358 majesty." (Isaiah ii. 21 :) Every action or deed possessed of moral beauty is glorifying to the Great Creator, and forms the contrast to "a desecration of the holy name of God." And as the last is the most heinous crime of which man can be guilty, by misleading the minds of the ignorant, and inducing them to harbour unworthy and derogatory opinions respecting the Great First Cause: So the glorifying his Maker, impressing all mankind with a high sense of His supreme dignity, is the first duty of man, and the standard according to which he can judge of the merit and demerit of whatever he does. But, in order to render this test more evident, our teacher adds: And whatever is praiseworthy (or glorifying) to man in the eyes of his fellow men-However much man may be tempted to do evil, yet mankind in general form a correct estimate of an individual's actions. For the love of the good and beauteous is inherent in the nature of man; and though he may himself be unable to resist the impetuosity of his passions, and therefore may yield to their evil influence, yet there is an inward voice and feeling which forces him to applaud every great and good deed, though he may not possess the force to imitate it. He therefore who wishes to be convinced that his path is right and pure, needs not consult the few who surround him, make his actions dependent on the approbation or censure which their prejudice may dictate. But let him consider all human kind alike as the spectators and judges of his actions; and, whenever his own mind tells him that his deeds will not merit the applause of these toler, ably faithful judges, he may rest convinced that he is about to forsake the path of right. Our holy law says, "This is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of all the na tions." (Deut. iv. 6.) or Be as careful to observe a slight commandment as a more important one, &c. Having thus placed within our reach a true touchstone and criterion for our guidance, that we may know how to distinguish the pure and right, our teacher hastens to prevent a possible abuse which may result from his words. Man, having been told to judge his actions by their tendency to glorify God, and to obtain the approbation of mankind, may be tempted to extend this rule to his observance or non-observance of positive commandments; some of which he may think himself above the necessity of obeying, as they are less important than others. Thus he may set up his own reason as sole Judge of what it behoves him to obey or not, and may become a transgressor of the law of God. To meet this, our teacher tells him: "It is true, some commandments are of less, and some of greater, importance; but thou art not the judge of their relative value. Thy most careful observance is due to each and to all; for they are alike the commands of thy God. Thou knowest not their essential nature or purpose; and canst not tell what reward the free grace of thy Great Benefactor may deign to bestow on the observance of even the least of his commands, performed with a pure heart, full of love and obedience. Compute the loss incurred by observing a commandment, &c.—In order to facilitate the observance, and to avoid the transgression, of any command, let man adopt this most salutary advice. If thou art called upon to sacrifice thy advantage or inclination to the performance of thy duties, do not repine; but recollect, that whatever sacrifice thou bringest to what is right and good can be but temporal, while its reward is eternal. On the contrary, whatever advantages may accrue unto thee from the non-cb.. servance of a command can, likewise, be but temporal, and are too dearly purchased by the sacrifice of eternal bliss. Contemplate three things, &c., and thou wilt eschew, or avoid, transgression-As a wise judge of human frailty, our teacher is intent to facilitate and ensure victory over the passions, by checking them in the germ, and ere they can arrive at their full developement. He therefore tells us, that, in order to avoid sin and eschew transgression, it is needful to have three things ever present to the mind's eye, which cannot fail to pro tect thee. These are: 1. Know what is above thee-Not only is there a difference between a man's carriage and conduct when alone, and when in the presence of a mighty monarch, but the same difference, in some measure, depends on his being in his own home, or in the court of a great King. Whatever he there beholds inspires him with respect and veneration, and fails not to produce its impression on the mind. If this is so, how incomparably greater must be the respect, veneration, and awe, which the reflection that he is in the universe (the court of the Supreme Ruler of all that exists) must produce on man. When he thinks that he is in the midst of innumerable beings, stars, and constellations, surrounded by choirs of celestial spirits, who, trembling, perform the will of their Great Creator,-when he keeps this most splendid and glorious spectacle before his eyes, he cannot sin. 2. An eye seeth and an ear heareth--Our teacher does not say, "An Eye seeth thee," or "An Ear heareth thee," but simply, "An Eye seeth, and an Ear heareth." He means: As there exists an Eye and an Ear, it is a necessary consequence, that it seeth and heareth; as the Psalmist says, "He who planted the ear, shall he not hear? he who shaped the eye, shall he not see?" (Psalm xciv. 8.) It is true that the Divine Being is immaterial, and not composed of parts, and has, therefore, neither eye nor ear; but as he has granted both sight and hearing, and is moreover all-perfect, he must of necessity be all-seeing and all-hearing. Our teacher therefore says, "Do not suppose thou art alone; no ONE sees and hears thee. Recollect there is an all-seeing Eye, an all-hearing Ear, penetrating every where, beholding every thing: And this is proved by thy finding that an Eye seeth and an Ear heareth." 3. And all thy deeds are registered in a Book-Having given man two great reasons why he is to avoid sin, (namely, the dignity of the place and the glorious presence in which he is,) he continues, "Do not think that thy deeds are transient and leave no trace behind. Know, that though but an atom, yet thou too art a link in the infinite chain of creation; that even thy actions exercise their influence, from their connection with the great whole and the succession of results. This is the great book in which deeds numberless are registered; none of which are lost or forgotten, but each of which entails a responsibility on its perpetrator, and will in due time be published. RABBI GAMALIEL, the son of R. Jehuda Hanasi, saith, "It is becoming to associate the study of the law with active pursuits. For the twofold occupation makes thee forgetful of sinning. Religion, without some trade or profession, eventually comes to nought, and leads to sin." (II. 2.) COMMENTARY. It is becoming to associate, &c.However important, salutary, and indispensable is the study of the law; however necessary that it should constantly and principally be present to the mind and graven on the heart; it is becoming that man should combine therewith some useful avocation. The great bane of human virtue is idleness; its great promoter is constant and useful occupation. The man whose mind is occupied with the performance of a double duty,-that of studying the law of his God and of providing bread for his household,—is not likely to have time to waste on idle and sinful thoughts: Absorbed by his twofold task, temptation is banished from his mind, and he forgets to sin. Religion, without some trade or profession, &c.-Man is not to say, "As the study of religion and its duties ought to be our principal occupation, I will make it my only pursuit and means of subsistence." He who says so, and acts accordingly, derogates from the true dignity of religion, and debases it into a means of providing for his earthly wants. It is impossible he should stop short there: For as he becomes accustomed to consider religion as a mere trade, it will gradually lose its influence on his own mind. Its CHAPTER XXI. BY R. JOSEPH ALBO. (Continued from page 351.) y, THE law of Moses is called "testimony:" As it is written, " And in the ark thou shalt put the testimonies." (Exodus xxv. 21.) "If thy sons observe my covenant, and these my testimonies which I teach them." (Psalm cxxxii. 12.) For it is essentially a testimony or evidence in support of the facts it narrates; which evidence of truth is contained in its plain and obvious wording. And although a sublime and mystical signification is contained in many passages, yet it is the simple and apparent meaning, without any symbolical or typical application whatsoever, on which rests the evidence of the truth. Accordingly David says, more vour to lead me astray, and to sink me into the pitfalls of their false expositions, which are not according to thy law. It is true, they admit all thy revelations are faithful; but they strive to pervert my mind, by asserting that these laws are merely typical, and not to be understood according to the direct meaning of the words. With these false interpretations they constantly persecute me, and have almost consumed me from the earth: Do thou therefore assist me, for I have not abandoned the plain and literal signification of thy precepts. Exhausted as I am, faint and weary with incessantly combating these proud perverters of thy word, do thou in thy mercy revive עדות פיך me, that I may maintain " the testimonies of thy mouth; and uphold that strictly true and positive signification of thy commandments which stamps it as the testimony of thy revelation, and bears evidence to the facts which it narrates, without any admixture of fanciful and typical illustrations." com The testimonies of the Lord are sure; " (Psalm xix. 7;) that is to say, The facts they attest, according to the literal and precise meaning of the words employed, are true, and have really occurred. But he who tries to find allegorical or figurative meanings, hidden under the precise wording of the mandments of the law, with the intention of substituting this figurative signification, and superseding that which is real, acts in direct opposition to the law; and is alluded to by the Sacred Singer, when he saith, "The presumptuous have digged pits for me, which are not according to thy law. All thy commandments are faithful. They persecute me with lies; do thou help me. They have almost consumed me upon earth but I have not forsaken thy precepts. Revive me according to thy mercy, and I will observe the testimony of thy mouth." (Psalm cxix. 85-89.) His meaning is: Presumptuous innovators endea Although according to the unanimous opinion of our pious sages, these Sacred Records contain many passages indicating sublime mysteries, (as, for instance, the description of the Garden of Eden, the four rivers, &c., which have a figurative sense,) nevertheless they all agree that the facts narrated are true according to the literal relation. Such is likewise the case with the construction of the tabernacle: though the description of its various parts is indicative of more sublime subjects, yet it is a fact that the tabernacle did exist, and that its parts were in strict conformity with this description. Such, likewise, is the case in the corporeal formation of man: Though the mouth and its Al parts are evidently the organs of speech, yet they are likewise intended as the channel and instrument of nourishment, as in all other animals. Thus when our Rabbies assert, that the nether or terrestrial Jerusalem is Babylonish captivity, it is likewise not possible that any alteration can have taken plase. For amongst the first captives under Jehoiachin, before the destruction of the temple, were included the principal Sages of such as *החרש והמסגר,an image of the nation the superior or heavenly Jerusalem, they certainly do not intend to tell us that there is no terrestrial Jerusalem: And though the narrative of the law may likewise contain allusions to subjects of a more sublime and mysterious meaning, yet the plain and obvious literal signification is always the true one. This is more especially the case with the commandments; for, though they likewise may indicate more exalted matters, yet their observance, according to the strict letter of the law, is indispensable, in order to attain the sacred purpose for which they are enacted. Therefore the law is called , testimonies, not only to point it out as the true and sufficient evi dence of the Divine revelation to all mankind; but likewise to denote, that, like all other evidence, it must be taken according to the precise meaning of the words employed by the witnesses, and not be construed according to any fanciful, symbolical, or typical signification which it may be convenient to impute to it, but which in reality is contrary to its simple truth. CHAPTER XXII. THE law which is at present with us is, according to uninterrupted tradition from father to son, the identical law revealed to Moses and Israel at Sinai without any alteration whatever. In the time of the first temple, when the priests and teach ers of the law were incorporated with that establishment, it was impossible that any corruption or alteration could take place, as the law was too well, generally, and publicly known, to permit any such attempt. And although some of the Kings worshipped idols, yet in their days there was a constant succession of prophets, up to the destruction of the first temple, who exhorted the nation to adhere to, and observe, the original unaltered law. During the : Daniel and his three associates, and Ezekiel The latter of whom relates, "A fugitive from Jerusalem came to me, and said, The city is taken." (Ezekiel xxxiii. 22.) All the captives who were scattered throughout the land of Assyria had copies of the book of the law. Even among the Cuthim, whom the Kings of Assyria settled at Samaria, the book of the law was to be found. Thus at the destruction of the first temple the law was already promulgated, and spread among the captives in the land of Babylon; it, therefore, was impossible to introduce any alterations. When Ezra returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, he was accompanied only by a limited number of humble individuals, while the principal chiefs, heads of families, and sages, remained at Babylon. As a proof of this we mention, that, of the entire tribe of Levi, no one went with him: As he says, "I inspected the people and the priests, but of the sons of Levi I found none there." (Ezra viii. 15.) Thus it is evident and plain, that he could not, of his own accord, introduce any spurious alterations or corruptions into the law, without being at once detected and exposed by those who remained in Babylon. If, in the translations of our law possessed by our nations, there are various readings and deviations, these are not found in the original, but are caused by the different translators. The Israelites themselves, however, observe the most scrupulous attention in the transcribing of the law, not only in sentences and words, but also in the very letters and orthographical variations: So that they boast of knowing the exact number of letters which the law contains. In the copies of their books intended for *These two words, which the authorized version renders "craftsmen and smiths," the Talmud applies to "the principal teachers and expounders of the law." general use, they note in the margin the numbers of letters, and of accents, as settled by the masorah or tradition. This scrupulous and minute attention to preserve the work in its integrity has not been imitated by any other nation with respect to any other work whatsoever. The transcribers of the law were called 1,"numberers," because, as the Talmud says, (treatise Kedushin, folio 30,) their occupation was to number the letters of the law. All this proves, that the book of the law, such as we possess it at the present day, is precisely similar, not only in its general contents, but also in the very wording, to that transmitted by Moses to the Israelites, and preserved by them and their descendants, under every vicissitude up to the present day. CHAPTER XXIII. THE epithet “perfect" is assigned to an object which neither in idea nor reality is susceptible of addition or diminution. Accordingly, when David says, "The law of the Lord is perfect," it is impossible that this law should be deficient in any particular requisite for its aim and purpose. But as whatever is written is open to a difference of opinions, according to different views entertained by various readers, (each of which may appear the correct one to him by whom it is entertained,) it became necessary that verbal comments should accompany the written law, in order to fix its true meaning. As an illustration of what we assert respecting variety of opinions entertained concerning the same passage, we will instance the well-known declaration, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God the Lord is one!" These words we Israelites understand as expressing the absolute unity of God; others there are, however, who understand them as expressing something very different. It was therefore indispensable to the perfection of the law, that a verbal exposition should put us in possession of the true meaning of the written law, and of the manner of performing the commandments which it enjoins; so that no doubt or dispute might create a difference of opinion. And this verbal exposition, co-eval with the written law, was, along with it, transmitted by Moses to Joshua; by him to the elders; by them to the prophets; and so on, uninterruptedly. This exposition the ancients call na byaw nin, "oral law." Were it likewise written, it would again require comment and exposition; and so on, in endless continuity, as is actually the case with the Mishna ; which is an exposition of the written law compiled and written down. But as doubts and perplexities arose respecting the true meaning of the compiler, it became necessary to explain this exposition; which was done in the Gemara. This last explanation again required expositions, which again stood in need of further explanations; nor are we even yet, at the present day, arrived at the end of these multifarious commentaries. Moreover, in addition to the necessity that every written instruction should be accompanied by a verbal exposition of its true meaning, correctly transmitted, cases may possibly, in the course of time, and from peculiar circumstances, arise, which the Legislator has not met by any direct enactment; (as it is impossible that any code should be framed so as explicitly to meet every possible case ;) and which, therefore, require the application of those statutes most analogous to the case in question, according to the extension given them by the verbal exposition. And though the application must be confided to the divines and tribunals in every age; yet the manner of adapting and making the application, in order to be legal, must be prescribed by the verbal exposition, and preserved by tradition from generation to generation. That, however, which is explicitly and clearly expressed in the written law, or has been declared to be the true meaning by the verbal exposition coeval with that law, and correctly preserved by tradition, cannot be superseded, abrogated, or altered by that right of application which has been confided to the various sage divines in their respective ages; because the written law, according to its verbal exposition, is the only permanent authority. And as it is pos |