296 . Y49 1877 PRESERVATION REVIEW Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive. 0 rg/details/sketchoftalmudwoOOkali I ספ ר יצירה ♦ Sephee Yezieah. A BOOK ON CREATION; OR, THE JEWISH METAPHYSICS Remote Antiquity. With English Translation, Preface, Explanatory Notes and Glossary, BY Rev. Dr. ISIDOR KALISCH, Author of the ^ ‘Guide for Rational Inquiries into the Biblical Scriptures,” “ToBne des Morgenlandes,” Translator of “Nathan the Wise” from the German, etc., etc., etc. NEW YOEK: L. H. EEANK & CO., Publishers and Printers, No. 32^ Bowery. 18 77 . Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by L. H. FRANK & CO־, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED] PREFACE yr..OZ דר& ו This metaphysical essay, called ‘״Sepher Tezirah,” (book on creation, or cosmogony,) which I have en- deavored to render into English, with explanatory notes, is considered by all modem literati as the first philosophical book that ever was written in the He- ^ brew language. But the time of its composition and ^ the name of its author have not yet been ascertained, ^ despite of the most elaborate researches of renowned vd archaeologists. Some maintain that this essay is ^ mentioned in the Talmud treatise Sanhedrin, p. 66 b-oT and ibid. 67 b. which passage is according to the com- V mentary of Eashi, to treatise Erubin, p. 63 a., a re- liable historical notice. Hence this book was known already in the second or at the beginning of the third century of the Christian Era. The historian. Dr. Graetz, tries to show very ingeniously in his work, entitled ‘‘Gnosticism,” p. 104 and 110, that it was written in the early centuries of the Christian Church, especially when the ideas and views of the Gnostics were in vogue. This opinion, however, he afterwards revoked. (See Dr. Graetz’s “History of the Jews,” Vol. V, p. 315 in a note.) Dr. Zunz, the Nestor of the Jewish Babbis in Europe, maintains that w’e have to look for the gen- esis of the book “Tezirah” in the Geonic period, (700 — 1000), and that it was consequently composed in a post-talmudical time. But if so, it is very strange 6808 'JZ 4 PREFACE. that Saadjah Gaon, who lived in the tenth, and Judah Halevi, who lived in the twelfth century, represented the book “Tezirah” as a very ancient work. There- fore it seems to me, that Dr. Graetz had no sufficient cause to repudiate his assertion concerning the age of this book ; because all the difficulties which he himself and others raised against his supposition, fall to the ground, when we consider that the most ancient works, holy as well as profane, had one and the same fate, namely, that from age to age more or less interpolations were made by copyists and com- mentators. Compare also Prof. Tenneman’s ‘‘Grand- riss der Geschichte der Philosophie,” improved by Prof. Wendt, p. 207. Tradition, which ascribes the authorship of this book to the patriarch Abraham, is fabulous, as can be proved by many reasons ; but the idea that Rabbi Akiba, who lived about the beginning of the second century, composed the book “Tezirah,” is very likely possible. Be this as it may, it is worth while to know the extravagant hypotheses which ancient Jewish philosophers and theologians framed as soon as they began to contemplate and to reason, endeavoring to combine oriental and Greek theories. Although there is an exuberance of weeds, we will find, nevertheless, many germs of truisms, which are of the greatest im- portance. A Christian theologian, Johann Friedrich von Meyer D. D., remarked very truly in his German preface to the book “Yezirah,” published in Leipzig, 1830: “This book is for two reasons highly important : in the first place, that the real Cabala, or mystical PREFACE. 5 doctrine of tlie Jews, which must be carefully dis- tmguished from its excrescences, is in close connec- tion and perfect accord with the Old and New Test- aments ; and in the second place, that the knowledge of It IS of great importance to the philosophical in- quirers, and can not be put aside. Like a cloud per- meated by beams of light which makes one infer that there is more hght behind it, so do the contents of this book, enveloped in obscurity, abound in corns- cations of thought, reveal to the mind that there is a still more effulgent light lurking somewhere, and thus invitmg us to a further contemplation and investiga- tion, and at the same time demonstrating the danger of a superficial investigation, which is so prevalent in modern times, rejecting that which can not be understood at first sight.” I shall now try to give a sketch of the system as it IS displayed in the book “Tezirah,” which forms a link in the chain of the ancient theoretical specula- tions of phfiosophers, who were striving to ascertain the truth mamly by reasoning a-priori, and who im- agined that it is thus possible to permeate all the secrets of nature. It teaches that a first cause, eter- nal, aU-wise, almighty and holy, is the origin and the centre of the whole universe, ]from whom gradu- ally all beings emanated. Thought, speech and action are an inseparable unity in the divine being; God made or created, is metaphorically expressed by the word : writing. The Hebrew language and its characters correspond mostly with the things they designate, and thus holy thoughts, Hebrew language 6 PBEFACE. and its reduction to writing, form a unity which pro- duce a creative effect.* The self-existing first cause called the creation into existence by quantity and quality ; the former re- presented by ten numbers, (Sephiroth,) the latter by twenty-two letters, which form together thirty-two ways of the divine wisdom. Three of the twenty-two letters, namely, Aleph, Mem, Sheen, are the mothers, or the first elements, from which came forth the prim- itive matter of the world : air, water and fire, that have their parallel in man, (male and female): breast, body and head, and in the year : moisture, cold and heat. The other seven double and twelve:]: simple letters are then represented as stamina, from which other spheres or media of existence emanated. Man is a microcosm, as the neck separates rational- ity from vitality, so does diaphragm the vitality from the vegetativeness. *Thus for instance, they imagined that the name of Jehovah, , יהוה is by reversing the alphabet; מצפ ץ (mzpz) ; mem signifies the letter jod, zaddi, the letter he, and pe, the letter wav. These un- meaning sounds, they said, have magic power. Some maintained that the Hebrew language consists of twenty-two consonants, be- cause being the complex of all beings, its number is equal to the most perfect figure, namely, of the periphery, as it is well known that the diameter is always to the periphery as seven to twenty-two. tit was frequently observed by Jewish and Christian theolo- gians, that the Marcosianic Gnostic system, as well as that of the Clementinians of the second century, contain many analogies and parallels with the book “Tezirah.’’ Marcus divides the Greek al- phabet into three parts, namely ; nine mute consonants dcpoovay eight half vowels yjj,KpG 0 vaj and seven vowels qiooyrjevra. in order to give a clear idea of the peculiar constitution of his “Aeons.” (Ire- naeus Haer, I, 16.) PKEFACE. 7 God stands in close connection with the Universe, and just so is Tali connected with the world, that is, an invisible, celestial or universal axis carries the whole fabric. In the year by the sphere, in man by the heart, and thus is the ruling spirit of God every- where. Notwithstanding the decay of the individual, the genus is produced by the antithesis of man and wife. Hebrew commentaries on the book ‘‘Tezirah” were composed by: first, Saadjah Gaon, of Fajum in Egypt, (892 — 942); second, Eabbi Abraham ben Dior Halevi; third, Eabbi Moses ben Nachman; fourth, Eheser of Germisa; fifth, Moses Botarel; sixth, Eabbi Eliah Wilna. The book ‘‘Tezirah,” together with all these commentaries, was published in 1860, in the city of Lemberg. But although the commen- tator Saadjah was a sober minded scholar in a superstitious age, a good Hebrew grammarian, a re- nowned theologian and a good translator of the He- brew Pentateuch, Isaiah and Job into the Arabian language, his ideas and views were, nevertheless, very often much benighted. See his comments on Tez. Chap. I, etc., etc.; his notes on ‘^Yezirah” Chap. Ill, 2, prove undoubtedly that he had no knowledge whatever of natural science, and therefore his anno- tations on the book “Yezirah” are of httle or no use at all. All the other commentaries mentioned above, together with all quotations of other expounders of the same book, contain nothing but a medley of ar- bitrary, mystical explanations and sophistical distor- tions of scriptural verses, astrological notions, orient- 8 PREFACE. al superstitions, a metaphysical jargon, a poor know- ledge of physics and not a correct elucidation of the ancient book ; they drew mostly from their own im- agination, and credited the author of ‘‘Yezirah” with saying very strange things which he never thought of. I must not omit to mention two other Hebrew commentaries, one by Judah Halevi, and the other by Ebn Ezra, who hved in the first part of the twelfth century. They succeeded in explaining the book “Ye- zirah in a sound scientific manner, but failed in making themselves generally understood, on account of the superstitious age in which they lived, and the tenacity with which the people in that period adhered to the marvelous and supernatural ; they found, there- fore, but few followers, and the book “Yezirah” re- mained to the public an enigma and an ancient curios- ity, giving rise to a system of metaphysical delirium, called Cabala. Translations of the book “Yezirah” and comments thereon by learned Christian authors are : first, a translation of the book “Yezirah” with explanatory notes in the Latin language, by Wilhelm PosteUus, Paris, France, 1552 ; second, another Latin version is contained in Jo. Pistorii artis cabalistical scriptorum, Tom I, p. 869, sqq., differing from that of PosteUus. Some are of the opinion that J ohn Eeuchlin, while others maintain that Paul Eiccius was the author of it. (See Wolfii Biblioth. Hebr. Tom., I, Chap. 1.) Third, Eittangel published the book “Yezirah,” 1642, at Amsterdam, entitled : “Liber Yezirah qui Abra- hamo patriarchae adscribitur, una cum commentario PEEFACE. 9 Eabbi Abraham F. D. (filii Dior) super 32 Semitis Sapientiae, a quibus liber Yezirah incipit. Translatus et notis illustratus, a Joanne Stephana Kittangeho, ling. Orient, in Elect. Acad. Eegiomontana Prof, extraord. Amstelodami ap. Jo. and Jodoc. Jansson- ios,” 1642, in quarto ; fourth, Johann Friedrich von Mayer, D. D., pubhshed the book “Yezirah” in He- brew with a translation and explanatory notes in the German language, Leipzig, 1830. All these translations are out of print and are rarely found even in well regulated libraries. I was so fortunate as to obtain a copy of Dr. Mayer’s edition of the book “Yezirah.” He states in the pre- face to it, that he had a copy of Postellus’ transla- tion in manuscript as well as some others, and com• pared them. The explanatory notes given by this author are, nevertheless, insufficient and sometimes very incorrect. The present translation is, as far as I could ascertain, the first that was ever pubhshed in the English language. Again, I have to add that I have not only endeavored to correct a great many mistakes and erroneous ideas of my predecessors, but I have also endeavored to give more complete anno- tations. I therefore hope that the candid reader will consider the great difficulties I had to overcome in this still unbeaten way of the ancient Jewish spirit- ual region, and will receive with indulgence this new contribution to archaeological knowledge. Dr. ISIDOE KALISCH. ספ ר יציררח י פר ק ראש^ • ב ל ע ו כ ה א . ב׳טלעי ם ולטתי ם נהימ ת פליא 1 ר ח חכמ ה חהן ק י ה יהו ח צבא 1 ת אלהי ם חיי ם ומל ר עול ם א v ל שר י VV * - * V; T : T ; T ן T . . רחו ם וחנו ן ר ם ונש א שוכ ן ע ד מרו ם והןרו ש שמ ו ובר א א ת עולמ ו בשלש ה ספרי ם *בספ ר וספו ר • : T : • •T : T : • T V TT וספר : עש ר ספירור ז בלימ ה רעשרי ם ושתי □ אותיו ת יסוד : של ש אמו ת ושב ע כפולו ת ושתי ם . . ן . ..... . .. . עשר ה פשוטות : ב ל ע ז כ ה ב . עש ר קפירו ת בלימ ה כמספ ר עש ר אצבעור ז חמ ש כנג ד חמ ש וכרי ה יחי ד מכונ ה ב^ 5 מצ ע T • ״ : VV\ ; • T •: •• T vv , . .^ . . - כמל ת הלשו ן ובמל ת המעור : ב ל ש כ ד ! ג . עש ר ספירו ת בלימ ה עש ר ול א תש ע עש ר ול א אח ת עשר ה הב ן בחכמ ה וחכ ם בבינ ה בחו ן בה ם T : T : I •• T ; V ־ : : * V T 1 T T וחקו ר מה ם והעמ ד ךב ר ע ל מךי ו והוש ב יוצ ר על־^מנו : *נ״א . בספ ר וסופ ר וספור : SEPHEE YEZIEAH. CHAPTER I. Section 1. Yah/ the Lord of hosts, the living God, King of the Universe, Omnipotent, All-Kind and Merciful, Supreme and Extolled, who is Eternal, Subhme and Most-Holy, ordained (formed) and created the Universe in thirty-two^ mysterious paths^ of wisdom by three^ Sepharim, namely : 1) S’for ; 2) Sip- pur ספו ר ; and 3) Sapher 5 ? ר which are in Him one and the same. They consist of a decade out of nothing® and of twenty-two fundamental letters. He divided the twenty-two consonants into three divisions : 1) three א^וו ז mothers, fundamental letters or first ele- ments ; 2) seven double ; and 3) twelve simple con- sonants. Section 2. The decade® out of nothing is analogous to that of the ten fingers (and toes) of the human body, five parallel to five, and in the centre of which is the covenant with the only One, by the word of the ^ tongue and the rite of Abraham. Section 3. Ten are the numbers out of nothing, and not the number nine, ten and not eleven. Comprehend this great wisdom, tmderstand this*^ knowledge, inquire into it and ponder on it, render it evident and lead® the Creator back to His throne again. 1) See Notes couamencing on Page 47. 12 ספ ר יצירה . משה ה ד . ?נש ר ספירו ה בלימ ה מרת ן עש ר ^אי ן לה ם סו ף עומ ק ראשי ת ועומ ק אחרי ת עומ ק טו ב וע 1 מ ק ר ע עומ ק רו ם ועומ ק תח ה עומ ק מן_ר ח ועומ ק מער ב עומ ק צפו ן ןעומ ק ךרו □ אדו ן הי ד אל י מל ף 'נאמ ן מוש ל בבל ם ממעו ן קךש 1 ע ד עד י עד . משכ ה ה . עש ר ספירו ה בלימ ה צפיית ן כמרא ה הבז ק והכלית ן אי ן לה ן ק ץ ךבר ו בה ן ברצו א ושו ב ולמאמר ו כסופ ה הדופ ו ולפנ י כסא ו ה ם מ^תחוים : משכ ה ר . .עש ר ספירו ת בלימ ה נעו ץ סופ ן כקחלת ן וסחלח ן בסופ ן כשלהב ת קשוךה * בגחל ת שארו ן;הי ד ואי ן ל ו ע 5 נ י ולפנ י אח ד מ ה את ה סופר : •״*;•:״״ TV - ־ T • ״ משכ ה ז . עש ר ספירו ת בלימ ה בלו ם פי ף מלדב ר ולב ף .מלהרה ר וא ם ר ץ פי ף לדב ר ולב ף להרה ר ע 5 ו ב למקו ם ע!לכ ף נאמ ר והחיו ת ךצו א ושו ב וע ל דב ר ז ה נכר ת בדית : * ) רבינ ו האי י גאו ן ז״ ל כת ב בספ ר הקמיצ ה וז״ ל כת ב בע ל ספ ר יציר ה כשלהב ת ש 1 ר ה בגחלת : S ־ : V V - ; T V V SEPHER YEZIRAH. 13 Section 4. Tlie decade out of nothing has the following ten infinitudes : 1) The beginning® infinite. 6) The depth infinite. 2) “ end ‘‘ 7) ‘‘ East ** 3) ‘‘ good 8 ״ ) ‘‘ West 4) ‘‘ eviP® ‘‘ 9) North ״ 5) height ‘‘ 10) ‘‘ South “ and the only Lord God, the faithful King, rules over all from His holy habitation for ever and ever. Section 6. The appearance of the ten spheres out of nothing is like a flash of lightning, being without an end. His word is in them, when they go and return ; they run by His order like a whirlwind and humble them- selves before His throne. Section 6. The decade of existence out of nothing has its end linked to its beginning and its beginning linked to its end, just as the flame is wedded to the live coal; because the Lord is one and there is not a second one, and before one what wilt thou count Section 7. Concerning the number ten of the spheres of ex- istence out of nothing keep thy tongue from speak- ing and thy mind from pondering on it, and if thy mouth urges thee to speak, and thy heart to think about it, return! as it reads: ‘‘And the living creatures ran and returned,” (Ezekiel 6, 14.) and upon this^^ was the covenant made. 14 ספ ר ’צירה . מ ! פ ו כ ה ח . .עש ר ספירור ת בלימד־ ז אח ת ת ח אלהי ם חיי ם בח ף ו?זבוך ך ^מ ו שד־ ‘ ח י העולמי ם קו ל ורו ח ודבו ר והו א ח ח הקוךש : עת.י ם רו ח מרו ח חק ק וחצ ב ב ה עשרי ם ושתי ם אותיו ת יסו ד של ש אמו ת : V T - T : ״ : ־ ״ * ; T • ושב ע קפולו ת ושתי ם עשר ה ?שוטו ת ורו ח אח ת מהן : של ש מל ם מח ח חק ק וחצ ב בה ן(עשרי ם ו׳טתל ם אותיות ) תה ו ובה ו רפ ש וטי ט חקק ן כמי ן ערוג ח הציב ך כמי ן חומ ה סככ ס כמי ן מעזיב ה (רצק^עליה ם של ג ונעש ה עפ ר שנאמ ר כ י לשל ג יאמ ר הו א ארץ) : ארב ע א ש ממל ם הק ק וחצ ב ב ה כס א הכבו ד שרפי ם ואופני ם וחיו ת הקוד ש ומלאכ י השר ה ומשלשת ן יס ד מעונ ו שנ>?מ ר עוש ה ־ ־ T • ״ • ; T : T ן V - V: V V : - T מלאכי ו רוחו ת משרתי ו א ש לוה ט ביר ר שלש ה T : - * *• •• T ;T : T T : - אותיו ת מ ן חפשוטו ת ?סו ד של ש אמור ת א״מ״שו ! וקבע ם בשמ ו הגדו ל וחת ם בה ם ש ש קצוות : T): •• V T - T : T - : • T:I T: * ) נוסח א אחרינא : חצבן : t ) נ״ א סיבב ן : II ) .יין } הוסיפו : חת ם רו ח בע ד SEPHER YEZIRAH. 15 Section 8. The following are the ten categories of existence out of nothing ; 1) The spirit of the living God, praised and glori- fied be the name of Him who lives to all eternity. The articulate word of creative power, the spirit and the word are what we call the holy spirit.^^ 2) Air emanated from the spirit by which He formed and established twenty-two consonants, sta- mina. Three of them, however, are fundamental letters, or mothers, seven double and twelve simple consonants ; hence the spirit is the first one. 3) Primitive water emanated from the air. He formed and established by it Bohu^^ (water, stones) mud and loam, made them like a bed, put them up like a wall, and surrounded them as with a rampart, put coldness upon them and they became dust, as it reads : “He says to the snow (coldness) be thou earth.” (Job 37, 6.) 4) Fire or ether emanated from the water. He established by it the throne of glory, the Seraphim and Ophanim, the holy living creatures and the angels, and of these three He formed His habitation, as it reads : “Who made His angels spirits. His ministers a flaming fire.” (Psalm 104, 4.) He selected three consonants from the simple ones which are in the hidden secret of three mothers or first elements: , א׳׳מ׳״ש air, water and ether or fire. He sealed them with spirit and fastened them to His great name and sealed with it six dimensions.^® 16 ספ ר יצירה . חמ׳ ם חת ם ח ם ופג ה למעל ה וחתמ 1 ביה ו T T - T “ T ; “: ־ T : T : עז ש חת ם תח ת ופנ ה למט ה וחתמ ו בהי ו T - ־ ־ ־ TT :־ 7: T ; שב ע חת ם מזר ח ופנ ה לפני ו וחתמ ו בוי ה 7 - V ־ • 7 7 : 7 7 : 7 : שמונ ה חת ם מער ב ופנ ה לאחרי ו וחתמ ו בוה י : 7 7 ־ ־; ־ 7 7 T : ־ ;“ 7 ; 7 : תש ע חת ם דרו ם ופנ ה לימינ ו וחתמ ו ביו ה “ 7 “ 7 7 7 ״ ״ : 7 : עש ר חת ם צפו ן ופנ ה לשמאל ו וחתמ ו בהו י 7 7) 7 - 7 V V ״ : : 7 : מ TD כ ה ה . אל ו.עש ר ספירו ת ?לימ ה אח ת רו ח אלהי ס חיי ם רו ח מרו ח מ.י ם מרו ח א ש ממ.י ם רו ם ותח ת מזר ח ומער ב צפו ן ודחם : 7; I 7 7“;- 7; • פר ק שני - מ פ ו כ ה א . עשרי ם ושתי ם אותיו ת.יסו ד של ש אמו ת ושב ע ?פולו ת ושתי ם עש.ר ה פשוטו ת של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש לסוך ן כ ף זכו ת וכ ף חוב ה ולשו ן ח ק מכרי ע בנת.י ם של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש מ - דוממ ת ש ׳ שוך.ק ת א ׳ אוי ר רו ח מכח ע בנתום : מ פ ו כ ה ב . עשרי ם ושת.י ם אותיו ת יסו ד חקכן ן חצב ן צרפ ן SEPHER YEZIRAH. 17 5) He sealed^® the height and turned towards above, and sealed it with יה ו 6) He sealed the depth, turned towards below and sealed it with רד ו 7) He sealed the east and turned forward, and sealed it with , וייד 8) He sealed the west and turned backward, and sealed it with ^ וה 9) He sealed the south and turned to the right and sealed it with יו ה 10) He sealed the north and turned to the left and sealed it with הו י Section 9. These are the ten spheres of existence out of. nothing. From the spirit of the living God emana- ted air, from the air, water, from the water, fire or ether, from the ether, the height and the depth, the East and West, the North and South. CHAPTER II. Section 1. There are twenty-two letters, stamina. Three of them, however, are the first elements, fundamentals or mothers, seven double and twelve simple conso- nants. The three fundamental letters א״׳כל׳׳ ש have as their basis the balance. In one scale^'^ is the merit and in the other criminality, which are placed in equilibrium by the tongue. The three fundamental letters א״מ״׳ ש signify, as מ is mute like the water and ש hissing like* the fire, .there is א among them, a breath of air which reconciles them. Section 2. The twenty-two letters which form the stamina ספ ר יצירה , 18 ^הןל ן והמיך ן ןצ ר בה □ א ת כ ל היצו ר וא ת כ ל העתי ד לצור : T • TV ב ל פ ו כ ה ג . ,עשרי ם וע 5 תן ם אותיו ת לסו ד חקק ן בקו ל רוצב ן ?רו ח קבע ן בפ ה בחמ ש מקומיו ת אותיו ת אהח׳ ע בגרו ן גיכ״ ק ?חי ף דטלנ״ ת בלעוו ן ץשוסך ץ בשני ם בומ״ ף בחפתים : ב ל פ ו כ ד ו ד ♦ .עשרי ם ושתי ם אותיו ת יסו ד,ק?ע ן בגלג ל כמי ן ח 1 מ ה ברל׳ א לפערי ם וחוז ר הגלגלי ם פני ם ואחו ר . ן ; : ■ ן . T . - J - - .. J ״ : T וסימ ן לדב ר אי ן בטוב ה למעל ה מענ ג ואי ן ברע ה *למט ה מנגע : : “ ד ״ V “ ב ל פ ו כ ד ו ה . כיצ ד צרפ ן שקל ן והמיך ן א ע ם כל ן וכל ן ע ם א ב ע ם כל ן וכל ן ע ט ב וחוזרו ת חליל ה .ונמצאו ת ברל״ א לפערי ם ונמצ א כ ל היצו ר וכ ל הדבו ר יוצ א : : T ״ ; • ; T ; : “ T T • • " משם * אחד : T V •• • ב ל פוכ ה ר . יצ ר ממ ש •מתה ו ועש ה אר : אינ ו ישנ ו וחצ ב “ T : ;V •• V T T : ’ T - - T עמוךי ם גדולי ם מא.וי ר שאינ ו נתפ ס וז. ה סימ ן או ת * ) נ״ א בש ם : SEPHER YEZIRAH. 19 after having been appointed and established by God, He combined, weighed and changed them, and formed by them all beings which are in existence, and all those which will be formed in all time to come. Section 3. He established twenty-two letters, stamina, by the voice, formed by the breath of air and fixed them on five places in the human mouth, namely : 1) gutturals, 2 א ה ח ע ) palatals, 3 ג י כ ק ) linguals, ר ט ל נ ת 4) dentals, 5 ז שפר ץ ) labials, ב ו כ ל ף Section 4. He fixed the twenty-two letters, stamina, on the sphere like a wall with two hundred and thirty-one gates,^® and turned the spheres forward and backward. For an illustration may serve the three letters, ענ ג There is nothing better than joy, and nothing worse than sorrow or plague.^^ Section 5. But how was it done ? He combined,^® weighed and changed : the א with all the other letters in succession, and all the others again with ב ; א with all, and all again with ב ; and so the whole series of letters.^^ Hence it follows that there are two hundred and thirty-one^^ formations, and that every creature and every word emanated from one name.^^ Section 6. He created a reality out of nothing, called the nonentity into existence and hewed, as it were, co- lossal pillars from intangible air. This has been shown by the example of combining the letter א with 20 ספ ר יצירה . א ע ם כל ן וכל ן ע ם א צופ ה ומימ ר ועש ה א ת כ ל T V T T: - V • )T It \ היצו ר ואד : כ ל הדבו ר ש □ אח ד וסימ ן לדב ר עקרי ם ושתי ם חפצי ם בגו ף א : . פר ק שלישי • נ ל פ ו כ ה א . של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש .יסוד ן כ ף זכו ת וכ ף ח 1 ב ח [לשו ן רו ק מ?ךי_ ע ב;ת: ט של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש סו ד גדו ל מופל א ומכוס ה וחת ס בש ש טבעו ת ויצאו * : T I T - : T : T ; T ; T מה ם אוי ר ומי ם וא ש ומה ם נולד ו אבו ת ומאמר : : • ״ • • T ; V ־ • T תולדות : כלפוכד ז ב . ש 4 ש >^מו ת א״מ״ ש חקק ן חצב ן צרפ ן שקל ן והמיר ן וצ ר בה ם של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש בעול ם ושל ש ; “ • T V T T ; I T ״ : T ; T T V V אמו ת א״מ״ ש בשנ ה ושל ש אמור ת א״מ״ ש בנפ ש : T ; T T : V V ״ ; V V : V V זכ ר ונקבה : T)•■; TT כ ל פ ו כ ה ג . של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש בעול ם אוי ר ומי ם וא ש שמי ם T : • - — T T V V; • T ־ • נכך>^ ו מ?^ ש ואך ץ נבר^ ת ממ.י ם וא.וי ר מרו ח מכךי_ ע בנת.ים : * ) נ״ א וממנ ו יוצאי ם א< ט ומי ם ומתחלקי ם זכ ר ונקב ה אמו ת ; • • • ־ • • ־ : • TT ^ ;••׳ T T " א״מ״ ש ןסוד ן ומה ן נולד ו אבו ת שממנ ו נבר א הכל : SEPHER YEZIRAH. 21 all the other letters, and all the other letters with Aleph (א). He^^ predetermined, and by speaking created every creature and every word by one name. For an illustration may serve the twenty-two ele- mentary substances by the primitive substance of Aleph25 (א). CHAPTER III. Section 1.* The three first elements, אי׳כל׳י ש are typified by a balance, in one scale the merit and in the other the criminahty, which are placed in equihbrium by the tongue. These three mothers, א׳׳מ״ ש are a great, wonderful and unknown mystery, and are sealed by six26 rings, or elementary circles, namely : air, water and fire emanated from them, which gave birth to progenitors, and these progenitors gave birth again to some offspring. Section 2. God appointed and established the three mothers , א׳׳מ״ש combined, weighed and changed them, and formed by them three mothers א׳׳כל׳׳ ש in the world, in the year and in man, male and female. Section 3. The three mothers א׳׳מ׳׳ ש in the world are: air, water and fire. Heaven was created from fire or ether ; the earth (comprising sea and land) from the elementary water ; and the atmospheric air from the elementary air, or spirit, which establishes the bal- ance among them. 22 ספ ר י צ י ר ה . נ ל ע ז כ ה ד . אמו ת א״מ״ ש בשנ ה חו ם וקו ר ורוי ה ח 1 ם נבר א מא ש קו ר נבר א ממי ם וחי ה מרו ח מכרי ע • : T : • J •• •• T • ־ ־ • : • T • • - ״ - בנתים : מ ע ז ה ה ה . של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש בנפ ש זכ ר ונקב ה רא ש ובט ן וגוי ה רא ש נבר א מא ש ובט ן נבר א ממי ם ונוי ח : • T : • T • • • ״ V V ן • : T • - • : • ד מרו ח מכךי_ ע בנתלם : נ ל ע ז ה ה ר . בב א א . המלי ף או ת א ׳ ברו ח וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם אוי ר בעול ם רוי ה בשנ ה T T : T* : T T •— V T T : V T V | T : T : גוי ה בנפ ש זכ ר בא״מ״ ש ונקב ה בא״ש״ם : T T : tI •• • V V: • T T VV : T* ! נ ל ט ו כ ה ז . בב א ב . המלי ך או ת מ ' במי ם וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם אר ץ בעול ם וקו ר בשנ ה • T T I VV V T T ! VT V T * T : • ־ T T ובט ן בנפ ש זכ ר בא״מ״ש * ונקב ה במ״ש״א : T - : T I•• : נ ל ט ו כ ה ח . בב א ג . המלי ך או ת ש ׳ בא ש וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם שמי ם בעול ם וחו ם בשנ ה : T V T T : VT V I T .* T - ״ T T ; ; T T ורא ש בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : T I" : T T V V : : * ) נ״ א במ״א״יי} : SEPHER YEZIRAH. 23 Section 4. The three mothers א״מ״ ש produce in the year^'^ : heat, coldness^® and moistness. Heat was created from fire, coldness from water, and moistness from air which equalizes them. Section 5. The three mothers אי׳כל״׳ ש produce in man, mala and female, breast, body and head. The head was created from fire, the breast from water, and the body from air, which places them in equilibrium. Section 6. First Division. God let the letter Aleph ( א ) pre- dominate in primitive air, crowned^^ it, combined one with the other,^® and formed by them the air in the world, moistness in the year, and the breast in man, male and female ; in male by א״כל״ ש and in female by : א׳׳ש׳׳ ם Section 7. Second Division. He let the letter Mem ( מ ) pre- dominate in primitive water, and crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them the earth, (including land and sea) coldness in the year, and the belly in male and female ; in male by , א׳״כל׳׳ש ^^ in female by : כל״ש״ א Section 8. Third Division. He let the letter Sheen ( ש ) pre- dominate in primitive fire, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them, heaven in the world, heat in the year, and the head of male and female.^^ 24 ספ ר יצירה . פר ק רביעי . ב ל ש כ ה א . ^ב ע כפולור ת בג״ ד בפר״ר ת מתנהגות : בלעת י לשונו ת ב״ ב ג״ ג ד״ ד כ״ כ פ״ פ ת״ ר ת״ ת תבני ת ר ף וכןש ה גמ ר וחלש : ב ל ש ה ה ב . שב ע כפולו ת בל ד כפר ת ןסוך ן חכמ ה ועוש ר וזר ע וחיי ם וממשל ה שלו ם וחן : ; V “ ; ־ * T T T : V : • • ( ב ל ש כ ד ז כ . שב ע ?פולור ת בג״ ד כפרו ת בדבו ר ובר 1 מוך ה תמור ת חכמ ה אול ת תמורר ה עש ר עונ י תמור ת : - T ; T ״ V ~ : VV • ; - זר ע שממ ה תמור ת חייכ ם מו ת תמורר : ממשל ה : T T : - ־ • VT : ־ T T ; V עבדו ת ^מור ת שלו ם מלחמ ה תמור ת ח ן כיעור : בלשכ ה ד . שב ע כפולו ת בג״ ד כפר ת מעל ה ומט ה מזר ח V * ־ ; : ־־־: ־ T ־ • T; • T ומעך ב צפו ן ודרו ם והיכ ל הקר ש מכו ן באמצ ע והו א נוש א א ת כלן : ב ל ש כ ה ה . שב ע כפולור ת בג״ ד כפר ת שבע ה ו 4 א שש ח ״ - . . . . . ן . . T SEPHER YEZIRAH. 25 CHAPTER lY. Section 1. The^^ seven double letters, בג ר כפר ת witb a duplicity of pronunciation, aspirated and unaspirated, namely: , בב , גג , דר , כב , פפ , רר , תת serve as a model of softness and hardness, strength and weakness. Section 2. Seven^ double letters, , בג ר כפרת shall, as it were, symbolize wisdom, wealth, fruitfulness, hfe, dominion, peace and beauty. Section 3. Seven double letters serve to signify the antithesis to which human life is exposed. The antithesis of wisdom is foolishness ; of wealth, poverty ; of fruit- fulness, childlessness; of life, death; of dominion, dependence ; of peace, war ; and of beauty, ugliness. Section 4. The seven double consonants are analogous to the six dimensions : height and depth. East and West, North and South, and the holy temple that stands in the centre, which carries them all. Section 5. The double consonants are seven, בג ר כפר ת and not six, they are seven and not eight ; reflect upon this 26 ספ ר יצירה . ע!בע ה ול ^ ^מונ ה בחו ן בה ם וחקו ר בה ם והעמ ד דב ר ע ל בורי ו והוש ב יוצ ר ע ל מכונו : : - ; - T T מ פ ו ה ה ר . • ^ב ע כפולו ת בג״ ד כפר״ ח ןם 1 ד חקק ן חצב ן צףפ ן ע 5 קל ן והמיר ן וצ ר בה ם ^טבע ה כוכבי ם בעול ם T T • T T : • V T T : I T • : JT I: T טבע ה ימי ם ב;טנד־ ז;טבע ה שערי ם בנפי ש זכ ר ; T T V V ; * T ; T ; ״ T T : * T TI * ונקבר ה ב ל פ ו ה ה ז . טכע ה כוכבי ם בעול ם ^טבת י צד ק מאדי ם חמ ה ^ T - • - I VV ־ : “ T T • T T : • ע ה כוכ ב לבנ ה ^טבע ה ימי ם ב;טנ ה שכע ח ימ י ; T : • T T : • T T : * T T ; T השבו ע ^טבע ה שערי ם בנפ; ט זכ ר ונקב ח ;טת י ... t)•* ; T T VV : ״ T ; T : * “ T ״ ־ עיני ם ע!ת י אזני ם ^טנ י נקב י הא ף והפה : נ ל פ ו כ ה ח . בב א א . המלי ך או ת פ בחכמ ה וקש ר ל ו כת ר T T ״ : ״ ; : 7:7 : V V - It וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם לבנ ה בעול ם יו ם רא;טו ן I • T T 7 7 : V T T : VT V I T : T : בשנ ה ועי ן ןמי ן בנפ; ט זכ ר ונקבה : מ פ ו כ ה ה . בב א ב . המלי ך או ת נ ׳ בעוש ר וקשו ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם מאדי ם בעול ם יו ם שנ י ; I T it • • . - - . . — . » . ך .. . בשנ ה [אז ן.ימי ן םפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : T I •• I T T SEPHER YEZIRAH. 27 fact, inquire about it, and make it so evident, tliat^® the Creator be acknowledged to be on His throne . again. Section 6. The seven double consonants, stamina, having been designed and established, combined, weighed, and changed by God, He formed by them : seven planets in the world, seven days in the year, seven gates, openings of the senses, in man, male and female. Section 7. The seven planets in the world are Saturn, Jupi- ter. Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon. Seven days in the year are the seven days of the week ; seven gates in man, male and female, are : two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and the mouth. Section 8. First Division. He let the letter ב predominate in wisdom, crowned it, combined one with the other and formed by them: the moon in the world, the first day in the year, and the right eye in man, male and female. Section 9. Second Division. He let the letter ג predominate in wealth, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Mars in the world, the second day in the year, and the right ear in man, male and female. 28 ספ ר יצירה . נ ל ט ו כ ה י . ‘ בב א ג . הקזלי ף או ת ד בןר 1 ע ןכןען ר ל ) כח ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם חמ ה בעול ם יו ם ^טליש י • • : T T T - V T T : VT %* 1 T : T : בלטנ ה ונהי ר ימי ן בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : :ד ד ; * ; * T : TT VV : I ב ל ט ו כ ה י״ א . בב א ד . המלי ך או ת כ ׳ בחיי ם וכן^ ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם נוג ה בעול ם יו ם רביע י ; T : T ן V T T : V T V ־ T T : • • ?^נ ה ועי ן שמא ל בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : נ ל ט ו ה ה י״ ב . בב א ה . המלי ך או ת פ ' בממשל ה וק^ט ר ל ו כת ר V V -It; T T ; V : ) • : * T T וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם כוכ ב בעול ם יו ם המימט י : T T T V T T : V T V I T : T ; ־ • • ב^נ ה ואז ן שמא ל בנפ׳ ט זכ ר ונקבה : ב ל ט ו ה ד ז י״ ג . בב א ו . המלי ך או ת ר ׳ בלטלו ם וקלט ר ל ו כת ר V V “It: T : ) • ; • T T וצרפ ן ז ה כז ה וצ ר בה ם לטבת י בעול ם יו ם לטש י " • T T “ ; “ V T T : V T V I T : T : ב^טנ ה ונהי ר שמא ל בנפל ט זכ ר ונקבה : t|*• ; T T VV : : * : T T : ב ל ש ה ה י״ד . בב א ז . המלי ך אור ה ת ׳ בח ן וק^ט ר 7 ־ i כרז ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם צד ק בעול ם יו ם לטב ת T “ T T J VV V T T : VT V )7 ; T ; בלטנ ה ופ ה בנפל ט זכ ר ונקבה : : TT VV! V TT ! •״ Tl SEPHER YEZIBAH. 29 Section 10. Third Division. He let the letter ר predominate in producibility, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : the sun in the world, the third day in the year, the right nostril in man, male and female. Section 11. Fourth Division. He let the letter כ predominate in life, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them: Venus in the world, the fourth day in the year, and the left eye in man, male and female. Section 12. Fifth Division. He let the letter פ predominate in dominion, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Mercury in the world, the fifth day in the year, and the left ear in man, male and female. Section 13. Sixth Division. He let the letter ר predominate in peace, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Saturn in the world, the sixth day in the year, and the left nostril in man, male and female. Section 14. Seventh Division. He let the letter n!)redominate in beauty, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them: Jupiter in the world, the seventh day in the year, and the mouth of man, male and female. 30 ספ ר יצירה . משכ ה ט״ר . ע 1 כ ע כפולו ת בג״ ד כפר״ ת ^בה ן נחכןקי ן שמ ה עולמו ת שבע ה ךקיעי ן עובע ה ארצו ת שבע ה:מי ם עזבע ה נהרו ת ע 2 בע ה מדברו ת שבע ה ימי ם ^פבע ה * ; T T ; • T : * T : • T : T ־ • : T שבועו ת שבע ה עסני ם שבע ה שמיטי ן שבע ה יובלו ת : T:•)••: T:: •T T;‘ ; לפיכ ף חב ב א ת השביעיו ת תחרז ו כ ל השמ:ם : משכ ה ט״ז . שת י אבני □ בונור ת שנ י בתי □ של ש אבני □ : T • ; • ״ T T • T . בונו ת שש ה בתי □ ארב ע אבני ם בונו ת ארבע ה * T-: •T T • ־־: TT ועשרי □ בתי ם חמ ש אבני ם בונו ת מא ה ועשרי ם : T * T • : V • ״ V: T •• * T : • בתי □ ש ש אבני □ בונו ת שב ע מאו ת ועשרי □ T ״ “ ; ־ T ״ ; ־ ־ • • : V ; • בתי □ שב ע אבני □ בונור ז המשר ת אלפי □ ^ . . . - . ן . . ן . (וארבע ) וארבעי ם בתי ם מכא ן ואיל ף צ א _וחשו ב מ ה שאי ן הפ ה :כול ה לרב ר ןאי ן האז ן.יכול ה לשמו.ע : פר ק חמישי - משכ ה א . ^תי □.עשר ה פשוטו ת הר ז חט״ י לנ״ ס עצ״ ק SEPHER YEZIRAH. 31 Section 15. By the seven double consonants, בג ר כפר ת were also designed seven worlds (at'wrE^), seven heavens, seven lands, (probably climates,) seven seas, (probably around Palestine,) seven rivers, seven deserts, seven days a week, seven weeks from Passover to Pente- cost, there is a cycle of seven years, the seventh is the release year, and after seven release years is ju- bilee. Hence, God loves the number seven under the whole heaven.®^ (In the whole nature.) Section 16. Two stones build two houses, three stones build six houses, four build twenty-four houses, five build one hundred and twenty houses, six build seven hundred and twenty houses and seven build five thousand and forty^® houses. From thence further go and reckon what the mouth cannot express and the ear cannot hear. CHAPTER y. Section 1. The twelve simple letters ה״״ר׳ ז ח׳׳ט״ י ד׳ג״ ם ע׳׳צ׳׳ ק symbolize, as it were, the organs of speaking, think- 32 ספ ר יצירה . ןיסוך ן שיח ח הרהו ר הלו ף ךא\ ה שמץ ה מעש ה השמיע ו רי ח שינ ה רוג ז לעיט ה שחוק : - . ך V : ״ I ; T מ פ ו כ ד ! ב . עתי ם עשר ח פשוטו ת הר ז חט״ י לנ״ ס עצ״ ק ןסוך ן עני ם ^עש ר גבול י אלכסו ן גמ ל מזרחיר : רומי ת גבו ל מזרחי ת צפוני ת גבו ל מזרחי ת החתי ת : י : T ״ : ״ : ״ : T • - ; . גבו ל דתמי ת רומי ת גמ ל דרומי ת ימזרחי ת גמ ל : ; • ״ : : ״ ״ : T * : דחמיר ז תחתיו־ : גבול־ ‘ מערביר־ ז רומי ת גבוי ^ מערביר ת דרומי ת גבויד ‘ מערבי ת תחתיר ח גבו ל T • : ״ : T • - : • : צפוני ת רומי ת גבו ל צפוני ת מערבי ת גבו ל צפוני ת החתיר ה ומסרחבי ן והולכי ן ע ד ^עד י ע ד וה ן די ן גמלו ת עולם : T ; ב ל פ ו ל ה ג . עתי ם .עשר ה פעוטו n הו״ ז חט״ י לנ״ ס עצ״ ק יסוד ן חקנן ן חצב ן צרפ ן עקל ן ןהמיר ן וצ ר בה ם עתי ם עשר ה מזלו ת בעול ם עני ם עש ר חדעי ם V ^ I : - . ן . ן - ן j . . . ן . ן .-ן . . בשנ ה עני ם עש ר מנהיגי ם בנפ ע זכ ר ונקבה : : TT : * ״ T T ־ : • * ; T|••; TT VV נ ל פ ו כ ה ד . עתי ם עשר ה מזלו ת בעול ם טל ה עו ר תאומי ם SEPHER YEZIRAH. 33 ing, walking, seeing, hearing, working, coition, smell- ing, sleep, anger, swallowing and laughing. Section 2. The twelve simple consonants ה׳״ו״׳ ז ח׳״ט״ י ל׳״נ״׳ ם ע׳׳צ״ ק symbohze also twelve oblique points: east height, north east, east depth, south height, south east, south depth, west height, south west, west depth, north height, north west, north depth. They grew wider and wider to all eternity, and these are the boundaries of the world. Section 3. The twelve simple letters ה״׳ו״ ז ח׳׳ט״׳י־ י ל״׳נ׳׳ ם ע״צ׳׳ ק stamina, having been designed, estabhshed, com- bined, weighed and changed by God, He performed by them : twelve constellations in the world, twelve months in the year, and twelve leaders (organs) in the human body, male and female. Section 4. The twelve constellations in the world are : Aries, 34 ספ ר יצירה . סרט ן אך: ה בהול ה מאןנ:־ ם עקר ב.קש ח גר י ךל י דגים : עזני ם עש ר חדשי ם בשנ ה ניס ן איי ר סיו ן הסו ז א ב אלו ל תשר י חעו ן בסל ו טב ה שב ט אדר : V: T י ; ״ ; • }T ; V T-: T : שני ם עש ר מנהיגי ם בנפ ש זכ ר ונקב ה ^טת י ידי ם I“ T T **I ״ ־ : VV . ן . ך ... ן . ן J . . ן. - . עזת י תלי ם שת י כליו ת מר ה דקי ן ככ ר (קורקבן ) גרגר ת קב ה טחול : מ tD כ ה ה . בב א א׳מהא . המלי ך או ת ה ' בע 5 יח ה וקע 5 ר ל ו 7 7 • • 7 * : * ; : ־ 7 : 7 ( - כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם טל ה בעול ם וניס ן * . 7 * . 7 7 V I *. ״ • : 7 7 *. * 7 17*; 7 ; V בשנ ה ות ל ןמי ן בנפע : זכ ר ונקבה : מ ט כ ה ר . בב א ב ׳ מהא . המלי ך או ת ר בהרהו ר וק^ט ר ל ו 7 7 • • 7 * : י ; ; * : : 17 ־ כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בח ס שו ר בעול ם ואיי ר * . 7 : 7 ן 7 • : 7 : V 7 7 : •/7 V ב^טנ ה וכולי א ימני ת בנפ^ ט זכ ר ונקבה : ; 7 7 : : 7 : 7 * : *. * *. * 7 7 : •• [ 7 מ ט כ ד • ז . בב א ג ׳ מהא . המלי ך או ת ד בהלו ף וק^ ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם תאומי ם בעול ם וסיו ן 17 • : 7 : * ; *.* 7 7 : *.*7 *.* I 7 ; 7 ; בשנ ה ורג ל שמא ל בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : 7 1••• 77 *.••••! : *.• V 7 7 : SEPHER YEZIRAH. 35 Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagitarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces. The twelve months of the year are : Nisan, lyar, Sivan, Tamus, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Marcheshvan, Kislev, Teves, Schevat and Adar. The twelve organs of the human body are : two hands, two feet, two kidneys, gall, small intestines, liver, gullet^^ or esophagus, stomach and milt. Section 5. First Part, First Division. God let the letter ה predominate in speaking, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Aries (the Earn) in the world, the month Nisan in the year, and the right foot of the human body, male and female. Section 6. Second Division. He let the letter ו predominate in thinking, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Taurus (the Bull) in the world, the month lyar in the year and the right kidney of the human body, male and female. Section 7. Third Division. He let the letter ז predominate in walking, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them: Gemini (the Twins) in the world, the month Sivan in the year, and the left foot of the human body, male and female. 36 ספ ר י צ י ר ה ז מ ט ו כ ה ח . בב א א ׳ מ ן השניה . המלי ך או ת ח ׳ בראי ה ולן^ ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם סרט ן בעול ם T ; It:- V T T : VT V It : t : ותמו ז בשנ ה ן.י ד.ימי ן בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : משכ ה טי . בב א ס מ ן השניה . המלי ך אור : ט ' בגמיע ה וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ח וצ ר בה ם ארי ה בעול ם It * t 1 •• •• — I Tt • • •ך . . . ־ ד זי. . — .. . • T T ; •* : ־ V T T : VT V I T ; T : V V “ I T: : וא ב בשנ ה וכולי א שמאלי ת בנפ; 2 זכ ר ונקבה T )• ״ : TT VV; • T ; T; : TT : T. ״ משכ ה י . ־ בב א נ ׳ מ ן השניה . המלי ך או ת י ' במעש ה וק^ ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם בתול ה בעול ם T : T : V T T : VT V I T 17 : ואלו ל בשנ ה וי ד שמא ל בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : t)•*: TT VV: : TT ; v:v משכ ה י״ א . בב א א ׳ מ ן השלילית . ה?זלי ך או ת ל׳בת^מי^ ם וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם מאזני ם : It ־ V T T: VT V It :t : VV בעול ם ותשר י בשנ ה ומר ה בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : : T ״ . * t|••; TT VV : TT TT : *I משכ ה י״ ב . בב א ב ׳ מ ן השלישית . המלי ך או ת נ ׳ ברי ח וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ח בז ה וצ ר בה ם עקר ב בעול ם T : t1: - %• T T : VT V I T ;T: ומךחשו ן בשנ ה ודקי ן בנפ ש;כ ר ונקבה : SEPHER YEZIRAH. 37 Section 8. Second Part, First Division. He let the letter ח predominate in seeing, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Cancer (the Crab) in the world, the month Tamus in the year, and the right hand of the human body, male and female. Section 9. Second Division. He let the letter ט predominate in hearing, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Leo (the Lion) in the world, the month Ab in the year, and the left kidney of the human body, male and female. Section 10. Third Division. He let the letter י י predominate in working, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Virgo (the Virgin) in the world, the month Elul in the year, and the left hand of the human body, male and female. Section 11. Third Part. First Division. He let the letter ל predominate in coition, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Libra (the Balance) in the world, the month Tishri in the year, and the gall of the human body, male and female. Section 12. Second Division. He let the letter נ predominate in smelling, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Scorpio (the Scorpion) in the world, the month Marcheshvan in the year, and the small intestines of the human body, male and female. 38 ספ ר יצירה • מ ע ו כ ה י״ ג . בבן< ? ג ׳ מ ן השלישית . המלי ך או ת ס ' בישנ ה וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם קש ת בעול ם : It ־ T : V )V V T T ; VT V It :7: VV וכסל ו בשנ ה וקיב ה בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : tI : T T V V ; T )••: T T : : מ ט ו כ ה י״ד . בב א א ׳ מ ן הרביעירת . המלי ך אור ת ע ׳ ברוג ז וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם גד י בעול ם : t | ־ T : • : V T T : *.•T V It :7 : V V טב ת בשנ ה וכב ד בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : * * * ״ : T T V V : •• T : T T ; - ן T מ ע ו כ ה ט״ר . בב א ב י מ ן הרביעית . המלי ך או ת צ ׳ בלעיט ה וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ה בז ה וצ ר בה ם דל י בעול ם ; 7 ( “ V T T : VT V It :7 : VV ; ״ : T ושב ט בשנ ה(וקורקבן ) וגתר ת בנפ ש זכ ר ונקבה : ב ל ש ה ה ט״ז . בב א ג ׳ מ ן הרביעירה . המלי ך אור ה p בשחו ק וקש ר ל ו כת ר וצרפ ן ז ח בז ה וצ ר בה ם דגי ם בעול ם : 7 ( ־ 7 : V V ־ . 7 : • 7 V 7 7 : '.•7 V 1 T ואד ר בשנ ה וטחו ל בנפ ש זכ ר ונקב ה עשא ן כמי ן ־:־ 7 : 77 ; : I • : 17 ; 7 7)••;, 77 VV עריבה * סידר ן כמי ן חומ ה עףכ ן קמי ן מלחמה : * ) נ״ א מריב ה מדינה : SEPHER YEZIRAH. 39 Section 13. Third Division. He let the letter ם predominate in sleep, cro^raed it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Sagittarius (the Archer) in the world, the month Kislev in the year, and the stomach of the human body, male and female. Section 14. Fourth Part, First Division. He let the letter ע predominate in anger, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Capricornus (the Goat) in the world, the month Teves in the year, and the hver in the human body, male and female. Section 15. Second Division. He let the letter •צ predominate in swallowing, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them: Aquarius (the Water- man) in the world, the month Schwat in the year, and the esophagus of the human body, male and female. Section 16. Third Division. He let the letter ק predominate in laughing, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Pisces (the Fishes) in the world, the month Adar in the year, and the milt of the human body, male and female. He made them as a conflict, drew them up like a wall ; and set one against the other as in warfare. 40 ספ ר יצירה . פר ק ששי . ב ל ש כ ה א . אל ו ה ם של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש ויצא ו מה ם שלש ה . . . . . ן • : T; V V ; ״ ״ T : V אבו ת וה ם אוי ר ומי ם וא ש ומאבו ת תולדו ת שלש ה . ן ..... . - ... . • • T : : T אבות : ותולדותיה ם ושבע ה בוכבי ם וצבאותיה ם V •• : • : • T T : • ; V : T ושני ם עש ר גבול י אלכסון : ב ל ש כ ה ב . ראי ה לדב ר עריכ ם נאמני ם בעולכ ם שנ ה נפ ש ־ T ־־ T T ״ ״ * V V T T T T • T V.V ושני ם עש ר ח ק ושבע ה ושלש ח ופקד ן כתל י וגלג ל ולב : ; . t ב ל ש ה ה ג . של ש אמו ת א״מ״ ש אוי ר א ש ומי ם א ש למעל ה J . -. . . . «.. . : ־: ־ T ומי ם למט ה ואוי ר רו ח ח ק מכרי ע בנתי ם וסימ ן לדב ר הא ש נוש א א ת המי ם מ ׳ דוממ ת ש ' שורק ת Iv V V V V •• •• T T T: א ׳ אוי ר רו ח ח ק מכרי ע בנתןם : ב ל ש כ ה ד . תל י בעול ם כמל ף _ע ל כסא ו גלג ל קשנ ה כמל ף במדינה * ל ב בנפ ש כמלו ד במלחמה : • : • I v V : V V : •• t : • :ד ד * ) נ״ א ע ל חומה : SEPHER YEZIBAH. 41 CHAPTEK YI. Section 1. These are the three mothers or the first elements, א״נל׳׳ ש from which emanated three progenitors ; prim- itive air, water and fire, and from which emanated as their offspring, three progenitors and their off- spring, namely : the seven planets and their hosts, and the twelve obhque points. Section 2. To confirm this there are faithful witnesses ; the world, year and man, the twelve, the Equipoise, the heptade, which God regulates like the Dragon,^ (Tah) sphere and the heart. Section 3. The first elements א״מ״ ש are air, water and fire ; the fire is above, the water below, and a breath of air establishes the balance among them. For an Ulus- tration may serve, that the fire carries the water is the phonetic character of מ which is mute and ש is hissing like fire, there is א among them, a breath of air which places them in eqilibrium.*^ Section 4. Dragon (Tali) is in the world like a king upon his throne, the sphere is in the year like a king in the empire, and the heart is in the human body like a king^* in war. 42 ספ ר י צ י ר ה . נ ל ט ו כ ה ה . ג ם א ת ז ה לעמ ת ז ה עש ה אלהי ם טו ב mvb ר ע ר ע לעמר־ ז טו ב טו ב מטו ב ה ע מר ע הטו ב T T :.• * ־ • T- T - מבחי ן אר ז הר ע והר ע מבחי ן א ה הטו ב טוב ה שמור ח לטובי ם ורע ח ע!מור ח לרעים : : T ־ • ; TT T : T T • ב ל ש כ ה ר . עללט ה כ ל אח ד לבד ו עומ ד אח ד מזכ ה ואח ד קןחיי ב [אח ד מכרי_ ע בנתים : ב ל ש כ ה ז . שבע ה שללט ה מו ל שלעז ח ואח ד מכרי ע בנתי ם • : tv; T ; T : T -:־־•:- * ושני ם עש ר עומדי ן במלחמה : שלש ה אוהבי ם שלש ה שונאי ם שלש ה מחיי ם ושלש ה ממיתים : : T ; • : T ; ־ ״ ; T : ' • ב ל ש כ ה ח . שלש ה אוהבי ם 2hn והאזני ם שלש ה שונאי ם ; • T T : • “ ; T T ; ; • הכב ד המר ה ןהלשו ן שלש ח מחיי ם שנ י נקב י הא ף והטחו ל ושלש ה ממיתי ם שנ י הנקבי ם והפ ה וא ל מלן ר נאמ ן מוש ל ?כל ם מ^עו ן קךש ו ע ד עד י ע ד אח ד ע ל גב י שלש ה שלש ה ע ל גב י שבע ה שבע ה TV ־ — • ; “ T : T T . . T : * ע ל גב י שני ם עש ר וכל ם אדוקי ם ז ה בזה : - -״ • : ־ • VT V )• T *•,; T T SEPHER YEZIBAH. 43 Section 5. God has also set the one over against the other ; the good against the evil, and the evil against the good ; the good proceeds from the good, and the evil from the evil ; the good purifies the bad, and the bad the good ; the good is preserved for the good, and the evil for the bad ones. Section 6. There are three of which every one of them stands by itself; one is in the affirmative, the other in th© negative and one equalizes them. Section 7. There are seven of which three are against three, and one places them in equilibrium. There are twelve which are all the time at war ; three of them produce love, and three hatred, three are animators and three destroyers. Section 8. The three that produce love are the heart and the ears ; the three that produce hatred are the liver, the gall and the tongue ; the three animators are the two nostrils and the milt ; and the three destroyers are the mouth and the two openings of the body ; and God, the faithful King, rules over all from His holy habitation to aU eternity. He is one above three, three are above seven, seven above twelve, and all are linked together. 44 ספ ר ’צירה . משכ ה טי . ן? ו ה ם עשרי ם ושתי ם אותיו ת שבה ן חק ק אהי ה י ה יהו ה צבאו ת א ל שר י יהו ה אלהי ם ועש ה מה ם T : T ; T ״ ״ : V •• T T: • V; T שלש ה ספרי ם ובר א מה ם א ת כ ל עולמ ו וצ ר בה ם ; T : T ׳ V T T ; T T V V •• TT א ת כ ל היצו ר וא ת כ ל העתי ד לצור : T ־ : : ״. ״ T •TV T משכ ה י . וכשהבי ן אברה ם אבינ ו והבי ט ורא ה וחק ק וחצ ב ועלת ה ביד ו נגל ה עלי ו אדו ן הכ ל וקרא ו אוהב י : It : - I T T T ; • T ; T ; T ; ;־ • * וכר ת ל ו ברי ת בי ן עש ר אצבעו ת;די ו והו א ברי ת הלשו ן ובי ן עש ר אצבעו ת תלי ו והו א ברי ת המיל ה וקר א עלי ו בטר ם אצך ף בבט ן ידעתיף. * * ) נ״ א וק^} ר עשרי ט ושתי ם אותיו ת בלשונ ו וג^ ה < 5 ו א ת יסו ח ; T ־ V ; • ; ־ • • • ; ; • T ; V T י מ׳שכ ן במי ם דלה ן כא ש רעש ן ברו ח בער ן ביעבע ה נהג ן ב׳יזתי ם ע׳^ר ה 't;t t ••t :־ t ' : ־ t ;־ TV:V t:•; 't ׳ . . . . . . .. . מזלות : T- סלי ק פרק א . וסלי ק ספ ר יציר ה : SEPHER YEZIKAH. 45 Section 9. There^^ are twenty-two letters by which the I am, Tah, the Lord of hosts, Almighty and Eternal, de- signed, formed and created by three Sepharim, His whole world, and formed by them creatures and all those that will be formed in time to come. Section 10. When^ the patriarch Abraham comprehended the gi’eat truism, revolved it in his mind, conceived it perfectly, made careful investigations and profound inquiries, pondered upon it and succeeded in contem- plations, the Lord of the Universe appeared to him, called him his friend, made with him a covenant between the ten fingers of his hands, which is the covenant of the tongue,^® and the covenant between the ten toes of his feet, which is the covenant of cir- cumcision, and said of him : “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” (Jer. I, 5.) NOTES 1) Our author maintains that there is a first intelligent, self-existing, almighty, eternal ruling cause of all things, and that an everlasting entity produced nonentities by a progression of effects. The divine knowledge, he adds, differs from the human knowledge in such a degree, that it gives ex- istence to all that is. יל ♦ ד ^ צבאו ת ppH is a talmudical expression. (See Treatise Bava Bathra p. 73.) It seems to me, that the author not only wanted to contradict Plato’s assertion that the Supreme Being had need of a plan, like the human architect, to conduct the great design, when he made the fabric of the Universe, but also the common belief that God reasons and acts by ideas like a human being. As the prophet Isaiah exclaimed : “Behold ! God has no ideas like you, and his ways of acting are not like yours.” (Isaiah 55, 8 — 9.) 2) The number thirty-two is not only the fifth power of tw'o, and the sum of ten units and twenty-two letters, but is also the sum of the first and last letter of the Hebrew Pentateuch, namely: 2 ב and 30 ל , equal thirty- two. (See Kusari p. 343, translated into German by Dr. David Cassel.) 3) Paths denote powers, effects, kinds, forms, degrees or stages. 4) These Sepharim or three words of similar expression signify : first, number, calculation or idea j second, the word j third, the writing of the word. The idea, word and writing (of the word), are signs to man for a thing, and is not the thing itself, to the Creator, however, idea, word and writing (of the word) are the thing itself, or as some ancient Rabbis re- marked : “ ׳ n ״ 3 ״ pra מחטב ה דבר ר ומעטר . הכ ל חר א דכ ל אח ד idea, word and work are one and the same to God.” There is an ideal world in the divine intellect, according to which this sensible world was made. The difference between the human and divine manner of thinking admits no comparison. 5) This means to say, that there has not been any matter or hyle ex- isting from all eternity, containing different kinds of primitive atoms or molecules etc., as the Greek philosopher, Anaxagoras, taught, but that all things are the gradual emanations of one everlasting being. /This idea is then symbolically explained in the next paragraph. 6) The design of the author is evidently to deduce the proof of the de- cade from the phenomena in the nature of man, who is generally considered the crown or the final cause of the terrestial creation, and upon whom God vouchsafed two most precious gifts, namely : the articulated word, and the 47 48 NOTES. religious element (spiritual purity). This passage is explained by Isaac Satanow in his Hebrew Dictionary entitled Sephath Emeth, p. 44, b ; והל ה הלטו ן הו א ע ט סופ ר לתולדו ת הטבלי ם ואב ר המולי ד יי ם א ת האד ם p לתולדו ת החמריי ם וכ ל אח ד הו א ברי ת עול ם ל לפליט ה נצחי ת ע ל טת י צלעותי ו המר ו וצורת ו הא י כדאיתי ה The tongue is, as it were, the . והא י כדאיתי ה ז ה בחמר ו וז ה בצורתו descriptive pen of all the spiritual issues, and the genital parts are the or- iginators of the corporeal substances. Every one of them is an eternal covenant in order to preserve the human race for ever, according to its two- fold being ; body and spirit. Each working after its own way, physically and spiritually. 7) Like Pythagoras, who taught that the digits inclusive number ten which are typified in Tetraktys, [TErpaKTV because it is obvious from “Yezirah,” Chap. II, that the author signifies by the word “Tohu,” nothing, and not something, as Judah Halevi erroneously thought. Moses Butarel and others tell us that they had before them a correct copy of“SepherYezirah,” where it reads: תה ר ז ה ל^ ר ירר ^ וכר ' בה י אנ ל אבלי ם מפרלבלות ! The same passage is mentioned in the Talmud treatise Chagi- gah, p. 12, a, with the addition of המשרלער ת בתהו ם שמה ן ירצאי ן מים « The word המפרללר ת is translated by Rashi, moht. Some say it is a compound word of מפו ל מר ת > others of / פלרל י אלמרלי etc. But the word is not of Semitic origin ; it is, according to my opinion, borrowed from the Greek as the word סימן ׳ etc., flood, אבלי ם מפלמר ת flood- stones. The same word is used treatise Beza, p. 24, b, ♦ דגי ם המפרלמין fish that are caught from out of the flood. 15) According to the author, the space and six dimensions emanated from the ether, 16) Judah Halevi in his book entitled “Kusari,’* p. 356, illustrates it thus : The Creator is one, and the space has in the figurative expression six dimensions. The book “Yezirah,” having ascribed to the Creator some names in the spiritual language, chooses now in the human language the finest sounds which are, as it were, the spirits of the other sounds, namely: הר י and says, that when the divine will was expressed by such a sublime name, it became that which the Exalted by praise wished to call forth ac- cording to the combination of “, הרד ” Hence it follows, that the material world was created in such a way and manner which corresponds with the material, namely, by the sublime spiritual name, which corresponds with the material name, יהל ׳ ילה ׳ הלי ׳ היל ׳ ליה ׳ רהי ׳ and out of each of them became one dimension of the world, the sphere. 17) The author shows here by the symbol of a scale and the phonetic character of the fundamental letters א^^מ^^ש ׳ that the opposite forces and the struggle which prevail in the smallest as well as in the largest circles of creation are appeased and calmed. 18) Meaning outlets, outgates of the creative power, formations. 19) The word על ג signifies joy, and when transposed, forming the word לג ע it signifies just the contrary, trouble, plague. He means to say, that the letters of the words על ל and לג ע are the same, but they signify never- theless, opposite ideas on account of transposition. Just as the sphere re- mains the same during the rotation on its axis in its setting and in its rising; yet it appears to us as if it had undergone a great change on account of its different position. 50 NOTES. צרפ ך עזנןל ך רהמיך ן ן 20) My reading is 21 ) The combination of the twenty-two letters without permutation is represented in the following table : n ק ח ר ת n in ע ת פ ת n o 1_» ב ! D ב : n LJ '־ J \ כ • G 1 o ב D D ם ב ! נ ב 11 -i u ׳ - ״ ־ n H % ק ש ר ש in \D Vi a נ ש D \X״U G 3ss33sg % סי ־ in -9 _i ט Vi _/ a _/ L-» D _/ o Njr*u -j _/ G ב -! =! fi d d d % ^ ID \n —j a ־O ס - ס ^־O \jru ־o ס - ו ב ־ י } 3 ס ־ צ י ^ -vj 11 ^ — J -J J-r IX -o % m ui ID Vi in a \n in D in in NX* u li ui G in ill ^ in ^ כ r; !5 li -I iX u ui % Vi o a lIJ D irr NX' u מ iD G מ in ט צ מ מ U ב ! 1 - J - צ n in % Vi o Vi Vi Vi Vi D N-no Vi ViVi ^Vivi ViVl a u» a O o a NX* U D a G 3253323 a % o *— » NX* U l_r l_* G כ h: ג ל ^ J b U u״ % O O NX*U q o G 5 ס a 2 2 2 מ 11 י — ׳ _J ״ נ , Uf O % NX• u NX c כ XXu _1 iTu z u U G 3523323 IX % G n _i IJ J נ:: IX % 3523323 G % 323323 H % u ש ב פ % 3 If ש U % 11 ו ב U U ש ו _ 11 % _f — 1 d u z *_ ג U % 22) The number of combinations of twenty-two letters two and two without any permutation is according to the mathematical formula n — I 22 n* =22 — I X =21 ל . 2 2 23) The ancient philosophers maintained that if God is the first cause, and He is necessarily, He, the immediate effect of Him, as an absolute unity. NOTES. 51 can only be again a unity. Hence from a being that is in every respect a unique being, there can only emanate one being j because would two essen- tially and truly different things issue conjointly from one being, they can only proceed from two different things of substance, that would consequently admit a division that is inconceivable. They then put the question, how came so many various beings into existence ? Our author is therefore en- deavoring to show that the whole universe emanated gradually from the spirit of the one living God. 24) The reading of Von Jo. Meyer and others is as follows : יצ ל מתרה ר ממ ט ועט ה אינ ו יטנ ו והצ ב עמודי ם נדדלי ם מאוי ר טאינ ר נתפ ס וז ה סימ ן צופ ה ומימ ר עוט ה כ ל היצו ר וא ה כ ל הדברי ם בט ם אח ד וסימ ן לדב ר עטרי ם וטתי ם מניינ ם וגו! ש אחד : My reading according to a manuscript of Rabbi Isaac Luria, which I have preferred to all others, isthus: יצ ר ממ ט מתוה ו ועט ה א ת אינ ו יטנ ו וחצ ב עמודי ם גדולי ם מאוי ר טאינ ו נתפ ס וז ה סימ ן או ת א ע ם כול ן וכול ן ע ם א צופ ה ומימ ר ועט ה א ת כ ל היצו ר וא ת כ ל הדבו ר ט ם אח ד וסימ ן לדב ר עטרי ם וטתי ם חפצי ם בנון ש א : 25) It has been already mentioned above Chap, i, §1, that God, his idea and his word are a unity 5 hence the author signifies by the letter Aleph the air from which emanated the creative speech, etc, 26) Here is meant : ethereal air, ethereal water, ethereal fire, the macro- cosm, the courses of time and microcosm. Many offspring or derivations came from the latter three, as their progenitors, as it is explained after- wards in the chapter. 27) The author endeavors to show how the creative divine word became more condensed and how a new series of productions came out of three elements. 28) In ancient times coldness was considered to oe a substance. [See Psalm 147, 17.] 29) Id est, made it the reigning power. 30) Namely, with the two other elements. 3 !ן That is to say a different combination of the elements. 32) According to the opinion of the author, it may be arranged as follows: Aleph, Mem. Sheen. World: Air, Earth, Heaven or Atmosphere, (Inclusive of Land and Sea.) Man : Breast, Belly, Head. Year: Moistness, Coldness, Heat. 33) The aspirating pronunciation of p in the Greek, was adopted by the ancient Jews in Palestine for the Hebrew letter ל* They pronounced it partly aspirated and partly unaspirated. [See Dr. Geiger’s Lehr-und Lese- buch der Mischnah, p. 22, and Dr. Graetz’s Gnosticismus, p. 117.J 52 NOTES. 34) According to the idea of our author, there emanated from the unity of God three ethereal elements: primitive air from the spirit, from the air, primitive water, and from the water, primitive fire or ether, out of which came other spheres of existence in the significant and highly important number, seven, from which descended smaller spheres and which produced again others. He endeavors to show how the ideal became, after numerous emanations, more condensed, palpable and concrete. The whole creation is thus contemplated as a pyramid, terminating in a point at the top with a broad basis. [See Dr. Graetz’s Gnosticismus, p. 224.] 35) Compare Chapter I, Section 3, Note, 8. 36) The order of the planets (including the Sun) is stated here according to the Ptolemaic system which was in vogue even among the learned men till the middle of the fifteenth century, namely: Moon, Mercury, Vem^ Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. But this arrangement is undoubtedly an interpolation of a later time, as the author of the book. “Yezirah” lived many years before Ptolemy. And indeed Prof. Jo. Friedrich Von Meyer \ and others of reliable authority had in their copies of “Yezirah” the follow- ing order: . מאדיה p חמ ה כרכ ה כרכ ב לככד ז טבת י צד Mars, jupiter, Saturn, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun. 37) Philo (Allegor i, 42,) after having called attention to the fact that the heptade is to be found in many biblical laws, in the vowels of the Greek language, in the gamut and in the organs of the human body, exclaims, similar to our author : “The whole nature exults in the heptade !’* 38) The rule for permutation is as follows : (n — i) . n . 1 x 2 x 3 x4x 5 x 6 X 7=5040. In our edition it reads : חבלנצ ה אלפי ם וארב ע בכים ״ Five thousand and four houses, which is obviously a mistake, it should read : 5040 houses. חמש ת אלפי ם וארבעי ם בתים ״ 39) I read כרכר ה instead of קןררכ^רב ך for two reasons. In the first place, the same thing is mentioned afterwards, and in the second place, it is proved by the expression לעיט ה that the author meant כרכר ה and not . רבך p רר p 40) Some maintain that by the expression Tali is understood the con- stellation Draco or Dragon, which is a very large constellation extending for a great length from East to West; beginning at the tail which lies half way between the Pointers and the Pole Star, and winding round between the Great and Little Bear by a continued succession of bright stars from 5 to 10 degrees asunder, it coils round under the feet of the Little Bear, sweeps round the pole of the ecliptic, and terminates in a trapezium formed by four conspicuous stars from 30 to 3 5 degrees from North Pole. Dr. Steinshneider (see Magazin fuer Literatur des Auslandes, 1845) and Dr. Cassel (in his commentary to the book entitled Kusari,) maintain that the ancient Jewish NOTES. 53 astronomers signified by the word Tali, not the constellation Draco, but the line which joins together the two points in which the orbit of the moon intercepts the ecliptic (Dragon’s head and tail). Dr. Cassel is of the opinion that our author meant here, probably the invisible, celestial or universal axis that carries the whole Universe. 41) Our author means to say that the water has a great disposition to unite itself with the caloric, thus for instance is the fire latent in steam, but the air equipoises them. 42) The meaning is, as God is the centre of the Universe, so have the macrocosm, the seasons and temperature and the microcosm, their centres receiving power from the principal centre to regulate and rule. 43) The substance of this Mishnah is mentioned in the Talmud treatise Berachoth, p. 55, a. It reads there: אמ ל ל ב יהוד ה אמ ל ל ב ייד ע הי ה בצלא ל לצרן ש אותיו ת טזנברא ר בה ן פומי ם וארץ ! “Rab jehudah stated in the name of Rab, that Bezalel understood to combine letters by which heaven and earth were created.” To this the commentator Rashi adds: ‘‘as it is taught in the book Yezirah.” It is undoubtedly certain that the book Yezirah, or a cosmogony as it is represented there, was known to Rab, who was a disciple of Jehudah Hanasi, during the second part of the second century. (C. E.) See treatise Berachoth, p. 55 a, where the commentator Rashi referred to the book Yezirah. 4p) This whole paragraph is an interpolation of an unknown hand, as it can be easily proved. 45) I have translated according to the reading of Rabbi Judah Halevi. The reading of Rabbi Luria is as follows: ען ל עשלי ם ונצתי ם ארהיי ה p ר בלטונ ו וגיל ה ל ו א ת סוד ו מטכ ן במי ם דל ^ בא ט רעבו ן ברו ה בער ך “He fastened twenty-two letters on בטבע ה נהגי ן בטני ם צט ל מדלו ת ׳ his tongue and revealed to him His mystery. He drew them by water, kin- died them by fire and thundered them by the wind. He lighted them by seven, and rules them by twelve constellations.” Pistor. renders it : “Tranat per aquam, accendit in igne grandine signavit in aere. Disposuit cum sep- tern et gubernavit cum duodecim.” Postellus* version is : “Attraxit eum in aqua, accendit in spiritu, inflammavit in septem aptatum cum duodecim signis.” Meyer translates it: “Er zog sie mit Wasser, zundet sie an mit Feuer, erregte sie mit Geist, vebrannte sie mit sieben, goss sie aus mit den zwoelf Gestirnen.” GLOSSAEY OF RABBINICAL WORDS. א To adhere, cohere. YI, 8. ^ [Syriac , אאר Greek d^p] Air. II, Sign, letter; אותיו ת יסו ר fundamental letters. I, 1. : מכא ן ואילן ו hinc et ulterius; from now further. lY 16 These. Equals the biblical . אלה YI, 1. [Greek Oblique, diagonil direction. Y, 2. Middle, centre. I, 2. אד ק V. אד ר w. או ת w. איל ך adv. אל ו adj. אלכסו ן adj. אמצ ע «. ב בור י «• Clearness, perspicuity. 1, 3. והעמ ד דב ר ע ל בורי ן ך - ך . . . ■ .. . and put the subject in a clear point of view. בב א w. Division. Y, 5. T T בנתי ם or בינותי ם Composed of , בי ן שתים omitting ^ between them. 1, 1. [See Duke’s Sprache der Mischnah, p. 68.] ג פ ב n. Back, ע ל גב י upon the back id est, upon or above• YI,8. גןו ף n. Body, substance II, 5. גלג ל n. Circle, celestial orb, or sphere. II, 4. 54 55 GLOSSARY. ד דבו ר n. Word. I, 8. ה הרה ר v. Think, muse, meditate, reflect. I, 7. הךהו ר n. Reflection, meditotion. Y, 1. ז Innocence, purity, godliness, merit. II, 1. • « זכו ת ח הוכ ה T Misdeed, trespass. II, 1. . ® חז ר -T To return, to turn one’s self round. II, 5. חליל ה n. Rotation ; from to dance round. II, 5. T ט . » טחו ל T Milt, spleen. Y, 4. כ בא ן or כא ן adv. Here, there ; מכא ן thence, from thence. lY, 16. . » כוכ ב T Star ; especially the planet Mercury. lY, 7. בו ן piei כו ן V, Direct ; מכו ן directed, situated. I, 2. כיעו ר n. Ugliness. lY, 3. לכןו-יסבן ז adv. So, thus. I, 7. כר ע Hiph, הכרי ע V• To intervene in any thing, to mediate the Deace, accomodate a quarrel. II, 1. ל לעיט ה n. T •: Eating, swallowing. Y, 1. לפיכן ז ddv. According to כןי . and לפ י Composed of the words that, therefore. lY, 15. 56 GLOSSABY. מ מאךי ם n. The planet Mars. lY, 7. . n מדר , Measure, quality, divine attribute. I, 4. טנ ה ^ n. T : * Doctrine, lesson, paragraph. . » מזלו ת Constellations ; especially the twelve signs of the T • Zodiac. Y, 3. מן ל טו ב a happy constellation. T ־ כמי ן adv. It is a particle like , כ as ; it is added the word מי ן kind, denoting ; as a kind of, like, as. II, 4. מימ ר v. Chald. inf. מאמ ר or . ממר To speak, command. II, 5. ממ ש n, T - Substance, reality. II, 5. מעזיב ה n. Rampart, a floor, pavement. I, 8. מר ה n. TT Gall. Y, 4 מתנה ג See . נהג iy, 1. ־ T נ נה ג v. With a ב following after it, signifies : to make use . n נוגד ! of any thing. IY, 1. The planet Yenus. IY, 7. נע ץ v. Chald. Stick in, fasten, conjoin, connect. I, 6. נ?ן ב Opening. IY, 8. ס סד י V. Arrange. Y, 16. סימ ן n. GTjfjLelov Sign, illustration. II, 4. [See Geiger’s Lesestlicke der Mishnah, p. 121.] סלי ק n. Finished ; the end (of a book or chapter.) ע עריב ה n. T •• ־ : Contention, rivalry. Y, 5. • ״ עתי ד • T Future. II, 2. GLOSSABT. 57 פ • ״ פר ק Chapter, section. פשו ט adj. T Divested of clothes, undressed, simple. I, 8. צ צד ק n. The planet Jupiter. lY, 7. צפיי ה n. T • : Appearance. I, 5. צר ף Refine, melt together, connect, combine. II, 2, ק ^קכ ע To fix, to fasten. 1, 8. II, 3. HTpornap n. T T׳•• Stomach. Y, 4. קרקב ן or קורקב ן n. stomach, y, 4. ר ראי ה n. Argument, evidence. YI, 2. ראג ה n. T • I Sight. Y, 1. רר ה n. T • : Redundancy of water, moistness. III. 4. רי ח V. Smell. Y, 1. ש ׳שבתא י n. • T : ־ The planet Saturn. lY, 7. ׳^יח ה n. T • Speaking. Y. 1. שמיע ה n. T * : Hearing. Y, 1. שר ת v. To serve. I, 8. n תל י w. • : The constellation Draco or Dragon. YI, 2. תשמי ש n. Coition. Y, 1. תפ ס or תפ ש v. - T “ T To seize, to take hold of. SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 38 A translation of the six divisions of the Mishnah was rendered in Latin by Surenhus in the city of Amsterdam, (1698 — 1703). A Spanish version ap- peared in Venice in 1606; one in German by Kabe, in Onolzbach in 1761 ; and another in Berlin, 1832 — 1834, by the renowned Jewish historian Dr. Jost, the modern Josephus, who added also vowels to the Hebrew text of the Mishnah. In former times the Mishnah was accentuated as stated (Tosefoth on treatise Megillah, p. 32, a,) similar to that of the Hebrew Bible. Only some single treatises of the Talmud were translated into Latin and German by Drs. Hirschfeld and Pinner ; but many talmudical antholigies, with translations and annotations, have been published by Plantavitius, Hurwitz, Fiirstenthal, Piirst and others. 37 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. the gate of temple mountain, and the other at the gate of Asarah. Cases involving capital punishment concerning false prophets, High-priests and a whole tribe, were exclusively cognizable in the supreme court, in the large hall adjoining the temple. On Friday, Saturday, on the day previous to a biblical festival and on the seven bibhcal hohdays, no court was allowed to hold any session. (Treatise Synhedrin, p. 32, Beza, 36.) The punishment in capital crimes was performed in four modes : stoning, burning, beheading and strangling. (Treatise Synhedrin, 49, b.) The corpses of those that were stoned to death, were hung by the neck to a gibbet, where they were exhibited until sunset. The supreme court {Synhedrin Gedolah), had two, and according to some, three secretaries to record all the proceedings. But forty years before the destruction of Jem- Salem, the supreme court ceased to try any case where capital punishment was inflicted. (Treatise Synhedrin,* p. 41, a.) *The word סנהדרי ן is borrowed from the Greek ^^awedpLov" 0 . deliberative assembly or council, and consequently must be pro- nounced Synhedrin, and not Sanhedrin•, it is feminine gender, and the plural is SynhedriotJu (See Treatise Synhedrin, p. 2.) SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 36 JUDICIAEY OF PALESTINE. It is stated in Treatise Synhedrin, p.* 2, that there were three different courts in the land of Israel. First, Synhedrin Gedolah, supreme coiirt, which was composed of seventy-one members. Second, Synhedrin Ketanah, the inferior court, consisting of twenty-three members. Third, Beth Din, local court, which consisted of three members. The quahfications for any one to become a judge of the common court, were intelligence, modesty and popularity. (Treatise Synhedrin, 88 b.) When he practised to the satisfaction of the people, he was promoted to the court at the gate of Har Habayith, (Temple Mountain), from thence to the court at the gate of the Asarah (yard), and then he was advanced to the supreme court. Besides the literary attainments, however, every aspirant to the judicial chair of the supreme court had to be possessed of an exalted, unblemished character, learned in sciences, as in mathematics, medicine and natural philosophy, and well versed in many languages. (Treatise Synhedrin, p. 71.) The seat of the supreme court was at Jerusalem, in a large hall in the temple called Lishchath Hagga• sith, (the hall of hewn stone), and sometimes in the palace of the High-priest. There were also^two inferior courts in Jerusalem ; one held its session at 35 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. pended bucket, taking one of the stones with him, and descended the well while the other bucket slowly ascended. The bear, astonished at the strange freak of his companion, asked him: “Why do you go down?” The fox reiterated : “ Oh, how does this place abound with meat and cheese ! Do you not see the luscious cheese?” calling his attention to the reflec״ tion of the full moon then shining brightly in the sky. The bear, enticed by the prospect of a good supper, inquired anxiously : “How can I get down.” “Well,” said master fox, “place the stone which I have selected in the suspended bucket and then you seat yourself comfortably on it.” Advising him to do so, that in case the stupid bear should follow him he would nevertheless be able to ascend by throwing out the stone from his own bucket and then be out- balanced by the other. The bear, however, unwittingly put the stone in the bucket and seated himself thereon, to the great joy of master fox, who having thrown his stone into the well, was instantly drawn out of his perilous position and jumped from the bucket to dry land. The bear finding himself deluded, growled : “How am I to get out?” And the fox answered: “The righteous is dehvered out of his trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead.” (Proverbs, Chap, xi, 8.) And as it reads in the Bible, (Leviticus xix, 36): “Just balances, and just weights,” which rule you have grossly violated. SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 34 THE FOX AND THE BEAR, A fox persuaded a bear to enter the court-yard of a Jewish family on a Friday, late in the afternoon, when they were busy in preparing their meals for the Sabbath, to offer them his services, providing they would allow him to spend the Sabbath with them. But he had hardly entered the premises, when he was welcomed by an armed company who with their sticks assaulted him with such formidable blows, that he had to run for life. The bear chagrined and growling, rushed towards the fox, intending to tear him to pieces. The fox, however, succeeded in appeasing his wrath by apol- ogising that they mistook him for his father, who had also offered once his help for the preparation of the Sabbath meals, and at the same time unceremon- iously helped himself to the best dainties that they had in the house. “ What,” asked the bear in great astonishment, “shall I suffer the punishment due to my father?” “Yes,” rejoined master fox, “because it is a well- known proverb : ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ (Ezekiel xviii, 2.) My dear, I will prove my genuine friend- ship to you forthwith; I know a place where you can eat and drink to your hearts desire.” He then led his snarling companion to a draw- well with two buckets each fastened to the end of a rope attached to a pole laid across the well. He took two stones of equal weight, each of them heavier than himself. He then seated himself in the sus- 33 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. to know, why did God make him unconcious when He performed for him the sweetest blessing of his existence?” She then remarked, “I will answer yonr question, but before all things, get me a piece of raw meat.” He did her bidding with alacrity. She at once took it, washed, salted, dabbed and roasted it in his presence; then she asked him if he would like to have a slice of it ; but he pohtely declined, declaring that he would have had perhaps some appetite, if he had not witnessed the dressing of it. “Well,” she reiterated,“ exactly so was the case with the first man. If he would have seen how God formed Eve, he might not have liked her so well as when she stood before him, graced with womanly loveliness and beauty.” (Treatise Synhedrin, p. 39.) Rabbi Mair was the first who remonstrated against the blind faith in the authority of eminent men. He enjoined his pupils to use their own intellectual faculties and rely on the result of their own un- biassed criticism. He laid down the maxim : Look not at the jar but at that which is therein ; for there are new jars full of wine, and old jars which do not contain even new wine. (Aboth, Chap, iv. Sec. 27.) He was also considered the best of the talmudical fable writers. The morals contained in three hun- dred verses of the Bible he illustrated by fables, but only three have been preserved to us. (Treatise Synhedrin, p. 38, b.) SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 32 with pride of high pedigree, and that one shall not say to another, “My father was of nobler blood than yours.” (Treatise Synhedrin, p. 37, a.) It is related that a cavihng heathen, an acquain- tance of Rabbi Gamliel, once said to him : “If your God, as you assert, is the source of all righteousness, please tell me, why did He steal a rib from the first man when asleep, as it is stated in Genesis, Chapter^ i, 21?” The amiable and accomplished daughter of Gam- liel, who happened to be present, requested her father for the permission to set this infidel to rights. “Well, do so, my dear,” answered Gamliel. She then addressed the heathen and said: “Sir, before arguing our subject, will you have the kind- ness to do me a favor by calling in a justice of the peace?” “Why,” said he, “for what purpose?” She then rejoined: “Some robbers invaded our house last night, purloined a silver goblet and re- placed it by a gold one.” “Is that all?” asked the heathen, “I would wish that my house might be pillaged in such a nianner every day.” “Well,” said she, “since you are of such an opinion, you will probably coincide with me that it was much better for Adam to receive for one rib a beautiful companion for his whole life, who would share his pleasures and woes, and would nourish him faithfully when old and infirm.” “I admit that,” said the caviler, “but I would like SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 31 then remarked that he knew many excellent men who were handsome too, but that they would be still more excellent if they were less handsome. (Jalkut Parshath Toldoth.) I repeat now that which I said in my “Guide for Eational Inquiries into the Biblical Writings,” p. 63. “As Grecian philosophy began with single sen- tences and proverbs of the so-called Seven Sages, so must we regard the profound maxims and ascetic doctrines of the first teachers, which are contained in the “Ethics of the Fathers,” and the “Aboth of Babbi Nathan,” as the beginning and origin of phil- isophical studies among the Jews.” Many of the Jewish sages have distinguished themselves by erudition as well as by piety. I have selected here a few instances which will acquaint the reader with their true and exalted ideas and views, and which will perhaps at the same time afford some entertainment. It is remarked in the Mishnah: Why did God create only one man in the beginning? It was for many reasons : first. That we may learn from this fact, as the earth was once in existence for the benefit and happiness of one human being, the ruin of one pious and honest human soul is equal to the destruction of a whole world, with all its forces, and the preservation of a human soul from perdition is equal to such a meritorious work, as if one had preserved a whole world with all its beautiful creations. Second, That no man shall be bloated UBRARY UNIVERSITY OF IIUNQIS IS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 30 ‘‘My son,” said the mourning Eabbi, “thou hast comforted me ; I am perfectly consoled.” § 15. Let the honor of thy fellow-man be as dear to thee as thy own ; do not get easily into passion ; repent one day before thy death ; and warm thyself by the fire of wise men, but be careful that the heat does not scorch thee, for all their words are words of fire. Eabbi Elieser, the teacher of these maxims, when asked by his disciples how any man could strictly follow that rule, to repent one day before his death, as no one knows the time of it, answered : “Therefore be ready every day with penitence and good deeds, as though the next day were thy last.” (Aboth of Eabbi Nathan, Chap, xv.) § 16. Envy, unbridled passion and misanthropy cause the death of man. Eabbi Joshua, who taught this maxim, distin- guished himself by his piety as well as by his wit, so that he became a favorite of the imperial court at Eome ; but they sometimes made him the butt of their raillery on account of his ughness. A princess once asked him : “How does it come that an excellent mind lodges often in an ugly body?” “Why,” he replied, “does your father keep his best wine in earthen jars, and not in vessels of gold and silver?” The princess ordered at once that vessels of gold and silver should be fiUed with the best wine ; but it soon grew sour. The emperor, who heard the story, 29 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. Chap. II. — § 2. It is proper to combine the study of the law (erudition) with practical life, because he who occupies himself with both of these, thinks not of sin. § 4. Sacrifice thy will for the will of God, that He may sacrifice the will of others for thy will. Etc. § 9. If thou art highly learned, do not pride thy- self upon it; because for this purpose wast thou created. It is related, (Aboth of Eabbi Nathan, Chap, xv,) that Babbi J ochanan, who laid down this principle, lost a hopeful son in the prime of his life. His dis- ciples came to console him and found him in all the dignity of woe. Every one related to him a similar calamity that had happened, but they could, never- theless, not conquer by the recital of such melancholy facts, the deep emotion of his excessive sorrow and grief. Eabbi Elieser finally approached him very modestly and accosted him: ‘‘Eabbi, allow me to tell thee to what thy great loss which thou hast suffered would be comparable. There was a king who gave one of his servants a very costly and pre- cious vessel in keeping. He wished and sighed daily: ‘Oh! may I be so happy that I can dehver it un- damaged and faultless when demanded of me by the king.’ Dear Eabbi, thy son was such an inestimable vessel, full of knowledge, wisdom, piety of disposi- tion and urbanity of manners, and that thou didst return it to the owner in the most perfect state, must render thee now very happy.” SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 28 this reason that they were designated by their oppo- nents as heretics, as we read in the Talmud Horioth, fol. 11 : Who is a Sadducee ? Every idolater.” (Compare also Talmud Synhedrin, fol. 38, a and b, and Midrash Rabba Genes. Chap, viii.) Although they regarded the soul as a part of the Deity, they nevertheless held it to be perishable, like every other material being, for they professed the conviction that it was absurd to believe in the exis- tence of immaterial things. § 6. Procure thyself a teacher and acquire thyself an associate ; and judge all mankind favorably. § 7. Keep thyself aloof from an evil neighbor and associate not with the wicked ; nor flatter thyself to escape punishment. § 8. Consider not thyself when called on to judge in a litigation, as an advocate of either side; and when the parties are before thee to try their cause, presume them both guilty ; but when they are gone look upon them both as innocent, provided they submitted to the judicial decree. § 9. Cross examine the witnesses and be careful of your inquiries, lest they learn from your own words to utter a falsehood. § 10. Love labor, loathe playing the master, and aspire not after dominion. § 11. Ye learned men, be cautious of your words, that your disciples may not misconstrue and hence misunderstand them. Etc., etc. 27 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. adopted the system of the Stoics then flourishing in Greece. But as the Bible was and remained the centre and appeal of all their investigations, it was but natural that their new philisophical system produced a new mode of interpreting the sacred books, and with it a new rehgious sect. Allured probably by Grecian stoicism, some teachers strove to vindicate this sys- tern of Antigonus. They remarked, From what motives was this principle advanced, and why has it been upheld by later teachers ? Is it to be imagined that a laborer should work the whole day without receiving due reward in the evening? If our fathers had acknowledged a life to come and the resurrection of the dead, they would never have adopted •this principle of Antigonus. (Aboth of Eabbi Nathan, Sec. 5.) By these and similar reflections, they gained many votaries, established a school of their own and as- sumed, after the names of Zadok and Baithos, the appellations of Sadducees and Baithosians. The former, however, remained preponderant. (Vide Jost’s History of the Israelites, [larger work in 12 vols.], Vol. I, p, 66, and Appendix No. 31 ; Universal History of the Israehtes, [smaller work in 2 vols.], Vol. I, p. 619.) They assumed hke the Stoics, two eternal princi- pies of all things, a passive one, (tA?; Hyle, in Hebrew, Tohu WawohUy תה ו ובה ו ) and an active principle, God; hence their system is the dualistic one. It was for SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 26 the great S 3 a 10 d, taught : The welfare of the human race in this world is sustained by virtue of three things, viz : the law, divine worship and charity. § 3. Antigonus of Socho, who flourished in the third century before the common era, taught: Be not like servants who serve their master with a view of receiving rewards; but like servants who serve their master without the view of being rewarded, and then will you truly be God-fearing. This sage was probably acquainted with the doc- trines of Socrates, (Xenophon’s Memorabiha, I, 1, § 2-3, III, 9, § 15,) and therefore he pronounced the above sentence, that doing right even because it is right and without regard to future reward, is wor- shiping God, is religion. It is not only historically certain, that in cense- quence of the invasion of Asia by Alexander the Great, the Grecian language, hterature and culture were transplanted to Palestine, but the very name ‘‘Antigonus” leads us to suppose that the Chaldaic and Hebrew languages had to yield their places to the Grecian. THE OEIGIN OP SADDUCISM. The conciseness of the language, however, used by Antigonus in this sentence, caused his disciples Zadok and Baithos to misunderstand its meaning, so that they drew false conclusions from it and 25 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. the journal is open and the hand recordeth, and whosoever wishes may come and borrow; yet the collectors (death in various forms) are continually going around, and sometimes get paid with, the con ־ sent of the debtors, and sometimes without it ; and the collectors have good authority on which to rest for support, for the Court renders its decision in conformity with truth and justice, and everything is thus arranged in order to prepare for the feast.” (Ethics of the Fathers, Chap. 3, § 15-16.) And although good and evil are entirely left in this sublunary world to man’s choice, they taught that he who pursues or endeavors to pursue the path of virtue receives the support of God ; whereas the designs of him who chooses the way of wickedness are not fixed from above, but entirely the fruits of his own choice. (Treatise Joma, fol. 38.) These principles are based upon Psalms xxxvii, xxiii and Proverbs xx and xxiii. As the most ancient talmudical gnomology is con- tained in פרק י אבו ת PirJce AbotJi, (the Chapters of the Fathers,) I will quote here some of these beautiful maxims and sayings. ETHICS OF THE FATHEES. Chap. I. — § 1. The men of the great Synod laid down three principles : Be careful in giving judgment; train up many disciples, and make a fence for the law. (Meaning [sepes legis] guard laws, precaution- ary ordinances.) § 2. Simon the Just, who was one of the last of SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 24 danger threaten us even when we are studying the holy scriptures, which are the means of a happy existence and the source of a happy hfe, how much more are we exposed to all kinds of trouble and woe, if we neglect to study our holy books!” A short time had elapsed since the above interview between the two Eabbis, when both Akiba and Papus were arrested and thrown into a dungeon. Papus, broken-hearted, said to Akiba: “Happy art thou, Akiba! Thou art here for having battled for the cause of our holy religion; but woe to me! I am imprisoned for having spent my time in temporal and vain efforts, and I did not mind the wise hint thou hast given me. Woe to me, that I did not heed thy sound judgment, and did not follow thy noble example!” (Treatise Berachoth, p. 61, b.) Furthermore, the Pharisees taught: there is no fatalism on earth, but all that happens is so ordained by God, (treatise Chullin, fol. 7, b,) except virtue and piety, which are entirely left to man’s free choice. In reference to this, Eabbi Akiba expresses him- self thus : “Everything that is done is foreseen by Providence, although freedom of choice concerning moral actions, is left to man. God judges the world for its own well-being, and the judgment de- pends on the balance of deeds. Man goes bail with himself for all that he receives and for all that he does ; his life is always in the net of retribution that is spread over all men. On the mart of life, the warehouse is open, the merchant (God) crediteth. 23 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. Rabbi Akiba kept preaching pnbKcly on the divine sci'iptnres, undaunted and with incomparable courage. Papus, the son of Judah, met him just when he was addressing a vast audience. He accosted him thus: ‘‘Dear Rabbi, art thou not afraid of being punished by the government ?” Rabbi Akiba rephed : “Our situation reminds me of a story, which I shall tell you now, from which you may learn a lesson.” THE FOX AND THE FISHES. “A fox was walking on the brink of a river and observed that there was a great commotion among the fishes therein. They were swimming uneasily to and fro. He asked them, ‘Why are you so rest- less to-day? By whom are you pursued?’ They answered, ‘We want to escape the perils of nets and hooks which men throw out to catch us.’ “Then said the fox, ‘I pity you my dear ones, but I will tell you now what you have to do in order to be rescued. Come to me on dry land, where we will then lead a happy life together.’ “But they said, ‘Art thou the same beast that is regarded by all as the wisest among the brutes? Thou seemest not to be wise at all, but a fool. If we are in danger of losing our lives in the water, our natural element of life, how much more dangerous would it be for us to be on dry land, where we could not exist at all !’” “This,” continued Akiba, “is exactly the case with us, in these times of persecution. If trouble and SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 22 was very dark. He let the rooster, (the alarm clock in the night of past ages,} which he carried with him to tell him the time, perch. He had hardly climbed up a high tree in order to spend the night in safety, when a lion came and tore his mule to pieces, a wild cat devoured his rooster and the wind blew out his torch. After observing all that had happened, he said to himself, ‘^Whatever God does is well done.” During the same night, the enemy, who were en- camped in that vicinity, took that very place by surprise where he had wanted to stay all night, laid it low, and made nearly all its inhabitants prisoners. He then addressed all the fugitives who took to the woods for a refuge : “Was I not right in maintaining that whatever God does is well done? If I had re- mained in the city, or my torch continued to burn, or had my mule neighed, or the rooster crowed, the enemy would have detected, plundered and taken me prisoner too.” As a consequence of this principle, which they applied to both physical and moral evils, the Phar- isees taught that we should thank God also for events that seem to us to be evil. (Treatise Berachoth, p. 54.) I will now relate an instance which is illustrative of the pious character and just reasoning of Babbi Akiba, and which is also worthy of the close attention of the reader. There was once a decree of the Homan Emperor, that any one who would study the holy law should be put to death. Notwithstanding this prohibition. 21 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. They were votaries of supernaturalism and enter- tained the following opinions: God is an infinite, (Midrash Eabba Genes. Chap. 68,) unique, spiritual, (treatise Chagigah, fol. 15,) eternal, necessary, provi- dential being (Midrash Eabba Exod. Chap. 3, and treatise Berachoth, fol. 9,) who cannot be conceived bv human understanding, (treatise Berachoth, fol. 31 ) . He does not exist in the world, but the whole universe exists in him, (Midrash Eabba, Chap. 68,) wherefore God is also called the infinite space, Mahom. He can be perceived only through His works. (Ibid, Chap. 1.) As regards the creation, they taught that out of the many systems of worlds which were present to His wisdom, he created the best possible one, and instituted the best order. Optimism. (Ibid Genes. Chap. 3.) Hence the principle laid down by Eabbi Akiba: “Whatever God does is well done.” (Ibid Genes. Chap. 3, and treatise Berachoth, p. 60.) This is illustrated by the following story. It is related, (treatise Berachoth, p. 60, b,) : Eabbi Akiba was once on a journey, and when reaching the last inhabited place bordering on an extensive forest, he wanted to stop there over night. But as he had apphed everywhere in vain for lodging, he said to them : “Whatever God does is well done.” He con- tinned his way and resolved to stay all night in the forest. He tied his jaded mule to a tree, lighted a torch and fastened it on a dry stump, because the night SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 20 There are two collections ; first, the Hierosolmitic or Tiberianic ; second, the Babylonian, both called Talmud. First, תלמו ד ירושלמ י ( Talmud Jeruslialmi ) ; second, תלמו ד בבל י {Talmud Bavly). The first was edited by Kabbi Jochanan, in Palestine, about three hundred years after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the latter by Rabbi Ashe, president of the Baby- Ionian academy of Sura, — from 365 to 425 — and by his pupil and friend Abina. THE SYSTEM OF THE PHARISEES. The men educated in the rabbinical colleges at J erusalem before the destruction of the second temple were generally called פרושי ם Pharisees,"^ expounders. The word פרו ש is derived from the verb פר ש Parosh, to explain, to interpret. I will now endeavor to sketch with an unbiassed mind the system of these Pharisees, as it is to be found in the vast rabbinical literature. It seems to me that, led by the principle of enjoy- ing the substance and casting away the shell, the Pharisees made an eclectic use of the Grecian phil- osophy, assigning as they did, high authority to the Socratic, Platonic and Aristotelian schools. (See my ‘‘Guide for Rational Inquiries into the Biblical Writings,” p. 63—71.) *Philo calls them 00404 ־ , the pious, the religious. He took the word פרו ש ParusU in the Aramaic sense, meaning: one whose- eludes himself from worldly passions and devotes himself to the duties of piety. / X SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 19 of him, that since Moses he was the first who com- bined in a high degree erudition with worldly power. He commanded thus the respect of all, and his collection of the Mishnah was acknowledged and adopted by all Jewish congregations as a religious text book. But after the publication of the Mishnah by Rabbi Jehudah Hanasi, his disciples busied them- selves in making collections of the expositions of the various opinions to be met with therein, respecting the same subject, and to complete them. Thus originated the work called תוספת א ( Tlioseplita) a ^‘Sup- plement,” or ‘‘Addition.” That of Rabbi Chija and Rabbi Oshaja was preferred on account of its ac- curacy. The same composed also a book, בריית א {Baraitlia), which contains the excluded portion of the Mishnah code by Rabbi Jehudah. There were other collections made, called Mechil- thay of Rabbi Ishmael ; Sifra or Thorath Kohanimy Siphrai of BaVy Pesicta dWah Kahanay etc., etc. Here I must remark, that all the Rabbis from the days of Simon the Just until the time of Rabbi Je- hudah Hanasi had the title of Thanairriy teachers, or סופרי ם Scribes. The Rabbis and chiefs of academies who afterwards presided were called אמורי ם {Amo- raim)y preachers, expounders. As there were accumulated many commentaries on the Mishnah, it became then necessary to compile a new text book. This was entitled גמר א {Gamara)y the final judgment or decree. SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 18 writing ; because in former times only the prophets, heads of congregations and colleges were allowed to have copies of the traditional laws, which they called ^^Megilloth Setarim,'' “Secret Scrolls.” They had to study them secretly in order to commit them to memory, that they might then be able to teach them in public orally. But when the Israelites continued to emigrate into distant countries, and were thus prevented from attending the Jewish academies, Babbi Jehudah considered it much better to break a time-honored custom and reduce the oral law to writing, so that it might be in every man’s hand, and be thus accessible to all, than to expose the whole tradition to the risk of being misunderstood or for- gotten. Although many short-sighted zealots and fanatics decried this innovation as a heresy, Babbi Jehudah did, nevertheless, carry out his view, and justified it by referring to the words of the Psalmist, cxix, 126 : “It is time for the Lord to work, for they have made void thy law.” This verse he interpreted thus : It is time to act in behalf of the Lord, means, that single biblical laws may be violated in order to pre- serve the fundamental principles of the whole law. (Treatise Berachoth, p. 54, a, etc.) He was a contemporary of the Boman Emperor Antonine the Pious, who was his intimate friend. Having been appointed Nasi by the Emperor, he used his infiuence on his imperial friend to the best advantage of his co-religionists. Therefore it is said 17 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. a great deal to the accumulation of new laws and regulations ; because the disciples of Shamai mostly forbade that which those of Hillel allowed. (Idioth, Chap, in-iv.) It went so far that the Mosaic law appeared to be like two different codes, and on ac- count of the contradictory regulations of the teachers, (Tlianaim^ תנאי ם ), who acted as they thought proper, the religious people of one place were considered irreligious at another. THE SECOND EDITOE OF THE MISHNAH. To remedy this evil, Eabbi Jehudah Hanasi, the son of Eabbi Simeon, the son of Gamliel, or as they used to call him, Eabenu Hakadosh, “our holy teacher,” or simply “Eabbi,” as Aristotle was em- phatically called in the Middle Ages, “the philos- opher,” — collected all traditions as well as the dis- cussions on the particulars of all ceremonies, re- arranged and revised all the rabbinical laws and explanations given in the various academies during the former centuries. He arranged them also like the first edition, in six principal parts, {Sedarim) each of these again into single books or treatises, {Maseeh- toth) which were sub-divided into chapters, {Perakim) and these again into paragraphs, which are strictly called Mishnalis, He finished this work one hundred and twenty years after the destruction of the sec- ond temple at Jerusalem. Eabbi Jehudah was the first teacher who ven- tured to reduce all traditions and rabbinical laws to SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 16 ond, from a similarity of phrases used in different passages ; third, from the principal idea contained in one verse; fourth, from the principal idea con- tained in two verses ; fifth, from comparing a general view of a subject with its descriptive details ; sixth, from a particular expression followed then by a gen- eral one; seventh, from whatever may be learned from the connection:” * The noble and praiseworthy intention of Hillel was, however, not quite understood by his own dis- ciples, nor by those of his hasty-tempered antagonist Shamai. About one hundred years later Eabbi Ishmael taught that there are thirteen hermeneutic exegetical rules. (See Thorath Kohanim, in the beginning.) Some time still later Eabbi Elieser, the son of Jose, the Galilean, added again nineteen hermeneutic ex- egetical rules. These thirty-two rules were then generally adopted to expound the biblical scriptures, and laws were thus accumulated upon laws, so that every breath of a Jewish hfe was besieged by rab- binical requirements, and the small sacred volume was drowned in the ocean of Mishnahs. Besides this, the discord which took place between the school of Hillel and the school of Shamai added *שבע ה מרו ת רר ש הל ל הזק ן לפנ י בנ י בתיר ה אל ו הן : ק״ ו וגזיר ה שור! / ובני ן א ב מכתו ב אחי / ובני ן א ב משנ י כתובים / ומכל ל ופר ט ומפר ט ובלל / וכיוצ א ב ו במקו ם אהר , ירב ר הלמ ר מענינ ו(אבו ת ררב י נת ן פר ק ל"ז> : 15 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. not accompany him *v7hen he went up with the exiles from Babylon to settle Jerusalem. He ordered the first tithes to be given to the priests, and not to the Levites, as the Bible commands. (Treatise Jeba- moth, p. 86, b.) Hillel suspended an express biblical law when he was convinced that it had become impracticable and might prove detrimental to the general welfare. We find accordingly the following departure in treatise Shebiith, Chap, xii, 3-4 : When one has filed a de- claration in court that he will not consider his debtor released at the release year, then does the seventh year not extinguish debt.” He termed such docu- ments פרוזבו ל wpog prosbole, which is a Greek ex- pression meaning ^‘before the court.” He made this institution, as it is exphcitly stated in treatise Gittin, Chap, iv, 3, in order to preserve the well-being of the Jewish state ; as the rich had refused to lend to the poor, notwithstanding the law makes benevolence obligatory, in view of the debt at the advent of the release year. Since Hillel considered all the rehgious laws as instrumental to the advancement of the temporal and spiritual welfare of man, he handed down seven hermeneutic exegetical rules, (Aboth derabbi Nathan Chap, xxxvii, and Siphra, at the beginning), by which the oral and written law should be interpreted, ac- cording to the wants of the time. He stated, ^^An inference may be made: first, from minor to major and from major to minor; sec- SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 14 If one has acquired a good name, he has acquired it for himself; if one has acquired a knowledge of the law, he has obtained immortal life. Ibid Sec. 8. Hillel was the first Jewish scholar who made many critical, exegetical and paleographical remarks on the Bible, when he lectured thereon in Jerusalem. These were partly written on the margin of the book and partly handed down orally from age to age until they were finally collected as Masora, ( מסורה ) tradition, which was finished in the eleventh century. Progress and developement” was Hillel’s motto. He did not endeavor to maintain everything in the Jewish religion in statu quo, but he tried earnestly and zealously to evoke an unceasing activity in the field of religion. His intention was not to make the law more onerous and to interpret it at pleasure ; but he always strove earnestly to harmonize it with the circumstances of time and place. That he did this, however, without any religious scruple, arose from the fact that this had already been done in many instances by the prophets. In this manner it was that the ceremony of circumcision was dispensed with under Moses, while the Israehtes were sojourning in the wilderness, and the Day of Atonement under Solomon. The prophet Elij ah, who was not a descendant of Aaron, sacrificed at an un- holy place. Furthermore, Ezra altered a biblical law in order to punish the Levites, because they did 13 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. to the labor which thou wilt undergo, so shall be thy recompense.* Aboth derabbi Kathan, Chap. xii. Separate not thyself from the congregation; nor have confidence in thyself until the day of thy death. Judge not thy neighbor until thou art placed in the same circumstances ; neither utter anything which is incomprehensible, in the hope that it afterwards may be comprehended ; nor say, When I shall have leisure I will study; for oerhaps thou mayest never have the leisure. Proverbs of the Fathers, Chap, ii, Sec. 5. The rude man feareth not sin ; the ignorant cannot be pious ; the bashful cannot become learned, nor the passionate be a teacher ; nor will he who is most- ly engaged in commerce become wise. In a place where there are no eminent men en- deavor thou to become eminent. Ibid Sec. 6. He who increaseth his fiesh multiplieth food for worms ; he who multiplieth riches increaseth care ; he who increaseth female servants increaseth lewd- ness; he who multiplieth man servants increaseth robbery ; but he who increaseth his knowledge of the law increaseth life. He who attends much at school increaseth wisdom; he who increaseth in refiection increaseth in pru- dence ; he who exerciseth much charity multipheth peace. *א ם אנ י כא ן הכ ל כא ן א ם אנ י לי ת כא ן מא ן כא ן היסב ה והופ ך ב ה דכול א ב ה ולכולהו ן לסו ם צער א אגרא • SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 12 ‘‘Do that to no man which thou hatest.” Compare also Matt, vii, 12 : “Therefore all things whatever ye would” etc. It would not be out of place to make the reader acquainted with many more maxims of Hillel, HILLEL’S PKOVEEBS. Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving and pursuing peace; loving mankind and bringing them to the study of the law. proverbs of the Fathers, Chap, i. Sec. 12. He who is ambitious of magnifying his name, de- stroyeth his name ; and he who doth not increase his knowledge, diminisheth it; and he who doth not study the law deserves death ; and whosoever useth for himself the crown of the law will perish, ibid 13. If I do not act for myself who can do it for me ? "When I am alone by myself, what am I ? If I act not now, when shall I? Ibid 14. Hillel once saw a skull floating on the surface of the water, and he said to it : “Because thou didst drown others, thou wast drowned, and at the end will those who drowned thee also be drowned.” Ibid Chap, ii, Sec. 7. If the great I AM is here, all is here, and if the I AM is not here, who is here? Therefore reflect thereon continually, for all is in Him, and according 11 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. fore, make ourselves familiar with all the laws and privileges concerning the priesthood.” He read with the heathen the third and fourth books of Moses, and when they came to the tenth verse of the third chapter in Numbers, where it reads: ^^And the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death,’^ Hillel remarked, that even King David, not being a descendant of Aaron, would have suffered the same punishment, if he had attempted to usurp the priestly dignity. The heathen, satisfied with this explanation, embraced Judaism unconditionally. The second said, ‘T am desirous to become a Jew, provided that I may keep the written, but not the oral law.” Hillel then taught him the letters of the alphabet in their usual order, and afterwards reversed them, ‘^hy is that?” asked the heathen. ‘'Well!” answered Hillel, "why do you reject the statement that one teacher handed down to another the correct statement of the law?” Prompted by this pertinent observation, the stranger also embraced Judaism un- conditionally. The third said, "I wish to become a proselyte, provided the Jewish religion can be taught to mo in so short a time as I can stand on one foot.” "What- ever is not pleasant unto thee, do not unto thy fellow- man. This is the substance of the law and the pro- phets ; all the rest is but the commentary thereon. Go and refiect on it,” rephed Hillel, and thereby won over the third by his kindness and skill. The above principle is also quoted, Tobit iv, 15 : SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 10 be no more such men as you in Israel.” ‘‘Why, my son?” interrogated Hillel. “Because I have lost on account of you a wager of four hundred dinars,” said the stranger, and related to him the whole story. Hillel kindly reprimanded him, and advised him to be more prudent, and the pecuniary loss he had met with would serve him as a lesson in the future. Three heathens being desirous to embrace Judaism made their applications personally for this purpose to Shamai, a colleague of Hillel ; but, notwithstand- ing he was a disciple of the latter, he adopted the great virtue which distinguished his master and friend merely theoretically, and not practically. Shamai taught : (see Proverbs of the Fathers, Chap. I, § 15) “Let it be thy business to study the law; say little and do much, and receive all men with affability.” In spite of this wise teaching, however, he did not control his propensity to anger, and when the above mentioned three strangers had an interview with him concerning their conversion to Judaism, he became so irritated at them on acccount of the peculiar con- ditions they suggested, that he launched into in- vectives against them and sent them away. They then went to Hillel, who received them kindly and endeavored to gain their hearts by his usual mildness. One said, “I wish to become a Jew, pro- vided I can be elected to the office of a high priest.” Hillel replied, “ My son, whoever desires to hold an office should know all the duties connected with it, in order to discharge them faithfully. Let us, there- 9 SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. repKed : ‘‘ What do you wish my son? ” “ I want to ask you a question.” ‘‘What is it, my son?” “I would like to know,” said the man, “why do the Babylonians have pointed heads?” Hillel rephed, “It seems to me that the midwives are to blame for it.” The man went away, but soon returned, crying out : “ miel ! Hihel ! where is Hillel? ” HiUel, who had returned from his bath, speedily put on his cloak and asked : “ What do you wish, my son? ” “ I want to be informed why the Thermodeens have weak eyes?” “That is a very important question, my son. I suppose they are subjected to dullness of sight because they live in a sandy country, and the wind drives the sand into their eyes.” The man left, but soon returned in the same impudent manner. Hillel asked again with a pleasing countenance : “What do you wish, my son?” “Tell me,” said the stranger, “why the Africans have such broad feet?” “Indeed! that is a question of great moment, my son ! ” answered Hillel, “but I think the reason of it is, because they are obhged to walk mostly barefooted, on account of their living in marshy countries.” “ I would ask you,” continued the stranger, “many more queries, but I fear you will be angry with me.” Hillel seated himself and said: “Let me hear all your questions and I will try to answer them.” “Are you,” rejoined the stranger, “he whom the people call the Prince of Israel?” “Tes,” said Hillel. “Well,” continued the stranger, “I wish that there SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 8 official duties during the term of forty years with great distinction, so that it was said of him that he was worthy to be in the rank of the prophets. His great erudition and sound principles, as well as his excellent character, entitle him to be always remem- bered among the brightest examples of human in- tellect and nobility of heart. NOBLE TEAITS OF HILLEL, THE FIEST EDITOE OF THE MISHNAH. Experience teaches us, that patience and sweet- ness of disposition conquer always the hearts of men. These traits subdue the passionate, disarm the iras- cible and draw forth love and admiration. Hillel posessed these virtues in the highest degree. There- fore he was appointed Nasi, prince, by King Herod, which office he held with the greatest dignity until his eightieth year. This honorable position was retained by his descendants for ten generations. It is related (treatise Sabbath, p. 31) that two men were once wagering four hundred dinars whether Hillel could be provoked to anger or not. He who thought that he could make Hillel angry, entered his residence on a Friday afternoon and unceremoniously rushed towards the door of the bath-room where he was just taking a bath, shouting in a gruff voice : ‘‘Is Hillel here? Where is HiUel? ” without adding the title of Nasi. Hillel dressed himself hastily, and SKETCH OF THE TALMUD. 7 gratuitously to poor Eabbis, so that they might allow him to listen to their lectures. Having acquired some knowledge, he desired then to attend a regular course of studies at the most celebrated academy of that time, where the two ingenious and renowned teachers, the proselytes Shemajah and Abtalion, presided. The poor wood-cutter tried all that lay in his power to earn enough to pay the admission fee to the door-keeper. One day in winter he worked very hard, but in spite of his steady and heavy labor, he could not gain the usual amount he needed, on ac- count of the shortness of the day. He could, conse- quently, neither buy for himself the necessary meals, nor, much less, could he pay the door-keepers fee at the college. Hillel then — like a thief in the night — climbed to the roof, and regardless of cold and danger, listened with close attention to the word of God and the explanations of the sages. The heaven was over- cast with clouds, the storm raged fearfully and the snowflakes fell thick and fast upon him; but still poor Hillel hstened on. His limbs began to stiffen, he became benumbed and all sense of feeling at last was lost. He was found in the morning apparently dead ; but after applying many restoratives he was brought to consciousness again. When the Scribes or Sophrim were informed of his intense longing for truth, they granted him free admission to their lectures. Hillel made great pro- ficiency in all his studies, and soon the title of Nasi, prince, was conferred on him. He performed his SKETCH OF THE TAIxMUD• 6 which, like brilliant jewels, do not grace the Hebrew language in a less degree than the elegant phrases which the classics, the languages of Greece and Home contain. The Talmud consists of two parts: first, משנ ה Mish- nah, (from the Hebrew verb שנ ה shanoh, to teach), traditional precept ; second, גמר ה Gemarah, (from the Hebrew verb גמ ר gamor^ to finish, to conclude), be- cause therein was rendered the final judgment or decree, after a thorough discussion of the matter. THE EIEST EDITOE OF THE MISHNAH. The first collection of the Mishnah was made by Hillel Hanasi, (the prince) a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth, who acknowledged the authority of his learned countryman, as appears from Matt, xxiii, 3 : “ The Scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ chair, therefore observe and do whatever they enjoin upon you.” It is said (treatise Chagigah, p. 14 et seq.) that the traditions were so many that they could fill up six or seven hundred books, but Hillel rejected a great many and reduced them to six books. Hillel was a native of Babylon and settled in Jerusalem, when forty years of age. Having no pro- fession whatever, and being destitute of all other means of obtaining a livelihood, he obtained his daily bread by cutting and splitting wood. Impelled, how- ever, by an unquenchable thirst for truth and know- ledge, he even offered his services as wood-cutter SKETCH OE THE TALMUD. o The word Talmud is derived from the Hebrew verb למ ד (lamod) to learn, to teach ; signifying, oral instruction, or traditional teaching, and is the title of a collection of Jewish traditions and laws. It is called Talmud emphatically, as the Law of Moses is called with emphasis ‘^6 ‘ ‘ ”תורד waoc” ‘Hhe Law,” instead of תור ת מש ה the Law of Moses. It contains, as Buxtorf films in dedic. ad Lex. Talm. correctly remarked, sound theological doc- trines, although, as Maimonides somewhere says, they are occasionally concealed in useless shells. It contains, as it were, a collection of a great many small coins, and of faithful and very useful vestiges which have escaped the destruction of Jewish an- tiquity to the shame of the perfidy of some modern Jews, to the enlightening of the history of both Testaments, and to a right explanation of ceremonies, precepts and customs of the former Jewish nation. We find therein the noblest proverbs of antiquity, beautiful sentiments, acute, tasteful and deep thoughts, and innumerable allusions which will make the reader not only better, but also wiser and more learned, and PREFACE. iv It requires no prophet to see that gross ignorance and misrepresentation are the real causes of it. For among millions of Jews and Christians, there are only very few who read and studied the Talmud all through, as it takes a whole life-time merely to read all the books bearing that name, and what makes it most difficult is, that although one part of it, namely, the Mishnah, is written in the Hebrew language, the second part, however, called Gemara, is composed in a style where fre- quently are used Chaldaic, Persian, Syric, Greek and Latin idioms, which are written with Hebrew characters without vowels. It is therefore no wonder that it cannot be studied by many, and some know only that which they have read somewhere, quoted from another secondary source. Having for nearly half a centiiry devoted my time and e 1 )ergy to the study of the tal- mudical literature, I hope that I am fully prepared to give to the kind reader a true, clear and succinct "Sketch of the Talmud.’’ May it be as favorably received by every friend of literature and enlightenment, as many portions of it have been, when I pub- fished them some years ago in a popular Christian paper, read by tens of thousands. ISIDOR KALISCH. Newark, Augmt, 1877. PREFACE. דר^ ו It is my design in publishing a “Sketch of the Talmud,’’ to recall men from prepossessed partial views, to truth. The fate and history of the literary pro- ductions of the Jewish people in the different countries all over the habitable globe, found everywhere interpreters and expounders. But the Talmud, which is the principal source of Judaism and is an important his- torical document of a period of seven hundred years, showing and explaining clearly the development and retardation of Judaism, and containing much which is of great impor- tance to the knowledge and history of the Bible, although it still requires that the torch of criticism should throw light upon it, is very seldom used properly, or is ignored altogether. (See Dr. A. Geiger’s posthumous works, Vol. II, p. 127.) Yes, it was and is often subject to the worst ׳abuse.* ו ד do ti ^ * The governments of Italy, France, etc., influenced by ^ priestly fanaticism, condemned the Talmud as heretical and consequently it suffered several times the martyrdom of "^heresy. 680832 ‘‘It is the essence of the Talmud which is ridiculed by those who understand it the least, and which is terribly abused in our own midst by those who hold themselves out as its sincere devotees.” (Dr. Ad. Jellinek’s Sermons, Vol. II, p. 290.) Entered according to Act of Congress, in ttie year 1877, by L. H. FRANK & CO., in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. A SKETCH OF THE TALMUD, THE WORLD RENOWNED COLLECTION JEWISH TRADITIONS, KEY. DE. ISIDOK KALISCH. NEW YOEK: L. H. FEANK & CO., Publishees and Peintebs, No. 32i BOWERY. 1 8 7 7 . ' ־ י •■H, CENTRAL CIRCULATION BOOKSTACKS The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was borrowed on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. TO RENEW CALL TELEPHONE CENTER, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN JAN 1 9 1993 JAN 0 5 1393 DEC 0 7 1993 JUL 29 2004 When renewing by phone, write new due date below previous due date. L162 LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAICN 296.02 Y49 1877