60. The Holy One, blessed be He! never wounds Israel, unless He has first prepared the remedy; as it is said (Ho. vii. 1): "When I healed (prepared the remedy for) Israel, then the iniquity (or the penal wound) of Ephraim was discovered." But with idolaters it is not so; He first smites them, and then prepares the remedy; as it is said (Is. xix. 22): "And the Lord shall smite Egypt, he shall smite it, and heal it." Meguillah, fol. 13, col. 2.

61. When Rabbi Yirmiyah was sick, his physician noticed a water melon lying near him. What, said he, taking his departure, that man has the angel of death at his house, and he sends for me to heal him! However (adds the narrator), what the physician objected to was dried melons; for Rav Yehudah had said: The inner part of water melons is good when eaten with beetroot, and the kernels of linseed are good with cothech (a dish prepared of wheys, salt, and barley meal). This, adds the compiler, may not be repeated in the presence of the amhaaretz, because, says Rashi, it is useful as a remedy, and no useful communications may be imparted to them. Nedarim, fol. 49, col. 1.

63. Shemuel said: We know of remedies for all maladies, except three for that produced by eating unripe dates before meals; by girding one's loins with a girdle of wet linen; and by falling asleep after meals, without having previously walked a distance of at least four cubits. Bava-metzia, fol. 113, col. 2.

64. The most fertile cause of bodily complaints is abundance of blood; the best of all remedies is wine, and where no wine is to be had, other medicines are in request. Bava-bathra, fol. 58, col. 2.

68. To what is a man like, who condoles with his neighbour twelve months after his bereavement by death? He is like a surgeon asking a man, who had once broken his leg, to let him break it again and heal it, that he may show him what excellent medicaments he has. Moed-katon, fol. 21, col. 2.

69. If the patient desires something, and the physician thinks he is not to have it, the former is to be gratified, because (Pr. xiv. 10): "The heart knows its own bitterness." Yoma, fol. 83, col. 1.

73. A physician, who professes to cure for nothing, is often worth nothing. Bava-kama, fol. 85, col. 1.

75. A Sadducee once said to Gueviha ben Pesesa (who was hunchbacked): Woe unto you wicked people, who maintain, that the dead will rise. You see that the living die, and yet you say, that the dead will live! He replied: Woe unto you wicked people, who deny the resurrection of the dead. If those live, who at one time had no existence at all, how much more shall the dead live, who have had an existence. What, said the Sadducee, rallying him, thou callest me wicked! hadst thou said this seriously, I would have straightened thy back for thee. In that case, rejoined the other, thou wouldest have proved thyself a skilled surgeon, and secured a lucrative practice. Sanhedrin, fol. 91, col. 1.

T. N. There is a man of the name of Gueviha ben Pesesa mentioned on page 234, ver. 25, as a contemporary of Alexander of Macedonia; but there could have been no Sadducees at that early period, or, at least the differences between them and the Pharisees could not as yet have been so sharply defined.

76. Seven have no portion in the world to come: A notary; a schoolmaster; the best of physicians; a judge in his native town; a wizard; a congregational reader; and a butcher. (They are either heartless, careless, partial, or unscrupulous.) Avoth of Rabbi Nathan, chap. 36.

VERSE 18.

For the Lord fast closed up all the wombs of the house of

Abimelech.

They of the school of Yanai said: Even the hens belonging to the house of Abimelech ceased to lay eggs. Bava-kama, fol. 92, col. 1.

CHAPTER XXI.

VERSE 7.

And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck?

How many children did Sarah give suck? Rabbi Laive said: On the day when Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a great banquet; for all the nations of the world said sneeringly: This aged couple have brought home a foundling, and now they make a great banquet to induce the belief, that he is their son. What did Abraham do? He invited all the great men of the age, and Sarah invited their wives, who brought their infants with them, but left their nurses at home. Sarah's breasts became miraculously like two springs, and she supplied nourishment to all the infants. Still the cry was (Ge. xvii. 17): "Shall a child be born unto him, that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" To silence it, Isaac's face was changed, so that it resembled exactly that of Abraham, and then all exclaimed: "Abraham begat Isaac." Bava-metzia, fol. 87, col. 1.

SYNOPTICAL NOTES.

NURSING.

1. The Post-Mishnic Rabbis have related: It happened, that a man, who was left with a motherless infant, and who had not the means for hiring a wet nurse for it, was himself miraculously provided with the means of supplying its natural nourishment. Rav Yoseph on hearing it, exclaimed: Come and see the greatness of that man,

for whom such a miracle was done! Nay, said Abaii, how insignificant was that man, for whom the ordinances of creation were reversed. Rav Yehudah said: The fact that the ordinances of creation were reversed in this instance, shows how hard it is for a man to procure sustenance. True, observed Rav Nachman; for rather than provide sustenance in a providential way, a miracle was performed. Shabbath, fol. 53, col. 2.

T. N. John Ray, the naturalist, in his work on The Wisdom of God in the Works of Creation, page 189, records a similar story. After adducing the authority of able anatomists, that the paps of men have the same structure, and the same vessels as those of women, he concludes, "that nature has not given paps to men, either to no purpose, or for mere ornament, but if need requires, to supply the defect of the female, and give suck to the young."

2. Three make use of lint: One of tender years; one with child; and one that suckles an infant (to prevent danger to herself, or to the child). But the wise men forbid such practice, and leave the results to the mercy of Heaven. Yevamoth, fol. 12, col. 2.

3. If she has vowed not to suckle her child, the school of Shamai say: She is to force it out of the mouth of the infant; and the school of Hillel say: The husband compels her to nurse it. Kethuboth,

fol. 59, col. 2.

7. I myself, said Ravah bar bar Chana, have seen an Arabian woman, who threw her breasts over to her back, and thus suckled her child. Kethuboth, fol. 75, col. 1.

9. A daughter of Israel may not assist at the childbearing of an alien (Gentile) woman, because she brings forth a son to idolatry; but an alien woman may assist at the childbearing of a daughter of Israel. A daughter of Israel may not suckle the son of an alien; but an alien may, with her consent, suckle a son of a daughter of Israel. Avodahzarah, fol. 26, col. 1; Maimonides, Hilchoth Accum.

VERSE 8.

And the child grew, and was weaned.

The Holy One, blessed be He! will make a banquet for the righteous, on the day when He will accomplish His lovingkindness to the seed of Isaac. (See page 59, Note IX.) At the close of the banquet, they will offer the cup of blessing to Abraham to bless. (1 Co. x. 16.) No, he will say, I begat Ishmael. Isaac also will decline the honour, because he begat Esau. Jacob will plead his unworthiness, on the ground that he married two sisters simultaneously, which was afterwards prohibited by the Law. Moses will refuse the cup, on the plea that he was not counted worthy to enter the land of Israel either alive or dead. Joshua will decline it, because he was not counted worthy to leave behind a son. (1 Ch. vii. 27.) When at last offered to David, he will say: I will bless it, and it becomes me to bless it; for it is said (Ps. cxvi. 13): "I

will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." Psachim, fol. 119, col. 2.

5.

And Abraham made a great feast.

SYNOPTICAL NOTES.

MEALS OR BANQUETS.

2. If one desires to partake of a regular meal, let him walk ten times over a distance of four cubits, or four times over a distance of ten cubits, let him relieve nature, and then join the party. Berachoth, fol. 23, col. 2; Maimonides, Hilchoth Dayoth, Sec. 4, Halachah 2. A meal without broth is no meal. Berachoth, fol. 44, col. 1. 6. The Post-Mishnic Rabbis have said: The first hour of the day is the hour of the principal meal of gladiators (ludim, ludus; cannibals, says Rashi); the second that of bandits (listin); the third that of heirs (to whom time is no object); the fourth is that of labourers (who have to work long before they can eat); the fifth is that of all other people; and the sixth is that of the disciples of the wise. Shabbath, fol. 10, col. 1.

9. A man should, if necessary, sell the rafters of his house, and provide himself with shoes. If he has opened one of his veins, and has nothing to eat, let him sell his shoes, and provide himself with the necessary meal. What is a necessary meal? Rav said: Butcher's meat as a compensation for the loss of flesh. And Shemuel says: Wine, i. e., red for red (blood). Shabbath, fol. 129, col. 1.

12. A lizard was once discovered in the royal kitchen, and the whole banquet was thought to have become ceremonially unclean. When the incident was reported to the king, he told the attendants to consult the queen, and she sent them to Rabbon Gamliel. Was it, inquired the latter, found in a warm, or in a cold place? In a warm, was the reply. Pour over it, said he, a cup of cold water. They did so, and the lizard showed symptoms of life, when Rabbon Gamliel pronounced the banquet clean. (It is only when dead that "creeping things" impart defilement.) Thus the king depended upon the queen, the queen upon Rabbon Gamliel, and upon him depended the whole banquet. Psachim, fol. 88, col. 2.

T. N. The king must have been Agrippa, who, to ingratiate himself with the Jews, affected a scrupulous adherence to all the Rabbinical enactments; and even went so far as to kill St. James, and to imprison St. Peter. Rabbon Gamliel is, therefore, the first of that name, and the one mentioned in Acts. (See page 162, Note 2.)

13. There was a great court at Jerusalem; it was called the place of Yaazek, where all the witnesses (for the appearance of the new moon) used to assemble, and where they were examined by the authorities. They had large banquets prepared for them, as an inducement to come (and offer their testimony). Rosh-hashanah, fol. 23, col. 2.

14. At first Israelites used to take their meals at all hours of the day, like fowls scraping a dung hill, till Moses came, and fixed special hours for the purpose. Yoma, fol. 75, col. 2.

16. People should not converse during meals, lest the food go the wrong way, which is dangerous. Taanith, fol. 5, col. 2.

22.

Two wait for one another before they dip their sops in the dish; but not three. He that presides at the meal, puts out his hand first; but he may, if he wishes, confer this honour upon his Rabbi, or any other great man. (Mat. xxvi. 23.) Guittin, fol. 59, col. 2.

23. Whoever wishes to escape derangement of the bowels, should bathe habitually summer and winter. Keep thy hand from a dish, for which thou hast a particular relish, and do not delay evacuation of the bowels. Guittin, fol. 70, col. 1.

26. Rabbon Shimon ben Gamliel used to relate: There was a laudable custom at Jerusalem, that whoever was entrusted with the preparation of a banquet, and spoiled it, was liable to fines for the shame caused to the master and his guests. Another custom obtained there, viz., a napkin was exhibited at the door of the house, as an invitation to guests to come in, and partake of its hospitality; and its removal was an indication, that they were not expected. Bava-bathra, fol. 93, col. 2.

30. Rabbi Akiva used to say: Everything is advanced on pledge; the net is spread over all living; the warehouse is open, and the proprietor gives on trust: the writing tablet (pinaks) is unfolded, and the hand writes down (in it what it has taken). Whoever desires to borrow, comes and borrows; the debt collectors are instant in their demands every day, and receive their payments from all men, whether they are cognisant of it, or not. For they have on what to rely, and the judgment is a true judgment, and all are ultimately prepared for the feast (of leviathan. See page 59, Note IX). Avoth, chap. iii.

31. It is said of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yaîr, that he never tasted a slice of bread that was not his own, and since he came to years of discretion, he never took anything belonging to his father. Chulin, fol. 7, col. 2.

VERSE 12.

For in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

I. If one says: I vow to derive no benefit from the seed of Abraham, he must derive none from Israelites, but he may be benefited by aliens.

II. (Commenting on the above Mishnah, the question is asked): But is not Ishmael an alien, and yet of the seed of Abraham? (Answer) It is written: "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." But is not Esau an alien, and yet of the seed of Isaac? No. "In Isaac," but not all Isaac. (See Ro. ix. 6-8.) Nedarim, fol. 31, col. 1.