7. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb. II. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of these there is great reward. 12. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.—Psalms of David. EXTRACTS FROM TALMUDICAL AND RABBINICAL LITERATURE. I. Hillel (40 B. C.) said: What is hateful unto thee, thou shalt not do unto others. This rule comprises the whole law; everything else is its mere comment. 2. Rabbi Akiba (A. D. 116) said: Thou shalt love thy fellow-man like thyself is the principal rule of the Bible. 3. The Rabbis (Sanhedrin) said: The good men of all nations and denominations shall participate in the future bliss of heaven. 4. Talmud Peah: Charity and benevolence are of more importance than all the ceremonies together. 5. Talmud Ketuboth: A man who does not practice charity, is not better than the one who worships idols. 6. Yalkut: The Lord said to Moses, do you suppose that I make a difference between Jew and Gentile? I treat them all alike; for every good deed, to each the proper reward. 7. Ethics of the Fathers: Antigonas of Sadro used to say: Be not like servants who serve their masters for the sake of receiving a reward, but be like servants who serve their master without a view of receiving a reward; and let the fear of God be upon you. Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron, love peace, pursue peace, love all men, and invite them to a life of virtue and holiness. Simon, the son of Gamaliel, said: The safety of human society depends on truth, justice and peace. Rabbi Tarphon said: The day is short, the task is great, the laborers are lazy, the master presses for dispatch. It is not incumbent upon thee to complete the work, but thou art not at liberty to abstain from it. Rabbi Akiba said: Everything is seen by Providence, though freedom of choice is given to man; the world is judged in paternal kindness; but works of love and charity are man's best and noblest title. Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He who is willing to receive instruction from all men. Who is mighty? He who is satisfied with his lot. Who is honorable? He who honors his fellow men. 8. Talmud; Sabbath: The Sabbath is given to you, but you are not given over to the Sabbath. Make out of your Sabbath day a week day, and secure your independence from the support of men. 9. Talmud, Berachoth: Knowledge is of more importance and consequence than the Temple with all its ceremonies. The verse, "do not touch my Messiah," means, do not disturb the children in their schools. 10. Tulmud, Niddah: Rabbah said: The whole ceremonial law will once be abolished. 11. Aben Esra, (A. D. 1090-1170) said: The mediator between God and man is none but reason and common sense. 12. Maimonides (A. D. 1133-1206) said: In social life we recognize no difference whatsoever between Jew or Gentile. Our Rabbis have commanded us to consider it a supreme duty to visit the sick of Gentiles, to bury their dead on Jewish burial grounds; to support their poor and needy ones like the Jewish; for the Psalmist has said: "The Lord is good unto all, and his mercy extends over all his works." 13. Jehuda Halevi (A. D. 1120-1150): The creed and denomination of man have nothing to do with his moral worth. God judges man according to his good deeds, and not according to his religion. 13. Isaac Arama (about A. D. 1630): Every true, good and virtuous man is our brother, like any other Jew. PEACE. Rabbi Yehudah Ben Levy said: Great is the power of peace. It is as indispensable to the welfare of the universe as is the leaven for the fermentation of bread. Were it not for the rule of peace, the sword and wild beasts would long ago have destroyed our world. Rabbi Ben Gamliel said: The world stands upon three things: justice, truth and peace. Rabbi Munah, explaining this saying, said: Yet all these have only one purpose; that is, peace. The Rabbis said: Our Lord loves peace above all. Therefore, objects most dear and beloved unto Him, and sacred unto them, they called peace-"Sholom"-likewise; as the Holy City, Jerusalem. Section "Hasholom," of a book of the Talmud, treats on peace and closes as follows: All those that are toiling for the preservation and restoration of peace, without religious distinction, shall inherit of the Lord peace and happiness, here and hereafter. PHILO JUDAEUS, (Born about 20 B. C. in Alexandria, a Pharisee, and learned in Judaism, and in the philosophy of Plato, Pythagoras, &c. His "Fragments are gathered from incomplete and unpublished works, by Eusebius, John of Damascus, from unpublished MSS. in English and French libraries, and from Questions on Genesis and Exodus, &c.) OF THOSE WHO OFFER SACRIFICE. The law chooses that a person who brings a sacrifice shall be pure, both in body and soul: pure in soul from all passions and diseases, and vices, which can be displayed in word or deed; and pure in body from all such things as the body is defiled by. And it has appointed a burning purification for both these things: for the soul, by the means of the animals duly fit for sacrifice, and for the body by ablutions and sprinkling concerning which we shall speak presently; for it is fit to assign the pre-eminence in honor in every point to the superior and dominant part of the qualities existing in us, namely, the soul. What, then, is the work of purifying the soul? The law says: "Look, take care that the victim which thou bringest to the altar is perfect, wholly without participation in any kind of blemish, selected from many on account of its excellence, by the uncorrupted judgment of the priests, and by their most acute sight and continued practice exercised in the examination of faultless victims. For if you do not see this with your eyes more than with your reason, you will not wash off all the imperfections and stains which you have imprinted on your whole life, partly in consequence of unexpected events, and partly by deliberate purpose; for you will find that this exceeding accuracy of investigation into the animals, figuratively signifies the amelioration of your own character and conduct; for the law was not established for the sake of irrational animals, but for that of those who have intellect aud reason." So that the real object cared for is not the condition of the victims sacrificed, but that of the sacrificers, that they may not be defiled by any unlawful passion. * * Of water and ashes for purifying the body he says: The lawgiver's intention is that those who approach the service of the living God should first of all know themselves and their own essence. For how can a man who does not know himself ever comprehend the supreme and all-excelling power of God? For it is somewhere said with great beauty: "He that exhibits proud words or actions offends not man alone, but God also, the maker of equality and of everything excellent." For the soul is mistress and queen, superior in everything, as having received a more divine nature. God is not pleased even though a man bring hecatombs to his altar; for he possesses all things as his own, and stands in need of nothing. But he delights in minds which love God, and in men who practice holiness, from whom he gladly receives the very cheapest things (in sacrifice) in preference to the most costly. * * * * * The lawgiver says in effect: "God, O mind of man! demands nothing of you which is either oppressive or difficult, or uncertain, but only such things as are very simple and easy. And these are to love him as a benefactor; and if you fail to do so, at all events to fear him as your Governor and Lord, and to enter zealously upon all the paths which may please him, and to serve him in no careless or superficial manner, but with one's whole soul thoroughly filled with God-loving sentiments, and to cleave to his commandments, and to honor justice." * * But those men are to be pitied, and are altogether miserable, who have never banqueted on the labors of virtue; and they have remained to the end, the most miserable of all men who have been always ignorant of the taste of moral excellence, when it was in their power to have feasted on, and luxuriated among, justice and equality. But these men are uncircumcised in their hearts, as the law expresses it. * * OF COURAGE. I now proceed to speak of courage, not meaning that warlike and frantic delirium, with passion as its counsellor, which |
