Hebraic Literature 16

Hebraic Literature 16

The Rabbis say that at first they used to communicate the Divine name of

twelve letters to every one. But when the Antinomians began to abound,

the knowledge of this name was imparted only to the more discreet of the

priestly order, and they repeated it hastily while the other priests

pronounced the benediction of the people. (What the name was, says

Rashi, is not known.) Rabbi Tarphon, the story goes on to say, once

listened to the high priest, and overheard him hurriedly pronouncing

this name of twelve letters while the other priests were blessing the

people.

 

_Kiddushin_, fol. 71, col. 1.

 

Twelve hours there are in the day:--The first three, the Holy

One--blessed be He!--employs in studying the law; the next three He sits

and judges the whole world; the third three He spends in feeding all the

world; during the last three hours He sports with the leviathan; as it

is said (Ps. civ. 26), "This leviathan Thou hast created to play with

it."

 

_Avodah Zarah_, fol. 3, col. 2.

 

Rabbi Yochanan bar Chanena said:--The day consists of twelve hours.

During the first hour Adam's dust was collected from all parts of the

world; during the second it was made into a lump; during the third his

limbs were formed; during the fourth his body was animated; during the

fifth he stood upon his legs; during the sixth he gave names to the

animals; during the seventh he associated with Eve; during the eighth

Cain and a twin sister were born (Abel and his twin sister were born

after the Fall, says the Tosephoth); during the ninth Adam was ordered

not to eat of the forbidden tree; during the tenth he fell, during the

eleventh he was judged; and during the twelfth he was ejected from

paradise; as it is said (Ps. xlix. 13, A.V. 12), "Man (Adam) abode not

one night in his dignity."

 

_Sanhedrin_, fol. 38, col. 2.

 

Rabbi Akiva used to say:--Of five judgments, some have lasted twelve

months, others will do so;--those of the deluge, of Job, of the

Egyptians, of Gog and Magog, and of the wicked in Gehenna.

 

_Edioth_, chap. 2, mish. 10.

 

Plagues come upon those that are proud, as was the case with Uzziah (2

Chron. xxvi. 16), "But when he was strong (proud), his heart was lifted

up to destruction." When the leprosy rose up in his forehead, the Temple

was cleft asunder twelve miles either way.

 

_Avoth d'Rab. Nathan_, chap. 9.

 

This hyperbole is evidently a mere fiction joined on to a truth

for the purpose of frightening the proud into humility. The end

sanctifieth the means, as we well know from other instances

recorded in the Talmud.

 

Those who mourn for deceased relatives are prohibited from entering a

tavern for thirty days, but those who mourn for either father or mother

must not do so for twelve months.

 

_Semachoth_, chap. 9.

 

A creature that has no bones in his body does not live more than twelve

months.

 

_Chullin_, fol. 58, col. 1.

 

The Alexandrians asked Rabbi Joshua twelve questions; three related to

matters of wisdom, three to matters of legend, three were frivolous, and

three were of a worldly nature--viz, how to grow wise, how to become

rich, and how to ensure a family of boys.

 

_Niddah_, fol. 69, col. 2.

 

There was once a man named Joseph, who was renowned for honoring the

Sabbath-day. He had a rich neighbor, a Gentile, whose property a certain

fortune-teller had said would eventually revert to Joseph the

Sabbatarian. To frustrate this prediction the Gentile disposed of his

property, and with the proceeds of the sale he purchased a rare and

costly jewel which he fixed to his turban. On crossing a bridge a gust

of wind blew his turban into the river and a fish swallowed it. This

fish being caught, was brought on a Friday to market, and, as luck would

have it, it was bought by Joseph in honor of the coming Sabbath. When

the fish was cut up the jewel was found, and this Joseph sold for

thirteen purses of gold denarii. When his neighbor met him, he

acknowledged that he who despised the Sabbath the Lord of the Sabbath

would be sure to punish.

 

_Shabbath_, fol. 119, col. 1.

 

This story cannot fail to remind those who are conversant with

Herodotus or Schiller of the legend of King Polycrates, which

dates back five or six centuries before the present era.

Polycrates, the king of Samos, was one of the most fortunate of

men, and everything he took in hand was fabled to prosper. This

unbroken series of successes caused disquietude to his friends,

who saw in the circumstance foreboding of some dire disaster;

till Amasis, king of Egypt, one of the number advised him to

spurn the favor of fortune by throwing away what he valued

dearest. The most valuable thing he possessed was an emerald

signet-ring, and this accordingly he resolved to sacrifice. So,

manning a galley, he rowed out to the sea, and threw the ring

away into the waste of the waters. Some five or six days after

this, a fisherman came to the palace and made the king a present

of a very fine fish that he had caught. This the servants

proceeded to open, when, to their surprise, they came upon a

ring, which on examination proved to be the very ring which had

been cast away by the king their master. (See Herodotus, book

iii.)

 

Among the many legends that have clustered round the memory of

Solomon, there is one which reads very much like an adaptation

of this classic story. The version the Talmud gives of this

story is quoted in another part of this Miscellany (chap. vi.

No. 8, note), but in Emek Hammelech, fol. 14, col. 4, we have

the legend in another form, with much amplitude and variety of

detail, of which we can give here only an outline. When the

building of the Temple was finished, the king of the demons

begged Solomon to set him free from his service, and promised in

return to teach him a secret he would be sure to value. Having

cajoled Solomon out of possession of his signet-ring, he first

flung the ring into the sea, where it was swallowed by a fish,

and then taking up Solomon himself, he cast him into a foreign

land some four hundred miles away, where for three weary long

years he wandered up and down like a vagrant, begging his bread

from door to door. In the course of his rambles he came to Mash

Kemim, and was so fortunate as to be appointed head cook at the

palace of the king of Ammon (Ana Hanun, see 1 Kings xii. 24;

LXX.). While employed in this office, Naama, the king's daughter

(see 1 Kings xiv. 21, 31, and 2 Chron. xii. 13), fell in love

with him, and, determining to marry him, eloped with him for

refuge to a distant land. One day as Naama was preparing a fish

for dinner, she found in it a ring, and this turned cut to be

the very ring which the king of the demons had flung into the

sea, and the loss of which had bewitched the king out of his

power and dominion. In the recovery of the ring the king both

recovered himself and the throne of his father David.

 

The occurrence of a fish and a ring on the arms of the city of

Glasgow memorializes a legend in which we find the same singular

combination of circumstances. A certain queen of the district

one day gave her paramour a golden ring which the king her

husband had committed to her charge as a keepsake. By some means

or other the king got to know of the whereabouts of the ring,

and cleverly contriving to secure possession of it, threw it

into the sea. He then went straight to the queen and demanded to

know where it was and what she had done with it. The queen in

her distress repaired to St. Kentigern, and both made full

confession of her guilt and her anxiety about the recovery of

the ring, that she might regain the lost favor of her husband.

The saint set off at once to the Clyde, and there caught a

salmon and the identical ring in the mouth of it. This he handed

over to the queen, who returned it to her lord with such

__EXPRESSION__s of penitence that the restoration of it became the

bond and pledge between them of a higher and holier wedlock.

 

There were thirteen horn-shaped collecting-boxes, and thirteen tables,

and thirteen devotional bowings in the Temple service. Those who

belonged to the houses of Rabbi Gamliel and of Rabbi Chananiah, the

president of the priests, bowed fourteen times. This extra act of bowing

was directed to the quarter of the wood store, in consequence of a

tradition they inherited from their ancestors that the Ark of the

Covenant was hidden in that locality. The origin of the tradition was

this:--A priest, being once engaged near the wood store, and observing

that part of the plaster differed from the rest, went to tell his

companions, but died before he had time to relate his discovery. Thus it

became known for certain that the Ark was hidden there.

 

_Shekalim_ chap. 3, hal, 1.

 

It is more than probable that the Chananiah, mentioned above, is

the person alluded to in the Acts, chap, xxiii. 2, as "the high

priest Ananias." For the tradition about the Ark. see also 2

Macc. ii. 4, 5.

 

There were thirteen horn-shaped collecting-boxes in the Temple, and upon

them were inscribed new shekels, old shekels, turtle-dove offerings,

young-pigeon offerings, fire-wood, contributions for Galbanus, gold for

the mercy-seat; and six boxes were inscribed for voluntary

contributions. New shekels were for the current year, old shekels were

for the past one.

 

_Yoma_, fol. 55, col, 2.

 

Once on account of long-continued drought Rabbi Eliezer proclaimed

thirteen public fasts, but no rain came. At the termination of the last

fast, just as the congregation was leaving the synagogue, he cried

aloud, "Have you then prepared graves for yourselves?" Upon this all the

people burst into bitter cries, and rain came down directly.

 

_Taanith_, fol. 25, col. 2.

 

A boy at thirteen years of age is bound to observe the usual fasts in

full, i.e., throughout the whole day. A girl is bound to do so when only

twelve. Rashi gives this as the reason:--A boy is supposed to be weaker

than a girl on account of the enervating effect of much study.

 

_Kethuboth_, fol. 5, col. 1.

 

A poor man once came to Rava and begged for a meal. "On what dost thou

usually dine?" asked Rava. "On stuffed fowl and old wine," was the

reply. "What!" said Rava, "art thou not concerned about being so

burdensome to the community?" He replied, "I eat nothing belonging to

them, only what the Lord provides; as we are taught (Ps. cxlv. 15),

'The eyes of all wait upon Thee, and Thou givest them their meat in his

season.' It is not said in their season, for so we learn that God

provides for each individual in his season of need." While they were

thus talking, in came Rava's sister, who had not been to see him for

thirteen years, and she brought him as a present a stuffed fowl and some

old wine also. Rava marveled at the coincidence, and turning to his poor

visitor said, "I beg thy pardon, friend; rise, I pray thee, and eat."

 

Ibid., fol. 67, col. 2.

 

So great is circumcision that thirteen covenants were made concerning

it. Tosafoth says that covenant is written thirteen times in the chapter

of circumcision.

 

_Nedarim_, fol. 31, col. 2.

 

Rabbi (the Holy) says sufferings are to be borne with resignation. He

himself bore them submissively for thirteen years; for six he suffered

from lithiasis, and for seven years from stomatitis (or, as some say,

six years from the former and seven from the latter). His groans were

heard three miles off.

 

_Bava Metzia_, fol. 85, col. 1.

 

The Rabbis have taught thirteen things respecting breakfast

(morning-morsel):--It counteracts the effects of heat, cold or draught;

it protects from malignant demons; it makes wise the simple by keeping

the mind in a healthy condition; it enables a man to come off clear from

a judicial inquiry; it qualifies him both to learn and to teach the law;

it makes him eagerly listened to, to have a retentive memory, etc.

 

Ibid. fol. 107, col. 2.

 

The land of Israel is in the future to be divided among thirteen tribes,

and not, as at first, among twelve.

 

_Bava Bathra_, fol. 122, col. 1.

 

Rabbi Abhu once complimented Rav Saphra before the Minim by singling him

out in their hearing as a man distinguished by his learning, and this

led them to exempt him from tribute for thirteen years. It so happened

that these Minim once posed Saphra about that which is written in Amos

iii. 2, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth;

therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." "Ye say you are

God's friends, but when one has a friend does he pour out his wrath upon

him?" To this Rav Saphra make no reply. They then put a rope round his

neck and tormented him. When he was in this sorry plight, Rabbi Abhu

came up and inquired why they tormented him thus. To this they made

answer, "Didst thou not tell us that he was a very learned man, and he

does not even know how to explain a text of scripture?" "Yes, I did so

say," replied Rabbi Abhu; "he is an adept in the Talmud only, but not in

the scriptures." "Thou knowest the scriptures;" they replied, "and why

ought he not to know them as well?" "I have daily intercourse with you,"

said the Rabbi, "and therefore I am obliged to study the scriptures, but

he, having no intercourse with you, has no need to trouble himself, and

does not at all care about them."

 

_Avodah Zarah_, fol. 4, col. 1.

 

In order to understand aright the grounds on which Rabbi Abhu

would fain excuse Rav Saphra for not caring at all about the

scriptures, certain passages from both Talmuds should be read,

which, in the usual metaphorical style of the Rabbis, set forth

the respective merits of scripture and Tradition. The three

times three in Sophrim (chap. 15), in which the scripture is

compared to water, the Mishna to wine, and the Gemara to mulled

wine, and that in which the scripture is likened to salt, the

Mishna to pepper, and the Gemara to spice, and so on, are too

well known to need more than passing mention; but far less

familiar and much more explicit is the exposition of Zech. viii.

10, as given in T.B. Chaggigah, fol. 10, col. 1, where,

commenting on the scripture text, "Neither, was there any peace

to him that went out or came in," Rav expressly says, "He who

leaves a matter of Halachah for a matter of scripture shall

never more have peace;" to which Shemuel adds, "Aye, and he also

who leaves the Talmud for the Mishna;" Rabbi Yochanan chiming in

with "even from Talmud to Talmud;" as if to say, "And he who

turns from the Babli to the Yerushalmi, even he shall have no

peace." If we refer to the Mishna (chap. 1, hal. 7) of Berachoth

in the last-named Talmud, we read there that Rabbi Tarphon,

bent, while on a journey, on reading the Shema according to the

school of Shammai, ran the risk of falling into the hands of

certain banditti whom he had not noticed near him. "It would

have served you right," remarked one, "because you did not

follow the rule of Hillel." In the Gemara to this passage Rabbi

Yochanan says, "The words of the scribes are more highly valued

than the words of the law, for, as Rabbi Yuda remarks, 'If Rabbi

Tarphon had not read the Shema at all he would only have broken

a positive command,' but since he transgressed the rule of

Hillel he was guilty of death, for it is written, 'He who breaks

down a hedge (the Rabbinic hedge to the law, of course), a

serpent shall bite him'" (Eccles. x. 8). Then Rabbi Chanina, the

son of Rabbi Ana, in the name of Rabbi Tanchum, the son of Rabbi

Cheyah, says, "The words of the elders are more important than

the words of the prophets." A prophet and an elder, whom do they

resemble? They are like two ambassadors sent by a king to a

province. About the one he sends word saying, "If he does not

present credentials with my signature and seal, trust him not;"

whereas the other is accredited without any such token; for in

regard to the prophet it is written (Deut. xiii. 2), "He giveth

thee a sign or token;" while in reference to the elders it is

written (Deut. xvii. 11), "According to the decision which they

may say unto thee shalt thou do; thou shalt not depart from the

sentence which they may tell thee, to the right or to the left."

Rashi's comment on this text is worth notice: "Even when they

tell thee that right is left and left is right." In a word, a

wise man (i.e., a Rabbi) is better than a prophet. (_Bava

Bathra_ fol. 12, col. 1.)

 

Oved, the Galilean, has expounded that there are thirteen _vavs_ (i.e.,

the letter _vav_ occurs thirteen times) in connection with wine. _Vav_

in Syriac means woe.

 

_Sanhedrin_ fol. 70, col. 1.

 

The Rabbis have a curious Haggada respecting the origin of the

culture of the vine. Once while Noah was hard at work breaking

up the fallow ground for a vineyard, Satan drew near and

inquired what he was doing. On ascertaining that the patriarch

was about to cultivate the grape, which he valued both for its

fruit and its juice, he at once volunteered to assist him at his

task, and began to manure the soil with the blood of a lamb, a

lion, a pig, and a monkey. "Now," said he, when his work was

done, "of those who taste the juice of the grape, some will

become meek and gentle as the lamb, some bold and fearless as

the lion, some foul and beastly as the pig, and others

frolicsome and lively as the monkey." This quaint story may be

found more fully detailed in the Midrash Tanchuma (see Noah) and

the Yalkut on Genesis. The Mohammedan legend is somewhat

similar. It relates how Satan on the like occasion used the

blood of a peacock, of an ape, of a lion, and of a pig, and it

deduces from the abuse of the vine the curse that fell on the

children of Ham, and ascribes the color of the purple grape to

the dark hue which thenceforth tinctured all the fruit of their

land as well as their own complexions.

 

At thirteen years of age, a boy becomes bound to observe the (613)

precepts of the law.

 

_Avoth_, chap. 5.

 

Rabbi Ishmael says the law is to be expounded according to thirteen

logical rules.

 

_Chullin_, fol. 63, col. 1.

 

The thirteen rules of Rabbi Ishmael above referred to are not to

be found together in any part of the Talmud, but they are

collected for repetition in the Liturgy, and are as follows:--

 

1. Inference is valid from minor to major.

 

2. From similar phraseology.

 

3. From the gist or main point of one text to that of other

passages.

 

4. Of general and particular.

 

5. Of particular and general.

 

6. From a general, or a particular and a general, the ruling

both of the former and the latter is to be according to the

middle term, i.e., the one which is particularized.

 

7. From a general text that requires a particular instance, and

_vice versà_.

 

8. When a particular rule is laid down for something which has

already been included in a general law, the rule is to apply to

all.

 

9. When a general rule has an exception, the exception mitigates

and does not aggravate the rule.

 

10. When a general rule has an exception not according therewith, the exception both mitigates and aggravates.