THE JEWS OF LONG AGO
"MAY we go to Levi's, papa dear?" asked Esther, when the evening meal
was over and the children were gathered with their parents on the
housetop. "Mamma said she was willing, but we must ask you."
"I think it would be very pleasant for you, and I know Levi and Rebecca
like to have you there. Yes, you may go."
"I knew you would say yes. And now we want to ask you something else.
Will you tell us some stories of long ago, before our city was
destroyed?"
"I suppose you would like best to hear about the children, Esther?"
"Of course, papa."
"They were very happy. Their parents were as wise and tender in caring
for them as they are to-day.
"When they were yet quite young, they began to study the books of wisdom
of our people. They went to school every day. There was one saying they
heard over and over again. It was this, 'Be not forgetful to entertain
strangers.'
"'Our houses are not for us alone,' their parents said, and taught them
this beautiful saying, 'Let thy house be wide open, and let the poor be
the children of the house.'
"There were many pilgrim feasts in those days. People came to Jerusalem
to worship in the temple and to take part in the sacred festivals. Yet
it is said that not one of these pilgrims ever felt the need of
entertainment. The houses were open for all.
"Only think of it! It was a common thing to walk along the street and
see curtains hanging in front of the doors. This was a sign that there
was still room for guests. Some people went so far as to say, 'There
should be four doors to every house. Then travellers could be welcomed
from every direction.'"
"What kind of houses did the people live in?" asked Solomon.
"There were small cottages where the poor lived, for there were some, of
course, who did not have much of this world's goods. Then there were the
houses of the middle class. These were built of brick or stone. And
besides these there were the elegant marble homes of the rich, built
around beautiful courtyards.
"The houses had flat roofs paved with stone or brick. They were made to
slant down a little, so as to let the rain-water run off through pipes
into the cistern below. These cisterns were needed in the old days just
as much as now, on account of the long months when no rain fell and the
country became so dry.
"A railing was built around each housetop. In this way it was made into
a comfortable resting-place for the family and their friends. It was
cool and quiet."
"We follow the same fashion," said Esther.
"Yes, but in the old times I suppose it was used even more than now. The
older people often went up there to pray. Meetings were sometimes held
there. It was also a good place to watch for the enemy.
"The rich people often had wide and costly stairs built up to the roof
from the street. You can imagine the boys and girls running over these
stairs in a game of chase or hide-and-seek."
"How did the people of two thousand years ago furnish their houses?"
asked Miriam.
"Very much as we do now. They had couches, chairs and tables, and there
were often many soft cushions for the head and arms. The people used
candlesticks and lamps, exactly as we do.
"But I promised to talk most about the children. They took part with
their parents in family prayer every night and morning. They washed and
prayed before every meal. After it, they gave thanks to God for his
kindness to them. As each Sabbath came around, the children looked
forward to it as though they were going to welcome a king. It was a time
of rest and joy.
"When the father came home on the eve of the holy day, he found the
house trimmed up as though for a feast. The Sabbath lamp was lighted.
The table was spread with the richest feast the family could afford.
Before doing anything else, the father blessed each child with the
blessing of Israel. The little ones felt that something beautiful and
holy was about to take place.
"They were quite willing to give up their play for the next day. They
would have something better."
"You have taught us all these things, papa," said Esther.
"I know it, my dear. But I tell them again so that you may see we have
not changed much since the old days.
"The children looked forward to the feast-days with joyful delight. It
is hard to say which they liked best."
"They must have loved the Feast of the Dedication," said Miriam.
"Why, Miriam?"
"On account of the many candles. It is so pleasant to watch a great
number of them burning at once."
"Yes, children always love lights and brightness. The first evening of
the feast, a candle was lighted for each one in the house. The second
evening, two were lighted, and so on to the eighth night."
"But the Feast of Esther brings more sport," said Solomon.
"You are just like every other boy, Solomon. You like noise and fun,"
said his father.
"But, think a moment, children. Must not the Feast of the Passover have
been the greatest one of all?"
"It was then that the father repeated the whole history of the Children
of Israel to his listening children. They loved to hear it. It seemed to
them as though they were really following the Chosen People in their
wanderings. They looked upon Moses receiving the commandments from
Heaven. As they shut their eyes, they saw in their minds the waters of
the Red Sea parting to let the Children of Israel pass across in safety.
Then, again coming together, the waves closed over their enemies and
destroyed them."
"Father, you tell us the stories as well as any one possibly could,"
said Solomon.
"I do my best, Solomon. But in the olden days the children were brought
nearer to heaven by their visits to the temple.
"Think of that glorious building and its walls shining with gold! It
seems as though I could see the throng of white-robed priests and hear
the blasts they sounded on their silver trumpets.
"Listen! A chant from the Psalms rings through the great building. It
sounds like heavenly voices." Esther's father closed his eyes and became
silent. The children were filled with awe as they sat quietly beside
him.
"I wish I could have lived in the long ago," thought Esther. "The temple
must have seemed like a part of heaven brought to earth."
"Now we will repeat the night prayer and go to rest," said the father.