"They who perform one precept in this world will find it recorded for
their benefit in the world to come; as it is written, 'Thy righteousness
will go before thee, the glory of the Lord will gather thee in.' And the
same will be the case, in contrast, with those who sin. For the Bible
says, 'Which I commanded thee this day to do them,' to 'do them,' the
precepts, to-day, though the reward is not promised to-day; but in the
future, ordinances obeyed, will testify in thy favor, for 'thy
righteousness will go before thee.'"
The Rabbis pronounced those the "friends of God," who being offended
thought not of revenge; who practiced good through love for God, and who
were cheerful under suffering and difficulties. Of such Isaiah wrote,
"They shall shine forth like the sun at noonday."
* * * * *
Love thy wife as thyself; honor her more than thyself. He who lives
unmarried, lives without joy. If thy wife is small, bend down to her and
whisper in her ear. He who sees his wife die, has, as it were, been
present at the destruction of the sanctuary itself. The children of a
man who marries for money will prove a curse to him.
He who has more learning than good deeds is like a tree with many
branches but weak roots; the first great storm will throw it to the
ground. He whose good works are greater than his knowledge is like a
tree with fewer branches but with strong and spreading roots, a tree
which all the winds of heaven cannot uproot.
* * * * *
Better is the curse of the righteous man than the blessing of the
wicked. Better the curse of Achia, the Shelonite, than the blessing of
Bil'am, the son of Beor. Thus did Achia curse the Israelites, "And the
Lord will smite Israel as the reed is shaken in the water." The reed
bends but it breaks not, for it groweth by the water, and its roots are
strong. Thus did Bil'am bless Israel, "As cedar trees beside the
waters." Cedars do not grow beside the waters: their roots are weak, and
when strong winds blow they break in pieces.
* * * * *
A very wealthy man, who was of a kind, benevolent disposition, desired
to make his slave happy. He gave him, therefore, his freedom, and
presented him with a shipload of merchandise.
"Go," said he, "sail to different countries, dispose of these goods, and
that which thou mayest receive for them shall be thy own."
The slave sailed away upon the broad ocean, but before he had been long
upon his voyage a storm overtook him; his ship was driven on a rock and
went to pieces; all on board were lost, all save this slave, who swam to
an island shore near by. Sad, despondent, with naught in the world, he
traversed this island, until he approached a large and beautiful city;
and many people approached him joyously, shouting, "Welcome! welcome!
Long live the king!" They brought a rich carriage, and placing him
therein, escorted him to a magnificent palace, where many servants
gathered about him, clothing him in royal garments, addressing him as
their sovereign, and expressing their obedience to his will.
The slave was amazed and dazzled, believing that he was dreaming, and
all that he saw, heard, and experienced was mere passing fantasy.
Becoming convinced of the reality of his condition, he said to some men
about him for whom he experienced a friendly feeling:--
"How is this? I cannot understand it. That you should thus elevate and
honor a man whom you know not, a poor, naked wanderer, whom you have
never seen before, making him your ruler, causes me more wonder than I
can readily express."
"Sire," they replied, "this island is inhabited by spirits. Long since
they prayed to God to send them yearly a son of man to reign over them,
and He has answered their prayers. Yearly He sends them a son of man,
whom they receive with honor and elevate to the throne; but his dignity
and power ends with the year. With its close his royal garments are
taken from him, he is placed on board a ship and carried to a vast and
desolate island, where, unless he has previously been wise and prepared
for this day, he will find neither friend nor subject, and be obliged to
pass a weary, lonely, miserable life. Then a new king is selected, and
so year follows year. The kings who preceded thee were careless and
indifferent, enjoying their power to the full, and thinking not of the
day when it should end. Be wiser thou; let our words find rest within
thy heart."
The newly-made king listened attentively to all this, and felt grieved
that he should have lost even the time he had already missed for making
preparations for his loss of power.
He addressed the wise man who had spoken, saying, "Advise me, oh, spirit
of wisdom, how I may prepare for the days which will come upon me in the
future."
"Naked thou camest to us and naked thou wilt be sent to the desolate
island of which I have told thee," replied the other. "At present thou
art king, and may do as pleaseth thee; therefore send workmen to this
island; let them build houses, till the ground, and beautify the
surroundings. The barren soil will be changed into fruitful fields,
people will journey there to live, and thou wilt have established a new
kingdom for thyself, with subjects to welcome thee in gladness when thou
shalt have lost thy power here. The year is short, the work is long:
therefore be earnest and energetic."
The king followed this advice. He sent workmen and materials to the
desolate island, and before the close of his temporary power it had
become a blooming, pleasant, and attractive spot. The rulers who had
preceded him had anticipated the day of their power's close with dread,
or smothered all thought of it in revelry; but he looked forward to it
as a day of joy, when he should enter upon a career of permanent peace
and happiness.
The day came; the freed slave, who had been made king, was deprived of
his authority; with his power he lost his royal garments; naked he was
placed upon a ship, and its sails set for the desolate isle.
When he approached its shores, however, the people whom he had sent
there came to meet him with music, song, and great joy. They made him a
prince among them, and he lived with them ever after in pleasantness and
peace.
The wealthy man of kindly disposition is God, and the slave to whom He
gave freedom is the soul which He gives to man. The island at which the
slave arrives is the world; naked and weeping he appears to his parents,
who are inhabitants that greet him warmly and make him their king. The
friends who tell him of the ways of the country are his "good
inclinations." The year of his reign is his span of life, and the
desolate island is the future world, which he must beautify by good
deeds, "the workmen and material," or else live lonely and desolate
forever.
* * * * *
The Emperor Adrian, passing through the streets of Tiberias, noticed a
very old man planting a fig tree, and pausing, said to him:--
"Wherefore plant that tree? If thou didst labor in thy youth, thou
shouldst now have a store for thy old age, and surely of the fruit of
this tree thou canst not hope to eat."