124 (London and Berlin, 1840-41). 78. See below, p. 141, where a full translation of the letter is given. 79. הלכות גדולות, a compendium of the Law, dating from the ninth century, by R. Simon Caro. 80. R. Simlai flourished in Palestine in the third century. He is best known as an Agadic teacher and a great controversialist. According to him, 613 commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, of which 365 are prohibitive laws, whilst the remaining 248 are positive injunctions. 81. שער הנמול, “Treatise on Reward (and Punishment).” 82. עלם הבא. 83. Ps. cix. 4; ואנ תפלה. 84. אצילות. 85. נפש חיח. 86. ידיעה, “Knowledge,” “Foreknowledge,” “Omniscience.” 87. בכוד, שבינה. 88. סגולה. See Exod. xix. 5. 89. חקים. 90. קרב, קרבן. 91. According to a Jewish tradition (the date of which is uncertain) the advent of the Messiah, the Son of David, will be preceded by that of the Messiah, the Son of Joseph. The latter will perish in the battle against Gog and Magog (the Antichrist of Jewish literature), but will soon be brought back to life on the appearance of the former. Cf. G. H. Dalman's Der leidende und der sterbende Messias der Synagoge (Berlin, 1881). 92. בראשית, “In the beginning,” Gen. i. 1. 93. מאין; Job xxvii. 12. 94. Chagigah 14b. The activity of these four Rabbis falls chiefly in the second century. R. Akiba died as a martyr in the Hadrianic persecution (about 130). Elisha b. Abuyah, the apostate, was usually called אחר, Acher, “the other one.” 95. The former lived in the twelfth, the latter in the sixteenth, century. They are both known for their hostility to philosophy. 96. Bachya wrote in the eleventh century a famous book called חובות חלבבות, The Duties of the Heart. For the others see above, p. 13 and note, p. 49 and note, p. 102 and note, p. 97 and note, p. 71 and note. They all belong to the rationalistic school. 97. A younger contemporary of Maimonides, who translated the Guide from Arabic into Hebrew. 98. ספר המשקל. See above, p. 18. R. Moses Cordovora, the author of the סררם, lived in Safed in the sixteenth century. For R. Isaac Loria, the author of the עץ החיים, see above, note 5 to Elijah Wilna. 99. שושן סודות. 100. סשר הבהיר, a forgery by a Provençal Jew of the thirteenth century, who attributed it to a Rabbi of the first century. 101. This hymn is now incorporated in her excellent little book, Songs of Zion, pp. 13-15. 102. זהוב, a gold piece. The country and the date of the writer not being certain, it is impossible to determine the value of this coin. 103. The lawfulness of eating this fish (= sturgeon?) was contested for many centuries, and the controversy still continues. 104. פשוט, a smaller coin than the Zehub. 105. שמע, “Hear,” the verses from Deut. vi. 4-9, xi. 13-21, and Num. xv. 37-41, recited twice a day by the Jews. 106. Sabbath, 30b. 107. מנהג, pl. מנהגים (Minhagim), applied usually to those ritual customs and ceremonies for which there is no distinct authority in the Scriptures or even in the Talmud. 108. Jerusalem, in Mendelssohn's Sämmtliche Werke (Vienna, 1838), especially from p. 264 onwards, and a letter by him published in Frankel-Graetz's Monatsschrift, 1859, p. 173. For Mendelssohn's position, see Graetz's Geschichte, xi. 86 seq., especially p. 88 and note 1; Kayserling, Leben und Werke of M., 2d ed., p. 394; Steinheim, Moses Mendelssohn (Hamburg, 1840), p. 30 seq.; Holdheim, Moses Mendelssohn (Berlin, 1859), p. 18 seq.; Leopold Löw's pamphlet, Jüdische Dogmen (Pesth, 1871). 109. See the Commentaries on Maimonides' סשר המצות, especially R. Simeon Duran's זוהר הרקיע; cf. also ancient and modern commentaries on Exod. xx. 2. 110. See Siphra (ed. Weiss), pp. 86b, 93b. 111. Baba Bathra, 14b; cf. Fürst's Kanon, p. 15. 112. See Sanhedrin, 38b, and Pseudo-Jonathan to Gen. iv. 8. 113. Mechilta, 33b. 114. אפיקורוס, Lat. Epicurus. 115. See Mishnah, Sanhedrin, x. e, § 1, and Talmud, ibid. 90a and b, and Rabbinowicz's Variae Lectiones, ix. p. 247 notes. Besides the ordinary commentaries on the Talmud, account must also be taken of the remarks of Crescas, Duran, Albo, and Abarbanel on the subject. Cf. also Kämpf in the Monatsschrift (1863), p. 144 seq.; Oppenheim, ibid. (1864), p. 144; Friedmann in the Beth Talmud, i. p. 210 seq. See also Talmudical Dictionaries, s.v. אפיקורום. The explanation I have adopted agrees partly with Friedmann's and partly with Oppenheim's views. 116. Sayings of the Fathers, iii. § 9, and iv. § 22. 117. See אדרת אליהו (Jovslow, 1835), p. 48. In my exposition of the dogmas of the Caraites I have mainly followed the late Dr. Frankl's article “Karaiten” in Ersch u. Gruber's Encyclopädie (sec. ii. vol. xxxvi. pp. 12-18). See also his Ein mutazilitischer Kalam and his Beiträge zur Literaturgeschichte der Karäer (Berlin, 1887) on Bashazi. Cf. also Jost's Geschichte, ii. c. 13. 118. Kairowan was one of the greatest centres of Jewish learning in North Africa during that period. 119. See, however, Professor D. Kaufmann's note in the Jewish Quarterly Review, i. p. 441. From this it would seem that the creed of R. Judah Hallevi may be formulated in the following articles:—The conviction of the existence of God, of His eternity, of His guidance of our fathers, of the Divine Origin of the Law, and of the proof of all this, the pledge or token of its truth, the exodus from Egypt. 120. אמונה רמה, Emunah Ramah, pp. 44 and 69; cf. Gulmann, Monatsschrift, 1878, p. 304. 121. For the various translations of the Thirteen Articles which were originally composed in Arabic, see Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. col. 1887. Cf. Rosin, Ethik des Maimonides, p. 30; Weiss, Beth Talmud, i. p. 330, and Ben Chananjah, 1863, p. 942, and 1864, pp. 648 and 697, and Landshut, עמודי העבודה, p. 231. 122. מנחת קנאות. See pp. 1-16. 123. See Hammaskir, viii. pp. 63 and 103. 124. See Steinschneider, Cat. München, No. 210. 125. See the Collection דברי הבמימ, by Ashkenazi, pp. 56b seq. 126. See Albo, c. iii. Probably identical with the author mentioned by Duran, 13b. 127. ספר נצחון, “Sepher Nizzachon.” 128. See אור ה (ed. Johannisburg), preface, and pp. 20a, 44b, 59b, and elsewhere. The style of this author is very obscure. Cf. Joel's pamphlet on this author (Breslau, 1874). 129. See the first pages of the מגן (Leghorn, 1758), and his משסם, pp. 13 seq. 130. עקרים, Ikkarim, “Fundamentals.” 131. See Ikkarim, i. c. 23, and Maimonides' Commentary on the Mishnah (end of tractate Maccoth). On Albo compare Schlesinger's Introduction and notes to the Ikkarim, Joel's pamphlet, p. 82; Paulus, Monatsschrift, 1874, p. 463, and Brüll's Jahrb. iv. p. 52. 132. I know his work from a MS. in the British Museum, Orient. 39. 133. דרך אמונה, Derech Emunah. Cf. Steinschneider, Monatsschrift, 1883, p. 79 seq. 134. See עקידת יצחק, gate 55. 135. See his ימוד האמונה and מאמר האחרות. 136. ראש אמנה. 137. See בהיגת הדת, ed. Reggio, p. 28. 138. See מעשה מבית (Venice, 1707), 16a and 23a. His language is very vague. 139. See the Collection by Ashkenazi (as above, note 18), p. 29b. 140. See his בשמים ראש, p. 331. 141. See Weiss's admirable monograph on Maimonides, published in the Beth Talmud, i. 142. The Hebrew title of the work is דור דור ורורשיו. 143. That is, vows of an ascetic nature (not vows or oaths enforced by a court of justice), which the tribunal could annul when there was sufficient reason for it. 144. The ten Rabbis who are named as the bearers of tradition during the period between 170 and 30 b.c. The “pair” in each case is supposed to have consisted of the president and the vice-president of the Sanhedrin for the time being. See, however, Kuenen, Gesammelte Schriften, p. 49 seq. 145. דרשנים גדולים. 146. הלכות למשה מסיני. They amount, in the whole of Rabbinic literature, to about forty, of which more than ten concern the preparation of the phylacteries, whilst others relate to the libations of water at the Feast of Tabernacles and similar subjects. 147. This is the time when the school of R. Johanan b. Zaccai began its activity. Others place the Tannaitic age in Hillel's time (30 b.c.). 148. בת קרל. 149. בית דין, lit. “Court of Justice,” as above, note 16 to Elijah Wilna, but it means also a sort of permanent Synod, in which of course justice was also administered as a part of religion. 150. עדיות, “Evidences given by Witnesses.” The tractate consists mostly of a number of laws attested by various Rabbis as having come down to them as old traditions. 151. The family of Hillel, which was supposed to be descended from the house of David, supplied the Jews with patriarchs for many generations. Gamaliel II. flourished about 120 a.c., whilst Simon b. Gamaliel's activity as Patriarch falls about 160 a.c. 152. שמכות, Semachoth. It is a euphemistic title, the tractate dealing with the laws relating to funeral ceremonies and mourning. 153. מבוראי, “Elucidators” or “Explainers.” The heads of the schools in Babylon during the fifth and sixth centuries were so designated. 154. The Rabbinic Jews of the dispersion add one day to each festival, and thus celebrate the Passover eight days, the Feast of Weeks two days, etc. The custom arose out of the uncertainty about the first day of the month, the prerogative of fixing the New Moon resting with the great Beth Din in Palestine, which had not always the means of communicating in time the evidence given before them that the New Moon had been seen by qualified witnesses. The prerogative was abolished in the fourth century, and the calendar fixed for all future time, but the additional day is still kept by the Rabbinic Jews as the “Custom of their Fathers.” 155. שיעור קומה, היכלות, “Chambers (of Heaven)” and the “Measure of the Stature,” mystical works in which occasionally gross anthropomorphisms are to be found. Their authorship is unknown. 156. Sabbath, 55a. 157. Sayings of the Fathers (ed. C. Taylor), v. 12-15. See also Sabbath, 32 seq., and Mechilta (ed. Friedman), 95b. Arachin, 16a. 158. See Mechilta, 25a, 32b. Gen. Rabbah, ch. 48, and Tossephta Sotah, iv. 7, and parallels. 159. Taanith, 21a. 160. Sayings of the Fathers, iv. 5. 161. Baba Bathra, 9b. 162. Yoma, 39a. 163. Berachoth, 33a. 164. Sabbath, 13b. 165. Berachoth, 7a. 166. See Mechilta, 68b, and parallels. Siphra, 112b. Pessikta of R. Kahana, 167b. Cp. Sanhedrin, 44a. 167. Aboth de R. Nathan, 40a, 59b, and 62b. 168. Baba Bathra, 10a. 169. Eccles. Rabbah, ix. 7. 170. 5a. 171. 7b. 172. See Mechilta, 95b, and parallels. 173. See Kiddushin, 40b. Mechilta, 63b. Lev. Rabbah, iv. 174. See Sabbath, 54a. 175. Exodus Rabbah, c. 35, and parallels. 176. See Negaim, ii. 1. 177. Exod. Rabbah, c. 46. 178. Taanith, 11a. 179. See Berachoth, 5a. 180. Tanchuma, כי תצא, § 2. Cp. Mechilta, 72b. 181. Siphré, 73b, and parallels. 182. Taanith, 8a. 183. Arachin, 16b. 184. Sayings of the Fathers, iv. 15. 185. See Chagigah, 5a. 186. Sabbath, 55a. 187. Menachoth, 29b. 188. Taanith, 25a. 189. Gen. Rabbah, xxvii.; Pessikta, 136b; Sanhedrin, vi. 5; Berachoth, 7a. 190. Sayings of the Fathers, i. 3, p. 27, ed. Taylor. See also note 8. 191. Abodah Zarah, 19a; Siphré, 79b. 192. Berachoth, 58b. 193. See Exod. R., 30, and parallels. 194. See ראשית חבמה, i. 9. 195. See רמתים נמים, 33b. 196. See Sabbath, 55b, and Siphra, 27a. 197. Judaism and Christianity, a Sketch of the Progress of Thought from Old Testament to New Testament, by C. H. Toy, Professor in Harvard University. London, 1890. 198. See Pessikta of R. Kahana, 61b, and parallels, and Erubin, 13b. 199. Tal. Jer., Sabbath, 5b. 200. מטטרון, the name of an angel, already found in the Talmud, but playing a more important part in the Book of Chambers, where he is identified with Enoch. The etymology of the word is doubtful, some authors considering it to be of Persian origin (Mithra); others again deriving it from the Greek μετὰ τύραννον, or μετὰ θρόνον. 201. ספירות. 202. מימרא, “The Word,” sometimes substituted for God. See J. Levy's Chaldäisches Wörterbuch, s.v. 203. בחר, אדם קדמון. 204. Mechilta, 104a. 205. See Tal. Jer., Yoma, 45b. Cf. Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, הלבות שבת פב הג. 206. Tosephta Berackoth, iii. 7. 207. Sabbath, 10b. The name of the Rabbi is not given, but the fact that R. Simeon b. Gamaliel (160 a.c.) already refers to this interpretation makes it clear that its anonymous author must have lived at least a generation before. 208. כום של קדוש. 209. See Midrash to the Psalms xcii. and Deut. Rabbah iii. The Rabbis perceived in the words וקראת לשבת עננ (Isa. lviii. 13), a command to make the Sabbath a day of pleasure, whilst the word הסצף was understood by them to mean “needs,” “wants,” or “business” (not “pleasure”). Cf. Sabbath, 113a and b. 210. See Gen. Rabbah, xi. (and parallels), and Sabbath, 119a. 211. See Maaseh Torah (ed. Schönblum) and Deut. Rabbah, i. 212. Sabbath, 25b and 119a. 213. Betsah, 16a. Cf. Baer's notes in his Prayer-Book, p. 203 seq. 214. See Sabbath, 119b, and Gen. Rabbah, xi. 215. See Sabbath, 10b, and Gen. Rabbah, ibid. 216. תפלין. 217. Nazir, 23b. 218. אור זרוה by R. Isaac b. Moses of Vienna (thirteenth century), mostly on legal subjects. 219. יוחסין, Yuchasin. 220. מכלל, Miklal. 221. זרעים, מועד, the former treating of the agricultural laws of the Bible, the latter of those relating to the Sabbath, Passover, and other festivals. 222. מחזר, “Cycle,” containing the liturgy for the festivals. 223. Since then edited by the Mekize Nirdamim. 224. Eve of the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. 225. ששח סדרים. ש֜֜ם. 226. ברייתה. 227. פאה. 228. ילקות, Yalkut. 229. חזית. 230. ישוהר נשב. 231. ויסען. 232. ילמרנו והזחיר. 233. רעיא מחימנא. 234. עמק המלך, משנה למלך, מגיד משנה, משנה תורה, ששר המלך. 235. ח֜֜ם שאל. 236. חד גדיא לא ישראל. 237. שני לוחות הכרית. ש֜֜לה. 238. The main authorities on the subjects of this essay are Die Lebensalter, by Dr. Leopold Löw; The Jewish Rite of Circumcision, by Dr. Asher; an article by Dr. Perles in the Graetz Jubelschrift, p. 23 seq.; Merkwürdigkeiten der Juden, by Schudt; the מקורי המנהגים and other works on ritual customs; Güdemann's Geschichte des Erziehungswesens und der Cultur der Juden; and Das Kind in Brauch und Sitte der Völker, by Dr. Ploss. 239. אמתי, אמת. 240. לילית, Is. xxxiv. 14. 241. See above, note 39 to Nachmanides. [Transcriber's Note: The footnote on Shema.] 242. ברית מילה, “Covenant of Circumcision.” This is the usual expression in Hebrew literature for the rite of circumcision. 243. שלום זכר. 244. גוזר, מוהל. 245. פדיון הבן. 246. הקת תהורה, on educational matters. 247. סחורה, “business,” or “wares.” 248. I am indebted for the English adaptation to Mrs. Henry Lucas. 249. Bereshith Rabbah, chapter xx. For another reading see ראשית הכמה (ed. Cracow), p. 374. 250. Abodah Zarah, 3b. 251. This is the way in which Deut. xxxi. 10-12 was explained. 252. סופרים, “Scribes”; treating of the regulations concerning the writing of the Law, but containing also much liturgical matter. 253. סשרדים, by which name the Jews of the Spanish rite are designated. 254. נצראן ישן, a controversial work published by Wagenseil. See above, p. 203, for another victory. 255. סנדלפון, who is probably known to the English reader from Longfellow's poem. 256. בר מצוה. 257. קידוש, “Sanctification”—“benediction”—on the eve of Sabbath, which is pronounced over a cup of wine. 258. שמכת תורה, or on the 23rd of Tishri, when the last portion from the Pentateuch is read. 259. הלל, “Praise,” i.e. Ps. cxiii.-cxviii. 260. קדִש, the name of a prayer commencing יתגדל ויתקדש, “Magnified and sanctified be,” etc. 261. Prayer beginning ברכו, “Bless ye,” etc. 262. ברוך שאמר, beginning of a prayer, “Blessed be He,” etc. 263. See Schürer's Die Gemeindeverfassung der Juden in Rom, p. 24. Cf. Hebräische Bibliographie, xix. p. 79. 264. זבאת. 265. תהנות. 266. מעבר יכק. 267. יעמוד. In olden times the weekly lesson from the Law used to be read by seven members of the congregation who were “called up” for this purpose; the Priest and the Levite took precedence of laymen for this honour. At the present day, the members of the congregation are still called up, but the actual reading is performed by an official.
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