Hebraic Literature 14

Hebraic Literature 14

Rabbi Yochanan said:--If, after the death of her husband, a woman should

remain unmarried for ten years and then marry again, she will have no

children. Rav Nachman added:--Provided she have not thought of marrying

all the while; but if she had thought of marrying again, in that case

she will have children. Rava once said to Rav Chisda's daughter (who

bore children to Rava, though she did not marry him until ten years

after her first husband's death), "The Rabbis have their doubts about

you." She replied, "I had always set my heart upon thee." A woman once

said to Rav Yoseph, "I waited ten years before I married again, and then

I had children." "Daughter," said he, "do not bring the words of the

wise into discredit. It is thou, not they, that are mistaken." Then the

woman confessed that she had been a transgressor.

 

Ibid., fol. 34, col. 2.

 

The Rabbis teach that if a man live with a wife ten years without issue

he should divorce her and give her the prescribed marriage portion, as

he may not be deemed worthy to be built up by her (that is, to have

children by her).

 

Ibid., fol. 64, col. 2.

 

As a set-off we append here a romantic story paraphrased from

the Midrash Shir Hashirim. A certain Israelite of Sidon, having

lived many years with his wife without being blessed with

offspring, made up his mind to give her a bill of divorcement.

They went accordingly together to Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, that

legal effect might be given to the act of separation. Upon

presenting themselves before him, the Rabbi addressed them in

these fatherly accents:--"My children," said he, "your divorce

must not take place in pettishness or anger, lest people should

surmise something guilty or disgraceful as the motive for the

action. Let your parting, therefore, be like your meeting,

friendly and cheerful. Go home, make a feast, and invite your

friends to share it with you; and then to-morrow return and I

will ratify the divorce you seek for." Acting upon this advice,

they went home, got ready a feast, invited their friends, and

made merry together. "My dear," said the husband at length to

his wife, "we have lived for many a long year lovingly together,

and now that we are about to be separated, it is not because

there is any ill-will between us, but simply because we are not

blessed with a family. In proof that my love is unchanged, and

that I wish thee all good, I give thee leave to choose whatever

thou likest best in the house and carry it away with thee." The

wife with true womanly wit promptly replied, "Well and good, my

dear!" The evening thereafter glided pleasantly by, the wine-cup

went round freely and without stint, and all passed off well,

till first the guests one by one, and then the master of the

house himself, fell asleep, and lay buried in unconsciousness.

The lady, who had planned this result, and only waited its

_denouement_, immediately summoned her confidential handmaids

and had her lord and master gently borne away as he was to the

house of her father. On the following morning, as the stupor

wore off, he awoke, rubbing his eyes with astonishment. "Where

am I?" he cried. "Be easy, husband dear," responded the wife in

his presence. "I have only done as thou allowedst me. Dost thou

remember permitting me last night, in the hearing of our guests,

to take away from our house whatever best pleased me? There was

nothing there I cared for so much as thyself; thou art all in

all to me, so I brought thee with me here. Where I am there

shalt thou be; let nothing but death part us." The two thereupon

went back to Rabbi Shimon as appointed, and reported their

change of purpose, and that they had made up their minds to

remain united. So the Rabbi prayed for them to the Lord, who

couples and setteth the single in families. He then spoke his

blessing over the wife, who became thenceforth as a fruitful

vine, and honored her husband with children and children's

children.

 

A parallel to this, illustrative of wifely devotion, is recorded

in the early history of Germany. In the year 1141, during the

civil war in Germany between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, it

happened that the Emperor Conrad besieged the Guelph Count of

Bavaria in the Castle of Weinsberg. After a long and obstinate

defense the garrison was obliged at length to surrender, when

the Emperor, annoyed that they had held out so long and defied

him, vowed that he would destroy the place with fire and put all

to the sword except the women, whom he gallantly promised to let

go free and pass out unmolested. The Guelph Countess, when she

heard of this, begged as a further favor that the women might be

allowed to bear forth as much of their valuables as they could

severally manage to carry. The Emperor having pledged his word

and honor that he would grant this request, on the morrow at

daybreak, as the castle gates opened, he saw to his amazement

the women file out one by one, every married woman carrying her

husband with her young ones upon her back, and the others each

the friend or relation nearest and dearest to her. At sight of

this, the Emperor was tenderly moved, and could not help

according to the action the homage of his admiration. The result

was that not only was life and liberty extended to the Guelphs,

but the place itself was spared and restored in perpetuity to

its heroic defenders. The Count and his Countess were henceforth

treated by the Emperor with honor and affection, and the town

itself was for long after popularly known by the name of

Weihertreue, i.e., the abode of womanly fidelity.

 

Benedictory condolences are recited by ten men, not reckoning the

mourners; but nuptial blessings are recited by ten men, including the

bridegroom.

 

_Kethuboth_, fol. 8. col. 2.

 

The Mishnic Rabbis have ordained that ten cups of wine be drunk in the

house by the funeral party; three before supper, to whet the appetite;

three during supper, to aid digestion; and four after the meal, at the

recitation of the four benedictions. Afterward four complimentary cups

were added, one in honor of the precentors, one in honor of the

municipal authorities, another in remembrance of the Temple, and the

fourth in the memory of Rabbon Gamliel. Drunkenness so often ensued on

these occasions that the number had to be curtailed to the original ten

cups. The toast to the memory of Rabbon Gamliel was to commemorate his

endeavors to reduce the extravagant expenses at burials, and the

consequent abandonment of the dead by poor relations. He left orders

that his own remains should be buried in a linen shroud, and since then,

says Rav Pappa, corpses are buried in canvas shrouds about a zouz in

value.

 

Ibid., fol. 8, col. 2.

 

At the age of ten years a child should begin to study the Mishna.

 

Ibid., fol. 50, col. 1.

 

Rabbi the Holy, when dying, lifted up his ten fingers toward heaven and

said:--"Lord of the Universe, it is open and well-known unto Thee that

with these ten fingers I have labored without ceasing in the law, and

never sought after any worldly profit with even so much as my little

finger; may it therefore please Thee that there may be peace in my

rest!" A voice from heaven immediately responded (Isa. lvii. 2), "He

shall enter peace: they shall rest in their beds."

 

Ibid., fol. 104, col. 2.

 

Ten measures of wisdom came down to the world; the land of Israel

received nine and the rest of the world but one only. Ten measures of

beauty came down to the world; Jerusalem monopolized nine and the rest

of the world had only one. Ten measures of riches came down to the

world; Rome laid hold of nine and left the rest of the world but one for

a portion. Ten measures of poverty came down to the world; nine fell to

the lot of Babylon and one to the rest of the world. Ten measures of

pride came down to the world; Elam appropriated nine and to the rest of

the world but one remained over. Ten measures of bravery came to the

world; Persia took nine, leaving but one for the rest of the world. Ten

measures of vermin came to the world; nine fell to the Medes and one to

the rest of the world. Ten measures of sorcery came down to the world;

Egypt received nine and one was shared by the rest of the world. Ten

measures of plagues came into the world; nine measures were alloted to

the swine and the rest of the world had the other. Ten measures of

fornication came into the world; nine of these belong to the Arabs and

to the rest of the world the other. Ten measures of impudence found its

way into the world; Mishan appropriated nine, leaving one to the rest of

the world. Ten measures of talk came into the world; women claimed nine,

leaving the tenth to the rest of the world. Ten measures of early rising

came into the world; they of Ethiopia received nine and the rest of the

world one only. Ten measures of sleep came to the world; the servants

took nine of them, leaving one measure to the rest of the world.

 

_Kiddushin_, fol. 49, col. 2.

 

Ten different sorts of people went up from Babylon:--(1.) Priests, (2.)

Levites, (3.) Israelites, (4.) Disqualified Cohanim, (5.) Freedmen, (6.)

Illegitimate, (7.) Nethinim, (8.) Unaffiliated ones, and (10.)

Foundlings.

 

Ibid., fol. 63, col. 1.

 

Ten characteristics mark the phlebotomist:--He walks sideling along; he

is proud; he stoops awhile before seating himself; he has an envious and

evil eye; he is a gourmand, but he defecates little at a time; he is

suspected of incontinence, robbery, and murder.

 

Ibid., fol. 82, col. 1.

 

Rabbi Chanena ben Agil asked Rabbi Cheya ben Abba, "Why does the word,

'signifying that it may be well with thee' not occur in the first copy

of the ten commandments (Exod. xx.) as it does in the second?" (Deut.

v.) He replied, "Before thou askest me such a question, first tell me

whether the word occurs in Deuteronomy or not? for I don't know if it

does." The required answer was given by another Rabbi, "The omission of

the word in the first publication of the ten commandments is due to the

foresight of what was to befall the first tables, for if the word good

had been in the tables, and broken withal, then goodness would have

ceased to bless the sons of Israel."

 

_Bava Kama_, fol. 55, col. 1.

 

The Tosephoth in Bava Bathra (fol. 113, col. 1) ingenuously

admits that the Rabbis were occasionally ignorant of the letter

of scripture. The above quotation may be taken as a sample of

several in corroboration.

 

The Rabbis have taught that when pestilence is abroad no one should walk

along the middle of the road, for there the angel of death would be sure

to cross him. Neither when there is pestilence in a town should a person

go to the synagogue alone, because there, provided no children are

taught there, and ten men are not met to pray there, the angel of death

hides his weapons. The Rabbis have also taught that (like the Banshee of

Ireland), the howling of dogs indicates the approach of the angel of

death, whereas when they sport it is a sign that Elijah the prophet is

at hand, unless one of them happen to be a female, for it is her

presence among them, and not any super-natural instinct, that is to be

understood as the cause of the demonstration.

 

Ibid., fol. 60, col. 2.

 

Ten constitutions were founded by Ezra:--The reading of a portion of

scripture during the afternoon prayers on the Sabbath-day, and during

morning prayers on the second and fifth days of the week (a rule that is

to this day observed in orthodox places of worship), and this for the

reason that three days should not pass by without such an exercise; to

hold courts for the due administration of justice on the second and

fifth days of the week, when the country people came to hear the public

reading of the scriptures; to wash their garments, etc., on the fifth

day, and to prepare for the coming Sabbath; to eat garlic on the sixth

day of the week, as this vegetable has the property of promoting

secretions (see Exod. xxi. 10); that the wife should be up betimes and

bake the bread, so as to have some ready in case any one should come

begging; that the women should wear a girdle round the waist for decency

sake; that they should comb their hair before bathing; that peddlers

should hawk their perfumes about the streets in order that women should

supply themselves with such things as will attract and please their

husbands; and that certain unfortunates (see Lev. xv.) should bathe

themselves before they came to the public reading of the law.

 

_Bava Kama_, fol. 82, col. 1.

 

Ten things are said about Jerusalem:--(1.) No mortgaged house was

eventually alienated from its original owner (which was the case

elsewhere in Jewry). (2.) Jerusalem never had occasion to behead a

heifer by way of expiation for an unproved murder (see Deut. xxi. 1-9).

(3.) She never could be regarded as a repudiated city (Deut. xiii. 12,

etc.). (4.) No appearance of plagues in any house at Jerusalem rendered

the house unclean, because the words of Lev. xiv. 34, are "your

possession," an __EXPRESSION__ which could not apply to Jerusalem, as it had

never been portioned among the ten tribes. (5.) Projecting cornices and

balconies were not to be built in the city. (6.) Limekilns were not to

be erected there. (7.) No refuse heaps were allowed in any quarter. (8.)

No orchards or gardens were permitted, excepting certain flower-gardens,

which had been there from the times of the earlier prophets. (9.) No

cocks were reared in Jerusalem. (10.) No corpse ever remained over night

within its walls; the funeral had to take place on the day of the

decease.

 

Ibid., fol. 82, col. 2.

 

In the Book of Psalms David included those which were composed by ten

elders:--Adam (Ps. cxxxix.); Melchizedek (Ps. cx.); Abraham (Ps.

lxxxix.); Moses (Ps. xc.); the others alluded to were by Heman,

Jeduthun, Asaph, and the three sons of Korah.

 

_Bava Bathra_, fol. 14, col. 2.

 

A man once overheard his wife telling her daughter that, though she had

ten sons, only one of them could fairly claim her husband as his father.

After the father's death it was found that he had bequeathed all his

property to one son, but that the testament did not mention his name.

The question therefore, arose, which of the ten was intended? So they

came one and all to Rabbi Benaah and asked him to arbitrate between

them. "Go," said he to them, "and beat at your father's grave, until he

rises to tell you to which of you it was that he left the property." All

except one did so; and he, because by so doing he showed most respect

for his father's memory, was presumed to be the one on whom the father

had fixed his affections; he accordingly was supposed to be the one

intended, and the others were therefore excluded from the patrimony. The

disappointed ones went straight to the government and denounced the

Rabbi. "Here is a man," said they, "who arbitrarily deprives people of

their rights, without proof or witnesses." The consequence was that the

Rabbi was sent to prison, but he gave the authorities such evidence of

his shrewdness and sense of justice, that he was soon restored to

freedom.

 

_Bava Bathra_, fol. 58, col. 1.

 

Till ten generations have passed speak thou not contemptuously of the

Gentiles in the hearing of a proselyte.

 

_Sanhedrin_, fol. 94, col. 1.

 

The ten tribes will never be restored, for it is said (Deut. xxiii. 28),

"God cast them into another land, as it is this day." As this day passes

away without return, so also they have passed away never more to return.

So says Rabbi Akiva, but Rabbi Eleazar says, "'As it is this day'

implies that, as the day darkens and lightens up again, so the ten

tribes now in darkness shall in the future be restored to light." The

Rabbis have thus taught that the ten tribes will have no portion in the

world to come; for it is said (Deut. xxix. 28), "And the Lord rooted

them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great

indignation." "And he rooted them out of their land," that is, from this

world, "and cast them into another land," that is, the World to come. So

says Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda says, "If their designs

continue as they are at this day, they will not return, but if they

repent they will return." Rabbi (the Holy) says, "They will enter the

world to come, for it is said (Isa. xxvii. 13), 'And it shall come to

pass in that day that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall

come which were ready to perish.'"

 

_Sanhedrin_, fol. 110, col. 2.

 

Ten things are detrimental to study:--Going under the halter of a camel,

and still more passing under its body; walking between two camels or

between two women; to be one of two men that a woman passes between; to

go where the atmosphere is tainted by a corpse; to pass under a bridge

beneath which no water has flowed for forty days; to eat with a ladle

that has been used for culinary purposes; to drink water that runs

through a cemetery. It is also dangerous to look at the face of a

corpse, and some say also to read inscriptions on tombstones.

 

_Horayoth_, fol. 13, col. 2.

 

Ten strong things were created in the world (of which the one that comes

after is stronger than that which preceded). A mountain is strong, but

iron can hew it in pieces; the fire weakens the iron; the water quenches

the fire; the clouds carry off the water; the wind disperses the clouds;

the living body resists the wind; fear enervates the body; wine

abolishes fear; sleep overcomes wine, and death is stronger than all

together; yet it is written (Prov. x. 2), "And alms delivereth from

death" (the original word has two meanings, righteousness and alms).

 

_Bava Bathra_, fol. 10, col. 1.

 

With the utterance of ten words was the world created.

 

_Avoth_, chap. 5, mish. 1.

 

There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, to show how great is God's

long-suffering, for each of these went on provoking Him more and more,

till His forbearance relenting, He brought the flood upon them.

 

Ibid., mish. 2.

 

There were ten generations from Noah to Abraham, to show that God is

long-suffering, since all those succeeding generations provoked Him,

until Abraham came, and he received the reward that belonged to all of

them.

 

_Avoth_, mish. 3.

 

The greatest sinner is uniformly presumed throughout the Talmud

to have a certain amount of merit, and therefore a corresponding

title to reward (see chap. 2, No. 10 = Ps. xxxvii. 35-37). Much

of this last is enjoyed by the wicked themselves in the present

world, and the surplus is often transferred to the credit of the

righteous in the world to come (see "Genesis", page 482, No. 173

= Matt. xiii. 12).

 

Abraham our father was tested ten times; in every case he stood firm;

which shows how great the love of our father Abraham was.