FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  
r on the law of the Lord, it is as if they ate from the sacrifices for the dead; but they, on the contrary, are as if they partook from a table of the Lord's own furnishing who, while they sit down to meat, season their talk with its holy precepts. _Avoth_, chap. 3. There are three crowns:--The crown of the law, the crown of the priesthood, and the crown of royalty; but the crown of a good name surpasses them all. Ibid., chap. 4. He who possesses these three virtues is a disciple of Abraham our father, and he who possesses the three contrary vices is a son of Balaam the wicked. The disciples of our father Abraham have a kindly eye, a loyal spirit, and a lowly mind. The disciples of Balaam the wicked have an evil eye, a proud spirit, and a grasping soul. Ibid., chap. 5. Three things are said respecting the children of men:--He who gives alms brings a blessing on himself; he who lends does better; he who gives away half of what he hath to spare does best of all. _Avoth d'Rab. Nathan_, chap. 41. There are three classes of disciples, and among them three grades of worth:--He ranks first who asks and answers when asked; he who asks but does not answer ranks next; but he who neither asks nor answers ranks lowest of all. Ibid. Over these three does God weep every day:--Over him who is able to study the law but neglects it; over him who studies it amid difficulties hard to overcome; and over the ruler who behaves arrogantly toward the community he should protect. _Chaggigah_, fol. 5, col. 2. Rabbi Yochanan says there are three keys in the hands of the Holy One!--blessed be He!--which He never intrusts to the disposal of a messenger, and they are these:--(1.) The key of rain, (2.) the key of life, and (3.) the key of reviving the dead. The key of rain, for it is written (Deut. xxviii. 12), "The Lord shall open unto thee His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in season;" the key of life, as it is written (Gen. xxx. 22), "God hearkened unto her, and opened her womb;" the key of reviving the dead, for it is written (Ezek. xxxvii. 13), "When I have opened your graves, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live," etc. _Taanith_, fol. 2, cols, 1, 2. A disciple of the wise who makes light of the washing of hands is contemptible; but more contemptible is he who begins to eat before his guest; more contemptible is that guest who invites
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

written

 

disciples

 

spirit

 
contemptible
 
father
 

Balaam

 
graves
 

Abraham

 

answers

 

reviving


opened
 

wicked

 

contrary

 

season

 

disciple

 
possesses
 

begins

 

blessed

 

washing

 
arrogantly

messenger

 
disposal
 

intrusts

 

Yochanan

 

invites

 

protect

 

community

 
Chaggigah
 

xxviii

 

xxxvii


hearkened

 

brought

 

behaves

 

Taanith

 

heaven

 

treasure

 

kindly

 

virtues

 

surpasses

 

things


respecting

 

grasping

 

royalty

 

priesthood

 

furnishing

 

partook

 
sacrifices
 

precepts

 

crowns

 

children