Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala Part 23

Ibid., fol. 59, col. 1.

He is represented as a hairdresser; for it is said He plaited Eve's hair (and some have actually enumerated the braids as 700).

_Eiruvin_, fol. 18, col. 1.

In a Hagada (see Sanhedrin, fol. 95, col. 2), G.o.d is conceived as acting the barber to Sennacherib, a sort of parody on Isaiah vii. 20.

He is said to have created the evil as well as the good pa.s.sions in man.

_Berachoth_, fol. 61, col. 1.

G.o.d weeps every day.

_Chaggigah_, fol. 3, col. 2.

He dresses Himself in a veil and shows Moses the Jewish Liturgy, saying unto him, "When the Israelites sin against me, let them copy this example, and I will pardon their sins."

_Rosh Hashanah_, fol. 17, col. 2.

G.o.d is said to have regretted creating certain things.

_Succah_, fol. 52, col, 2.

G.o.d is represented as irrigating the land of Israel, but leaving the rest of the earth to be watered by an angel.

_Taanith_, fol. 10, col. 1.

It is said that He will make a dance for the righteous, and as He places Himself in the centre, they will point at Him with their fingers, and say (Isa. xxv. 9), "Behold, this is our G.o.d; we have waited for him;...

we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

Ibid., fol. 31, col. 1.

G.o.d is said to have prevaricated in making peace between Abraham and Sarah, which is not so surprising; for while one Rabbi teaches that prevarication is under certain circ.u.mstances allowable, another a.s.serts it absolutely as a duty; for it is written (1 Sam. xvi. 2), "And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord."

_Yevamoth_, fol. 65, col. 2.

This teaching may be easily matched by parallels from heathen literature, but we have room only for two or three examples:--Maximus Tyrius says, "There is nothing (essentially) decorous in truth, yea, truth is sometimes hurtful and lying profitable." Darius is represented by Herodotus (Book iii., p.

191) as saying, "When telling falsehood is profitable, let it be told." Menander says, "A lie is better than an annoying truth."

G.o.d utters a curse against those who remain single after they are twenty years of age; and those who marry at sixteen please him, and those who do so at fourteen still more.

_Kiddus.h.i.+n_, fol. 29, col. 2.

Elijah binds and G.o.d flogs the man who marries an unsuitable wife.

Ibid., fol. 70, col. 1.

G.o.d acknowledges His weakness in argument, "My children have vanquished me! my children have vanquished me!" He exclaims. "They have defeated me in argument."

_Bava Metzia_, fol. 59, col. 2.

G.o.d's decision was controverted by the Academy in heaven, and the matter in debate was finally settled by a Rabbi, who had to be summoned from earth to heaven expressly to adjudicate in the case.

_Bava Metzia_, fol. 86, col. 1.

The cla.s.sical student will recognize in this a parallel to the Greek myth in which the Olympian divinities refer their debate in the matter of the apple of discord to the judgment of Paris.

May there not in both fables lie a dim forefeeling of the time when Justice shall transfer her seat from the skies, so that whatever her ministers bind on earth may be bound in heaven?

G.o.d will bear testimony before all the nations of the earth that His people Israel have kept the whole of the law.

_Avodah Zarah_, fol. 3, col. 1.

G.o.d is occupied for twelve hours every day in study, at work, or at play.

Ibid., fol. 3, col. 2.

G.o.d does not act without first consulting the a.s.sembly above; as it is said (Dan. iv. 17), "This matter is by the decree of the watchers and the demand of the word of the Holy One," etc.

_Sanhedrin_, fol. 38, col. 2.

G.o.d Himself is described as exacting an atonement for His own miscreations; as, for instance, His diminis.h.i.+ng the size of the moon.

_Shevuoth_, fol. 9, col. 1.

The general height of the Levites was ten ells.

_Shabbath_, fol. 92, col. 1.

Ten things cause hemorrhoids:--Eating cane leaves, the foliage and tendrils of the vine, the palate of cattle, the backbones of fish, half-cooked salt fish, wine lees, etc.

_Berachoth_, fol. 55, col. 1.

Ten things provoke a desperate relapse in a convalescent:--Eating beef, fat meat, broiled meat, fowl, or roasted eggs, shaving, eating cress, taking milk or cheese, or indulging in a bath. Some say also eating walnuts, others say eating cuc.u.mbers, which are as dangerous to the body as swords.

Ibid., fol. 57, col. 2.

Ten curses were p.r.o.nounced against Eve:--The words "greatly multiply,"

"thy sorrow" (alluding to rearing a family), "thy conception," "in sorrow shalt thou bring forth," "thy desire shall be to thy husband,"

"he shall rule over thee," express six of these. The remainder are:--She should be wrapped up like a mourner (that is, she should not appear in public without having her head covered); she was restricted to one husband, though he might have more wives than one, and was to be kept within doors like a prisoner.

_Eiruvin_, fol. 100, col. 2.

Ten things were created during the twilight of the first Sabbath-eve.

These were:--The well that followed Israel in the wilderness, the manna, the rainbow, the letters of the alphabet, the stylus, the tables of the law, the grave of Moses, the cave in which Moses and Elijah stood, the opening of the mouth of Balaam's a.s.s, the opening of the earth to swallow the wicked (Korah and his clique). Rav Nechemiah said, in his father's name, also fire and the mule. Rav Yosheyah, in his father's name, added also the ram which Abraham offered up instead of Isaac, and the Shameer. Rav Yehudah says the tongs also, etc.

_Psachim_, fol. 54, col 1.

To the ten things said to have been created on Sabbath-eve some add the rod of Aaron that budded and bloomed, and others malignant demons and the garments of Adam.