Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 528 pages of information about Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and.

Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 528 pages of information about Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and.
the word Jacob, Cant. i. 2, ii. 10, ii. 8, v. 1.  After this he is to repeat certain portions of the Mishnah, and something of the Zohar or some other Kabbalistic work.
This over, the devout Israelite goes to the synagogue to meet his God as the bridegroom, and to receive the Sabbath as the bride.  The service is well worthy of rehearsal, but we must refer for details to the Liturgy.
The Israelite returns home from the synagogue accompanied by two angels, one good and the other evil; and according to the condition of the domestic arrangements when he re-enters, he is blessed by the good angel or cursed by the evil one.

    The Israelite is solemnly warned not to quarrel with his wife on
    Sabbath-eve, for the devils are very busy then to stir up more
    strife, as is illustrated by the story of Rabbi Meir.

Having repeated the usual hymn appointed for the Sabbath-eve, and pronounced the form of blessing over the cup of wine, he and his family commence their supper, which is carefully prepared of the very choicest viands, flesh and fish included.  Hymns and a certain form of blessing after the meal complete the family duties of the day, and all retire to rest.  The head of the family, if he be a pious Israelite, and especially a disciple of the wise, has a particular duty to perform—­a duty which is based on Scripture and on the following text (Exod. xxxi. 16), “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath.” (Kitzur Sh’lh, fol. 64, col. 1.)

Of the laws relating to the Sabbath we can here only enumerate a few; we shall, however, take them in order as detailed in the book before us.

Jewish women, maid-servants and girls are warned not to order a Gentile woman on the Sabbath to do this or that, but they may instruct her on a work-day what she is to do on the Sabbath.

Geese, fowl, cats, dogs, etc., are not to be handled on the Sabbath.  Neither are pocket-handkerchiefs, spectacles, etc., to be carried on the Sabbath in an unwalled town or village.  Radishes are not to be salted in quantities, but each piece is to be dipped separately in salt and eaten.  After dinner the Israelite is to take a siesta, for each letter forms the initial of a word, and the words thus formed are “Sleep on the Sabbath is a delight.” (See Isa. lviii. 13.) Before he dozes off he is to repeat the last verse of the 90th and the whole of the 91st Psalm.  The salutation should not be, as on working-days, “Good morning,” but “Good Sabbath;” for respecting this it is said (Exod. xx. 8), “Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.”  He is not to rise on the Sabbath as early as on the other days of the week, and this is based on Scripture.  He is to be very careful with the fur garments that he may be wearing, lest he should pluck a hair therefrom, and for the same reason he is not to scratch his head or touch his beard on the Sabbath.  He is not to wash his hands with salt or soap on the Sabbath, nor may he play at ball; he is not to knock with a rapper on a door, or ring the house-bell; nor, if he has married a widow, is he to co-habit with her on that day.

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Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.