VERSE 15.

And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace.

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Rav Laive bar Chaitha said: In taking leave of a dying man, one should say: Go in peace, a, and not, unto peace, for God said to Abraham: "Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace." Otherwise, one should not say: Go in peace, but unto peace; for David said to Absalom: Go in peace (2 Sa. xv. 9), and he went and was hanged; but Jethro said to Moses (Ex. iv. 18): Go unto peace, and he went, and prospered. Moed-katon, fol. 29, col. 1.

1.

VERSE 16.

But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again.

SYNOPTICAL NOTES.

GENERATIONS AND CHRONOLOGICAL DETAILS.

Come and see how different these latter generations are from the former. At first, when the study of the Law was man's regular occupation, and secular business was only occasionally attended to, both prospered; but now that the order is reversed, neither flourishes. Berachoth, fol. 35, col. 2.

3. Rabbi Yochanan said: Rabbi Oshaya Berabbi is, in his generation, what Rabbi Meir was in his: the teaching of both is unfathomable. Rabbi Yochanan also said: The heart of the former generation was as wide as the entrance to the vestibule (twenty cubits); that of the latter generation was as wide as the entrance to the Temple (ten cubits); but ours is only as the eye of a thin needle. By the former generation is understood Rabbi Akiva; by the latter, Rabbi Elazer ben Shamua. Eiruvin, fol. 53, col. 1.

5. It had been inferred from the conduct of Rabbon Gamliel (first century), that eatables found on the road should not be passed by, i.e., left there. (See page 16, Note 6.) Rabbi Yochanan (third century) said, in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai (middle of second century): That law applied to the former generation, when the daughters of Israel yielded to no excessive indulgence in witchcraft; but not to these latter generations, when it is highly probable, that the eatables are placed there for purposes of sorcery. Eiruvin, fol. 64, col. 2.

6. Rabbis Yochanan and Elazer both said: Those of old (Babylonian exiles), whose iniquities were patent, were also informed beforehand of the time of their restoration; but the present generation (Roman exiles), whose iniquities are not patent, have not been informed of the time of their restoration. (Lu. xix. 41-44; Mat. xxiii. "Till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.") Yoma, fol. 9, col. 2.

39.

7. They asked Rabbi Elazer: Were those of old, or the present generation greater, or more worthy? He replied: Look at the Temple (it was rebuilt then, but is desolate now). Yoma, fol. 9, col. 2.

9. When Rabbi Ishmael ben Yosi was sick, they sent him the following message: Repeat to us the two or three matters, which thou hast told to us in the name of thy father. He replied: A hundred and eighty years before the Temple was destroyed, the Romans had extended their dominion over Israel; eighty years before the destruction of the Temple, the Rabbis decreed the land of the Gentiles and glass vessels to be in a state of ceremonial defilement; and forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the Sanhedrin were banished, and held their sittings in Chanuth. And what difference did that make? Rav Yitzchak bar Avdimi replied: It indicated the time of the cessation of their authority to inflict judicial fines. Avodah-zarah, fol. 8,

col. 2.

T. N. Thus not only did "the sceptre depart from Judah" about the time of the crucifixion, but also "the lawgiver from between his feet;" and "the gathering of the peoples" unto Jesus, synchronising with the cessation of the legislative independence of Judah, is an additional evidence of His identity with Shiloh. Ge. xlix. 10; Is. xi. 10.

12. There were ten generations from Adam to Noah. It shows the extent of God's longsuffering. For all these generations did not cease to excite His anger, till at last He brought the flood upon them. Avoth, chap. 5.

VERSE 17.

Behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp.

SYNOPTICAL NOTES.

SMOKE AND FIRE.

1. There are six kinds of tears: Those caused by smoke, sorrow, and in the closet, are evil; and those caused by medicine, laughter, and pungent vegetables, are good. Shabbath, fol. 151, col. 2.

4. Five distinctive features are enumerated, respecting the fire (that came down from heaven, not the ordinary one always added by the priests) upon the altar. It lay there (from the time of Solomon) crouching like a lion; it was bright like the sun; it was tangible; it consumed liquids like dry substances, and raised no smoke. Yoma, fol. 21, col. 2.

7. Why smoke in the covering? (Is. iv. 5. Marginal reference.) Rabbi Chanena replied: The eyes that are evil because of the disciples of the wise, will be filled with smoke in the world to come. And why will there be fire in the covering? Rabbi Chanena again replied: It indicates, that every one will be burned by the superior glory of

his neighbour's covering (baldachin). reproach! Bava-bathra. fol. 75, col. 1.

Oh! the shame and the

9. From Garav to Shiloh were three miles (mille a thousand paces), and the smoke of the altar, and that of the incense offered to the image of Micah used to intermingle. The ministering angels desired to expel Micah; but, said the Holy One, blessed be He! Let him alone; for his bread is supplied to wayfarers. Sanhedrin, fol. 103, col. 2.

12. The Post-Mishnic Rabbis have recorded: A child was once reading, at his master's house, in the book of Ezekiel, and he endeavoured to comprehend the chashmal (which is held to be the nearest approach to the essential representation of the Deity. Eze. i. 4. A. V., amber), when a fire issued from the chashmal, and consumed him. Chaguigah, fol. 13, col. 1.

13. Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai (supposed by some to be the John mentioned in Ac. iv. 6) was once upon the road riding upon an ass, and Rabbi Elazer ben Arach (his disciple), the owner of the ass, followed behind him. Rabbi, said the latter, repeat to me a chapter on the nature of the chariot (as seen by Ezekiel). Did I not teach thee, replied the former, that no one was to study the chariot, unless he was a wise man, capable of comprehending a matter intuitively? Permit me, then, said Rabbi Elazer, to say something, which thou hast taught me. Say it, was the reply; and at the same time, Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai alighted from the ass, and drawing his mantle around him, as a sign of reverence, took a seat on a rock, under an olive-tree. When asked for an explanation of his conduct, he replied: Can I possibly remain seated on the ass's back, whilst thou art expounding the nature of the chariot, and that in the presence of the Shechinah, and the ministering angels, who accompany us? No sooner did Rabbi Elazer commence his exposition than a fire descended from heaven, and enveloped all the trees in the field in a flame, whilst they all commenced singing: Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps, fruitful trees, and all cedars, praise the Lord. And out of the fire, the voice of an angel was heard saying: This is the nature of the chariot. Upon this Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai rose and kissed him on his head, and said: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for having given a son to Abraham our father, who is competent to comprehend, search into, and investigate, the nature of the chariot. There are some who expound well, but who do not practise well; and others who practise well, but do not expound well. But thou art both a good expounder and a good exemplar. Hail to thee, O Abraham our father, for that Elazer ben Arach went forth out of thy loins! When these things were related before Rabbi Yehoshua, he and Rabbi Yosi the priest happened to be journeying on the road, and so they said: Let us also search into the nature of the chariot. That day happened to be the summer solstice, and (therefore, the dry season in Palestine, and yet) the skies were overcast with clouds, and something like a rainbow appeared in them, and the ministering angels were seen in groups, listening in the same way as the children of men assemble in groups to witness the entertainments provided for a bridal pair. Rabbi Yosi the priest then related the occurrence to Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai, who exclaimed: Hail to

you, and hail to those that gave you birth; blessed are mine eyes that have seen such things. I, too (continued he), saw in a dream myself and you, reclining on mount Sinai; and the echo of a voice came to us from heaven, saying, Mount higher, mount higher, large banqueting halls and beautiful couches are prepared and spread for you. You and your disciples, and your disciples' disciples are destined to occupy the third row next to the Shechinah. (Mat. xvii. 2-9.) Chaguigah, fol. 14, col. 2.

16. The Post-Mishnic Rabbis have taught: There are six kinds of fire there is one that eats, but does not drink (consumes dry, but not liquid substances), i.e., the ordinary fire; drinks, but does not eat, i.e., burning fever; eats and drinks, i.e., Elijah's, as it is written (1 Ki. xviii. 38): "And licked up the water that was in the trench; consumes moist things as expeditiously as dry ones, i.e., the fire on the altar; displaces other fire, like the fire of Gabriel (see page 295, Note 36); another consumes fire itself, for the master has said (Sanhedrin, fol. 38, col. 2): God stretched out His finger among the angels and burned them, i.e., consumed them by His essential fire. (See page 61, ver. 26.) Yoma, fol. 21, col. 2.

T. N. Allusion is here made to an haggadah, recorded in another part of the Talmud, which shows that there is system in it, in spite of its confused appearance, that Gabriel had, by his own superior fire, displaced that of the fiery furnace, which consumed those, who threw in Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

17. Why are the words of the Law compared to fire? (Je. xxiii. 29.) As fire cannot burn when fed by a single stick, so neither can the words of the Law be maintained, if studied by a single individual. Taanith, fol. 7, col. 1.

18. Whoever separates himself from the words of the Law, is consumed by fire. Bava-bathra, fol. 79, col. 1.

19. The fire which descended from heaven, in the days of Moses, remained on the altar, till the days of Solomon; and that which descended from heaven, in the days of Solomon, remained on the altar, till it was extinguished by Manasseh. Zevachim, fol. 61, col. 2.

CHAPTER XVI.

VERSE 3.

After Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Caanan. The Post-Mishnic Rabbis have taught: If one has lived with a wife ten years without having children, let him divorce her, and give her the prescribed marriage portion (Maimonides, Hilchoth Ishuth, Sec. 15, Halachah 7), as he may not be deemed worthy to be built up (have children) by her. And though this cannot be proved from Scripture, there is a mnemonic basis for it. After Abraham had dwelt childless for ten years, in the land of Canaan, he married Hagar. It shows also, that his residence

abroad was not reckoned. Hence if a man, or his wife, has been sick, or if both have been incarcerated, the time, in which they have been so situated, is deducted. But, asked Rava of Rav Nachman, why not take the hint suggested by the case of Isaac, who waited twenty years before he had a child? The latter replied: Isaac was naturally barren, and was cured by a miracle, in answer to his prayer. Yevamoth, fol. 64, col. 1.

T. N. So on a former occasion were Abraham and Sarah alleged to be. See page 252, Verse 1.

VERSE 5.

My wrong be upon thee.

Rav Avin said: Whoever delivers judgment against his neighbour, is himself the first to be punished; for "Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee." And it is written (xxiii. 2): "And Abram came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her; i.e., he buried her. Rosh-hashanah, fol. 16, col. 2.

ANGEL, EVIL SPIRITS, DEMONS, AND THE LIKE.

2. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Laive said: At every utterance, which proceeded from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He! on Mount Sinai, Israel receded twelve miles, when the ministering angels moved them gently back; for it is said (Ps. lxviii. 12): "The angels (SR may have been the reading, and not D, kings) of hosts kept moving.' Read not 17 (intransitive), but 177 (transitive). Shabbath, fol. 88, col. 2.

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5. Now, as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures.' (Eze. i. 15.) Rabbi Elazer said: It was an angel, who stood upon the earth, and his head reached to the living creatures. It is recorded in a Mishnah, that his name is Sandalphon, who towers above his fellows to a height of five hundred years' journey he stands behind the chariot, and places crowns upon the head of his Creator. Chaguigah, fol. 13, col. 2.

6. Shemuel said to Cheyah bar Rav bar Aryey: Come, I will tell thee one of those excellent things, which thy father used to tell: Every day ministering angels are created out of the "fiery stream" (Da. vii. 10), who sing praises and cease to exist; as it is said (La. iii. 23): "New ones every morning: great is (the praise of) thy faithfulness." Chaguigah, fol. 14, col. 1.