wish writings
were committed to the flames. The first to demand for it toleration and
free inquiry was Reuchlin. He declared that he must oppose the destruction
of "a book written by Christ's nearest relations." Before him, Haschim II,
Caliph of Cordova in the close of the tenth century, had ordered it to be
translated into Arabic. This was done by Rabbi Joseph, the son of Rabbi
Moses, surnamed "clad in a sack," because he was thus meanly clad when his
great talents were discovered.

The study of the Talmud has the most fascinating influence over the Jewish
mind, and if the latter is to be comprehended, the teaching which moulds
it must be clearly understood. "Everyone," say the Jews, "is bound to
divide the time of his study into three parts--one-third is to be devoted
to the written law, one-third to the Mishna, and one-third to Gemara." To
understand it in accordance with the thirteen rules of interpretation, it
takes a study of seven hours a day for seven years. They also say that it
is lawful to rend a man ignorant of the Talmud "like a fish." Israelites
are forbidden to marry the daughter of such a one, as "she is no better
than a beast."

To obviate arguments furnished by its own statements against itself, its
adherents make a distinction between its decisions, its directions, and
its legendary or romance part,--a distinction fatal to its claim of
equality with Holy Scripture. For this legendary part some of the ancient
Rabbis had but little respect. Rabbi Joshua, son of Levi, says, "He who
writes it down will have no part in the world to come; he who explains it
will be scorched." Maimonides also says, "If one of the many foolish
rabbis reads these histories and proverbs, he will find an explanation
unnecessary, for to a fool everything is right, and he finds no difficulty
anywhere. And if a really wise man reads them, there will be but two ways
in which he will consider them. If he takes them in their literal sense
and thinks them bad, he will say, This is foolishness, and in so doing he
says nothing at all against the foundation of the faith." The School of
Shammai, who lived before Christ, and the School of Hillel, who lived till
eight(4) years after His birth, are brought forward as contradictory in
their decisions. Like Christian leaders in later times, they strove to
exceed each other in learning and pride. Hillel, called also the second
Ezra, was born in Babylon. His thirst for learning drove him to Jerus