ladder I showed my servant
Jacob in his dream to teach the people in all times how to reach me,
who is Perfection and Understanding.'"

Here the voice of the reader became drowned again in a low,
ever-increasing murmur.

"What is it he is reading?" they asked each other. "It is the writing
of a bad Israelite who throws ugly words at his people."

"Which are those sins that have been multiplying amongst us? And how
are we to praise the Lord if our songs and, prayers have no value in
His eyes?"

Meir grew pale when he found his voice powerless against the
increasing tumult. But he would not stop now, and went on reading. By
and by curiosity prevailed over discontent and they became silent
once more.

They listened to the tale of Michael Senior's life; how, by order of
the king, and out of love for his people, he had stood at the head of
their affairs, and wanted to lead them into new ways, at the end of
which he saw the dawning of a happy future; how he had been thwarted
in all his undertakings, and the heart of the people turned away from
him.

"Great thoughts crowded into my brain which I could not utter,
because my old friends and my pupils abandoned me! In my breast there
was fire, at which they would not warm themselves, but said it had
been kindled by evil spirits. Then my body wasted away, the light of
my eyes became dim, and the sleep of death drew near. I cried out in
anguish: 'Lord of the world! do not forsake thy messenger! Give him a
voice powerful enough to reach the ears of those that are not born,
since those that live will listen no longer.' And I opened the Holy
Book and read:"

"'Though he be dead, he yet speaketh.' Son of my sons, you who have
found this writing, read it to the people to let them know what I
desired from them. The first thing I asked from them was;
Forgetfulness. Did I want them to forget their Lord Jehovah, or the
name of Israel which produced the greatest men of the past? No, I
could not ask them to forget it because the remembrance is dear to me
and rejoices my heart."

"I asked my people to forget the wrongs and sorrows of the past. Do
not remember injuries! Do not say an eye for an eye! Mar Zutra every
day, before he lay down to rest, said, 'I forgive all those that have
saddened me.' Mar Zutra was a great man."

"When you begin to forget Israel, you will approach the flame which
you speak of as alien, and which belongs to all nations. The alien
flame, from which you