THE 1 TBRARY 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CAT IFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 INSTRUCTION 
 
 IN THE 
 
 MOSAIC RELIGION. 
 
 TRANSLATED PROM THE GERMAN OF 
 
 J. JOHLSON, 
 
 TKACHER OF AN ISRAELITISH SCHOOL AT FRANKFORD ON THE MAINE. 
 BY 
 
 ISAAC LEESER, 
 
 READER OF THE PORTUGUESE JEWISH CONGREGATION IN PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 naan njH rvjo 'n nxr 
 
 " Reverence for the Eternal ia the first of knowledge, 
 And only fools despise wisdom and correction."^PRovKRBs i. 7. 
 
 PRINTED BY ADAM WALDIE. 
 5590.
 
 Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to wit : 
 
 BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the second day of August, in the fifty- 
 fifth year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1830, 
 ISAAC LEESER, of the said district, has deposited in this office the title of a 
 book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to 
 wit: 
 
 " Instruction in the Mosaic Religion. Translated from the German of 
 J. Johlson, teacher of an Israelitish school at Frankford on the Maine. By 
 Isaac Leeser, reader of the Portuguese Jewish congregation in Philadelphia. 
 
 m D'S'ix IDIDI HODH njn rrty&n 'n nxr 
 
 ' Reverence for the Eternal is the first of knowledge, 
 
 And only fools despise wisdom and correction.' Proverbsi. 7." 
 In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled 
 " An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, 
 charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the 
 times therein mentioned." And also to the act, entitled " An Act supplemen- 
 tary to an act, entitled ' An Act for the encouragement of learning, by secu- 
 ring the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of 
 such copies during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits 
 thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other 
 prints." 
 
 D. CALDWELL, 
 Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
 
 53ctrtcatton. 
 
 TO HIS BELOVED UNCLE, 
 
 ZALMA REHINE, 
 
 OF RICHMOND, VA. 
 
 THIS LITTLE VOL0ME IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, 
 
 BY HIS AFFECTIONATE NEPHEW, 
 
 AND OBLIGED SERVANT, 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 1965805
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. Page 
 
 OF THE DIGNITY AND DESTINATION OF MAN, 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 OF RELIGION, 6 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES, - - 13 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 OF IMMORTALITY, 24 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 OF REVELATION, - 30 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, - - 37 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 OF THE TRADITION, - 55 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 1. OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS GOD, 64 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 2. OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS OURSELVES, 72 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 3. OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS OUR FELLOW-MEN, - - 80 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS THE STATE,, - 94 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 OF MEANS TO BECOME PlOUS, 102 
 
 APPENDIX. 109
 
 PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 IN an age, when science of every kind is pursued with avidity, no 
 astonishment can be manifested at the attempt of an Israelite to give 
 his brethren a clear knowledge of the religion which they have 
 inherited from their ancestors ; since, if it is of any importance 
 whatever to any portion of the human family to profess a certain 
 creed, it is also highly necessary, that the principal features at least 
 of this creed should be familiar to all who profess the same. I 
 claim no great literary merit on account of the present per- 
 formance ; for, although the labour bestowed on it has been very 
 great, and considerable additions and alterations made (particularly 
 to the tenth and eleventh chapters), yet, the road was already so 
 clearly pointed out by the very learned author of the original, that 
 I had nothing more to do, than to make as good a use of the 
 materials, as my limited abilities and inexperience would permit. 
 How I have succeeded, I leave others to judge ; and claim no par- 
 ticular indulgence, because it is my first literary performance of 
 any note. But at the same time I beg leave to state, that I shall 
 not hold myself responsible for any difference of opinion, which 
 may happen to exist between myself and any of my readers ; and I 
 hope, that this difference will not, as in justice it should not, deprive 
 me of as candid and impartial a judgment, as though we agreed 
 upon every point. If I have not obtained the good opinion of the 
 public, I have endeavoured to deserve it. For in the first place, I
 
 have spared no application to render the work, though small in size, 
 as perfect as I could possibly make it ; and next, I flatter myself, 
 that the typographical execution is of such general correctness as 
 will strike every one as worthy of commendation. I can safely aver, 
 that the Hebrew, which is distributed throughout these pages, will 
 be found to be as free from errors as can well be expected, for every 
 passage has been carefully revised with the best editions of the Bible. 
 That some small errors may nevertheless have escaped both in the 
 English and Hebrew, despite of the care bestowed upon both, I 
 cannot doubt ; but no one can demand perfection, when perfection 
 is beyond the reach of man, and literary labours must share the fate 
 of every other human undertaking. 
 
 The design of this work is the instruction of the younger part of 
 Israelites, of both sexes, who have previously acquired some know- 
 ledge of the fundamental part, in the principal topics of their 
 religion. As to the manner of using it to advantage, I would 
 recommend its introduction into schools, wherever these are esta- 
 blished, or to be used as a book of instruction in families. Let 
 the scholars learn several paragraphs, both the Hebrew and the 
 English, by heart; but care should be taken, that the task given 
 them should be no more than they can conveniently get through, as 
 I conceive it highly absurd to give children such long lessons, that 
 they must leave them unattended to, or at best study them but very 
 imperfectly. It would also be very adviseable to explain the lesson 
 in general terms, when first given out, and more at length when 
 the scholars recite; and, if possible, the construction of the Hebrew 
 sentences, and the mode of reading this language without points, 
 should at the same time be taught, and children might thus 
 easily become acquainted with a number of elegant extracts 
 from the Bible, whilst they at the same time acquire a thorough 
 knowledge of the principal articles of their religion. Those, 
 who do not understand Hebrew, and have no means of be- 
 coming acquainted with it, can also make good use of this book,
 
 VII 
 
 as almost every word has been carefully rendered into English. In 
 these translations I have been guided by Jewish commentators and 
 versions, chiefly those of the great Rabbi Moses Mendelsohn, to 
 whose genius, guided by God's providence, we are indebted for 
 many benefits, and in particular to the light of science which we 
 now enjoy. I also would recommend to my readers, the younger 
 portion especially, not to be satisfied with a mere casual perusal of 
 this, but to give it now and then a share of their attention ; and I 
 trust, that the advantage they will derive from the reading of this 
 little work, will compensate them for the time spent in its perusal. 
 The indulgent reader, I hope, will not accuse me of presumption, 
 for offering these remarks to his consideration ; since it is but fair, 
 that I, having some experience in this matter, and the welfare of 
 our community deeply at heart, should be permitted to make a few 
 observations on the use of a book, on which I have bestowed my 
 undivided attention for several months. 
 
 It is universally acknowledged, that there is a great scarcity of 
 elementary books of this kind amongst us ; and this is, therefore, 
 the first of a series, which is attempted, to remedy this defect ; as 
 I intend to present more works of this kind to the consideration of 
 the public, if the encouragement held out for this will warrant me 
 in the undertaking. The patrons of this will no doubt recollect, 
 that I last winter issued proposals for this and another work ; but 
 the assistance, hitherto promised, is far from sufficient to pay the 
 expenses of the publication even of this alone, and I was obliged to 
 assume the publication myself, as no bookseller was willing to 
 undertake it. I hope, that this will be a sufficient apology to those, 
 who have subscribed for both, for the appearance of one only at the 
 present, as it cannot be expected that I should run the risk of too 
 great a loss. But they may rest assured, that I shall put the said 
 work to press as soon as possible, and the execution shall fully 
 equal that of the present, if the Almighty blesses me with sufficient 
 strength and health to attend to it. From the specimen here offered,
 
 Vlll 
 
 the public can judge of my claims to its patronage ; and those who 
 judge favourably, it is hoped, will extend their assistance to the 
 proposed publication. I would add, that the price will be raised, 
 immediately after publication, to those who may not have previously 
 subscribed. Persons wishing to subscribe may apply to me person- 
 ally, or to the following gentlemen, who have kindly promised to act 
 as agents : the Rev. Mr. Seixas and Mr. J. B. Kursheedt, New 
 York; Mr. Jacob Mordecai, and the Editors of the Whig, Richmond, 
 Va.; Mr. Jacob I. Cohen, Baltimore; Mr. Eleazer Block, Cincin- 
 nati, Ohio ; Mr. Nathan Hart and Dr. Jacob De La Motta, 
 Charleston, S. C. ; Mr. Moses Sarfaty, Kingston, Jamaica; and 
 Messrs. Lewis Allen and J. L. Hackenburg, Philadelphia, To the 
 patrons of this undertaking I return my sincerest thanks, and those 
 of other persuasions may rest assured, that I feel their kindness 
 very sensibly, and that it shall be my constant endeavour to prove 
 to all, that their confidence has not been misplaced. 
 
 Some persons may perhaps wish to know, why I should undertake 
 this task ? To this I simply answer : Having been appointed lately 
 a fellow-labourer in the vineyard of the Lord, I thought it best to 
 transplant this foreign shoot into that part of the vineyard entrusted 
 to my care. May then its branches spread over a wide surface, to 
 shade and shelter the weary, and may its good fruit be plentiful, and 
 refresh many a hungry traveller in the path of life. This is the 
 sincere wish and the only reason of the humble servant of his 
 brethren, 
 
 ISAAC LEESER. 
 PHILADELPHIA, 
 
 August 5th, > 
 Menachem 16th, \ 559 '
 
 INSTRUCTION 
 
 IN THE 
 
 MOSAIC RELIGION. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OF THE DIGNITY AND DESTINATION OP MAN. 
 
 1 . Which is the noblest creature known to us ? 
 
 Man ; for he is not alone superior to the other creatures of 
 this earth, on account of the beauty and wonderful construction 
 of his body, and his upright posture ; but also, on account of 
 the noble powers and capacity of his soul, his reason, and 
 freedom of will, which make him a rational being, and exalt 
 him, in an eminent degree, above all other animals. 
 
 DIKH nx nwy DTI^N oS* a o " For after his own image did God 
 make man." (Gen. 9 ch. 6 v.) 
 
 2. What do we call REASON ? 
 
 The power or capacity of the human soul to judge and to 
 decide ; to discover the connection between causes and effects ; 
 and to distinguish between the true and the false ; and between 
 that, which is right and good, and the wrong and evil. 
 
 2
 
 3. What is meant by FREEDOM OP WILL ? 
 
 Man, of his own free accord, can determine to do certain 
 actions, or omit doing them, just as he may deem them right 
 and useful, or wrong and injurious. The animal obeys merely 
 its instinct, and strives solely to satisfy its natural impulses ; 
 but man has the power to govern his desires (that is to say, his 
 inclination for that which pleases his senses, and his aversion 
 for those things which may happen to be disagreeable to them) 
 through the force of his reason. Reason, therefore, teaches 
 him to satisfy his inclinations no farther than he may deem 
 them necessary for his preservation, and conducive to his 
 spiritual and moral improvement. It is thus expressed in the 
 Bible: 
 
 rw D"nn nx orn "pa 1 ? ^na n*n " Behold ! I lay before thee 
 
 ;nnro mon njoaiton this day: life and the 
 
 (Deut 30 ch. 15 v.) good; death and the evil." 
 
 {Oil JHD3 pn px TISD 0103 rnn SK " Be not like the horse 
 p t 7N anp *73 DiSaV rty and mule, which have 
 no reason ; whose mouth must be governed by bridle and bit, 
 lest they injure thee." (Psalm 32, v. 9.) 
 
 4. Is this freedom of will of any importance to man ? 
 Certainly ; for this alone it is, which gives moral worth to 
 
 man and his deeds ; because his actions and omissions can 
 only in so far deserve praise or censure, reward or punishment, 
 as he is at liberty to act after testing and reflection. 
 
 The application of this mental power in ruling his desires 
 the government of himself is of the utmost necessity to man ; 
 for it is his duty to take the utmost care that his inclinations 
 may not degenerate into passions,* and lead him to the com- 
 
 * Passions are such desires, as have become so strong and lasting, that 
 they disturb our peace of mind, and place our soul in a passive state, as she
 
 mission of criminal and vicious actions ; and the reasonable 
 exercise of this moral freedom causes the purest delight of the 
 soul, and confers upon us the blessing of an easy and tranquil 
 conscience. 
 
 yovi t6 OKI nxi? rtrn ON NiSn " Behold ! If thou actest 
 SBWI nnmnpwi fiw pi nxan nnaV well, thou canst raise 
 
 13 thy eyes ; but if thou 
 
 dost not act well, sin will rest at the door ; to thee is its de- 
 sire, but thou canst rule over it" (Gen. 4 ch. 7 v.) 
 
 5. What is called CONSCIENCE 1 
 
 That inward consciousness or knowledge of our having done 
 right or wrong; the voice of God within us, which judges our 
 words and actions. There is, namely, a law impressed in the 
 hearts of all men, to approve of, and to exercise what is good, and 
 to disapprove of, and to shun what is evil.* If then we are 
 conscious of having acted properly, we shall experience 
 comfort, joy, and contentment, and we have then a good and 
 peaceful conscience. If we do wrong, the consciousness of 
 our having done so, will occasion us anxiety and disquietude, 
 for we have in this case a bad conscience. This disturbed 
 feeling of the wicked is beautifully expressed by the prophet : 
 
 PK Sor tfS Dpcrn o ty-uj DO o'jrcnm " The wicked are like 
 oyvrh TiSK IDN oiSt? the agitated sea, 
 
 which cannot rest. There is no peace for the wicked, speaks 
 my God." (Isaiah, 57 ch. 20 v.) 
 
 alto chut' oyix nto n.jn "pin D'Non " Even vice itself pursues 
 
 cannot any longer act from a free choice and with deliberation. Viet is the 
 habitual inclination to transgress the divine precepts. 
 
 * We call him conscientious, who is ever mindful of the warning voice 
 within, and accustoms himself to do nothing, without the consciousness of its 
 being right.
 
 the sinners, and virtue already rewards the righteous." (Prov. 
 13 ch. 21 v.) 
 
 6. Does man possess these advantages immediately upon his 
 entrance in the world? 
 
 No ; for he is, at his birth, the weakest of all creatures ; his 
 childhood is of the longest duration, and his faculties are but 
 gradually developed. The Almighty rendered man's infancy 
 thus feeble, that he might feel his we akness and depend- 
 ence, and learn to improve the powers of his mind through 
 instruction, education, and practice. But even this very 
 weakness of man's childhood, proves the more strongly his 
 superiority over other animals, since he is capable of an ever 
 progressive perfectibility. 
 
 7. As it is proper to infer the destination of any thing that 
 is, the ulterior object of its creation -from its organization and 
 qualities : how are we to judge in this respect from the great 
 endowments and advantages of man? 
 
 The pre-eminent mental endowments, wherewith man is so 
 peculiarly gifted; as also his reason, freedom of will, conscience, 
 and the ever active impulse which spurs him on to reach higher 
 perfections and greater happiness, clearly prove to us, though 
 even there were no other indications of the fact, that he is des- 
 tined to advance continually in perfection, wisdom, and virtue. 
 It behoves us, therefore, as rational beings, to improve our mind, 
 and employ all the knowledge we have acquired, to become 
 virtuous, and to reach, through the practice of virtue, both 
 temporal and endless happiness. 
 
 o Dnerni Dfltyni pi* pn m " Then only canst thou know 
 nnon warra 310 virtue, right and justice, 
 oyy the road to the really
 
 good : when wisdom has entered thy heart, and knowledge has 
 become agreeable to thy soul." (Prov. 2 ch. 9 v.) 
 
 8. What do you call VIRTUE ? 
 
 Virtue is the active love of what is right, and the abhorrence 
 of what is evil ; or, the readiness to practise the good cheerfully 
 and willingly, and carefully to avoid the evil. 
 
 We call him virtuous, who, from pure love of the good, 
 seriously endeavours to overcome his evil propensities, and to 
 live always conformably to the expressed will of God. 
 
 9. But what gives to man the power and the knowledge of 
 knowing the will of God, and of acting accordingly ? 
 
 Religion, and the law, which was revealed by God. These 
 give us a clear, lively, and impressive knowledge of the will of 
 God, and confers upon virtue the power to achieve a victory 
 over the passions. This knowledge of religion is necessary to 
 enable us to become really virtuous. 
 
 ppjo jn DINH 3*7 "i:r "3 " For the desire of the human heart 
 is evil from his youth." (Gen. 8 ch. 21 v.) 
 
 Sensuality blinds a man to such a degree, that he may be 
 led to consider the apparent, as a real and permanent good, and 
 to fly an inconvenience of but short duration, as a real evil ; 
 so that he inconsiderately grasps only at the shadow of good, 
 and thereby incurs real evil. 
 
 nin 'ppioa iioS D"n "iipn 'n nxr " Religion only is the source 
 of life, she teaches to escape from the snares of destruction 
 [death]." (Prov. 14 ch. 27 v.) 
 
 jnn IIDI 'n NY "p^a DDH Tin SN " Be not wise in thine own 
 estimation ! fear God and shun the evil." (Prov. 3 ch. 7 v.) 
 
 imffK mm IDPI oy yw pm p*o " Without a revelation does 
 a people grope in darkness (become wild) ; but if it lives ac- 
 cording to the law, it is happy." (Prov. 29 ch. 1 8 v.)
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 OF RELIGION. 
 
 10. What is Religion? 
 
 To acknowledge God and to adore him, by contemplating 
 his almighty power, wisdom, and goodness, and by a careful 
 observance of his precepts. It is also the chief duty of man, 
 and the true object of his existence, so to cultivate his powers, 
 as to reach this all-desirable end. 
 
 nxi , KY OTiS^n nx yam hm Yjn ]io " The concluding princi- 
 onxn *?:> m o Y.DE? vnixn pie is : Fear God, 
 and observe his precepts, for this is the whole duty of man !" 
 {Eccles. 12 ch. 13 v.) 
 
 Drrffy SoS 31C3 SDIP 'n nY nnon rriwo " The chief aim of wis- 
 , V? rnniy inSnn dom is the fear of God; 
 it is wise conduct to act accordingly, and causes imperishable 
 praise." (Psalm 111, 10 v.) 
 
 nra jnn 1101 nnon NTI 'n HXY p : onxS "IDK') " And he said 
 to man : Let fear of God be wisdom to thee, and call it reason 
 to shun evil." (Job, 28 ch. 28 v.) 
 
 And we can, therefore, only then be said to be truly religious, 
 when we acknowledge God, our Almighty Creator and Lord, 
 as the most perfect and holiest of all beings ; and think, act, 
 and live so, as this acknowledgement and the doctrines of 
 holy writ demand of us ; when we are ever animated by love 
 and adoration of the Eternal, and when we prove ourselves in 
 possession of these pious feelings, by an entire reliance upon 
 his wise providence, and a filial resignation to his holy will. 
 
 iniia V3Y1 nSii 'n KY 11BT3 "jSin " He wholives uprightly adores 
 the Eternal ; but he who walks in crooked paths dishonours 
 him." (Prov. 14 ch. 2 v.)
 
 iSp3 ynS ynSx 'n nx nsnxS " Love the Eternal thy God, 
 . TD' "pxi yn xin . 13 obey his voice, and 
 
 adhere to him ; for on this depends thy preservation and happi- 
 ness (length of days)." (Deut. 30 ch. 20 v.) 
 
 11. What effect has Religion upon Man? 
 Religion renders man good and happy. Those really pious 
 thoughts which our fathers called D'nSxn nx ^Snnn (to walk with 
 God), and DTiSx nsnp (the approach to God), bestow on man 
 a lasting inward comfort, continual contentment and joy of 
 soul, and incite and strengthen him to the practice of virtue. 
 The joyful feeling of his deserving the love and approbation of 
 his God, gives to man the enjoyment of the purest pleasure, 
 and of that true felicity, which elevates the pious man, whose 
 inheritance it is ('m 'Sera , 3ia iSnr o'D^oni), above all earthly 
 sufferings, and enables him willingly to dispense with the plea- 
 sure, which the evanescent riches of this world can afford. 
 "]ny Ton 'JXi And I remain with thee for ever ; 
 -yD' T3 n?HX Thou supportest me by my right hand ; 
 Thy council leadeth me rightly ; 
 And thou receivest me at last in honour. 
 Whom could I wish beside tbee in heaven ? 
 Whom near thee on earth ? 
 Though my soul and heart should languish, 
 Yet would God always be the comfort of 
 
 my heart, and my portion. 
 For lost are they, who are far from thee, 
 Lost they, who forsake thy worship. 
 
 1133 
 
 pX3 \ 
 trnSx 'pSni 
 
 xS 
 
 n3r yprn run 
 IDD njir S3 
 
 31D 'S D'nSx n 3 1 p % JNI But to adhere to God is to me the greatest 
 
 good ! 
 In thee, my Lord and God ! do I place my 
 
 trust, 
 
 And I will proclaim thy wonderful deeds ' 
 (Psalm 73.) 
 
 S3 isoS
 
 8 
 
 12. In -what light ought we then to consider the religion which 
 was revealed to us? . 
 
 We ought to regard it as the greatest of all blessings. For, 
 as a loving father is solicitous about the education and real 
 prosperity of his children : thus has God, the Lord, made his 
 will known to us, and taught us, how we are to adore him and 
 become happy. And whereas this wholesome law, which 
 makes us acquainted with our relation to God, and our appoint- 
 ment on earth, was communicated to us through the agency of 
 Moses (son of Amram of the tribe of Levy), we call the reli- 
 gion, which we profess, the Mosaic Religion. 
 
 n* "IWK nay n^D mm i-ot " Remember ye the law of 
 'pn S&oiy So h? aina Moses my servant, to whom 
 I commanded on Horeb laws and ordinances for all Israel." 
 
 (Mala. 3 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 13. Do not then all men profess the same Religion? 
 
 No ; mankind are not of one opinion concerning the mode of 
 worshipping God. There are accordingly various religions, but 
 they all, nevertheless, acknowledge a God and Creator, who 
 desires but the welfare of his creatures. Our wise men, there- 
 fore, teach us : 
 
 pSn onb ur oSiyn nmx 'Ton " That the pious of all nations have 
 N3n thtyh a share of the world to come," 
 i. e. may enjoy everlasting beatitude. 
 
 Hnj 1NUD 1^1 tyDt? mino o " For, from the going up to the set- 
 
 BUD iDpn mpn bjai , D'U3 ^Dty ting of the sun, is my name great 
 
 'Di? bm "D mnD nmoi > n&>'-7 among the nations ; everywhere 
 
 rn*O2f 'n IEN D'Ua are offerings and incense burnt 
 
 to my name, aud with pure devotion are sacrifices brought ; 
 
 for my name is great among nations, speaketh the Eternal Ze- 
 
 baoth." (Mala. 1 ch. 11 v.)
 
 14. Is it then a matter of indifference to what religion we pro- 
 fess ourselves ? 
 
 No; it is the most sacred duty of every Israelite to remain 
 faithful to that religion, which our ancestors accepted for 
 themselves and their posterity, and which to observe they most 
 solemnly swore. 
 
 nr^* ni3 '3JK D313 1 ? DOfiK tfSi " Not with you alone do I make 
 fix "D HKin nWn ni nx;n man this covenant and this oath of 
 'n 'jaS DVH iny UDJJ na W 1t?K confirmation ; but with those, 
 DVn uo;? na urx "IPX nxi irnStf who are this day with us, be- 
 fore the Eternal our God, and with those, who are not here 
 with us this day." (Deut. 29 ch. 13 and 14 v.) 
 
 We can, therefore, in no manner whatever renounce the re- 
 ligion of our ancestors, without infringing the covenant, and 
 thereby drawing upon ourselves the curses which the whole 
 nation pronounced before the Eternal. (Deut. 27 ch. 26 v.) 
 We must, therefore, be steadfast in the religion in which we 
 were born, and exclaim with the pious psalmist: 
 
 '*-? iSa: D'San 'Siu ymn nnx 'n " Thou, O Eternal, hast chosen 
 
 'n JIN "pax "hy ma^ nbru "] o'D-yja the lot for me ! My share 
 
 'J;r 1t7X was appointed in the most 
 
 lovely part, and my inheritance also is agreeable to me ; and I 
 thank thee, OGod, thatthou hast counselled me."* (Ps. 16, v. 5.) 
 
 * The chief Rabbi, H. Hurwitz, pointed out to me the following verse 
 and its interpretation, as a further elucidation of this passage : 
 
 IDN mm J^DH Sao yax IDIO ^3 ynv " My son, be attentive to the 
 advice of thy father, and neglect not the instruction of thy mother." 
 (Prov. 1 ch. 8 v.) 
 
 "The advice of thy father" in Heaven (say our Rabbins), which ha 
 communicated to Moses, both written and orally ; " the instruction of thy 
 mother" of the church (StOKf HDJ3), namely, those precepts which have 
 been adopted as a safeguard to the law. 
 
 3
 
 10 
 
 15. Which are the commandments we are bound to observe ? 
 Partly those laws, which God has inscribed in the hearts of 
 
 all men, and the infraction of which produces inevitable pun- 
 ishment even in this life ; and partly those precepts, which 
 God, out of peculiar grace, has communicated to us, the de- 
 scendants of his first true adorers, (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,) 
 through Moses and the prophets, and the infraction of which 
 is avenged already in this, or only in the future life. 
 
 16. What is the name of the book, in which the history of our 
 ancestors, as well as the precepts and commandments, which lead 
 us to happiness, are recorded? 
 
 We call it the Bible the book of books the Holy writ; it 
 is divided in three parts : D'airoi DW3J rrnn , the Pentateuch, 
 or the five books of Moses; the Prophets; and the Hagiography, 
 or Holy Writings. 
 
 1 7. Does the Bible promise us an exemption from all worldly 
 sufferings and cares ? 
 
 By no means ; but the religious man, who endeavours to live 
 according to the precepts, which this book contains, has the 
 comfort of knowing, that nothing can happen to him without 
 the wise and paternal will of God ; so that even the sufferings 
 and disappointments of life must be beneficial in their conse- 
 quences, and that the ever kind Father can and will compen- 
 sate him in the land of perfection (future life) for every earthly 
 evil 
 
 "ipa vna TK 'y&yv imin 'Sib " Were not thy law my comfort, 
 I should long since have perished in my affliction." (Ps. 119, 
 92 v.)
 
 11 
 
 nr*w 'n nips PSJ n:rD no^on 'n mm u The law of the Eternal 
 sS TIDIED is perfect, it refreshes 
 
 the soul ; the precepts of the Lord are just, they gladden the 
 heart." (Ps. 19, 8 and 9 v.) 
 
 18. Which, however, are the fundamental articles in the Mo- 
 saic religion? 
 
 The principal points of faith, upon which our holy religion 
 is founded, are of two kinds. Namely, first, those truths which 
 we can already discover through our reason alone, and are 
 comprehensible from the nature of things ; and secondly, his- 
 torical facts and doctrines, which are neither discoverable 
 through the means of reason solely, nor deducible from our 
 every day experience. 
 
 19. Which are the truths of the FIRST KIND ? 
 
 a) There exists one Eternal God; that is to say, a Supreme 
 Being, who is almighty, all-wise, and all-good; the creator, 
 preserver, and ruler of all things. 
 
 6) Our soul is immortal ; her existence, therefore, does in 
 no wise terminate at the death of the body ; but 
 
 c) She will surely receive from the hands of the all-just God, 
 in the future and eternal life, reward or punishment for her ac- 
 tions whilst here. 
 
 20. Which are the doctrines of the SECOND KIND, which are 
 founded on historical truths ? 
 
 a) That God revealed himself, in a supernatural manner, to 
 our ancestors, and in particular to our teacher Moses the 
 greatest of all prophets, who ever lived or will live and that 
 he communicated to us laws and doctrines for our happiness,
 
 12 
 
 which are contained in the book of the law, now actually in 
 our possession. 
 
 i) That Moses taught and wrote nothing voluntarily or 
 from his own fancy ; but every thing from divine inspiration. 
 That, therefore, every promise made to us by God, through 
 Moses and the prophets, will be eventually accomplished, as 
 soon as his all-seeing wisdom and goodness shall deem us 
 worthy thereof. 
 
 c) That also the more particular explanations and definitions 
 of the written precepts, were likewise communicated and 
 orally delivered to Moses by God ; so that these traditions 
 (which were afterwards delivered by Moses to the elders and 
 rulers of the people by word of mouth solely, and thus handed 
 down from generation to generation) constitute a prominent 
 and essential part of the law.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OP GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES. 
 
 21. How does reason alone already point out to us the exist- 
 ence of God? 
 
 Reason teaches, that one thing is always produced by another; 
 therefore, that the world could not have sprung into existence 
 of itself, but that it must have had a wise author and creator ; 
 and this first cause, this wise and mighty creator of all things, 
 I call GOD. And thus we read : 
 
 nn D'Dt?n ^lyi "pm mnna *o Sxt? nSiNi " Do but ask the cattle, 
 
 * D'n "Un I 1 ? nSDM "pm p6 TV IK f? and they will teach 
 
 : HNT TlTOtty 'n T O nbx Ssajrr 6 'O thee ; and the birds 
 
 of heaven, and they will tell it thee ; or view the earth, and 
 
 she will instruct thee ; and the fish of the sea will make it 
 
 known to thee : Who discovers not in all these, that the hand 
 
 of the Eternal has created them all ?" (Job, 12 ch. 79 v.) 
 
 22. What convinces us, that God is not alone the creator, but 
 also the ruler and supporter of the universe ? 
 
 This we discover already in the preservation and conti- 
 nuance of all beings and creatures on earth ; but chiefly in the 
 regular course of the sun, moon, and stars. For they retain 
 the same proportion and relative situation to one another, 
 which they had thousands of years ago : the seasons change 
 always in their due order, and the constellations pursue their 
 course even in the most distant orbits and re-appear regu- 
 larly and with the utmost punctuality at the place from whence 
 they commenced their course. And says Isaiah, (40 ch. 26 v.) :
 
 14 
 
 ' lN"n Qyry onn iNt? " Raise your eyes to heaven 
 21D Nip 11 DK?3 thzh DK3!f 13DD3 and see ; who created 
 1TPJ vh WX HD ^DXI <Ac*e. ? He bringeth out 
 their host by number, calleth each by name (i. e. assigns to 
 each its course and destination). None is hidden from Him, 
 the Almighty and All-powerful." 
 
 W ntPyDl , *? 113D onflDD O'Dtyn " The heavens relate the glory 
 'ui jrpin TJD of God, and the firmament 
 tells of the work of his hands," &c. (Ps. 19.) 
 
 23. But we cannot see God? 
 
 Every power is invisible ; consequently, the Supreme Power 
 must likewise be imperceptible to our eyes. A power appears 
 only in its effects ; and the effects of the Supreme Power we 
 see every where, and in all directions, in the innumerable mass 
 of creatures, from the greatest to the least. God is a spirit, an 
 invisible being. We read, therefore, in the Bible : 
 
 . rwofi Sn DJVKI vh o " For you saw no figure whatever of the 
 Deity." (Deut. 4 ch. 15 v.) 
 
 24. What do you mean to express by God is a spirit ? 
 
 That God is the Supreme Power ; an incorporeal being, to 
 whom we cannot attribute, and who possesses not, the qualities, 
 casualties, and nature of the body or of matter. 
 
 tsmp intf" 1 !WJO 'ai'Din S D b&fl " And to whom will you compare 
 me, that I could resemble him ? speaks the Most Holy." (Is. 
 40 ch. 25 v.) 
 
 25. But we read (Numb. 12 ch. 8 v.) : " He (Moses) saw the 
 form of the Eternal ;" how shall we understand this and many 
 other expressions of the Bible which speak of the HAND of Gorf, 
 the MOUTH q/*Gorf, the EYE o/God, <Jrc. ?
 
 15 
 
 All these and similar expressions must not be taken in their 
 literal sense, that is, in their common acceptation, but ought 
 only to be considered, as employed in a figurative meaning, to 
 give to our senses some faint idea of the qualities and works of 
 God, which would otherwise be altogether unintelligible to us. 
 And whereas we are accustomed, to do all that we do, through 
 the means of our limbs, we, therefore, find the operations of 
 God presented to us in these figurative expressions, that they 
 may be rendered more comprehensible and in a measure 
 made visible to our mind. Thus the above adduced allegorical 
 phrase is only intended, to express more emphatically the su- 
 periority of Moses above all other prophets, in so far, namely, 
 as he had the greatest knowledge of God's attributes and provi- 
 dence ; it is, therefore, merely a further explanation of the 
 preceding sentence, which says in substance : 
 
 niTna N^i nx"iD3 " God spoke with him in a perfectly plain man- 
 ner, and not through riddles." 
 
 26. Is that other expression of the Bible, which says : " Let us 
 make man in our image, in our likeness," ua^a Dtx rM0y* 
 IjniD-O (Gen. 1 ch. 26 .) also to be taken in a figurative sense? 
 
 This also is certainly nothing more than a figurative phrase, 
 and is the less applicable to bodily form, as otherwise the 
 words unjiaro wwna (in our form, in our shape) ought to have 
 been used. The above words, however, convey no other 
 idea, than that the spirit of man bears, in a certain degree, some 
 resemblance to the Deity; since it renders man not only im- 
 mortal, but is also the cause of his being endowed with such 
 great and excellent mental powers ; so that he is the only one 
 of all living things, who acknowledges his Creator, and reflects 
 upon his own being, and governs all animals : just as God is in 
 truth alone the wisest and most mighty ruler of all things. This
 
 16 
 
 is also the reason, why the verse under consideration continues : 
 " That he may rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds, 
 over the cattle, and over the whole earth." And the Psalmist 
 says beautifully (8 Ps.) : 
 
 nni "naai DTI^NE BJTD inSonm " And thou madest him but little 
 
 nnt? ^3 "fT wyQl inWnn imtajm less than angels, and crown- 
 
 vbjl nnn edst him with honour and 
 
 glory ; thou gavest him dominion over the works of thy hands, 
 
 and placedst all at his feet." 
 
 27. What do you understand by GOD is ONE AND ALONE ? 
 
 That this spiritual, self-existent Being, is simple, and the 
 only true Deity. Simple, without parts and members ; one, of 
 whom no plurality can be imagined ; and alone, to whom no 
 other being, however great, can bear any similitude. And 
 
 ntlN 'n irnStf 'n Saatsr ynw " Hear, O Israel ! the Eternal our 
 God, is the only eternal being." (Deut. 6 ch. 4 v.) 
 
 28. What is meant by GOD is ETERNAL ? 
 
 That this solely self-existent Being has been from eternity, 
 and will ever remain like himself and unchanged for eternity. 
 God is without beginning and without end ; so that his not- 
 being or ceasing to exist is an impossibility and inconceivable. 
 Thus also Isaiah : 
 
 DTlbx |'K <I V?3D1 pnN ^Kl jlty&O "JN " I am the first, and I am 
 the last, and besides me there exists no God." (44 ch. 6 v.) 
 
 29. What duty arises to us, from the acknowledgment of this 
 truth, that the Eternal our God is one and alone, and that there 
 is none besides him? 
 
 That we are bound to adore this only God solely, and no 
 other being besides him ; that is, we ought ever to place before
 
 17 
 
 our mind, in the strongest and most impressive manner we are 
 capable of, his infinite greatness, goodness, and mercy ; and we 
 should expect our temporal and permanent happiness from him 
 only, and call upon him alone for blessing and prosperity, and 
 for aid and assistance in our troubles. 
 
 TuS 'r6 vhl Din* OTiSx 1 ? mi " He, who sacrifices to any idol, 
 shall be condemned ; to the Eternal only is this honour due." 
 (Exo. 22 ch. 19 v.) 
 
 30. What do we express by the word ALMIGHTY ? 
 
 God can do, make, and create all, that he wills, and re- 
 quires not the assistance of any other being. Man, after exert- 
 ing all his powers, can only give to already existing things an 
 outward form, such as he may desire, but all creatures together 
 are unable to create the slightest imaginable trifle, i. e. to pro- 
 duce something, without having previously the materials 
 or matter to make the same. But God, on the contrary, has 
 created and produced every thing we see, all creatures and be- 
 ings, together with all their powers and inclinations the whole 
 system of nature from nothing, without any previous matter, 
 without any instrument ; but solely .and alone through his 
 potent will. With the same goodness and almighty power 
 he continues to maintain and to govern all his creatures, 
 which he can utterly annihilate in a moment of time. 
 
 nnjn nix Kin 'n'l "rax son O " For he spoke, and it was : he 
 commanded, and it stood." (Ps. 33, v. 9.) 
 
 pjnr onn *|Din pSnT yja ThOA " Turnest thou thy face away, 
 they become affrighted ; thou takest their breath they perish." 
 (Ps. 104, v. 29.) 
 
 31. To what must the remembrance of the great and mighty 
 wonder of the creation lead us ?
 
 18 
 
 To a belief in the possibility of miracles ; that God, who 
 instituted the laws of nature, can easily change them for a short 
 period, and thereby produce extraordinary occurrences , when- 
 ever it pleases his wisdom, to produce any effect on many 
 persons, and to impress doctrines upon their minds, which 
 they could not have attained in any other manner. This, for 
 instance, was the case with Pharaoh and the Egyptians ; the 
 Israelites and many others. We read also: (Ex. 9 ch. 29 v.) 
 
 pxn 'nS '3 ;nn \yrh " That thou mayest experience, that the 
 earth belongs to the Eternal" (and can, therefore, do thereon 
 whatever he pleases). 
 
 pNH 3")p3 'n "ON '3 jnn pro 1 ? " That thou mayest know, that I, 
 the Eternal, am in the midst of the land" (and extend my 
 watchfulness to every man in particular). (Ex. 8 ch. 18 v.) 
 
 nN n-tfy nnx run 'n 'JIN nriN " O Eternal God ! Thou hast made 
 
 SnJH in33 pK-n n*0 O'Dt^n the heavens and the earth, 
 
 131 S3 IDD yh *6'n'lBJn lynai through thy great power and 
 
 out-stretched arm ; to thee nothing is impossible." (Jer. 32 ch. 
 
 17v.) 
 
 32. What is meant by GOD is ALL-KNOWING ? 
 
 God knows all that ever has been done ; that which now 
 happens, and all that can ever come to pass ; nothing is hidden 
 from him. For he is omnipresent, the whole world is full of 
 his glory, and nothing escapes his all comprehending know- 
 ledge. He notices the actions and thoughts of his creatures, 
 and nothing can be done without his sufferance. 
 
 Dn'3?D S3 SK j'3Dn D3S tir 1XTI " He, who formed the hearts 
 of all, understands also all their actions." (Ps. 33, v. 15.) 
 
 D'3' xbn py IV' DN yiw *6n JTN j^DJn " Should he not hear, who 
 
 DIN matpnn jrr 'n r\yi anx inSon fixeth the ear ? Should 
 
 S3H nnn '3 he not see, who form- 
 
 eth the eye ? He, who teaches man knowledge, the Eternal,
 
 19 
 
 knows the thoughts of man, though they be directed to vanity." 
 (Ps: 94, v. 9.) 
 
 ninpa "P7 TOK frS'Syri 3"n nxyn S"u " Thou, Lord ! who art 
 
 r:mD &*xh nnb onx '33 n :m SD fy great in council, and 
 
 vSbyD n33i mighty in execution ! 
 
 Whose eyes are fixed upon all the ways of the sons of man ; to 
 give to each according to his deeds, and the fruits of his actions." 
 (Jer. 32 ch. 19 v.) 
 
 33. What impression must this truth, the omniscience and 
 omnipresence of God make upon us? 
 
 That we ought to endeavour to lead an upright and a god- 
 pleasing course of life, and to preserve our hands always clean 
 of wrong, and our hearts free from guilt. That we should always 
 maintain truth, and never sin, even in the most secret corner, 
 and always place the all-seeing, most j ust and holy God before 
 us as present, and reflect, that he will reward the good and 
 punish the evil. And thus also spoke the pious David: 
 
 Tnn "HJJ 1 ? 'n Wit? " I always place the Eternal as present before 
 me." (Ps. 16. v. 8.) 
 
 mnt32 nvan nnx jn " Behold, thou desirest truth in secret even." 
 (Ps. 51,8 v.) 
 
 1130' ny* SD) "3"n nxY xin x"?n " Behold, he sees my ways, 
 and numbers all my steps." (Job. 31 ch. 4 v.) 
 
 *JKI tzrinooa BTX iriD' DX " If even a man conceal himself in 
 D'Dtfn nx KiSn 'n DM UNIX a secret place, should I not see 
 bn ^x pxn him there ? speaks the Eternal; 
 do I not fill the heavens and the earth ?" (Jer. 23 ch. 24 v.) 
 
 nr^D fro 3 1 ? *^pn 'n 'JX " I, the Eternal, search the heart, and 
 prove the kidneys" (that is know the innermost thoughts of 
 man). (Jer. 17 ch. 10 v.)
 
 20 
 
 34. What is understood by GOD is ALL-GOOD ? 
 
 God desires only the welfare of his creatures. He, in his 
 wisdom, has organised them in such a manner, and given them 
 such powers, inclinations and capacities, that all each accord- 
 ing to its kind and destination should be perfectly happy. He 
 also supports and preserves them through his grace and kindness; 
 and when he punishes, he corrects us only from motives of pure 
 love. Hatred, malice, and anger are defects of a weak mortal 
 only, and they are therefore incompatible with the character of 
 the most mighty and perfect of all beings. 
 
 VDm 1^3 xS o unn sh O 'n non " The goodness of the Eternal 
 has no end, for his mercy never ceases." (Lam. 3 ch. 23 v.) 
 
 1-E7jm SD hy rnrm So 1 ? 'n 31D " The Eternal is good to all, and 
 his mercies are over all his works." (Ps. 145, v. 9.) 
 
 Ym D'Nton mv p hy 'n Ten 31W " Good and just is the Eternal, 
 therefore he leads the sinners upon the right path." (Ps. 25, v. 8.) 
 
 35. To what must the proper reflection upon the foregoing 
 lead us ? 
 
 That we should always submit with cheerfulness'tothe holy 
 will of this benignant God; to receive with filial resignation all 
 his dispensations, although we may sorely feel their pressure, 
 and not be able to discovertheir beneficial consequences; and it 
 is our duty, to thank him, our Father, for whatever he may be 
 pleased to mete out to us. 
 
 nx 3X31 nor 'n 3nx' "MX nx O " For the Eternal corrects him, 
 TJTJ3 whom he loves, like a father 
 who will make his son better." (Prov. 3 ch. 12 v.) 
 
 r\K t^N ID" 'H?*a O pa 1 ? py nyTI "And know in thy heart, that 
 * "pD^D "priSx 'n U3 the Eternal has punished thee, 
 as a father punishes his son." (Deut. 8 ch. 5 v.)
 
 21 
 
 36. How do our wise men express this? 
 
 by pianp naican by p-nnty DBO " We must thank God for the 
 
 vay 3toS worn T3jn HD SD njnn misfortune, as well as for 
 the good; for all, that the merciful God does, happens for the welfare 
 of his creatures." 
 
 37. Can you give me some examples, transmitted to us through 
 holy writ, of resignation to the will of God ? 
 
 Job (1. ch. 21 v.) said ; "The Eternal has given, the Eternal 
 
 "pan 'n Dt7 7T np 1 ? 'm fru 'n has taken away ; praised be the 
 
 name of the Lord." 
 Ely (1 Sam. 3 ch. 18 v.) said : " He is the Eternal ; may he do, 
 
 rvffy vrjn aitan xin 'n as seems best to him." 
 
 David (2 Sam. 15 ch. 26 vr.) said : " Here I am I May he do unto 
 aiD "ttyJO 'S nt?y 'J3n me, as it may be pleasing to him." 
 
 38. What does Moses teach us of the attributes of God? > 
 
 non ail D'3X "pK jlJni Dim bx 'n 'n " The Eternal is unchangeably 
 
 yt?ai \iy Na?j vshyh non ivj nnxi the Eternal Being ; an al- 
 
 Hpr vh npJI nKDni mighty God, most merciful 
 
 and gracious ; withholding long his anger, and full of kindness and 
 
 truth ; who preserveth his kindness to the thousandth generation, 
 
 and who pardoneth wickedness, transgressions, and sin, but who 
 
 suffereth nothing to pass unnoticed" (i. e. without making the 
 
 wicked feel the consequence of their sins, if they do not repent in 
 
 time). (Ex. 34 ch. 67 v.) 
 
 .D"n Su o }byQ D'Dn "iivn " He, the rock of protection ! his 
 pH* by {'JO ruintf bx deeds are perfect ; for all his 
 ways are just ; he is the God of truth, and without evil, he is just 
 and righteous." (Beut. 32 ch. 4 v.) 
 
 39. How then do you reconcile the providence and justice of 
 God, with the great mass of evil, which exists, and the number 
 of wicked deeds, which are perpetrated in this world?
 
 22 
 
 God has imparted to man freedom of will without which 
 neither virtue nor vice could exist therefore does he suffer 
 even the evil to be done; but he punishes it, confines it within 
 certain limits and bounds, and causes good to arise from it. 
 And thus spoke Joseph to his brothers, when they came to 
 offer themselves, as his servants: 
 
 mffn crn^N n;n ty orat^n Dnxi " Though you intended to do 
 rataS me evil, yet did God direct 
 it to good." (Gen. 50 ch. 20 v.) 
 
 40. But are not the good frequently afflicted with misfortunes, 
 whilst the wicked prosper? 
 
 At occurrences of this kind, we must be extremely cautious 
 and circumspect in our judgment, because we can never know 
 exactly the nature and connection of things. For even granted, 
 that the happy man, whom we call bad, should not have a 
 good heart, nor, that the pious, unhappy one, be at heart a 
 villain: yet are the sufferings and mishaps, which he may 
 endure, often very wholesome to the pious man; and the good 
 luck of the wicked, is often only apparent and of short dura- 
 tion. And then again it must be borne in mind, that only in 
 the life to come, will virtue receive its full reward, and vice its 
 whole punishment. 
 
 nSiy 'tyya &opn Vx oyina innn bx " Be not jealous about the 
 it^ nxm on "iDt? * aiBnBtfM'ra nC33 happiness of the wicked, 
 Dibs? wh mnx O envy not those who prac- 
 tise evil. Trust in the Eternal, and do what is good ; preserve thy 
 innocence, for it (virtue) causes at lasthappiness toman.'* (Ps. 37.) 
 rynn nvyn QJna rwyj px -wx " Because punishment does 
 n jD 1 ?;? 'not follow evil deeds 
 
 DJ 1 1 ? "pXDl nxn;n rwy NDn IPX quickly, therefore be- 
 SIB rrrr IPX "JK jnr comes the heart of man 
 1*0" ityx careless, and practises
 
 23 
 
 wickedness. But let the sinner commit sins a hundred fold, and 
 experience indulgence ; yet am I convinced, that true happiness 
 will be the sure recompense of the pious, whilst they fear God." 
 (Eccl. 8 ch. 11 12 v.) 
 
 41. What does Scripture teach us further on this subject? 
 
 That we should never presume to find fault with God's wise 
 dispensations, as his ways are inscrutable to us. That it would 
 be punishable temerity for a blind mortal to presume to pene- 
 trate into the mysterious decrees of the Deity. 
 HDIX 'Bnn nx Win m' nx 31 'in " Woe to him, who rebels against 
 jSyai ntyyn no nrS "ran IDKTI his Maker ! let one fragment 
 . 1 1 ? O'T px dispute with the other earthly 
 
 fragment ; but can the clay say to its potter : what doest thou ? and 
 thou provest not thy hands by thy work ?" (Is. 45 ch. 9 v.) 
 
 ten Soy HNT nyiS nutynxi " I reflected concerning him, 
 nrax SK n BnpD SK nnx and sought truth ; but all 
 "p;? "'n^n mon3 jnx xSl i^a "3X1 searching was only painful, 
 till I came into the sanctuary of the Lord, and learned to know its 
 object. Now I am willingly ignorant and will not search, am wil- 
 lingly before thee like the beast." (Ps. 73, 16 22 v.) 
 And thus say also our wise men : 
 
 tfS ]JO D^Knn nibtPO xS irT3 px " Our reason is not able to ex- 
 D'pnxn 'IWD plain correctly the happiness 
 of the wicked, nor the afflictions of the righteous." (Aboth iv.)
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 
 
 OF IMMORTALITY. 
 
 42. What are the consequences of our death? 
 
 We lose all the earthly goods, which we may have possess- 
 ed ; our body will be given over to corruption ; but our soul 
 has the promise of a future life. 
 
 nnrn rrntso pxn Sx isyn aim And the dust will return unto 
 
 run: IPK DTibxn Sx awn the earth whence it came, 
 
 and the spirit will return unto God who gave it." (Eccl. 12 ch. 7 v.) 
 
 43. What impression ought this to make upon us? 
 
 We must never fix our minds too strongly upon the goods of 
 this sensual world; never be proud of beauty and strength; but 
 we should aim already at an early period of life to make our- 
 selves acquainted with the real and noble object of our exist- 
 ence. 
 
 Dun SSruv hx 'n IDN ro " Thus speaketh the Eternal : 
 K , imiaja nia jn SSnrr SKI Let not the wise boast of 
 rwa DK o , nt?ya "vwy his wisdom, the strong man 
 'n ^IN O ^nx^Ti Sat^n not of his strength, nor the 
 pxa npnxi taa^a rich man of his riches; but 
 'n DNJ for this alone can a man 
 
 praise himself, to understand, and know me, how I, the Eternal, 
 exercise grace, justice, and righteousness on earth, how I find plea- 
 sure in these ; speaks the Eternal." (Jer. 9 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 44. What arguments does reason alone furnish us relative to 
 the immortality of the soul? 
 
 We see clearly, that nothing in the whole range of nature is
 
 25 
 
 entirely destroyed, and of annihilation we can form no idea. 
 Only the forms are changed; the inherent powers continue 
 nevertheless' to operate; the fruit rises out of the annihilation, 
 new, young, and manifold; even animal* change as, for 
 example, the butterfly. How can we then suppose, that the 
 Most Merciful should annihilate the human soul, the master- 
 work of his creation, after having gifted it with so many noble 
 endowments, which all tend to' point out its being destined 
 for the enjoyment of the highest felicity? 
 
 No; not to deceive me, did God implant in my bosom this 
 eager desire for everlasting existence, this longing for unend- 
 ing bliss. I may therefore, relying on 'the faithfulness of his 
 word and his kindness, confidently expect a happier and 
 eternal life. 
 
 "prr 1 ? ruay T#K -pio 31 no " How great is that beatitude, which 
 thou hast laid by for those who fear thee !" (Ps. 31, v. 20.) 
 -p v nn IVtta' mm TIN i?3J nrrni " And may thy soul, my lord, 
 "\Tlhx 'n nx be bound up in the bond of 
 life, with the Eternal thy God .!" (1 Sam. 25 ch. 29 v.) 
 
 45. Does not the knowledge we possess of the attributes of 
 God, already compel us, to believe in the immortality of our soul? 
 
 Certainly. We know him, as an all-wise and all-just God; 
 we see, that he has imparted to us desires and capacities (as, 
 for instance, the ever active desire for the acquirement of 
 truth, and the insatiable thirst for wisdom and higher know- 
 ledge,) which would be useless and even absolutely burden- 
 some to us, were we to die away for everlasting and irre- 
 vocably, in the midst of our endeavours, when our wishes are not 
 yet satisfied, even in a slight degree, since, with all our toiling, 
 we can only view the surface- of truth and wisdom. Then 
 again we often see the righteous oppressed and miserable, or 
 dying prematurely; and many an evil minded man live long 
 5
 
 26 
 
 and in superfluity. This must demonstrate, to a greater degree 
 of certainty, that the wise and just God has not limited our 
 being to this, no less short, than uncertain life; but that he has 
 created us for something far more elevated and desirable, and 
 destined us for an everlasting life, where we can attain that 
 perfection, which is here beyond our reach. 
 
 J33 Tima 1 ? non nin cSiyn " This life is but an out-court 
 
 HD "nmaa pXP Ipnn ton (school of preparation) to 
 rbpltaS the life to come. Prepare 
 
 thyself so in the court, that thou mayest be worthy to enter the 
 palace." (Aboth, Payreck iv.) 
 
 46. What is in the first place deducible from the doctrine of 
 the immortality of the soul? 
 
 That those, who have led here a godly course of life, and 
 who have sedulously endeavoured to act conformably to the 
 will of Heaven, will be rewarded by the God of mercy and 
 eternal Father, with an inexpressibly great happiness, when 
 they have finished their earthly existence ; but that the wicked 
 will be punished, who died in their obduracy, without repent- 
 ance. So that only in a future life the real reward and 
 punishment will take place, and there will be meted out to 
 every man the just recompense of his deeds. 
 
 BTNS oSt?n nnx O nonn 'n "]Sl " And thou, O Eternal, art gracious, 
 intyyDD for thou wilt pay to each man, 
 according to his deeds." (Ps. 62, v. 18.) 
 
 O urto D'nbxn nx pn jSnrm " And Hanoch walked with God, 
 crnStf inN npS and he was no more to be 
 found, for God had taken him away." (Gen. 5 ch. 24 v.) 
 
 47. What did our wise men say on this subject? 
 
 D'Tirn nvnS D'nnm ninS omS^n " They, who are born, must die, 
 HN Nirw;n!nSi;r"nnS;rr l 7 |nS and the dead will live again,
 
 27 
 
 and the revived are to be 
 
 Trip Nin p hyi Kin Tpn Kin pin judged ; that it may be known, 
 n"?iy vh naS pitt? Nin ina piS experienced, and proved, that 
 nprs xSi cr 33 Kt?o N^I nroi? N"?I God, the almighty former 
 Sxi patBTin n aS ^riff ;ni im? and creator, is also the inves- 
 "]h DUD JVa SlKBTltP -"pir irviaa' tigator, judge, witness, and 
 nnx irTO Sj^l 12m nnx IHID S^ty accuser, praised be He ! for 
 Sjn nbl3 before him there is no injus- 
 ~\T\y nnx ^mo S^i no nnx tice, no forgetfulness, no re- 
 D 'J3S patym p spect for persons, no receiv- 
 Xin 11*13 t^npn ing of bribes. Know, there- 
 fore, that there every thing will be strictly investigated and counted ; 
 and let not thy evil desires persuade thee, that the grave can be a 
 place of refuge for thee ; for without thy consent thou wast formed, 
 without thy consent thou wast born, without thy consent thou livest; 
 without thy consent also thou must die, and without thy consent thou 
 must once render an account of thy deeds and stand to judgment, 
 before the King of kings, the Holy One praised be He." (Aboth, 
 iv. 22.) 
 
 48, What effect should THIS, and the uncertainty of the time 
 of our death, have upon us? 
 
 We ought never to calculate upon a long life on earth; and 
 we should conduct ourselves every day in such a manner, as if 
 it were the last of our life : so that our memory may be blest by 
 posterity, and that we appear pure before the judgment-throne 
 of the Almighty. We must, therefore, make the best use of 
 our time and powers, and test ourselves daily with real since- 
 rity, and amend whatever we may discover defective in our- 
 selves. 
 
 IIWD ^aS 1HN or ait? " Repent one day* before thy death !'* 
 (i. e. daily.) (Aboth, ii.) 
 
 * When Rabbi Eleazer taught this rule to his scholars, they asked him,
 
 28 
 
 49. What else do we infer from the doctrine of the immortal- 
 ity of the soul ? 
 
 We believe, that God will revive man from death, and deal 
 out to the pious an interminable beatitude. 
 
 "nS nSx irp' 1 13p noiK 'jtf'D D'S-n " And many, who sleep in the 
 DSiy jiNYiS fiinnS nSxi chy dust, shall awake; some to 
 everlasting life, others to everlasting shame and confusion." (Dan. 
 12 ch. 2 v.) 
 
 1JJ"I1 1Vpn {imp' vh^l ynD ITP " Yes, they shall live, thy dead, 
 "13J? ' l^O my corpses shall rise ; awake 
 and rejoice, ye who sleep in the dust." (Is. 26 ch. 19 v.) 
 
 50. Have we any more particular accounts of the circum- 
 stances and the period of this great and wonderful occurrence? 
 
 No; both the how and the when are alike unknown to us. 
 
 nS SDIX S riSJtJU 'JDD njn HN^S " Such knowledge is from me 
 concealed ; too high for my reach." (Ps. 139, v. 6.) 
 
 But we know, that the promises of God are infallible ; the 
 time of the fulfilment is revealed to him alone. 
 
 . oSiyS Dip 1 lyn^N "nil j"* S3J Yn Wl* " Let grass wither, let 
 blossoms fade; but the word of our God will stand for ever." (Is. 40 
 ch. 8 v.) 
 
 nJlDtO injyyn b:n 'n "m -w> O " For the word of the Eternal is 
 faultless, and all his doings are in truth." (Ps. 33, v. 4.) 
 
 51. Have we a clear perception and knowledge of the state of 
 the soul, after the death of the body, and of its reward and pun- 
 ishment? 
 
 No; for as long as we are surrounded with this covering of 
 clay, we can form no perfectly clear conception of the essence 
 
 " how it were possible to act so literally, as our end is uncertain ;" but he 
 replied, " then it behoves you to live so, as if every day were the last but one 
 of your career, so that you may always be prepared for death." (Transl.)
 
 29 
 
 of the soul itself, nor of its state after this life. We, however, 
 suppose the reward to consist in a much more perfect aspect 
 (i. e. knowledge) of God, his attributes and mode of governing 
 the world; in short, in extension of its (the soul's) knowledge 
 of things, which are here beyond the reach of its power of 
 comprehension, and the acquisition of which will afford it the 
 purest uninterrupted felicity; and in the same way we believe 
 the punishment to consist in a state full of shame and com- 
 punction of the soul, which must be to it fhe most painful 
 and afflicting state imaginable. 
 
 irmDn ypna n^at^x yaa nmx pn^a JK " In righteousness shall 
 I see thy face, and at awakening find intense pleasure in viewing thy 
 countenance." (Ps. 17, v. 15.) 
 
 It is the opinion of our Rabbins, that Isaiah meant to express 
 the same idea, when he (according to their interpretation) said : 
 
 mtPjr "]nSlT OTiSx nnxi yh py " God alone, and no eye of man 
 4 1 1 "? nonoH (the prophet's) can see that fe- 
 licity, which the Lord has prepared for those, who place their trust 
 in him." (Is. 64 ch. 3 v.)
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 OF REVELATION. 
 
 52. What do we mean, when we say, we believe in revelation? 
 
 We believe, that the Almighty God, actuated by love towards 
 his creatures, imparts the gift of prophecy to some pious men, 
 who are peculiarly pleasing to him. That is to say, that he 
 lays open to them, through his divine instruction, such things 
 as are unknown to other men; and also sends* them sometimes 
 to others, to proclaim his divine will and precepts, which these 
 are then bound to obey. 
 
 jTl^K 'n "\h D^p 1 '303 ynXD "plpD iOJ " A prophet from amidst 
 pyniyn V 1 ?^ thee, from thy brethren, 
 
 like myself, will the Eternal, thy God, raise up unto thee ; him ye 
 shall obey." (Deut. 18 ch. 15 v.) 
 
 53. By what means did such a prophet demonstrate his divine 
 mission? 
 
 He used to make it manifest through miracles. But this the 
 prophet is not obliged to do, except when he is compelled to 
 suspend for a time any one of the Mosaic precepts (56), since 
 in this case it might happen, that he would receive no credit, 
 
 * The manner in which the eternal and invisible Being revealed himself to 
 those, who revered him, appeared to them in their dreaming or waking state, 
 and made secrets known to them, through the inspiration of his holy spirit, 
 and placed words in their mouth, which they were obliged to announce can 
 only be presented to us through such words and expressions, as are familiar 
 to us ; but they must be understood in an adopted and parabolical significa- 
 tion, since for the thing itself every language must of necessity be too poor 
 and insufficient.
 
 31 
 
 without performing a miracle.* (But it must be observed, that 
 in no case whatever can the temporary suspension of any pre- 
 cept be regarded, as a permanent abrogation of the same; on 
 the contrary, such a measure is never known to have been 
 resorted to, except in cases of extreme emergency, when for 
 instance, it had become necessary, to produce a striking and 
 convincing proof of the truth of the whole law upon the minds 
 of the people, but to effect which, required, from the necessity 
 and urgency of the case, an infringement of the precepts of 
 the Mosaic religion. A remarkable instance of this kind is 
 the sacrifice of Elijah on Mount Carmel. If therefore any 
 prophet, or one pretending to be such, should teach the per- 
 manent abrogation of any precept, he is to be considered as a 
 false prophet, and what follows of course, he is on no account 
 to be obeyed. (58.) And whereas the spirit of God cannot 
 err, since every thing is known and manifest to the Almighty : 
 any prophet, who predicts any thing to take place for certain, 
 or at a particular time, is to be considered as a false prophet, 
 if the predicted event does not take place at all, or at the 
 time specified; and a man so offending is to be punished as it 
 is written:) 
 
 xSi mn rprr xHi 'n DBO &o:n 13T IPX " When the prophet 
 
 1"m |HT3 'n 113T X 1 ? IPX Tnn Xin XT speaks any thing, 
 
 UDD lun xS X'2 JH in the name of the 
 
 Eternal, and it happen not, nor come to pass : then has the Eternal 
 
 * Yet even in this case it is not always necessary, that the prophet should 
 perform miracles; as it appears from Maimonides niinn HID' 'n , an d from 
 the Talmud (Tractate PTlilJD ) ^nd say our wise men: If God permits 
 wonders to be performed, we ought to view it with a thankful heart, as a 
 particular and extraordinary favour, of which not every age can be worthy. 
 But we are not permitted to ask for wonders, nor to found our faith upon 
 them; because miracles alone can never be of sufficient value to constitute 
 good grounds for argument, either for or against the truth of any doctrine.
 
 32 
 
 not spoken this word ; the prophet has invented it from wickedness, 
 and thou must not be afraid of him." (Deut. 18 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 54. Did our teacher Moses ever work miracles? 
 Yes, a great many ; as we also read : 
 
 jotra liy *OJ Dp *6l " And there never again rose a 
 D^a HN D'Ja 'n ijrr prophet in Israel like Moses, 
 'n inSty lt?N D-nainm to whom the Eternal ap- 
 JOion ^Vl npmrrvn SaSl onyo peared so clearly; also 
 Ho T^ 1 -? nt?D nt?;; "? Snjn with respect to the signs and 
 SNIB" miracles, which God had 
 
 sent him to do in the land of Egypt and all those mighty and fear- 
 ful deeds, which Moses performed before the eyes of all Israel." 
 (Deut. 34 ch. 11 12 v.) 
 
 55. But, is the promulgation of the law founded on miracles 
 solely? 
 
 No, the public legislation is an immediate fact, of which 
 more than six hundred thousand persons were witnesses. 
 Our ancestors themselves did hear and see,* at the foot of 
 Mount Sinai, how the Eternal, in the most solemn manner, 
 announced and enjoined the ten commandments. 
 
 -ins n^Snp ^ btf 'n nan nSxn D'-oin n " These words the Eter- 
 
 e\v xSi Snj ^ip Sfliym pyn tyxn ^nn nal spoke to all your 
 . '*7N DJm D'33K r\rh n Jl? hy D3n3M congregation, on the 
 Mount, out of the fire, clouds and thick darkness, with a loud voice, 
 and nothing more (meaning, that no figure of the speaker was visible); 
 and he wrote them on two tables of stone, which he gave to me." 
 (Deut. 5ch. 19 v.) 
 
 * In the year of the world 2448.
 
 33 
 
 56. What need was there of this great and ever-memorable 
 appearance, since Moses had already performed so many mira- 
 cles, and was already fully accredited as the chosen messenger 
 of God? 
 
 Miracles and extraordinary signs are no arguments for or 
 against everlasting truths. They can only confirm evidences, 
 and support authorities, and only serve to induce us to do that, 
 which the performer of the miracle may command us to do 
 for that period of time, in so far, as this command of his in no 
 other manner contradicts an irrevocable truth ; for example, 
 Joshua, when he commanded, to capture Jericho on the Sab- 
 bath; and Elias, when he ordered sacrifices to be brought on 
 Carmel, (which was in fact against the precepts of the law 
 contained in Deut. 12 ch. 13 v.), were thus obliged to confirm 
 their mission by miracles. But, through the promulgation of 
 the law, God intended to establish such doctrines and precepts, 
 as should last permanently for all coming generations, and for 
 this purpose mere miracles would have been insufficient. It 
 was therefore necessary, that an immediate revelation of the 
 Eternal to the people should take place. This also the Eternal 
 said to Moses. (Exo. 19 ch. 9 v.) 
 
 p DJi "\ay nana Dyn ya&" niaya " That the people may hear, 
 DSljr 1 ? WON' when I speak with thee, 
 so that they may in thee also believe for ever." 
 
 57. What follows out of this fundamental article of Judaism? 
 
 That these holy doctrines and precepts, which were commu- 
 nicated in so solemn a manner, without a mediator, to the 
 whole assembled nation, cannot be abrogated and set aside for 
 us, (the Israelites,) in any other way, except by a similar and 
 equally solemn and public communication of the divine will. 
 6
 
 34 
 
 58. But suppose a prophet were to prove his mission by pub- 
 licly performing miracles, and at the same time declare, in the 
 name of God, a part of the fundamental precepts abrogated; 
 shall we not obey him then? 
 
 No; for of such a prophet it is said: (Deut. 13 ch. 4 v.) 
 Sx IN Ninn t^ajn nan SN yntyn yh " Thou shalt not heark- 
 DDDN oirnbN 'n HDJD o tonn DiSnn en unto the words 
 Hoa DD'n 1 ?** 'n nx nonx oatm of such a prophet 
 D31P3J Saai or such a dreamer ; 
 
 for the Eternal your God will but test you, (give you an opportunity,) 
 to prove, that ye love the Eternal your God with all your heart and 
 with all your sou)." 
 
 59. On what do we found the belief, that Moses added nothing 
 of his own, and wrote down and taught nothing without having 
 received the command of God to do so? 
 
 This unlimited confidence in Moses is founded upon the 
 historical fact, that the whole nation placed the most ample 
 confidence in his truth and rectitude, and chose him them- 
 selves as their mediator, and spoke unanimously: 
 ibp nxi iVij n*o naa nx irnVx 'n u&nn jn " Behold, the Eternal 
 D'nSx nan 11 "3 irao run ornBWTjino ujra^ our God has let us 
 IDN" 1 IB?K ^3 nxjJDtPl nriN aipTii on^n nx see his glory and 
 'n nan 11 "n?K SD nx irSx lann nxi u'nSx 'n greatness, and his 
 irK^i uiynen T^N irnSx voice we have heard 
 from amidst the fire ; this day we have seen, that man can live, when 
 God speaks to him. Do thou approach now, and hear all, that the 
 Eternal our God may yet say, and speak thou to us, all that the 
 Eternal our God will speak to thee, and we will accept it and act 
 accordingly." (Deut. 5 ch. 21 24 v.) 
 
 60. Did God approve of this choice of a mediator?
 
 35 
 
 Yes; for he said: 
 
 nan Sip nx 'nynur " I have heard the words 
 ni oaaS rrrn frr 'n nan ityx SD la^n of this people, which 
 TIK HXTS DnS they have spoken to 
 DJV JaSi onS aD" pro 1 ? thee ; they have spo- 
 ken well. O, that their will might ever be so ! to fear me, and to 
 obey my commandments at all times ; that they and their descend- 
 ants might be happy forever." (Deut. 5 ch. 26 v.) 
 
 61. What does God himself say in another part of the law ^re- 
 lative to the credibility of Moses ? 
 
 Kin jn&O TPa Soa ntPD nay "My servant Moses is trusty in all 
 my house." (Num. 12 ch. 7 v.) 
 
 After this most exalted testimony, and after having seen the 
 expression of the unanimous and universal confidence of the 
 whole nation, we can no longer doubt, that all the precepts 
 and doctrines of holy writ, as they are yet in our possession, 
 are of divine origin. 
 
 62. Is there then no material difference between the ten com- 
 mandments, which God himself announced to the whole people, 
 on Mount Sinai, and the other laws, which were communicated 
 to us through Moses ? 
 
 No; for the latter, as well as the former, were commanded 
 by God. The ten commandments, however, were only there- 
 fore made known with so much solemnity; because they com- 
 prehend in a measure the rest of the laws, and contain the 
 foundation of all the others. 
 
 The Talmud (Tractate Berachoth, fol. 5) adduces, in illustra- 
 tration of this principle, the following verse, (Exo. 24 ch. 
 12 v.) which says:
 
 36 
 
 minrn pxn nn 1 ? nx -\h runio " I will give thee the two tables of 
 ominS TOro -N?N nixnm stone, the law, and the precepts, 
 which I have written, and which thou shalt teach them." 
 
 " The tables of stone" say our wise men " mean the de- 
 calogue ; the law the pentateuch ; the commandments 
 the Mishna ; which 1 have written the prophets and hagio- 
 graphy ; which thou shalt teach them through an oral tradi- 
 tion. All this was taught and delivered to Moses on the 
 Mount Sinai."
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 63. Recite the ten commandments, which we heard proclaim- 
 ed from Mount Sinai. 
 
 'n OJt-t I am the Eternal thy God, 
 VO pxn who have conducted thee 
 out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 
 
 t** 1 ? '33 hy onnx DTI 1 ?** ifr rrrr vh Thou shalt have no other gods 
 'l t ?n03?n before me. Thou shalt 
 a IBM nnnD pK3 ijyxi Synn make thyself no image, nor 
 DnS ninwn xS pxS nnnn any likeness of aught in 
 t-Op Vx TTiSx 'n OJX '3 msyn heaven above, or on earth 
 *-?;?! D'tySiy S^ D'ja V ^>2N p^ npa below, or in the waters be- 
 a'fl u 7N l ~7 non nt^^l 'XJl^ 1 "? 0731 neath the earth. Thou 
 TiltfD nn^Si ^nx 1 ? shalt not bow down to 
 them, nor worship them ; for I, the Eternal thy God, am a watch- 
 ful* God, who am visiting the sins of the fathers on the children, on 
 the third generation and fourth generation, of those who hate me ; 
 but am doing mercy unto the thousandth generation of those who 
 love me and keep my commandments. 
 'n npr xS o xitsrS ynbx 'n at? ns Kt?n *6 Thou shalt not bear the 
 Nwb mw nx W lt?x nx name of the Eternal 
 thy God in vain, (not use it without necessity, nor at an untruth) for 
 the Eternal will not suffer him to remain unpunished, who beareth 
 his name in vain. 
 
 * The word K3p (originally from the word jp to hatch or brood) signifies 
 properly speaking, a determined will and purpose, to do and execute some- 
 thing with zeal, diligence, and activity.
 
 38 
 
 'D* we? lenpS rot^n or nx IDT Remember the Sabbath- 
 'rS n3 T3t?n an iroxbD SD rnsyn day to keep it holy. 
 tmi pal nnx roxSn bo ntyjrn S ^nW Six days thou mayst 
 
 '3 "pyiW "K7X TUl inDH31 pONI "pSy labour and do all thy 
 pxn nto O'Dtyn nx 'n ntyy em' ntps? work; but the seventh 
 'jTStfn DV3 nri D3 IIPK bD nxi D'n ni>< is a day of rest in 
 mEnDl h3n or nx 'n 1*13 p S^ honour of the Eternal 
 thy God ; then thou shalt not do any manner of work, neither thy- 
 self, nor thy son, thy daughter, thy man and thy maid-servant, not 
 even thy cattle, and the stranger who is within thy gates. For in 
 six days did the Eternal make heaven and earth, the sea and all that 
 is in them, and refrained from work on the seventh day ; therefore 
 did the Eternal bless the Sabbath-day, and declare it holy. 
 
 I'D 11 J131N' fynS'pN n&O y3N n n33 Honour thy father and thy 
 I 1 ? |n3 TnVK 'n *WX nrnxn by mother, that thy days may 
 be long upon the land, which the Eternal thy God giveth thee. 
 nxin S Thou shalt not commit murder. 
 
 ^Kjn tfS Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
 
 33JH vh Thou shalt not steal. 
 
 -\y yna ruyn vh Thou shalt not answer as a false witness against 
 
 ipt? thy neighbour. 
 
 ah ~\y~\ JV3 nnnn xS Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house. 
 V13JM T^T r\t7N nnnn Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, 
 nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, 
 nor his ox, nor bis ass, nor any thing else, 
 which belongs to thy neighbour. 
 
 64. How are the ten commandments usually divided? 
 
 They are commonly divided in two principal classes; name- 
 ly, the five first treat of such duties, as we owe to God; and 
 the five last of those, we have to observe towards our fellow- 
 men.
 
 39 
 
 65. What authorises us to make such a division? 
 
 Both the intent and the form of these commandments: as in 
 the five last the name of God is not mentioned, and then again 
 they were thus written upon the two tables of the covenant. 
 
 66. But why is the fifth commandment, " honour thy parents" 
 also reckon ed among the duties of the first class? 
 
 Because the man, who has no respect for his parents and 
 loves not sincerely his father and mother, the visible authors 
 of his being on earth, and is ungrateful enough, to forget all the 
 benefits which they confer upon their child, with so many 
 sacrifices and so much trouble such a one can also to a cer- 
 tainty neither honour nor love his heavenly Father and invisi- 
 ble Creator. 
 
 We therefore find (Deut. 27 ch.) the curse against the diso- 
 bedient child recorded after the one denounced against the 
 idolater. 
 
 IDKT V3K nSpD inx " Cursed be he, who despises his father and 
 mother." 
 
 67. But why says the first commandment, " who have brought 
 thee out from the land of Egypt," and not rather, "who have 
 created the whole world, and all that is therein;" since the crea- 
 tion is certainly a much more wonderful event, than the redemp- 
 tion from Egypt? 
 
 Because the miracle of the creation would not have made 
 so deep an impression upon many, as those wonders which 
 they themselves had experienced but so recently. It was also 
 intended to indicate, by this expression of the Deity, that we 
 Israelites alone are bound to observe the revealed laws; and 
 this, from peculiar motives of gratitude for the redemption
 
 40 
 
 from Egyptian slavery, which happened to us only. Even that 
 part of the Decalogue, which speaks of the Sabbath and in 
 which we are here reminded of the history of the creation 
 says in another place : (Deut. 5 ch. 15. v.) 
 jix p hy onxD pw rrn nay o rron " And thou must re- 
 ratyn DV nx nv^j?S TH^N 'n member, that thou 
 wert a slave in the land of Egypt therefore commands thee the 
 Eternal, thy God, to observe the Sabbath-day." 
 
 68. What lesson ought we to draw from this? 
 
 Never to undertake to persuade persons, belonging to any 
 other people whatsoever, to accept of our failh. Much less dare 
 we hate or despise others, because they live not according to 
 those laws, which were never prescribed to them. For all 
 other nations are only obliged to observe the laws of nature 
 and the seven precepts of the children of Noah; but 
 
 spy nbnp manm nt?n uS rn* mm " The law, which Moses 
 commanded us, is the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." 
 (Deut. 33 ch. 4 v.) 
 
 69. Which are the Noachite precepts, through the observance 
 of which men of all nations can attain felicity? 
 
 The following, and they are those, which were entrusted 
 to Noah immediately after the flood, to be observed by him 
 and all his descendants. 
 
 1 To abstain from idolatry. 
 
 2. Not to utter any blasphemy. 
 
 3. Not to wound nor to kill his fellow-man. 
 
 4. Not to steal nor commit fraud. 
 
 5. To exercise justice. 
 
 6. Not to commit adultery, nor be guilty of incest; and
 
 41 
 
 7. Not to eat of the meat of any animal, till its life be actually 
 extinct. (Gen. 9 ch. 4 7 v.) 
 
 70. What are we commanded by the SECOND precept? 
 
 That we should place our hope and trust in the only and 
 eternal God solely, and in no other being besides him; that 
 we should not represent the Most High by any image, and 
 under any form, much less clothe him with corporeal qualities 
 and attributes. Again, that we dare not ascribe supernatural 
 power to any other being; and, in fact, to guard ourselves care- 
 fully against all kinds of superstition. 
 
 -pn 1 ?** 'n oy rrnn D^n " Thou must be entire with the Eternal 
 thy God." (Deut. 18 ch. 13 v.) 
 
 71. But why did God forbid idolatry so impressively, and 
 even call himself a watchful God, to punish such a sin with 
 peculiar severity; since He, the Eternal, can suffer no injury by 
 our transgression, as we read in Job (35 ch. 6??.) : " When thou 
 sinnest, what effect canst thou have on him? and be thy dere- 
 lictions ever so great, what injury canst thou do him?" 
 
 All precepts of God are intended for the promotion of our 
 own happiness only. It is well known to His omniscience, 
 that nothing withdraws a man so easily from his duties, 'as 
 idolatry and superstition. False conceptions of God, and his 
 attributes, pervert the understanding, and corrupt the heart, 
 in so far as they render it ungrateful towards our almighty and 
 real benefactor, and induce it to surrender itself to every 
 species of extravagance. Of this, history furnishes us with so 
 many examples of horrible abominations, which were actually 
 practised by the ancient idolatrous nations. 
 t>tS onn o'un najnro rwyS noSn xH " Thou shalt not learn to 
 O'DDp DDp tPX3 ir3i 133 V3#D "]3 XXD" imitate the abominable
 
 42 
 
 Ho 'n najhn o 'ui ^com BTUDI p\yn customs of these na- 
 *'ui nbx r\wy tions. No one shall 
 
 be found among thee, who causeth his son or daughter to go 
 through the fire, nor any one who is a fortune-teller, observer of 
 clouds, augur, conjurer of snakes or wizard, for whoever does any 
 of these, is an abomination to the Eternal." (Deut. 18 ch. 9 v.) 
 
 72. But is it not incompatible with the justice of God, that he 
 should visit the iniquity of fathers even on the children and chil- 
 drerfs children ? Does he not teach us himself in other places, 
 (Jer. 31 ch. 30 v. and Deut. 24 ch. 16 v.) : That 
 
 mnr *h D\m D'ja hy nnx innv ah " Parents shall not die for the 
 innr INBm \y n!3K hy children, nor shall the chil- 
 dren perish on account of the parents, but each shall die for his own 
 sins ?" 
 
 The very verse under consideration gives us the best answer, 
 as it adds : " Namely, those who hate me ;" i. e. if the children 
 of a wicked man pursue the same course, and continue to per- 
 severe in the same sins, in despite of the admonition, by which 
 it was shown to them that their parents acted wrong ; excusing 
 themselves by saying, they had seen it thus before them from 
 their father. No such excuse, says God, can be of any avail ; 
 but they shall not flatter themselves with hopes of impunity ; 
 for man is bound to acquire a knowledge of the better, and act 
 according to this knowledge. And if the descendants of a bad 
 man do this ; they have the promise of God (Ezek. 1 8 ch.), 
 that they shall not suffer, even in the most distant degree, for 
 the sins of their parent. 
 
 pya aw vh 3Ni axn })^3 Nffi vh p " The son shall not suffer for 
 Dfll?x VDTO urx pS {3H the sin of the father, nor 
 the father for the sin of the son ; surely I will judge every man ac- 
 cording to his ways."
 
 43 
 
 73. When are we already guilty of a refined species of idol- 
 atry? 
 
 Whenever we put greater confidence in the powers and 
 possessions of others or our own, than in God, to whom we are 
 indebted for all the good we enjoy ; for is it not God, who 
 loves all his creatures, from whom all benefits originally ema- 
 nate? 
 
 ro iS frun ton o ynSx 'n nx n-o?i " And thou must remember, 
 Vri WVy 1 } that it is the Eternal thy 
 
 God, who gives thee strength to acquire wealth." (Deut. 8 ch. 18 v.) 
 LDTW nw "it?K *i3Jn 1TW 'n "rax 713 " Thus speaketh the Eternal : 
 13J71 "1113 . 13*7110' 'n pi \yni *W3 DBn Cursed be the man, who 
 in03D 'n rrm '713 nw IPX puts his trust in man, and 
 places his strength on flesh ; but whose heart is turned away from 
 the Eternal. Blessed be the man, who trusts in the Eternal, for 
 the Eternal will also be his support." (Jer. 17 ch. 5 v.) 
 
 74. What does the THIRD commandment ask of us? 
 
 Not to make a bad use of the divine name; never to use it 
 unnecessarily, and never to utter it, but with a feeling of the 
 deepest veneration. Therefore even a prayer is a sin, if un- 
 accompanied with real devotion; how much more sinful must 
 an unnecessary oath be, not to mention a false one, which is 
 an unpardonable profanation and disregard of the holy name 
 of God. 
 
 o nx nSSnnppS "nvi lyapn Si " And you shall not swear 
 'n 'JN ynSx falsely by my name. Thou 
 wouldst thus profane the name of thy God; lam the Eternal" 
 (ready to punish such misconduct). (Lev. 19 chi 12 v.) 
 
 75. When does a man swear falsely ? 
 
 When he promises with an oath to do or not to do an act,
 
 44 
 
 * -^ 
 or he swears to discontinue any thing ; and he afterwards does 
 
 not that which he swore to do, or continues to do that which 
 he has promised not to do ; or if he fortifies any assertion with 
 an oath, asseverating its truth, the untruth of which must be 
 clearly apparent to him ; in all these cases a man swears falsely. 
 
 76. When does a man swear unnecessarily? 
 
 If he in a careless manner and without sufficient cause, 
 swears to that^ where yes or no would be alone requisite to 
 decide the matter. 
 
 77. On what occasion is an oath^for the establishment of the 
 truth^ permitted? . 
 
 Only, when we are called upon to do so by a judge, and 
 necessity demands it. But even in this case, we ought to pre- 
 pare ourselves for such a solemn act, test our heart and do 
 inward penance, that we may not be unworthy of pronouncing 
 the holy name. 
 
 p:nn m ~\iyr\ inx KYH ynSx 'n nx " The Eternal thy God thou 
 y3&r\ iptyai must fear, him thou must 
 
 worship, to him thou must adhere, and by his name thou shalt 
 swear." (Deut. 6 ch. 13 v. and 10 ch. 20 v.) 
 
 78. What does the FOURTH commandment enjoin on us? 
 
 That we should consecrate the Sabbath and the festivals in 
 honour of the Eternal, and declare by our thus doing, that we 
 firmly believe, that the Most High produced, created and regu- 
 lated the universe from nothing, and that He alone is the Lord 
 and preserver of all things, and our benefactor, and that he will 
 ever continue to be so, since his power and will must ever 
 remain unaltered.
 
 45 
 
 79. How are we to consecrate a day in honour of the Eternal? 
 We are bound to devote it chiefly to divine worship, rest 
 
 from all worldly business, visit the public houses of prayer and 
 schools, and think seriously about ourselves and our conduct, 
 that we may be kept in the ways of virtue and the fear of God, 
 through religious instruction and pious resolutions. 
 
 DV3 l^sn mvy lS:n rotPD TOT! DX " If thy feet rest on the Sabbath, 
 
 'n temp 1 "? Hy D3l7 l ~7 ntopl 'enp and thy labours cease on my 
 
 r><)!fDD "pYi rwyD im33i "I33Q holy day ; if thou callest the 
 
 'n hy Jjynn IK "m I3ni ^an Sabbath a delight of the soul, 
 
 consecrated wholly to the sanctification of the Eternal ; and if thou 
 
 honourest it by not following thy usual occupations, and if thou ab- 
 
 stainest from vain desires and speaking of thy worldly affairs : then 
 
 wilt thou surely find delight in the Eternal." (Is. 58 ch. 13 v.) 
 
 80. How many festivals have we besides the Sabbath? 
 FIVE. To wit: 
 
 1.- The feast of Unleavened Bread nixnn JH, commonly called 
 HDD or Passover, the time of our going out of Egypt and of our 
 redemption from slavery. 
 
 2. The feast of Weeks niyntPH jn or Pentecost, so called from 
 its being celebrated on the fiftieth day from the first day of 
 Passover, and it is the day of the promulgation of the law on 
 Mount Sinai. And as this was also the harvest feast, it is 
 called D'lD3n or the day of the first fruits. 
 
 3. The New Year's feast, commonly called rjJBTi BW ; but 
 in holy writ it is called (Torn DV Day of Remembrance. 
 
 4. The Day of Atonement, or the day of universal peni- 
 tence, for the repentance and forgiveness of our sins D'liflsn or ; 
 and lastly, 
 
 5. The feasts of Tabernacles and Conclusion, or the autum- 
 nal feast, noon an and oxn Jn * 
 
 * For a more detailed account of these festivals see Appendix.
 
 46 
 
 81. When do children honour their parents, as the f iff u pre- 
 cept demands? 
 
 When they cherish esteem for them in their hearts, and 
 show this on every occasion both by word and deed, and when 
 they always remember, with due feelings of gratitude, the 
 benefits which they have received, and are daily receiving from 
 their parents. 
 
 "]DK rupr '3 nan bxi , "pS 1 ru yivh yv& " Obey thy father, who 
 begat thee ^ and despise not thy mother, though she be old." (Prov. 
 23 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 82. What does this esteem, which children owe their parents, 
 demand of them? 
 
 That they should speak in the presence of their parents with 
 all marks of respect, and never contradict them; bear their 
 correction and listen to their admonitions with meekness and 
 submission; and upon the whole conduct themselves so, that 
 the parents may be rendered happy by their children, and be 
 honoured on their account. 
 
 , U DDty D3H ibri pH ^N h"V h'l " O, how rejoiced is the fa- 
 
 imSv 4jni IDNI "px nat? 1 ther of the pious ! How 
 
 glad is the parent of a wise son ! Strive, then, that thy father and 
 
 mother may be glad ; and that they who educated thee, may find 
 
 pleasure." (Prov. 23 ch. 24 v.) 
 
 83. How must a child, that loves his parents sincerely, conduct 
 himself, to convince them of his lone? 
 
 He must do every thing with the utmost readiness, which 
 can afford his parents pleasure; he must endeavour to deserve 
 every day their approbation in a greater degree, and strive to 
 promote their welfare, and augment their prosperity, as much 
 as lies within his power.
 
 47 
 
 n 13H y&Q fK "V3N1 IDKI T3K Sm " But he, who robs his father 
 
 rrrwD BT&6 or mother, and says, it is 
 
 no sin, is an associate of the high-way robber." (Prov. 28 ch. 24 v.) 
 
 84. What can we learn from this passage, where God has pro- 
 mised us so expressly a reward for the fulfilment of this com- 
 mandment ? 
 
 The express promise of a reward for the observance of such 
 a duty, which is already inscribed in the hearts of us all, and 
 which every good man exercises with pleasure must impress 
 us the more strongly with the consolatory assurance, that the 
 All-merciful will the more certainly dispense sufficient and 
 commensurate reward for the observance of those duties and 
 precepts, which are Jess agreeable to man, and which cost him 
 much trouble, exertion and self-conquest.* 
 
 85. What other doctrine can we draw from this precept, as 
 in the repetition of the Decalogue, (Deut. 5 ch. 16 v.) we find 
 added the words ynSx 'n "]W "iffJO " As the Eternal thy God has 
 commanded thee /"' 
 
 This expression will teach us the following : first, that in all 
 
 In the Mishna (Tractate Chulin, last section,) where our wise men treat 
 about a found bird's nest (Deut. 22 ch. 6 7 v.) we read: 
 
 mDN "ID'*O NTH? nSp ni2fD DX HDi " When it is said, by a precept, 
 
 D'D 11 roixm iS 3CD" \yd~~? mm which is performed so easily 
 
 minaip nmnnn nira hy inirn Sp and with so little expense . 
 ' That thou mayest fare well, and live long,' how much more must 
 the observance of those precepts be rewarded, which are much more 
 difficult and burthensome to observe?" 
 
 In the same passage is the expression of the Bible: " That thou mayest 
 fare well and live long," explained in a manner no less true and beautiful, 
 than just and appropriate: " That thou mayest be happy there, where thou 
 wilt live long for ever."
 
 48 
 
 our actions we should always have a holy object and will. 
 Even those laws, the observance of which is already demanded 
 of us by our natural sensations and feelings of love, gratitude, 
 &c., should not be observed by us, solely because they are 
 agreeable, and in some measure necessary to our heart ; but 
 rather and chiefly because they arelioly precepts of our God, 
 whose will we should ever fulfil from so pure motives of love 
 to him, that we may subject to it all the wishes and desires of 
 our heart. Secondly, that nothing yes, not even the love to 
 our parents, and the respect which we owe them should 
 ever induce us to transgress any one of the divine precepts. 
 Both these points are indicated in holy writ by the words : 
 pnSK 'n "\\y TB^KD " Because, and in as much, as the Eternal thy 
 God has commanded it." The same thing is also alluded to 
 in another ordinance, where it is said : 
 
 'JX nnern 'nrotP nxi ixrrt V2X1 IDK ETX " Each man shall fear his 
 DDTiS* 'n mother and father, and 
 
 observe my Sabbaths, I am the Eternal your God" (to whom both 
 parent as well as child owe, more than to any other, thanks, love, 
 and obedience). (Lev. 19 ch. 3 v.) 
 
 86. What conclusions are we to draw from the fact, that the 
 following precepts are given with so much brevity and in so 
 general terms, as : thou shah not commit murder ! thou shall 
 not steal! &c. ? 
 
 firstly, that such actions are interdicted to us because of 
 themselves, without regard to the person, on whom they are 
 perpetrated ; be he one of our faith or of any other ; be it a 
 fellow-citizen or a stranger ; nay if even no other person, be- 
 sides ourselves, could be injured thereby ; in all these cases 
 any criminal deed is prohibited, without the slightest distinc- 
 tion, solely because it is bad.
 
 49 
 
 Secondly, that these actions are not only prohibited to as in 
 the limited and literal meaning of the words employed here, 
 but also in their most ample and extended signification; it is 
 farther intended to convey a prohibition of every thing which 
 may lead to these abominable crimes, or whatever is in any 
 manner similar to them. 
 
 87. What then i> forbidden, according to this view, by the 
 SIXTH commandment ? 
 
 That no man, neither ourselves nor any body else, should 
 suffer any injury through our means, either in body, health, or 
 honour, which could in the most remote manner tend to short- 
 en that life, which has been given to us by the all-wise Father 
 in heaven. 
 
 noon rut 1*1 "And your own blood 
 
 voiwrn* will I require ; be it 
 tmcn arflj spilt through your 
 
 own person, through the bands of another man, or through any 
 living being; in all cases I will require the life of man" (meaning, 
 win punish homicide). And add our wise men : " He, who makes 
 his fellow-man ashamed in public, has committed a crime analogous 
 to murder." (Genesis 9 eh. 5 v.) 
 
 88. And when doe* a man commit murder on kit own person 
 in tome degree ? 
 
 When he injures himself purposely, or exposes himself when 
 there is no necessity for it, to a risk of losing his life ; or under- 
 mines bis constitution by a dissolute coarse of life. 
 
 89. What does the. SEVEKTH commandment interdict ? 
 
 It forbids us every species of incest ; also such improper be- 
 haviour and words, through which others might be induced to 
 8
 
 50 
 
 be guilty of incontinence. The consequences of a violation of 
 this holy precept are peculiarly terrible, and take ample 
 revenge on the soul and body of him who leads a dissolute 
 life. 
 
 rvHjn nrfl :nn3 mn HJ^D rrra nmnto " The end of dissolute- 
 jmn*o nnnjviDnrv myxbiNtp niDnnY ness is bitter as worm- 
 1D1D 'nKJP yt^t mow pNtsn" "pito niSm wood, sharp as a two- 
 lim ^1.^33 TTTI 13^03 'a 1 *? yxj nroini edged sword ; its feet 
 
 mjnbnp hurry to death, its 
 
 steps lead to hell. In vain is then thy late sighing, when thy flesh 
 and strength are destroyed ! In vain wilt thou exclaim : why did I 
 hate good morals, why did my heart contemn good advice ! How 
 soon have I sunk in deep distress, before the face of the whole 
 world!" (Prov. 5 ch. 123 ; 6 ch. 2435 ; 7 ch. 527 v.) 
 
 90. How can we best guard ourselves against the sin of incest ? 
 By carefully shunning every thing, which could possibly 
 
 tempt us to a breach of good moral conduct, and by thinking 
 God as present at each temptation which may present itself. 
 
 oSso vnS-liWD Sui t^K ';m 'n Ty nuJ O " For the ways of man 
 are always open before the eyes of the Eternal, who measures each 
 of his steps." (Prov. 5 ch. 21 v.) 
 
 PINT rnjry VDI trx "OVt *-~>y vrj? '3 " For his eyes are directed 
 
 {IN 'hys QW inonb ninS* pNi "j^n px upon all the ways of man, 
 and he observes all his steps. Neither darkness, nor the shadow of 
 death, can hide from him the doers of evil." (Job, 34 ch. 21 22 v.) 
 
 91. What are we commanded by the EIGHTH precept ? 
 
 To let every man keep what is his, and give him what be- 
 longs to him, and we may happen to have in our possession, 
 or owe him ; that we should tell no man a lie, nor cheat him ; 
 and this is also explained and commanded in many passages of 
 the Scriptures.
 
 51 
 
 ETN npffn xSi leron xSi wjjn x 1 ? "You shall not steal, nor 
 n xS Sun xbl Tjn nt^t pffyn t-t 1 ? deny another what is 
 ipa ^y "jnx TDIP his, and not lie. Thou 
 
 shalt keep nothing back of thy neighbour's property, and not rob ; 
 
 and thou shalt not keep the pay of a day-labourer by thee, till morn- 
 
 ing." (Lev. 19 ch. 11 v.) 
 
 92. What else is comprehended in this commandment ? 
 
 Every species of deception and falsehood, by which a man 
 may deceive his neighbour even in thought only, and induce 
 him to adopt a false opinion of any thing : as by such conduct 
 a person shows himself different outwardly, from what he is 
 and thinks at heart. Such a one is called in Holy Writ a 
 thief of the heart. 
 
 DTI3P tsnn **>y na*D DTD 'pD " Just like an earthen vessel 
 y*\ sSi covered with silver-leaf, are 
 lips burning with love, when the heart is bad." (Prov. 26 ch. 23 v.) 
 
 uun HJ1DN 'Pjn iplP 'n3l? 'n roym " False lips are an abomination 
 to the Eternal ; but those, who act uprightly, are pleasing to him." 
 (Prov. 12ch. 22 v.) 
 
 93. Who can be said to give false evidence, against doing 
 which we are warned in the NINTH commandment ? 
 
 That man, who when questioned, and called upon to tell the 
 truth conscientiously, yet speaks after all differently from what 
 he knows to be true. 
 
 naw D'3T3 rvflM npr vh D'ipE? iy " A lying witness will not 
 escape unpunished, and he, who spreads fraudulent assertions, will 
 be lost." (Prov. 19 ch. 9 v.) 
 
 94. What further is included in this precept ? 
 
 That we shall neither backbite our fellow-man nor speak ill 
 of him.
 
 52 
 
 "\hr\ vh " Thou shalt not walk about, as an informer, 
 in thy people." (Lev. 19 ch. 16 v.) 
 
 95. Who deserves the name of backbiter ? 
 
 The one, who from motives of malice speaks ill of his neigh- 
 bour in his absence ; and it is almost needless to mention him, 
 who perverts the truth, and spreads false and evil reports 
 about others. 
 
 Tflm B^NT ytjni pn* totr IDE? Tn " The pious man hates a 
 lying word ; but the wicked slanders and abuses others." (Prov. 
 13 ch. 5 v.) 
 
 96. Is there any case, where we are permitted to tell the evil, 
 which we know of our fellow-men, to another person? 
 
 Yes, as, for instance, if the public well-being or justice de- 
 mand it, then it is our duty to disclose the evil ; silence under 
 such circumstances were sin. And we are told : (Lev. 5 ch. 
 iv.) 
 
 Uiy NtPJi IT tfS DX " If he tell not, he will have a sin to atone 
 for. 5 ' 
 
 Or even when the sinner himself can be bettered by it, or 
 others receive warning to guard against the evil intentions of a 
 designing man. In either case, however, it must be done with- 
 out bitterness of feeling, without scornful derision or joy, at the 
 suffering of the sinner. 
 
 roS it?" runn t? w nS iDnS nnnp r6ix " The follies (or the evil 
 deeds) of others cause pleasure to the heartless ; but the man of 
 understanding will rather point out the just path." (Prov. 15 ch. 
 21 v.) 
 
 97. What does the TENTH commandment enjoin? 
 That we should always endeavour to remain masters over
 
 53 
 
 our wishes and inclinations, and thus guard against being 
 drawn from the path of right by our desires and passions ; 
 much less should we ever desire the good things which others 
 may have, or envy them for their possessions. On the con- 
 trary, we should wholly confide in the wisdom and goodness 
 of God, who will apportion at all times to every man what 
 he deserves, and what is the most beneficial to him. 
 
 SKI pS Soa 'n SN noa " Trust in the Eternal with 
 " im in;n "pri Sio all thy heart, and do not 
 confide in thy own knowledge. In all thy actions look up to him, 
 and he will make thy paths even." (Prov. 3 ch. 5 6 v.) 
 
 D"n nmin HDD '3 pS 1X3 IDIPD SDD " Be particularly watchful 
 over thy heart (that thy desires and inclinations may not become 
 too strong) ; for this is the source of life" (i. e. the foundation of 
 all prosperity). (Prov. 4 ch. 23 v.) 
 
 >'.itfrvt" : . .-' : ; ' ," ' '._ "-. ..= ... , f, .,,,','vi..*: <;:. . sv<- -i 
 
 98. In what light ought roe to view this precept? 
 
 We can with justice regard this commandment as the foun- 
 dation of all moral law, and the chief means to promote the 
 observance of the greater part of the divine precepts. For 
 he, who accustoms himself always to govern his desires, and 
 never to envy another man, will find it an easy task to do his 
 duties on every occasion with cheerfulness and tranquillity. 
 
 innS IXPD px TOK wt* nmn fK nxns vy " But the man, who 
 cannot confine his desires within bounds, is like a city which is 
 open and has no walls." (Prov. 25 ch. 28 v.) 
 
 All passions and sins have then free access to his heart. He 
 will hate and envy his fellow-men, and be at the same time 
 dissatisfied with his own station, and the duties which are de- 
 manded of him. And whereas he is himself thus a prey to his 
 passions, he will be quite unfit to make any sacrifice for the 
 promotion of virtue.
 
 54 
 
 p Oian nx pK'Jfin 1133511 niKnni nwpn " Envy, unbridled pas- 
 
 dv\yn sions and ambition, 
 
 will soon destroy a man, and deprive him of bliss hereafter." ( Aboth, 
 iv.) 
 
 99. Does God also demand, that we should sacrifice our life 
 rather than transgress any of his precepts? 
 
 This is not necessary with all, but is only the case with 
 a few. 
 
 100. And which are these? 
 
 Idolatry, adultery and murder; of these three capital sins it 
 is said, that we should sacrifice our lives, rather than commit 
 either of them.* 
 
 H3jT SKI Jin' D'DI nD'Dffl nriy iVl nit may For it ia better 
 to let our body die a few years earlier, since it cannot possibly 
 escape death, than to injure our soul everlastingly by the commis- 
 sion of such crimes. 
 
 * It would require too much room, to enumerate here all the circumstances 
 and cases, when and how far we should according to the doctrines of our 
 wise men sacrifice our property and our blood for the preservation of the 
 religion of our fathers.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 OP THE TRADITION. 
 
 101. Has Moses written down all the precepts and ordinances 
 quite clearly, so as to require no explanation? 
 
 No; we believe, that God communicated some laws orally 
 to Moses, which he in his turn was only permitted to commu- 
 nicate orally to others; and we explain in this manner the verse 
 in Exodus (chap. 34 27 v.) : 
 
 n S N n Dnann nx i 1 ? aro ** Write* down these 
 rw ma yiK THD nSxn words alone, for ac- 
 cording to the meaning and intent of these words, I have made a 
 covenant with thee and with Tsrael." 
 
 102. Art there no other passages pointing out the existence of 
 a tradition ? 
 
 Yes; a great many others ; amongst the rest the passage in 
 Deut. 12 ch. 21 v. : 
 
 *|n M V 1 V N 3 13NVD1 pp3D man " And thou shalt kill from 
 thy cattle and thy sheep, in the manner I have commanded thee." 
 
 Now, whereas there is no one amongst the scriptural regu- 
 lations, which prescribes the mode of killing, we must pre- 
 suppose an oral tradition, to which this verse refers, and which 
 tradition gives a more complete account of this and many 
 other commandments. Nay, without this oral law we could 
 not know, how to observe the greater part of the ordinances of 
 our religion. 
 
 * The passage cited above, $62, is also applicable here.
 
 56 
 
 1 03. Are, there then two kinds of laws, the written and the 
 oral ? 
 
 Not by any means; for in fact there is but one law and one 
 code, as the Scriptures and Tradition constitute together but 
 one whole,* they being the component parts of the Mosaic 
 Law. 
 
 104. What would you then understand by ORAL LAW ? 
 
 That part of the law, which explains more fully the written 
 precepts, and fixes their meanings and the practice under them, 
 that these points might not be left to be determined by the 
 fancy of men, whose reason is necessarily circumscribed, and 
 who are often blinded by prejudice and passion. 
 
 105. What was the reason, that these explanations were not 
 originally committed to writing ? 
 
 Because in that case the explanations would in the lapse of 
 time have been exposed to absurd interpretations and arbitrary 
 perversions of differently thinking men. For this reason this 
 oral law, or rather this more lucid explanation of the written 
 
 * The Rev. Chief Rabbi Mr. Hurwitz drew here my attention to the nu- 
 merical valuet of the words 3^03 and rifl-^ya . The numerical value of 
 the first is 424, and of the second 187, which added produce the sum of 611, 
 which is precisely the numerical value of the word rTC\T\ (Law). 
 
 Author. 
 
 t It is a favourite mode with certain commentators, to show the close 
 relation existing between different parts of scriptural events and laws, by 
 comparing the numerical value of words or even phrases found in different 
 parts of the Bible. This way of commenting is chiefly founded upon the 
 belief, that there is nothing fortuitous or by chance, not even a single letter, 
 in- Holy Writ. 
 
 Translator.
 
 ' 
 
 precepts, was communicated solely to a few chosen men, or 
 persons eminently distinguished for piety and learning; that 
 the law might be preserved through their means pure and free 
 from perversions and forged additions. 
 
 106. Was not the oral law for all that finally committed to 
 writing? 
 
 Yes, in the times of Rabbi Judah Hanassy, surnamed the. Ao/y, 
 about the year 3980 after the creation. When namely the 
 learned men of those days saw, that the teachers of the law 
 continually decreased in numbers, occasioned through the 
 intolerable oppressions they had to encounter, and that the 
 law was daily more neglected and forgdtten; they determined, 
 under the presidency of this pious chief tynpn X'Bon mirr ^"i , 
 to commit the tradition, which had hitherto been preserved 
 orally, to writing, in short sentences; the book, thus composed, 
 they called the Mishna; that is, repetition of the law. Al- 
 though it must be confessed, that this was, to a certain degree, 
 acting contrary to the letter of the law; yet they quoted, in 
 doing this, the Psalmist (119 Ps. 126 v.) : 
 
 "|min nan 'n 1 ? rwyS r\y " There is a time, when it becomes ne- 
 cessary, in honour of the Eternal, to suspend one precept, to pre- 
 serve either the whole law or an essential part of it." 
 
 1 07. Is the Mishna the only work of this kind ? 
 
 No; it was afterwards found to be too short and unin- 
 telligible without further elucidation : it came therefore to 
 pass, that, two hundred and eighty years after the afore-mention- 
 ed period, this Mishna, and in fact the whole law, were more 
 clearly and amply explained and illustrated, under the presi- 
 dency of the pious and learned chiefs Rabina and Rab Ashy. 
 9
 
 58 
 
 The work, which was produced under this revision, is called 
 the Gemara or Talmud, and is divided in 36 (mroon) books. 
 
 108. Were not other law-books composed at subsequeat periods? 
 
 Yes; but they are no new law-books ; on the contrary, they 
 contain merely in the form of a code, and in a concise and 
 systematic order, that which has been decided and instituted 
 as law in the Talmud, with the omission of the more detailed 
 discussions, which are found in the same. 
 
 109. Which are the principal books of this kind? 
 
 The work Yad hachasakah (np?nn v) in 14 books, written 
 by the Rabbi Moses Maimonides, in the year of the world 
 4936, and the Shulchan Ngaruch (iny \r\h&) in 4 volumes, 
 which was edited by the Rabbi Don Joseph Caro in the year 
 of the world 5325. 
 
 
 
 110. In what order do our wise men reckon the regular suc- 
 cession and transmission of the tradition? 
 
 pttmjPVNvS mom TDD mm Sap ns?D " Moses received the law 
 'tWS nnDD D'N'3:i D'K^ab D^ptl D^ptS on Sinai, and delivered 
 nSnjn rDJD it over to Joshua. Jo- 
 shua delivered it to the elders, the elders to the prophets, and the 
 prophets communicated it to the members of the great synod." 
 (Aboth, i.) 
 
 111. Was this regulation of any service? 
 
 It was indeed very useful; for to it we are mainly indebted, 
 that the written law even has descended to us pure and un- 
 corrupted. For, as these pious men had been instituted 
 through this means, as it were, guardians and interpreters of
 
 59 
 
 the law; they directed their most particular attention to it, 
 and they even counted the words and letters of the Holy 
 Scriptures, showed how they ought to be written, and taught 
 at the same time, how they were to be read and punctuated. 
 This was afterwards expressed by signs and figurative phrases, 
 which are easily understood, and published under the name of 
 Massorah moa (Tradition). 
 
 112. What other benefit do we derive from the aforesaid 
 wise regulation? 
 
 The judges and elders of the people had thereby an oppor- 
 tunity of introducing many wise laws and useful regulations, 
 which were suited to the circumstances and emergencies of 
 their times; and the people felt the necessity of honouring 
 their expounders of the law and their teachers, and of obeying 
 strictly, on all occasions, their words and admonitions. This 
 is also the express will of the legislator, who says (Deut. 1 7 ch. 
 11 v.): 
 
 aatynn Sjn -pir IPX minn '3 hy " According to the law, 
 linn f D mon vh rvoyn ~]h nnar which they (the elders) 
 -. '"jt^tDBn |'0' "fl 1TJV will teach thee, and ac- 
 cording to the judgment, which they may tell thee, thou shall do ; 
 thou shall not depart from whatever they may lell thee, either to 
 the right or the left." 
 
 113. What duties do, according to this /azo, devolve upon the 
 teachers of the people, the Robbies and consistories of every gene- 
 ration? 
 
 They must instruct the people in matters of faith, that they 
 may learn to distinguish between true religion on the one side, 
 and superstition and foolish addition on the other.
 
 60 
 
 They ought to draw the attention of the people to their 
 real duties, which the laws of God and of the state demand of 
 them. They should have a watchful eye over the religious 
 education of children, and in short, make such regulations and 
 provisions, as the circumstances and wants of any particular 
 time may demand as necessary and expedient. And if they 
 should in some cases act even against established customs, 
 which have become almost of equal force with laws* through 
 public opinion, they ought to say, with the above-named pious 
 teacher of the people: 
 
 * As the words of Mr. Johlson may perhaps be misunderstood, I beg leave 
 to subjoin the following in explanation. 
 
 From the whole tenor of our laws it is apparent, that no old established 
 custom, which has become general, can ever be abolished for the benefit of 
 one particular section of country; as through such means the uniformity of 
 our institutions would be annihilated. Let us, for instance, name the worship 
 in the Hebrew language, which is now universal throughout all the disper- 
 sions of Israel. It is no doubt a great misfortune, that the Hebrew is so lit- 
 tle understood by many persons; but it would nevertheless be more injurious 
 to adopt, as the sole language of public wprship, the languages of the coun- 
 tries in which we live ; for the uniformity of our institutions would be greatly 
 injured, by the substituting of many languages, for the single and energetic 
 Hebrew. My limits will not permit me to enter at greater length into a 
 discussion of this point, which would besides be also out of place here; but 
 this one example will clearly prove, that reform, such as our author recom- 
 mends from time to time, must be confined to excrescences only, but should 
 never be extended to essentials. What the essentials in the ceremonial part 
 of our law are, I am unable to detail here ; but in general they are all those 
 rules and regulations, which we have adopted as a distinguishing mark of 
 our people, from other nations, which can therefore never be stigmatized as 
 superstitious. The remarks of our author, however, are directed, against 
 superstitious customs solely, and these should be abolished, no matter how 
 sacred they may be regarded by the mass of our nation, since all superstition 
 is contrary to the Mosaic Law. 
 
 Translator.
 
 61 
 
 "jmin nun 'nS nwyh ny " There is a time, when such a law 
 should be repealed, in honour of the Eternal."* 
 
 114. What do our sages, the Talmudists, say on this subject? 
 
 'pDlj? rrr imn Dy O'pDipn SDI " And all, who are en- 
 DJV#DD onnx now D'DP gaged in the affairs 
 tavvy ibjo n:nn "OP uy^y 'JK nSyn oriNi of the congrega- 
 tion, are bound to transact their business from pure motives ; then 
 does the merit of their forefathers assist them, and their virtue re- 
 mains for ever imperishable. ' For each good intention I promise 
 you as much reward, as for the deed.' " (Aboth, ii.) 
 
 115. What duties have we then to observe, according to the 
 rules just laid down? 
 
 Religion makes it the most sacred duty of every Israelite, 
 to honour the learned in the law, and to support them accord- 
 ing to his means; also to obey willingly the ordinances of the 
 chief tribunals (consistories!) of any time, in which he lives; 
 to acknowledge gratefully the good tendency of their regula- 
 tions, and live strictly according to their decisions, as they are 
 only intended for the promotion of the happiness of the com- 
 munity. 
 
 * The above-mentioned Rev. Chief Rabbi remarked to me in this place, 
 that he must again refer me to the passage cited in a note to { 14. 
 
 Author. 
 
 t The strict obedience to the mandates of the Sanhedrin, can only then be 
 required, when they have been elected according to our old established custom 
 by the free voice of the community not if called together by the will of 
 a despot of a foreign people; much less can this obedience be due, when their 
 deliberations are controlled through open or secret influence from abroad; in 
 which case the assembly deserves not the name of & Jewish Sanhedrin. 
 
 Trantlator.
 
 62 
 
 o n n D ' D ' 3 rrrr *H?K uovm SK n*oi " Thou shalt go to 
 inv TON S30 nipy 1 ? maun the judge, who may 
 be in those times. Thou must carefully observe all as they may 
 teach thee." (Deut. 17 ch. 910 v.) 
 
 116. But, if the elders and teachers of the people are empower- 
 ed to introduce certain regulations and decrees and in fact, we 
 have many of the like ordinances and precepts,* how must we 
 then understand the interdiction (Deut. 4 ch. 2 .) : 
 
 'Ul 03HK imn 'JDJXTOK "Din Sy iSDin *6 " You shall not add any 
 thing to that, which I command you this day"? 
 
 We are enjoined by this commandment, to exercise the al- 
 ready existing precepts in such a manner, as they are prescrib- 
 ed to us by the written or oral law ; that we may not disfigure 
 the same in their own parts through addition or diminution. 
 As for example, to fa. fringes on more than four corners of a 
 garment,! to introduce more than four paragraphs of the Law 
 in the Thephillin,J or if we would take more than the four 
 prescribed productions of the vegetable kingdom, which we 
 employ for the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles. For, 
 as each commandment has been instituted, as it is now, by 
 divine wisdom, and as we are too short-sighted to discover 
 the real truth on every occasion; we dare not have the auda- 
 city to abstract any thing from the prescribed rules, and pro- 
 ceed arbitrarily with our additions and alterations. This is 
 accordingly enjoined on us in the most impressive terms in the 
 verse just cited, as also in the following one (Deut. 13 ch. 1 v.) : 
 
 * Of this more will appear in the Appendix, 
 t Numb. 15 ch. 38 v. and Deut. 22 ch. 12 v. 
 t Exodus 13 ch. 16 v. 
 Leviticus 23 ch. 40 v.
 
 63 
 
 1 n x QDI\t<* nfD OJt* "HW* Tnn * n " Every commandment, 
 UDD jrun Si rS^ )Dn S nw^S nniyn you must strictly ob- 
 serve, just as I command it you this day (either orally or in writing), 
 without adding or diminishing. 1 '
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DUTIES. 
 
 .1. DUTIES TOWARDS GOD. 
 
 117. In how many classes are the duties, which religion 
 demands of us, generally divided ? 
 
 We divide them generally in three classes; we have, namely, 
 duties towards God, duties towards ourselves, and duties to- 
 wards others ; which latter comprise not only those towards 
 individuals, but also those which we owe to the whole state. 
 
 118. In what essential particular do the two first species of 
 duties differ from those of the latter kind, since they are ALL 
 the emanation of the holy will of God ? 
 
 If a man sins against God alone or against himself, he can 
 make himself again worthy of participating of the grace of God, 
 and may expect forgiveness from His mercy, as soon as he 
 returns, and repents his transgressions with genuine feelings of 
 repentance. But if a man has transgressed against his fellow- 
 man, no penance nor repentance can in the least avail him, 
 till he has asked his forgiveness, and made him complete resti- 
 titution for the injury done, or has satisfied him in some other 
 manner. (See on this subject Talmud, Tractate Yoma.) 
 KBH iKm minm H^KD nrwS DEW o rvm " If he has been guilty 
 
 'U1 TT^y in any of these re- 
 spects (against God) : he shall confess what he has sinned, &c." 
 (Lev. 6 ch. 5 v.) 
 
 -WK nSnn n a^ni DKM KBIT o rrm " Has he however 
 "\vx jnpan n IN ppy -MX pt0yn n IK sinned against 
 n IN inx men, then he
 
 65 
 
 must restore what he has robbed, or what he has unlawfully with- 
 held, or that which has been entrusted to him for safe-keeping, or 
 the lost thing which he has found." (Lev. 5 ch. 23. v.) (See also 
 Numb. 5 chap. 5 8 v.) 
 
 119. What is accordingly the proper meaning of DOING PE- 
 NANCE ? 
 
 A man does penance or becomes converted, when he con- 
 fesses his sin before God, with a sorrowful and humble heart, 
 and prays to him sincerely for forgiveness on account of the 
 fault he has committed ; but the chief requisite is, that he 
 make a positive resolution, to become better, to endeavour 
 earnestly to obtain the mastery over his evil inclinations, to be 
 very watchful over his conduct, and to compensate, as much 
 as possible, for errors committed, with deeds of virtue and 
 piety. 
 
 onv 3t;n mioi rvSr xS ryva HODD " He, who tries to hide his 
 sins will not prosper ; but the man, who confesses them, and acts 
 better afterwards, will be pardoned." (Prov. 28 ch. 13 v.) 
 
 mp w* rhioD -D ynSx 'n iy SJOET miff " Return, O Israel, 
 
 t>tffn So vSx naN 'n Sr-* niffi onm omy to the Eternal thy 
 irnsff ona nnbffJi 31B npi \\y God, though de- 
 graded through thy sins ! Turn but with prayer to the Eternal and 
 say : Thou most perfect, pardoner of sins ! accept our return to 
 good, and let our words be as acceptable to thee, as the offered 
 steers." (Hos. 14 ch. 2 v.) 
 
 120. Does repentance also avail against heavy sins and mis- 
 deeds, which are done on purpose and from disobedience to God? 
 
 Yes, even here does repentance avail ; the infinite grace of 
 God will be extended to every one, who but seeks it sincerely 
 and with an upright heart. Nothing, therefore, should withhold 
 10
 
 66 
 
 us from repentance* for it would be the most unpardonable of 
 all misdeeds, to despair of God's mercy, which he has promised 
 us through all his prophets. 
 
 yw~\r\ niD3 priN DN DTi 1 ?** 'n D*o 'Ji< Ti " As sure as I live, speaks 
 
 rrrn DYIB ytsn mtsa DN O the Eternal God, I have 
 no pleasure in the death of the sinner ; but I desire, that he may 
 return from his wicked way and live." (Ezek. 33 ch. 1 1 v.) 
 
 DTI 1 ?*? 'n DXJ nnn moa )>snt>t J*-* 1 "? O " Surely, I desire not the 
 )T11 llPltrm death of the dead (i. e. 
 
 one deserving death a sinner), speaks' the Lord God; return there- 
 fore to goed ways and live." (Ezek. 18ch. 32 v.) 
 
 121. Can you state, in general terms, the duties we owe to God ? 
 This we are told briefly in the following verse from Holy 
 
 Writ (Deut. 10 ch. 12 v.): 
 
 nxT 1 ? DN o -pyD SKK? ynSx 'n no Ssoty nnyi " And now, Israel, 
 lapSi inx nanxSi rail b^a noSV yn 1 ?^, 'n ns what does the 
 
 "\VSti SD31 pa 1 ? ^33 yn^x 'n n Eternal thy God 
 (after having done all this for thee) demand of thee, but to fear him,, 
 the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to walk 
 in all his ways, to love and to serve him?" 
 
 122. What do you call to serve God ? needs he our service? 
 
 ? Hp^'lTD no IN iS |nn no npnx OK " If thou art even ever so pious r 
 what canst thou give him by it ? or what can he receive from thy 
 hand ?" (Job, 35 ch. 7 v.) 
 
 This is explained to us in the verse immediately following; 
 "KPN vnpn rw 'n nivn nx -raS " Thou namely must ob- 
 nhw 'n 1 ? jrr ^ aitDb orn serve the precepts 
 H3 *tt?K SDI ^ln D^Dwn and the statutes of 
 the Lord, which 1 command thee this day, for thy own benefit ; for 
 behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the earth, and alt
 
 67 
 
 things upon it, belong to the Eternal thy God!" (He therefore 
 needs not thy offerings, nor thy service.) 
 
 1 23. How are we now to understand the expressions Honour 
 to Got/, service of God, and others of the same kind? 
 
 The terms, service, honour to God, have a quite different 
 meaning from that, which they have in reference to man. 
 Divine service, is not a service, which I render to God; honour 
 to God, is not honour, which I show him. The All-good de- 
 sires but the welfare of his creatures (which we are to ac- 
 quire through the practice of piety and virtue) and that we 
 should be thankful for the good we may receive from his 
 hands. 
 
 DnSNjWH IJSOK TTI DPI 'Jn:i:r mm m; " He, who offers me 
 thanks, honours me ; and him, who is watchful over his course of 
 life, I will cause to find divine happiness" (happiness emanating 
 from me God). (Psalm 50, v. 23.) 
 
 124. In how many classes is the worship of God, by obeying 
 his commandments, divided? 
 
 It consists, of the following, two kinds: the inward and the 
 outward service of God. 
 
 125. What is meant by the INWARD veneration of God? 
 Reverence, confidence, and ready obedience, arising from 
 
 an undivided love to God, and from gratefulness to him for his 
 innumerable benefits, bestowed upon us; the acquirement of a 
 knowledge of God, by contemplating his works, and consider- 
 ing, how he has regulated them by his power and wisdom and 
 goodness, and how he preserves them through his infinite mercy 
 and paternal love. Whosoever fills his heart with love and reve- 
 rence towards this great and holy God, who is nigh unto us,
 
 68 
 
 wherever we may be, remarks our actions and thoughts, and 
 governs all our destinies will also endeavour to lead undevi- 
 atingly a pious and god-pleasing life, and strive to imitate his 
 beneficent ways, as far as his limited power will permit him. 
 This David also recommended to his son in the following 
 words: 
 
 zhi imajn -pK TI^K n y\ 'ja nobt? nni " Thou, my son Solo- 
 ijr SDI 'n tsnn maaV hi o nxan ^3331 diw mon, know the God 
 
 panniaiWID of thy father, and 
 
 thou wilt then serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind ; 
 for the Eternal searches all hearts, and discovers all inclinations and 
 thoughts." (1 Chron. 28 ch. 9 v.) 
 
 126. What do you call OUTWARD worship? 
 
 Those acts of piety, through which we prove our love of 
 God by words and deeds. This worship however does not 
 merely consist in the exercise of acts of benevolence and 
 charity, but also in private and public prayers, and the observ- 
 ance of the ceremonial laws. And say our wise men (Aboth, 
 
 i): 
 
 r\vynr\ vhx ipy Kin amon N 1 ? " Contemplation and study alone 
 are not sufficient ; but we must also fulfil our duties, and prove our 
 inward religion through outward works." 
 
 127. Why are we bound to honour God both INWARDLY and 
 
 OUTWARDLY? 
 
 Because man, owing to his infirmities arid multifarious 
 wants, cannot always reflect upon the sublime truths of reli- 
 gion, nor is he able to have them on every occasion before his 
 eyes, unless he is often reminded of them through actions and 
 words. And then again, it is the repeated exhibition of pious 
 feelings only, which can make a man truly virtuous ; for he 
 acquires by these means the facility of practising the good
 
 69 
 
 willingly on all occasions, and of always shunning the evil. 
 We read therefore (Deut. 6 ch. 24 v.):- 
 
 'n nx mo'S nHxn D'pnn So nx nwjrS 'n win " Therefore did the 
 So nx rwyb 102/3 o uS rrnn np 'ui irn^K Eternal com- 
 uw it?*o irnSx 'n ^aS nxm mvnn mand us to do 
 according to all these statutes, that we may always fear the Eternal 
 our God, &c. And it will be reckoned to us as piety, if we observe 
 to do all these precepts before the Lord our God, as he has com- 
 manded us." 
 
 128. Are there any other motives, which should induce us to 
 worship God publicly? 
 
 Yes, since our feelings already teach us the necessity of it 
 We delight to speak ofte n of the person, whom we dearly 
 love; we like also to praise him often, and this, wherever an 
 opportunity offers; for the mouth will always speak of which 
 the heart is full; and whatever has a strong influence upon the 
 heart, will always incite a man to a greater degree of activity 
 to act in such a manner, as may best correspond with the state 
 of his feelings. And as every good man must and does love 
 God, should not this love induce him to speak of him, and 
 act up to those laws, which He hath given to us as his will ? 
 
 And again, whilst we praise God publicly, proclaim his 
 benefits, read aloud his wholesome laws, and execute his com- 
 mandments amidst the assembled multitude: we edify and in- 
 struct at the same time our neighbours, and obey thereby the 
 word of God: 
 
 SiW "33 "]in3 'HBnpJi " And I will be sanctified in the midst of 
 the children of Israel," i. e. publicly. (Lev. 22 ch. 32 v.) 
 
 129. But, can the outward worship be pleasing to God, without 
 INWARD piety? 
 By no means; a heartless prayer, a ceremonial act without
 
 70 
 
 meaning or object, can be of no use to man, and avails him 
 nothing; for, to use the words of the Talmud : 
 
 ^3 fcoS JODTTi " The Merciful requires the heart." 
 
 Each observance of a ceremonial law is to remind us of the 
 favours of God, of which we hourly participate, and make us 
 thankful for what we receive. But if we do not reflect upon 
 the object and intent of such a law, it is written: 
 
 roym inSan DJ mm ^DB?D i JTN TDD " The prayer of that man is 
 an abomination, who will not listen to the instruction" (of the law). 
 (Prov. 28 ch. 9 v.) 
 
 "jnaj rnaty:ii ras nin pyn BUJ o pr " Because this people come 
 "JDOpmiaSl. nigh unto me with their 
 
 mouth, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from 
 me." (Is. 29 ch. 13 v.) 
 
 130. How does Holy Writ show us the relation between out- 
 ward and inward worship? 
 
 By the very appropriate figure of a lantern, in which a burn- 
 ing light is placed, but which would be extinguished by wind 
 and rain without the former; whereas the lantern, without the 
 light inside, would be entirely useless, nay, even a burden to 
 the bearer. Both, however combined, illumine the path, and 
 conduct a man safely to the place of his destination. 
 
 1D1D nil-Din D"H TVH 11N rnini JWD 1J O " J?or the command- 
 ment is the lantern, the law the light therein ; and moral instruc- 
 tion points out the way to life." (Prov. 6 ch. 23 v.) 
 
 131. But, are not sacrifices also indispensably necessary at 
 public worship? 
 
 Sacrifices are not a necessary requisite to our worship. Only 
 when the temple yet stood, and the Israelites lived together in 
 their own land, sacrifices were ordered to be brought at the
 
 71 
 
 place, which God had chosen, " to let his name dwell there" 
 (Deut. 12 ch. 11 v.); but on no account, was it permitted to 
 bring them beyond the precincts of the temple. But since our 
 temple is now destroyed, and the Israelites are dispersed in 
 every land, the sacrifices have ceased of necessity; for, to offer 
 them now, would be in direct contradiction to the will of 
 God. And then, even when we were yet in Palestine, private 
 sacrifices were not necessary, and a man was not considered as 
 sinning, if he never brought a single voluntary offering in all 
 his life; as a virtuous and religious life is more agreeable to 
 the Deity, than any presents we can bring. 
 
 132. Does thi? view agree with the doctrines of the prophets 
 and our wise men? 
 
 Entirely; all the prophets and doctors of our nation agree in 
 this respect; they repeat it often and on every occasion : 
 
 DWiy NSl DOTI13N nx wan X 1 ? O " For I said nothing to your fore- 
 
 hy onVD pND DmN 'K'tfin Ova fathers, and I commanded 
 nan nSiy nat them nothing, at the time I 
 brought them out of the land of Egypt, in relation to burnt or peace 
 offerings, &c." (Jer. 7 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 a'Vx aSnn a^pnS aiB narn yw run " Behold, attention to the 
 word of God is better than sacrifice, and obeying preferable to the 
 fat of rams." (1 Sam. 15 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 nSijr 'S ma D'jw nxsn vh nnam nat " Thou desirestnot offerings 
 m^Ntf N 1 ? PlNOm nor presents, ears tbou 
 hast given me (to be obedient) burnt and sin offerings thou didst 
 not ask." (Ps. 40, v. 7.) .
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 2. OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS OURSELVES. 
 
 133. Which is the first duty, a man has to observe in rela- 
 tion to himself? 
 
 That he always remember his dignity and high destination, 
 and act accordingly. 
 
 iS rvjnu mrr nan oSya tna:it? DIN :r:in " Man is dear to God, 
 
 rvoy crn^N obw o IDWP oVw *O3Jty therefore did he 
 
 tmxn J>Nt create him after his 
 
 own likeness ( 26) ; but a peculiar love has been shown to him, that 
 God made it known to him, that he was created so, for it is written : 
 in the likeness of God did he create man." (Aboth, iii.) 
 
 134. What are we therefore to learn from the first part of 
 that verse (Gen. 1 ch. 26 ?.), where it is said : un 1 ?^ niNntfyj 
 "toe will make a man after our LIKENESS" I 
 
 We have here an indication of the will of God; that we 
 should strive most sedulously to perfect, to the best of our 
 abilities, those powers of body and mind, which the Eternal 
 has imparted to us, and to use them for good purposes, and 
 like him, always to unite wisdom and goodness with power ; 
 so that man should do every thing from pure motives and with 
 rational views. 
 
 135. What other duties does the knowledge of our high des- 
 tination demand ofus? 
 
 That we should endeavour to keep both our body and mind 
 in a healthy condition, to be always cheerful, and to avoid 
 every thing which might injure our health ; that we should
 
 73 
 
 view our body as a temple of the Deity, and to take care, not 
 to injure it wilfully, much less weaken and contaminate it 
 through excesses and sin 
 
 DD'WfljVlND DmntZW " Take especial care of your body and 
 your soul." 
 
 136. What inference are we to draw from the SECOND part of 
 the above verse : 
 
 D'D&n ^31 DTI rui3 nvi " And they shall rule over the fishes of 
 'ui pNH SD31 nnn33l the sea, and the birds of heaven, 
 over the cattle, and over all the earth, &-c. "? 
 
 This must be another proof to us, that man was intended 
 by God for a social life ; for in no other manner can he alone, 
 and without the assistance of others, subject to himself either 
 the animals of tha earth or the sea ; in such a situation he 
 appears rather as a very weak creature, scarcely able to 
 satisfy those reasonable desires, which God has implanted in 
 him for his preservation. It is therefore said, nvi (in the 
 plural number), they shall govern, that is to say, men united 
 in society. 
 
 1 37. What is therefore the duty of every member of the human 
 family? 
 
 Every man, to be able to fulfil all the duties, for which the 
 will of God has destined him, must so conduct himself in all his 
 transactions and in his behaviour towards other , that he 
 may acquire and deserve the good will and friendship of his 
 fellow-men. 
 
 '373 31B S^un jn K*D1 'pfjr SK now non " Let virtue and honesty 
 D'.KI D'H^K never forsake thee : 
 
 and thou wilt find grace and good will in the eyes of God and men." 
 (Prov. 3 ch. 34 v.) 
 II
 
 74 
 
 138. What do our zoise men say in relation to the duty, of ob- 
 serving in our outward conduct also a civil and mild behaviour 
 towards others ? 
 
 mpnn nn iwn nnu nr-nn nnt? Su " He, who is liked by men, 
 nnu nvnn nn pxt? Sai wn nnu must be pleasing to God; 
 UDTI nnu Dlpon nil px UDTI but he who is disagree- 
 able to men, can neither be agreeable to God." (Aboth, Hi.) 
 
 For the object of all learning and virtue is partly un- 
 attained, if we do not endeavour to introduce ourselves into 
 the hearts of men, through a pleasing and amiable deportment. 
 
 1 39. Through what means can we best preserve our health, and 
 render ourselves beloved by God and men ? v . 
 
 By temperance and by moderating our desires ; by industry, 
 activity, and a judicious application of our time and mental 
 energy ; but all this must be accompanied by a quietness and 
 hilarity of the soul, which derive their origin from a joyous 
 confidence in God. 
 
 DIJ vyn nfcoa nni nnj w* nnj? aS " A glad heart causes 
 good health, but a depressed spirit consumes the bones." (Prov. 
 17 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 1 40. Which are the faults we must avoid, as the origin of 
 corruption, and the promoters of sin and vice ? 
 
 The most prominent are the following seven, which are 
 alike destructive to body and soul, and against which the Holy 
 Scriptures caution us most earnestly ; to wit, pride, avarice, 
 envy, anger, intemperance in eating and drinking, laziness, and 
 the keeping of bad company. 
 
 141. Make this more intelligible to me, and show me, at the 
 same time, the opposite virtues, which we ought to cultivate.
 
 1. The proud thinks himself great, despises his fellow-men, 
 and is hated by th^m in return ; he is easily offended and 
 excited to revenge, and therefore makes himself and others 
 unhappy. His pride will also prevent him frpm receiving ad- 
 monition and instruction, which wiser men even may offer him. 
 n*.n o'jrzn ij aS ami DTJ; on " Proud looks and a \ c 1 1 p- 
 tuous heart, are fields of sin for the wicked." (Prov. 21 ch. 4 v.) 
 
 3 1 ? H3J ^3 'n nayin " A proud heart is an abomination to the 
 Lord." (Prov. 15 ch. 5 v.) 
 
 142. Meekness and modesty, however, are pleasing to God 
 and men, preserve their possessor always serene and tranquil, 
 and are accordingly" no less useful to the body than to the soul. 
 
 It is for this reason, that of all the virtues of our teacher 
 (Moses), his meekness is particularly praised by God. We 
 read : 
 
 "WK mxn SDD INO rjj? nt?D erxrn " And Moses was a very meek 
 nrnxn '3D Sp man, more so, than any 
 other man, on the face of the earth." (Numb. 12 ch 3 v.) 
 
 tnD ion* nn Satsn uVan DIN ntto " Pride win lower a man, 
 but the modest will obtain honour." (Prov. 29 ch. 23 v.) 
 
 143. 2. The avaricious is only desirous of accumulating 
 money, and viewing the means as the real object of his exist- 
 ence, he denies himself every enjoyment, though it might 
 even tend to invigorate his body and mind neglects the ob- 
 servance of many duties, because they must cost him money 
 and is led away to commit many sins, from his desire to pos- 
 sess. 
 
 Han 1 "? pr root ton D';n vSa "^ " The avaricious employs the 
 "ipt? not>t3 O'Ujr worst means ; he invents 
 fraudulent pretexts, to deceive with lying words the innocent, and 
 to oppress the lowly." (Is. 32 ch. 7 v.)
 
 76 
 
 \"y yi WK pn 1 "? Snaj " The man, who is eager for money, 
 possesses an evil eye" (i. e. is envious). (Prov. 28 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 144. Benevolence and a rational enjoyment of his lawfully 
 acquired property, on the other hand, are highly beneficial to 
 man, since they promote his temporal and spiritual welfare, 
 and will always secure him the love of God and men. 
 
 n riDinoi 31 IXIND 'n nso-a oya aia " It is better to possess 
 little, with true reverence of God, than to have great riches, with a 
 disturbed conscience." (Prov. 15 ch. 16 v.) 
 
 Si 1 "? innbo fru "D TIT Kin \y 31ta " The liberal man will be 
 blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor." (Prov. 22 cb. 9 v.) 
 
 145. 3. Envy promotes hatred and strife, and thug causes 
 the transgression of all the commandments; the envious enjoys 
 neither rest nor satisfaction, and is therefore the cause of un- 
 happiness to himself and others. 
 
 146. But contentment with his lot and good-will towards 
 others will make a man serene, tranquil and satisfied. For 
 the contented man never envies the possessions of another, 
 but trusts in God, and fulfils his duties with scrupulous care. 
 
 nwp niDXJJ 3p"N K31D 3 1 ? O'lao "H " A contented heart pre- 
 serves the body healthy, but envy destroys the bone." (Prov. 14 ch. 
 30 v.) 
 
 147. 4. Anger is very injurious to man's health, disturbs his 
 understanding, irritates him no less against God than against 
 men, and is the fruitful source of a variety of sins. 
 
 yvD an non Syai {no mr ]K BTK " An irritable man excites 
 quarrels, and a passionate man commits many faults." (Prov. 29 
 oh. 22 v.)
 
 77 
 
 148. Patience, mildness and suavity of temper, however, 
 are an honourable distinction to man, as they are the source 
 of joy, bring comfort in adversity, and enable him to be a true 
 worshipper of God. 
 
 Tj? noSn mro SPDI injnD'ax "px aiB " A forbearing man is 
 better than one strong in arms ; and he who governs his passions is 
 better than the conqueror of a city." (Prov. 16 ch. 32 v.) 
 
 149. 5. Intemperance in eating and drinking, leads to extrava- 
 gance, wastefulness, poverty, and lastly to stealing and other 
 vices; it is for this reason, that we were commanded to punish 
 a young man with death, who had become intemperate,* to 
 prevent him from committing greater crimes. 
 
 mjttl 117 'BUK hi iniDJni WOI 711 " He (the disobedient 
 
 pipDjnn child) is a glut- 
 ton and a drunkard ; and all his townsmen shall stone him and 
 thus thou shalt remove the evil from amidst thee." (Deut.2 1 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 nnii traSn D\inpl Env Sbin OD O " The drunkard and glutton 
 must become poor, and drowsiness will clothe a man in rags." 
 (Prov. 23 ch. 21 v.) 
 
 150. But moderation confers upon man a sound body and a 
 vigorous and cheerful mind. The moderate man says, I eat 
 only to live; but live not to eat. And whereas he knows, how 
 to limit his wants to the indispensable, he will never expose 
 himself to the temptation of procuring his livelihood in an 
 unlawful manner. 
 
 lonn D'jrcn |B31 wflj yyth SDN pn* " The righteous eats only 
 to satisfy his hunger ; the wicked have never enough." (Prov. 13 
 ch. 25 v.) 
 
 * It in namely one of the characteristic features in the law relative to the 
 
 disobedient child. 
 
 Translator.
 
 78 
 
 151. 6. Idleness and slothfulness depress man's spirit, lead 
 him to bad thoughts, wicked actions, poverty, and to every 
 species of sins. Even if he were guilty of nothing else, save 
 the mere nothing-doing, it would nevertheless be unpardon- 
 able, to spend the noble and valuable time, his life, so uselessly. 
 
 r\wyh VT UNO o lirvnn S*J7 mxn " The desires of the lazy man 
 will kill him, for his hands refuse to work." (Prov. 21 ch. 25 v.) 
 
 rrrwD hyih Kin nx irox^DS nsnnn DJ " Even he, who is slow 
 in his business, is a brother to the spendthrift." (Prov. 21 ch. 25 v.) 
 
 152. Activity and industry are in fact a part of the duties 
 of man, and he is intended by God for labour and employ- 
 ment ; for it is said (Gen. 3 ch. 19 v.) : 
 
 * DH 1 ? bSKH "]3X fi;?ia " In the sweat of thy brow, thou shalt eat 
 bread." 
 
 Labour makes a man healthy, and tends to raise his spirits, 
 and is the best preservative from want and sin. And when 
 man does his part with diligence, he may also rely then with 
 confidence on the blessing of God. 
 
 DnS rrnn rrnil Snsran D-xnn T " The hand of the industrious 
 will govern ; but the lazy must be tributary." (Prov. 12 ch. 24 v.) 
 
 153. 7. Bad company has a very pernicious influence on the 
 heart and morals of any man ; it makes him forgetful of his 
 duties, and seduces him to the commission of many vices. 
 The bad examples, which he sees, work imperceptibly on his 
 mind, and are the cause -of his losing, by degrees, all taste for 
 what is good, and of at last extinguishing in him every germ of 
 virtue. We therefore find, that the pious David, and the wise 
 Solomon, commence their respective books, with an admoni- 
 tion against the frequenting of bad society. 
 
 iSn SN ^2 Nsn hx D'Ktan -jimr DN M3 " My son t if sinners will 
 onrroo f?:n ym an im mislead thee to folly.
 
 79 
 
 listen not to them ! My son ! go not with them, and avoid their 
 
 paths." (Prov. 1 ch. 10 19v.) 
 
 oyv"\ nxjn ^n S i^ BTKH new " O happy is the man, who 
 Q"yh 317D31 nny t^S O'tNtDn "p^l never came in the coun- 
 
 3ty N 1 ? cil of the wicked ; who 
 
 never stood in the path of sinners, and never sat where deriders 
 
 sit." (Ps. 1,v. I.) 
 
 154. But the intercourse with the zinse, nay even the desire 
 for good company, ennobles a man, incites him always to the 
 practice of virtue, and enables him to accomplish the object of 
 his being here ; which is, to grow daily in wisdom and virtue. 
 
 JMT D'VD3 n;ni Durv O'Don n ^Sin " The associate of fools will 
 be unhappy ; but he, who holds intercourse with the wise, will be- 
 come wise himself." (Prov. 13 ch. 20 v.)
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 3. OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS OUR FELLOW-MEN. 
 
 
 
 155. What does Holy Writ say, concerning the duties which 
 we have to observe towards our fellow-men ? 
 
 niB^ DN o ion tnn 'n nni aio no DIK ^ Tjn " It has been told 
 
 ynbN Dy roS pvm non ron&o DS^D thee, O man ! 
 
 what is good, and what the Lord asks of thee : to exercise justice, 
 
 to love mercy, and to walk humbly before thy God." (Micah, 6 ch. 
 
 ST.) 
 
 'n 'JK 1103 "IjnS ronao " And thou shall love thy neighbour as 
 thyself, I am the Eternal' 1 (who command it thee). (Lev. 19 ch. 
 18 v.) 
 
 1 56. Do these duties constitute an essential part of our holy 
 religion ? 
 
 Most undoubtedly ; the love of our neighbour is the founda- 
 tion of all the other laws, and is derived immediately from the 
 love we ought to bear to God. 
 
 157. Please to explain, how the love towards our neighbour 
 is connected with our love towards God. 
 
 Whoever loves and honours God sincerely, will also love 
 all those whom he has made after his likeness, and whom he 
 has destined for everlasting beatitude. 
 
 DD'nSx 'n 1 ? DHK D":3 " Ye are the children of the Eternal your 
 God." (Deut. 14 ch. 1 v.) 
 
 And would not every good child willingly contribute, what-
 
 81 
 
 ever he can, to make his brothers feel comfortable and that 
 the Father, who loves them all, should find pleasure in the 
 happiness of his children? 
 
 158. How are we to understand according to the interpreta- 
 tion of our wise men the expression in Deut. 1 3 ch. 20 v.j 10 ch. 
 20 v.; and 13 ch. 5 v. : n n p 3 T "? 1 "}*nhK 'n r\N TOriN 1 ? " The 
 Eternal thy God thou shall love, and to him thou shall AD- 
 HERE"? 
 
 'Ul DHDH SlDJ re^nai r:m3 pmn " Imitate thy God, in his 
 }Un Nin nn Dim nnx e]K Dim Kin HO acts of kindness and 
 'Ul fun nnx *]K mercy. As he is mer- 
 ciful, so be thou too merciful ; as he is gracious, so shalt thou be 
 gracious ; and as he is kind to all, so shall thy kindness extend to 
 all his creatures." 
 
 159. Are there any other expressions in the Talmud, which 
 teach, that the love of our neighbour is the foundation of our 
 whole law? Will you please to state some of them? 
 
 SSo in? 1103 ~\yh mnxi IDIX Krpy ':n " Rabbi Akiba (one of 
 
 mina SnJ the most eminent of 
 
 our teachers) says : The principal article of our religion is : Love 
 thy neighbour as thyself." 
 
 And when a heathen once asked our great teacher Hillel, 
 concerning our religion, and wanted to know, in few words, 
 in what it really consisted ; this Rabbi answered him : 
 
 Sj I 1 ? NH T3;m xS -panS ^D iVi no " Do nothing to thy neigh- 
 niDJ S't TWITS TVXI nSo mmri bour, that thou wouldst 
 dislike to be done to thee. Here thou hast the whole law ; all the 
 rest is but a commentary (or consequence), go and learn it." 
 12
 
 82 
 
 160. Whom does Holy Writ Style jri wny HN neighbour, fel- 
 low-man, brother? Are, those persons also understood, who pro- 
 fess another religion? 
 
 Not alone Israelites, but also all other men who live in the 
 same state with us, are included in these terms; no matter what 
 religion they may profess, or to what nation they may belong. 
 
 161. Can you prove this from Holy Writ ? 
 
 It can be incontrovertibly established from many passages; 
 for in the first place, whenever the Israelite alone is meant, 
 the words 'lay (Hebrew) or Saw '32 (children of Israel) are 
 expressly added; for instance: Lev. 25 ch. 46 v.; Deut. 15 ch. 
 12 v. and 24 ch. 7 v. and many other places; and secondly, 
 we find, that the Egyptians even, who at that time treated the 
 nrnyi HND now i ny i HKD KTN i^Ntsn Israelites most cruelly, 
 are expressly called our neighbours, our fellow -men. (Exod. 1 1 
 ch. 2 v.) 
 
 162. What rule of conduct does Scripture recommend us to 
 observe towards the Egyptians, after we had been delivered 
 
 from their slavery, and had left their land and towards the 
 people O/"EDOM, who were the first to march out with a strong 
 army to extirpate the Israelites, without their having received any 
 provocation from them? 
 
 t-*in ynt^t o 'Dit-< aynn t-* 1 -? " Thou shah not reject the 
 Edumite, for he is thy brother." 
 
 i)HN3 n"n "tf o '1VD 3jmn i6 " The Egyptian also thou shall 
 not reject, for a stranger thou hast been in his land." (Deut. 23 ch. 
 8v.) 
 
 163. What conclusion ought we to draw from this ?
 
 83 
 
 That we are in a much greater degree obliged, according to 
 the doctrines of our religion, to love those as brothers, who 
 are in fact our neighbours, our fellow-citizens, and are the 
 inhabitants of the same state, where we enjoy equal protection 
 with them, and to whom we are accordingly bound by grati- 
 tude and the ties of a common country. 
 
 164. What does religion demand of us in relation to the 
 foreigner and stranger? 
 
 pN3 Divn 0"U O UttlSn *6l ruin vh "U1 " A stranger ye shall not 
 
 DnXD offend with words, 
 
 nor oppress ; for you have yourselves been strangers in the land of 
 Egypt." (Ex. 22 ch. 20 v.) 
 
 niTND inx Uin vh DJ^-KO tj -jrix lir O1 " And if a stranger dwell 
 
 poo iS nanKi DDAK tin tin D j 1 ? rrrr ODD with you in your land, 
 
 DDTiSx 'n'JX you shall not do him 
 
 any wrong ; he shall be as good to you, as a native of your land, 
 and thou shalt love him, this stranger, as thyself, lam the Eternal 
 your God." (Lev. 19 ch. 34 v.) 
 
 ohiy npn un TiSi ooS nnx npn ^npn " You, the whole congre- 
 'n "JS 1 ? "J3 ODD DD^n-n 1 ? gation, have but one 
 law, as well the stranger, who sojourns with you, as yourselves (the 
 Israelites). An immutable statute this shall be for all your gener- 
 ations : that you and the stranger shall be alike before the Eternal." 
 (Num. 15 ch. 15 v.) 
 
 t6l D'Jfl W 6 IPX 'ui Kin DDTlSN 'n O " For the Eternal 
 oranto nSoBn on 1 ? iS nnS ij ani nnt? np' your God is, &c. 
 
 'UOJnnK who judges not 
 
 the'appearance of the person, and takes no bribes and who loves 
 the stranger, to give him food and clothing ; ye therefore must love 
 the stranger, &,c." (Deut. 10 ch. 1719 v.)
 
 165. But does Holy Writ any where make a difference, between 
 the Israelite and the other, who is no Israelite, in those laws and 
 prohibitions, which forbid us the committal of something against 
 
 our fellow-men? 
 
 No where do we find a trace of such a difference. God says, 
 thou shalt not commit murder ! thou shalt not steal, not cheat! 
 And, 
 
 niwMi Sp^ns mn3 tsaiPDa Sip ityyn vh " You shall do no 
 injustice, in judgment, in dry measure, in weight, and wet measure." 
 (Lev. 19 ch. 35 v.) 
 
 In every place the action itself is prohibited, as being an 
 abomination to God, without respect to the person, against 
 whom it is committed.* 
 
 166. What do our wise men say concerning him, who permits 
 himself to offend or to cheat any one, who is not a Jew? 
 
 Our sages declare unanimously, that such an Israelite offends 
 not only most grossly against the express laws of God; but that 
 he is at the same time guilty of the unpardonable offence of 
 profaning the holy name of God : because he lowers his reli- 
 gion and his fellow-believers in the estimation of the other 
 nations. And we find written (Lev. 22 ch. 32 v.): 
 
 '33 11D3 TilsnpJi "Bnp DP riN ibSnn &6l " And you shall not pro- 
 DDBHpD 'n 'JK SNIET fane my holy name ; 
 I will be sanctified among the children of Israel, I am the Eternal 
 who sanctifies you." 
 
 * It appears however that tlavery was absolutely interdicted amongst 
 the Jews themselves, whereas it was permitted to buy foreign or domestic 
 slaves (Lev. 25 ch. 44 and 45 v.) belonging to other nations; it must never- 
 theless be observed, that it was prohibited, to subject a stranger even in the 
 first instance to slavery, as the buying of slaves alone is permitted, but not 
 
 stealing them. 
 
 Translator.
 
 85 
 
 167. Do the Talmudists, who did not enjoy the privileges of 
 zens, which bind us more closely to the other inhabitants of 
 
 the state, teach us to love and benejlt our fellow-men, who pro- 
 fess another religion? 
 
 Yes; for they teach: every Israelite is commanded by the 
 divine law, to love those persons of all nations, who observe 
 the seven precepts of the children of Noah. He is accordingly 
 obliged, to visit their sick, to bury their dead, to support their 
 poor, and to assist those of them, who may stand in need of 
 assistance, as well as those of the Israelites; and there is there- 
 fore no act of philanthropy, which a true Israelite can abstain 
 from exercising towards the observers of the precepts given to 
 Noah. (69.) 
 
 168. Should we now loan money without interest, to a man 
 who is not a Jew ? 
 
 By all means; for there is no difference in this respect even 
 between an Israelite and a stranger, as long as he wants the 
 money for the purchase of necessaries of life, and not for the 
 sake of trading with it. And we find the following precept of 
 philanthropy and benevolence: 
 
 aanni -u ia npmni ~\^y rr HBDI ynx ^n 11 -31 " If thy brother be- 
 ) rrinrn ~\vn int^n npm "-?$>* "py s m come poor near 
 jnn *6 IBM nx ~\ny yrm TII friSKD *h ee > an<J let h ' s 
 ]S3N jnn yh n-aiD3l hand sink (be 
 
 reduced) : thou shalt assist him, as also the stranger and sojourner, 
 that he may live with thee. Thou shalt not take from him any 
 interest or advance, and thou shalt fear thy God, and suffer thy 
 brother to live near thee. Thou shalt not loan him thy money on 
 interest, nor thy food at advance." (Lev. 25 ch. 35 v.)
 
 86 
 
 169. But what is intended to be prohibited in Deut. 23 ch. 
 20 v. as the TAKING OF INTEREST is so very clearly forbidden, 
 not alone in the foregoing passage, but also in Exodus 22 ch. 
 24 v. ? 
 
 In this passage, it is forbidden to any Israelite, (according to 
 the interpretation of the Talmudists and all other learned 
 men,) who is obliged to borrow money, to give any interest 
 therefore to any other Israelite. 
 
 SDK "\m *]D3 1l?3 ynvh YSWI S " Thou shalt not pay any 
 HI 1 "? 1 -? mm*-*) "]W 1V*< 13T interest to thy brother, 
 ( mSnS TVS"! JIV not on money, not on 
 food, nor on any thing else, for which interest is demanded." 
 
 170. Can you give any reason, why it was prohibited to pay 
 interest? 
 
 Because the whole polity of the Israelitish people aims sole- 
 ly, at forming them into a nation of agriculturists, who were not 
 to be engaged in trading, but to depend chiefly, for their mainte- 
 nance, upon the cultivation of the soil, and the necessary arts 
 and mechanical occupations. For this reason were the com- 
 mandments relative to the sabbatic year, and the many other 
 agrarian laws, instituted. It was therefore made obligatory 
 upon the Israelites, not only to assist one another with loans, 
 when any one was in distress, without receiving any interest; 
 but it was also strictly prohibited to pay any interest for money 
 advanced. For agriculture could never afford the means of 
 paying it, and the country and community might perchance 
 suffer in consequence. As the inability of complying with the 
 terms of the loan, would invariably tend to transfer the land 
 from its owner to the lender of the money ; and this again 
 would be the means of bringing large estates in the hands of 
 the/wo, to the prejudice of the many; since it can be proved,
 
 87 
 
 by every day's experience, that, when a man has once acquired 
 a large amount of property, it must of necessity increase; and 
 thus the accumulation in the hands of one or a few of a large 
 portion of the land or money of a country, will create a kind 
 of aristocracy, capable of acquiring an undue degree of politi- 
 cal influence, because the multitude must look up to them as 
 masters or protectors; and this again would have been evident- 
 ly against the tendency of the Mosaic code, whose institutions 
 throughout are intended to form a state, in which each man 
 should have an interest in the soil, and in which one man 
 should be upon an equality, with his more opulent and learned 
 neighbour. 
 
 171 What is then, according to the view just given, the intent 
 of the <2\st -o. of the 23 ch. of Deui.? 
 
 It is only a continuance of the preceding verse. 
 
 "1'Brn vh TTwHl "pt?n nojS " If the native will not loan thee with- 
 out interest : thou mayest then give interest to the foreigner, but 
 never to thy brother" (the Israelite). 
 
 Some of our learned men add the following explanation: If 
 thou hast promised interest to a foreigner, thou art bound to 
 give it him; but if thou hast made such a contract with an 
 Israelite, it is void, and thou art not at liberty to comply with 
 its conditions. 
 
 See Abarbanel and R. Abadya Sapurny. 
 
 1 72. But suppose the verse had another meaning, and should 
 not refer to the BORROWER, but to the LENDER ; and that its im- 
 port be : " From a stranger thou mayest TAKE interest, but not 
 from thy brother!" will this permit us to loan to those on USURY 
 who are not of our faith?
 
 88 
 
 We can by no means give such a turn to this precept. For, 
 
 in the first instance, this passage can not allude to usury , since 
 
 we do not find a word of this import in the Holy Scriptures.* 
 
 Secondly, all our fellow-citizens, no matter of what faith they 
 
 may be, are our brothers, and we are accordingly obliged to 
 
 assist them in their need without compensation. 
 
 jnnn UN-ID irw Sx wSn uSoS IT-IK DK NiSn " Have we not all one 
 
 rn&O 1ff'K "IJSJ father? has not one 
 
 God created us all ? why then should one brother act deceitfully 
 towards the other ?" (Mai. 2 ch. 10 v.) 
 
 173. What then is the difference, in relation to the taking of 
 interest, between the Israelite and the stranger? 
 
 If our fellow-man, who is not an Israelite, wants money 
 towards the support of his family, or the prosecution of his 
 agricultural or domestic occupation, we are forbidden by our 
 religion, to demand any interest; for the consciousness of hav- 
 ing done our duty as men, and acted as God commands, should 
 of itself be su fficient reward for us. But if our neighbour, who 
 is no Israel ite, wants to employ the loan for a mercantile 
 speculation or similar purposes, it is lawful for the lender to 
 ask for himself a small share of the profits, or what is the same, 
 to take as much interest, as the general custom, or the law of 
 the land permits. But if the borrower be an Israelite, it is 
 
 * All etymologists must agree in this respect with our doctprs; for usury 
 means more than legal interest; but no where in the Mosaic law is there any 
 proportion given for lawful interest, according to which the relative import 
 of the word usury, or the excess of interest, might be fixed; but every where 
 all kinds of interest, without reference to the amount, are strictly prohibited. 
 And as no kind of interest is allowed by law; it is evident, that there can 
 be no word, which signifies usury. 
 
 Author.
 
 89 
 
 unlawful to take any interest at all, unless the lender assume 
 a greater share of the loss, (if any there be,) than he receives 
 profit, in case the speculation should turn ouj: profitably. For 
 instance, if he contracts to receive a third part of the profit, 
 he must suffer half the loss, and so on, for a greater or smaller 
 share of profit; so that the lender should not have too great an 
 advantage over the borrower, and that the latter should be 
 considered more in the light of an agent, than as the sole pro- 
 prietor of the loaned money. But the lender of the money or 
 merchandise has this advantage ; in case the agent dies, and 
 he can identify the goods, or prove any money found to be 
 the sum he left with him, or the proceeds of the goods he 
 entrusted to him, he can claim them, no matter how many 
 other creditors the deceased may have besides; since the goods 
 or the money were always his property. And whereas the 
 lender is always considered as the proprietor, he is bound to 
 pay the agent for his trouble, in case there be neither profit 
 nor loss, if they have originally agreed for half profit and loss. 
 But if the lender has consented, to assume two thirds of the 
 loss against the chance of receiving one third of the profits, 
 the agent cannot claim any remuneration, if there be neither 
 profit nor loss.* 
 
 1 74. Can you point me out a Psalm, in which the chief duties 
 towards our neighbours are laid down in the sublime language of 
 sacred poetry ? !; $ j ;; 
 
 iSniO 11J' 'D 'n " Who can sojourn in thy tabernacle ? O Lord ! 
 1H3 per 'D Who can dwell on thy holy mountain ? 
 
 * The greater part of this paragraph is not in the original, but has been 
 extracted from the ryn mv from the Section on Interest (Chap. 177), 
 where the other laws relative to this subject are laid down more at large. 
 
 Trantlator. 
 13
 
 90 
 
 ' S^fll O'Dn ^in He, who walks uprightly, and exercises 
 
 righteousness, 
 133*73 nox 1311 And speaks truth in his heart ; 
 
 Who calumniates no one with his tongue, 
 Does no evil to his neighbour, 
 ip hy Xt?J xS nflim And never reviles those near to him ; 
 DXDJ 1TJ73 H13J Esteems not the contemptible, 
 13D 11 Vi 'XI' nxi And honours those, who fear the Eternal ; 
 #3150 Who swears to his injury, and breaks not 
 
 his oath ; 
 
 13DD Who never loans his money on interest,* 
 And protects the innocent without bribes ; 
 He, who acts so, shall not be moved for 
 ever." (Ps. 15.) 
 
 np*7 
 
 nSx 
 
 * In explanation of this passage, it is asked in the Talmud (Tractate Ma- 
 coth, Folio 24) : To whom? 
 
 '1DJ JV3"! iVsN " Even to the stranger, to the pagan." 
 
 In the same place we also read the following : 
 
 Moses taught us our religion in 613 precepts : David (Psalm 15) compre- 
 hended them in eleven, as enumerated above ; Isaiah (33 ch. 15 v.) comprised 
 them in the following six : 
 
 D'-WD 1311 nipiy "jSn " (The pious man) walks 
 OWN int?3 innn van *iyj in righteousness ; 
 
 jmnwvDrryoXJM CTDT speaks honestly the 
 
 truth ; despises unjust advantages ; withdraws his hands from the 
 touching of bribes ; closes his ear against blood-thirsty calumny, 
 and his eyes not to behold the evil done." 
 
 Micah (6 ch. 8 v.) taught us all the precepts in three articles : " To do 
 justice, to love mercy and benevolence, and to walk in silent meekness before 
 thy God."
 
 91 
 
 1 75. What does religion command us in relation to those who 
 have offended us, or who conduct themselves in general as our 
 enemies ? 
 
 pS Sr SN iStsoai noi?n Sx pMX Saja " Rejoice not, when thy 
 rrjn jni 'n nxv |3 enemy falls ; be not 
 
 glad, when he stumbles ; for the Eternal would see it, and disap- 
 prove of it." (Prov. 24 ch. 17 v.) 
 
 inpBTi XD DX1 DnS inVoxn -ixjff ajn DX " Is thy enemy hungry, 
 'm WJ-O Sy nnn nnr>< D^nJ O O'D offer him bread ; is 
 
 "\h thv. he thirsty, give him 
 
 water. And though thou shouldst thus heap coals on his head, yet 
 will the Eternal reward thy deed." (Prov. 25 ch. 21 v.) 
 ua'twi an nyn nnn ix "\y tw ^jsn 'a " If thou shouldst find the 
 iNttyn nnn yai i^atsr linn nxnn '3 i*~? ox or the ass of thy 
 my ar^n atjr iS aryn nSnni enemy going astray, 
 thou must return the same to him. If thou seest the ass of him 
 who hates thee, laying under his burden, thou darest not withhold 
 thy assistance from him ; but thou shalt help him to unload." (Exod. 
 23 ch. 4 v.) 
 
 n rrain noin "jaaSa ^nx nx xjt^n vh " Hate not thy brother 
 
 iwn N 1 ?! Dpn xS NOTl rSy X'yn xSl in'O^; in thy heart ! Thou 
 
 mayest reprove thy neighbour, but darest not cherish against him 
 
 the remembrance of the offence. Thou shalt not take revenge, nor 
 
 reserve thy anger." (Lev. 19 ch. 17 v.) 
 
 1 76. How do our wise men explain the concluding part of the 
 last verse ? 
 
 " If some one has denied thee a favour, (thus says the Tal- 
 mud Tract Ybraa, Fol. 23,) and desires at any time hereafter 
 any service from thee ; thou shalt not refuse it to him : Thou 
 shalt not take revenge ! But thou must neither say to him :
 
 92 
 
 ' Behold, I serve thee now, although thou didst refuse the 
 favour, which I asked of thee.' As soon, as thou speakest 
 thus, thou hast transgressed the commandment : ' Thou shall 
 not reserve any anger /' ' 
 
 3"W iS r\wyx p 'S rvoy 11? KD "raxn SN " Say not, I will treat him, 
 iSyflD wvh as he has treated me ; 
 
 I will act towards every one, as he has acted towards me." (Prov. 
 24 ch. 29 v.) 
 
 177. What else should we infer from these doctrines, and con- 
 sider accordingly as a sacred duty ? 
 
 If the religion, which we profess, commands us to cherish 
 love, forbearance, and lenity towards our personal enemies, 
 those who have actually offended us : we must conclude, that 
 we have even less right to hate or offend those Israelites, who 
 have been guilty of such sins, for which they are answerable to 
 God alone. 4 For in the first place, a man can easily repent for 
 any and every one of such transgressions, nay even privately 
 and at all times. ( 118, &c.) Secondly, it is not our business 
 to take God's part ; it would certainly be punishable arrogance 
 in us, to presume to act as his representatives or avengers. 
 
 irnStf 'nS mnDJn " Secret actions are reserved for the Eternal 
 our God alone." (Deut. 29 ch. 28 v.) 
 
 "|S yon 'nS nip jn nnStyx inxn *7K " But thou must not say, I 
 will recompense the evil ; trust in the Eternal, and he will help 
 thee" (to guide thy brother in the path of virtue). (Prov. 20 ch. 
 22 v.) 
 
 1 78. Which is accordingly the line of conduct, prescribed to us 
 by our religion, in relation to those, who transgress the precepts 
 of this religion ? 
 
 We ought to endeavour to bring back such an erring or
 
 93 
 
 blinded brother by mildness and indulgent love not alone 
 through kind words, but also by showing him ourselves a pat- 
 tern of virtuous conduct. We are, however, not permitted to 
 indulge, on any account, in any vindictive feeling, so as to 
 offend him, or make him ashamed. 
 
 r jfli IIVDID nnx So' yrnjr nx rvDin riDin ' Endeavour to reprove 
 DP xon vSy xem Si S" n ? nunt?D thy neighbour in so 
 "n^S pSn iS pi^ 1T3n 'J3 mild a manner, as 
 ( nijn 'n D"3D11 not to make him 
 
 ashamed ; for this would be drawing upon thyself a great sin, as we 
 believe : he who makes his neighbour publicly ashamed, has no 
 share of future happiness."* ( 87.) In short, we must here also 
 apply the rule ( 158.) of VD"n3 roSm " Walk in his ways !" For 
 God proves himself a merciful judge, and nowise eager to punish 
 sinners. 
 
 Then again, an unkind demeanour towards a sinner would 
 only tend to remove him, our erring brother, to a yet greater 
 distance from us, and render every effort at amelioration in him 
 yet more difficult ; and thus we would be guilty of closing 
 against him the path of virtue, to which, however, it is our 
 duty, to lead him back by gentle means and an amiable de- 
 portment to him on our part. 
 
 TH3 D'KBn mr p hy 'n "iBn 3)ED " The Eternal is good and up- 
 right, he therefore shows sinners the right road." (Ps. 25 ch. 8 v.) 
 
 It must be observed, however, that on certain occasions it becomes ne- 
 cessary not to be too forbearing; as for instance, when we hear acknowledged 
 truth, or the dignity of God or his law spoken of lightly, and it might be in- 
 jurious to others to let the blasphemy pass, without an immediate and public 
 
 notice being taken of it ; for we say : 
 
 3lS 112:) ppSm px DBTI S)Sn wv oipD3 " Where the name of 
 God is profaned, no respect is shown even to a teacher." 
 
 Translator.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 / 
 
 OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS THE STATE. 
 
 179. How are the duties called, which we owe, in accordance 
 with the demand of our religion, to the whole community of our 
 
 fellow-citizens ? 
 
 They are called the duties of a citizen, or duties towards the 
 state and our native land. 
 
 1 80. In what particulars do they chiefly consist ? 
 
 In fidelity and obedience to the laws and authorities of the 
 land, in esteem, allegiance, and respect to the government, 
 and attachment to the country. 
 
 181. Which is properly speaking our country, as we live now 
 dispersed in every part of the world? 
 
 Every country in which we were born, or where we have 
 settled ourselves and are residents, and under whose laws we 
 enjoy protection and security of person and property. Particu- 
 larly however those countries, where we participate equally 
 in the administration of the laws, and have equal political 
 rights with the other inhabitants. 
 i 
 
 182. What does our religion command us in this respect? 
 
 That we shall love the land, in which we live, as our coun- 
 try, and contribute all in our power towards the promotion of 
 its general prosperity, and the preservation of its peace and 
 good order. That we are not only bound, not to separate our 
 own welfare and that of our own family and immediate friends,
 
 95 
 
 from the welfare of the great mass of citizens of the state ; but 
 that we are also bound by the laws of our religion and of the 
 state, to defend this our country with our property, and if 
 necessary with our blood and life. 
 
 1 83. Must this duty be sacred to us ? 
 
 This law, and the love of our country, which God has im- 
 planted in the heart of every human being, must be to every 
 upright man as a sacred call and the voice of God ; for which 
 reason it becomes also the duty of every Israelite, to join, when 
 called upon, the defenders of the country, and to contribute 
 under every circumstance, all his individual power is able, to 
 co-operate with the rest of his fellow-citizens, in maintaining 
 the independence and liberty of the country, in which he is 
 protected. 
 
 1 84. What did God communicate, through the prophet Jere- 
 miah, to those Israelites, who had been carried captives to Baby- 
 lon, although their stay there was to be no more than seventy 
 years ? 
 
 DTD U3 Saner TiSx nito* 'n IDX TO " Thus speaketh the Eternal 
 nx isjn-n pis n iSowi nu: lyaii istyi Zebaoth, the God of Is- 
 rrot? o:>nt>< 'rr^n it?*-* Tpn DiSt? rael : Build houses, and 
 rrrv HDlSm O 'n hx m^3 iSbanni dwell therein ; plant gar- 
 DlStf DD 1 ? dens, and eat their fruit, 
 
 and seek to promote the peace of the city, whither I have banished 
 you, and pray for the same to (me) the Eternal, for through its 
 peace ye also shall have peace !" (Jer. 29 ch. 57 v.) 
 Again we read, (Jer. 40 ch. 9 v.) : 
 
 Op'HK p irr^-U DnS jntsn " And Gedalyahu caused 
 n nr-t 113J?1 p*O !3tP DHeon 113;?D the Israelites to swear, 
 3CP! Sa3 to be true to the king
 
 96 
 
 of Babylon, and said : Fear nothing, in being subject to the Chal- 
 deans, remain in the country, and serve the king of Babylon, and 
 you will fare well." 
 
 185. What inference are we led to draw from the foregoing ? 
 That we are in a much greater degree bound to serve that 
 
 state with all our power, where we have really found a Aome, 
 and which we can call our country ; namely, that where we 
 enjoy equal civil rights. The laws of such a country, there- 
 fore, must be sacred to us, as the laws of our religion. But it 
 must be understood, that these laws must not circumscribe our 
 liberty of conscience, nor in any manner tend, to compel us, 
 to act contrary to any one of the laws and ceremonies of our 
 religion ; in short, the authority of the laws of the land is 
 binding upon us in the same degree, as parental authority (of 
 which see more, 85, in the chapter on the Decalogue). 
 
 1 86. What rules does the Talmud lay down, as general princi- 
 ples in this respect ? 
 
 r*tn i^nD^m t-*m " The laws of the land are valid, and 
 must be obeyed." 
 
 jrp-n xniaSo \yi tynan KniD^D " The power of the govern- 
 ments on earth, bears resemblance to the power of the heavenly 
 kingdom." 
 
 'n Jinx ins pa 11 oS^n rimix oSn nxnn " If thou seest a king of 
 lisa 1 ? nWDD pSn -WK oSiyn f?D imSi^ any other nation, 
 
 mi speak the following 
 
 grace : ' Praised be thou, O Eternal, our God, King of the world ! 
 
 who hast communicated some portion of thy glory to man.' '' 
 
 187. What does our religion recommend, relative to our con- 
 duct towards the highest authority of the state, or the king ?
 
 97 
 
 O'iW ny ^Dl M3 'n nx XV " My son ! fear the Eternal, 
 and respect the king ;* and never mix with those who will create 
 disturbance." (Prov. 24 ch. 21 v.) 
 
 pDPD mnai SSpn Sx Y?D ljno:i DJ " Even in thought curse 
 VBiy SSpn SN not the king ! and in 
 
 thy most secret sleeping chamber do not pronounce a malediction 
 upon the superior in authority." (Eccl. 10 ch. 20 v.) 
 
 y noibtJO V?ann "in " Pray for the peace and 
 injn nt^t Brx nt-OiD prosperity of the go- 
 (y'fl'nnx) vernment of the land; 
 
 for through its authority, peace and order are preserved, and dis- 
 putes repressed." (Lit. If it were not for its fear, one man would 
 swallow the other alive.) 
 
 188. Does Holy Writ furnish us any examples of fidelity and 
 loyalty to kings of another religion ? 
 
 Certainly. Daniel (6 ch. 23 v.) said to the king of Babylon: 
 ix 03 "UDl noxSo nSt? Ti^X " My God sent his angel, 
 IDT "romp n Sap So 'jiVan who closed the moutlis 
 vh nbnn JO^D pnp ^NT 'S of the lions, that they did 
 not wound me ; because he had found me innocent, and because, 
 O king, I had always served thee well, and never been guilty of an 
 untruth towards thee." 
 
 Mordecai lived under the tyrannical government of Ahas- 
 uerus, who afterwards intended to exterminate the whole peo- 
 ple of Israel. Nevertheless did Mordecai tell of the conspi- 
 racy, which some courtiers had planned against the king's life; 
 (Esther 2 ch. 21 v.) for he thought, " I must do my duty, no 
 matter what the king's intentions may be towards us." And 
 we should consider, that 
 
 * It must be remembered, that we are obliged to respect the institutions 
 
 of the country, be the government monarchical or republican. 
 
 Translator. 
 14
 
 98 
 
 utD' yarr *WK ^3 Sjr 'n T:J ^Sa aS D'D ^Vfl " The heart of kings 
 is in the hand of the Lord like streams of water ; he directs it 
 whithersoever it pleases him." (Prov. 21 ch. 1 v.) 
 
 189. What effect should these examples have upon us ? 
 
 That we should the more endeavour, to show our attach- 
 ment and fidelity to the princes and governments, under whose 
 protection we are fortunate enough to live as citizens and 
 members of the state. It is further our duty, to prove our- 
 selves faithful subjects and good citizens, by a strict obedience 
 to the laws, a blameless life, and the exercise of all the duties 
 which we owe the state in quality of citizens. 
 
 190. Have the Israelites any peculiar motives of gratitude 
 towards the princes and governments of the present age? 
 
 Yes; we as well as our posterity have the strongest motives 
 to be grateful towards the princes and governments of our own 
 days, and to call down upon them the blessing of our heavenly 
 Father ; because they have reinstated us in the enjoyment 
 of the rights of men, and granted us a free exercise of our reli- 
 gion and the privileges of citizens, by placing us upon an 
 equality with the other inhabitants of the state. They have 
 therefore indeed broken our shackles, and pulled down 
 that dishonourable wall of separation, which had, alas! for so 
 many centuries, been standing betwixt us and our Christian 
 fellow-citizens. 
 
 191. What other benefits have these wise governments shown 
 to us? 
 
 Convinced, that our holy religion contains nothing, which 
 stands in opposition to the laws of the state, they have freed 
 the Jews from the ignominious fetters, with which ages of super-
 
 99 
 
 stition and barbarism had loaded them; and have taken pater- 
 nal care for our regeneration and the amelioration of our con- 
 dition. It is therefore obligatory upon every Israelite, to 
 support the benevolent views of these fathers of their countries, 
 and to obey willingly and with feelings of gratitude their wise 
 institutions. 
 
 192. In what manner do these benevolent governments endea- 
 vour to ameliorate our moral and political condition?* 
 
 In no other manner, save that, which harmonises in every 
 respect with the spirit and the will of our religion, since they 
 demand only that we should become proprietors of land, and 
 cultivate the soil ourselves, and practise useful arts and trades; 
 since our religion, as has been said above, is so well adapted 
 to form a race of agriculturists, men who gain their livelihood 
 by the labour of their hand, and such as, by their frugal indus- 
 try and sterling honesty, should be an honour to themselves 
 and to the nation to which they belong. It behoves us, there- 
 fore, to consider those as benefactors, who are willing to share 
 the liberty, they themselves enjoy, with us the descendants 
 of those virtuous and constant men, who suffered every thing 
 in the physical and moral defence of their holy faith. 
 To support ourselves by honest industry is also a religious 
 
 * It must not be forgotten, that in former ages no Jew was permitted to 
 practise any trade; and the permission, therefore, given us in many parts of 
 Europe, and in the United States of America, to acquire property and become 
 mechanics, must greatly tend to improve the condition of the Jews. And 
 this is in fact the only amelioration we desire, i. c. to be permitted to follow 
 any calling, for which we may think ourselves best qualified ; but for pecu- 
 niary aid, or the inducements to forsake our faith, we can never think our- 
 selves indebted to any one, who may be weak enough to tender the former, 
 or infatuated enough to preach the latter. 
 
 Translator.
 
 100 
 
 duty, of which we are oftentimes reminded by the text of the 
 Scriptures ; and as examples we read : 
 
 3S ion D'pn ^TIDI on 1 ? yw mmx *n;r " He, who ploughs his 
 landi will have enough of bread; but he, who pursues wild specula- 
 tions, is foolish, and will suffer want." (Prov. 12 ch. 11 v. and 28 
 ch. 19 v.) 
 
 "]S 31131 *ptPN SDNH o fas yr " If thou maintainest thyself by 
 the labour of thy hands, then wilt thou be happy, and enjoy what is 
 good." (Psalm 128, v. 2.) 
 
 193. Can you name any trades, which are forbidden to us by 
 the laws of our religion ? 
 
 There are none. On the contrary, religion makes it the 
 duty of every parent, to teach his son some trade or useful art. 
 The Talmud adds : 
 
 niDD 1 ? nnSo iSiO nunw nnSn { w SD " The man who does 
 not teach bis son some mechanical trade, is as bad, as if he had 
 taught him to become a highwayman."* (Tractate Kidushin, fol. 
 30.) 
 
 194. Have our teachers, of blessed memory, ever set us the 
 example in this respect 9 
 
 Certainly. Agriculluie was the favourite pursuit of our 
 ancestors, and the greater number of the Talmudists were 
 mechanics. They even thought it honourable to be called 
 after their trade; as for instance: R. Jochanan the Shoemaker; 
 R. Joseph the Carpenter ; R. Jehoshua the Smith ; R. Simon the 
 
 When one Taltnudist inquired : " Is it not then enough, if he teach 
 his son business solely?" " No," replied R. Yehuda, " both money and good 
 luck are requisite for business ; these might be unattainable to him, and he 
 would thus at last be compelled to resort to cheating or stealing."
 
 101 
 
 Weaver ; and many others. They used to carry their tools 
 publicly about with them, and said : 
 
 rrVjn nx maaw roxSn nSnj " Every trade is honourable, it 
 honours the 7 master."* 
 
 1 95. With what thoughts shall we pursue our labours ? 
 
 With confidence in God ; without apprehension and anxious 
 cares; and in the pious hope, that God will send us blessing 
 and prosperity in our undertaking from his high abode in 
 heaven. 
 
 ynawio u:n ye^D 'n S Sj " Recommend thy doings to the 
 Eternal, and thy purposes will surely prosper." (Prov. 16 ch. 3 v.) 
 
 The like rules of life, admonitions to pursue an active and useful 
 employment, and to abstain from a more speculative than active state, are 
 to be met with in many passages of the Talmud. " Love labour," say the 
 sages, " and hate appearing the great man!" (Aboth, T.) " Skin the car- 
 cass of abeaat in the street, and receive the wages due to thee for it, and say 
 not, I am of too respectable a family, &c. but at all events endeavour to be 
 independent of others." (j"'p DTIOS) " Live as poorly on the Sabbath, aa 
 in the week days, but only ask nothing of any man;" and many others. 
 
 Nay, they even granted dispensation to the mechanic or day-labourer 
 from onerous religious duties, as the saying of long prayers &c., so that he 
 may not be compelled to neglect his work, and thus prevent him from doing 
 justice to his employers.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 OF MEANS TO BECOME PIOUS. 
 
 1 96. What should we do to become daily more virtuous? 
 
 We should often seriously reflect, how indispensably neces- 
 sary virtue is, and how many beneficent effects we reap from 
 its practice ; we should also seek the intercourse of virtuous 
 and good men ; read sedulously and attentively the word of 
 God in the Holy Scriptures, and lastly we should ask 
 the grace and assistance of God with the greatest possible 
 devotion in other words, we should pray. 
 
 1 97. When can we be properly said TO PRAY? 
 
 When we raise our thoughts to God ; when we lay our 
 wishes and petitions, for ourselves or others, before him, or 
 when we are joyous because of his mercy, and are directing 
 our thanks to him, the author of all good; in these cases, we 
 are said to pray. 
 
 198. How should we pray ? 
 
 If we will offer up a true prayer, we must feel devotion, 
 meekness, and sincere earnestness of heart. 
 
 ronJl "DIM aS rrniM nn D'nStf TUT " A contrite spirit is an ac- 
 nnn vh DTI 1 ?*? ceptable offering to thee, 
 
 O God ! a meek and humble heart thou wilt not despise." (Ps. 51, 
 v. 19.) 
 
 199. What consequences may we e.xpect from such a sincere 
 prayer?
 
 103 
 
 That the All-good will grant us that graciously, for which 
 we have prayed to him; if he, in his wisdom, finds it condu- 
 cive to our real advantage and prosperity. For 
 
 l^X S^S ViOp SuS'n ::np " The Eternal is nearun- 
 yrw of\pitp nxi r\vy VXT pxi to all who call upon 
 him in uprightness. He grants the desire of those who fear him, 
 and hears their supplication and assists them." (Ps. 145, v. 18.) 
 
 200. Has not the ACT OF PRAYING ITSELF already a very 
 beneficial tendency for us? 
 
 It has ; the devotional directing of our thoughts to God, 
 elevates our soul, makes us contented with the will of Provi- 
 dence magnanimous and just towards others and gives us 
 strength to fulfil our duties with alacrity. 
 
 201. Explain to me more clearly , how the mere praying itself 
 can become useful. 
 
 If we bring our wishes before God, we must of necessity be 
 taught to examine and test them, if they are really such as 
 we ought to address to the throne of mercy, and if they spring 
 from pure motives. If we find ourselves in any difficult), and 
 ask the help and the mighty assistance of God, we will be 
 taught to inquire, if we ourselves have not been the first cause 
 of our being in this difficulty, and if we cannot employ our 
 own capacities so as to draw ourselves out of it. If we pray 
 for others, our soul must participate in their misfortune, and 
 we must become inclined to benevolence and charity. And 
 in returning thanks, we enjoy the good once more in the purest 
 manner, since we refer* it back to the source of all good. 
 
 * The Hebrew expresses praying by the word SSflnri' ^ e re c'procum of 
 Sbfl to judge, to test; therefore, to tut one's self. Prayer: nSfln self-examina- 
 tion.
 
 * 104 
 
 202. Is it proper to shake the body, and raise the voice during 
 prayer ? 
 
 No ; it is rather a conduct unbecoming a rational man, and 
 it moreover disturbs the collectedness of mind, necessary for 
 devotion ; and it is accordingly in every respect contrary to 
 the regulations, which our sages have recommended to be 
 observed during the time, we are offering our prayers to God. 
 
 203. What regulations have they laid down ? 
 
 abn run rD"tf nSan " Praying requires devotion and collected- 
 ness of thought." 
 
 ilDBU vh2 *]i:D rMD KSa'nSsn " Prayer without devotion, is like 
 an inanimate* body." 
 
 1*7*0 loxy nNYi ni^non SDD nS nx msn " Therefore it is ne- 
 
 Kin cessary,thataman 
 'ui should guard him- 
 self very carefully against the diversion of his thoughts, and consider 
 himself as in the immediate presence of God's majesty, and pre- 
 
 That our wise men thought devotion and collectedness of thought the 
 first and chief requisites for prayer, can also be clearly proven by the short 
 formulffl, which they have instituted for those who are at sea, at a danger- 
 ous place, or in any other situation, in which long prayers and serious reflec- 
 tion become impossible. (Talmud, Berachoth, fol. 29.) Of these formulae 
 Mainwnides adduces only the following : 
 
 'TV rmp onjni D'DTra Saw py oiv " The wants of thy peo- 
 inxi inx SoS {nniy irnSx 'n r jaSn p:n pie Israel are many ; 
 31DH1 niiDHD 'TH'Ul HMJ h^7\ ino:^3 'no but their knowledge 
 * n^anymty 'n Jinx ^nj n^rr^a is weak and limited. 
 O may it please thee, Eternal, our God ! to give to each his main- 
 tenance, and whatever he may want for body and soul. Do how- 
 ever unto us, as seems best to thee in thy wisdom ; thy will be done ! 
 Praised be thou, O Eternal, who hearest our prayers!"
 
 105 
 
 serve a respectful posture, like that a servant observes before his mas- 
 ter." (Maimonides on the law of Prayer.) And thus says the 
 prophet (Amos 4 ch. 12 v.) : " Prepare thyself, O Israel, to meet 
 thy God." 
 
 To prevent therefore our disturbing ourselves or others, we 
 should follow the example of Hannah : 
 
 niyj rrnap pi mb hy main NTI rurn " And Hannah spoke for 
 
 ynvr vh nSipi herself ; only her lips 
 moved, but her voice was not heard." (1 Sam. 1 ch. 13 v.) 
 
 204. Sould we also pray for others ? 
 
 Yes, it is the duty of every man ; and our learned men say : 
 m irtixS "py xim inn hy SSanon hi " He, who prays for his 
 
 JiSnn ruyj Kin neighbour, and stands 
 in need of the same thing, will be helped first." 
 
 205. Does Holy Writ furnish us any example? 
 
 Yes, a great many. For instance, when God said to Moses : 
 Sru 'uS inw nffyxi oSDNi 'S nmn nnyi " But now desist pray- 
 'ui rnSx 'n 'ja nx nc?o Sn^i ing for them, for I 
 will destroy them, and make thee a great nation. Thereupon Moses 
 besought the Eternal his God." (Exo. 32 ch. 10 v.) 
 And Jeremiah and the other prophets did the same. 
 
 206. Did any of the patriarchs and other persons, mentioned 
 in Scripture, ever pray for other nations ? 
 
 Yes ; for when king Solomon consecrated the temple, he 
 prayed most earnestly that God, in his goodness, might gra- 
 ciously accept the prayers of other nations, hear their suppli- 
 cations, and assist them in their danger. (1 Kings, 8 ch. 41 v. 
 and 2 Chron. 6 ch. 32 v.) When Abraham was informed of 
 
 the impending destruction of Sodom and Gemorah, on account 
 15
 
 106 
 
 of their manifold sins, he endeavoured, by interceding for them, 
 to avert the punishment, either entirely or at least partly. 
 
 13N1 Ifly 'DJX1 'n SN laiS 'nbxin XJ run " Behold I have under- 
 taken to make representations to the Eternal, though I am but dust 
 and ashes." (Gen. 18 ch. 2333 v.) 
 
 207. Are we also to pray for our enemies? 
 
 Certainly, it is our duty even to say every day, when we 
 rise, and before we lay down, and before we commence our 
 prayers : 
 
 im:) Ty6 nanxi num D'pS JDITDI pin Tin " I am ready and 
 
 'S lyxm {yob N1D rr 1 ? *Oi? willing to ob- 
 serve the precepts, of loving my neighbour ; I pardon all those who 
 have caused me grief; pardon thou them too, O Lord !" 
 And David spoke (Psalm 35) : 
 
 'nSsni 'tyaj Diva 'rny pty 'tpn 1 ? onibna 'jxi " When they ( my 
 'S fl*O yiD 31tyn 'pn by enemies) are sick, 
 
 I clothe myself in sackcloth, and weaken myself with fasting, and I 
 let my prayer sink in my bosom, as though they were friends or 
 brothers." 
 
 208. What did Solomon ask of our Lord God ? 
 
 yiS 3iD pa pnanS yot? a 1 ? "pay 1 ? nn.ii " Give, O Lord ! an at- 
 '*? fnynni noon tentive heart to thy 
 
 servant ! give me wisdom and knowledge, to distinguish between 
 good and evil." (1 Kings, 3 ch. 9 v. and 2 Chron. 1 ch. 10 v.) 
 0103 'JDD yjnn SK inxn ''nSxt? DV.ty " Two things I ask of thee, 
 >yi tyNT 'Jon pmn 3T3 13m XW max O deny them not to me, 
 'pn on 1 ? 'JSnwn 'S |nn S whilst I live. Remove 
 foolish fancy and untruth from me ; give me neither poverty nor 
 riches, but supply me moderately with what I may daily want." 
 (Prov. 30 ch. 7 v.)
 
 107 
 
 209. What moral are we to draw from this most beautiful and 
 wise prayer ? 
 
 That the gifts of the mind should be the chief object of our 
 desire, and that we should consider them as the greatest riches 
 we can possess. We ought, therefore, to be satisfied, if we 
 possess the indispensable only of the goods of this world, and 
 it is improper to burden our heart with useless cares. In the 
 same spirit did Jacob pray (Gen. 28 ch. 20 v.) : 
 
 "h jrm i^n OJN nt^N run Tna 'Jinan " And if he preserve me on 
 
 B^S 1 ? "U31 hivh DnS the way, which I am 
 
 now going, and give me bread to eat, and clothes to cover myself." 
 
 210. How did David pray to God? 
 
 'Jmpn 'n " O Eternal, thou hast searched and 
 
 knowest me ; 
 
 Do I sit, do I rise, it is known to thee : 
 Already afar thou probest my thoughts, 
 My walk and my couch thou hast 
 
 measured for me, 
 And prepared all my ways. 
 Before yet a word was upon my tongue, 
 Thou, O Lord ! didst know all ! 
 Whither shall I go from thy spirit ? 
 And whither shall I flee from thy face? 
 [f I ascend to heaven, thou art there ; 
 And if I should lie down in the abyss, 
 
 I should find thee ! 
 
 Should I fly on the wings of the morn- 
 ing-dawn, 
 
 D' mnso nJDtfX To dwell at the farthest end of the sea: 
 yv DIP DJ Even there thy hand would lead me, 
 'D' 'Jirwrn And thy right hand would seize me. 
 
 njrr 
 pimn 'jnS nnaa 
 mi 
 
 nrJ3on 
 
 nnx ov D'DE; ox ON 
 
 'S3D XB'K
 
 108 
 
 If I even say, darkness shall surround 
 
 me ! 
 "nx nVSl Then night even would become light 
 
 around me. 
 
 *S "]BTl DJ For darkness darkens nothing for thee, 
 DVD riV 1 ?! Night shines like the day, 
 
 And light and shadow are to thee 
 
 alike." (Psalm 139.) 
 ' Create, O God, in me a pure heart, 
 1tnr\ |133 nm And give me a new noble mind. 
 Thrust me not from before thee, 
 pn bx "lltnp nm And take not from me thy holy spirit ! 
 Return to me the joy of thy salvation, 
 And let thy magnanimous spirit sup- 
 port me." (Psalm 51.) 
 nwy\ nnx Snj O " For thou art great and performest 
 
 wonders, 
 nnx Thou art God alone ! 
 
 Teach me, O Eternal, thy ways, 
 
 Let me walk in thy truth ! 
 
 Cause my heart to devote itself solely 
 
 to the* fear of thy name ; 
 S33 'nSx 'n "pix That I may thank thee, O Eternal my 
 
 God, with all my heart, 
 And honour thy name for evermore !" 
 (Psalm 86.)
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 A SHORT ACCOUNT OP THE CEREMONIAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS. 
 
 1. 
 
 The six hundred and thirteen precepts (365 negative and 248 
 affirmative) which are, according to the opinion of our principal 
 doctors,* contained in the five books of Moses, may be conveni- 
 ently and appropriately divided in three classes. Namely: 
 
 a. Moral laws, i. e. precepts relating to morality and a proper 
 conduct towards God and men. 
 
 b. Local and police laws, which refer to the then circumstances 
 of that land, in which the Israelites lived, when they formed a sepa- 
 rate state, and lived under the operation of their own laws. To 
 this class belong all laws relative to punishments, as they are re- 
 corded in the Pentateuch. And 
 
 c. Ceremonial laws, or rules and ordinances relative to the out- 
 ward worship of God; their object is always to keep alive within 
 
 now m*D j"nn ^vnw ~\ em " - ma once com- 
 
 n"m HDnn HID' poo f'W"? n"DW TDa menced his discourse in 
 . D1K St? VU'K pD3 TN?y the following manner : 
 365 are the days of the solar year; this also is the number of the negative 
 precepts given to Moses on Sinai: 248 members are in the human body; 
 and just as many affirmative precepts were given to Moses. For the pur- 
 pose, that each day and every limb may remind thee of one of the divine 
 laws 1" (Tal. Tract. Maccoth, fol. 23.)
 
 110 
 
 us the belief in the eternal and only God, and the remembrance of 
 his kindness towards us. 
 
 2. 
 
 Since the dissolution of the Jewish commonwealth, however, all 
 the laws of the second kind, as also the greater part of the third class, 
 are impracticable. For instance, the laws of sacrifices, the temple, 
 priests and purification, the whole of which, with but few exceptions, 
 are now not binding: as they are intimately connected with the exist- 
 ence of the temple in Jerusalem; and whereas this is destroyed, the 
 laws connected with it have become impracticable. The whole 
 number, therefore, of precepts yet practicable, is reduced to 369. 
 
 3. 
 
 Among these are 99 namely, 78 positive and 21 negative pre- 
 cepts, which are only accidental or conditional, i. e. the exercise of 
 which depends on certain cases, contingencies, and circumstances, 
 whioh may never occur with certain persons. For example, if a man 
 hires no labourers, he does not come under the affirmative precept 
 (Deut. 24 ch. 14.); " Thou shalt pay to the poor labourer be he 
 of thy brothers or a stranger his wages on the same day ! and 
 thou must not suffer the sun to set, before thou dost so !" nor the 
 negative (Lev. 19 ch. 13 v.): "Thou shalt not keep back the 
 wages of the labourer with thee till the morning!" and similar 
 others. There are accordingly only 270 absolute and positive pre- 
 cepts; or 48 affirmative and 222 negatives.* 
 
 4. 
 
 The females are exempt from many ceremonial laws; namely, 
 from the observance of the greater part of those affirmative pre- 
 cepts, which are not exercised at all times of the day and the year, 
 
 * From the preface of the justly highly valued and useful *pj'nn 1)D '
 
 Ill 
 
 but are limited to a particular period. D'BU HD1J \mr\V T\vy 
 {nonniBD (Berachoth, fol. 20.) Thus, for instance, females are 
 exempt from the wearing of the fringes (n* w) and the phylacteries 
 (as they are not worn after sunset); further from the precepts of the 
 (nSlS nVtMl HDD ro^" 1 ) Tabernacle and Lulab, with which the 
 feast of Tabernacles is celebrated in the synagogue; and simi- 
 lar others. (It must be observed, however, that, if a female once 
 accustoms herself to do any of the affirmative precepts, from which 
 she is otherwise exempt, she is bound to adhere to this practice 
 afterwards. This is the custom in almost every country where 
 Jews are settled.) 
 
 5. 
 
 Besides the practicable Mosaic precepts, there are several rab- 
 binical ordinances (ji3Ti msn) which we are all bound to observe, 
 without distinction of sex. For example, the ordinance of the 
 washing of hands, and the grace said before the use of any kind of 
 food, drink, &c. (The returning of thanks after meals is a Mosaic 
 institution.) The lighting of the lamps at the commencement of 
 the sabbath and holy-days; the reading of the book of Esther on 
 the feast of Purim; the lighting of the lamps during the eight Days 
 of the Consecration (of the temple under the Maccabees rojn 1J); 
 the reading of various songs of thanks and praise from the Psalms 
 of David on days of rejoicing (Sbnn IWip), and others of the like 
 kind. 
 
 6. 
 
 Our wise men also say, if it is in accordance with the natural 
 emotions of gratitude, no less than the precepts of the divine law, to 
 thank God for every enjoyment, which promotes only the strength- 
 ening of our body: it is the more necessary, to do the same at 
 every enjoyment of the soul, i. e. the observance of those precepts, 
 which purpose the amelioration and welfare of our soul. We have
 
 112 
 
 therefore not only a formula of prayers of thanks or grace, before 
 and after the use of earthly things;* but also before the exorcise of 
 any ceremonial law. For instance: " Praised be thou, Eternal our 
 God, king of the world ! who hast sanctified us with thy command- 
 ments, and hast commanded us the precept of Die fringes" (rvrx). 
 
 * F. E. Before the eating of broad made of rye, wheat, &c. " Praised be 
 thou, O Eternal our God, king of the world, who produced*! broad from the 
 earth." Over any kind of cake: " Praised be thou, O Eternal who did*t 
 
 create food of various kind*." Before drinking wine: Praised who 
 
 didst create the fruit of the vino." Over all kinds of fruit, which grow on 
 
 tree*: " l'raied who didt create the fruit of tree*." Over all pro- 
 
 duotlon* of the earth or the fruit of shrubs: " Praied who didst 
 
 create the fruit of the earth." ,Over cheese, meat, egg*, &c. and all kind* of 
 
 drink except wine: " Praised through who*e word all came into 
 
 being." After the enjoy meat of the last mentioned kind* of food and drink, 
 ay the following grace : " Praised be thou, O Eternal our God, king of the 
 world! who didat create many being* with want*, which make them depen- 
 dent on other creature*, through which the existence of all living thing* i* 
 preserved, praised be thou, Everliving God!* 1 At smelling aromatic herb* 
 
 or flower*: " Praised who oreatedat aromatic herb*." Over other 
 
 aromatic*, which do not grow out of the earth: " Praised who didst 
 
 create various kind* of aromatic thing*." At the sight of a rainbow : 
 " Praised .,..,. who rememberest thy covenant, remaine*t true to thy word, 
 and fuliUlest thy promise." At the sight of trees in bloom: " Praised ...... 
 
 who didst suffer nothing to be wanting in thy world, and didst create such 
 beautiful beings anil agreeable tree* in the same, for the gratification of the 
 children of man." At the sight of lightning, &e. " Praised ...... who 
 
 always continues! to renew the works of the creation." Over thunder and 
 
 heavy storms: u Praised whose power and all-ruling strength fill 
 
 the universe." At an unfortunate occurrence, or when we hear an evil ac- 
 count: " Praised ...... who art a just judge!" At the hearing of good 
 
 new*, or at a fortunate occurrence: " Praised who art an ever kind 
 
 benefactor." At the enjoyment of any nrw thing, and the commencement 
 of festivals, and before the reading of the book of Esther on Purim, c. 
 
 Praised who hast preserved us alive, and in health, and permitted 
 
 us to live to this time."
 
 " Praised be tliou - - and commanded u* to lay the phylac 
 teries." 
 
 " Praised be thou - - and commanded us to engage in the 
 learning of the law." And so by all laws. 
 
 And whereas our religion demands of us, (we above H2), to 
 obey also the ordinances of our wise men, we pronounce the same 
 formula, before the performance of any one of the seven principal 
 ordinances of the Rabbies (jwn ni*o jOtf), ** before the obeying 
 of any of the Mosaic laws. F. E. " Praised be thou, Eternal our 
 God who hast sanctified us with thy commandments, and ordered 
 u* to light the lamp of the consecration," (rojn ij). " Praised 
 and commanded us to read the roll" (of the book of Eetlter, 
 on the Punm feast). And the same at the others. 
 
 7. 
 
 Every Israelite should nevertheless know, or endeavour to learn, 
 at the execution of any commandment, if it be Mosaic or Rabbini- 
 cal; because error and ignorance in this respect may occasion gross 
 abuses, and have very pernicious consequences. The yet custom- 
 ary and practicable ceremonial laws, which are recorded in the 
 book ^ny yntw (mentioned above 109), particularly those in the 
 first and second parts of the same (D*TI ir^K and n;n mv), 
 are of three various kinds namely: I. *rmin m Mosaic precepts; 
 2. p:m flflfO llabbwical ordinances; and 3. O'jnjO Custom*. 
 
 The last again are very diversified; many of them are mere local 
 usages, and practised only in a few districts or places, and many 
 others are those called nn-on jnjo or nntn nno i. e. customs 
 from particular piety, or practices of certain pious men. As for 
 instance, the custom of abstaining from all kinds of wine or meat 
 during the thirteen last days of the month Tliant.uz (mr); or the 
 practice of neither eating any new fruit, nor putting on a new gar- 
 roeot during the first mentioned period and the nine first days of the 
 month Ab(3*}. (which tiioe i* called O^jrai |'3)', so as i*ot to be ob- 
 J6
 
 114 
 
 liged to pronounce the formula of grace, noticed in the note to the 
 preceding paragraph, for the enjoyment of any new thing ( 
 the custom of fasting on the 29th day of every month (n"l 
 and to read certain penitential prayers, or, as it is commonly termed, 
 to hold a small Day of Atonement (jDp 1133 DV); not to use on 
 the Sabbath any other language, besides the Hebrew. To this class 
 (mron nnn) do the learned Von nt?D OT1 and omDX pn (|D'D 
 K"V) also reckon the custom of keeping the head covered without 
 the synagogues.* 
 
 Our wise men recommend cleanliness, as particularly obligatory 
 upon every man. They say : 
 
 'TS n*OD mnD mno H- 1 ? nson nvpJ " Cleanliness of the body 
 nttmp H'S nxOD rwnfll iWIS will occasion purity of 
 mind and morals, and promote true piety" (or as they call it, 
 sanctity). 
 
 They therefore made it a rule to wash the hands after rising 
 from sleep, before commencing prayers and before meals. And 
 for this very useful ordinance we thank God in the following for- 
 mula: " Praised be thou, Eternal our God, king of the world ! 
 who hast sanctified us through thy commandments, and command- 
 ed us the washing of hands." 
 
 9. 
 Our first ideas at awakening should be directed to God; our 
 
 * In mentioning this oriental custom, of keeping the head also covered 
 in the houses of prayer, we read in Midrash: 
 
 vimon vh nn ^vwh n"upn rch -TON nl y consider spoke God 
 
 ' 'lD1 tyiO 'JMIfl mipb ftyhy to tne Israelites how little 
 I desire from you any slavish service; I wovld not even give you the trouble of 
 uncovering your heads, whilst you are reading the Shemang, and are acknow- 
 ledging me as your Lord and King."
 
 115 
 
 first thought every morning should be thankfulness for the benefits 
 we receive daily and hourly from him. We have therefore a short 
 but expressive prayer, which we are to pronounce immediately on 
 awakening. 
 "3 mmru? D'pl TjfwsyjpV^JfrWWP "I thank thee, ever-living, 
 
 iruiDSO n:n n^nna YIDIPJ . ever-enduring King ! 
 that thou hast again restored to me the use of my faculties, through 
 thy great goodness and mercy/' 
 
 10. 
 
 When we put on that garment (niSJD jmx), on which the fringes 
 ordained by the law (rvx**) are fixed, (Numb. 15 ch. 37 v. and 
 Deut. 22 ch. 12 v.), we pronounce likewise the following prayer 
 
 of thanks: " Praised who hast sanctified us through thy 
 
 commandments, and commanded us the precept of the fringes" 
 (JV!T niD hy Ull). But when we cover ourselves with the pray- 
 er-cloak (rrbo), we say in place of the concluding words of the fore- 
 going: (jvjf'sa ^Dynn 1 ? uw) " sanctified and commanded us to en- 
 velope ourselves with the garment of fringes." 
 
 These fringes are to be considered as marks of remembrance and 
 
 tokens, by which we are always reminded of the commandments of 
 
 God; as it is written, (Numb. 15 ch. 39 v.): 
 
 nwn bo n oman inx D/v&ni nry 1 ? oaS rrrn " These fringes shall 
 
 nnxi DD3aS nnN mnn t-* 1 -?! DHN oiviypi 'n serve you for the 
 
 Drrtyyi narn \yrh Dmrw Q'Ji onx I^K oyyy purpose, that you 
 
 DTnbtf 1 ? D'tsnp on v m 'mxa ^ nx may see them and 
 remember all the commandments of the Eternal and do them ; but 
 not follow the bent of your heart and of your eyes, by which you are 
 led to sin; ye will thereby remember all my precepts and obey them, 
 that you may be holy to your God." 
 
 11. 
 As soon as a boy has reached his thirteenth year, and he has
 
 116 
 
 reason enough to keep his thoughts free from'evil ideas, as well as 
 his body and dress cleanly; it is his duty to lay every day, with the 
 exception of Sabbath and festivals, the phylacteries (pSsn). These 
 are two cubic formed parchment cases, in which the four chapters 
 (adduced below) from the Pentateuch, written on parchment, are 
 inclosed.* Leather thongs are fixed on these two cases; of which 
 one is laid on the left arm, just above the elbow, the other on the 
 forehead. The last is closely fitted round the head, and hangs 
 down on both sides round the neck; the former is wound seven times 
 round the left arm, and three times round the middle finger. 
 
 Before laying the Tephillin it is customary to say the preparatory 
 prayer: 'ui Sjoir SD DEO iDTni iVma rrnjotyi n"3p tirr ots6; 
 which can be thus translated : 
 
 " Out of respect and love to God, the only one, Eternal and 
 Most High, praised be He, and in the name of the whole house of 
 Israel, am I now prepared, with body and soul, to lay the Tephillin; 
 
 " Sanctify unto me all the first-born, the first offspring of the mo- 
 ther, both of man and of beast; it is mine. Moses spoke to the people: 
 remember this day, that ye went out of Egypt, from the house of slavery! 
 for with a strong hand has the Eternal brought you out from here. Nothing 
 leavened must be eaten. To-day ye will go out, in the month of Abib. 
 When the Eternal now brings you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, 
 Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which he has sworn to thy ancestors to 
 give thee a land in which milk and honey flow thou shalt observe this 
 service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and on 
 the seventh is a festival in honour of the Eternal. Unleavened bread shall 
 be eaten throughout the seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen, and no 
 leaven shall be seen in all thy boundaries. And thou shalt then say to thy 
 son: this is done on account of that, which the Eternal did for me when I 
 went out of Egypt. This shall also be a sign on thy hand, and a mark of re- 
 membrance between thine eyes, that the law of the Eternal may ever be in thy 
 mouth (i. e. be always transmitted further from father to son, and never be 
 forgotten); for with a mighty hand did the Eternal bring thee out of Egypt. 
 Observe therefore this precept from year to year." (Exod. 13 ch.)
 
 117 
 
 for the purpose of obeying the command of my Creator, which is 
 written in the law: ' Thou shalt bind them on thy hand, and they shall 
 be as frontlets between thine eyes.' These Tephillin contain the 
 four chapters, which commence with the words: "/Tear, O Israel 
 If you will hearken Sanctify and, When he will bring thee; be- 
 cause the unity of God and his great wonders are mentioned there- 
 in, which he performed, when he carried us out of Egypt. For 
 his is the government, no less in heaven, than on earth, and he 
 
 "|N'3' '3 rvni ("It shall come to pass, when the Eternal brings thee into) 
 the land of the Canaanite, which he has sworn unto thee and thy ancestors, 
 and gives it thee: then thou shalt present to the Eternal all the first offspring 
 of the mother: namely, all the first born of thy cattle, which are males, shall 
 be consecrated unto the Eternal; the first born of the ass, thou shalt redeem 
 with a lamb, but if thou wilt not redeem it, thou must break its neck ; the 
 first born of man, among thy children, thou shalt redeem (with money). If 
 thy son asks thee : What is the reason of all this? then say to him: With a 
 strong hand did the Eternal conduct us out of Egypt, from the house of 
 slavery. When Pharaoh refused to let us go, the Eternal slew all the first 
 born in the land of Egypt, both those of man and of cattle. Therefore L do 
 sacrifice to the Eternal all the first born of the mother, which are males, 
 and redeem all the first born among my children. This shall be to thee a 
 sign on thy hand, and as frontlets between thy eyes: for with a mighty hand 
 the Eternal did conduct us out of Egypt." (Ibidem.) 
 
 ynW (" Hear, O Israel, the Eternal our God is the only Eternal Being.) 
 And thou shalt love the Eternal thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy 
 soul, and with all thy might. These words which I command thee this day, 
 shall be upon thy heart. Thou shalt teach them carefully to thy children, 
 and always speak of them, when thou sittest in thy house, when thou walk- 
 est on the road, when thou liest down, and when thou risest. Bind them as a 
 sign on thy hand, and they shall be as marks of remembrance between thine 
 eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the doo'r-posts of thy house and on 
 thy gates." (Deut. 6 ch. 49 v.) 
 
 JVrn " If you will carefully hearken unto my commandments, which I 
 command you this day, to love the Eternal your God, and to worship him, 
 with all your heart and with all your soul: then will I give rain in your land,
 
 can rule every thing and every where, as it pleases him best. In 
 obedience to the divine command do I lay the Tephillin on the 
 arm, and remember in so doing the words: * With a stretched-out 
 arm did the Eternal conduct thee out of Egypt.' Also on this 
 spot, just opposite the heart, because I subject herewith all the de- 
 sires and wishes of my heart to the holy will of my God. I do 
 also lay the Tephillin of the head on the spot where the brain lays, 
 where the organs of the higher capacities of the soul unite: to in- 
 dicate, that I dedicate to the service of God all my senses and my 
 thoughts." 
 
 " May God, in merit of my observing this commandment, give 
 me strength enough to preserve my thoughts always pure, and my 
 heart innocent; that no evil desires may ever overcome me, nor be 
 able to lead me into the paths of sin. That I may be enabled to 
 live always, as I most fervently desire, according to the statutes of 
 my God. Amen." 
 
 The other prayers which belong hereto, are to be found (together 
 with the daily service) in the book of common prayer (according 
 to the custom of the German Jews). 
 
 in its proper season, both the first and the latter rain, that thou mayest 
 gather in thy corn, thy wine and thy oil. But be very careful, that your 
 heart become not corrupted, and ye go astray and worship other gods, 
 and bow down to them. For then the anger of the Eternal would be 
 kindled against you, and he would close the heaven, that no rain should 
 come, and the earth not yield its productions; and -ye would be speedily 
 lost from off the good land, which the Eternal gives you. Take therefore 
 these my words well to your heart and your mind, and bind them as a sign 
 upon your hand, and let them be as frontlets between your eyes. And 
 teach them to your sons, to speak of them, when thou sittest in thy house, 
 when thou walkest on the road, when thou licet down, and when thou risest. 
 And write them on the door posts of thy house and on thy gates. That 
 you and your children may remain as long upon that land, which the Eter- 
 nal has sworn to your forefathers, to give to them, as the heaven remains 
 over the earth." (Ibi. 11 ch.13 21 v.)
 
 119 
 
 12. 
 
 Amongst the prayers, however, must be particularly noticed: 
 
 yiyff nK'ip and rrwy n:DP nSan 
 
 The reading of the Shemang is considered one of the Mosaic pre- 
 cepts. It is namely our duty to read every morning and evening 
 the above mentioned chapters: SfcOKT ynv and ynw DK HTii, toge- 
 ther with the five last verses of the 15th ch. of Num. (containing 
 the commandment in regard to the fringes), with the utmost pos- 
 sible devotion, either in the Hebrew, or in any other language; but 
 it is necessary, that we should be very careful to employ the most 
 correct expressions in the language we are using, and to avoid all 
 inelegant, not to mention, incorrect phrases. 
 
 But as the Hebrew is already the established language in our wor- 
 ship, it is proper to acquire a sufficient knowledge of the same, if it 
 be at all within our reach, so that we may be able to perform our 
 devotion in this language. 
 
 '-mo inn nrao n'm? ptz6 Sou yaw nx DTK joip 
 tnpn perSa pnpnn 103 na pnpvi pt?Sn 
 
 This reading of the Shemang is considered by our Rabbins, as our 
 confession of faith ; they call it .- D'Dt? muSo Sly nbap, the acknow- 
 ledging of the kingdom of God, i. e. to declare God our ruler, and to 
 subject ourselves to his guidance and laws ; and they make it a 
 requisite condition in reading the Shemang, that a person should 
 well understand what he is saying. 
 
 13. 
 
 The mvy nJDBf prayer (18* Benedictions) is a Rabbinical insti- 
 tution. Maimonides (rhsn ftiOfan N"a) says the following on this 
 
 * Tho Portuguese Jews call it the HTOy, from the verb 1DJN to stand, be- 
 cause it is said standing. This prayer contains now nineteen benedictions,
 
 120 
 
 subject : The Jewish people, returning from the Babylonian cap- 
 tivity (about 3410 A.M.) had corrupted their language to such a 
 degree, among (he Persians, Greeks, and other nations, that they 
 were unable to express themselves plainly and correctly in any one; 
 and Nehemiah complains of this (13 ch. 24 v.) : "Their children 
 speak half Asdodish, and understand neither the Jewish language, 
 nor that of any other nation ; I reproved them therefore." For 
 this reason, were these prayers projected for their use, by Ezra and 
 his college. (Before this period they had no set prayers, at least 
 none which we can designate as such with any degree of certainty; 
 though some few short prayers are ascribed to several persons, who 
 died before the destruction of the first temple.) These formulae 
 contain thanksgivings and petitions for the most important requi- 
 sites and occurrences of life, in as few words as possible ; and the 
 wise institutors of these prayers purposed thereby, that the people 
 should be able to express their most important wants in a pure and 
 appropriate language. The three first divisions contain praises of 
 God, the others are petitions for health, support, peace, &c. 
 
 14. 
 
 In accordance with the well known Verse from the Psalms (55, v. 
 18) : il ?ip yntsn noriNi nrriPKDnmn 1021 aiy " At evening, morn- 
 ing, and noon I complain and moan, and he hears my voice ;" we 
 read this prayer three times every day; namely, as rPint? morning, 
 nnJD vesper, and m*\y evening prayers. These times of the day 
 were also therefore chosen, because the sacrifices in the temple were 
 offered at the same periods ; and because the prayers are now in 
 the place of the sacrifices, according to the expression of the pro- 
 phet Hosea (14 ch. 3 v.) : 
 
 as in the time of one of the Gamaliels one was added against the heretics, 
 dissenters and enemies of the faith; the original name however is yet pre- 
 served. Translator. .+.
 
 121 
 
 D'">a nnS^Jl " With our lips (i. e. with our prayers) we 
 will replace the steers" (sacrifices). 
 
 We have also therefore the (*plD) additional or extraordinary 
 prayer on Sabbaths, festivals, and new-moon-days ; because on 
 these days there were additional offerings, nnnJDl TDnn nSiy laSn 
 besides the daily customary sacrifices and their requisite accompani- 
 ments, as we find laid down more at large in the 28th and 29th 
 chapters of Numbers. 
 
 15. 
 
 What has been said above, in reference to our being permitted to 
 read the Shemang in any language, is also applicable to this and all 
 other prayers and benedictions ; and the Talmudists teach in many 
 places : 
 
 nJTVBP ]1lffh SD3 SSannS SDV " That he, who understands not the 
 ( a"p S n"K#'tf) Hebrew, would do well to pray 
 in any language he may understand." 
 
 p"nS PD irx DX pant? jwSa S^annS aom 
 
 (It has, therefore, been always customary, to have the prayers 
 intended for the sole use of females, in the vernacular language of 
 the country ; as they had not in every country and age the same 
 facility of acquiring a competent knowledge of the holy language, 
 with the members of the other sex.) 
 
 16. 
 
 Three times every week, namely, on Monday, Thursday, and Sab- 
 bath, portions of the law are read aloud in the synagogues, from 
 the manuscript rolls (rnin 'lao). The Pentateuch is for this rea- 
 son divided into 54 weekly lectures (nmo), and each of these lectures 
 in seven portions (nvisns). On the morning of the Sabbath an entire 
 Sedrah (rmo) is read (which is always indicated in the Jewish 
 calendar) ; but in the afternoon, and on Monday and Thursday 
 17
 
 122 
 
 mornings, only the first Parshah of the following rmD (for the en 
 suing Sabbath). The readings for the festivals, new-moon, and 
 fast-days, consist of those portions of the Pentateuch, which have 
 reference to the celebration of the day, and the sacrifices brought on 
 the same ; or in other words, those portions, which according to 
 their import belong to the order of the day. 
 
 The number of those called* up to the law at these readings 
 (D'N'np), is as follows : On Monday, Thursday, Sabbath afternoon, 
 fast-days, Purim, and Hanuckah, three; on new-moon-days and 
 half-festivals (the middle days of Paysach and Succoth), four; on 
 high festivals, jive; on the Day of Atonement, six; on Sabbath, seven; 
 besides the (T^SD) Mapktere with the exception of the fast-days 
 who reads a chapter from one of the prophets in conclusion 
 (mD3n), which has usually some reference to the order of the day. 
 All those present, who do not know the parts read aloud by heart, 
 ought to read them to themselves, only loud enough to reach their 
 own ears, after the reader, from a printed Bible. In old times, it 
 was also customary, for an appointed translator to read a translation 
 of each verse aloud, after the reader had read it in Hebrew. A 
 custom, which, more than any other, ought certainly to be reinstated. 
 
 * The person called up to the law, on ascending the HSH or desk, says, 
 D30.J? ";and receives for answer: "pis' ; ne then*says : "pann " HX 1313 
 and is answered: ^ oSlJ? 1 ? "p3Dn " 1113 ; he then resumes : " 
 TJM DS\yH *p3Dn; an d adds the following grace : 
 
 nK uS frui D'Djpn SDD us ins ~w oSijm iSo irnSx 'n nnx 
 
 rrnnn jnu 'n nn 1113 irnin 
 
 Which can be thus translated ; " Praised .... who bast chosen us from 
 all nations, and given us thy law; praised be thou, Eternal, who gavest the 
 law." 
 
 After the reading he says : 
 
 yDj DSrpn "m HDN mm uV jru -WN oSi^n "\hr> irnSx 'n nnx -p-a 
 
 minn fnu 'n nnx -ps irsins 
 
 " Praised . . . who hast given us the law of truth, and hast planted amongst 
 us life everlasting; praised be thou, &c." Translator.
 
 123 
 
 17. 
 
 The following are the principal features of the Jewish calendar. 
 
 We reckon from the creation, and commence the year usually in 
 the month of September. (For example, from the 25th Sept. 1813 
 to the 14th Sept. 1814 was the year 5574 from the creation, or 
 3760 in advance of the Christian era.) A common year (nOH?) HiK?) 
 has twelve months, each of which commences with the new-moon, 
 and has either 29 or 30 days. But the thirtieth day of each month 
 (having this number of days) is also celebrated in the synagogue as 
 a new-moon-day ; so that the succeeding month is considered as 
 having two new-moon-days. For, properly speaking, there is be- 
 tween one new-moon and the other a period of 29 days, 12 hours, 
 and 793 parts (1080 being considered equal to one hour). Now 12 
 such months make only a lunar year of 354 days, and consequently 
 somewhat more than eleven days less than a solar year. Therefore, 
 to remain even with the solar year, and to celebrate the passover- 
 feast, agreeably to the biblical precept in the spring -month,* an ad- 
 ditional month of 29| days (before the passover-month), which is 
 called TINT or 'Jt? "nx (Veadar), is intercalated every two or three 
 years. Such a year of 1 3 months is called a leap-year (maiyo HJB?); 
 and in every period of nineteen years (commonly called: pp "WHO, 
 lunar cycle) are always seven such leap-years ; to wit : the 3d, 6th, 
 8th, llth, 14th, 17th, and 19th. 
 
 * -3 ynSN 'rib HOD r?W$\ raNn Bnn nx niDff " Take care to observe 
 
 nS'S D'-tfDD ynSr-< 'n it-^in Tsxn vnnz the spring-month, 
 
 that thou sacrifices! in the same the passover-offering in honour of the Eternal 
 thy God ; for in the spring-month did the Eternal thy God bring thee oat 
 of Egypt at night." (Deut. 16 ch. 1 v.) 
 
 This is thus explained in Tradition: "Take care of the spring month, take 
 especial care, that thou organisest thy calculation so, that the month in which 
 thou bringest the passover-lamb, be also the one in which the grain ripens. ' 
 
 t Properly speaking, the leap-year has thirty days additional, as the month 
 Adar, which haa commonly twenty-nine, has in this case thirty days. 
 
 Translator.
 
 124 
 
 18. 
 
 We have no proper names for the days of the week; and instead 
 of Sunday, Monday, &c. we say merely the first, second, third, 
 day, &c. of the week. The same was the case with the months 
 before the Babylonian captivity : for only a few had particular 
 names, as far as we know, previous to that time ; and they 
 were commonly designated as the first, second, fyc. To distin- 
 guish, however, that month more particularly, in which the chil- 
 dren of Israel went out of Egypt, and to perpetuate through this 
 means the recollection of this memorable occurrence in every 
 possible manner, it is considered as the first of the months,* 
 although in point of fact the year commences in the fall, as can 
 be clearly inferred from several passages of Scripture (particularly 
 Exod. 23 ch. 16 v. and 34 ch. 22 v.). Others are of opinion, that 
 we have two kinds of year; and that the civil year (i.e. for all 
 occurrences in civil life) commences in the fall; but the ecclesias- 
 tical, or that relating to religious matters, in the spring. 
 
 19. 
 
 We will now give a list of the months, with their present names, 
 in the biblical order, together with the festivals and other remark- 
 able days, occurring in each of them. 
 
 jD'J Nissan, (in the older parts of Scripture, 3'3NH Bnn spring 
 month, lit. the month when the grain shoots into ears), has always 
 thirty days, from about the 20th of March to the 18th of April; it is 
 in fact the seventh, and in a leap year the eighth month of the 
 year; but is, from the reason just given, called the first in rank. 
 On the 14th of this month (nD3 any Passover-eve) all leavened bread 
 with whatever belongs to it, (as vessels, in which it has been pre- 
 
 'inn 1 ? cub >4in ptwn o^nn mi o^ 1 ? run tsnnn "This 
 
 month shall be to you the first of mouths ; it shall be to you the first of all 
 the months of the year." (Ex. 12 ch. 2 v.)
 
 125 
 
 pared, beer, spirituous liquors made of grain, &c.), must be re- 
 moved out of the house ; and on the evening of the same day the 
 Passover, or rn^Dn Jn feast of unleavened bread, commences, and 
 lasts with us eight days ; during all which time nothing leavened of 
 wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt, is permitted to be eaten or used. 
 
 In the times, when the temple yet stood, the passover-lamb (|3ip 
 noa) was sacrificed in the afternoon of the 14th day, midst songs 
 of festivity and praise; and it was necessary, that it should be eaten 
 in each family in the evening, and nothing was to be left till the 
 morning. Even in our days, it is yet customary in Israel, that every 
 head of a family relates this night to the inmates of his house, who 
 are assembled around him to partake of the wine of grace and 
 the unleavened cakes, the wonderful history of our redemption 
 from Egyptian thraldom. 
 
 Concerning every thing, which relates to the festivity, origin, du- 
 ties, and customs of this feast, we are fully informed in the 12th and 
 13th chapters of Exodus; these are therefore read in the synagogue 
 on the first day of Passover (the 15th of the month). 
 
 20. 
 
 Of the eight days, during which we celebrate the feast of unlea- 
 vened bread, only the two first (the 15th and 16th) and the two last 
 (21st and 22nd) are kept as strict holidays (trip 'JOpD). The four 
 middle-days, however, are called (lyiDH Sin) intermediate-days, or 
 half- festivals; and they are in so far distinguished from the strictly 
 kept holidays, as we are permitted to pursue on these days the 
 means of our support, and to do those things which cannot be 
 conveniently deferred. 
 
 21. 
 
 The second month we call lyar (T^K); in the older Scriptures 
 however it has the name of rt (the month of splendour or beauty); it 
 has always 29 days, from about the 19th of April to the 17th of May.
 
 126 
 
 The 18th of this month is known by the name of iDtya J"S, i. e. 
 the 33rd from the day, on which an omer-full of the first-ripe grain 
 was sacrificed in the temple, that is to say, from the second day of 
 the passover. It is said, that an epidemic disease, which once 
 swept away a great number of Rabbi Akiba's scholars, ceased en- 
 tirely on this day, for which reason it is also called the scholars' 
 feast. 
 
 22. 
 
 The third month, Sivan (jVD), has always thirty days; from about 
 the 18th of May to the 16th of June. 
 
 On the sixth and seventh we celebrate the Pentecost; in Scrip- 
 ture it is called, niyatyn JH the feast of weeks, on account of the 
 seven weeks, which we count from the second day of the Passover 
 till this time; also Tjfpn Jfl, harvest-feast, for, as it appears from 
 many passages, it is highly probable, that the harvest commenced 
 in Palestine immediately after Passover, and was finished in the dif- 
 ferent districts during these seven weeks.* This feast is also called 
 
 |HJ "ON "7K pXH HN 1&O/V3 " When you come in the land 
 VtyX"! 1DJ7 HN Dntani nWp nN Omypl which I give you, and you 
 * 'iJl triDH Stf D3V3fp wiN commence harvesting, 
 
 Dson DVD nat?n mriDn DD 1 ? oniaoi y u Bha11 brin s then an 
 -tD'Dn ninety yyy naunn IDJT nx omer-full of the first of your 
 
 ' ' ' nj"nn cutting to the priest, &c. 
 
 nnjn anaipni You sha11 then count from 
 naun onS wan the da y after the festival 
 
 seven full weeks ; that is to say, from the day that you brought the omer of 
 the wave-offering .... You shall then bring a new meal-offering in honour 
 of the Eternal. From your residences you shall bring two loaves of the 
 finest flour, as a wave-offering, two tenth of an epha, &c." (Lev. 23 ch. 10 
 22 v.) 
 
 riDp3 BTO-in Snnn lS laon n " Seven weeks thou shall num-
 
 127 
 
 D'lDan DV, the day of the first ripe fruits, because on this day it was 
 usual to bring the first fruits, as a present, to the temple. In our 
 synagogues this feast is particularly celebrated, as the day of the 
 promulgation of the law (umin JHD JDl), which was revealed on 
 this day in so extraordinary a manner on Mount Sinai. (See Exo- 
 dus, chap. 19th.) 
 
 , ' :!; liiBfU 
 
 23. 
 
 The fourth month, Tamuz (nnn), has always 29 days; from about 
 the 17th of June to the 15th of July. The 17th of this month 
 (ilDfia ivy nyiw) is a universal day of fasting and repentance. 
 Zachariah (8 ch. 19 v.) calls it: '^'2in D1 the fast of the fourth 
 month. According to Jeremiah (39 ch. 2 v.) the conquest of Jeru- 
 salem, the capital of the Jewish empire, did take place as early as 
 the ninth of this month, after a siege of eighteen months (about 
 3340 A. M.); the fast day is nevertheless at the present time fixed 
 for the seventeenth, because this is the day, on which Jerusalem 
 was taken by the Romans just before the destruction of the second 
 temple (about 3830 A. M.), which event is more immediately cala- 
 mitous to us, than the conquest by Nebuchadnezzar: besides several 
 other calamities befel our nation on this day, as we read in the 
 Mishna. (Tr. TaanithlV.) 
 
 24. 
 
 The fifth month, Ab (2), has always 30 days, from about the 
 16th of July to the 14th of August. The ninth of this month 
 (aK3 n;'BT\) is distinguished by the many calamities, which our na- 
 
 13DS Snn ber, from the time that the 
 yn*7K 'nS sickle is first laid on the 
 
 standing corn, thou shall commence, counting the seven weeks ; and at the 
 end, thou shall make the feast of weeks in honour of the Eternal." (Deut. 
 16 ch. 9 v.)
 
 128 
 
 tion encountered on the same, (see Talmud Roshe Hashanah, fol. 18; 
 Taanith, fol. 27, and other places) chiefly however by the destruc- 
 tion of the first and the second temples, and the total dissolution of 
 the Jewish state. (2 Kings 25 ch. 8 v. and Jeremiah 52 ch. 12 v.) 
 It is for this reason the principal day of fasting and mourning; the 
 fasting commences already on the evening previous, and the La- 
 mentations of Jeremiah (nirx) are sung in the synagogue both 
 evening and morning. In Zechariah (8 ch. 19 v.) this day is called: 
 'BfDnn Dl the fast of the fifth month. (In dating a letter, &c. 
 this month is commonly called Menachem DHJD after this day.) 
 
 The 15th of this month (a&G "wy nttfDH) was formerly a day de- 
 voted to rural festivities. The young females of the Israelites ce- 
 lebrated then, with dances and festive ornaments, the commemora- 
 tion of the reconciliation, which they effected, between all the other 
 tribes of the Israelites, and the tribe of Benjamin, which had been 
 weakened, and nearly exterminated, in the bloody civil war, which 
 is recorded in the last chapter of the book of Judges. The working 
 people then resigned themselves to merriment, because on that day 
 terminated annually the cutting of the wood for the use of the 
 altar, (Nehem. 10 ch. 34 v.); therefore it is also called: bjD "OD DV 
 the day, on which the axe was broken. (Talmud, Taanith, fol. 30.) 
 
 25. 
 
 The sixth month, Elul (blSx), has always only 29 days; from about 
 the 15th of August to the 12th of September. In the common 
 computation of time, from the creation of the world, it is the last of 
 the civil year; the last days of the same are called nrvSon 'D s * 
 " days of forgiving of sins;" because additional penitential prayers 
 are read in the synagogues before the break of day, and the people 
 
 * This is according to the custom of the German Jews ; but the Portu- 
 guese commence already with the first of this month. 
 
 Translator.
 
 129 
 
 are reminded to repent. Many persons moreover fast voluntarily on 
 the same, in order to conclude the year with repentance, devotion, 
 and the exercise of good deeds. The same is the case with the 
 first ten days of the new year, which are therefore called t\~\wy 
 mwnn 'D' " the ten days of repentance." The Rabbis describe 
 them as a time, appointed for the trial and judgment of the world, 
 in which the occurrences of the coming year are ordained, as well 
 for each individual, as for the whole body of mankind. (See Tal- 
 mud Tractate Roshe Hashanah and Tractate Yoma.) 
 
 26. 
 
 The seventh and in the civil year the first month is Tishry 
 ("ityn), and has always 30 days; from about the 13th of September 
 to the 12th of October. In the older parts of Scripture, it is called 
 D^nxn PIT, the month of the gathering of the yet remaining pro- 
 duce of the field. (According to others-, the first month of the 
 ancients, i. e. of those who lived before Moses.) 
 
 The first two days of this month are strictly observed, and cele- 
 brated in the synagogues in solemn manner by the reading of many 
 particular prayers and hymns, but chiefly by the blowing of the 
 cornet (i3ity njrpn). This festival we call T\yvr\ tPJO the beginning 
 of the year; in holy writ it is styled p"OTn DV the Day of Remem- 
 brance; also nynn DV the day of the blowing of the cornet. (Lev. 
 23 ch. 24 v. and Num. 29 ch. 1 v.) The Rabbins refer to this 
 day the 81st Psalm, which says: 
 
 pn '3 13JH DV 1 ? HDOD nait? anrn lypn " Blow the cornet on the 
 3p;r 'nSxS W3^D Kin Sjojy 1 ? new-moon-day ! at the 
 celebration of our solemn festival ; it is a statute for Israel, an or- 
 dinance of Jacob's God." 
 
 The blowing of the cornet on the new year's day, is a sign of 
 
 our proclaiming our God, as king; it should remind us of that 
 
 blowing of the cornet, which the people heard, when the law was 
 
 proclaimed from Sinai; then again it is intended to serve as an 
 
 18
 
 130 
 
 earnest admonition to the people, and an excitation to repentance 
 and conversion;* as also Amos (ch. 3. v. 6.) says: 
 
 i"nrr xS Dpi T;>3 law yprv DX " Could the cornet be blown in 
 a city, and the people not tremble?" 
 
 This however is one of those Mosaic precepts, from the obser- 
 vance of which the females are exempt, since it is only for a fixed 
 time. (See above.) 
 
 27. 
 
 The third of this month is a universal fast day irrblJ, D1V on 
 account of the murder of that noble minded man, Gedaliah, son of 
 Ahikam, whom Nebuchadnezzar had appointed chief of the Israel- 
 ites yet remaining in their country, after the destruction of the 
 first temple; and who was, on this day, treacherously slain, as were 
 also many others of his friends, by which means the people of Is- 
 rael were thrown in the greatest misery. (Jer. 41 ch. 2 v. and 
 
 * nJt?i~1 5^X12 ISM? fiypnty "2 *~ty nt** " Tt is indeed incumbent on 
 DTP" Illy IDI^D ia Iff" ID") airOH nTTJ us, by the command of 
 
 pn D^n-nJI DDnJiyD the law, to blow the cor- 
 mm a3'^D ItySm net on this day ; but it 
 X DD*nn has nevertheless the 
 ittn pin meaning, as if it were 
 
 ! Vr xSi hyr t^~~f to cal1 to us : Awake ' y e 
 D^^DI oyyn n^m who 8lee P ! rouse y ur - 
 
 'ui naiD x 1 ? IBM inatynoi n^in ID^T ODD -. selves, ye who slumber 
 
 ( nawn niaSna y'fl D"3Dl) remember your Creator ! 
 
 investigate your conduct and repent! O you, who, forgetful, of the true aim 
 of truth, squander away the precious time, and spend the whole year in 
 worthless and foolish pursuits, and grasp at that which is worthless look 
 but once after the welfare of your souls, and mend your actions ! Let each 
 of you take a look at his deeds and pursuits, and forsake his evil course, and 
 suppress his evil desires, the tendency of which is injurious, &c." (Mai- 
 monides.)
 
 131 
 
 2 Kings 25 ch. 25 v.) In Zechariah (8 ch. 19 v.) this day is call- 
 ed "yiurn Oi the fast day of the seventh month. 
 
 28. 
 
 The tenth of this month is called omaDn DV, Day of Atonement, 
 and is considered as the holiest day of the whole year, and is set en- 
 tirely apart for fasting, devotion, and repentance. 
 Nin Dnajn nr nin yzwn ur\rh iwyz IN " But on the tenth day of 
 . ... DD'ntJ?3J nx orrjjn D3 1 ? nvr tsnp inpa this seventh month, 
 or o nin orn DV;O \vyr\ xS ror-tSo Sai is the Day of Atone- 
 'n 'JaS DirSp na:) 1 ? Nin onaa ment, it shall be to 
 orrjjn no 1 -? t<in pnaa^ naw you a day of holy 
 ai^ iy ai^D 31^3 t^nn 1 "? n^tyna convocation and of 
 
 D3n3tJ? fasting No 
 
 work shall ye be permitted to do on the same ; for it is the Day of 
 Atonement, on which you will be pardoned before the Eternal your 
 God .... It shall be to you a complete day of rest, and you shall 
 fast ; on the evening of the ninth you shall commence, and keep 
 your resting day from evening to evening." (Lev. 23 ch. 26 
 32 v.) 
 
 ! In the times of the temple this day was distinguished by a pecu- 
 liar mode and order of sacrifices and offerings, and the service was 
 obliged to be performed by the high priest alone, who was then also 
 permitted to enter this one day, but on no other throughout the 
 whole year, into the holy of holies (D'Bnpn tsnp). The reader will 
 please to refer to the 16th chapter of Leviticus, which is also read 
 in the synagogue, as the order of the day. Whoever confesses, on 
 this day, his sins before God, with a sorrowful heart, and promises 
 amendment, and yields all enmity towards his neighbours, and en- 
 deavours to pacify those whom he has injured, wronged, or offended : 
 has the promise, that he will receive a complete remission of sin 
 and pardon of God. The object of the Day of Atonement is also 
 to promote the reconciliation of one man with another, as is also
 
 132 
 
 said by our sages in many passages of their writings. Thus, they 
 also explain the 30th verse from the 16th ch. of Leviticus, in the 
 last Mishna of Yoma: 
 
 ODTixan SDD D^nx ina 1 ? why ISD- n?n ova o " ' For on this day 
 3"n' mpoS DIX paty niYay nncan 'n 'ja 1 -? shall atone- 
 ~\y "I33D 3"n' pt-< iranS oix pat? niray ISDD ment be ex- 
 
 nan nx r\yvw tended to 
 
 you, to cleanse you ; from all your sins before the Eternal you shall 
 be clean.' For those sins alone, which were committed against the 
 Eternal, the Day of Atonement can be available ; but not for those, 
 by which one man has transgressed against another, as long as he 
 has not asked his pardon, and made restitution to him, or otherwise 
 satisfied him." 
 
 29. 
 
 The 15th of this month is the first day of the feast of Tabernacles, 
 niDDn JH and yDNn ;n the festival of the gathering, or the autumn- 
 al feast. 
 
 The two first and the two last days are celebrated with us as holy 
 festivals tjnp 'KlpD but the five intermediate days, are, like the 
 middle days of the passover, only half-festivals (nyion Sin 'a')- For 
 the ordinances relating to this festival, see Lev. 23 ch. 33 44 v. 
 There we read also: 
 
 onnn naa Tin yy na ptPKin ova oaS onnpSi " And ye shall take 
 
 'n '^a 1 -? onnDtjn Sm 'aijn nay \y ^y} unto yourselves 
 o'D' rnyat? o:rnSx on the first day, 
 
 the fruit of the tree Hadar (annx) ; the palm-branch (a^iS-Lutoi); 
 the twig of the tree Aboth (myrtle), and the willow of the brook ; 
 and you shall be joyful before the Eternal your God, for seven 
 days."* 
 
 * Some of our learned men think the probable meaning of this bunch. 
 to be, that it should be a symbol of concord and friendship, and at the timo
 
 133 
 
 ozrrm iyr ]ynh D'D" nyyzt ucm roo:i " Seven days you 
 
 nx 'mtyin rnaoa ^ shall dwell in 
 
 'n 'jx onxa pxn booths 
 
 that your latest descendants may learn to know, that I caused the 
 children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of 
 the land of Egypt, I am the Lord your God." 
 
 30. 
 
 The two last days of this festival (the 22nd and 23rd of the 
 month) on which however neither of the just mentioned precepts 
 are to be observed, i. e. i"DD and ^SlS we celebrate under the name of 
 PRXy jn TDty the concluding feast; according to the precept of the 
 Pentateuch, (Numb. 29 ch. 35 v.): 
 
 wyn t^S r\-\iy rof-tSn SD no 1 ? rvnn rmy Totpn ova " On the 
 eighth day you shall have the feast of conclusion, and do no manner 
 of work." 
 
 And whereas the 54th section of the law nimn nxn is read on 
 the last day, and the annual reading of the Pentateuch is thus con- 
 cluded: it is the occasion of particular rejoicing, which we call 
 mm nnnt? rejoicing of the law, and it is celebrated in many places 
 with much cordiality and convivial merriment. 
 
 31. 
 
 The eighth month, Marcheshvan (JWTTID), in the older parts of 
 Scripture ^n TIT rain-month, has sometimes 29, at other times 30 
 days; from about the 13th of October to the 12th of November. 
 
 an admonition to us, not to despise any created thing, be it ever so unim- 
 portant: the common willow and the most beautiful and aromatic fruit of 
 the most elegant tree the lowest and the highest, are alike before the Eternal. 
 According to others, these four kinds have reference to the human body: 
 the heart, the back-bone and ribs, the eyes and lips all should be devoted 
 to the service of the Eternal.
 
 134 
 
 32. 
 
 The ninth month, Kislev (lSD3), also has sometimes 29, at other 
 times 30 days; from about the 13th of November to the llth of 
 December. 
 
 On the twenty-fifth of this month commence the eight days of 
 the consecration (of the temple) ro:n 'D' ruiDl? ; on these days 
 portions from the Pentateuch are daily read in the synagogue ; the 
 Hallelhhr] (Psalms 113 118) is sung, and the O'DJilS;? (a prayer 
 of thanksgiving, which contains (he occasion of this church-festival) 
 is inserted in the eighteen benedictions, and in the grace after meals. 
 This festival was instituted in commemoration of a great victory, 
 which the Israelites achieved (about 3630 A. M.) under the gui- 
 dance of the high priest Mathathias and his sons (the Maccabees) 
 over the army of Antiochus Epiphanes. After which event, the 
 temple at Jerusalem, which had been defiled by the Greeks, was 
 purified, and the altar rebuilt, and again consecrated. 
 
 During this festival lamps are lighted every evening, both in the 
 synagogues and the dwellings of the Jews, midst songs of praise 
 and thanksgiving. 
 
 The number of the lights of consecration is every day augment- 
 ed by one; namely, one lamp only is lighted on the evening after the 
 24th, the second night two, and so forth, till on the last evening eight 
 lamps are lighted. 
 
 33. 
 
 The tenth month, Tebeth n3B, has never more than 29 days; from 
 about the 12th of December to the 9th of January. 
 
 The tenth of this month roB2 mE# is a fast day, because Ne- 
 buchadnezzar, king of Babylon, commenced the siege of Jerusalem, 
 during the time of the first temple, on this day. (2 Kings 25 ch. 1 v. 
 and Jeremiah 39 ch. 1 v.) In Zechariah (8 ch. 19 v.) this day is 
 called n'tfyn DlX, the fast of the tenth month.
 
 135 
 
 DM T31H DiX nwov 'n 1DN HD " Thus speaketh the 
 mirr mS rrrr -TET^H oixi yyim Eternal Zebaoth: 
 mStprn naxm D'aita on^n 1 ?! nnoti/Si The fast of the 
 fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of 
 the tenth, shall be changed unto the house of Judah, to gladness and 
 to joy, and into happy festivals ; but love ye only truth, love but 
 peace !" 
 
 The reader will please to compare this passage with the seventh 
 chapter of the same prophet, where he refers to the ancient pro 1 
 phets (Isaiah 58 ch. and Jeremiah 22 ch. &c.), who there 1 ' teach 
 which fasting is truly pleasing and acceptable to the Deity. 
 
 34. 
 
 The eleventh month, Shebat oyy, has always thirty days; from 
 about the 10th of January to the 8th of February. 
 
 The twelfth month, Adar vtx, has in a common year nttltPS rot? 
 only 29, but in a leap-year, JTUiya," 30 days ; from about the 9th 
 of February to the 10th of March. The month, which in a leap- 
 year is intercalated after Adar, is called Ve-Adar or Adar Sheny 
 (second Adar) mxi or 'J5? YIK, and has always twenty-nine days. 
 
 35. 
 
 The thirteenth of the last month (either Adar or Ve-adar) is 
 called inox rrjyn (fast of Esther), and is intended to remind us of 
 that ever memorable fast, which the queen Esther imposed upon 
 herself and the Israelitish inhabitants of Susan. (Esther 4 ch. 16 v.) 
 The day following (the 14th) is a day of rejoicing, called Purim 
 oms, in commemoration of the miraculous deliverance of the Is- 
 raelites, through the agency of Mordecai and Esther, from the 
 evil machinations of Haman, the cruel minister of the Persian 
 king Ahasuerus, about 3400 A. M. 
 
 The book of Esther (irDK nSjn), which contains the account of 
 this transaction, is then read in the synagogues with becoming so-
 
 136 
 
 lemnity, in the evening and the morning, and the prayer of thanks 
 (D'DJH Sy), is inserted in the eighteen benedictions and in the grace 
 after meals. 
 
 Family entertainments and other modes of rejoicing, but more 
 particularly distributing of alms and deeds of benevolence, ought 
 to enhance the festivities of this day; as we read: 
 
 nun rnStyoi nnnts>i nnc?D 'D 1 onix nityy 1 ? " To make them days of 
 OTSxS nunni in;nS ivx feasting and joy, and 
 to send presents to one another, and to distribute gifts to the needy." 
 (Esther, 9 ch. 22 v.) 
 
 36. 
 
 At all our Sabbaths and festivals, as also in every other respect, 
 we reckon the night, as being a part of the following day; and this 
 appears to be the proper mode of calculation from many parts of 
 Scripture; and more especially from the history of the creation; 
 where it says: And it was evening, and it was morning, one day. 
 (Genesis 1 ch.) 
 
 37. 
 
 Those of the holy days, which are to be kept strictly, ( 80, call- 
 ed in Scripture, days of holy convocation), differ from the Sabbath 
 only in so far, by its being permitted then, if we xcept the 
 Day of Atonement, to kindle fire and light, cook and bake, and do 
 every thing which is requisite for the immediate preparation of food. 
 As we read in Exo. 12 ch. 16 v.: 
 
 SoS SDK' "WK ]* ona rvyy vh ro^So bs " No labour shall be 
 QDhnwy TO 1 ? ton &'SJ done on the same, 
 but whatever serves as food for man, this alone may be done for 
 you." 
 
 38. 
 The following is the reason, why the Israelites residing out of
 
 137 
 
 Palestine always prolong the prescribed duration of the festivals 
 one day: In old times, when the calculation of the year was yet un- 
 certain, and the rules for regulating the calendar were not yet laid 
 down, it was impossible to know, if a month should have 29 or 
 30 days, until a formal decree of the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem had 
 been issued concerning the same. This decree could not be made, 
 till after the appearance of the new-moon; but immediately there- 
 after messengers were sent out to the provinces, who travelled with 
 the utmost expedition, to make those at a distance acquainted with 
 the day, on which the festivals ought to commence. Those Israel- 
 ites, therefore, who lived so far from Jerusalem, that they could not 
 receive the account till after the fourteenth of the month, were com- 
 pelled, since they were ignorant of the proper period of the com- 
 mencement of the feast, to observe two days, instead of one, not to 
 miss the proper period of the festival. And this second day of the 
 festival of the distant (captives} nvSj hm ^ys B" 1 was sanctioned by 
 the Talmudists; and it was decreed, that it should be observed 
 by the Israelites out of Palestine., ccm then, uhen the calendar had 
 been every where established according to fixed and certain rules. 
 'Maimonides. cnnn amp nioSnn rT'a o"30i) 
 
 39. 
 
 The three festivals, Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, had, be- 
 sides being originally instituted in commemoration of certain particu- 
 lar national events, also reference to agriculture, which was, as has 
 been shown, . 1 70, the chief employment and avocation of the Israel- 
 ites. This is demonstrated not alone by the sacrifices, which were 
 offered on the same as the omer of the first cut grain on Pass- 
 over; the two loaves on Pentecost, and the feast at the conclusion 
 of the harvest; but also by the names, which are given to these 
 festivals in Scripture. (See Exod. 23 ch. 16 v. and Deuteronomy 
 16 ch. 913 v.) Bui 
 
 jm mwa inrmipK y; % o muaTvn Jrn l< And (Pentecost) the 
 19
 
 138 
 
 
 
 T.3DPO 
 
 harvest-feast of the 
 first ripened of thy 
 field-labours, namely, of that which thou sowest in thy field. And 
 (Tabernacles) the feast of the gathering of thy fruit, at the end of 
 the year, when thou hast gathered the produce of thy labour from 
 the field." 
 
 40. 
 
 These three festivals are also commonly called D'Sjl vhw, the 
 three seasons of Pilgrimage ; because these were the periods, at 
 which the people used to undertake their pilgrimages to Jerusalem. 
 (See Exodus 23 ch. 14 v. and 34 ch. 23 v. also Deut. 16 ch. 16 v.) 
 By these pilgrimages it was intended to excite in the people a love 
 of virtue and religion; and that they should, by their presence in 
 God's holy sanctuary, be filled with a holy reverence for God, tem- 
 ple, priests, and the teachers of the law. 
 
 The festivals also afforded excellent opportunities of allaying 
 family disputes, promoting concord, and creating friendship. 
 
 The pilgrimage in the autumn of the seventh (release) year, was 
 particularly remarkable, on account of the public religious instruc- 
 tion. As no field-labour was performed in this year, every man 
 could find time and leisure to attend the great assemblage, in which 
 the king, or other chief of the nation, read, on the second day of 
 the feast of Tabernacles, a great portion of the Pentateuch to the 
 members of both sexes, with the utmost possible solemnity. 
 
 noon jna nootpn KM nynn D^P yyo ypa " At the end of 
 SJOP' hi 1:3 nxm minn nx aopn seven years, 
 D ' w 3 n i D't?3Nn D>*n 
 
 rc\\yyh nnan DD'n 1 ?*? 'n ns INTI nnS 
 
 minn n:n ^a nx 
 
 Snpn 
 
 at the time of 
 the release- 
 year, on the 
 
 feast of Tabernacles, . . . thou shalt read this law aloud in the pre- 
 sence of all Israel. Thou shalt assemble the whole people, the men, 
 women, and children, . . . that they may hear and learn to fear the 

 
 139 
 
 Eternal your God, and observe to do all (he words of this la\v." 
 (Deut. 31 ch. 1013 v.) 
 
 Here we find a positive commandment, that the females also 
 should receive religious instruction ; and the will of the law is 
 therefore only then obeyed, when we give all the members of our 
 nation instruction in religious matters, that they may be able to 
 fear the Eternal our God, and to observe all the words of his holy 
 law, which was given " as an inheritance of the congregation of 
 Jacob." 
 
 Erratum. 
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