Part 10 (2/2)

(21) Ex. XV, 16.

(22) Of Moses. See _ibid._, IV, 17.

(23) A miraculous worm that split stones by its look. It was used, according to legend, to engrave the names of the tribes on the jewels of the ephod of the high-priest, and was also employed by Solomon in the construction of the Temple, in which no tools of iron were used. See _Gittin_, 68a, and _Sotah_, 48b. Consult P. Ca.s.sel, _Shamir, ein archaol.

Beitrag zur Natur und Sagenkunde_, Erfurt, 1856, and art.

_Shamir_, in _Jewish Encyclopedia_.

(24) Deut. x.x.xIV, 6.

(25) Gen. XXII, 13.

(26) An allusion to a saying found in _Tosefta Erubin_, ”Tongs are made with tongs; but how was the first pair made? It could only have been a creation of G.o.d.” One instrument presupposes another; one thing is the cause of another, but the original cause is G.o.d. Cf. _Pesachim_, 54a.

10. There are seven marks of an uncultured, and seven of a wise man.

The wise man does not speak before him who is greater than he in wisdom; and does not interrupt the speech of his companion; he is not hasty to answer; he questions according to the subject-matter; and answers to the point; he speaks upon the first thing first, and upon the last, last; regarding that which he has not understood he says, ”I do not understand it;” and he acknowledges the truth. The reverse of all this is to be found in an uncultured man. 11. Seven kinds of punishment come into the world for seven important transgressions. If some give their t.i.thes (27) and others do not, a dearth ensues from drought and some suffer hunger while others are full. If they all determine to give no t.i.thes, a dearth ensures from tumult (28) and drought. If they further resolve not to give the dough-cake (29), an exterminating dearth ensures. Pestilence comes into the world to fulfil those death penalties threatened in the _Torah_, the execution of which, however, is within the function of a human tribunal (30), and for the violation of the law regarding the fruits of the seventh year (31). The sword (32) comes into the world for the delay of justice, and for the perversion of justice, and on account of the offence of those who interpret the _Torah_, not according to its true sense (33). Noxious beasts come into the world for vain swearing (34), and for the profanation of the Divine Name (35). Captivity comes into the world on account of idolatry, immortality, bloodshed, and the neglect of the year of rest for the soil (31). 12. At four periods pestilence grows apace: in the fourth year, in the seventh, at the conclusion of the seventh year, and at the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles in each year: in the fourth year, for default of giving the t.i.the to the poor in the third year (36); in the seventh year, for default of giving the t.i.tle to the poor in the sixth year (37); at the conclusion of the seventh year, for the violation of the law regarding the fruits of the seventh year (31), and at the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles in each year, for robbing the poor of the grants legally a.s.signed to them (38).

(27) See chapter I, n. 37.

(28) Of war, when agriculture is neglected, and crops are destroyed, etc.

(29) Num. XV, 20: ”Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for a heave offering.” This commandment is observed in spirit to-day by the Jewish housewife, who takes a part of bread which is kneaded, and burns it, after reciting the blessing, ”Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our G.o.d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us by Thy commandments, and commanded us to separate the _challah_.” The ninth treatise of the _Order Zeraim_ of the _Mishnah_ is called _Challah._ See Friedlander, _Jewish Religion_, p. 357.

(30) The execution of which is in the hands of G.o.d.

(31) That is, the Sabbatical year or the year of release (_ha-shemittah_). See Ex. XXIII, 10 _et seq._, and Lev. XXV, 1-7. It is commanded that the land be allowed to lie fallow during that year, that there be no sowing, nor reaping, nor pruning of the vineyards, and that the servants, strangers, and animals, as well as the owner, shall share in the spontaneous growth of the fields and the vineyards. See also Deut. XV, 1-11, and _Tractate Shebiit_ of the _Mishnah_.

(32) _I.e._, war.

(33) By prohibiting the permissible and permitting the prohibited.

(34) Cf. chapter IV, 9.

(35) Cf. chapter IV, 5.

(36) See Deut. XIV, 28, 29; XXVI, 12, and also above, chapter I, n. 37.

(37) Of the septennial cycle. The t.i.the was to be brought at the end of _every_ three years.

(38) _I.e._, the gleanings and the forgotten sheaves of the harvest, the single bunches of grapes of the vineyard, and the unreaped corners of the fields which were a.s.signed to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

13. There are four characters among men: he who says, ”What is mine is mine and what is thine is thine,” his is a neutral character; some say, ”This is a character like that of Sodom” (39); he who says, ”What is mine is thine and what is thine is mine,” is a boor (40); he who says, ”What is mine is thine and what is thine is thine,” is a saint; he who says, ”What is thine is mine and what is mine is mine,” is a wicked man. 14. There are four kinds of tempers: he whom it is easy to provoke and easy to pacify, his loss disappears in his gain; he whom it is hard to provoke and hard to pacify, his gain disappears in his loss; he whom it is hard to provoke and easy to pacify is a saint; he whom it is easy to provoke and hard to pacify is a wicked man. 15.

There are four qualities in disciples: he who quickly understands and quickly forgets, his gain disappears in his loss; he who understands with difficulty and forgets with difficulty, his loss disappears in his gain; he who understands quickly and forgets with difficulty, his is a good portion; he who understands with difficulty and forgets quickly, his is an evil portion. 16. As to almsgiving there are four dispositions: he who desires to give, but that others should not give, his eye is evil toward what appertains to others (41); he who desires that others should give, but will not give himself, his eye is evil against what is his own; he who gives and wishes others to give is a saint; he who will not give and does not wish others to give is a wicked man. 17. There are four characters among those who attend the house of study: he who goes and does not practise (42) secures the reward for going; he who practises (43) but does not go secures the reward for practising; he who goes and practises is a saint; he who neither goes nor practises is a wicked man. 18. There are four qualities among those that sit before the wise: they are like a sponge, a funnel, a strainer, or a sieve: a sponge, which sucks up everything (44); a funnel, which lets in at one end and out at the other; a strainer, which lets the wine pa.s.s out and retains the dregs; a sieve, which lets out the bran and retains the fine flour.

<script>