23. Among the four wise men, he that sees Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri in a dream, may hope to be a sin-eschewing man; if Rabbi Elazer ben Azaryah, he may hope to be a great and a rich man; if Rabbi Ishmael, he may hope to be a wise man; if Rabbi Akiva, let him apprehend misfortune. Avoth of Rabbi Nathan, chap. 41.

VERSE 10.

Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

The Post-Mishnic Rabbis have taught: The term 77p means everywhere touching the ground with the face, without genuflexion; as it is said (1 Ki. i. 31): "Bath-sheba bowed, pm, with her face to the earth." means falling upon the knees and so it is said (1 Ki. viii. 54): "From kneeling, , on his knees." And means spreading out the hands and feet upon the ground (prostration); as it is said: "To bow down, ninnen, ourselves to thee to the earth." Meguillah, fol. 22, col. 2.

T. N. Neither in Scripture, nor in the Talmud, are these terms strictly so used. TP, it would seem, is correlative with pp, the crown of the head, and, therefore, to

,כרעים akin to כרע השתחוה bow the head; but as a general rule it is followed by

thighs, is usually followed by ', the knees, and, therefore, to bend the knees. mann, from a, to bend, has occasionally the words, "with the face to the earth" attached to it.

SYNOPTICAL NOTES.

PROSTRATION, BOWING AND GENUFLECTION.

1. When one falls on his knees in prayer, he does so at the word, "Blessed," and resumes his erect posture at the name of God (the formula runs as follows: Blessed art thou, O Lord, etc.); because it is written (Ps. cxlvi. 8): "The Lord raises them that are bowed down." Berachoth, fol. 12, col. 1.

2. He that prays must so bend his body (here the term is used, which cannot mean merely bending, or falling on the knees) until all his ribs protrude. Ula said: Until two pleats are formed below the chest with a space of the width of an asser between them. Rabbi Chanena says: If he only bows the head, he need do no more. Berachoth, fol. 28, col. 2.

3. Tradition records, that Rabbi Yehudah had said: Such was the habit of Rabbi Akiva; when he joined in public worship, he was brief in his devotions, in order not to keep the congregation too long. But when he prayed in private, if anyone left him in one corner of the room, he found him soon afterwards in another, by reason of his genuflections and prostrations. Berachoth, fol. 31, col. 1.

8. Coming to the goat destined to be sent into the wilderness, he

(the highpriest) laid both his hands upon it, and made confession. And thus he used to say: O God, Thy people, the house of Israel, have offended, sinned, and transgressed before Thee. O God, atone for the sins, iniquities, and transgressions which Thy people, the house of Israel, have committed before Thee; as it is written in the Law of Moses, Thy servant (Le. xvi. 30): "For on that day shall he make an atonement for you, to cleanse you from all your sins; you shall be clean before the Lord." And the priests and the people, who stood in the antecourt, when they heard the (on that occasion only) expressed name of God, as it proceeded from the mouth of the high priest, used to kneel, and fall prostrate upon their faces, and say: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever. Yoma, fol. 66, col. 1.

T. N. This passage, which is recorded in a Mishnah, and is, therefore, of a more ancient date than the Guemara, is inserted verbatim into the most solemn portion of the liturgy for the Day of Atonement, and when repeated by the congregational reader, the whole congregation fall prostrate with their faces to the ground, a practice prohibited on any other occasion, on account of its prevalence among Christians. One must not go to the so-calld reform synagogues in order to witness it.

10. When Israel went up (to Jerusalem) to worship their Father which was in heaven, they used to sit so closely together, that not a finger could be inserted between them, and yet when they fell prostrate, they could do so with ease. The greatest miracle was, that even when a hundred people entered at the same time, the Temple functionary was never heard to exclaim: Make room for your brethren. Such miracles took place in the ante-court, that even if all Israel went in, there was room for them. The greatest miracle was, that when Israel stood up to pray, they were so closely pressed, that not a finger could be inserted between them; and yet when they prostrated themselves, each had sufficient room. Avoth of Rabbi Nathan, chap. 35.

VERSE 12.

And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. The word лs is dotted to show, that their object was not to feed their father's flock, but themselves. Avoth of Rabbi Nathan, chap. 34.

VERSE 24.

And the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

If the pit was empty, what need was there to add, there was no water in it? To show, that water there was none, but serpents and scorpions were in it. Shabbath, fol. 22, col. 1.

he is condoled with, all the people say: We are thy atonement; and he replies Be blessed of Heaven. And when they give him the first meal (the first meal of a mourner must be offered him by others), all the people recline upon the ground, but he upon a form (saphsal, oplas). Sanhedrin, fol. 18, col. 1.

6. When the son of Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai died, his disciples came to offer their condolence. Rabbi Eliezer (probably the son of Hyrcanus) entered first, and seating himself before him, said: Rabbi, may I say something in thy presence? Say, was the answer. Adam had also lost a son by death, observed the disciple, and he received consolation; for it is said (Ge. iv. 25): “And Adam knew his wife again;" therefore, be thou likewise consoled. The mourner

replied: Is not my own grief sufficient, that thou must add to it by reminding me of that of Adam? Rabbi Yehoshua entered next, and adduced Job as one, who received consolation. Rabbi Yosi mentioned the case of Aaron, when deprived of his two sons. Rabbi Shimon referred to David. Every one of them received the same reply which was given to the first. At last Rabbi Elazer ben Azaryah came in. Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai received him with some ceremony, because, as he said, he was a great man. (He was very rich.) Let me tell thee a parable, said the disciple, and show thee to what thy case is like. A man had something committed to his charge by the king, and he kept weeping and crying day after day: When shall I be relieved of this charge in peace? It is the same with thy son (continued he), he was conversant with the Scriptures, the Law, the Prophets, the Hagiographa, the Mishnah, halachahs, and haggadahs, and now he has left this world without sin. Be comforted, therefore, that thou hast been relieved of thy charge. The mourner replied:

Thou hast comforted me, my son Elazer, as men comfort.

T. N. If, as stated on page 155, Rabbi Elazer was a beardless youth when he superseded Rabbon Gamliel in the patriarchate, he must have been a mere child on this occasion. Perhaps, it should be Elazer ben Arach, who was possessed of great wealth, and to whom Rabbon Yochanan, on another occasion, assigned the palm of excellence above all the wise men of Israel combined. (See page 292, Note 13.) On second reference, I find ben Arach substituted on the margin.

When they parted with him, Rabbi Elazer ben Arach said: I shall go to Damasith, a charming spot, possessing beautiful and pleasant waters. But the other disciples said: We shall repair to Yavneh (Jamnia), where there are many disciples of the wise who love the Law. The result was, that his legal fame was obscured, whilst their's became magnified. (His name is rarely mentioned among the Mishnic Rabbis.) Avoth of Rabbi Nathan, chap. 14.

7. No condolence is received on account of deceased slaves, for slaves are counted as cattle. (See page 258, Note 2.)

When Tabi, Rabbon Gamliel's slave, died, he received condolence. Didst thou not teach us, O, our Rabbi, said his disciples, that no condolence is received on account of deceased slaves? He replied: My slave Tabi was not like ordinary slaves; he was legally genuine. Semachoth, chap. 1.

T. N. His natural kindly feeling for a faithful slave overcame in this instance the unfeeling severity of his creed, as it does very frequently with many Rabbinic Jews,

VERSE 31.

And they took Joseph's cont, and Add a Big the goats, etc. Such is the punishment of the Har, that he is not listened to, even when he speaks truth. This is illustrated in the case of Jacob's sons, who Hed to their father. At first he believed them; for he said: "It is my son's ecst, an evil beast bath devoured him." But when afterwards they spoke the truth, he would not believe them; for it is said Ge. x.v. 26 : “And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.” Areth of Rabbi Nathan, chap. 30.

VERSE 35.

But he refused to be comforted.

Because comfort is not received, when the person mourned over is alive. A dead person is spontaneously effaced from the memory; for it is said (Ps. xxxi. 12): “I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind." What did Jacob do? He resorted to the mountains, and hewed out twelve stones, on each of which he engraved the name of one of his sons, one of the signs of the Zodiac, and the month to which it belonged. Then calling out the names of his sons, commencing with Reuben, and so on, he asked the other stones to bow to his representative stone; but they only did so when he mentioned that of Joseph. Not yet assured that Joseph was alive, he next tried with sheaves of corn. He adopted the same method, and cried out: I order you to bow before that of Levi, who is invested with the Urim and Thumin; no response. Bow before that of Judah, who is king; they did not move. But when he mentioned the name of Joseph, they all bowed to his sheaf. Sophrim, chap. 21.

2. If a man meets his mourning friend within thirty days of the death of his relation, he condoles with him, but does not salute him; after that time, he salutes him, and offers no condolence. If (because he is childless) he has married another wife (within thirty days of the death of his former wife), he may not be condoled with at his house (from regard to the feelings of the second wife); but when met in the street, he shall be spoken to in a feeble tone, and with the head bowed down. Moed-katon, fol. 21, col. 2.

5. The high priest may not leave the sanctuary (to join the funeral procession of his nearest relations); for it is said (Le. xxi. 12): "Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary." And when he condoles with others, as the people approach the mourner one by one, the superintendent keeps him between himself and the people. And when

he is condoled with, all the people say: We are thy atonement; and he replies Be blessed of Heaven. And when they give him the first meal (the first meal of a mourner must be offered him by others), all the people recline upon the ground, but he upon a form (saphsal, oplas). Sanhedrin, fol. 18, col. 1.

66

6. When the son of Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai died, his disciples came to offer their condolence. Rabbi Eliezer (probably the son of Hyrcanus) entered first, and seating himself before him, said: Rabbi, may I say something in thy presence? Say, was the answer. Adam had also lost a son by death, observed the disciple, and he received consolation; for it is said (Ge. iv. 25): And Adam knew his wife again;" therefore, be thou likewise consoled. The mourner replied: Is not my own grief sufficient, that thou must add to it by reminding me of that of Adam? Rabbi Yehoshua entered next, and adduced Job as one, who received consolation. Rabbi Yosi mentioned the case of Aaron, when deprived of his two sons. Rabbi Shimon referred to David. Every one of them received the same reply which was given to the first. At last Rabbi Elazer ben Azaryah came in. Rabbon Yochanan ben Zachai received him with some ceremony, because, as he said, he was a great man. (He was very rich.) Let me tell thee a parable, said the disciple, and show thee to what thy case is like. A man had something committed to his charge by the king, and he kept weeping and crying day after day: When shall I be relieved of this charge in peace? It is the same with thy son (continued he), he was conversant with the Scriptures, the Law, the Prophets, the Hagiographa, the Mishnah, halachahs, and haggadahs, and now he has left this world without sin. Be comforted, therefore, that thou hast been relieved of thy charge. The mourner replied: Thou hast comforted me, my son Elazer, as men comfort.

T. N. If, as stated on page 155, Rabbi Elazer was a beardless youth when he superseded Rabbon Gamliel in the patriarchate, he must have been a mere child on this occasion. Perhaps, it should be Elazer ben Arach, who was possessed of great wealth, and to whom Rabbon Yochanan, on another occasion, assigned the palm of excellence above all the wise men of Israel combined. (See page 292, Note 13.) On second reference, I find ben Arach substituted on the margin.

When they parted with him, Rabbi Elazer ben Arach said: I shall go to Damasith, a charming spot, possessing beautiful and pleasant waters. But the other disciples said: We shall repair to Yavneh (Jamnia), where there are many disciples of the wise who love the Law. The result was, that his legal fame was obscured, whilst their's became magnified. (His name is rarely mentioned among the Mishnic Rabbis.) Avoth of Rabbi Nathan, chap. 14.

7. No condolence is received on account of deceased slaves, for slaves are counted as cattle. (See page 258, Note 2.)

When Tabi, Rabbon Gamliel's slave, died, he received condolence. Didst thou not teach us, O, our Rabbi, said his disciples, that no condolence is received on account of deceased slaves? He replied: My slave Tabi was not like ordinary slaves; he was legally genuine. Semachoth, chap. 1.

T. N. His natural kindly feeling for a faithful slave overcame in this instance the unfeeling severity of his creed, as it does very frequently with many Rabbinic Jews,