name of Moses Nachmanides, pp. 1947‐1965, all the works which are
ascribed to this author are put together, and also discussed as to
their authenticity. There are only to be added the new edition of
the _Derasha_ by Jellinek (Vienna, 1872), in which the variants from
Schorr’s MS. (החלוץ, viii. 162) are already incorporated; a new
edition of the זיכות, and the commentary to Is. lii.‐liii. by
Steinschneider (Berlin, 1860); a _Sermon_ for the New Year, ed. by
H. Berliner (_Libanon_, v. 564); and another Sermon at a wedding
(?), ed. by Schorr (_Hechalus_, xii. 3). For the literature on
Nachmanides, besides the references given by Steinschneider, in his
_Catalogue_, and the Addenda, p. cxviii. (cf. also the pedigree in
the _Catalogue_ 2305), see also Graetz, _Geschichte_, vii., pp.
112‐143, and p. 147 _seq._; Michael, אור החיים, No. 1125, and Weiss,
דור דור ודערקיו, v. 4 _seq._; Perles’ _Monatsschrift_, 1860, p. 175;
Zomber, _ibid._ 421; and Z. Frankel, _ibid._ 1868, p. 449, and _The
Jewish Quarterly Review_, iv. 245 _seq._ For Nachmanides’
disputation we have to add M. Loeb in the _Révue des Études Juives_,
xv. 1 _seq._, and xviii. 52 (about Abner), and Dr. Neubauer’s Essay
on Jewish Controversy in the _Expositor_, vol. vii. (third series),
p. 98 _seq._, with the references given there. See also his article
on the Bahir and the Zohar in _The Jewish Quarterly Review_, iv.
357. With regard to Nachmanides’ mystical system see the references
to S. Sachs (whose remarks are most suggestive), Krochmal, and
Jellinek in Steinschneider, col. 1949 and 1964, Perles’
_Monatsschrift_, 1858, p. 83 _seq._, and Steinschneider in the Heb.
_Bibliographie_, i. 34. See also Professor Kaufmann’s _Die
Geschichte der Attributenlehre_, and the references given in the
index under this name. The _Novellæ_ by his son R. Nachman, alluded
to in the text, are in the University Library, Cambridge (Add. 1187,
2). The פץ הנאולה is extant in the British Museum, MS. Add. 26,894,
and the passage quoted by De Rossi is to be found on p. 163_b_, but
a few words are erased by the censor. As to the poem given at the
end of this paper, see Zunz, _Synagogale Poesie_, p. 478; Landshut,
_Amude ha‐Abodah_ _s.v._, the references in Sachs’ _Religiöse Poesie
der Juden_, and Luzzatto in the _Ozar Nechmad_, ii. 27. Compare also
Professor Cheyne’s _The Origin of the Psalter_, p. 421.
68 New Year’s Day, on the first of Tishri. It is in autumn.
69 A famous Rabbi of the fifteenth century, known by his various
casuistical and philosophical works.
70 Chiefly known through his controversial writings against the
adherents of the pseudo‐Messiah Shabbethai Tsebi. He was for some
time the Rabbi of the Portuguese congregation in London.
71 The main objections of the opponents of Maimonides were directed
against his rationalistic notions of Revelation, and his
allegorising interpretation of the Scriptures, which amounted in
some places to a denial of miracles. He was also suspected of having
denied bodily resurrection. A history of Jewish rationalism is still
a desideratum. I am certain that it would prove at least as
interesting as Reuter’s _Geschichte der religiösen Aufklärung im
Mittelalter_ (Berlin, 1845‐60).
72 רבינו משה.
73 אגדות, “Homilies.” See above, p. 64 and _note_.
74 קץ הנאולה, “The end of the Redemption,” that is the time when the
advent of the Messiah is to be expected.
75 This patriarch is famous in Jewish legend for his hospitality. See
Beer’s _Leben Abrahams_, pp. 37 and 56.
76 This is the quorum necessary to form a congregation (עדת) for the
purpose of holding divine service.
77 By _Zobah_, or _Aram Zobah_, the Jews of the Middle Ages usually
understood Aleppo. See Benjamin of Tudela’s _Itinerary_, i. 88, ii.
124 (London and Berlin, 1840‐41).
78 See below, p. 141, where a full translation of the letter is given.
79 הלכות גדולות, a compendium of the Law, dating from the ninth
century, by R. Simon Caro.
80 R. Simlai flourished in Palestine in the third century. He is best
known as an Agadic teacher and a great controversialist. According
to him, 613 commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, of
which 365 are prohibitive laws, whilst the remaining 248 are
positive injunctions.
81 שער הנמול, “Treatise on Reward (and Punishment).”
82 עלם הבא.
83 Ps. cix. 4; ואנ תפלה.
84 אצילות.
85 נפש חיח.
86 ידיעה, “Knowledge,” “Foreknowledge,” “Omniscience.”
87 בכוד, שבינה.
88 סגולה. See Exod. xix. 5.
89 חקים.
90 קרב, קרבן.
91 According to a Jewish tradition (the date of which is uncertain) the
advent of the Messiah, the Son of David, will be preceded by that of
the Messiah, the Son of Joseph. The latter will perish in the battle
against Gog and Magog (the Antichrist of Jewish literature), but
will soon be brought back to life on the appearance of the former.
Cf. G. H. Dalman’s _Der leidende und der sterbende Messias der
Synagoge_ (Berlin, 1881).
92 בראשית, “In the beginning,” Gen. i. 1.
93 מאין; Job xxvii. 12.
94 _Chagigah_ 14_b_. The activity of these four Rabbis falls chiefly in
the second century. R. Akiba died as a martyr in the Hadrianic
persecution (about 130). Elisha b. Abuyah, the apostate, was usually
called אחר, _Acher_, “the other one.”
95 The former lived in the twelfth, the latter in the sixteenth,
century. They are both known for their hostility to philosophy.
96 Bachya wrote in the eleventh century a famous book called חובות
חלבבות, _The Duties of the Heart_. For the others see above, p. 13
and _note_, p. 49 and _note_, p. 102 and _note_, p. 97 and _note_,
p. 71 and _note_. They all belong to the rationalistic school.
97 A younger contemporary of Maimonides, who translated the _Guide_
from Arabic into Hebrew.
98 ספר המשקל. See above, p. 18. R. Moses Cordovora, the author of the
סררם, lived in Safed in the sixteenth century. For R. Isaac Loria,
the author of the עץ החיים, see above, note 5 to Elijah Wilna.
99 שושן סודות.
100 סשר הבהיר, a forgery by a Provençal Jew of the thirteenth century,
who attributed it to a Rabbi of the first century.
101 This hymn is now incorporated in her excellent little book, _Songs
of Zion_, pp. 13‐15.
102 זהוב, a gold piece. The country and the date of the writer not being
certain, it is impossible to determine the value of this coin.
103 The lawfulness of eating this fish (= sturgeon?) was contested for
many centuries, and the controversy still continues.
104 פשוט, a smaller coin than the Zehub.
105 שמע, “Hear,” the verses from Deut. vi. 4‐9, xi. 13‐21, and Num. xv.
37‐41, recited twice a day by the Jews.
106 _Sabbath_, 30_b_.
107 מנהג, pl. מנהגים (_Minhagim_), applied usually to those ritual
customs and ceremonies for which there is no distinct authority in
the Scriptures or even in the Talmud.
108 _Jerusalem_, in Mendelssohn’s _Sämmtliche Werke_ (Vienna, 1838),
especially from p. 264 onwards, and a letter by him published in
Frankel‐Graetz’s _Monatsschrift_, 1859, p. 173. For Mendelssohn’s
position, see Graetz’s _Geschichte_, xi. 86 _seq._, especially p. 88
and note 1; Kayserling, _Leben und Werke_ of M., 2d ed., p. 394;
Steinheim, _Moses Mendelssohn_ (Hamburg, 1840), p. 30 _seq._;
Holdheim, _Moses Mendelssohn_ (Berlin, 1859), p. 18 _seq._; Leopold
Löw’s pamphlet, _Jüdische Dogmen_ (Pesth, 1871).
109 See the Commentaries on Maimonides’ סשר המצות, especially R. Simeon
Duran’s זוהר הרקיע; cf. also ancient and modern commentaries on
Exod. xx. 2.
110 See _Siphra_ (ed. Weiss), pp. 86_b_, 93_b_.
111 _Baba Bathra_, 14_b_; cf. Fürst’s _Kanon_, p. 15.
112 See _Sanhedrin_, 38_b_, and _Pseudo‐Jonathan_ to Gen. iv. 8.
113 _Mechilta_, 33_b_.
114 אפיקורוס, Lat. Epicurus.
115 See _Mishnah_, _Sanhedrin_, x. e, § 1, and Talmud, _ibid._ 90_a_ and
_b_, and Rabbinowicz’s _Variae Lectiones_, ix. p. 247 notes. Besides
the ordinary commentaries on the Talmud, account must also be taken
of the remarks of Crescas, Duran, Albo, and Abarbanel on the
subject. Cf. also Kämpf in the _Monatsschrift_ (1863), p. 144
_seq._; Oppenheim, _ibid._ (1864), p. 144; Friedmann in the _Beth
Talmud_, i. p. 210 _seq._ See also Talmudical Dictionaries, _s.v._
אפיקורום. The explanation I have adopted agrees partly with
Friedmann’s and partly with Oppenheim’s views.
116 _Sayings of the Fathers_, iii. § 9, and iv. § 22.
117 See אדרת אליהו (Jovslow, 1835), p. 48. In my exposition of the
dogmas of the Caraites I have mainly followed the late Dr. Frankl’s
article “Karaiten” in Ersch u. Gruber’s _Encyclopädie_ (sec. ii.
vol. xxxvi. pp. 12‐18). See also his _Ein mutazilitischer Kalam_ and
his _Beiträge zur Literaturgeschichte der Karäer_ (Berlin, 1887) on
Bashazi. Cf. also Jost’s _Geschichte_, ii. c. 13.
118 Kairowan was one of the greatest centres of Jewish learning in North
Africa during that period.
119 See, however, Professor D. Kaufmann’s note in the _Jewish Quarterly
Review_, i. p. 441. From this it would seem that the creed of R.
Judah Hallevi may be formulated in the following articles:—The
conviction of the existence of God, of His eternity, of His guidance
of our fathers, of the Divine Origin of the Law, and of the proof of
all this, the pledge or token of its truth, the exodus from Egypt.
120 אמונה רמה, _Emunah Ramah_, pp. 44 and 69; cf. Gulmann,
_Monatsschrift_, 1878, p. 304.
121 For the various translations of the Thirteen Articles which were
originally composed in Arabic, see Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. col.
1887. Cf. Rosin, _Ethik des Maimonides_, p. 30; Weiss, _Beth
Talmud_, i. p. 330, and _Ben Chananjah_, 1863, p. 942, and 1864, pp.
648 and 697, and Landshut, עמודי העבודה, p. 231.
122 מנחת קנאות. See pp. 1‐16.
123 See _Hammaskir_, viii. pp. 63 and 103.
124 See Steinschneider, _Cat. München_, No. 210.
125 See the Collection דברי הבמימ, by Ashkenazi, pp. 56_b_ _seq._
126 See Albo, c. iii. Probably identical with the author mentioned by
Duran, 13_b_.
127 ספר נצחון, “Sepher Nizzachon.”
128 See אור ה (ed. Johannisburg), preface, and pp. 20_a_, 44_b_, 59_b_,
and elsewhere. The style of this author is very obscure. Cf. Joel’s
pamphlet on this author (Breslau, 1874).
129 See the first pages of the מגן (Leghorn, 1758), and his משסם, pp. 13
_seq._
130 עקרים, _Ikkarim_, “Fundamentals.”
131 See _Ikkarim_, i. c. 23, and Maimonides’ _Commentary on the Mishnah_
(end of tractate Maccoth). On Albo compare Schlesinger’s
Introduction and notes to the _Ikkarim_, Joel’s pamphlet, p. 82;
Paulus, _Monatsschrift_, 1874, p. 463, and Brüll’s _Jahrb._ iv. p.
52.
132 I know his work from a MS. in the British Museum, Orient. 39.
133 דרך אמונה, _Derech Emunah_. Cf. Steinschneider, _Monatsschrift_,
1883, p. 79 _seq._
134 See עקידת יצחק, gate 55.
135 See his ימוד האמונה and מאמר האחרות.
136 ראש אמנה.
137 See בהיגת הדת, ed. Reggio, p. 28.
138 See מעשה מבית (Venice, 1707), 16_a_ and 23_a_. His language is very
vague.
139 See the Collection by Ashkenazi (as above, note 18), p. 29_b_.
140 See his בשמים ראש, p. 331.
141 See Weiss’s admirable monograph on Maimonides, published in the
_Beth Talmud_, i.
142 The Hebrew title of the work is דור דור ורורשיו.
143 That is, vows of an ascetic nature (not vows or oaths enforced by a
court of justice), which the tribunal could annul when there was
sufficient reason for it.
144 The ten Rabbis who are named as the bearers of tradition during the
period between 170 and 30 B.C. The “pair” in each case is supposed
to have consisted of the president and the vice‐president of the
Sanhedrin for the time being. See, however, Kuenen, _Gesammelte
Schriften_, p. 49 _seq._
145 דרשנים גדולים.
146 הלכות למשה מסיני. They amount, in the whole of Rabbinic literature,
to about forty, of which more than ten concern the preparation of
the phylacteries, whilst others relate to the libations of water at
the Feast of Tabernacles and similar subjects.
147 This is the time when the school of R. Johanan b. Zaccai began its
activity. Others place the Tannaitic age in Hillel’s time (30 B.C.).
148 בת קרל.
149 בית דין, lit. “Court of Justice,” as above, note 16 to Elijah Wilna,
but it means also a sort of permanent Synod, in which of course
justice was also administered as a part of religion.
150 עדיות, “Evidences given by Witnesses.” The tractate consists mostly
of a number of laws attested by various Rabbis as having come down
to them as old traditions.
151 The family of Hillel, which was supposed to be descended from the
house of David, supplied the Jews with patriarchs for many
generations. Gamaliel II. flourished about 120 A.C., whilst Simon b.
Gamaliel’s activity as Patriarch falls about 160 A.C.
152 שמכות, _Semachoth_. It is a euphemistic title, the tractate dealing
with the laws relating to funeral ceremonies and mourning.
153 מבוראי, “Elucidators” or “Explainers.” The heads of the schools in
Babylon during the fifth and sixth centuries were so designated.
154 The Rabbinic Jews of the dispersion add one day to each festival,
and thus celebrate the Passover eight days, the Feast of Weeks two
days, etc. The custom arose out of the uncertainty about the first
day of the month, the prerogative of fixing the New Moon resting
with the great _Beth Din_ in Palestine, which had not always the
means of communicating in time the evidence given before them that
the New Moon had been seen by qualified witnesses. The prerogative
was abolished in the fourth century, and the calendar fixed for all
future time, but the additional day is still kept by the Rabbinic
Jews as the “Custom of their Fathers.”
155 שיעור קומה, היכלות, “Chambers (of Heaven)” and the “Measure of the
Stature,” mystical works in which occasionally gross
anthropomorphisms are to be found. Their authorship is unknown.
156 _Sabbath_, 55_a_.
157 _Sayings of the Fathers_ (ed. C. Taylor), v. 12‐15. See also
_Sabbath_, 32 _seq._, and _Mechilta_ (ed. Friedman), 95_b_.
_Arachin_, 16_a_.
158 See _Mechilta_, 25_a_, 32_b_. _Gen. Rabbah_, ch. 48, and _Tossephta
Sotah_, iv. 7, and parallels.
159 _Taanith_, 21_a_.
160 _Sayings of the Fathers_, iv. 5.
161 _Baba Bathra_, 9_b_.
162 _Yoma_, 39_a_.
163 _Berachoth_, 33_a_.
164 _Sabbath_, 13_b_.
165 _Berachoth_, 7_a_.
166 See _Mechilta_, 68_b_, and parallels. _Siphra_, 112_b_. _Pessikta_
of R. Kahana, 167_b_. Cp. _Sanhedrin_, 44_a_.
167 _Aboth_ de R. Nathan, 40_a_, 59_b_, and 62_b_.
168 _Baba Bathra_, 10_a_.
169 _Eccles. Rabbah_, ix. 7.
170 5_a_.
171 7_b_.
172 See _Mechilta_, 95_b_, and parallels.
173 See _Kiddushin_, 40_b_. _Mechilta_, 63_b_. _Lev. Rabbah_, iv.
174 See _Sabbath_, 54_a_.
175 _Exodus Rabbah_, c. 35, and parallels.
176 See _Negaim_, ii. 1.
177 _Exod. Rabbah_, c. 46.
178 _Taanith_, 11_a_.
179 See _Berachoth_, 5_a_.
180 _Tanchuma_, כי תצא, § 2. Cp. _Mechilta_, 72_b_.
181 _Siphré_, 73_b_, and parallels.
182 _Taanith_, 8_a_.
183 _Arachin_, 16_b_.
184 _Sayings of the Fathers_, iv. 15.
185 See _Chagigah_, 5_a_.
186 _Sabbath_, 55_a_.
187 _Menachoth_, 29_b_.
188 _Taanith_, 25_a_.
189 _Gen. Rabbah_, xxvii.; _Pessikta_, 136_b_; _Sanhedrin_, vi. 5;
_Berachoth_, 7_a_.
190 _Sayings of the Fathers_, i. 3, p. 27, ed. Taylor. See also note 8.
191 _Abodah Zarah_, 19_a_; _Siphré_, 79_b_.
192 _Berachoth_, 58_b_.
193 See _Exod. R._, 30, and parallels.
194 See ראשית חבמה, i. 9.
195 See רמתים נמים, 33_b_.
196 See _Sabbath_, 55_b_, and _Siphra_, 27_a_.
197 _Judaism and Christianity, a Sketch of the Progress of Thought from
Old Testament to New Testament_, by C. H. Toy, Professor in Harvard
University. London, 1890.
198 See _Pessikta_ of R. Kahana, 61_b_, and parallels, and _Erubin_,
13_b_.
199 Tal. Jer., _Sabbath_, 5_b_.
200 מטטרון, the name of an angel, already found in the Talmud, but
playing a more important part in the _Book of Chambers_, where he is
identified with Enoch. The etymology of the word is doubtful, some
authors considering it to be of Persian origin (_Mithra_); others
again deriving it from the Greek μετὰ τύραννον, or μετὰ θρόνον.
201 ספירות.
202 מימרא, “The Word,” sometimes substituted for God. See J. Levy’s
_Chaldäisches Wörterbuch_, _s.v._
203 בחר, אדם קדמון.
204 _Mechilta_, 104_a_.
205 See Tal. Jer., _Yoma_, 45_b_. Cf. Maimonides, _Mishneh Torah_, הלבות
שבת פב הג.
206 _Tosephta Berackoth_, iii. 7.
207 _Sabbath_, 10_b_. The name of the Rabbi is not given, but the fact
that R. Simeon b. Gamaliel (160 A.C.) already refers to this
interpretation makes it clear that its anonymous author must have
lived at least a generation before.
208 כום של קדוש.
209 See _Midrash_ to the Psalms xcii. and _Deut. Rabbah_ iii. The Rabbis
perceived in the words וקראת לשבת עננ (Isa. lviii. 13), a command to
make the Sabbath a day of pleasure, whilst the word הסצף was
understood by them to mean “needs,” “wants,” or “business” (_not_
“pleasure”). Cf. _Sabbath_, 113_a_ and _b_.
210 See _Gen. Rabbah_, xi. (and parallels), and _Sabbath_, 119_a_.
211 See _Maaseh Torah_ (ed. Schönblum) and _Deut. Rabbah_, i.
212 _Sabbath_, 25_b_ and 119_a_.
213 _Betsah_, 16_a_. Cf. Baer’s notes in his _Prayer‐Book_, p. 203
_seq._
214 See _Sabbath_, 119_b_, and _Gen. Rabbah_, xi.
215 See _Sabbath_, 10_b_, and _Gen. Rabbah_, _ibid._
216 תפלין.
217 _Nazir_, 23_b_.
218 אור זרוה by R. Isaac b. Moses of Vienna (thirteenth century), mostly
on legal subjects.
219 יוחסין, Yuchasin.
220 מכלל, Miklal.
221 זרעים, מועד, the former treating of the agricultural laws of the
Bible, the latter of those relating to the Sabbath, Passover, and
other festivals.
222 מחזר, “Cycle,” containing the liturgy for the festivals.
223 Since then edited by the Mekize Nirdamim.
224 Eve of the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
225 ששח סדרים. ש֜֜ם.
226 ברייתה.
227 פאה.
228 ילקות, Yalkut.
229 חזית.
230 ישוהר נשב.
231 ויסען.
232 ילמרנו והזחיר.
233 רעיא מחימנא.
234 עמק המלך, משנה למלך, מגיד משנה, משנה תורה, ששר המלך.
235 ח֜֜ם שאל.
236 חד גדיא לא ישראל.
237 שני לוחות הכרית. ש֜֜לה.
238 The main authorities on the subjects of this essay are _Die
Lebensalter_, by Dr. Leopold Löw; _The Jewish Rite of Circumcision_,
by Dr. Asher; an article by Dr. Perles in the Graetz _Jubelschrift_,
p. 23 _seq._; _Merkwürdigkeiten der Juden_, by Schudt; the מקורי
המנהגים and other works on ritual customs; Güdemann’s _Geschichte
des Erziehungswesens und der Cultur der Juden_; and _Das Kind in
Brauch und Sitte der Völker_, by Dr. Ploss.
239 אמתי, אמת.
240 לילית, Is. xxxiv. 14.
241 See above, note 39 to Nachmanides. [Transcriber’s Note: The footnote
on _Shema_.]
242 ברית מילה, “Covenant of Circumcision.” This is the usual expression
in Hebrew literature for the rite of circumcision.
243 שלום זכר.
244 גוזר, מוהל.
245 פדיון הבן.
246 הקת תהורה, on educational matters.
247 סחורה, “business,” or “wares.”
248 I am indebted for the English adaptation to Mrs. Henry Lucas.
249 _Bereshith Rabbah_, chapter xx. For another reading see ראשית הכמה
(ed. Cracow), p. 374.
250 _Abodah Zarah_, 3_b_.
251 This is the way in which Deut. xxxi. 10‐12 was explained.
252 סופרים, “Scribes”; treating of the regulations concerning the
writing of the Law, but containing also much liturgical matter.
253 סשרדים, by which name the Jews of the Spanish rite are designated.
254 נצראן ישן, a controversial work published by Wagenseil. See above,
p. 203, for another victory.
255 סנדלפון, who is probably known to the English reader from
Longfellow’s poem.
256 בר מצוה.
257 קידוש, “Sanctification”—“benediction”—on the eve of Sabbath, which
is pronounced over a cup of wine.
258 שמכת תורה, or on the 23rd of Tishri, when the last portion from the
Pentateuch is read.
259 הלל, “Praise,” _i.e._ Ps. cxiii.‐cxviii.
260 קדִש, the name of a prayer commencing יתגדל ויתקדש, “Magnified and
sanctified be,” etc.
261 Prayer beginning ברכו, “Bless ye,” etc.
262 ברוך שאמר, beginning of a prayer, “Blessed be He,” etc.
263 See Schürer’s _Die Gemeindeverfassung der Juden in Rom_, p. 24. Cf.
_Hebräische Bibliographie_, xix. p. 79.
264 זבאת.
265 תהנות.
266 מעבר יכק.
267 יעמוד. In olden times the weekly lesson from the Law used to be read
by seven members of the congregation who were “called up” for this
purpose; the Priest and the Levite took precedence of laymen for
this honour. At the present day, the members of the congregation are
still called up, but the actual reading is performed by an official.