/ersity of Call Southern Regio Library Facilit The Library From the Theodore E. Cummings The gift of Mrs. Cummings, 1 963 ^ irr 1 ir jn THE *WAY OF FAITH. The profits arising from the sale of this work will le distributed in a series of numbers amongst the humble clauses of our brethren. Am 3 THE WAY OF FAITH: A MORAT. AND RELIGIOUS CATECHISM OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE JEWISH FAITH. BY T1IK l.\1K REV. DR. RAPHAEL MELDOLA, LATE CHIEF RABBI OF THK SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE JEWS* CONGREGATION. TRANLATKD FROM THE HEBREW BY THE REV. D. MELDOLA, PRESIDING RABBI OF THE SAID CONGREGATION. SEC. I. PART I. LONDON : PUBLISHED BY MELDOLA & BERLANDINA, 7 A, CAMOMILE STREET. 56091848. Hebrew Union CoUt*g Library. LONDON : AND BERLANDIXA, MUSTERS, A, CAMOMir.lv STREET. ADDRESS. TO OUR BELOVED BRETHREN OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. DEAR BRETHREN, It is with sentiments of real affection that I address and dedicate to all those who hold the faith of our fathers this small treatise ; and I do so without any reference to the rank or station in life of any such to whom these pages may come. We are all brethren, whether rich or poor, learned or unlearned ; and all are alike in- terested, or ought to be so, in the maintenance of the essentials of our faith. Our religion is founded upon Divine facts, and upon Divine command- ments, and it is by faith that those facts are received as such, and that those commandments are duly observed. Faith is the root and foundation of our obedience to the law, and is the chief characteristic by which a true profession of our religion is distin- guished. It was the firm conviction of these prin- 2070053 VI ciples which induced my late revered Father to compose his excellent and useful work, " The Way of Faith" naiDK "pi (anxiously desirous of dis- charging his duty as pastor towards his flock, he intended it as a guide to the religious education of Israelites,) consisting of a complete catechism for the instruction of our community, divided into sec- tions suited to the three stages of life commencing with the most simple question and answer for the youthful student of religious truth, and progress- ively adapted to those of mature years, whereby all that will submit to receive instruction are taught the fundamental points of our most holy faith, and are led to know the truth, and encouraged and assisted to conduct themselves in the world accord- ing to the word by the mouth of the prophet "He hath shewed thee, O man! what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micahvi. 8). The task of composing this catechism was re- garded by my Father as a very important object, and one, therefore, upon which he bestowed much labour and pains, carefully consulting, as he pro- ceeded, all the most profound expositions of our laws, and the most eminent authors, in order that VI 1 he might herein discover and extinguish doctrines which are pernicious, and establish and maintain only the pure axioms of our faith. And, indeed, the task which he undertook and accomplished was one for which none could be competent but a Rabbi of profound learning and intimate acquaint- ance with our laws, enlightened by a knowledge of the sciences. That my father, the late Dr. Raphael Meldola, who for four and twenty years filled the high and important office of Chief Rabbi of the ancient Congregation of Sephardim, possessed those requisites will be admitted, by re- calling some particulars of the history of his life. It has been said concerning him, in an obituary written soon after his death, " Our Rabbi at an early age exhibited proofs of an extraordinary en- dowment of mind. After proceeding through a regular course of studies, at the age of fifteen he was admitted a member of the first Rabbinical University, where he had the opportunity of asso- ciating with the most learned men of the age, and of prosecuting his inquiries with assiduity. His successive ecclesiastical promotions gave proof of his early piety and learning, and in the year 1803, after he had received the degree of Rab, or High Rabbi, he was further honoured by the appoint- Vlll ment of judge to try all cases amongst his own people. This privilege was then enjoyed by the Jews in Italy. In the year 1 05 the Portuguese and Spanish congregation of London made appli- cation to the different principal congregations of Europe for a suitable character to be their chief and ruler. The result was highly beneficial to themselves : for in the person of Dr. Raphael Meldola they found concentrated every requisite for his professional duties, and a range of scientific and literary acquirements. He was celebrated for his discourses. His great end was the discovery of truth, and the dissemination of scientific and pious instruction amongst his people. He pub- lished a valuable and interesting work, called nroo pnp, Korban Minna, (Livorno, 5551 1 791,) a literary comment on, and explanation of the service of the High Priest, 7H3 JHD, which is read at synagogue on the fast day of Kipoor. After which he published D'3nn nQirt, Hupat Hatanim, (Livorno, 5557 1797,) universally applauded, and wherein he has shown his abilities in the mathematical, as well as the rabbinical branches of knowledge."* In evidence of my father's solicitude for the promotion of a proper system of education for the * The Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1828, p. 377-8. nation at large, it may be mentioned, that twelve months previous to his death he published a letter upon the subject, dedicated to his friend D. A. Lindo, Esq., dated 19th June 1827. His cha- racteristic zeal in the cause, and his enlightened views upon the subject, are therein conspicuous. " It is education," he observed, " you well know, Sir, that lays the basis of the future character that developes the mental energies, and affords a supply of wholesome and nutricious food ; and that it is only by the adoption of such a course, conducted upon liberal and enlightened principles, our nation can rationally expect to keep pace with the march of intellect and retain its station in the scale of society, ' For this is your wisdom and your under- standing in the sight of the nations, &c., and say surely, this great nation is a wise and understanding people,' Deut. iv. 6. And again ; " In laying the foundation of a liberal education who can be con- ceived so proper to direct the studies of others, as he who has devoted his own attention and employed his whole time in the study of the law, and those branches of science so closely connected with its exposition and illustrations. Such an one and such an one only, can render efficient aid to the instruc- tive mind in its pursuit after knowledge." The important office which he sustained, and the occupation of much of his time by persons who, from all parts, consulted him, as also his great bodily infirmities, from which he suffered during the last seven years of his life, prevented his preparing and correcting the whole of his manuscript work for the press. Soon after his decease, as a great portion of it had had the benefit of his mature revisal, I re- solved to publish it, both in Hebrew andEnglish, en- tire in two volumes. With this view, I issued a pros- pectus and proposals for its publication by subscrip- tion, but did not obtain the encouragement necessary to warrant so considerable an undertaking.* The increasing interest which is now taken in the in- struction of youth, and the numerous enquiries which are made for elementary works, have led me to think that a favourable time has arrived to pre- sent my brethren with at least a portion of the work. It consists altogether of three distinct, and in themselves complete sections, each of which is divided into brief lessons ; and of which the pre- sent forms a part of the first section. The Hebrew which although written in the purest style, I at * It is but just on my part to acknowledge with gratitude the encouragement I received from those gentlemen, who at that time came forward as supporters and benefactors, and whose names will appear in the list of subscribers in the next part. present omit. In this form I entertain the hope that the design will be favorably received, and that these pages will be found eminently useful. I have only to add that gain is far from being my object by this publication, but that the profits, if any should be derived from it, will be devoted to the continuance of the series, and also the produc- tion of some of my own writings ; for it has ever been the earnest promptings of my heart to com- municate to my fellow-men whatever knowledge Providence may have favoured me with, and to be an instrument however humble, in promoting true wisdom, which alone conduces to real well-being and happiness. That the Divine blessing may rest upon every reader, and that they may " be all taught of the Lord " is the sincere prayer of their devoted noy 1 ? 3ie> enn. D. MELDOLA. 6, Gt. Alie St., Goodman's Fields. 6th Hes/ivan, 5609 2nd Nov., 1848. V* A translation of the Author's very instructive preface to the Catechism wiJl appear in the next part. LINES TO THE MEMORY OF THE REVERED AUTHOR BY THE TRANSLATOR. mm minn nst nan i ^j$ n>jp pp ba hy IK inn' rnnoj nD*.iy nosrumiynn n"ip -piN N*a ' m t^x mnnn nsaS N^n miynn nsr mm i^y nip '3pr a^ 33 / m3ia ^C' m^fima ns nn 1 ? -in nuyn oy : rvmn |i^ pmn *vi 13 *D mpn nos im n^iys w nsn n^ V3K nn i^ nnpn s ny ^n -]Tiy ; jn ID* &6 ny ^D^iy-51 D'n "?j; n'm THE WAY OF FAITH. LESSON I.* THE LAW. Rabbi. Since you have told me from what race or people you are descended, can you tell me what obliga- tions are incumbent upon you, and what duties you are bound to perform as a child of Israel ? Pupil. The Lord having, through love, revealed the heavenly law on Mount Sinai to the children of Israel, enjoined it on our forefathers ; and this law, which was declared by the mouth of Moses, the chief of our pro- phets, we are commanded by Moses himself to observe, according to its import, in the same manner as it has been observed by our forefathers who, for themselves and their seed, swore to adhere to this law strictly. R, Give me the derivation of the term law, and explain its meaning ? * This commences the third lesson in the original MS., the first and second lessons being omitted, as the questions and answers are similar to what is contained in most elementary works on this subject. P. The term min law is derived from the verb nT>, to instruct. The object of the law is to point out to us the path of righteousness, and to remind us of those duties which we are imperatively called upon to regard as the commandments of the Lord. And hence, by paying a due obedience to its injunctions, our virtue wilj become strengthened, and we shall be placed in a posi- tion to hope for the favour of the Most High. R' For what prominent object has our law been given ? P. The law has a twofold object : First to implant in our hearts the resolution to fulfil our duty towards God. And secondly to exhort us to fulfil our duties towards man. Such is the great and important princi- ple on which the whole law is founded, and by the observance and strict performance of those duties which the law prescribes, every Israelite will arrive at the very perfection of happiness in the state of a blessed immor- tality. It. Where is there a compendium of those duties to be found ? P. Such are the contents of the Ten Command- ments, which constitute the substance of the whole of the laws comprehended in the Pentateuch. The whole House of Israel heard these laws delivered by God, through Moses our teacher; as we read, "And God spake all these words, sayirg, &c." (Exod. xx). Also, " These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly, &c." (Deut. v. 22). Also, " did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of fire, as thou hast heard and live." (Deut. iv. 33). In com- memoration of that moment, the most important in the history of the world since the days of creation, M r e rise in our houses of prayer when we hear the reading of the Ten Commandments, even as our fathers stood around the mount, when they heard the laws promulgated by the voice of Divine Majesty. These commandments were written on two tables of testimony, as written : " and the tables were the work of God," (Exod. xxxii. 16), also, " The Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone, written with the finger of God." (Deut. ix. 10). These tables were also placed in the Ark, in the Holy of Holies, as is testified in the text, saying, " And I put the tables in the ark which I have made, &c., &c." (Deut. x. 5) ; all which you have pointed out to me in the course of our Scripture-reading. LESSON II. DUTIES TOWARDS GOD. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. FIRST COMMANDMENT. " I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." This first commandment instructs us that we are faithfully to believe that there is but one God, who is the sole Creator of all beings, and of every existence that, by his omnipotence all creation has been called into existence from nothing. It is He that brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and revealed Himself unto them by com- mencing His laws with this declaration : " I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, &c." Thus were we taught that there is a God who possesses an unlimited power (as the word ilvtf, Eloah, denotes), and that the deliverance out of Egypt, and those miraculous events which attended it, were not accidental occurrences attributable to blind chance ; but that they were originated, designed, and executed by that great power, in fulfilment of the promise and covenant made many centuries before with our patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is there- from justly laid down by the luminaries of tradition, that the belief in this first commandment is the main spiritual pillar of our religious edifice, and without holding it unconditionally, no man can have a share in the spiritual inheritance of Israel. SECOND COMMANDMENT. D^m -ratei T T - - -.--;- rnrr 5 nhN p:_ ; ^ npn rCTi. : "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me, thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any like- ness that is in Heaven above, or that is in Earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth : thou shalt not how down to them, nor serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me : and shewing mercy unto thou- sands of them that love me, and keep my command- ments." We are here commanded neither to believe in, nor to worship any other God, or any other object besides the God of Heaven and of Earth. An Israelite, therefore, who would raise into a Deity any created thing, to serve it by any kind of religious worship, consisting in these four particulars: viz., sacri- fices, incense, oblations, and prostrations, though he acknowledged at the same time the supreme power, would trespass the commandment " Thou shalt have no other Gods before me," &c. The expression IJQ }y " be- fore me," includes all place, all time, and every mode of worship, inasmuch as the Creator is omnipresent and eternal. We are no less prohibited from addressing prayers to angels and saints, as our mediators ; we are to address our prayers solely to God himself, and He will answer us ; as we read in another part of Scripture "for what nation is there so great, who hath God so near to them as the Lord our God is in all that we call upon him." (Deut. iv. 7.) By the tenor of this command- ment is also prohibited the making of such images as are in use among the idolatrous for purposes of worship. The object of this strict prohibition manifestly is to save us from temptation, by keeping far from us the means by which we might be lured to the practices of idolatry. The transgression of this prohibitive com mandment, and of this alone, is visited by the Lord upon the third and fourth generations of the evil-doers ; whereas it is declared of every other kind of trespass, " every man shall be put to death for his own sin." (Deut. xxiv. 16.) THIRD COMMANDMENT. K nyr " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." This commandment instructs us that we ought not to take a rash and vain oath by the name of God, for we ought to impress it well upon our minds, that God, blessed be his name, liveth, and that the awe of His Majesty transcends our conception : accordingly we are bound to utter his name with reverence and humility, but not with levity or indifference on trivial occasions.* A profane use of the Divine name for the purpose of corroborating the veracity of our assertions, and an irre- verent performance of prayer, are alike condemned by the letter and the spirit of this prohibitive commandment. The following are sentiments of Aben Ezra on the same subject, he says " The gravity of this trespass is plainly expressed in the text ' for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain,' &c. As oaths by the name of God are so frequently in the mouths of people, the prohibition and the punishment were rendered the more severe ; murder, theft, and adultery, are heinous crimes, yet it is not so easy for the wicked to gratify their evil inclinations towards these sins on all occasions, from fear of detection and other impediments: but he -that is inclined to take oaths in vain, may utter the Divine name many times a day without hindrance ; at length his conscience becomes callous, and if reproved for his profaneness, he fain excuses himself by saying that it is but a custom of speech with him ; nay, there are some who pretend to a particular merit for having the name of God fre- quently in their mouths on all occasions." Again, the man of strong and dangerous passions will desist from his evil practice when Lis wild appetite is satiated : but the injury inflicted on the morals of a people by the pernicious example of habitual profaneness, is constant, progressive, and hence incalculable. * The particulars of that commandment, and the different cha- racters of oaths, are specified and treated upon at large in Talmud Code Sebuot 19. 8 FOURTH COMMANDMENT. nw : isrrpS r\zm DV-HK rnrv ns^'n DVHN nin? " Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy : six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates ; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hal- lowed it." This commandment involves the most essential prin- ciple in our religion ; so much so, that our Rabbies declared that this one command balances the whole of the remaining laws. For, by keeping that day sacred, we assert the grand point of the belief in the creation : as it is expressed " for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day." Reason dictates to us therefore to honour that day and to keep it holy namely, to abstain by word and action from all kinds of works and profane occupations, but to devote it entirely to sacred objects, to fix in our hearts the belief in the creation, which is the foundation of revealed religion and that of the whole of the Divine Law. The tenor of this commandment is, that we are bound to devote one day in every week to the remembrance of the revealed truth ; that in six days the visible world was created, and that the seventh day was sanctified as a day of rest by the Maker of All. The belief of the fact which is stated as the motive for the holiness of the Sabbath contradicts the arrogant assumption of the " eternity of matter," and is therefore of the utmost importance in our religion, which acknowledges an Omnipotent Creator. Besides the commemoration of the creation, there is another object the commemoration of which is an equally essential point in the Mosaic faith namely, that of the deliverance from Egypt. While in Egyptian bondage, our ancestors were deprived of every bodily and mental comfort, of rest and leisure for devotion ; but by the mighty hand of the Lord they were restored to liberty, and made the keepers of that revealed religion which by their instrumentality was propagated over the surface of the earth. We find this second and no less important sanction for the institution of the Sabbath specified in the Ten Commandments in the Book of Deuteronomy (v., 15) "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, &c. ; wherefore the Lord thy God commanded 10 thee to keep the Sabbath day, &c." By the expression remember, we are also commanded verbally to announce, the sanctity of that day namely, by reading the "sanc- tification," E^np (Kedush,) at the entry ; and the " dis- tinction," n^2H> (Habdalah,) at the end of the Sab- bath day : thus to distinguish symbolically between the day of rest and the working days, all tending to the great objects of faith namely, that of inculcating the belief in the creation, and in the miraculous deliverance of our fathers from Egyptian bondage by the Divine power. As it is contrary to the letter of the law to undertake bodily labor on the Sabbath day ; so it is contrary to the spirit of the law to make of the Sabbath an occasion of riotous sensuality. The Sabbath of the Lord ought to be devoted to such devotional exercises of the mind as will not fail to have an exhilarating influ- ence on the spirit, freed from the trammels of daily toil. LESSON III. DUTIES TOWARDS OUR NEIGHBOUR. FIFTH COMMANDMENT. . 12 "Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." 11 Reason and nature dictate the duty enjoined upon us in this commandment, since every one is bound to be grateful and obedient to his benefactors. If we con- sider that parents not only give to their offspring the treasure of life, but also the far more valuable gifts of untiring attention and zealous care from birth to the years of maturity, the duty which we owe to our pater- nal benefactors requires no additional recommendation. Holy though this commandment is, even in its obvi- ous and literal sense, still its spirit leads to still nobler duties. In it we behold, at the same time, an incentive to obey, to love, and to revere God, our creator and per- petual benefactor, the preserver of our existence, and that of oui' forefathers, Him that gave us life, endowed us with an intellectual soul, and fitted us for immor- tality. By the same law, then, which dictates filial affection towards our earthly parents, we are directed to the contemplation of the unbounded gratitude ever due from us to our great Heavenly Father. From the same commandment, too, our sages rightly deduce the duty of obedience and respect towards our social superiors. SIXTH COMMANDMENT. "Thou shalt not kill." The force of this commandment is intelligible to the mind of every human being, since God created man in his own image namely, endowed him with an intel- lectual soul, a part of his own essence, and blessed him 12 that he should "be fruitful and should multiply," &c. He destined man to be the guardian and the cultivator of this his earthly abode, but not a wilful destroyer of its inhabitants. It is to be observed that at a very early period of man's history it was divinely announced that " he that sheddeth the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed." It is held by our elders that not only is he guilty of transgressing this law that murderously sheds his neighbour's blood, but also he, no less, that maliciously injures his neighbour's honour, by any public act or speech. Agreeably to this, the authors of the Mishnah say, "he that insults his fellow-creature publicly has no share in the world to come." (Abboth, sec. iii, les. 11). Many are the wholesome lessons to be deduced from this commandment, to guide us in our conduct towards our fellow-men, and for this salutary purpose it has been copiously cited in the writings of our sages. We may resume them all in this one injunction to abhor the exercise of all manner of oppression towards those whom we may get in our power. It is self-evident that this commandment lays on every man the obligation to remove to the best of his ability all causes of bodily danger to his neighbour, as declared by the text, "Thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof that thou bring not blood upon thine house." (Deut. xxii. 8). In connection with this subject, we learn, that he who strikes or vexes his fellow creature, or he who sees his fellow-creature in a state of danger is bound to save him 13 with all might, and the neglect of doing so morally amounts to the same crime as that of shedding a fellow-creature's blood wilfully. Hence we read, " nei- ther shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neigh- bour." (Lev. xix. 16.) Mischievous deeds and calum- niations are to be reckoned among the causes of bloodshed, of the truth whereof we have an example in the account of the slaughter of the priests at Nob, by order of King Saul, who listened to the calumniation of Doeg the Edomite. (1 Sam. xxii.) To give false evidence so as to cause a man's death, or to gire him a bad advice which may cause death is also a breach of this commandment. It must also be observed, that the heinous crime of suicide is one of the crimes contemplated by this commandment, as being an act of irreparable destruction. There is no difference between the culprit who deprives the world of one of his fellow-creatures, and the one who takes away his own life. He that gave life has the power of taking it, according to his own unlimited will and pleasure ; but the depositary has no right wilfully to make away with his trust. Thus we interpret the principle of the Divine words "And surely your blood of your lives will I require." (Gen. ix. 5). With great propriety have our Rabbies declared " He that commits suicide has no share in the world to come." SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." 14 The sanctity of marriage, which is the basis of all domestic happiness, and this, in its turn, the only guarantee of public peace and prosperity, is especially protected by this divine commandment. As you increase in experience, you will have ample opportunities of learning, that, in proportion as a people respects chastity and purity of manners, it is brave, independent, and humane. EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. " Thou shalt not steal." Taking into consideration the foregoing command- ments, the transgressors of which are all liable to capital punishment, we may infer that this command- ment is also of that order, that the transgressors of this are also liable to the punishment of death ; where- fore this prohibition is believed to have especial reference to the act of man-stealing : for thus we read in another part of Scripture, viz. " He that stealeth a man and selleth him, &c., he shall surely be put to death." (Exod. xxii. 16). As for such who steal effects, or any goods of pecuniary worth, their punishment is specified in other places of Scripture, and consists in an infliction of pecuniary fines, either double, three-fold, or four-fold the amount stolen. Still, in a wider sense, it may well be interpreted to include the condemnation of theft in general. This commandment includes the prohibition of keeping false weights and false measures, and of deceiving 15 a man in the acts of commerce, to contravene which, is equal to the commission of theft. Moreover, he that finds any property belonging to his fellow-man, and does not return the same to its proprietor, or he that keeps back the daily wages of the labourer, also com- mits a breach of this commandment, as the object of all such actions is the same, viz. to deprive fellow-men of their property and of the produce of their labour. It ought to ro observed that every trespass which a man commits in violation of the ritual law, viz. such as regulate the relation of man to God, may be atoned for by repentance and confession ; but any wrong committed by man in his actions towards his neigh- bour, can never be expiated, unless he satisfy and recon- cile his neighbour. And I have also to advert to another point eminently essential, viz. not to think that these commandments are to be observed only towards brother Israelites, to the exclusion of non-Israelites. Far from it! We are bound to observe as a rule, that in every- thing which has a tendency to preserve and promote the happiness of mankind at large, our law admits no distinction of nation, creed, or class : for one God has created us, and one father is common to us all. The Rabbies class under the head of this commandment, the prohibition of all acts tending to foster practices of dis- honesty, and the endeavour to screen the dishonest from the vigilance of the guardians of the law. (See Mai- monides, Vol. 4 T! pID HT33 ITD^n). Py way of analogy we also infer from this commandment the duty of avoiding hypocrisy, which is " to steal the hearts and minds of people," styled in Hebrew njn fQJJ, as is 16 done by those who speak in one way and act in another. So the Scriptures say : " And Absalom stole the hearts of the men, &c." (2 Sam. xv. 6). NINTH COMMANDMENT. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh- bour." The reason of this commandment is obvious, for even as true evidence is the most useful guide in human transactions, so false evidence tends to the confusion of right and wrong. From this commandment we deduce the following important rules, as standing in a natural relation to the furnishing of false evidence : not to propagate injurious reports, to the prejudice of a neighbour, -]jn fellow-man of whatever creed or class he may be, and much less to invent such reports ; to abstain from fixing a stigma on the character of a neighbour, even though we may deem him deserving of reproach, because our judg- ment may be erroneous, but the injury inflicted by us would be certain. In fine, we should endeavor to incline our minds towards a favourable judgment of our neighbour, rather than otherwise, lest we fall into the grievous sin of bearing false witness against the innocent. 17 TENTH COMMANDMENT. rti nieh -j|- : T- :I - "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man ser- vant, nor his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's." The object of this commandment is, to warn us against the employment of cunning for the purpose of obtaining possession of our neighbour's property or right. Though the perpetrator of such an act of fraud proposed to remunerate the defrauded party for the loss of such property or right, the deed would still come under the head of the transgressions provided for in this tenth commandment, in which the employment of any strata- gem whatever for such a purpose as is cited above, is absolutely condemned. The reason of this law is evi- dent. The indidgence of covetousness induces men gradually to use violence, to avail themselves of unlawful proceedings, and, at length, to scruple at nothing, pro- vided the guilty purpose can be secured. Of which we behold an example in Scripture, where Ahab, King of Israel, having been refused the Vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel, is represented to have prosecuted his plan with stratagems, viz. by way of false accusations, and false evidences (1 Kings xxi.), by which means Naboth was killed, and the king obtained the vineyard. His- tory furnishes, unfortunately, but too many examples of the ravages caused among mankind by the prevalence 18 of covetousness, especially when that sin enflamed the hearts of potent monarchs and ambitious conquerors. Although we have explained the commandment in this place to refer particularly to acts produced by covetous- ness ; still we ought not to omit that included within this commandment is the rule, that we ought to watch over our desires, lest they grow irresistible and produce the lamentable effects of which we have spoken. Hence we find, in the repetition of the tenth commandment, in Deuteronomy (v., 21), the term niKfin, which imports "desire;" and our sages have bequeathed to us the pithy maxim envy, strong desires, and ambition cut off a man's life. On the other hand the Talmud relates, that, when R. Nehunia was complimented on the cheer- fulness which distinguished him in his advanced years, he replied, I have never felt gratified by the humilia- tion of my neighbour ; have never lain down with an evil wish to any man ; nor have I ever been greedy after wealth ! (Megilla, fol. 28.) nan ppa vnaaro * rrn 'Jiaba pm nan rbhp psn jo nny 1 ? IK> nna "im ^p i3iry ns nan ny 3ioK -|in nmsD p'-p enpa rniv V3Q nny i 2py M2> nny b ovtaaa 1302 IC>K D3y3 ->yt23 Snan nan jnai nan oy en nKi "n ^2112 ytr on nivisn ^cyi nnia nco nxinn ixn^ h nrn nny rmnaan Wnow6i u^ en nsnn 1 ? oa /VJB> ' z nnnn nyn DV no nvsn ^san nt a mins "?na "ip^y ms? 1 nnio* on jn D^ ;n 3 nyi jnvn Dn*ao ni33 s^ wmin n onw nn^ nip 122^ oni^ ^x n^jnnn 2 D3ip "jins 0323 nionip^sni nxt ^2N . nnrnn Divniynoi on non n^npn i3*nnin HID^JD / "m DIK> nyn* mm ;n > 3n22t^ mm |n iBono n'pymn y*a^ DS 33 "hoy bo M> on nr n^n nun3 *n3H2 ^2 63 lyi^i n3 . inin'pN DDna 1 ?! nisnv Sinn sin irnin 1 ? nmpS nrn 1102 o i| 33n ny "i3i D3K> ; n p n3K> wan nn^ns Tina 3 n anaiv TK nio^n TIDI yina 7nr6 n jiaa visa 'nxan Da , bna nyi pa D'D nipo o ntJ>N cna ntynj minnty nnD o- mnm nnj mnsD *s*pn pm n'n in^nsc'o D"n ^ jpoy nxn^ i^'-yn 1^1 n tty^ 'PSI npn niD^nn a 11 Tnn n^ nsrn nn^nsn -inxi D*yjD pn ny nai^xnn DHID^ p^ns ono inx ^31 Q3s *3 -T pa 'i pa nn^ 1 ? hwaunnn 'bp nnnxi ppnn ama oooya p^oyn^ ps 'an ^K iyjn ny p *& vat^i 1^35^ D3 namon n ntn main nx> -61 nw ^ a."ro IN 'ID K'pnm PHWrtoi^un 3nna novo Kin nt^x nyn na iBioai ninixn D'j^yn nn'oyon D' s' no ma^i n.nna N*aN ' njios^ yawn ti^ on K^ i-n^ar yin' a ntrnpn 12:1 ^y nan'pi xinpb snpoa pan 1 ? i^an nsi n nx : p \m ma 'D 1 ? onio^ inp^n nta oa n.nvn nan nasa noD xa^ n,a nosn K'.n ^n ^>aa D^iyn *aa pne>n OKI ^iasn po aK'nanoa nns sns ann pa man naN pB>nn oat^os ns 3 nya \yzh niosnn nse> nyn^ yaian p^n iyTi n3* nioann nyn^ DB'sa npB> w nrai xan pxoi lyatan n'ans no Sy p-n^a x -im nnriK W3n IPS ono B niyi pn M*on p^n DJttpk omo^n -jinn Mafn D* "ISD DnB^ok n^6o ny -nnn nn . 1^3 i^s nnys 1 ? vat? a ins isn niipn onjnn nc>K nin nyi mt K^ no^n Dn:iX3 ipnnn TB ^n'DKn niWDIb^jni n^iosn D^ptnion D n ms 1 ? iN^in 0*3*0 nssoo oona p s? T^S onm nn st^ *32 nya naon "i3T3 K 1 ?^ no nwon <i yD2 mini D*3D 0^30 oisi ni3^D m I^KO nixxvn ni^pnm o-' i-inrn Doan nnni o3nn 135^ nr ^ i^n nnna :ni^3 n3in mnn KK> D3nn3 onnn iy3n *3 wnynsi ny ^33 mrxnn : nxrb ^ 13^3 13*KVKV1 13H3X HT^I 1p133 no3 3^5 21p3 n 13^3^ n^ nipD ny Tsrta p"iV > T t3E ' ''y" 1 ' 1 ' 1 nmoi 'nnsn p y -p3K nK nx yn 132 nn oyi nins 1 ?! I3ny3^ H3133 1113 nmn 1 ? n^n nn^nn D311 Htn 11135^ HXlin *33K *3 nyii H3i3n3 npini ^NI^ pni o^ -in-nn TTD sin Kin ntn nnon DSK' p ^ vat? jnn vh nnai nnnni n*a* nsxni nno^D xnpn minn :n^v K^ vsnns no^oni nnys njnjji bswn nxT3 xnn 561 i nnnb ^3K>n:n erven ty nnnp^y -IPX nioixn I&?D 'n nxtn nxnpn n iani i^yjj 1 s ? nn^n ny^ ? nns ny mo on 1 ? nn 1 ? ^bnno DDB> DB> s^oai iiono 1 ? ^H o- mas Q-iON'3 JHKT M^ ns pnnm niytDnS p nnnn NQ"II 1x^1 rni DH^BD nni33i nivn 1 ? 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D'-o^n p mm ,*n onmns? wa si lyi 11 N? 3ionn Kin 'Kn nivo on 1 ? ni n*Dnn unnin *BHB> nn DnninDK> pn onnra on^nns 3n3Di : nnnn ni 3ao EW3wi nnssnn s n^a^ on ns Knon ^HQID typni mpn pns s 1 ? nyipni B^D^a mn3 nD-iiQi r\^ n*n* ^3 nn^D onsn 3^3 noin nny n^asn K nasi njyi t^si on Dn3K> ninoinn nn n3 SD nonn K 1 ? IB>K no*onni noWn mn nn onp x 1 ? nan B>K~in3*3D poiyi 1^3^ mou'Bnn oipo nv IK 3 1^33 npKn I^N iiin SK nt33 onnsnoo na yan n^ Dipoa K^S min ry J133 |aiK3 mo? mm mna rniv nosna mbn psn nprcn '3 ns-o xbn ps ba n'ino "i 1 " 1 * -anoa 'Da nnt? (BKiaia) psn obiyn ninn yanxb nni^aai rroinn ny 'jbaa ps i3' nao ISK> an ny J" 1 ^D n^nno (a" T m=M a'n nna) nwyDi nnn: Do< niynai nnn oneai nosn moyn niypnp rr in i^s mm: .Dplun IBDO *S3 nypa^> ypip mnoa enipn po u 1 ? mm tw minn B ^y by imno pnt^nn pnpnb nnv |sniB> pa is D^ns pa D1313 nso s'-n iss nnis cn ypnpno N'S H31D1 D^S/3 p3j;3 p |133 rim ? nstn noann n^n ^n s"?n na^nnBipn'Bnnn tjmpmvoa naa oBnp vnB> Jon Tan n*pa vne* 103 nnio 1 ?^ nto3 n^si nv S3OK> jaisn- rv&nn mo psD nsnx nn sbsn na TIDHI na by ponsi IKIBO p3aa ni nn:i3n ny sab nain *3 nos }-| jabbi.mab jnsba nD^D^ia obia D3iB> D3oo D^3^o sba p:a ps *3 lyatsn n^ns no by rpnnioi n-npy D3^b poiyai onnana na bs ipoyn one msab im3intj> ly nyn jinnb D^aio DJ^S^ npy by larop Dnoi n^i^ o^n^sa nst DJ^SI nno ^ab pjyn tenupa n:n nns pi pnoa vbv mn nyn cnoibb lann naaB> jaisa nna AUTHORS' PREFACE : V'VT nnnan VOTK minn nxw njn JD ruirun nKvcnn wmm TV T *?y n^pini niSipn ^K nun 1 ? -pno nnn nai nin^vjn nimn ^ ^ nannn minn yatj'n'pi pnn 1 ? ninnao n^mvoo nos -px 3 rrnw^nj n^nn nnwpn nioann mm nano ntfn Sis^ x 1 ?^ "psn WIVB? no iiotwi mo T' 1 ? n*3on nso nsion rna "?3 nra nrano a^yai^n bs !?'Tn iny^^ 103 n3 nyi mn y^n aipo nT*K ny 3B> 3"3 jotn TSWI nio 1 ? ^3in^ ;OT mis by nb nnvn nm nn DT j"3 yaw nbuo lyn 11 sb DS n 1 ?n33 ^i^n p'pnn a ypip f u-t ^OF-CAUFC I A 000071 122 6 California [gional Jility