of the rebellion of 
 the people, as he himself said, " But the Lord was 
 wrath with me for your sakes." (Deut. 3. 26.) Jesus 
 was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for 
 our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon 
 Him ; and with His stripes we are healed.'"' (Is. 53. 5 ; 
 1 Peter 2. 24.) Moses went up to die on the mount Nebo; 
 Jesus went up to die on the mount Calvary. Moses died 
 in the vigour of his age — " his eye was not dim, nor his 
 natural force abated;" Jesus died in the flower and glory 
 of His manhood. Moses was buried, and no man saw his 
 body. The unbelieving Jews did not deserve to see the 
 body of Jesus after His resurrection. Moses warned them 
 against false prophets (Deut. 13. *) ; Jesus forewarned 
 
 * The Jews invariably apply this chapter to Jesus. In fact, their 
 children at school are taught to explain it so, and quote it as a reason, if 
 asked by a Christian, why they do not believe in Jesus ; but this, like all 
 their other objections, is owing to their inadequate knowledge of the New 
 Testament ; for if they had only a moderate knowledge of it, they would 
 know that Jesus never taught any thing else but to worship the true and 
 only God, in spirit and in truth ; (see p. 210 ;) whilst the prophet, in 
 Deut. 13, speaks on this wise : " Let us go after other gods, which thoa 
 hast not known, and let us serve them.'* 
 
HOUSK OF ISRAEL. 213 
 
 against many false prophets and messiahs. (Matt. 7. 15 ; 
 24. 11, 24. Mark 13.22.) Moses before his death pro- 
 mised another Prophet ; Jesus before His death promised 
 another Comforter, even the Eternal Spirit in all the glory 
 of His mission, and divine influence in the Church to the 
 end of the world. 
 
 Who can read such an amazing and extraordinary 
 resemblance between Moses and Christ, and not be struck 
 with great astonishment and delight? It is true that a 
 fertile imagination can discover a likeness where there is 
 none ; but the astonishing similitude of characters 
 between Moses and Jesus is so evident, that both wise 
 and unwise can see it at once. Nor can the remarkable 
 correspondence in so many things between Moses and 
 Jesus be the effect of mere chance. Let us examine the 
 annals of sacred and universal history, and see whether we 
 can find an individual who was like unto Moses as Jesus 
 was, and so like Jesus as Moses was. Nor did the Jewish 
 sages think that Moses had any equal but Messiah. The 
 following are the words of Maimonides in writing to a Jew, 
 as found in his book of epistles, well known by the title of 
 pTt m;« Eggereth Taiman : te- vucm mm "zya nnww "pn rran "•:« "jin 
 
 " But I am surprised at you, who are one of the sons who 
 studied the law, and spent your time over the books of the 
 wise, and yet you know not, brother, that Messiah is a very 
 great Prophet, and greater than all the prophets, except 
 Moses, our Rabbi. May peace be upon him." Then, 
 dear Jewish brethren, if we do not find such a striking 
 resemblance to Moses in any one but Christ, we have 
 indeed found Him of whom Moses in the law and the pro- 
 phets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, who i» 
 over all, blessed for ever. Amen. 
 
 But we may go a great deal farther, and say, were there 
 even no resemblance whatever between Jesus and Moses, 
 we are still bound to hearken unto Him, for His prophecies- 
 
214 
 
 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 came to pass, which is a proof that He spake in the name 
 of the Lord, according to the directions given in the law of 
 Moses ; for we read, " And if thou say in thine heart. 
 How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not 
 spoken ? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the 
 Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the 
 thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet 
 hath spoken it presumptuously : thou shalt not be afraid 
 of him." (Deut. 18. 21, 22.) An attentive reader of the 
 New Testament, and a careful observer of the historical 
 events of the Jewish and Christian Churches since the 
 publication of the New Testament, must acknowledge that 
 all Jesus foretold was fulfilled to the letter, which leaves us 
 no room for unbelief ; nor can our unbelief in the gospel 
 be reconciled with the dogmas of the Rabbies. Mai- 
 monides, in his treatise on the "foundation of the law," 
 has the following passage in chap. 10 : Uli^ i^2^W!D '^ytib 
 
 U'n riK '):ib or-ip ^b ^no')^* ]^j^ minn r^^:it22 n^n' jin na;?'? 
 i^bi^ in rJ^i^^ 13 "inh^i i'?Ki i^irvDi jiq ^2b r\'nn m< 
 j^im nrnb wTD^^n Dnai niDi^ hjik K^a:) ui^ ^b onoiK 
 ^Bi i^BNi iKin^ Kb Dj< v-iii li^u^n Don:) 1:1^1 "id'i>* 
 n'T]'^ I'^iD mi M^:i DK1 : -^p^ ^<o:J i^^n':;:irnu pp TnK m 
 
 b^-iii^^ bD :;r^ bikM2t^2 ^t2i^2\i^ idd riDx koj ht '^')n dSd 
 TDn^b ^<u:'? '^i^iDt:; ]Di<: ^n :^2\d n^^n "ryi n^ 
 
 " Therefore when a man comes who is fit for prophecy in 
 the Lord's missions, and he comes neither to add nor to 
 diminish, but to serve the Lord according to the precepts 
 of the law, we do not say to him. Divide the sea for us, or 
 make a dead person come to life again, and such like, and 
 then we shall believe on thee ; but we say unto him. If 
 thou art a prophet^ tell us something that shall happen in 
 some future period, and he utters a prophecy, and we 
 watch whether his words will come to pass ; if they do not 
 come to pass, and if even a little thing fails, it is certain 
 that he is a false prophet ; but if all his words come to 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 215 
 
 pass, he is to be considered in our eyes faithful, and we 
 examine him many times, and if all his words have proved 
 true, then he is certainly a true prophet, as it was said by 
 Samuel, ' And all Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, knew 
 that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord."* 
 (1 Sam. 3. 20 ) 
 
 Now if we consider the life and conduct of Jesus of 
 Nazareth, we shall find Him a true and faithful Prophet ; 
 and we are, therefore, obliged to hearken unto Him, even 
 according to the dogma of an enemy to the cross. Jesus 
 did not teach men to depart from God, which would charac- 
 terise a false prophet; but, on the contrary. He taught 
 the worship of the only true God, as I have already shown 
 in page 210. He proved Himself a true Prophet by the 
 verity of His predictions. He warned them against false 
 messiahs. (Matt. 24. Mark 13. 22.) How awfully has 
 that prophecy been verified! I need only refer you to 
 Talmud^ Tzemach David^ or Branch of David, Shaivet 
 Jehuda, or Sceptre ofJudah, Eggereth Hatayman, or Epistle 
 of the South, Shahheleth Hakhabalah, or Chain of Tradition,* 
 Buxtorfs " Institutione epistolari HebraicaP I will, how- 
 ever, quote here a short but comprehensive account of the 
 false Messiahs from Leslie''s " Short and easy method with 
 the Jews," which is as follows : " The history of these 
 false Messiahs has been lately written by Johannes a Lent, 
 and printed at Hebron, 1697, with sufficient vouchers from 
 the Rabbies of the Jews themselves. Let me but name 
 them, to show the succession of delusion in the Jews. You 
 have heard before, out of Josephus, the multitudes of false 
 Messiahs before the destruction of Jerusalem. A.0. 114, 
 you set up another in the reign of Trajan ; one Andrew, 
 
 * All these books, which are historical, written by celebrated Jewish 
 Rabbies, contain the accounts of the false messiahs that have appeared 
 since our Lord delivered His prophecy : " Many will come in my name, 
 saying, I am Christ." (Matthew 24. 5.) 
 
216 
 
 ADDRESS TO THR 
 
 which occasioned the destruction of many thousands of 
 you. Again in the reign of Adrian, another, whom you 
 called Bar Cochav, i.e. the son of a star ; alluding to the 
 star of Jacob, Num. 24. 17. And again rebelling under 
 this Messiah, caused a most dreadful destruction amongst 
 you, insomuch that, as yourselves have told it in your own 
 books, there was twice the number of Jews that perished 
 upon this occasion more than all those that came out of 
 Egypt ; and that you suffered more under Adrian than 
 imder Nebuchadnezzar or Titus. When you were at last 
 undeceived (too late), then you changed the name of this 
 false messiah, from Bar Cochav, (or 2D1D in) the son of a star, 
 to Bar Ooziva, (or NS'ID *in) the son of a lie, as being a false 
 Messiah. And how oft have you been deceived since? In the 
 year of Christ, 434, in the reign of Theodosius the younger, 
 another Pseudo- Messiah arose in the island of Crete, who 
 said that he was Moses, and sent from heaven to carry the 
 Jews in Crete, on dry ground, through the sea, and per- 
 suaded several of them to throw themselves into the sea. 
 In the year of Christ, 520, another Pseudo- Messiah, one 
 Dunaan, arose in Arabia, and, with the Jews who followed 
 him, set upon the bishop and Christians in Negrae, and 
 committed great outrages, till he was destroyed. A.C. 52.9, 
 the Jews and Samaritans in Palestine were seduced into 
 rebellion by Julian, a Pseudo-Messiah, which occasioned 
 the destruction of many of them. And when Mahomet 
 appeared, about the year 620, the Jews flocked to him as 
 their Messiah, to which character he at first pretended ; 
 and they stuck to him till, as some say, they saw him eat 
 camel's blood, or, as others tell, for other reasons they left 
 him. Indeed he left them and set up other pretences. 
 After, A.C. 721, they followed a certain Syrian, who said 
 that he was Christ. A.C. 1137, they followed another in 
 France, which occasioned their banishment out of that 
 country, and the slaughter of great numbers of them. 
 The year following, viz. A.C. 1138, in Persia, a false 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 21 7 
 
 Messiah taking arms, brought great mischiefs upon the 
 Jews there. A.C. 1157, the Jews rising under another 
 Messiah in Spain, had well nigh all of them been cut off. 
 A.C. 1167, they suffered much under another Messiah in 
 the kingdom of Fez. And in the same year, under ano- 
 ther in Arabia, who gave for a sign, that after his head 
 was cut off by the king of Arabia, he would rise to life ; 
 which he did not : but by this escaped a more cruel death. 
 And not long after, in the same 12th century, they suf- 
 fered much by another beyond Euphrates ; who gave for 
 his sign, that he would go to bed at night leprous, and 
 rise sound in the morning. About the year 1174, another 
 rose in Persia, and led the Jews into rebellion, which 
 occasioned great destruction among them. And one 
 David Almusar occasioned the like to them in Moravia 
 and Germany. And again, in the same century, another 
 Pseudo-Messiah. All mentioned by Maimonides, and other 
 Jewish Rabbies. Who likewise tells us of that most famous 
 Pseudo- Messiah in Persia, called David El David, alias 
 David Elroi, about the years 1199 or 1200, a great magi- 
 cian, who deluded many of the Jews. A.C. 1222, many 
 Jews followed a false Messiah in Germany, whom they 
 called the son of David : and the same year expected 
 their Messiah to be born of a woman, when with child, at 
 Worms; but it proved a girl. A.C. 1465, when the Sara- 
 cens made such inroads upon Christendom, the Jews then 
 thought their Messiah was come to fight their battles. 
 And the same year Rabbi Abraham Avenaris, a Jewish 
 astrologer, from the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 
 the sign Pisces, foretold the coming of the Messiah to be 
 then at hand. And afterwards R. Abarbanel, in his com- 
 mentary upon Daniel, p. 84, 86, gathered the time of 
 Messiah's coming from the like conjunction of Jupiter and 
 Saturn in Pisces. About the year 1497, the Jews were 
 again deceived in Ishmael Sophus, whom they took for 
 their Messiah, who having got together an army of vile 
 
 2f 
 
218 ADIHIESS TO THE 
 
 and profligate men, pursued his victories successfully 
 through Media, Parthia, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Ar- 
 menia. But he at last cheated the Jews, and set up a 
 new sect for Mahomet. A.C. 1500, Rabbi Ascher Lemla 
 appeared in Germany as the forerunner of the Messiah, 
 who he promised should come and restore the Jews to the 
 land of Canaan that same year ; and the Jews generally, 
 every where did believe him, and appointed public fasts 
 and prayers to prepare for the coming of their Messiah. 
 About the year 1 534, a new Messiah rose up in Spain, 
 who was burned by Charles the 5th ; as was another at 
 Mantua, R. Salomo Malcho ; whom many of the Jews did 
 beHeve came again to life after he was burned, and every 
 Sabbath visited his wife Zephati. But the emperor spared 
 R. David, who called himself one of the emissaries of the 
 Messiah, then soon to come. Who, when he was at Rome, 
 is said to have fasted six days together. Another Pseudo- 
 Messiah rose up in the East Indies about the year 1615, 
 and another in Holland, A.C. 1624. The story of the 
 famous Pseudo-Messiah, Sabbattai Zevi, A..C. 1666, is 
 remarkably well known ; who, after all the expectation of 
 the people of the Jews, turned, at last, Mahometan, to save 
 his life. And no longer since than the year 1682, there 
 has got up another false Messiah, R. Mordecai, a German 
 Jew, whom almost all the Jews in Italy, and many in 
 Germany, have owned ; but, like wise men, with due respect 
 to the inquisition and self-preservation." 
 
 Dear Jewish brethren, how can we remain deaf to this, 
 and harden our hearts in unbelief? How ought the words 
 of Jesus of Nazareth, " Behold, I have told you before," to 
 awaken our minds from any dormant carelessness? 
 
 Jesus foretold His own death, and the circumstances 
 attending it, as we read, "From that time forth began 
 Jesus to show to His disciples how that He must go unto 
 Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, chief 
 priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. Sl9 
 
 the third day." (Matt. 16. 21; 20. 18, 19.) He like- 
 wise foretold His betrayal, His desertion by His disciples, 
 and denial by Peter. (Matt. 26. 23; 31. 46.) All of 
 which had their accomplishment to the very letter. His 
 prediction concerning His resurrection was likewise ful- 
 filled to the letter. He said : " Destroy this temple, and 
 in three days I will raise it up, but He spake of the temple 
 of His body.'' (John 2. 19—21.) Again, " The chief 
 priests and Pharisees came unto Pilate, saying. Sir, we 
 remember that that Deceiver said, while He was yet alive, 
 After three days I will rise again.'' (Matt. 27. 62, 63.) 
 The accomplishment of it we find recorded in the Gospel 
 according to St. Luke, 24. 5, 6; John 20. 14 — 19 ; Acts 
 I. 3. Jesus of Nazareth foretold the descent of the Holy 
 Ghost upon the Apostles, in miraculous powers and gifts ; 
 and the place where it should be given : " J3ehold, I send 
 the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the 
 city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on 
 high." (Luke 24. 49.) He likewise described what the 
 effects of the Spirit should be : " And these signs shall 
 follow them that believe ; in my name shall they cast out 
 devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; they shall lay 
 their hands on the sick and they shall recover." (Mark 
 16. 17, 18.) Of the full accomplishment of these promises 
 we read enough in the Acts of the Apostles. 
 
 Jesus of Nazareth predicted the persecution of His dis- 
 ciples: "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and 
 shall kill you : and ye shall be hated of all nations for my 
 name's sake." (Matt. 24. 9 ; Luke 21. 12.) All of which 
 was accurately fulfilled, as recorded in the Acts of the 
 Apostles. There we find that some were delivered to 
 councils, as Peter and John ; some were brought before 
 rulers and kings, as Paul before Gallio, Felix, Festus, and 
 Agrippa; some were imprisoned, as Peter and John; some 
 were beaten, as Paul and Silas ; some were put to death, 
 as Stephen and James the brother of John. Every reader 
 
220 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 of history will find that the early Christians were an in- 
 controvertible proof of the correctness of the prophecies of 
 Jesus of Nazareth. But I would earnestly point out to 
 the unbelieving Jews, that their own feelings towards their 
 converted brethren are enough to verify the predictions of 
 Jesus. Alas ! what do Jews even now suffer from our 
 nation at large (especially in those countries where they 
 have some power) as soon as they are in any way inclined 
 towards Christianity ! How are they persecuted ! How 
 is their destruction planned by all kinds of wicked strata- 
 gems to this present day ! As recently as 1828 was Rabbi 
 Moses, brother of the celebrated Rabbi Solomon, of Liddi, 
 thrown into prison (and died there) by the instigation of 
 the Jews, who bribed the government at St. Petersburg 
 to pass a verdict of insanity against him, after he embraced 
 Christianity.* There is yet a living monument to testify to 
 the truth of our Lord's predictions relative to the sufferings 
 of His followers. I mean Mr. Cohen, now Missionary to 
 the Jews in Smyrna, who was a year and a half in exile, 
 
 * " In the year 1828 a Russian general happened to stay with the bro- 
 ther of the Rabbi above-mentioned, [Rabbi Solomon of Liddi] whose name 
 was Rabbi Moshe. This General, who, I now perceive, must have been a 
 good Christian, conversed with the Rabbi about Christianity, and gave 
 him a New Testament, which he diligently read, so that in three nights he 
 was, by the grace of God, convinced of the truth, and wished to make an 
 open confession of his faith. The General fearing that this might occa- 
 sion a disturbance in the place amongst the Jews, thought it prudent to 
 
 send him to Petersburg. There the Rabbi was baptized Within a 
 
 week or two after his baptism, he found many things in that church con- 
 trary to what he read in the New Testament, and was particularly offended 
 by their image-worship, against which he began to preach in their own 
 church, and was shortly thrown into prison for his zeal. The Jews also 
 considering his conversion to Christianity as a blot on their nation, took 
 advantage of this opportunity for taking vengeance upon him, and by 
 giving large bribes to corrupt men in power, they obtained a decision 
 against him of insanity, and cast him into an asylum where he soon died 
 of grief." — Ebenezer, p. 76. 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 221 
 
 together with two others, in consequence of their embracing 
 Christianity.* Alas"! how many places are there on the 
 Continent that a Jew is obliged to quit as soon as he ex- 
 presses any favourable remark on Christianity. 
 
 The prediction of Jesus concerning the siege of Jeru- 
 salem was minutely fulfilled : " The days shall come upon 
 thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, 
 and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 
 and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children 
 within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone 
 upon another ; because thou knowest not the time of thy 
 visitation." (Luke 19. 43, 44.) Josephus, in his history 
 of the wars of our nation, relates that a trench was really 
 cast about Jerusalem, when that city was besieged by Titus. 
 The Eoman army encompassed her around about with a 
 wall, so that no person could escape out of the city, nor 
 could any provisions be introduced. The soldiers of Titus 
 burned the temple, and Titus gave orders to demolish the 
 very foundations of both city and temple, so that scarcely 
 one stone was left upon another. 
 
 Jesus foretold that He should have a Church and people, 
 
 • " Mr. Cohen is one of the three Christian Jews who endured such 
 extreme sufferings in 1826 and 1827, at Constantinople, on account of 
 their confession of Christ. Sentence of death was passed upon them hy 
 the Grand Rabbi and his three assistants, and a large reward offered by 
 the Jews, if the Turkish authorities would carry the sentence into effect. 
 These faithful confessors of Christ were accordingly imprisoned. A full 
 pardon, and immediate deliverance, were promised them if they returned 
 to their old religion, and death was held out to them as the consequence 
 of their perseverance. 
 
 « For a whole night they had the view of death before their eyes, and 
 they spent it in reading the New Testament and prayer. They were 
 loaded with heavy chains, beaten, and otherwise illtreated, and remained 
 for many months in the closest confinement, where they were treated as 
 the worst of malefactors ; the Jews giving a considerable sum of money 
 to the officers of the prison to induce them to put them to hard work, and 
 to beat and to torment iheva.^ -^Jewish Intelliffence, Vol. ix. p. 100. 
 
222 ADDRESS TO THE 
 
 and that the Gospel should be preached throughout the 
 whole world. The Church of Christ is, to the present day, 
 " like a city set upon a hill, a standing memorial to the 
 world of the duty which we owe to our Maker ; to call 
 men continually, both by example and instruction, to attend 
 to it, and by the form of religion ever before their eyes, 
 remind them of the reality ; to be the repository of the 
 oracles of God ; to hold up the light of revelation in aid to 
 that of nature, and propagate it throughout all generations 
 to the end of the world." It is also distinguished by monu- 
 ments of perpetual observances, instituted by Christ Him- 
 self for His Church; viz. Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
 
 The first propagation of Christianity is recorded in the 
 Acts of the Apostles, and its subsequent spread is attested 
 by Christian and heathen writers of succeeding ages. The 
 present many existing societies for the promotion of the 
 Gospel in all the parts of the world, furnish another link 
 to the great chain of testimonies that Jesus was a true 
 Prophet, and that what He predicted came to pass, and 
 therefore that we are bound to hearken unto Him. 
 
 My dear Jewish brethren, I would entreat of you, in the 
 name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not to 
 reject the Gospel of Jesus without due investigation. I am 
 aware that the majority of our nation refuse even to ex- 
 amine the doctrine of Jesus for fear they might be seduced 
 from the right way* ; but I am persuaded they are mis- 
 taken. The more truth is investigated, the brighter it 
 shines ; and the more error is investigated, the more odi- 
 ous and deformed it appears ; for error thrives always in 
 the dark, but the sun of truth, when permitted to shine 
 over it, disperses it as the darkness of night is dispersed 
 by the rising sun. Let us never forget that Christianity, 
 as well as Judaism, is of Jewish origin, and that both were 
 once confined exclusively to our nation. The Author of 
 
 * Such was the Author's own experience. 
 
HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 223 
 
 Christianity was a Jew; the glorious company of the 
 Apostles were Jews ; the noble army of primitive martyrs 
 were Jews ; the infancy of the Christian Church was Jewish. 
 The Christians gratefully acknowledge it. The Rev. Dr. 
 M'Caul, in his learned work, " The Old Paths," makes the 
 following remark in the first page: "Neither in defending 
 Christianity do we wish to diminish ought from the privi- 
 leges of the Jewish people ; on the contrary, we candidly 
 acknowledge that we are disciples of the Jews, converts to 
 Jewish doctrines, partakers of the Jewish hope, and advo- 
 cates of that truth which the Jews have taught us." 
 
 Why should we, dear Jewish brethren, without any 
 examination whatever, reject the New Testament, which 
 was written by Jews who were eye-witnesses of the events 
 recorded in it, and who published it at the time, and in 
 the very place where those events occurred I And why 
 should we rather accept the Talmud, which contains events 
 that are said to have happened many centuries before its 
 publication, and are related by different Rabbles in the 
 most contradictory terms ? 
 
 It cannot be argued that because our nation at large 
 rejected Christ, when He tabernacled amongst them, that 
 therefore He was not the Prophet like unto Moses. Surely 
 there is no evidence wanting, that the majority of our 
 nation acted always in direct opposition to the will of God. 
 How many times do we find in God's word the epithet, 
 ♦"IQ no "a rebellious house," and similar epithets bestowed 
 on our nation? On the contrary, the circumstance that He 
 was rejected by the rich and the great and accepted by the 
 mean, is a proof of His divinity, and to this agree the 
 words of the prophets, for it is written, l^^pn >n*1NU;ni 
 n^n* DU;n iDm bll Oi; O^ " I will also leave in the midst 
 of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust 
 in the name of the Lord." (Zeph. 3. 12.) It behoves, 
 therefore, every Jew to examine carefully and maturely 
 which of our ancestors were taught of God; Matthew, 
 
224 ADDRESS TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 
 
 Mark, John, Saul, Simon Peter, James, &c. or Jehudah, 
 Jochanan, Rabina, Rab-Ashi, &c. 
 
 Dear Jewish brethren, the only way to know this is to 
 compare their doctrines with Moses and the prophets. 
 And now may He who said not " to the seed of Jacob, 
 Seek ye my face in vain," and He that " leads the blind 
 in a way they know not," enable you to find Him of whom 
 Moses and the prophets did write, and open your eyes 
 that ye may behold wondrous things out of His law. 
 Even so be it ! Amen and Amen ! 
 
 " Glorious Prophet, long expected, 
 
 Come to bless Thy Church at last ; 
 May we go by Thee directed. 
 
 Till our pilgrimage is past ! 
 Then, from sin and sorrow free, 
 Dwell eternally with Thee !" 
 
AN ADDRESS TO CHRISTIANS. 
 
 " The controversialist is compelled to attack that which is 
 erroneous, or even absurd in the Oral Law, and the 
 ignorant or unthinking hastily conclude that all the 
 Jewish writings are of the same character^ 
 
 Dr. M'Caul. 
 
 Y dear Christian readers, I humbly trust 
 that in addressing a few words to you in 
 behalf of my nation, I shall not be charge- 
 able with having imbibed early national 
 prejudices, which I cannot get over, and 
 that I am therefore still anxious to elevate the Jewish 
 nation above their level, being puffed up with national 
 pride. I am the more emboldened to address you, as I feel 
 myself innocent from any such imputation whatever. I 
 have investigated the national religion of modern Jews, 
 and have found it wanting, when compared with the word 
 of the living God ; and, therefore, I renounced it publicly, 
 and paid no deference to it because it was the religion of 
 my nation, though I was brought up in it from my very 
 infancy. I am confident, therefore, when the kind reader 
 will take this into his consideration, he will at once excul- 
 pate me from the charge of being biassed through national 
 pride. 
 
 2g 
 
226 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 Though it is my firm conviction, that modern Judaism 
 is a most extravagant and superstitious religion, and must 
 be stigmatized as such ; yet this conviction does by no 
 means diminish my affection and admiration for the Jewish 
 people, for their genius, for their love of learning, and for 
 their literature ; and when I am to speak of Jews ab- 
 stractedly from Judaism, words fail me to express my 
 admiration for them; for I trust I have a distinct idea of 
 their faults and merits. You will not be surprised, there- 
 fore, my dear Christian friends, when I tell you that it 
 grieves me to find that many Christians connect with the idea 
 of a Jew all that is absurd and ridiculous, and even boldly 
 speak of their literature (which evidently they never fully 
 examined) as a mass of absurdities, which could only be 
 produced by a most ignorant and superstitious people, 
 whose intellect has become barbarized through the study 
 of Rabbinism. It excites in their breasts no other emo- 
 tions than those of derision, abhorrence, and contempt. 
 There are some, however, who affect to speak of Jewish lite- 
 rature in a most contemptuous manner, as though they had 
 studied it and knew all about it, and even adduce instances 
 of the gross ignorance of Jewish writers, from some of their 
 productions, and hence conclude that all the Jewish writ- 
 ings are of the same character, without any discrimination 
 whatever. Such certainly may properly be classed amongst 
 pedants, who are anxious to show off* their knowledge of 
 Hebrew learning, which is but scanty, for they have pil- 
 laged here a little and there a little from some controversial 
 books, whose authors were obliged to attack such absurd 
 and ridiculous dogmas as would illustrate their arguments, 
 that modern Judaism is not of divine institution but that 
 of erring men, who are prone to superstition and love 
 darkness rather than light, and accordingly have deviated 
 from the simple and most subhme Mosaic Judaism, and 
 have set them up a Judaism of their own, which is preg- 
 nant with most detestable superstition. Hence these 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 227 
 
 superficial critics come to the hasty conclusion that the 
 whole range of Jewish literature is full of superstitious 
 fables. Well said the English bard : — 
 
 *< A little learning is a dangerous thing ! 
 Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring." 
 
 Such must be told that the wreckless grasp of superstition 
 has chained unnumbered myriads of minds — ^minds the 
 most exalted, as well as minds the most degraded — the 
 mind of the philosopher, no less than of the serf; there- 
 fore national religious superstition is no criterion of a 
 nation*'s inferiority of intellect. Genius and learning are 
 by no means the property of any sect or nation. Thus it 
 is generally considered that we are chiefly indebted to 
 Greece and Rome for arts and science, although their 
 religions were inexpressibly superstitious. 
 
 The Jewish people, as I shall demonstrate, have in no 
 period been inferior to any nation in their genius either 
 in arts or science. It is an undeniable fact, that there is 
 no science in which some Jewish name is not enrolled 
 amongst its eminent promoters. Let us suppose a Jew, 
 who is acquainted with the merits of the sages of his 
 nation, meets with several divinity students of the English 
 or Irish Universities, who have distinguished themselves 
 in their classical and scientific attainments, and that their 
 academic course of learning was the theme of their con- 
 versation. We may suppose that the Jew, (observing the 
 raptures that marked their intercourse,) stirred up by a 
 spirit of patriotism, would join in their interesting conver- 
 sation and plead thus for his nation : " You are accustomed 
 to regard with feelings of the liveliest interest all the sages 
 of the different nations, in consequence of the invaluable 
 works which those illustrious men bequeathed to mankind ; 
 for their salutary productions aro universal, just as the 
 light that emanates from the sun. You scarce ever mention 
 the names of Homer, Herodotus, Socrates, Pythagoras, 
 Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Demosthenes, Cicero, Virgil, 
 
228 AN ADDRESS 
 
 Tacitus, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Herschel, &;c. with- 
 out calling up feelings of affection and regard towards the 
 nations that gave them birth ; but the names of the sages 
 of our nation, who were once justly styled, by common con- 
 sent, ' Sapientissimi," are passed over in silence ; they are 
 never thought of; very few think it worth their while to 
 explore their invaluable writings, having imbibed the idea 
 that all Jewish productions, without exception, are full of 
 absurdities." The Israelite would say, " Why do you blend 
 the name Jew with the idea of Judaism, (as for this reason 
 you despise our literature,) which is not the case with any 
 individual of any other nation? Socrates, by universal 
 consent, wears the crown of reputation for wisdom, more 
 than any other ancient philosopher; yet his degraded state 
 of mind, as far as religion was concerned, as proved by his 
 sacrificing a cock to ^sculapius, at the last hour of his 
 life, is not taken into consideration to counterbalance his 
 subtle disputations, profound inquiries, acute reasonings, 
 and admirable discoveries." 
 
 " Had but Christian students," the Israelite would say, 
 "paid more attention to Jewish literature, their illusion 
 would have been soon dissipated ; they would have found 
 that the Jews have a remarkable love for the pursuit of 
 learning, or, using the words of a Christian Doctor of 
 Divinity, (who spent 22 years amongst Jews, and in the 
 study of their literature,) that they are * Acute, disputa- 
 tious, with a profound love of learning, and an uncontrol- 
 able energy in the pursuit of knowledge. Such is their 
 general character.'* Had but the literature of my nation 
 been as much studied as that of the Gentile nations, many 
 more illustrious Hebrews would enjoy universal renown, 
 which ought to be their portion in common with the sages 
 of all other nations ; and the mention of their names would 
 likewise excite nothing but feelings of love and respect for 
 the nation that gave them birth." 
 
 * See Dr. M'Caul's « Sketches of Judaism and the Jews," page 3. 
 
TO CHIUSTIAN8. 229 
 
 "Had Greece produced not only her own statesmen, 
 orators, philosophers, and poets, but those of all other 
 nations put together, what had even such a concentration 
 of genius and learning been compared with the productions 
 of our nation ? Many of our nation,'"* the Jew would say, 
 " were fathers in literature before any of the present na- 
 tions, especially those of Europe, had their existence. 
 Mr. James Finn, who is himself a Christian, observes in 
 his ' Sephardim*** : ' To estimate their value in this respect, 
 we must travel back, by an astounding climax, through 
 the Gemara and Mishnah, the Hellenic Jewish writings of 
 Josephus, Philo, the New Testament, the Septuagint, and 
 the Maccabees : through the minor prophets to Nehemiah, 
 who wrote 140 years before Xenophon ; to Isaiah, 700 
 years before Virgil; to Proverbs and Psalms, 1040 years 
 before Horace; to Euth, 1030 years previous to Theoc- 
 ritus ; and to Moses, above 1 000 years the predecessor of 
 Herodotus.' 
 
 " ' And the Israelites were alone in the popular diffusion 
 of elementary literature. Before even entering the pro- 
 mised land, at a time when some would persuade us they 
 were a wild horde of degraded and fugitive slaves, their 
 legislator could address them in this manner: "These 
 
 words which I command thee this day thou shalt bind 
 
 them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as 
 frontlets between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them 
 
 upon the posts of thine house, and upon thy gates and 
 
 when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, what 
 mean the testimonies, &c. It was long before a Greek 
 lawgiver could have proclaimed such an ordinance with any 
 chance of being obeyed by the whole congregation.' But, 
 alas ! no nation was ever more despised, scorned, and 
 cruelly and universally insulted and persecuted than ours. 
 With the aid of several celebrated Eabbies, we can trace 
 
 * A very able work, full of important information. The Author has 
 availed himself of Mr. Finn's extensive research. 
 
230 AN A DURESS 
 
 Hebrew literature to Shem, Noah's son, who, according to 
 them, was head of an academy which he erected on Mount 
 Tabor, in which he taught theology, jurisprudence, and 
 astronomy, and to which his grandson, Eber, succeeded 
 him." Josephus bears testimony to this statement, for he 
 says : " God afforded them [the patriarchs] a longer time 
 of life on account of their virtue, and the good use they 
 made of it in astronomical and geometrical discoveries, 
 which would not have afforded them the time of foretelling 
 the periods of the stars, unless they had lived six hundred 
 years ; for the great year is completed in that interval."* 
 Cassini remarks on the above quotation : " This period, 
 whereof we find no intimation in any monument by any 
 other nation, is the finest period that ever was invented ; 
 for it brings out the solar year more exactly than that of 
 Hipparchus and Ptolemy, and the lunar year within about 
 one second of what is determined by modern astronomers* 
 If the ante-deluvians had such a period of six hundred 
 years, they must have known the motions of the sun 
 and moon more exactly than their descendants knew 
 them some ages after the flood." (Enc. Britannica.) 
 Scipio Sgambati, in his work entitled "Archivorum Ve- 
 teris Testamenti, seu de Scriptoribus Hebraicis," asserts 
 that " Shem was the author of a treatise on medicine, of 
 which a manuscript in Hebrew was preserved in the library 
 of the then (1600) Elector of Bavaria. Though no en- 
 lightened Jew would demand implicit faith in such an 
 assertion, yet it would corroborate his argument, that the 
 idea of Shem being at the head of an academy would not 
 have been incredible to the ancients." The Jew would 
 also be able to prove to his companions that our patriarch 
 Abraham was one of his disciples, and the ceremonies 
 
 * See Jos. Ant. lib. 1, 3, 7. Doubtless Josephus and his contemporary 
 astronomers had a fair knowledge of the solar system, but we have no 
 right to say that the people at large had the same knowledge, for the 
 tenor of Scripture would prove the contrary. 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 231 
 
 which he observed at his sacrifices had been communicated 
 to him by Shem and Heber, his tutors. In proof of his 
 assertion he would quote Josephus, who, in his " Anti- 
 quities of the Jews,"'"' Hb. 1, cap. 6, informs us that the 
 Jews were originally called Hebrews from Heber, and this 
 derivation is decidedly the most correct one, though some 
 of the moderns displayed great reasoning powers to prove 
 that they were called Hebrews because of their progenitor 
 Abraham, who passed over^ the Euphrates, for Shem is 
 also called " the father of all the children of Eber, or of all 
 the Hebrews," (Gen. 10. 21,) long before Abraham passed 
 the Euphrates, just as the disciples of the prophets were 
 called " sons of the prophets." It is more than probable, 
 therefore, that Abraham was the first that was called 
 Hebrew^ because he was a disciple of Heher^ and was very 
 zealous in promulgating the learning he obtained from 
 him ; as the zealous followers of Plato are called Platonists, 
 of Aristotle, Aristotelians, &c. 
 
 The frequent communication which Noah had with God, 
 and the age that he attained, doubtless were conducive to 
 his obtaining a thorough knowledge of true philosophy and 
 science, which he communicated to Shem, and Shem to 
 Heber. Of the last frequent mention is made. The 
 Arabs call him "Hud," and venerate him as a prophet. 
 We find in the Alcoran a whole chapter devoted to a 
 sermon addressed by the prophet Hud to the nations, 
 in which it is said that the chief occupation of this 
 patriarch was to promote religious truths. Abraham hav- 
 ing been instructed by him was, therefore, the first who 
 was emphatically called ^'^2,)^r\ " the Hebrew,^'' or disciple 
 of Heber. It is true the Septuagint renders ni^ or 
 Hebrew^ TnpdTrjg passenger ; but the Jew, who is well ac- 
 quainted with its merits, will be able to produce many 
 instances where the translators mistook a Hebrew appela- 
 tive for a proper name. 
 
 * Some derive Hebrew from the verb -ay Ahar^ to pass over. 
 
232 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 The Jew would also easily demonstrate to his companions, 
 that our patriarch Abraham was the principal teacher, 
 both in religious truths and secular learning, and that he 
 had many disciples. It would be worth while noticing here 
 Ben Zimra*'s remarks on the words, " And the souls that 
 they had gotten [Heb. made] in Haran." (Gen. 12. 5.) 
 In B'raishith Rabbah, ch. 39, we find the following; 
 " Rabbi Eleazar-ben-Zimra saith, If all those who have 
 ever existed in this world, were assembled to create even 
 a fly, they could not bestow life on it ; and the Scripture 
 speaks of making souls ! But these are the converts whom 
 they reclaimed; and the word X^^ '"made,"" is used to 
 teach us, that whosoever reclaims a soul from idolatry, to 
 the worship of God, is as he had created him anew.*" 
 Josephus, by a reference to other historians, corroborates 
 this statement. In his " Antiquities," lib. 7. 2, we find 
 the following : " Berosus mentions our father Abraham 
 without naming him when he says thus : ' In the tenth 
 generation after the flood, there was among the Chaldeans 
 a man righteous, and great, and skilful, in the celestial 
 science.'' But Hactaeus does not more than barely mention 
 him ; for he composed and left behind him a book con- 
 cerning him. And Nicolaus of Damascus, in the fourth 
 book of his history, says thus : ' Abram reigned at Damas- 
 cus, being a foreigner, who came with an army above 
 Babylon, called the land of the Chaldeans. But after a 
 long time he got him up, and removed from that country 
 also with his people, and went into the land then called 
 the land of Canaan, but now the land of Judea.' " In 
 ch. 8. 2, of the same book, we find the following: "He 
 [i.e. Abraham] communicated to them [i.e. Egyptians] 
 arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astro- 
 nomy; for, before Abram came into Egypt, they were 
 unacquainted with those parts of learning ; for that science 
 came from the Chaldeans into Egypt, and from thence to 
 the Greeks also."" 
 
TO CriRISTIANS. 233 
 
 Perhaps some one may argue, all those statements are 
 too vague to conclude any thing definite from them ; but 
 it may be answered, that the testimonies here adduced are 
 more authentic than most of the Grecian writings; and 
 why should they not be considered of equal authority, at 
 least, with " The Lives of Plutarch V for Josephus has 
 shewn very successfully and clearly, that almost all the 
 writings of Greece cannot be depended upon;* and yet 
 Christian students spend much of their time in ascertaining 
 what may be after all only a fiction. 
 
 Abraham doubtless attended more particularly to the 
 education of his son Isaac in all the wisdom he had accu- 
 mulated. Isaac instructed his sons ; and Jacob educated 
 his twelve sons; so that wisdom and learning became 
 hereditary amongst their descendants. 
 
 It is the opinion of a great many of the ancients, that 
 the history of Job was written by Moses in Midian, and 
 delivered to his suffering brethren in Egypt, for their sup- 
 port and comfort under their burdens, and the encourage- 
 ment of their hope that God would, in due time, deliver 
 and enrich them, as he did this patient sufferer. If that 
 were the case, the Israelites even then must have been a 
 very educated and enlightened people, to be able to enter 
 into the spirit of a work which is to the present day con- 
 sidered to be unrivalled, either in its philosophic definitions 
 or divine demonstrations. In fact, wherever the Israelites 
 went they distinguished themselves as superior teachers in 
 science. Thus we find, that no sooner were they carried 
 away captives into Babylon, than one of their children 
 became the chief astronomer and astrologer. It would be 
 worth while to remark here, that then it was that Pytha- 
 goras arrived at Babylon in search of the science of the 
 East ; whence he carried to Europe the doctrine of a 
 heliocentric system, and daily rotation of the globe on its 
 axis. 
 
 * See Flavius Josephus against Apion. 
 
 2h 
 
234 AN ADDRESS 
 
 Every one reading the Old Testament Scriptures, Mac- 
 cabees, &c. will not hesitate for a moment to testify that 
 learning has in no period of that dispensation been neg- 
 lected by the Jews. Although some of the literati regret 
 little or nothing the loss of Josephus's intended work con- 
 cerning the reasons of many of the Jewish laws, and the 
 philosophical or allegorical sense they would bear, yet I 
 would certainly heartily re-echo the sentiments of Fab- 
 ricius ap. Havercamp, p. 63, 64, that " We need not doubt 
 but, among some vain frigid conjectures derived from 
 Jewish imaginations, Josephus would have taught us a 
 greater number of excellent and useful things, which, 
 perhaps, no body, neither among the Jews nor among the 
 Christians, can now inform us of; so that I would give 
 a great deal to find it still extant." I would request 
 the Christian student to peruse with attention his two 
 books against Apion, Agatharchides, Manetho, Cheremon, 
 and Lysimachus, commonly known by the title of " Flavins 
 Josephus against Apion," wherein he very learnedly de- 
 monstrated that a great many of the principal Greek 
 philosophers availed themselves of Jewish learning, and 
 actually adopted many of their dogmas into their system 
 of philosophy. The perusal of these two books will furnish 
 the reader with a fair idea of the intellectual state of the 
 Jews till the time of Josephus. They may properly be 
 considered the most learned, excellent, and useful books 
 of all antiquity ; and when Jerome perused them, he de- 
 clared that it seemed to him a miraculous thing, "how 
 one that was a Hebrew, who had been from his infancy 
 instructed in sacred learning, should be able to produce 
 such a number of testimonies out of profane authors, as if 
 he had read over all the Grecian libraries." And we may 
 rest assured, that we should have had a great many more 
 monuments of Jewish industry, philosophy, and learning of 
 that period, than we have now, if more Jews had been 
 encouraged in the same way as Josephus was by Epaphro- 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 235 
 
 ditus. Were the Alexandrian library still extant, we 
 might in all probability have found many precious reliques 
 of Jewish labour amongst the 700,000 volumes ; for it is 
 certain that the greatest part of the first inhabitants of 
 Alexandria were Jews, who were transplanted thither, 
 B.C. 336, 320, and 312, who, becoming familiar with the 
 Greek language and learning, were called Hellenists. 
 
 But the Christian may perhaps rejoin, as some have 
 indeed asserted, that the state of learning amongst the 
 Jews became extinct with the destruction of their city. 
 Such an argument would at once prove the student''s pro- 
 found ignorance of their subsequent history. Their ardent 
 love for knowledge and learning was never chilled ; they 
 have even in their most distracting calamities exhibited a 
 most unquenchable desire for the pursuit of learning ; and 
 the profound and learned Dr. M'Caul justly styled them, 
 " A nation not more remarkable for the calamities which 
 they have survived, than for a genius and love of learning, 
 which those calamities could never subdue."* Almost 
 immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the 
 disasters which befel the Jews in Alexandria, Jewish 
 learning sought and found an asylum, partly amidst the 
 reeking ruins of Judea, and partly on the borders of the 
 Euphrates. Though we cannot eulogize the productions 
 of the schools there established, (see p. 85 — 87,) for none 
 can deny that the Talmuds contain the most palpable ab- 
 surdities ; yet those that are acquainted with them as a 
 whole, are ready to acknowledge that they contain many 
 valuable truths, and even in the Mishnah and Talmuds the 
 Jewish Eabbies have bequeathed to the world a monument 
 of patient industry, zeal, and perseverance. 
 
 But the College of Tiberias has beyond contradiction 
 presented to the learned a noble specimen of their Biblical 
 knowledge, which is clearly to be seen in the Masora, Mr. 
 James Finn, in his " Sephardim," (the Jew would rather 
 
 * See the dedication of Dr. M^Caul's Zechariah. 
 
2S6 AN ADDRESJ5 
 
 refer to Gentile writers to make his assertion good, because 
 every thing that a Jew affirms, is received with caution,) 
 properly remarks, " This prodigious effort of patient indus- 
 try, this single work [i.e. the Masora] demands from the 
 learned of every nation, that the Jews be considered as 
 eminently a literary people ; a character which they have 
 not failed to uphold ever since those early ages." Gesenius, 
 in his Geschichte der Heh. Sprache^ p. 75, remarks, " It is 
 evident that its authors were guided by fixed grammatical 
 principles, which, though never collected into one whole, 
 they had deduced for themselves, and according to which 
 they conformed the text, and endeavoured to remove its 
 irregularities and supposed errors. In doing so, they 
 manifest a great accuracy of study." Great indeed is the 
 benefit which Biblical critics and Hebrew Grammarians 
 have derived from it ever since. The Jew would say, and 
 justly too, "that to us you are indebted for your Latin 
 Vulgate, for your great Jerome was the secret pupil of 
 our Kabbi Barabbanus in Hebrew, at Jerusalem, whom 
 Ruffinus (the adversary of St. Jerome) jestingly called 
 Barabbas." 
 
 But Theodosius was the cause of the suppression of our 
 schools at Tiberias, about the beginning of the 5th century. 
 And soon afterwards, Christians began to exhibit the nails, 
 the cross, the spear, and the crown of thorns connected 
 with the Messiah; and began to compel the Jews to 
 venerate such counterfeit relics ; and when the Jews pro- 
 perly refused, canons of the most hostile and offensive 
 nature were enacted against them. In fact, nominal Chris- 
 tians taught the Jews to hate them, even when they were 
 inclined to be friendly with Christians, which the 50th 
 Canon of the Council of Elvira (near Granada) virtually 
 acknowledges, which is as follows ; " If any person, whether 
 clerical or one of the faithful, shall take food with tJw 
 Jews^ he is to abstain from our communion, that he may 
 learn to amend." There was scarcely a year in which new 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 23 7 
 
 edicts were not issued against the Jews, all aiming at their 
 extirpation ; and in the 7th century they were condemned 
 in Spain, by professing followers of Jesus of Nazareth, to 
 universal spoliation and perpetual slavery. It is not won- 
 derful, therefore, that their very learned men employed the 
 greatest part of their time to prove that Christianity was 
 not based on God's revelation. 
 
 But did this quench their thirst for learning and know- 
 ledge ? By no means. No sooner had the bright period 
 of the Spanish Caliphate entered, and encouragement was 
 given to literature, arts, and science, than Jewish industry 
 enjoyed sunshine again ; as the Christian bard, Cowper 
 beautifully says : — 
 
 " For wisdom is a pearl with most success 
 Sought in still waters, and beneath clear skies." 
 
 The Caliphs Abdamaleck, Walid, Soliman, Omar, Jesid, 
 and Hescham, delighted in the society and conversation of 
 our learned and talented men. The more learned of the 
 Caliphs encouraged them at their courts, entrusted them 
 with offices of confidence, dignity, and emolument; and 
 we even find that Omar the 2nd did not hesitate to em- 
 ploy the instrumentality of a Jew (i.e. Samuel Halevi, 
 whom he made Minister of State,) in an affair which 
 appears least adapted for Jewish intervention, which has 
 been most favourable towards their cultivation of learning 
 and intellect ; and we therefore find a great many Jews of 
 that period who grace the literary pages of Spanish his- 
 tory, for they were pre-eminent as philosophers, philolo- 
 gists, physicians, astronomers, mathematicians, historians, 
 grammarians, orators, and highly-gifted poets. Under 
 each of these heads, a long and distinguished list is re- 
 corded by the industrious De-Castro, of nearly 700 different 
 works, from the 10th to the 15th century. The Jews in 
 Spain were deservedly honoured with the appellation of 
 " 8api6ntissim%'''' for the number of Jewish students there 
 
238 AN ADDllESiS 
 
 was immense. Milekatri maintains that there were 12,000 
 Jewish students in the Toledo School. And while the con- 
 temporary Christians there were groping in the darkness of 
 superstition and ignorance, the Jews enjoyed and improved 
 the sunshine of intellect and knowledge. Mr. Finn, in 
 his preface to " Sephardim^'''' says : " Moreover, their 
 [i.e. Spanish Jews] early and afterwards diversified culti- 
 vation of literature and science, raised them to a positive 
 standing in the intelligence of Europe so high, that it has 
 been said, ' We have never yet repaid our debt of grateful 
 acknowledgment to the illustrious Hebrew Schools of Cor- 
 dova, Seville, and Granada.** " 
 
 Any one who has at all paid any attention to thoir 
 history, must acknowledge that they have conferred great 
 benefits on Europe by their studies. There was a period, 
 when the Greek language and its whole literature lay 
 buried to the Western nations. There is a remarkable 
 incident mentioned by Conrad, of Heresbach of the 16th 
 century, as a fact, that a Monk observed to his companion, 
 " They [i.e. the Reformers] have invented a new language, 
 which they call Greek ; you must be carefully on your 
 guard against it; it is the matter of all heresy." The 
 Jews, however, were reading in their own language several 
 works of Aristotle, Plato, Ptolemy, Apolonius, Hippo- 
 crates, Galen, and Euclid, which they derived from the 
 Arabic of the Moors, who brought them from Greece and 
 Egypt, and employed much of their time in writing upon 
 them dissertations and controversial arguments. They 
 were the means, therefore, of the old classics being 
 actively disseminated amongst the Western Colleges of 
 Christendom. 
 
 The Jews also held the principal chairs of mathematics 
 in Mahommedan colleges of Cordova and Seville; they 
 came in contact with many Christians, and spread them- 
 selves into various countries; they taught the geometry, 
 the algebra, the logic, and the chemistry of Spain in the 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 239 
 
 universities of Oxford and Paris, while Christian students 
 from all pai*ts of Europe repaired to Andalusia for such 
 instruction. They were the teachers of the Moors in astro- 
 nomy, for the Jews have always a great predilection for 
 the study of astronomy, and are always anxious to contem- 
 plate with their king, David, the "heavens" and the 
 " firmament" " with all its ntimbered stars." The passage 
 found in the first chapter of the Bible (which is the Jewish 
 infant's first school book,) " And God said, Let there be 
 lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from 
 the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and 
 for days, and years;" this admonition was never obliterated 
 from their mind. In fact, they consider themselves heredi- 
 tary astronomers from their forefather Abraham, and 
 appeal to the Hebrew names of constellations in the books 
 of Job and Amos, for the antiquity of their observations. 
 They acquired great favour, in consequence of the pro- 
 fession of the science of astronomy, at the court of 
 Alonso X. (who, for his love of learning, has been deno- 
 minated the wise, and is most spoken of as an astronomer). 
 The Jews were chiefly engaged in the compilation of the 
 " Astronomical Tables," which were long afterwards held 
 in great estimation. By the means of the Jews exclusively 
 he published the " Book of Circles," which is still preserved 
 with care at Alcala. They also translated, by order of 
 Alonso, the astronomical books of Ali-ben-Ragel, from 
 Arabic into Castilian. 
 
 Were but the literature of the Hebrews studied as that 
 of Greece and Rome, its students would indeed find that it 
 is not at all inferior to theirs, and it ought long since to 
 have been introduced into the university course, especially 
 for Divinity students, as a sine qua non. Homer, Pindar, 
 Aristotle, Plato, Horace, Virgil, Cicero, &c. would no 
 longer monopolize their praise and admiration ; for in their 
 literature they would find as elevated, as beautiful, as 
 elegant productions, as any of those of Greece and Rome. 
 
240 AN ADDREi^S 
 
 If the Divinity students paid adequate attention to Jewish 
 works they would be furnished with a ready answer to the 
 learned Professor Lee's strong appeal ; they would be able 
 to prove successfully, that "Jewish literature, Jewish 
 Grammars, Commentaries, and Jewish principles of scrip- 
 tural interpretation have really benefited Biblical litera- 
 ture," notwithstanding the learned Doctor's assertion; nay 
 they would find that whilst this celebrated oriental scholar 
 blames, " Walton, Castell, Pococke, and others of the 
 same period," for making use " of these hlind leaders of the 
 hlind^''* he himself made ample use of them, though with- 
 out noticing their names. Every one acquainted with 
 Aben Ezra's, Ralbag's, Jarchi's, and many other Jewish 
 commentaries on Job, will find, after reading Professor 
 Lee's commentary on the same book, that he very often 
 availed himself of their extensive learning, (though he 
 never mentions them without some disrespectful remark) ; 
 and if his own commentary were divested of all the Arabic 
 and Persian quotations, which were certainly not so impor- 
 tant for the illustration of that book, it would remain a 
 collection of different Jewish opinions of that book. I 
 could quote many passages from various Kabbies, and com- 
 pare* tljem with the learned Professor's, which would at 
 once show that he himself, like Pococke, to use his own 
 words, was induced to insert at every step the trash from the 
 Babbies, as illustrative of the text before him, though not 
 professedly. I am sure every well read Hebrew scholar 
 will agree with me, that a translation of Aben Ezra, Mai- 
 monides, Kimchi, Ralbag, «Sz;c. with annotations, (with a speci- 
 men of which the learned Doctor M'Caul favoured the 
 public in his translation of Zechariah,) would do more to 
 throw light, and illustrate the Holy Writ, than all the 
 quotations from Makamet, Hariri, Ibn Doreid, Hamasa, 
 Soorah, Saadi, Sharishi, Shakspeare, &c. which Professor 
 Lee has advanced. 
 
 * See his Introduction to the book of Job, pages 2, 3. 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 241 
 
 Under the blessing of God, the Jews, by means of their 
 learned commentaries, were instrumental in assisting the 
 efforts that were made at the period of the Reformation to 
 emancipate the Christian world from Popish thraldom. 
 
 Nicholas de Lyra, who flourished about A.D. 1300, after 
 embracing Christianity, wrote a commentary on the Old 
 and New Testament; and being deeply versed in the 
 ancient tongues, and well read in all the works of the 
 learned Rabbies, he selected their best opinions, and 
 expounded the Holy Scriptures, in a manner far above the 
 taste of that age ; in which he showed a greater acquain- 
 tance with the principles of interpretation than any of his 
 predecessors. He was indeed a most useful forerunner to 
 Luther, who made ample use of his commentaries, in which 
 he frequently reprehended the reigning abuses of the 
 church ; a fact which led Pflug, bishop of Naumburg, to 
 say, 
 
 " Si Lyra non lyrasset, 
 Lutherus non saltasset :'* 
 
 which has been paraphrased, 
 
 " If Lyra had not harped on profanation, 
 Luther had not planned the reformation."* 
 
 About A.D. 1350 Rabbi Solomon H' Levi was born^at 
 Burgos; who, having been converted to Christianity, is 
 better known by the name of Pablo de Santa Maria, 
 and was ultimately consecrated bishop of Carthage. A 
 contemporary Spanish poet said, "that he possessed all 
 human learning, all the secrets of high philosophy ; he was 
 a masterly theologian, a sweet orator, an admirable his- 
 torian, a subtle poet, a clear and veracious narrator, one of 
 whom every body spoke well;" he continued: — 
 
 " 'T was my delight to sit with him 
 B^aieath the solemn ivy tree — 
 
 . ♦ See Cave's Historia Literaria ; Lardner's Credibility of the Gospel 
 History ; Dr. Clarke's Succession of Sacred Literature ; Home's Intro- 
 duction, Vol. I. ; Daubigne's History of the Reformation, &c. 
 
 2i 
 
242 AN ADDRESS 
 
 To hide me from the sunny beam 
 Beneath the laurel's shade, and see 
 
 The little silver streamlet flowing ; 
 While from his lips a richer stream 
 
 Fell, with the light of wisdom glowing — 
 How sweet to slake my thirst with him !""* 
 
 Indeed no one can blame the innocent egotism which 
 induces a modern Jew broadly to assert, without any fear 
 of contradiction, "that no nation in the universe can, 
 during a continuous period of full 500 years, produce a 
 line of men so truly eminent, so universally learned, as can 
 the Jews of Spain from the year 980, until their expulsion 
 from that kingdom in the year 1492.'"-!* 
 
 Were but the Jewish literature introduced into the 
 University Course, as it ought to be, for the present course 
 for Divinity Students is decidedly inefficient, as every 
 candid and anxious Divinity Student would acknowledge, J 
 Hebrew grammarians, poets, critics, metaphysicians, orators, 
 and commentators would excite in the studenfs mind an 
 affection for the sublime poetry of Moses and the prophets. 
 They would emphatically re-echo the sentiments of the 
 celebrated Bishop Louth : "It would not be easy, indeed, 
 to assign a reason why the writings of Homer, of Pindar, 
 and of Horace, should engross our attention and monopo- 
 lize our praise, while those of Moses, of David, and of 
 Isaiah, pass totally unregarded. Shall we suppose that 
 the subject is not adapted to a seminary in which sacred 
 literature has ever maintained a precedence? Shall we 
 say, that it is foreign to this assembly of promising youth, 
 of whom the greater part have consecrated the best por- 
 
 * See Betrospective Review, Vol. III. p. 214. 
 
 t See Heb. Review, vol. 2, p. 39. 
 
 X The Author has met with many Clergymen who lamented that there 
 
 was too little attention paid in the Universities to Hebrew literature, 
 
 and that most of the academic time is occupied comparatively in non 
 
 essential acquirements. 
 
TO CHBISTIANS. 243 
 
 tion of their time and labour to the same department of 
 learning !" (See Grregory's translation of Bishop Louth's 
 Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews, p. 22.) 
 
 I venture to give the following short catalogue of various 
 Hebrew books,* which are altogether exempt from super- 
 stition, and which I consider most worthy of being intro- 
 duced into the University Course. I will first mention a 
 few of the Hebrew poetical works, which are very numerous 
 since the 11th century. 
 
 /TID'pD IDD Ketlier Malchuth, or, "Royal Crown," a 
 poetical resume of the Aristotelian cosmology, written by 
 Rabbi Solomon Ben Gabirol, of Malaga. This fertile 
 muse sang the wonders of nature and the movements of 
 the heavenly spheres, but excelled chiefly in the ode. He 
 was murdered about 1075, at the age of 30; it is supposed 
 his assassin was driven to this execrable deed by jealousy 
 of his victim's superior talents. 
 
 \>^V'^ ")3D Sepher HaeneJc^ " Book of a Chain." 
 
 ti^''ti^*1D Tarshish. Both these poetical works were written 
 by Rabbi Moses Aben Ezra, of Granada, who died A.D. 
 1100. He was famous for his extraordinary knowledge of 
 the Holy Scriptures, and Greek literature, as well as for 
 the nobility of his birth. He also wrote on eloquence and 
 poetry, with an Arabic paraphrase ; also, a philosophical 
 treatise, but still unprinted. 
 
 'b'\Dl2 p -^^^ Mishley^ or " Son of Proverbs." It is 
 considered by the Jews as profound and magnificent. It 
 was written by Rabbi Samuel Nagid, of Cordova, an excel- 
 lent Arabic scholar, and skilled in every science. He was 
 secretary to the King of Granada, and died at an advanced 
 age in 1055. 
 
 ^ti^VTX) rV2'2XT\ Jll^n^D MUchamotl Hachochmah VJia- 
 oslier^ or " The battles between wisdom and riches." The 
 
 * Had the limits of this little volume permitted, the Author would have 
 given a far greater number of books in the Hebrew language, which are 
 worthy of the Christian student's attention. 
 
244 AN ADDRESS 
 
 title gives at once the idea of the nature of its contents, 
 written by Rabbi Judah, the Levite, brother-in-law to the 
 celebrated Aben Ezra. He wrote many other works. He 
 also composed the beautiful elegy on the ruins of Jerusa- 
 lem, known under the title of IVii (Sion), which is recited 
 by the Jews up to the present day, on the 9th of Ab, when 
 they mourn for the destruction of Jerusalem. He has 
 been styled " the prince of poets."" One of his panegyrists 
 poetically exclaimed, " He alone penetrated into the 
 sanctuary of poesy. The gates of heaven had been locked 
 by the guardian of the empyrean, but the genius of Judah 
 boldly shattered their bars,"" &c. 
 
 At the age of 50 he undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusa- 
 lem, at the time when the Latin kingdom was almost extinct. 
 One day he sat, lost in melancholy, under the ramparts of 
 the holy city; he loosened his sandals, tore his garment, 
 and loudly recited his elegy, ;vif, when an Arabian warrior 
 came by the way, and wantonly insulted the patriotic pil- 
 grim, and, irritated at the remarkable quietude of the 
 stranger, plunged his dagger into his breast, and soon 
 trampled on the mutilated corpse of the mourner of Zion. 
 
 nnjim I^DH P Ben HameUch Thanazir, or, "The 
 King's Son and the Nazarite,*" translated from the Arabic 
 by Abraham bar Hasdai Helevi, who also was chief Rabbi 
 of Barcelona. This work contains a dialogue between a 
 King's son and a Nazarite, the latter instructing the for- 
 mer in morals and in the fear of God. It is very elegantly 
 translated in rhyme. 
 
 r]r2m'n bv ^'^ SUr al Hanshamak, or " Song of the 
 Soul," together with an exposition. It treats of the soul 
 of man, in its various stages. 
 
 DD n^ 'pT\^ bv mrsn CJCmzim al Schok ShocJi moth, 
 or a " Rhythmical Poem on Chess." The game is carried 
 on in rhymes, and it concludes with ton Mot (check mate). 
 It commences with a history of the rise and progress of 
 chess. Both of these were written by the celebrated Abra- 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 245 
 
 ham Aben Ezra, who was skilled in many languages, par- 
 ticularly Arabic. He travelled the greatest part of his life 
 for the acquisition of knowledge, over France, England, 
 Italy, Greece, and other countries; and died at Rhodes, 
 aged 75. about A. D. 1174. His works are voluminous 
 and various; embracing history, philosophy, medicine, 
 grammar, theology, and poetry. 
 
 7>*")ti^'' ^D^D Maimay Israel^ or " Waters of Israel," an 
 elegant poem, divided into six parts. The 1st is called 
 rxb'^Xy 'D " Waters of Siloah." 2nd, Jlini^D ''D " Waters 
 of quietude." 3rd, tl2nt2 ''D " Waters of strife." 4th, 
 "lIliJD ^D " Waters of besieging." 5th, nnt ^D " Gold 
 Waters." 6th, Dn^H ''Q " Bitter Waters." Written by 
 Rabbi Israel ben Moses Nagera, who removed from Spain 
 to Damascus, where he was wont to attend the mosques, to 
 collect their musical tunes, to which he adapted Hebrew or 
 Chaldee verses. 
 
 ^JIDDriJl Tachkemony, "Wisdom:" rhymed prose inter- 
 mingled with verse. It consists of didactic, satirical, and 
 facetious pieces. This, and many other excellent poems, 
 were written by Rabbi Judah Ben Rabbi Solomon Alcoph- 
 ni, often denominated Charizi, for the express purpose of 
 proving that the Hebrew language possesses all the fulness 
 and variety of the Aririan dialect of Arabian poets. A 
 part of the ^^IDDPfD is devoted to the history of poetry 
 among the Jews, and contains hints for the art of versifica- 
 tion. Every competent judge pronounces his poems to be 
 of superlative beauty. 
 
 ub)^ nrni B'chinath Olam^ or " An investigation into 
 the moral world," was composed by Rabbi Jedaid Hap'nini, 
 who is also called Habadrashi; he flourished about 1290, 
 in Barcelona. He is the author of a great many valuable 
 works; but he particularly distinguished himself in the 
 work before us, which is a specimen of didactic Hebrew 
 poetry. Man and his constitution, the world and its moral 
 government are deeply investigated, and metaphysically 
 
246 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 considered; but the language in which it is dressed is 
 most admirable, and powerfully expressive, and shines with 
 brilliant eloquence. Buxtorf speaks thus of the B'chinath 
 Olam^ " Liber insignis, tam quoad res, tam quoad verba. 
 Agit de vanitate mundi contemnenda, et quaerendo regno 
 Dei. Id verbis tam eloquenter, polite, et docte effort, ut 
 eloquentissimus habeatur, quisquis stylum ejus imitatur." 
 He was also called " the Jewish Cicero." 
 
 mpJirr n^DN Asiray Hatikmh, or " The Hope of the 
 Prisoner." 
 
 n'^yVW D1")B Pardes Shoshanim, or, " Orchard of 
 Lilies." The above works were written by Eabbi Joseph 
 Penso, of Amsterdam, in which he shows the assiduity of 
 Satan, in deluding man from the worship of God, and the 
 many snares he lays in his ways to entrap him; but Provi- 
 dence frustrates all Satan"'s diabolic devises, and righte- 
 ousness obtains at last the sway over him. 
 
 TV>r\r\ Dnti^v Laisharim Tliillahy or, " Praise is comely 
 for the upright." 
 
 rior bi:\t2 Migdal Oz, or, " Strong Tower." The above 
 two poems were written by the celebrated Moses Ohayim 
 Luzaty, born 1710. In masterly genius, refined taste, 
 and pure and elegant style, he rivals all his predecessors, 
 not only Hebrew but Gentile poets. He was principal 
 of a College in Amsterdam, where he promoted learn- 
 ing very much, as he had an extensive knowledge in 
 almost all the branches of the arts and science. He 
 died at Tiberias, in 1750, and was buried next to Rabbi 
 Akiba. The Rabbles of Tiberias sent an epistle of 
 lamentation to all the parts of the world, wherever the 
 Jews were scattered, which contained the following pass- 
 ages: "The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity 
 
 was not found in his lips and did turn many away from 
 
 iniquity." (Mai. 2. 6.) " There arose not in Israel one 
 like Moses," &c. The MS. of the 'Migdal Oz' was only 
 discovered a few years since, and published at Leipsic, 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 247 
 
 1837, with notes, by S. D. Liizaty and Meir Letteris; Latin 
 prolegomena are also prefixed to it, treating of the beauty 
 of Hebrew poetry, where we find the following remarks: — 
 
 " This dramatic composition will be in every language 
 a classical work in the strongest signification of the 
 term," and it " comprises all the charms and rhythmical 
 euphony of the aspiring genius of Dante and Tasso's im- 
 mortal and elevated imagery." 
 
 He also wrote several other works of lesser note, many 
 of which are preserved in manuscript at Prague. 
 
 JTIKSn '^^W Shiray Tiphereth, or " Songs of Glory," an 
 epic poem, in 18 cantos, by Rabbi Naphtali Hertz Weizel, 
 or Wessely. It embodies the history of the Exodus of 
 the children of Israel from Egypt, until the giving of the 
 law at Sinai. It is, indeed, a most unique production. 
 An English Christian, who justly esteems Milton as the 
 most successful epic poet, may, perhaps, not like to hear 
 Wessely compared to their venerable bard. I have read 
 them both, and have no hesitation in saying that they are 
 equal to each other, with the only difference, that Wes- 
 sely is not so profuse in mythological terms as Milton. 
 Wessely, like Milton, did not think rhyme a necessary 
 adjunct, or true ornament of a poem, or good verse ; and, 
 therefore, rejected it, which makes the poetry of the Bliiray 
 Tiphereth exceedingly sublime, inasmuch as its author felt 
 himself at liberty to express his noble ideas more fully than 
 he would have done under the bondage of the modern 
 trammels of rhyming. I will give a few lines as a speci- 
 men of his poetry, taken from the 18th canto of the 5th 
 part, founded on Exod. 14. 1 — 3, " And the Lord spake 
 unto Moses, fsaying, Speak unto the children of Israel, 
 that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between 
 Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon : before it 
 shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the 
 children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the 
 wilderness hath shut them in ;" that the English Hebrew 
 
248 AN ADDRESS 
 
 scholar may have some idea of Jewish knowledge of 
 Hebrew : — 
 
 ♦ inron d'-h'^ki iw ]d Dili nii^^:) 
 •i^i^t^ nxr HD nbn n^ni DipD ^on-j 
 
 i^^Dj a:):jn iii n1^^* iit:^ d:i 
 * « oniiDQ iK^iiiD 'pi* k'? Kin nin 
 
 n'pKrr Dnt^^nnn bv bik /li*? noriDti;'? p 
 wm vin> n^v^)^ m:^ HT b2^ ni2^ 
 innsj p-ir '':j3a niiD 11:1'' niri'p-r 
 
 nn niD nt^^D b:; d:i '»'' 'pot 
 
 5]:i:)n ^^ i:i:innn •^tit^^ D;^n b:^ 'd 
 
 inni onny n^nD '•d njn^ noK 
 iDSjm inn:i^ 2b d:i noris n'? nw 
 iKi:'' o Dv on'? HDt^ D:i;i v'^sn!? 
 
 ♦«'):i'7t:^D i?n^ ^ski niiD hq^ 
 iDioipJin DH^JiS)! it:^ii Dn''iDt:;D 
 
TO cimisTiANs. 249 
 
 una D^n a-'ti^n'?') Dp:} n)mb o 
 ^mn vi"i?:3 tm^ '))^^n mar nno") 
 
 For those who are not so much advanced in the knowledge 
 of Hebrew, I will subjoin the following translation, which 
 was inserted in the "Hebrew Review," by E. N. The 
 translator himself, however, was sensible that it " can 
 impart but a very faint idea of the style and composition 
 of that immortal author ;" for it is well known to every 
 linguist, that it is almost impossible to translate poetry 
 from any one language into another, so as to preserve 
 the original beauty of the author. (See Hebrew Review, 
 Vol. I. p. 220; Vol. II. p. 43.) 
 
 " The dread behest of the Most High, made known 
 By Israel's faithful Chief unto th' assembled host, 
 They cheerfully obey, retrace their steps, 
 But not with fainting hearts. Firm was their trust 
 In God ; steadfast, whate'er was His command. 
 Their confidence and hope. Mizraim's swarthy sons. 
 Who dwelt in Etham's plains, beheld surpris'd 
 Israel's returning tribes : Far as these spread. 
 The question still arose, * Whence come they here ? 
 Why do they tarry ? why not onward move ?' 
 The hurried messengers, with speed dispatch' d. 
 Relate unto the King, that * Israel's sons. 
 As Etham they approach'd, had, terror-struck, 
 Refused to enter on the desert vast ; 
 Confus'd their camp, they move they know not where ; 
 God hath not led them forth ; base runaways. 
 They fly, by fear perplex'd.' With greedy ear 
 The Monarch listens to the welcome tale. 
 Glad, as the captive, who, in fetters bound. 
 In dungeon dark immured, hails the light, 
 
 2 K 
 
250 AN ADDRESS 
 
 And triumphs in the glorious sound, * Thou'rt free :' 
 
 So, glad, triumphant, did the tyrant hail 
 
 The tidings that, within his reach once more. 
 
 The hateful race of Jacob still might feel 
 
 His fell revenge, of his keen sword the edge. 
 
 Nor he alone ; his courtiers, servile crew. 
 
 The chiefs who at his council-board find room. 
 
 Partake his joy. Clos'd are the gates of grief 
 
 Within their hearts ; wide open those of pride j 
 
 Of arrogance the inward founts o'erflow ; 
 
 Full scope unto their evil thoughts they give : 
 
 Against th' Universal Lord they speak ; they rail 
 
 Against the man who unto them had been 
 
 The minister of fate ; 'gainst Moses loud they rail. 
 
 Their hatred rank, their silly pride forgets 
 
 That erst, amidst the terrors of the night. 
 
 When Mizraim's pride was blighted, they implored, 
 
 With accents meek and said, * Pray tarry not ; 
 
 Be free, depart, and leave our land at once.' 
 
 Whilst now, with words of scorn and foul reproach, 
 
 The profFer'd boon recall' d, they wish them still their slaves 
 
 For Pharaoh's mind is changed ; again he strives 
 
 To lord it over those whom late he pray'd, 'Be free.' 
 
 His haughty soul repines ; his servants fan the flame 
 
 Of anger which within him bums : They say, 
 
 * What have we done ? How could we e'er consent 
 
 That Israel from our bondage be releas'd ? 
 
 Are we the men, who, fearless, firm, have braved 
 
 The many perils that assail'd our land, 
 
 Yet, overcome at last by nameless fear. 
 
 Did yield to pestilence, which shunn'd the day ?' 
 
 Each man, abash'd, scarce dared to meet the glance 
 
 Of his associates : Silent all, their looks 
 
 Downcast, averted, stung with shame and wrath, 
 
 Wav'ring they stand, and know not what to do. 
 
 To give revenge its scope, with blood-stain'd sword, 
 
 Force Israel back again beneath the yoke. 
 
 They durst not do. Ruthless as were their hearts, 
 
 'Gainst pity steel' d, harden'd in guilt and crime. 
 
 They trembled still, as memory's faithful voice 
 
 Rung in their ears the horrid shrieks, the groans 
 
 Of agony, which from the dying burst 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 251 
 
 On that most fatal night : How, mute with awe. 
 They then had stood aghast, and quiv'ring heard 
 The piteous accents that despair sent forth. 
 Revealing sights that mortal man may not 
 Behold and live. As when the mighty wind 
 Binds up the waters of a flowing brook ; 
 So were the floods of wrath, of arrogance. 
 Of cruelty, within their breasts, spell-bound 
 By with'ring fear, which cow'd their inmost heart."* 
 
 I shall now mention a few Hebrew works in prose, 
 which are equally worthy of being introduced into the 
 University course in preference to many of the classics, 
 especially for Divinity Students ; for an acquaintance with 
 the original languages of the Holy Scriptures is unquestion- 
 ably very important, especially for those who undertake to 
 explain to others the Revelation of God. They should 
 seek assiduously to acquire an accurate and critical know- 
 ledge of the sacred language, that they may not be obliged 
 to have recourse to the medium of an interpreter ; which a 
 translation certainly is; even the authorized version, how- 
 ever excellent, and meriting, as it does, the praise of fidelity, 
 perspicuity, and force. 
 
 The writings of the truly learned Jews throw much light 
 on both the Old and New Testament. Such was the 
 experience of those who made their writings the subject of 
 their study. Gesenius speaks thus of Jewish commentators : 
 " The judicious commentator will know how to use much in 
 them that is indisputably true and good; and a facility in 
 
 * Some of the Rabbles affirm that the Gentiles borrowed the art of 
 music from the Jews, and there is an old Rabbinical distich to the same 
 efffect :— 
 
 ** What saith the art of music among the Nazarenes ? 
 I was assuredly stolen from the land of the Hebrews." 
 The art of Music comprises in Hebrew all kind of poetry. 
 
252 AN ADDRESS 
 
 understanding these sources is indispensably necessary to 
 every respectable interpreter." I will therefore first men- 
 tion a few commentaries, written by eminent Jews. 
 
 P^^J) Tl'^l^D 0"1 Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, who was born at 
 Pithom, in Egypt, in 892, and died at the age of 50, was 
 chief of the College at Sora. He wrote many able com- 
 mentaries, but especially distinguished himself by his com- 
 mentary on Daniel, and an Arabic paraphrase on the 
 book of Job. He also translated the whole Bible into 
 Arabic; succeeding commentators often make useful cita- 
 tions from him. He wrote in a very elegant style, and is 
 held in great estimation amongst the Jews. 
 
 ^HT' nr±>^ >yi Rabbi Solomon Jarchi, or, ''t^^l Bashi, 
 (as he is commonly designated from his initials,) born at 
 Lunel, in 1 030, wrote a commentary on the whole Bible, 
 which, though full of Talmudism, manifests diligence, acute- 
 ness, a thorough acquaintance with the language of Scrip- 
 ture, and a desire to rise above the Talmudic interpreta- 
 tion. He is however very obscure in some places. He 
 also wrote a grammar, a treatise on medicine, and various 
 other works. He travelled a great deal in search of 
 knowledge, and died at the age of 75. 
 
 K^tr PK Dmn^* ^m Rabbi Abraham Aben Ezra, 
 (whom I have mentioned p. 245) wrote a commentary on 
 the entire Bible, and far surpassed Jarchi in power and 
 freedom of judgment. Maimonides recommended his com- 
 mentary as the best to his son. He threw a great deal of 
 light on the book of Job, by his knowledge of Arabic; he 
 also criticised the above-mentioned Rabbi Saadiah Gaon's 
 Arabic paraphrase of Job. His works are written in a 
 very beautiful style, though his love of brevity renders 
 them sometimes obscure. He was an excellent philosopher, 
 grammarian, poet, physician, astronomer, and cabalist. 
 
 ''HtDp in ^ni Rabbi David Kimchi, or, pm JR'dak, (as 
 he is commonly designated from his initials,) is generally 
 said to have been born at Narbonne, in 1190. He wrote 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 253 
 
 Commentaries on most of the books of Scripture, which are 
 indeed most valuable. The celebrated Dr. M'Caul, in his 
 introduction to his translation of Kimchi's commentary on 
 Zechariah, says, that "though written six hundred years ago, 
 it will bear a comparison with any that has appeared even 
 in the 19th century. Valuable in itself, it has other points 
 
 of attraction for the Christian student and has been 
 
 one of the sources from which commentators, since the Re- 
 formation, have drawn most valuable materials." His 
 family had for ages given heads to the Jewish academies of 
 Aragon and Castile. He also wrote a grammar and a 
 lexicon. He is styled by the Jews " Prince of grammar- 
 ians," "for his grammar and lexicon," says Dr. M'Caul, 
 " have, until very lately, contributed the main portion of 
 all similar productions." So highly are his syntactical and 
 analytical elucidations of pure scripture valued amongst the 
 Jews that they have a proverb min ^i* '^nt^p ^K D^^ " If 
 there were no Kimchi, there would be no law." 
 
 nW)^ ]2 ''1^ ^11 Rabbi Levi ben Gershom, or, nb'^ 
 Balhag, (as he is commonly designated from his initials) 
 was born in Provence, and died at Perpignan, in 1370; 
 he wrote a commentary on the Old Testament, which is 
 deservedly highly esteemed, especially that on the Penta- 
 teuch; he is considered by the Jews to have been a pro- 
 found philosopher, mathematician, and an able physician, 
 besides a great talmudist. He also wrote the iDil'^ JT)Qn /D 
 " The battles of the Lord," divided into six parts, in which 
 many philosophical questions and scriptural passages are 
 discussed. The modern Jews consider it rather too philo- 
 sophical. He may be considered a disciple of Aristotle as 
 well as of Talmud. He also wrote on astronomy, logic, 
 and physic. 
 
 /K^ninx pn^*^ ])! Don Isaac Aberbanal was born in 
 Lisbon, 1487. The Jews trace his pedigree to king David. 
 He wrote an excellent commentary on the Bible. It is 
 remarkably pure and easy in style, and may be considered 
 
254 AN ADDRESg 
 
 one of the best Rabbinical commentaries as far as criticism 
 goes. In 15 days he completed his comments on Joshua, 
 and in 22 those on the books of Samuel and Kings. He 
 was an inveterate enemy to Christianity (as he understood 
 it) which is so prominently visible in his commentary on 
 Isaiah 53, and that of the minor prophets ; but even these 
 furnish the Christian student with arguments for the truth 
 as it is in Jesus. Some of the Popes, who were able to 
 discuss critically a classical better than a scriptural pass- 
 age, prohibited the reading of his commentary on Isaiah. 
 It appears that his son, who embraced Christianity, was 
 able to understand the word of God rightly, in spite of his 
 father's bitter invectives against the truth. He wrote 
 11 works besides his commentary on the Bible. His his- 
 tory is very interesting; a short sketch of it is to be found 
 in Wolfius. 
 
 Many able commentaries have been published since the 
 above; but these will suffice for the present, and I humbly 
 trust that they will, ere long, form a part of the academic 
 course, especially for Divinity students. For unquestion- 
 ably Jewish controversy is as important a branch of 
 Christian Divinity, as that with Unitarians and Papists; 
 the two latter are indeed cultivated in the Universities, 
 whilst the former is comparatively overlooked, and cannot 
 be effectually cultivated without a moderate knowledge of 
 the Eabbinical writings. 
 
 I will now mention a very few other books, which are not 
 professedly commentaries on the Scriptures, but in which 
 many scriptural passages are ably and critically discussed. 
 
 D^^i^ ''pIS) Pirlzay AwtJi^ " Chapters on Ethics of the 
 Fathers." They form a treatise of Mishnah. It may 
 indeed be said that this treatise is the flower of Mishnah; 
 it is an invaluable production, and contains many admir- 
 able precepts, and inculcates true piety. (See page 115.) 
 A great many commentaries were published on this treatise, 
 but the best, and most useful, was published in Berlin, 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 
 
 255 
 
 A.D. 1775, by Rabbi Naphtali Hertz Wessely, the above- 
 mentioned celebrated Hebrew epic poet, which he desig- 
 nated ]')^2b ]^^ Yain Vhanon^ or " Wine of Lebanon." 
 
 D'^DIIJ miD Moreh N''hocUm^ or, " Guide to the per- 
 plexed," written by Rabbi Moses bar Maimon, commonly 
 known amongst the Jews by the name of Bamham (accord- 
 ing to his initials), and amongst theOhristians by the name 
 of Maimonides ; he was born at Cordova, A.D. 1131. He 
 is said to be descended from King David by a female line; 
 his renown eclipsed that of all his predecessors. It is a 
 common proverb amongst the Jews Dp 'i^b TWO li^*) TW'O'O 
 TW'O'^ " From Moses [the legislator] to Moses [Maimoni- 
 des] there arose not one like Moses." His writings are 
 numerous, profound and original ; he was the means of con- 
 stituting a new era in Jewish literature. He died A.D. 
 1201, and was interred at Tiberias; a general lamentation 
 was observed for three days, both by Jews and Egyptians. 
 But not long after his death the Jews assumed a different 
 tone; his '•''Moreh WbochimC was first published in Arabic, 
 and immediately after translated into good Hebrew, by 
 Rabbi S. Tibon. Its contents caused great consternation 
 and division, amongst the different Jewish congregations, 
 for it very strongly condemns all the absurd fables contained 
 in Talmud, and calls upon the Jews to use their common 
 sense, in connection with revealed truth. This aroused 
 very much the bigotry of the old Talmudical schools ; and 
 they went so far as to excommunicate Maimonides and all 
 who should read the above-mentioned work, and his i^lD 
 Mada^* and burned them in the market place; and his 
 Montpellier antagonists pursued his corpse to its grave, 
 and erased the simple inscription, " The greatest of men," 
 and substituted, " The excommunicate and heretic." They 
 
 * His ^lon -iCD (Book of knowledge) has 5 treatises. 1. nmnrt mo' 
 Foundation of the law. 2. rn»nn Ethical rules. 3. ni"»n nioVn On the 
 study of the law. 4. n*ii miis^ On Idolatry. 5. nsittjnn On repentance. 
 All these treatises he executed-^ith great ability. 
 
2d6 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 relented at length, and in 1232 a deputation being sent to 
 his grave, to ask pardon of his ashes, the original epitaph 
 was restored. Modern Jews quote him as an authority to 
 prove that the oral law is of Divine origin, (see p. 88.) 
 The learned bestowed many eulogiums upon him. Justin- 
 iani thus writes of him, " Fuit auctor iste candidus, mini- 
 meque superstitiosus; plus certe veritati addictus quam 
 nseniis importunis neotericorum Judseorum. — Percipies 
 porro ilium quae sunt religionis religiose, quae philosophica 
 philosophice, quae Talmudica talmudice; ac demum quae 
 sunt divina tractare."" Sealiger says of him: "Primus 
 fuit inter Hebrseos qui nugare desiit."" Dr. Clavering, 
 Bishop of Peterborough, said, " The memory of Maimoni- 
 des had ever flourished, and will flourish for ever." 
 
 JllM^p nn^r^ Minchath K'naoth, or, " The offering of 
 Jealousy," written by Abba Mori ben Moses Mori, in the 
 form of letters to Rabbi Solomon ben Adereth, and to 
 other Rabbles, against the Barcelona decree,* wherein he 
 successfully proved the propriety of early study of philo- 
 sophy. 
 
 Dnp^ *)S)D Sepher Ekarim^ or, " Book of Principles," 
 written by Rabbi Joseph Albo, born at Soria, about the 
 end of the 14th century. He assisted in the public con- 
 troversy held at Tortosa, in 1414, when Joshua Harloqui, 
 a converted Jew, (after baptism called Jerome,) was to 
 demonstrate from Talmud that Messiah had already come, 
 which Pedro de Luna, or Benedict the XIII, one of the 
 three infallible popes of that century, had convened. The 
 conference gave rise to many controversial works, and 
 
 * Rabbi S. ben Adereth, who was the president of Barcelona, A.D. 
 1304, in conjunction with Rabbi Asher published a formal decree pro- 
 hibiting the study of any Gentile philosophy before the age of 30, accord- 
 ing to some, 25. Immediately after its publication, great controversies 
 commenced respecting its orthodoxy. The debates were carried on in 
 Epistles ; a few are extant in its defence, but a great many in its con- 
 demnation. 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 257 
 
 though the '^ Book of Principles" was first undertaken in 
 consequence of this controversy, it still deserves the atten- 
 tion of Divinity students ; as it is a fine example of the 
 metaphysics and philosophy of the Jews. It also contaiiis 
 many valuable truths, (see page 198.) Albo was generally 
 -styled " divine philosopher."' 
 
 Time and space would fail me were I to attempt to enu- 
 merate all the praiseworthy Hebrew writings. I would 
 have given extracts from the few works I have mentioned 
 to illustrate their real value ; but this volume would have 
 extended to an inconvenient length. I hope, therefore, 
 the student, who has really a thirst for information, will 
 begin to cultivate an aquaintance with them, in order that 
 he may be able to judge for himself, whether my state- 
 ments are correct or not, and whether I have been biassed 
 by national feelings. The student, who admires learning 
 wherever he finds it, would then re-echo the poet's beauti- 
 ful lines: — 
 
 * Full many a gem of purest ray serene, 
 The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear." 
 
 Dear Christian reader, never forget that " Men by wis- 
 dom know not God !" and this declaration is awfully mani- 
 fest in the case of the Jewish nation ; for as I have already 
 shown (page 44,) in the most essential and noble part 
 of true philosophy, which has for its object the salvation of 
 a fallen ruined race, the wisdom of their wise men perished, 
 and the understanding of their prudent men was hid! 
 Although the Bible is most dear to them, yet their wisest 
 men were the first to obscure those parts which appertain 
 to their eternal welfare. They did not spare trouble nor 
 time, to make of none effect those prophecies, which so 
 evidently refer to Jesus of Nazareth, and prove that He is 
 the true and only Saviour of mankind. How forcibly is 
 the Christian reminded of our Lord and Master's saying, 
 " If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how 
 
 2l 
 
258 AN AUDHESS 
 
 great is that darkness!" (Matt. 6. 23.) The best things 
 when corrupted become the worst. Hence if the master- 
 principle, the guide of the soul, which is the word of God, 
 become corrupted and depraved, how profound must be the 
 delusion, and how fatal the error ! — If that which should be 
 the pole star to guide us, becomes the meteor to mislead 
 us; if that which we consider to be light is in reality 
 darkness, then how tremendous would be our state, and 
 how infallible our destruction ! Such, dear Christian 
 friends, is the real state of the Jewish nation. The very 
 lamp of life, which was entrusted to them, they exchanged 
 for false and delusive fire. How ought such a considera- 
 tion to animate the mind of the Christian, who has boon 
 taught " Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God," 
 with sympathy for the desolate posterity of patriarchs, 
 prophets, and apostles; whose ancestors were the heralds 
 of salvation to them, at the hazard of their lives ! And how 
 ought the recollection of Moses, the sweet Psalmist of Israel, 
 Isaiah, Paul, John, &c. to excite our feelings of affection for 
 that nation who gave them birth, and prompt us to do all 
 in our power to acquaint them with their present melan- 
 choly state, that they might flee from the wrath to come f 
 then ought every Christian to strive to become instru- 
 mental in rescuing some, not from temporal death, but 
 from that living death, which ever dying never dies! 
 Well might a venerable English Divine say, " Of that fair 
 missionary crown, which adorns the brow of the Christian 
 Church, the brightest gem is, the ' Society for PnOiMOTiNG 
 Christianity amongst the Jews.' It has a sacredness of 
 character which belongs to no other society, and its 
 espousal by any church or nation, will doubtless bring with 
 it a blessing." I would humbly entreat to direct your 
 kind attention, dear Christian friends, to that Institution, 
 which has, in God's providence, been made a great blessing 
 to many of the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The 
 chairs of a great many of the Universities on the Continent 
 
TO CHRISTIANS. 259 
 
 are now filled by converted Jews, who are the Professors 
 of different branches of science and literature. We have 
 every reason to believe, therefore, that the " Society for 
 promoting Christianity amongst the Jews," was instituted 
 according to the sacred will of Him, who said, " I am the 
 Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not 
 consumed." (Mai. 3. 6.) 
 
 " The Word of Life, if prized by you, 
 We owe to the despised Jew ; 
 In all their wanderings, far and near, 
 His word was sent their hearts to cheer ; 
 Preserved by them, and handed down, 
 We see their light — their Saviour own ; 
 Then on your knees, before His throne, 
 Remember oft the Jew. 
 
 If Christ, the Lord, is prized by you, 
 He once was a despised Jew ; 
 Without a spot to lay His head ; 
 For you He came, and lived, and bled ; 
 And can you then refuse to feel 
 Compassion for His nation's weal ? 
 Their griefs might break a heart of steel — 
 Oh pity then the Jew ! 
 
 If we would * prosper' all life through, 
 Still Zion's peace we must pursue ; 
 Though trodden down, the Jews shall rise 
 And own that Christ they now despise ; 
 Then lend your every aid to bring 
 The outcast Jew to Christ our King, 
 That Jew with Gentile soon may sing, 
 ' Salvation to the Lamb !' 
 
 We dare not, will not, hence refuse 
 To love, and feel, and pray for Jews. 
 O praise our God ! through Abraham's race 
 Came light, and Christ, and promised grace 
 Then, God of Abraham, hear our cries 
 Remove the veil from Israel's eyes ; 
 Make Jews and Gentiles truly wise. 
 And Jesus all in all !" 
 
I NDEX 
 
 Abarbanel, 11. Don Isaac, 88, 217, 263. 
 Aben Ezra, R. Abr. 30, 40, 214, 2o2. 
 , R. Moses, 243. 
 
 * Agadoth,' (sel. from Talmud) 87, 88. 
 Aiii Jacob Society, 87. 
 
 Albo, R. Joseph, 198, 256. 
 
 Alcophron, R, J. B. R. S„ 245. 
 
 Alshich, R. M. 89, 99, lOI, 102. [105. 
 
 Angels, invoked by Jews and Papists, 104, 
 
 ' AthensBum,' 94. 
 
 Baal Haturim, 15, 16, 68, 78, 108, 116. 
 
 Babylonian Talmud Society, 84. 
 
 B'muchsaz, (angel invoked by Jews,) 104. 
 
 ' B'rachoutb,' 28, 29. 
 
 Breviary, Popish, 94. 
 
 Buxtorf, [xvi],215, 246. 
 
 Cabalists, 13, 17, 18, 65, 76,82, 109. 
 
 Carailes, 8, 90, 107. 
 
 Chasar Umalay, (7th Cabalistic Rule,) 16, 
 
 Chevrah Tanach, for reading Bible, 89. 
 
 < Ch' Gigah, 1 17. [17. 
 
 Chiluph, (Exchange ; 1 1th Cabalistic Rulo,) 
 
 ' Christian Lady's Magazine,' 35, 83. 
 
 Coozu, (Angel invoked by Jews,) 104. 
 
 De Lyra, Nicholas, 241. 
 
 Eizenmenger, [xvi], 70. 
 
 Epshtein, R, M. B. A., 4 1 , 45, 63, 65, 72, 90. 
 
 Finn, Mr. 87, 229, 235, 238. 
 
 Fringes, commanded in Law, 50 ; threads 
 spun purposely, 63 ; when Pasul, 76 ; ce- 
 remonies of kissing, &c., 82; remedy 
 against dangers, &c. 38, 40, 41, 92 ; re- 
 wards for observing, 95 ; exposition on, 97. 
 
 Gabirol, R. Sol, Ben, 243. 
 
 Gaon, R. Saadiah, 54, 252. 
 
 Gershom, R. Levi ben, 253. 
 
 Gesenius, [xiv.] 24, 236, 251. 
 
 « G'mara,' 5, 86. 
 
 Guimatria, (Numbering j 3rd Cabalistic 
 Rule,) 14, 66, 79, 116. 
 
 Halevi, R. Samuel, 237. 
 
 Hap'nini, R. ledaid, 245. 
 
 Harkanti, R. M'Nachem, 65, 65. 
 
 Helevi, Abr. bar Hasdai, 244. 
 
 H' Levi, R. Sol. (Bp. of Carthage,) 241. 
 
 Isidore, [xv], 22, 86. 
 
 Jarchi, R. S , II, 12, 19, 28, 29, 59, 67, 68, 
 88, 102, 113,116,206,252. 
 
 Jehochanan, R. (compiled G'mara,) 85, 
 
 Jehuda, R. (compiled Mishah), 85. 
 
 Jerome, vii, 6, 22, 67, 234, 236. [221. 
 
 ♦ Jewish Intelligence,' 71, 80, 90, 107, 119, 
 ' Jews, Society for promoting Christianity 
 
 amongst the,' [xiv], [xvi], 35, 36, 89, 
 - 258. [234. 
 
 Josephus, 7, 215, 221, 230, 231, 232, 233, 
 Judah, R. (The Levite,) 244. 
 Justin Martyr, [xv], 6. 
 Kirachi, R. David, 4, 88, 252. 
 Klipothy (evil spirits,) 92. 
 K'riath sh'ma, 81,98. 
 KWiv'lokHhib, &,c. (9th Cab. Rule,) 17. 
 Ktanoth Ugdoloth, (10th Cabal. Rule,) 17. 
 Law Society, 89. 
 
 Lee, Professor, 240. [215. 
 
 Leslie's *' Method with the Jews,'' [xvi], 
 
 Lipman, R., II, 29,38. 
 
 Luzaty, Moses Cliayim, 246. 
 
 Luther, [xiv], [xvi], 38, 241. 
 
 Maaharta, 18,20, 
 
 Maamadolh, 94, [2 1 .3, 214, 2 1 7, 255. 
 
 Maimonides, Moses, 19, 25, 36, 59, 87, 208, 
 
 Masora, 235,236. 
 
 Matzah (Passover Cakes,) 120, 
 
 McCaul, Dr. A., iii, [ix], [xvi], 65, 253. 
 
 / M'Gillah,' 43, 58. 
 
 ;« Mi^hnah,' 56, 85, 86, 1 15, 235, 254. 
 
 Mishnah Society, 87. 
 
 ' M'nachoth,' 11,29, 64,93, 105, 112, 
 
 IMcNeile, Rev. Hugh, 82. 
 
 I M'zMza/t, superstitions connected with, 100; 
 I when examined, 107 ; said to keep awav 
 ; evil spirits, &c. 38, 40, 41, 108, 111. 
 i Nagera, R. J. ben Moses, 245. 
 
 Nkoodoth, (Points ; 12th Cabal. Rule,) 18. 
 
 Notricon, (1st Cabalistic Rule,) 13. 
 
 Omer, days of, 1.52. 
 
 Oral Law, 12, 62, 65, 70, 71, 72, 73, 93, 95. 
 
 Origen, vii, 22, 85. 
 
 Pcnso, R Joseph, 246. 
 
 Phylacteries, not enjoined in Scripture, 3; 
 mode of making for head, 10; for arm, 
 14; time and mode of putting on, &c. 23 ; 
 : amulols, &c. 34, 38, 40, 41. 
 
 Popery, 36; like Rabbinical Judaism, in 
 respect for Tradition, (see Oral Law) ; in 
 veneration of crucifix, relics^ &c. (as of 
 Fringes, M'zuzah, &c.) 82, 104, 105 ; in 
 invocation of angels, 104, 105 ; Purgatory, 
 78,87,92; Popish Scapular, like Rab- 
 binical Talith, (see Scapular). [20 1 , 203. 
 
 Prayer Book, Jewish, 63,81, 91, 101, 107, 
 
 Precepts, The 613 ; 3.3, 41, 66, 75, 77, 92. 
 
 Purgatory, Jewish and Popish, 78, 87, 92. 
 
 Rab Ashi, 9, 86. 
 
 Rabina, 9, 86. [15. 
 
 Roshay Taivouth, &c. (5th Cabalistic Rule,) 
 
 Rtsuah, 18,20,21,25. 
 
 'Sanhedrim,' 11,42. [92. 
 
 Scapular, Popish, 34,69, 71, 74, 77, 78, 79, 
 
 Scripture Society, 88. 
 
 Sh'chinah, 48, 72, 109, 1 19. 
 
 * Shulchan Aruch,' 62, 64, 74. 
 
 ! Societies, Jewish Literary, 84—89. 
 ! Stock, Simon, (inv. of Scapular,) 79. [16. 
 \Stumoth Upsuchoth, (8th Cabalistic Rule,) 
 Taamim, (Musical Accents; 13th Cabalistic 
 
 Rule,) 18. 
 Talith, 54, 55, 68, 69, 71 , 72,74, 80, 91 ; like 
 
 Popish Scapular, 71, 78, 79. 
 Talmud, 23, 65, 84, 235 ; Jerusalem and 
 ' Babylonian T„ 86, 
 Tmurah (Permutation ; 6th Cabal.Rule) 16. 
 Totaphoth, (Frontlets,) Ornaments, not Phy- 
 lacteries, 5. 
 Tziruf, (Anagram ; 2nd Cab. Rule,) 14. 
 Tzurah, (Figure; 4th Cabal. Rule,) 15. 
 
 * Voice of Jacob,' 1, 9, 34, 37, 39, 61 , 65, 70, 
 
 72,73,89, 93,94, 107. 
 Weizel or Wessoly, R, N. H., 247, 255- 
 
 * Zohar,' 13, 42, 46, 47, 65, 89, 91, 104, 109, 
 
 111.210. 
 
 T, THOMAS, PRINTER, EASTGATE ROW, CHESTER, 
 

 
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