44. No inquiries should be made of a man concerning his wife. Kiddushin, fol. 70, col. 2. 45. A man may not be alone with two women; but one woman may be alone with two men. If he has his wife with him, who keeps watch over him, a man may remain over night with two other women at an inn (pundaki, navdoкevs). Kiddushin, fol. 80, col. 2. 46. A woman may be divorced with, or without, her consent; but the man can never be compelled to divorce the woman. Guittin, fol. 49, col. 2. 47. The school of Shamai say: A man may not divorce his wife, except he found in her a matter of nakedness (fornication); for it is said (De. xxiv. 1): "Because he has found in her matter of nakedness." The school of Hillel (whom a certain school delight in representing as having exerted his authority for the modification of the severity of the Mosaic law) say: He may divorce her, even if she has burned his food; for it is said: "Because he has found in her matter of nakedness." Rabbi Akiva says: He may divorce her, even if he has found a prettier woman; for it is said (De. xxiv. 1): "And it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes." Guittin, fol. 90, col. 1. T. N. The points in dispute between the two schools is probably the admission of the distinction between the two phrases 17 77, a matter of unseemliness, i.e., fornication, and the unseemliness of a matter, i.e., any unseemly conduct, The latter phrase occurs in the text as the reason why "she find no favour in his eyes." This is overlooked, or ignored, by Rabbi Akiva who, as the learned Editor of the Jewish periodical, Hashacar, admits went to the extreme of licence in divorce to mark his deviation from the teaching of the Founder of Christianity. Checked only by the usual obstacles of judicial procedure, this Rabbi's view has prevailed among the Jews to the present day. Hillel's view respecting the sanctity of marriage should not have been left out of sight by those who have instituted disparaging comparisons between him and our Lord. 48. Opinions differ with reference to women as they do with regard to food. One man will pour away a bowl of wine into which a fly has fallen; and so Papos ben Yehudah used to lock up his wife whenever he went out. (She is said in Toledoth Yisho to have been the Virgin Mary.) Another removes the fly, and drinks the wine; and so the generality of men allow their wives to converse with their relations. Another devours his food heedless of the fly that is in it; and so some are indifferent when they see their wives go out with their heads uncovered, spinning in public, their under-garment slit open on both sides from the arm pits, and rushing to bathing places which are just being deserted by men. Such an one the Law' commands to divorce. Guittin, fol. 90, col. 1, 2. 49. Talk not too much with a woman, for it will end in fornication. Whoever looks on a woman will in the end commit sin. Nedarim, fol. 20, col. 1. 50. Rabbi Yochanan ben Dahavoi had been relating certain instances of decency, communicated to him by the ministering angels, which cannot be decently reproduced. Commenting upon them, a namesake of his remarks: These are only the words of Rabbi Yochanan; but the Mishnic Rabbis had said, that the halachah was not in accordance with his teaching; that a man may do with his wife what he pleases; and that it is like a piece of meat brought from the shambles, which one may eat salt, roast, partially or wholly cooked. A woman once complained before his Holiness of the Mishnah. Rabbi, said she, I have prepared a table for my husband 1971. Daughter, was the reply, the Law has permitted him to do so, and I can do nothing for thee. A similar complaint was lodged before. Rav. (See page 122, Note 9.) Where is the difference, he answered, between thee and a fish, which one may eat either broiled or cooked? Nedarim, fol. 20, col. 2. Maimonides, Hilch. Issiray Beah., Sec. 21, Halachah 9. 51. It is the duty of the man, but not of the woman, to initiate a son in the observance of the commandments. Nazir, fol. 29, col. 1. 52. That a woman may not go armed to war is proved from De. xxii. 5. Nazir, fol. 59, col. 1. 54. Three complain without obtaining redress: He who lends. money without witnesses, who acquires a master over himself, and whose wife rules over him. Bava-metzia, fol. 75, col. 2. 55. Abraham ordered Sarah to "make ready" for the guests "three measures of fine meal," but it does not appear afterwards on the table. (Ge. xviii.) It shows that women do not view hospitality with favourable eyes. Bava-metzia, fol. 87, col. 1. 56. "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord." (Ps. cxii. 1.) Is it only, "Blessed is the man," and not, Blessed is the woman? Arodah-zarah, fol. 19, col. 1. 61. Men used to be stoned naked, but not women. fol. 45, col. 1. Sanhedrin, 63. Tradition records, Rabbi Meir (disciple of Achar) used to say: A man is bound to repeat (among others) three benedictions every day: That he was made an Israelite, that he was not made a woman, and that he was not made an ignoramus. Rav Achar bar Yacob overheard his son repeating the last benediction. What is that for? asked he. (Is not an ignoramus equally bound to observe the Law?) And why (asked the son in turn) do we bless God that He has not made us slaves? Are not slaves and women in the same, category? The father replied: The slave is more degraded, . Minachoth, fol. 43, col. 2. Maimonides, Hilch. Tephilah, Sec. 7; Tur Schulchan Aruch and Orach Chayim. T. N. The three benedictions repeated daily are as follows: Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, who hast made me an Israelite; Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, who hast not made me a woman; Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, who hast not made me a slave. The woman says, instead: Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, who hast made me according to Thy will. 67. A woman about to suffer the last penalty of the Law, is first beaten, where her expected child may be killed to prevent a harrowing occurrence at the execution. Eirechin, fol. 7, col. i. Maimonides, Hilchoth Sanhedrin, Sec. 12, Halachah 4. VERSE 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, etc. I. Rabbi Eliezer said: "His father," means his father's sister; and "his mother," means his mother's sister. Rabbi Akiva says: "His father," means his father's wife; and "his mother," his mother only. II. "And he shall cleave," but not to a male, "unto his wife," but not to his neighbour's wife; "and they shall be one flesh;" but cattle are not one flesh. Sanhedrin, fol. 58, col. 1. VERSE 25. And these were both naked . . . . and were not ashamed. SYNOPTICAL NOTES, NAKEDNESS AND SHAME. 2. It is forbidden to repeat the Shema in the presence of a Gentile. But why is this taught about a Gentile, since the same thing holds good about an Israelite also? (Reply.) As to an Israelite (when naked) it is simple that it is forbidden; but as to a Gentile, we must be taught about it, for otherwise thou mightest think what is written about them (Gentiles) "Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses" (Ezek. xxiii. 20), and one might look upon them as mere ordinary asses (in whose presence it is permitted to repeat the Shema). This is it why we are expressly taught that theirs (Gentiles) also is called rakedness, for it is written (Gen. ix. 23): "And they saw not their father's nakedness." (Noah was not circumcised, and therefore a Gentile.) Berachoth, fol. 25, col. 2. T. N. The Talmud has a great deal to say about Gentiles, perhaps quite as much as about women; but we must refer the reader to our General Index. 3. If a man dreams that he is standing naked, if in Babylon, which is the embodiment of sin, he is sinless; if in the land of Israel, he is destitute of meritorious deeds. Berachoth, fol. 57, col. 1. 4. Where people stand naked there should be no salutation, to say nothing of reading the Scriptures and prayer; and the phylacteries should be taken off. Shabbath, fol. 10, col. 1. 5. A naked man holding the roll of the Law is buried naked (destitute) of meritorious works. Shabbath, fol. 14, col. 1. 6. Rabbi Yosi ben Rabbi Yehudah warned Rabbi against walking alone by night, standing naked before a lamp, and entering a newlyerected bath house. Psachim, fol. 112, col. 2. 7. He that lies naked under an awning (cailah, caelum), let him, when he reads the Shema, put out his head beyond it. Sucah, fol. 10, col. 2. 8. The feast of Ahasuerus took place on a Sabbath (Es. i. 10), which Israelites commence with the study of the Law, and with words of praise; but idolaters begin their feasts with obscene language. And so it was at the banquet of that wicked man. Some praised the beauty of the woinen of Media, and others those of Persia. Ahasuerus then said: The vessel which I use is neither the one nor the other, but Chaidean; would you like to see her? Yes, they replied, only let her appear naked. With what measure a man metes, it is measured to him again. That wicked Vashti used to strip Jewish girls naked and make them work on the Sabbath. Meguillah, fol. 12, col. 2. 12. Peruclus, the son of Philosophus, asked Rabbon Gamliel at the baths of Aphrodite at Acco: How dost thou bathe here in opposition to De. xiii. 17? The latter would not reply in the presence of naked people. But when they had left the baths, he said: I have not come to her, but she has come to me: i.e., she is a later addition to the baths. Moreover, people do not make a beautiful bath house for Aphrodite, but she is added as an ornament to it, and therefore is comparatively of little importance. Besides, here are her own worshippers acting indecently, , in her presence. The fact is, it is only unlawful to join in acts of worship. Avodah-zarah, fol. 44, col. 2. T. N. This is a very easy way to get out of a difficulty. It reminds us of the following occurrence whilst we resided at Jerusalem. A Jewish watchmaker was permitted to enter the Mosque of Omar to repair the clock there after the Cadi had formally pronounced him to be no more a Jew but an ass. The Jew being rated by his brethren for entering a strange place of worship, defended himself by saying::-"I went there as a watchmaker, and not as a Jew." Surely this is deceiving and being deceived. 15. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: There are four classes of people whom the Holy One, blessed be He! hates, and whom I dislike. Those that enter their own houses unexpectedly, not to say ,והאוחז באמה ומשתין מים,the houses of their neighbours ערום לפני מטתו והמשמש מטתו בפני כל חי. Niddah, fol. 16, col. 2. SHAME. 16. Whoever has committed sin, and feels ashamed of it, his iniquities are all forgiven; for it is said (Eze. xvi. 63): "That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I shall forgive thee,, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord." Berachoth, fol. 12, col. 2. 17. Rabbi Meir (middle of the second century) says: Whoever gives his daughter in marriage to an amhaaretz (one opposed to Rabbinism) binds her, as it were, and lays her before a lion. As a lion tears the flesh of its victim, and eats it without shame, so will the amhaaretz .2 .Psachim, fol. 49, col .מכה ובא עליה ואין לו בושת פנים 20. If male and female orphans claim charitable assistance to get married, the latter are first attended to; because women are more sensitive of shame than men. Kethuboth, fol. 67, col. 1, 2. 21. Come and see how great a sin it is to put a man to shame publicly, for on account of it, Rabbi Eliezer (who witnessed the fall of Jerusalem) is stated to have said, that the Holy One, blessed be He! assisted Bar-Camtza to effect the destruction of His Temple. He had been erroneously invited to a feast made by a man who was his enemy. The latter, deaf to all entreaty, and declining every offer of compensation, ejected him in the presence of the Rabbis, who did not interfere in the matter. Prompted by a feeling of revenge, the injured man repaired to Cæsar, and accused the Jews of rebellion. If thou doubtest the veracity of my denunciation, he added, send by me a sacrifice to their Temple, and see whether they will offer it on the altar. He did so; but on the way to Jerusalem, Bar-Camtza inflicted a defect upon the animal, which disqualified it for the altar according to Jewish, but not according to Heathen, Law. The Rabbis would have accepted it for the sake of peace; but Rabbi Zecharyah ben Avkulas protested, that by so doing they would create a precedent in favour of offering defective animals for sacrifices. They then thought of killing Bar-Camtza (to prevent his return to Cæsar); but the same Rabbi apprehended, that Bar Camtza's death would give rise to the doctrine, that the mutilation of sacrificial animals was a capital offence. So Nero was sent against the Jews. When within view of Jerusalem, he was assured by enchantment, that the doom of the city was sealed. Happening, however, to meet a child, he asked him for his Scripture text. "I will lay my vengeance upon Edom (identified by the Rabbis with Rome) by the hand of my people of Israel" (Eze. xxv. 14), repeated the child. So, said he, the Holy One, blessed be He! wishes to destroy His house, and He makes me alike the instrument of its destruction, and the object of His future vengeance! Rather than submit to this, he deserted his post, and went and embraced Judaism, and Rabbi Meir (the disciple of Achar) was one of his descendants (perhaps by Poppæa, who is said to have been a Jewess, either by birth or religion). Aspasianus was then sent against Jerusalem, which he besieged three years. The city had been amply provisioned by three rich citizens, Nicodemon ben Guryon, Ben Calba Shavua (fatherin-law of Rabbi Akiva), and Ben Zitzith Haksath; but the magazines were burned by the lawless bands (Barion, vßptov). When Martha the daughter of Baithus, one of the richest women in Jerusalem, was dying of hunger, she threw all her gold and silver into the street, crying: Of what use is this to me? Rabbi Yochanan ben Zachai then applied to her De. xxviii. 56; Eze. vii. 19. That Rabbi, with the help of his sister's son, who was a leader among the lawless bands, left the city hidden in a coffin, and attended by his two disciples, Rabbis Eliezer and Yehoshua. When in the presence of Vespasian, the Rabbi saluted him as king. Thou hast committed two capital offences, said the former. First, in calling me king; and secondly, in not coming out before. The Rabbi replied, that he was sure of his elevation to the throne, because Jerusalem could only fall into the power of a king; and, he added, but for the lawless bands, he would have come out sooner. Presently a mandate (prostak, poorayn) reached him from Rome ordering his succession to the vacant throne. He had just put on one boot, and now he could neither pull it off again, nor put on the other boot. On the suggestion of the Rabbi, a man, disliked by the Cæsar, was brought into his |