RAM (born in Philadelphia, 1866),
educated at the University of Pennsylvania, has been Lecturer and
since 1912 Professor of Law in the University of Pennsylvania Law
School. Professor Amram has published books and articles not only on
common law topics but on interesting subjects in Jewish legal lore and
belles-lettres, among his books being: "The Jewish Law of Divorce,"
"Leading Cases in the Bible," and "The Makers of Hebrew Books in
Italy."_]

One of the methods by which the Jewish people managed to survive
endless misery and persecution during eighteen centuries of dispersion
and protect themselves from the continuous bombardment of their social
and moral citadels was by taking refuge in the study of the law. The
study and observance of the law, both civil and religious, saved the
Jews from degeneration and vulgarization, and preserved for them the
humanizing memories of the thoughts and deeds of their forebears.
Through their common interest in the law and its study they kept in
touch with one another throughout the lands of their dispersion, they
kept alive their feeling of brotherhood and the memory of their
ancient independence, and translated this memory into a hope for the
re-establishment of the State, a hope which has never died.

"_The People of the Law_"

The term "the people of the law" has often been applied to the Jews in
the opprobrious sense that they are a people who deal according to
hard and strict rules, untouched by the qualities of love and mercy.

Properly understood, however, the term "the people of the law" is a
title of honor, one of which we may well be proud. As used in our
literature and by our people, "law" signifies something more than
civil and criminal jurisprudence. It is our word "Torah," meaning
doctrine, teaching, including not only what is generally known as law
but also what is known as ethics. The people of the law is the people
that studies the great thoughts of its great men of all times, and
adopts them as rules of life which it becomes a duty and a pleasure to
obey. The people of the law is the people that in the midst of a world
of chaos in which nation fought nation with the weapons of death, sat
in communion with a past world from which came such messages as this:
"Attend to me, O my people: and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a
law shall go forth from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a
light to the peoples. . . . Hearken unto me, ye that know righteou