Hebraic Literature 32

Hebraic Literature 32

When he comes out of the water he is to step backward in the

same respectful manner as when he leaves the synagogue, and is

to repeat Isa. iv. 3, 4, and Rabbi Akiva's commentary on the

text Ezek. xxxvi. 25.

 

When he begins dressing he is to repeat Isa. liv. 17, and when

he subsequently washes his face and hands and feet in warm

water, to which is attached a great mystery, he is to say,

"Behold, here I am, washing myself in honor of Sabbath the

queen;" and add also Isa. iv. 4, and also, "I have washed my

feet; how shall I defile them?" (Cant. v. 3.)

 

Happy is he who is able to provide himself with a complete suit

of apparel down to the girdle, the shoes, and the hat for

wearing on the Sabbath, different from those worn on week-days.

Then he is to repeat the Book of Solomon's Song, and if unable

to repeat the whole, he is, at all events, to repeat these four

verses, the initials of the first word in each of which taken

together form the word Jacob, Cant. i. 2, ii. 10, ii. 8, v. 1.

After this he is to repeat certain portions of the Mishnah, and

something of the Zohar or some other Kabbalistic work.

 

This over, the devout Israelite goes to the synagogue to meet

his God as the bridegroom, and to receive the Sabbath as the

bride. The service is well worthy of rehearsal, but we must

refer for details to the Liturgy.

 

The Israelite returns home from the synagogue accompanied by two

angels, one good and the other evil; and according to the

condition of the domestic arrangements when he re-enters, he is

blessed by the good angel or cursed by the evil one.

 

The Israelite is solemnly warned not to quarrel with his wife on

Sabbath-eve, for the devils are very busy then to stir up more

strife, as is illustrated by the story of Rabbi Meir.

 

Having repeated the usual hymn appointed for the Sabbath-eve,

and pronounced the form of blessing over the cup of wine, he and

his family commence their supper, which is carefully prepared of

the very choicest viands, flesh and fish included. Hymns and a

certain form of blessing after the meal complete the family

duties of the day, and all retire to rest. The head of the

family, if he be a pious Israelite, and especially a disciple of

the wise, has a particular duty to perform--a duty which is

based on scripture and on the following text (Exod. xxxi. 16),

"Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath."

(_Kitzur Sh'lh_, fol. 64, col. 1.)

 

Of the laws relating to the Sabbath we can here only enumerate a few; we

shall, however, take them in order as detailed in the book before us.

 

Jewish women, maid-servants and girls are warned not to order a Gentile

woman on the Sabbath to do this or that, but they may instruct her on a

work-day what she is to do on the Sabbath.

 

Geese, fowl, cats, dogs, etc., are not to be handled on the Sabbath.

Neither are pocket-handkerchiefs, spectacles, etc., to be carried on the

Sabbath in an unwalled town or village. Radishes are not to be salted in

quantities, but each piece is to be dipped separately in salt and eaten.

After dinner the Israelite is to take a siesta, for each letter forms

the initial of a word, and the words thus formed are "Sleep on the

Sabbath is a delight." (See Isa. lviii. 13.) Before he dozes off he is

to repeat the last verse of the 90th and the whole of the 91st Psalm.

The salutation should not be, as on working-days, "Good morning," but

"Good Sabbath;" for respecting this it is said (Exod. xx. 8), "Remember

the Sabbath-day to keep it holy." He is not to rise on the Sabbath as

early as on the other days of the week, and this is based on scripture.

He is to be very careful with the fur garments that he may be wearing,

lest he should pluck a hair therefrom, and for the same reason he is not

to scratch his head or touch his beard on the Sabbath. He is not to wash

his hands with salt or soap on the Sabbath, nor may he play at ball; he

is not to knock with a rapper on a door, or ring the house-bell; nor, if

he has married a widow, is he to co-habit with her on that day.

 

_Kitzur Sh'lh_, fols. 65-67.

 

At the close of the Sabbath he is to pronounce over a cup of wine what

is technically termed the "Separation," for the departure of the

Sabbath, as given in the prayer-book. He is then to fold up his Tallith

or veil and sing "Hamavdil," the first verse of which runs thus:--

 

"May He who maketh a distinction between the holy (Sabbath) and the

profane (days of the week) pardon our sins and multiply our children and

our money as the sand and as the stars in the night!"

 

Should he forget to fold his veil (Tallith), he is to shake it

thoroughly the next morning, in order to get rid of the evil spirits

that have harbored there during the night, and the reason is known to

the lords of the Kabbalah.

 

Ibid., fol. 71, col. 1.

 

It is customary then to repeat a number of hymns and songs and legends

wherein Elijah the Prophet is mentioned, because he it is that is to

come and bring the tidings of redemption, for it is thus stated in

Tosephta, that on the exit of the Sabbath Elijah of blessed memory sits

under the "Tree of Life" and records in writing the merits of those that

keep the Sabbath. Those that are particular repeat, and the very pious

write, "Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Prophet," a

hundred and thirty times, for "Elijah the Prophet," by Gematria equals

120, to which add 10, the number of the letters, and the total is 130.

 

Ibid.

 

The word Elijah is written a hundred and thirty times in tabular form,

with the letters transposed. This can be understood better by forming a

Kabbalistic table of the same word in English.

 

Elijah Ehlija Ejahli Eijahl Elhija

Elahij Eljahi Elhaji Eljiah Ealijh

Eahlij Eajhli Eaijhl Ealhij Ehalij

Ehlaij Ehijla Ehjial Ehialj Ehjail

 

and so on.

 

The last day of the month is called, "The little Day of Atonement," and

it is fit and proper to do penance on that day. On the first day of the

month it is a pious act to prepare an extra dish for dinner in honor of

the day. God has given the first of the month (as a festival) more for

women than for men, because the three annual festivals are according to

the three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and because the twelve

months are according to the twelve tribes; and as the tribes sinned in

the matter of the golden calf, and the women were unwilling to give up

their golden earrings for that idolatrous purpose, therefore they

deserved that God should give them as their reward the first days of the

twelve months, according to the number of the tribes.

 

_Kitzur Sh'lh_, fol. 72, col. 1.

 

It is a very pious act to bless the moon at the close of the Sabbath,

when one is dressed in his best attire and perfumed. If the blessing is

to be performed on the evening of an ordinary week-day the best dress is

to be worn. According to the Kabbalists the blessings upon the moon are

not to be said till seven full days after her birth, but, according to

later authorities, this may be done after three days. The reason for not

performing this monthly service under a roof, but in the open air, is

because it is considered as a reception of the presence of the

Shechinah, and it would not be respectful so to do anywhere but in the

open air. It depends very much upon circumstances when and where the new

moon is to be consecrated, and also upon one's own predisposition, for

authorities differ. We will close these remarks with the conclusion of

the Kitzur Sh'lu on the subject, which, at p. 72, col. 2, runs thus:--

 

"When about to sanctify the new moon, one should straighten his feet (as

at the Shemonah-esreh) and give one glance at the moon before he begins

to repeat the ritual blessing, and having commenced it he should not

look at her at all. Thus should he begin--'In the united name of the

Holy and Blessed One and His Shechinah, through that Hidden and

Concealed One! and in the name of all Israel!' Then he is to proceed

with the 'Form of Prayer for the New Moon;' word for word, without

haste, but with solemn deliberation, and when he repeats--

 

"'Blessed is thy Former, blessed is thy Maker, blessed is thy

Possessor, blessed is thy Creator.'

 

"He is to meditate on the initials of the four divine epithets which

form 'Jacob,' for the moon, which is called 'the lesser light,' is his

emblem or symbol, and he is also called 'little' (see Amos vii. 2). This

he is to repeat three times. He is to skip three times while repeating

thrice the following sentence, and after repeating three times forward

and backward: thus (forward)--'Fear and dread shall fall upon them by

the greatness of Thine arm; they shall be as still as a stone;' thus

(backward)--'Still as a stone may they be; by the greatness of Thine arm

may fear and dread fall on them;' he then is to say to his neighbor

three times, 'Peace be unto you,' and the neighbor is to respond three

times, 'Unto you be peace.' Then he is to say three times (very loudly),

'David, the king of Israel, liveth and existeth!' and finally, he is to

say three times--

 

"'May a good omen and good luck be upon us and upon all Israel!

Amen.'"

 

 

 

 

RABBINICAL ANA

 

 

It was said of Rabbi Tarphon, that though a very wealthy man, he was not

charitable according to his means. One time Rabbi Akiba said to him.

"Shall I invest some money for thee in real estate, in a manner which

will be very profitable?" Rabbi Tarphon answered in the affirmative, and

brought to Rabbi Akiba four thousand denars in gold, to be so applied.

Rabbi Akiba immediately distributed the same among the poor. Some time

after this Rabbi Tarphon met Rabbi Akiba, and asked him where the real

estate which he had bought for him was situated. Akiba led his friend to

the college, and showed him a little boy, who recited for them the 112th

psalm. When he reached the ninth verse, "He distributeth, he giveth to

the needy, his righteousness endureth forever."

 

"There," said Akiba, "thy property is with David, the king of Israel,

who said, 'he distributeth, he giveth to the needy.'"

 

"And wherefore hast thou done this?" asked Tarphon.

 

"Knowest thou not," answered Rabbi Akiba, "how Nakdimon, the son of

Guryon, was punished because he gave not according to his means?"

 

"Well," returned the other, "why didst thou not tell me this; could I

not have distributed my means without thy aid?"

 

"Nay," said Akiba, "it is a greater virtue to cause another to give than

to give one's self."

 

Rabbi Jochanan, the son of Lakkai, was once riding outside of Jerusalem,

and his pupils had followed him. They saw a poor woman collecting the

grain which dropped from the mouths and troughs of some feeding cattle,

belonging to Arabs. When she saw the Rabbi, she addressed him in these

brief words, "O Rabbi, assist me." He replied, "My daughter, whose

daughter art thou?" "I am the daughter of Nakdimon, the son of Guryon,"

she answered.

 

"Why, what has become of thy father's money?" asked the Rabbi; "the

amount which thou didst receive as a dowry on thy wedding day?"

 

"Ah," she replied, "is there not a saying in Jerusalem, 'The salt was

wanting to the money?'"

 

"And thy husband's money," continued the Rabbi; "what of that?"

 

"That followed the other," she answered; "I have lost them both."

 

The Rabbi turned to his scholars and said:--

 

"I remember, when I signed her marriage contract, her father gave her as

a dowry one million golden denars, and her husband was wealthy in

addition thereto."

 

The Rabbi sympathized with the woman, helped her, and wept for her.

 

"Happy are ye, oh sons of Israel," he said; "as long as ye perform the

will of God naught can conquer ye; but if ye fail to fulfill His wishes,

even the cattle are superior to ye."

 

Nachum, whatever occurred to him, was in the habit of saying, "This too

is for the best." In his old age he became blind; both of his hands and

both of his legs were amputated, and the trunk of his body was covered

with a sore inflammation. His scholars said to him, "If thou art a

righteous man, why art thou so sorely afflicted?"

 

"All this," he answered, "I brought upon myself. Once I was traveling to

the house of my father-in-law, and I had with me thirty asses laden with

provisions and all manner of precious articles. A man by the wayside

called to me, 'O Rabbi, assist me.' I told him to wait until I unloaded

my asses. When that time arrived and I had removed their burdens from my

beasts, I found to my sorrow that the poor man had fallen and expired. I

threw myself upon his body and wept bitterly. 'Let these eyes, which had

no pity on thee, be blind,' I said; 'these hands that delayed to assist

thee, let them be cut off, and also these feet, which did not run to aid

thee,' And yet I was not satisfied until I prayed that my whole body

might be stricken with a sore inflammation. Rabbi Akiba said to me, 'Woe

to me that I find thee in this state! But I replied, 'Happy to thee that

thou meetest me in this state, for through this I hope that my iniquity

may be forgiven, and all my righteous deeds still remain recorded to

gain me a reward of life eternal in the future world.'"

 

* * * * *

 

Rabbi Janay upon seeing a man bestowing alms in a public place, said,

"Thou hadst better not have given at all, than to have bestowed alms so

openly and put the poor man to shame."

 

"One should rather be thrown into a fiery furnace than be the means of

bringing another to public shame."

 

Rabbi Juda said, "No one should sit down to his own meals, until seeing

that all the animals dependent upon his care are provided for."

 

Rabbi Jochanan said that it is as pleasing in God's sight if we are kind

and hospitable to strangers, as if we rise up early to study His law;

because the former is in fact putting His law into practice. He also

said, "He who is active in kindness toward his fellows is forgiven his

sins."

 

Both this Rabbi and Abba say it is better to lend to the poor than to

give to them, for it prevents them from feeling ashamed of their

poverty, and is really a more charitable manner of aiding them. The

Rabbis have always taught that kindness is more than the mere almsgiving

of charity, for it includes pleasant words with the more substantial

help.

 

* * * * *

 

Rabbi Hunnah said, "He who is proud in heart is as sinful as the

idolater."

 

Rabbi Abira said, "He who is proud shall be humbled."

 

Heskaiah said, "The prayers of a proud-hearted man are never heard."

 

Rabbi Ashi said, "He who hardens his heart with pride, softens his

brains with the same."

 

Rabbi Joshua said "Meekness is better than sacrifice"; for is it not

written, "The sacrifices of God are a broken heart--a broken contrite

spirit, Thou, oh Lord, will not despise?"

 

The son of Rabbi Hunnah said, "He who possesses a knowledge of God's

law, without the fear of Him, is as one who has been intrusted with the

inner keys of a treasury, but from whom the outer ones are withheld."

 

Rabbi Alexander said, "He who possesses worldly wisdom and fears not the

Lord, is as one who designs building a house and completes only the

door, for as David wrote in Psalm 111th, 'The beginning of wisdom is the

fear of the Lord.'"

 

When Rabbi Jochanan was ill, his pupils visited him and asked him for a

blessing. With his dying voice the Rabbi said, "I pray that you may fear

God as you fear man." "What!" exclaimed his pupils, "should we not fear

God more than man?"

 

"I should be well content," answered the sage, "if your actions proved

that you feared Him as much. When you do wrong you first make sure that

no human eyes see you; show the same fear of God, who sees everywhere,

and everything, at all times."

 

Abba says we can show our fear of God in our intercourse with one

another. "Speak pleasantly and kindly to everyone"; he says, "trying to

pacify anger, seeking peace, and pursuing it with your brethren and with

all the world, and by this means you will gain that 'favor and good

understanding in the sight of God and man,' which Solomon so highly

prized."

 

Rabbi Jochanan had heard Rabbi Simon, son of Jochay, illustrate by a

parable that passage of Isaiah which reads as follows: "I, the Lord,

love uprightness; but hate robbery (converted) into burnt-offering."

 

A king having imported certain goods upon which he laid a duty, bade his

officers, as they passed the custom-house, to stop and pay the usual

tariff.

 

Greatly astonished, his attendants addressed him thus: "Sire! all that

is collected belongs to your majesty; why then give what must be

eventually paid into thy treasury?"

 

"Because," answered the monarch, "I wish travelers to learn from the

action I now order you to perform, how abhorrent dishonesty is in my

eyes."

 

Rabbi Eleazer said: "He who is guided by righteousness and justice in

all his doings, may justly be asserted to have copied God in His

unbounded beneficence. For of Him (blessed be His name) we read, 'He

loveth righteousness and justice'; that is, 'The earth is filled with

the loving kindness of God.'" Might we think that to follow such a

course is an easy task? No! The virtue of beneficence can be gained only

by great efforts. Will it be difficult, however, for him that has the

fear of God constantly before his eyes to acquire this attribute? No; he

will easily attain it, whose every act is done in the fear of the Lord.

 

"A crown of grace is the hoary head; on the way of righteousness can it

be found."

 

So taught Solomon in his Proverbs. Hence various Rabbis, who had

attained an advanced age, were questioned by their pupils as to the

probable cause that had secured them that mark of divine favor. Rabbi

Nechumah answered that, in regard to himself, God had taken cognizance

of three principles by which he had endeavored to guide his conduct.

 

First, he had never striven to exalt his own standing by lowering that

of his neighbor. This was agreeable to the example set by Rabbi Hunna,

for the latter, while bearing on his shoulders a heavy spade, was met by

Rabbi Choana Ben Chanilai, who, considering the burden derogatory to the

dignity of so great a man, insisted upon relieving him of the implement

and carrying it himself. But Rabbi Hunna refused, saying, "Were this

your habitual calling I might permit it, but I certainly shall not

permit another to perform an office which, if done by myself, may be

looked upon by some as menial."

 

Secondly, he had never gone to his night's rest with a heart harboring

ill-will against his fellow-man, conformably with the practice of Mar

Zutra, who, before sleeping, offered this prayer: "O Lord! forgive all

those who have done me injury."

 

Thirdly, he was not penurious, following the example of the righteous

Job, of whom the sages relate that he declined to receive the change due him after making a purchase.