Hebraic Literature 34

Hebraic Literature 34

"It is written, 'God stands in the assembly of the mighty.' That an

assembly or congregation consists of not less than ten, we learn from

God's words to Moses in regard to the spies who were sent out to view

the land of Canaan. 'How long,' said he, 'shall indulgence be given to

this evil congregation?' Now the spies numbered twelve men; but Joshua

and Caleb being true and faithful, there remained but ten to form the

'evil congregation.'"

 

"Whence do we derive the tradition that when even one studies the law,

the Divine Presence rests with him?"

 

"It is written, 'In every place where I shall permit my name to be

mentioned, I will come unto thee and I will bless thee.'"

 

* * * * *

 

Four biblical characters offered up their prayers in a careless,

unthinking manner; three of them God prospered; the other met with

sorrow. They were, Eleazer, the servant of Abraham; Caleb, the son of Ye

Phunneh; Saul, the son of Kish; and Jephtah the Giladite.

 

Eleazer prayed, "Let it come to pass that the maiden to whom I shall

say, 'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink'; and she

shall say, 'Drink, and to thy camels also will I give drink'; shall be

the one Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac."

 

Suppose a slave had appeared and answered all the requirement which

Eleazer proposed, would Abraham and Isaac have been satisfied? But God

prospered his mission, and "Rebecca came out."

 

Caleb said, "He that will smite Kiryath-sepher, and capture it, to him

will I give Achsah, my daughter, for wife."

 

Would he have given his daughter to a slave or a heathen?

 

But God prospered him, and "Othniel, the son of Keuaz, Caleb's younger

brother, conquered it, and he gave him Achsah, his daughter, for wife."

 

Saul said, "And it shall be that the man who killeth him (Goliath) will

the king enrich with great riches, and his daughter will he give him."

 

He ran the same risk as Caleb, and God was good to him also; and David,

the son of Jesse, accomplished that for which he had prayed.

 

Jephtah expressed himself thus: "If thou wilt indeed deliver the

children of Amon into my hand, then shall it be that whatsoever cometh

forth out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace

from the children of Amon, shall belong to the Lord, and I will offer it

up for a burnt-offering."

 

Supposing an ass, or a dog, or a cat, had first met him upon his return,

would he have sacrificed it for a burnt-offering? God did not prosper

this risk, and the Bible says, "And Jephtah came to Mizpah unto his

house, and behold his daughter came out to meet him."

 

Said Rabbi Simon ben Jochai, "The requests of three persons were granted

before they had finished their prayers--Eleazer, Moses, and Solomon.

 

"In regard to Eleazer we learn, 'And before he had yet finished speaking

that, behold Rebecca came out.'

 

"In regard to Moses, we find, 'And it came to pass when he had made an

end of speaking all these words, that the ground that was under them was

cloven asunder, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them.'"

(Korach and his company.)

 

"In regard to Solomon, we find, 'And just when Solomon had made an end

of praying, a fire came down,'" etc.

 

* * * * *

 

Rabbi Jochanan said in the name of Rabbi Joseh, "To those who delight in

the Sabbath shall God give inheritance without end. As it is written,

'Then shalt thou find delight in the Lord,' etc. 'And I will cause thee

to enjoy the inheritance of Jacob, thy father.' Not as it was promised

to Abraham, 'Arise and walk through the land to its length and breadth.'

Not as it was promised to Isaac, 'I will give thee all that this land

contains'; but as it was promised to Jacob, 'And thou shalt spread

abroad, to the West, and to the East, to the North, and to the South.'"

 

Rabbi Jehudah said that if the Israelites had strictly observed the

first Sabbath, after the command to sanctify the seventh day had been

given, they would have been spared captivity; as it is written, "And it

came to pass on the seventh day, that there went out some of the people

to gather (the Mannah), but they found nothing." And in the next chapter

we find, "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim."

 

* * * * *

 

One Joseph, a Jew, who honored the Sabbath, had a very rich neighbor,

who was a firm believer in astrology. He was told by one of the

professional astrologers that his wealth would become Joseph's. He

therefore sold his estate, and bought with the proceeds a large diamond,

which he sewed in his turban, saying, "Joseph can never obtain this." It

so happened, however, that while standing one day upon the deck of a

ship in which he was crossing the sea, a heavy wind arose and carried

the turban from his head. A fish swallowed the diamond, and being caught

and exposed for sale in the market, was purchased by Joseph to supply

his table on the Sabbath eve. Of course, upon opening it he discovered

the diamond.

 

Rabbi Ishmael, the son of Joshua, was asked, "How did the rich people of

the land of Israel become so wealthy?" He answered, "They gave their

tithes in due season, as it is written, 'Thou shalt give tithes, in

order that thou mayest become rich.'" "But," answered his questioner,

"tithes were given to the Levites, only while the holy temple existed.

What merit did they possess while they dwelt in Babel, that they became

wealthy there also?" "Because," replied the Rabbi, "they honored the

Holy Law by expounding it." "But in other countries, where they did not

expound the Law, how did they deserve wealth?" "By honoring the

Sabbath," was the answer.

 

Rabbi Achiya, the son of Abah, said, "I sojourned once in Ludik, and was

entertained by a certain wealthy man on the Sabbath day. The table was

spread with a sumptuous repast, and the dishes were of silver and gold.

Before making a blessing over the meal the master of the house said,

'Unto the Lord belongeth the earth, with all that it contains.' After

the blessing he said, 'The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the

earth hath He given to the children of men.' I said to my host, 'I trust

you will excuse me, my dear sir, if I take the liberty of asking you how

you have merited this prosperity?' He answered, 'I was formerly a

butcher, and I always selected the finest cattle to be killed for the

Sabbath, in order that the people might have the best meat on that day.

To this, I believe firmly, I owe my prosperity.' I replied, 'Blessed be

the Lord, that He hath given thee all this.'"

 

The Governor Turnusrupis once asked Rabbi Akiba, "What is this day you

call the Sabbath more than any other day?" The Rabbi responded, "What

art thou more than any other person?" "I am superior to others," he

replied, "because the emperor has appointed me governor over them."

 

Then said Akiba, "The Lord our God, who is greater than your emperor,

has appointed the Sabbath day to be holier than the other days."

 

When man leaves the synagogue for his home an angel of good and an angel

of evil accompany him. If he finds the table spread in his house, the

Sabbath lamps lighted, and his wife and children in festive garments

ready to bless the holy day of rest, then the good angel says:--

 

"May the next Sabbath and all thy Sabbaths be like this. Peace unto this

dwelling, peace;" and the angel of evil is forced to say, "Amen!"

 

But if the house is not ready, if no preparations have been made to

greet the Sabbath, if no heart within the dwelling has sung, "Come, my

beloved, to meet the bride; the presence of the Sabbath let us receive;"

then the angel of evil speaks and says:--

 

"May all thy Sabbaths be like this;" and the weeping angel of goodness,

responds, "Amen!"

 

Samson sinned against the Lord through his eyes, as it is written, "I

have seen a woman of the daughters of the Philistines.... This one take

for me, for she pleaseth in my eyes." Therefore through his eyes was he

punished, as it is written, "And the Philistines seized him, and put out

his eyes."

 

Abshalom was proud of his hair. "And like Abshalom there was no man as

handsome in all Israel, so that he was greatly praised; from the sole of

his foot up to the crown of his head there was no blemish on him. And

when he shaved off the hair of his head, and it was at the end of every

year that he shaved it off, because it was too heavy on him so that he

had to shave it off, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred

shekels by the king's weight." Therefore by his hair was he hanged.

 

Miriam waited for Moses one hour (when he was in the box of bulrushes).

Therefore the Israelites waited for Miriam seven days, when she became

leprous. "And the people did not set forward until Miriam was brought in

again."

 

Joseph buried his father. "And Joseph went up to bury his father." There

was none greater among the children of Israel than Joseph. Moses

excelled him afterward, however; therefore we find, "And Moses took the

bones of Joseph with him." But the world has seen none greater than

Moses, therefore 'tis written, "And He (God) buried him in the valley."

 

* * * * *

 

When trouble and sorrow become the portion of Israel, and the

fainthearted separate from their people, two angels lay their hands upon

the head of him who withdraws, saying, "This one shall not see the

comfort of the congregation."

 

When trouble comes to the congregation it is not right for a man to say,

"I will go home; I will eat and drink; and things shall be peaceful to

me;" 'tis of such a one that the holy book speaks, saying, "And behold

there is gladness and joy; slaying of oxen, and killing of sheep; eating

of flesh, and drinking of wine. 'Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we

must die.' And it was revealed in my ears by the Lord of Hosts; surely

the iniquity shall not be forgiven ye until ye die."

 

Our teacher, Moses, always bore his share in the troubles of the

congregation, as it is written, "They took a stone and put it under

him." Could they not have given him a chair or a cushion? But then he

said, "Since the Israelites are in trouble (during the war with Amalek)

lo, I will bear my part with them, for he who bears his portion of the

burden will live to enjoy the hour of consolation. Woe to the one who

thinks, 'Ah, well, I will neglect my duty; who can know whether I bear

my part or not;' even the stones of his house, aye, the limbs of the

trees, shall testify against him, as it is written, 'For the stones will

cry from the wall, and the limbs of the trees will testify.'"

 

* * * * *

 

Rabbi Meir said, "When a man teaches his son a trade, he should pray to

the Possessor of the world, the Dispenser of wealth and poverty; for in

every trade and pursuit of life both the rich and the poor are to be

found. It is folly for one to say, 'This is a bad trade, it will not

afford me a living;' because he will find many well to do in the same

occupation. Neither should a successful man boast and say, 'This is a

great trade, a glorious art, it has made me wealthy;' because many

working in the same line as himself have found but poverty. Let all

remember that everything is through the infinite mercy and wisdom of

God."

 

Rabbi Simon, the son of Eleazer, said, "Hast thou ever noted the fowls

of the air and beasts of the field how easily their maintenance is

provided for them; and yet they were only created to serve me. Now

should not I find a livelihood with even less trouble, for I was made to

serve my fellow-creatures? But, alas! I sinned against my Creator,

therefore am I punished with poverty and obliged to labor."

 

Rabbi Judah said, "Most mule-drivers are cruel. They beat their poor

beasts unmercifully. Most camel-drivers are upright. They travel through

deserts and dangerous places, and have time for meditation and thoughts

of God. The majority of seamen are religious. Their daily peril makes

them so. The best doctors are deserving of punishment. In the pursuit of

knowledge they experiment on their patients, and often with fatal

results. The best of butchers deserve to be rated with the Amalekites,

they are accustomed to blood and cruelty; as it is written of the

Amalekites, 'How he met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of thee,

and that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary.'"

 

* * * * *

 

Man is born with his hands clenched; he dies with his hands wide open.

Entering life he desires to grasp everything; leaving the world, all

that he possessed has slipped away.

 

Even as a fox is man; as a fox which seeing a fine vineyard lusted after

its grapes. But the palings were placed at narrow distances, and the fox

was too bulky to creep between them. For three days he fasted, and when

he had grown thin he entered into the vineyard. He feasted upon the

grapes, forgetful of the morrow, of all things but his enjoyment; and

lo, he had again grown stout and was unable to leave the scene of his

feast. So for three days more he fasted, and when he had again grown

thin, he passed through the palings and stood outside the vineyard,

meagre as when he entered.

 

So with man; poor and naked he enters the world, poor and naked does he

leave.

 

Alexander wandered to the gates of Paradise and knocked for entrance.

 

"Who knocks?" demanded the guardian angel.

 

"Alexander."

 

"Who is Alexander?"

 

"Alexander--the Alexander--Alexander the Great--the conqueror of the

world."

 

"We know him not," replied the angel; "this is the Lord's gate, only the

righteous enter here."

 

Alexander begged for something to prove that he had reached the gates of

Paradise, and a small piece of a skull was given to him. He showed it to

his wise men, who placed it in one scale of a balance, Alexander poured

gold and silver into the other scale, but the small bone weighed

heavier; he poured in more, adding his crown jewels, his diadem; but

still the bone outweighed them all. Then one of the wise men, taking a

grain of dust from the ground placed that upon the bone, and lo, the

scale flew up.

 

The bone was that which surrounds the eye of man; the eye of man which

naught can satisfy save the dust which covers it in the grave.

 

* * * * *

 

When the righteous dies, 'tis earth that meets with loss. The jewel will

ever be a jewel, but it has passed from the possession of its former

owner. Well may the loser weep.

 

Life is a passing shadow, say the scriptures. The shadow of a tower or a

tree; the shadow which prevails for a time? No; even as the shadow of a

bird in its flight, it passeth from our sight, and neither bird nor

shadow remains.

 

"My lover goes down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to wander

about in the garden and pluck roses." (Song of Songs).

 

The world is the garden of my lover, and he my lover is the King of

kings. Like a bed of fragrant spices is Israel, the sweet savour of

piety ascends on high, the perfume of learning lingers on the passing

breeze, and the bed of beauty is fenced round by gentle peace. The

plants flourish and put forth leaves, leaves giving grateful shelter to

those who suffer from the heats and disappointment of life, and my lover

seeking the most beautiful blossom, plucks the roses, the students of

the law, whose belief is their delight.

 

When the devouring flames seize upon the cedar, shall not the lowly

hyssop fear and tremble? When anglers draw the great leviathan from his

mighty deeps, what hope have the fish of the shallow pond? When the

fishing-line is dropped into the dashing torrent, can they feel secure,

the waters of the purling brook?

 

Mourn for those who are left; mourn not for the one taken by God from

earth. He has entered into the eternal rest, while we are bowed with

sorrow.

 

Rabbi Akiba was once traveling through the country, and he had with him

an ass, a rooster, and a lamp.

 

At nightfall he reached a village where he sought shelter for the night

without success.

 

"All that God does is done well," said the Rabbi, and proceeding toward

the forest he resolved to pass the night there. He lit his lamp, but the

wind extinguished it. "All that God does is done well," he said. The ass

and the rooster were devoured by wild beasts; yet still he said no more

than "All that God does is done well."

 

Next day he learned that a troop of the enemy's soldiers had passed

through the forest that night. If the ass had brayed, if the rooster had

crowed, or if the soldiers had seen his light he would surely have met

with death, therefore he said again, "All that God does is done well."

 

* * * * *

 

Once when Rabbi Gamliel, Rabbi Eleazer, the son of Azaria, Rabbi Judah,

and Rabbi Akiba were walking together, they heard the shouts and

laughter and joyous tones of a multitude of people at a distance. Four

of the Rabbis wept; but Akiba laughed aloud.

 

"Akiba," said the others to him, "wherefore laugh? These heathens who

worship idols live in peace, and are merry, while our holy city lies in

ruins; weep, do not laugh."

 

"For that very reason I laugh, and am glad," answered Rabbi Akiba. "If

God allows those who transgress His will to live happily on earth, how

infinitely great must be the happiness which He has stored up in the

world to come for those who observe His commands."

 

Upon another occasion these same Rabbis went up to Jerusalem. When they

reached Mount Zophim and saw the desolation about them they rent their

garments, and when they reached the spot where the Temple had stood and

saw a fox run out from the very site of the holy of holies four of them

wept bitterly; but again Rabbi Akiba appeared merry. His comrades again

rebuked him for this, to them, unseemly state of feeling.

 

"Ye ask me why I am merry," said he; "come now, tell me why ye weep?"

 

"Because the Bible tells us that a stranger (one not descended from

Aaron) who approaches the holy of holies shall be put to death, and now

behold the foxes make of it a dwelling-place. Why should we not weep?"

 

"Ye weep," returned Akiba, "from the very reason which causes my heart

to be glad. Is it not written, 'And testify to me, ye faithful

witnesses, Uriah, the priest, and Zachariah, the son of Berachiahu?' Now

what hath Uriah to do with Zachariah? Uriah lived during the existence

of the first Temple, and Zachariah during the second. Know ye not that

the prophecy of Uriah is compared to the prophecy of Zachariah. From

Uriah's prophecy we find, 'Therefore for your sake Zion will be plowed

as is a field, and Jerusalem will be a desolation, and the mount of Zion

shall be as a forest;' and in Zachariah we find, 'They will sit, the old

men and women, in the streets of Jerusalem.' Before the prophecy of

Uriah was accomplished I might have doubted the truth of Zachariah's

comforting words; but now that one has been accomplished, I feel assured

that the promises to Zachariah will also come to pass, therefore am I

glad."

 

"Thy words comfort us, Akiba," answered his companions. "May God ever

provide us comfort."

 

Still another time, when Rabbi Eleazer was very sick and his friends and

scholars were weeping for him, Rabbi Akiba appeared happy, and asked

them why they wept. "Because," they replied, "our beloved Rabbi is lying

between life and death." "Weep not, on the contrary be glad therefor,"

he answered. "If his wine did not grow sour, if his flag was not

stricken down, I might think that on earth he received the reward of his

righteousness; but now that I see my teacher suffering for what evil he

may have committed in this world, I rejoice. He hath taught us that the

most righteous among us commit some sin, therefore in the world to come he will have peace."