Book: Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and

V >> Various >> Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and




"I will declare the mighty holiness of this day, for it is awful and
tremendous. Thy kingdom is exalted thereon; Thy throne is established in
mercy, and upon it Thou dost rest in truth. Thou art the Judge, who
chastiseth, and from Thee naught may be concealed. Thou bearest witness,
writest, sealest, recordest, and rememberest all things, aye, those
which we imagine long buried in the past. The Book of Records thou
openest; the great _shophar_ (cornet) is sounded; even the angels are
terrified, and they cry aloud, 'The Day of Judgment dawns upon us,' for
in judgment they, the angels, are not faultless.

"All who have entered the world pass before Thee. Even as the shepherd
causes the flock he numbers to pass under his crook, so Thou, O Lord,
causest every living soul to pass before Thee. Thou numberest, Thou
visitest; appointing the limitations of every creature, Thy judgment and
Thy sentence.

"On the New Year it is written, on the Day of Atonement it is sealed.
Aye, all Thy decrees are recorded. Who is to live and who to die. The
names of those to meet death by fire, by water, or by the sword; through
hunger, through thirst, and with the pestilence. All is recorded. Those
who are to have tranquillity, those who are to be disturbed. Those who
are to be troubled, those who are to be blessed with repose. Those who
are to be prosperous, those for whom affliction is in store. Those who
are to become rich, who poor; who exalted, who cast down; but penitence,
prayer, and charity, O Lord, may avert all evil decrees."

When he had finished this declaration, in which he designed to
acknowledge his sin and the justice of his punishment, Rabbi Amnon
expired, dying fitly in God's house among the assembled sons of Israel.




FASTS AND FESTIVALS


PASSOVER


The feast of unleavened bread, or "Passover," begins upon the evening of
the 14th day of _Nissan_ (April), and was instituted in commemoration of
our ancestors' redemption from Egypt, a memorial forever. During its
continuance we are strictly forbidden the use of any leavened thing.

Moses said to the Israelites in the name of the Lord:--

"Draw out and take for yourselves a lamb," etc.

By the observance of this precept they would deserve well of God and He
would redeem them, for when He spoke they were "naked and bare" of good
deeds and meritorious acts.

"Draw out and take for yourselves a lamb."

Draw yourselves away from the idols which ye are worshiping with the
Egyptians, the calves and lambs of stone and metal, and with one of the
same animals through which ye sin, prepare to fulfill the commandments
of your God.

The planet sign of the month _Nissan_ is a lamb; therefore, that the
Egyptians might not think that through the powers of the lamb they had
thrown off the yoke of slavery, God commanded His people to take a lamb
and eat it.

They were commanded to roast it whole and to break no bone of it, so
that the Egyptians might know that it was indeed a lamb which they had
consumed.

The Lord said to Moses, "Tell the children of Israel that they shall
borrow of the Egyptians gold and silver vessels," in order that it might
not be afterward said, "The words 'they will make them serve, and they
will afflict them,' were fulfilled: but the words 'they shall go out
with great substance' did not come to pass."

When Moses told the Israelites that they should go up out of Egypt with
great substance, they answered, "Would that we could go even
empty-handed," like to the servant confined in prison.

"To-morrow," said the jailer to him, "I will release thee from prison,
and give thee much money."

"Let me go to-day, and give me nothing," replied the prisoner.

On the seventh day of the Passover the children of Israel passed through
the Red Sea on dry land.

A man was once traveling along the road and his son preceded him on the
way. A robber appeared in the path, and the man put his son behind him.
Then lo, a wolf came after the lad, and his father lifted him up and
carried him within his arms.

The sea was before the Israelites, the Egyptians were behind them, so
God lifted up His child and carried it within His arms.

When Israel suffered from the hot rays of the sun God "spread the cloud
for a covering;" when they were hungry He sent them bread from heaven;
and when they thirsted "He brought forth floods from a rock."


PENTECOST


The Feast of Weeks, or "Pentecost," occurs upon the sixth day of the
third month, _Sivan_ (June). It is called the Feast of Weeks because
forty-nine days, or seven weeks, duly numbered, elapse between the
second day of Passover, when (during the existence of the Temple) a
sheaf of green barley was offered, and this festival, when two loaves
made of the first flour of the wheat harvest were "brought before the
Lord." It is also the anniversary of the delivery of the commandment
from Mount Sinai.

Why does not the Bible particularize in this as on other occasions, and
say directly, "On the sixth day of the third month was the law given?"

Because in ancient times the men called "wise" placed their faith and
dependence upon the planets. They divided these into seven, apportioning
one to each day of the week. Some nations selected for their greatest
god the sun, other nations the moon, and so on, and prayed to them and
worshiped them. They knew not that the planets moved and changed
according to the course of nature, established by the Most High, a
course which He might change according to His will, and into their
ignorant ideas many of the Israelites had entered. Therefore, as they
considered the planets as seven, God made many other things depending on
that number, to show that as He made them, so had He made the planets.

The seventh day of the week He made the Sabbath; the seventh year he
made the year of rest; after seven times seven years, or after seven
Sabbatical years, He ordained the Jubilee, or year of release. Seven
days He gave to the Passover festival, and seven days to the Feast of
Tabernacles. Seven days was Jericho surrounded, and seven priests took
seven trumpets and marched round its walls seven times upon the seventh
day.

Therefore, after numbering seven weeks during the ripening time of the
grain, the Israelites were to hold a holy convocation, to praise the One
who can prevent all things, but who cannot be prevented; who can change
all things, but is unchangeable.

The first day the Israelites were redeemed from slavery and
superstition; the fiftieth day a law was given them for their guide
through life; therefore they are commanded to number these days and
remember them.

The children of Ishmael, says the legend, were asked to accept the law.
"What does it contain?" they asked. "Thou shalt not steal," was the
answer. "How can we then accept it," they returned, "when thus was our
forefather blessed, 'Thy hand shall be against every man?'"

The children of Esau were asked to accept the law, and they also
inquired, "What does it contain?" "Thou shalt not kill," was the answer.
"We cannot accept it, then," said they, "for thus did our father Isaac
bless us, 'By the sword shalt thou live.'"

When Israel was asked to accept the law, the people answered, "We will
do and obey."


NEW YEAR, OR THE DAY OF MEMORIAL


On the first day of the seventh month, _Tishri_ (October), is the
commemoration of the creation of the world. Then the cornet is blown to
announce to the people that a new year has begun its course, and to warn
them to examine strictly their conduct and make amends therein where
amends are needed.

Would not any person of sense, knowing that he must appear before a
Court of Judgment, prepare himself therefor? Either in a civil or a
criminal case would he not seek for counsel? How much more, then, is it
incumbent upon him to prepare for a meeting with the King of kings,
before whom all things are revealed. No counsel can help him in his
case; repentance, devotion, charity, these are the arguments which must
plead in his favor. Therefore, a person should search his actions and
repent his transgressions previous to the day of judgment. In the month
of _Elul_ (September) he should arouse himself to a consciousness of the
dread justice awaiting all mankind.

This is the season when the Lord pardoned the Israelites who had
worshiped the molten calf. He commanded Moses to reascend the mount for
a second tablet, after he had destroyed the first. Thus say the sages,
"The Lord said unto Moses in the month _Elul_, 'Go up unto me on the
mountain,' and Moses went up and received the second tablet at the end
of forty days. Before he ascended he caused the trumpet to be sounded
through the camp." Since that time it is customary to sound the
_shophar_ (cornet) in the synagogues, to give warning to the people that
the day of judgment, New Year, is rapidly approaching, and with it the
Day of Atonement. Therefore, propitiatory prayers are said twice every
day, morning and evening, from the second day of _Elul_ until the eve of
the Day of Atonement, which period comprises the last forty days which
Moses passed on Sinai, when God was reconciled to Israel and pardoned
their transgressions with the molten calf.

Rabbi Eleazer said, "Abraham and Jacob were born in _Tishri_, and in
_Tishri_ they died. On the first of _Tishri_ the universe was created,
and during the Passover was Isaac born. On the first of _Tishri_ (New
Year), Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah, three barren women, were visited. On
the first day of _Tishri_ our ancestors discontinued their rigorous
labor in Egypt. On the first of _Tishri_ Adam was created; from his
existence we count our years, that is the sixth day of the creation. On
that day, too, did he eat of the forbidden fruit, therefore is the
season appointed for one of penitence, for the Lord said to Adam, 'This
shall be for a sign in future generations; thy descendants shall be
judged upon these days, and they shall be appointed as days of pardon
and forgiveness.'"

Four times in the year the Lord pronounces His decrees.

First, New Year, the first of _Tishri_. Then the judgments of all human
beings for the coming year are ordained.

Second, the first day of Passover. Then the scarcity or fullness of the
crops is determined.

Third, Pentecost. Then the Lord blesses the fruit of the trees, or bids
them bear not in plenty.

Fourth, The Feast of Tabernacles. Then the Lord determines whether the
rain shall bless the earth in its due season or not.

Man is judged on New Year's and the decree is made final on the Day of
Atonement.

Rabbi Nathan has said that man is judged at all times.

Thus taught Rabbi Akiba. "Why does the law command the bringing of a
sheaf of barley on the Passover? Because the Passover is the season of
the harvest of the grain. The Lord says, 'Offer for me a sheaf of barley
on Passover, that I may bless the grain which is in the field.'

"Why does the Bible say, 'Bring two loaves of the new wheat on
Pentecost?' Because at Pentecost time the fruit ripens, and God says,
'Offer for me two loaves of the new wheat, in order that I may bless the
fruit which is on the trees.'

"Why were we commanded to bring a drink-offering of water into the
Temple on the Feast of Tabernacles? Because then is the season of rain,
and the Lord says, 'Bring the drink-offering of water to me, in order
that I may bless the rain of the year.'

"Why do they make the cornet which they blow of a ram's horn? In order
that the Lord may remember the ram which was sacrificed instead of
Isaac, and allow the merits of the patriarchs to weigh in favor of their
descendants, as it is written in the Decalogue, 'Showing mercy to
thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.'"

On New Year's day they recite in the synagogues the record of the
binding of Isaac for the same purpose. While God has mercy upon His
creatures He gives them a season for repentance, that they may not
perish in their wickedness, therefore as it is written in Lamentations
3:40, we should "search through and investigate our ways and return unto
the Lord."

During the year man is apt to grow callous as to his transgressions,
therefore the cornet is sounded to arouse him to the consciousness of
the time which is passing so rapidly away. "Rouse thee from thy sleep,"
it says to him; "the hour of thy visitation approaches." The Eternal
wishes not to destroy His children, merely to arouse them to repentance
and good resolves.

Three classes of people are arraigned for judgment: the righteous, the
wicked, and the indifferent. To the righteous the Lord awards a happy
life; the wicked He condemns, and to the indifferent ones He grants a
respite. From New Year's day until the Day of Atonement His judgment He
holds in abeyance; if they repent truly they are classed with the
righteous for a happy life, and if they remain untouched, they are
counted with the wicked.

Three sounds for the cornet are commanded in the Bible. A pure sound
(_T'kiah_), a sound of alarm or trembling (_T'ruah_), and, thirdly, a
pure sound again (_T'kiah_).

The first sound typifies man's first awakening to penitence; he must
search well his heart, desert his evil ways, and purify his thoughts, as
it is written, "Let the wicked forsake his ways and the man of
unrighteousness his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord."

The alarm sound typifies the sorrow which a repentant man feels for his
misconduct and his earnest determination to reform.

The last sound is the pure sound again, which typifies a sincere resolve
to keep the repentant heart incorrupt.

The Bible says to us:--

"The word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, that
thou mayest do it." This verse teaches us that repentance is nearer to
those who believe in God and His book than fanatics would make it.
Difficult penances are ordained for the sinner among them. He must fast
many days, or travel barefoot through rugged ways, or sleep in the open
air. But we are not required to travel to the nether end of the ocean or
to climb to mountain tops, for our Holy Word says to us, "It is not in
heaven, neither is it beyond the sea, but the Word is very nigh."

In three ways may we repent:--

First, By words of mouth, finding birth in an honest heart.

Secondly, With our feelings, sorrow for sins committed.

Thirdly, By good deeds in the future.

Rabbi Saadiah declared that God commanded us to sound the cornet on New
Year's day for ten reasons.

First, because this day is the beginning of the creation, when God began
to reign over the world, and as it is customary to sound the trumpets at
the coronation of a king, we should in like manner proclaim by the sound
of the cornet that the Creator is our king,--as David said, "With
trumpets and the sound of the cornet, shout ye before the Lord."

Secondly, as the New Year day is the first of the ten penitential days,
we sound the cornet as a proclamation to admonish all to return to God
and repent. If they do not so, they at least have been informed, and
cannot plead ignorance. Thus we find that earthly kings publish their
decrees with such concomitant, that none may say, "We heard not this."

Thirdly, to remind us of the law given on Mount Sinai, where it is said,
"The voice of the cornet was exceeding loud." To remind us also that we
should bind ourselves anew to the performance of its precepts, as did
our ancestors, when they said, "All that the Lord hath said will we do
and obey."

Fourthly, to remind us of the prophets, who were compared to watchmen
blowing the trumpet of alarm, as we find in Ezekiel, "Whosoever heareth
the sound of the cornet and taketh not warning, and the sound cometh and
taketh him away, his blood shall be upon his own head; but he that
taketh warning shall save his life."

Fifthly, to remind us of the destruction of the Temple and the fearsome
sound of the battle-cry of our enemies. "Because thou hast heard, oh my
soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war." Therefore when we
hear the sound of the cornet we should implore God to rebuild the
Temple.

Sixthly, to remind us of the binding of Isaac, who willingly offered
himself for immolation, in order to sanctify the Holy Name.

Seventhly, that when we hear the terrifying sound, we may, through
dread, humble ourselves before the Supreme Being, for it is the nature
of these martial instruments to produce a sensation of terror, as the
prophet Amos observes, "Shall a trumpet be blown in a city, and the
people not to be terrified?"

Eighthly, to remind us of the great and terrible Day of Judgment, on
which the trumpet is to be sounded, as we find in Zeph., "The great day
of the Lord is near, and hasteneth much, a day of the trumpet and of
shouting."

Ninthly, to remind us to pray for the time when the outcasts of Israel
are to be gathered together, as promised in Isaiah, "And it shall come
to pass in that day, the great trumpet shall be sounded, and those shall
come who were perishing in the land of Assyria."

Tenthly, to remind us of the resurrection of the dead, and our firm
belief therein. "Yea, all ye that inhabit the world, and that dwell on
the earth, when the standard is lifted upon the mountain, behold, and
when the trumpet is sounded, hear!" says the prophet Isaiah.

Therefore should we set our hearts to these seasons, and fulfill the
precept that the Bible commands us, as it is written:--

"And the Lord commanded us to do all the statutes ... that it might be
well with us at all times."


THE DAY OF ATONEMENT


The hearts of all who fear God should tremble with the reflection that
all the deeds of the creature are known to the Creator, and will be by
Him accounted to them for good or evil. God is ready at all times to
acknowledge true penitence; and of repentance there are seven degrees:

First, the righteous man, who repents his misconduct as soon as he
becomes aware of his sin. This is the best and most complete.

Secondly, of the man who has for some time led a life of sin, yet who,
in the vigor of his days, gives over his evil ways and conquers his
wrong inclinations. As Solomon has said, "Remember thy Creator in the
days of thy youthful vigor." While in the prime of life abandon thy evil
ways.

Thirdly, of the one who was prevented by some cause from the commission
of a contemplated sin, and who truly repents his evil intention. "Happy
is the man who fears the Lord," said the Psalmist. The man, not the
woman? Aye, all mankind. The word is used to denote strength; those who
repent while still in their youth.

Fourthly, of the one who repents when his sin is pointed out to him, and
he is rebuked for the same, as in the instance of the inhabitants of
Nineveh. They repented not until Jonah proclaimed to them, "Yet forty
days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." The men of Nineveh believed
in God's mercy, and though the decree had been pronounced against them,
yet they repented. "And God saw their work, that they had returned from
their evil ways, and God bethought Himself of the evil which He had
spoken that He would do to them, and He did it not." Therefore say the
Rabbis, "Our brethren, neither sackcloth nor fasting will gain
forgiveness for sins; but repentance of the heart and good deeds; for it
is not said of the men of Nineveh, 'God saw their fasting and
sackcloth,' but 'God saw their work, that they had turned from their
evil ways.'"

Fifthly, of those who repent when trouble befalls them. How much nobler
is this than human nature! Instance Jephtah: "Did ye not hate me ... and
why are ye come unto me now when you are in distress?" But the infinite
mercy of our God accepts even such repentance; as it is written, "When
thou art in tribulation, and all these things have overtaken thee ...
then wilt thou return unto the Lord thy God." Founded upon this is the
proverb of the fathers, "Repentance and good deeds form a shield against
punishment."

Sixthly, the repentance of age. Even when man grows old and feeble, if
he repents truly, his atonement will be received. As the Psalmist says,
"Thou turnest man to contrition, and sayest, 'Return, ye children of
men.'" Meaning, man can return at any time or any age, "Return, ye
children of men."

Say the Rabbis, "Although a man has been righteous in his youth and
vigor, yet if he rebels against the will of God in his old age, the
merit of his former goodness shall be lost to him, as it is written,
'When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and doeth wrong,
and dieth therefor; through his wrong which he hath done must he die.'
But a man who has been wicked in his early days, and feels true sorrow
and penitence in his old age, shall not be called 'wicked' any more.
This, however, is not gracious penitence when it is so long delayed."

Seventhly, is the last degree of penitence. Of the one who is rebellious
against his Creator during all the days of his life; turns to Him only
when the hand of death is laid upon him.

Say the Rabbis, if a person is sick, and the hour of his decease
approaches, they who are by his deathbed should say to him, "Confess thy
sins to thy Creator."

They who are near the point of death should confess their shortcomings.
The sick man is as the man who is before a court of justice. The latter
may have advocates to defend him or laud his case, but the only
advocates of the former must be penitence and good deeds. As is written
in the Book of Job, "If there be now about him one single angel as
defender, one out of a thousand, to tell for man his uprightness; then
is he gracious unto him, and saith, 'Release him from going down to the
pit; I have found an atonement.'"

Thus we have seven different degrees of penitence, and he who neglects
them all must suffer in the world to come. Therefore fulfill the duties
laid upon you; repent as long as you are able to amend. As the Rabbis
say, 'Repent in the antechamber, that thou mayest enter the room of
state.'

"Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; wherefore will ye die, O house of
Israel!" exclaimed the prophet Ezekiel; and what does this warning mean?
without repentance ye shall die.

* * * * *

Penitence is thus illustrated by a parable:--

There was once a great ship which had been sailing for many days upon
the ocean. Before it reached its destination, a high wind arose, which
drove it from its course; until, finally, becalmed close to a
pleasant-appearing island, the anchor was dropped. There grew upon this
island beautiful flowers and luscious fruits in "great profusion"; tall
trees lent a pleasing, cooling shade to the place, which appeared to the
ship's passengers most desirable and inviting. They divided themselves
into five parties; the first party determined not to leave the ship, for
said they, "A fair wind may arise, the anchor may be raised, and the
ship sail on, leaving us behind; we will not risk the chance of missing
our destination for the temporary pleasure which this island offers."
The second party went on shore for a short time, enjoyed the perfume of
the flowers, tasted of the fruit, and returned to the ship happy and
refreshed, finding their places as they had left them; losing nothing,
but rather gaining in health and good spirits by the recreation of their
visit on shore. The third party also visited the island, but they stayed
so long that the fair wind did arise, and hurrying back they just
reached the ship as the sailors were lifting the anchor, and in the
haste and confusion many lost their places, and were not as comfortable
during the balance of their voyage as at the outset. They were wiser,
however, than the fourth party; these latter stayed so long upon the
island and tasted so deeply of its pleasures, that they allowed the
ship's bell of warning to sound unheeded. Said they, "The sails are
still to be set; we may enjoy ourselves a few minutes more." Again the
bell sounded, and still they lingered, thinking, "The captain will not
sail without us." So they remained on shore until they saw the ship
moving; then in wild haste they swam after it and scrambled up the
sides, but the bruises and injuries which they encountered in so doing
were not healed during the remainder of the voyage. But, alas, for the
fifth party. They ate and drank so deeply that they did not even hear
the bell, and when the ship started they were left behind. Then the wild
beasts hid in the thickets made of them a prey, and they who escaped
this evil, perished from the poison of surfeit.

The "ship" is our good deeds, which bear us to our destination, heaven.
The "island" typifies the pleasures of the world, which the first set of
passengers refused to taste or look upon, but which when enjoyed
temperately, as by the second party, make our lives pleasant, without
causing us to neglect our duties. These pleasures must not be allowed,
however, to gain too strong a hold upon our senses. True, we may return,
as the third party, while there is yet time and but little bad effect,
or even as the fourth party at the eleventh hour, saved, but with
bruises and injuries which cannot be entirely healed; but we are in
danger of becoming as the last party, spending a lifetime in the pursuit
of vanity, forgetting the future, and perishing even of the poison
concealed in the sweets which attracted us.

Copyright (c) 2007. knowncrafts.net. All rights reserved.