stature, and that they will multiply and increase until they cause the whole world to be inhabited for ever; and that this Messiah, as they think, will live by the help of the Name, Blessed be He; and that in those days the earth will bring forth garments ready woven, and bread ready baked, and other like impossibilities; and that the punishment will be, that the wicked shall not exist, nor be worthy to have a part therein." "The third class thinks, that by the expected good is meant the resurrection of the dead; and their idea of this is, that man will live after death, and return with his relations and family, and eat and drink, and not die any more; and that the punishment will consist in not living after death with those that live." "The fourth class is of opinion that the reward to be attained by keeping the commandments is bodily rest, and the attainment of worldly pleasures in this present world, as fertility of the soil, much wealth, a numerous progeny, health of body, peace, security, an Israelitish king, and dominion over those who oppress us; and that the punishment which will overtake us, if we deny the law, is the opposite of these things, such as we experience at present in this state of captivity." "The fifth class, and they are very numerous, combine all these things, and say, that our hope is that Messiah will come, and raise the dead, and that they shall be gathered into Paradise, and there they shall eat and drink, and be well fed all the days of the world." These opinions may be said to constitute the popular belief of the Rabbinical Jews; and it is evident from Maimonides' confession, and still more from the pains which he took to confute them, that they were widely spread and tenaciously held in his day. They are still the opinions most commonly advanced by the mass of the Jewish people. It is no wonder, therefore, that many Christian divines have considered the expressions "the days of Messiah" and "the world to come," as synonymous. Maimonides has however endeavoured to establish another opinion more consistent with the ideality of his philosophy. He distinguishes between the days of Messiah and the world to come, asserting that the former expression refers to a state of this present world, whereas by the latter is to be understood the spiritual and eternal state; and this statement is defended at length by Rhenferdt, in his Dissertations de Seculo futuro. words of Maimonides are very express and decided. He says, "Let it not come into thy mind that in the days of Messiah any part of the fashion of this world will be destroyed, or that there will be any change in the creation. The world will go on in its accustomed fashion. Isaiah's declaration that the wolf shall

• Sanhedrim, fol. 119. Surenhus. Mishna, p. iv. p. 259.

The

These Dissertations are to be found in Meuschen's Novum Testamentum ex Talmude Illustratum, p. 1116 et sqq.

dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, is a parable and enigma. The meaning of this passage is, that Israel shall dwell securely with the wicked of the nations of the world."* A little lower down he adds, from the Talmud, "The wise men have said, that between the days of Messiah and this present world there is no difference except in the subjection of the kingdoms." In his treatise on Repentance, at the end of the eighth chapter, he gives another quotation from the Talmud, to the same effect-"Our wise men have said, that all the prophets have prophesied only of the days of Messiah, but of the world to come it is written, Neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee (what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him).'Isa. Ixiv. 4." In this same chapter he gives his own view of the future rewards and punishments in the following words "The good that is laid up for the righteous is the life of the world to come; and that is the life that knows no death, and the good that is unmixed with evil. The reward of the righteous is that they may be thought worthy of this happiness, and shall have a part in this bliss. The punishment of the wicked is that they shall not be worthy of this life, but shall be cut off and die. Whosoever is not worthy of this life, he dies never to live again. On the contrary, he is cut off in his wickedness, and perishes as the brute. In the world to come, there is no body nor corporeality, but only the souls of the righteous without a body, like the ministering angels. And as there are no bodies, neither is there eating nor drinking, nor any of those things which the bodies of men need in this present world. . . . but the righteous sit with crowns on their heads, and enjoy the glory of the Shechinah." The crowns here mentioned he also explains allegorically of the moral virtues for which they have been entitled to a share in this state of bliss. But that these are not the received opinions on the subject, appears from the pains which Nochmanides and others have taken to prove them not heretical, and from the unqualified contradiction which they met from Abraham ben Dier. This last writer is particularly indignant at the assertion that there is to be no corporeality in the world to come, which, he says, is little short of a denial of the resurrection. This variety of opinion proves, however, that the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments is a fundamental topic of Rabbinical theology, and that there is therefore a wide difference between this system and infidelity. But the beneficial effect which this doctrine is calculated to produce on the mind is much weakened by another dogma, which asserts that every Israelite has a part in the world to come. This doctrine is laid down again and again in the Talmud, and seems to be universally

• Hilchoth M'lachim, c. xii.

adopted. "All Israel has a part in the world to come, for it is said, 'Thy people shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.'"* It is not meant by this that the wicked Israelites are not to be punished, but only that their punishment is to be temporary, and that when they have received the punishment due to their sins, they are then to enjoy eternal happiness. To this general rule, however, there are some exceptions. Those who deny the resurrection of the dead, or the divine origin of the law, and those who are termed Epicureans, are all excluded from any share in the world to come. As to the Gentiles, the Rabbins teach that the pious amongst them are also to be saved; neither Christians nor Mahometans are to be found in this happy number. Maimonides classes them both amongst the deniers of the law. He says, "the deniers of the law are of three sorts: first, he that says that the law is not from God, yea, even one verse, or one letter. If he says that Moses gave the law himself, he is a denier. Also he that denies the comments on the law, that is, the traditional law, and who renounces the Agadah, as Sadok and Bajethos; and he who says that the Creator has changed one commandment for another, or that the law has long since been abrogated, though of divine origin, as the Christians and Mahometans: each of these is a denier of the law." The Rabbins teach, as might be expected, that the way to eternal happiness is by the service of the one true God. Their doctrine concerning the nature of God, as held at present, is expressed in the third article of the Maimonidean creed "I believe with a perfect faith that the Creator (blessed be his name!) is incorporeal, that he is not subject to any of those changes that are incident to matter, and that he has not any similitude whatever." But it is a question whether this was their doctrine always. Eisenmenger has collected a great number of passages from Jewish writers, ascribing to God corporeal attributes, assigning his dimensions, and even asserting that he wears phylacteries. Learned Jews now say, after Maimonides, that these passages must be understood allegorically; but the very first sentence of the Moreh Nevuchim is an acknowledgment that men had been accustomed to consider God as corporeal; and Abraham ben Dier says plainly, "That many greater and wiser men than Maimonides held this doctrine, convinced by passages of Scripture, and still more from passages in the Agadah." Indeed, it appears that in this as well as some other doctrinal articles a change of sentiment was effected by the intercourse with the Moors and other Mahometans, and by the enmity against Christianity, which was much increased

Sanhedrim, fol. 90, col. i.

† Jewish Daily Prayers, p. 58.

by the Crusades. But whatever variations there may have been in the doctrines, the practical part of Rabbinism has sustained but little change. The Rabbins teach that the one true God is to be worshipped and served, and that not merely with ceremonial observances, but with the homage of the heart. The Pirke Avoth contain many admirable precepts inculcating true pietythe Morals of Maimonides, and "The Duties of the Heart,"* shew that the government of the heart and affections is the most acceptable worship. But it cannot be denied that the tendency of the system is to beget in the minds of the multitude an undue regard for merely external observances. Antigonus of Socho may say, "Be not like servants who serve their master for the sake of receiving a reward, but be like servants who serve their master disinterestedly." But R. Chananiah ben Akeshia has said, "God blessed be! he has been pleased to render Israel meritorious, therefore he multiplied to them the law and the commandments, as it is said, 'The Lord was pleased for his righteousness' sake; he magnified the law, and made it honourable."" Couple this doctrine with the endless catalogue of Rabbinical commandments, and the effect upon the minds of the people is easily conceived, especially when it is remembered that most of those commandments which are peculiar to the Jews are merely ceremonial. The Rabbinical Jew fulfils a commandment, and consequently lays up a certain portion of merit, by the mode of putting on his shirt, tying his shoes, washing his hands before and after meals, and by walking fast to the synagogue and slow coming away. The wearing of certain fringes (Tsitsith) on his garment, putting on his phylacteries, saying the prescribed prayers, and lighting the candles for the feast of dedication, are all meritorious acts. The Sabbath has a whole host of such meritorious observances; so has every festival and every fast; so that by the end of the year every Rabbinical Jew must think that he has a pretty tolerable stock of observances, and consequently of merit, laid up, to stand against whatever sins he may have committed. The Sepher Lev Tov, a book written in Jewish German, and therefore intended for the common people, says of the Sabbath alone, that "he who keeps the Sabbath aright has as much merit as if he kept the ten commandments, and even the whole law." And a little further on it says, "Though a man should commit the greatest sins mentioned in the law, yea, though he should commit idolatry, yet if he will keep the Sabbath aright, God will forgive him." (fol. 56, col. 3.)

But when we say that Rabbinism has this tendency, we do not mean to insinuate that this system overlooks our duty to our neighbour. On the contrary, it is both diffuse and minute in its

Chovoth Hall'vavoth.

precepts on this head. It not only lays down principles, but defines the conduct in a multitude of particular cases. Indeed, this is one of the peculiarities of the system, that it considers the civil law as an integral part of religion. Hence the directions about buying and selling, compensation for damage inflicted, marriage contracts, divorce, and even usury and money-lending are all included in the six hundred-and-thirteen commandments which form the boast of every Rabbinist. Some few of this large number will be sufficient to shew the spirit of the system, and what it teaches as to our duty towards our neighbour." According to the Rabbies it is an affirmative precept to visit the sick, and to comfort the mourners, and to carry forth the dead, and to bring home a bride, and to accompany travellers a part of the way, and to take part in all that is necessary for interment—such as carrying on the shoulder, and going before, and lamenting, and digging, and burying-and also to rejoice the bride and bridegroom, and to assist them in all that they require. Though these are commandments of the Rabbies, they are all included in the general rule, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. All things that thou wouldest that others should do unto thee, do thou to them who are thy brethren in the law and the commandments." "Visiting the sick is a commandment binding upon all. The great are to visit those in humble estate, and the visiting is to be many times in the day; the oftener the better, only not so as to be troublesome. Whosoever visits the sick does as much as if he took a part of his sickness, and alleviated his suffering; and whosoever does not visit the sick is as guilty as if he shed blood." Maimonides gives it as his opinion that "comforting the mourners is even of paramount obligation, because to comfort the mourners is to shew kindness both to the living and the dead." Their precepts concerning the burying of the dead are of the same humane character. In order to bury the dead it is lawful to cease from the study of the law, which the Rabbins esteem to be superior even to prayer. Further, if there be one dead person in the city, all are forbidden to carry on their usual occupations until he be buried, unless there be persons to attend to it properly. It is also to be observed, that this precept is extended to the case of the Gentiles. The dead of the Gentiles are also to be buried, and their mourners to be comforted, and their sick to be visited for the sake of the ways of peace."*

Another amiable feature in the Rabbinical system is the provision which it makes for the poor. "It is an affirmative precept to give alms to the poor of Israel, according as the poor have need, if it be in the power of the giver, for it is said, Thou shalt open thine hand wide to him' (Deut. xv. 8); and again,

• Hilchoth Avel, c. xiv.