Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-11-25
TIC I-9 Cents Sing7e.l

than AO,36O left Babylon, and that these
were chiefly fi7-cietQi7e, all the rich having
remained in that city. The love on the
Jews for their country, is a feeling so natu-
raj and so ardent, and so much unconnec-
ted with their religious faith, that French
lew when in England, although in the midst
of other Jews, considers himself as a stran-
ger, and that the same takes place when
an English Jew comes to France. This
feeling prevails so much against the spirit
of the religion, THAT French Jews have been
seen in the late wars fighting to the utmost
against German Jews, who vera opposed
TO them. A great number Of them bear no.
norablc scars, and have given III the field
glorious proofs of their valor.
! Ques. How are the Rabies appoin-
! ted?
! .fns.--Since the revolution, in all places
where the Jews are sufficient in number 10
support Rabbic, he is chosen by the heads
| CT families, who examine into his morality,
and capacity.
Dues. S.-yVhat jurisdiction of police had
the Rabies over the Jews? have they any
judiciary jurisdiction among themselves?
.4us-The Rabies have no jurisdiction
of police over the Jews The term Rabbi
is found no where in the law Of Moses, nor
did it exist. in the time OF the first temple
the first mention of r abb is to be found to-
wards the end of the second temple. The
Jews were governed in those days by SAN
hcd,i1s or tribunals. There was one supe-
iior tribunal called the grand SaRhed7in,
which held its sittings in Jerusalem, and
was composed of II Judges. There were
interior tribunals, for police and civil! af-
fairs, these we're comp ,sed of three judges,
and there was another tribunal comp sed
of % Judges, which determined matters of
a.,1 rolleI thr in.
ferior Sarhedrins. The term of Rabbie is
noticed for the first terms in the AeiS1a and
2aimud, and is there used to denote Doc
Tor of Laws, hence man who was learned
was commonly called Rabbi. After being
dispersed, the lsraeltes formed small COM
muDities in those places where they were
permitted TO settle, and there I Rabbi, as
sisted bv two doctors, called HeSd.ES, fer
med q tribunal and decided matters re.a-
tive to tiIc Jews. The Rabbi was president,
and the doctcrs were Judges or assis t.
These tribunals however, were It all times,
held under the permission and pleasure Of
the government under which they iivee, ti'ot
| is, they had no independent Judiciary
! None of these tribunals of Rabbies are
F., to be found at this time in France or lt..lV
sine the Revolution. The Jews sitter thss
epociI2 became citizens, and contormcd
themselves in all things to the laws Of the
State. The functions OF the Rabbies in ire
places where they arc established, are c liz
| fined to the duties of preaching, celebrating
marriages and pronouncing divorces. IN
| places where there is no Rabbi, any Jew
learned IN his religion, may agreeable 10
the law consecratc marriage, with"u' the
assistapce of Rabbi, which is an ncoIsis-
tency, the evil consequences ofwhicl ought
to be remedied, by extending the pTohihi-
81 p-f,b fte . fF
the Gonsuls TO every other person, who may
! he applied to, to consocrate a marriage.
| As for what concerns the judiciary police a.
mcng themselves, they can have none since
there is no constituted ecclesiastical hic-
rarchy nor amy subordination OF religious
! functions.
Oues. 9-Are those forms OF election
and the jurisdiction of those tribunals, di-
rccted by law, or merely established by
custom
.fns.-The replies made to the two for
MGR questions, make any reply to this I'M
necessary. II may only be observed, that
supposing the Rabies to possess any judi
, ciarv jurisdiction at this time (the CONTRA
nv Of which is the fact) or that there are
any particular form of election, they must
he the effect Of custom, and not by the au-
| thority of law.
| CKss. iO.--Are there any professions,
VIII ch the laws Of tho Jews forbid
.Ans.-There are none: on the contrary
to the Talnlud (Kiduschem, chap. y de-
clarcs pos lively that the father On family,
who does not bring up his child to trade,
brings him up to be highwayman
| Cues. 11.--Does the law, OF the Jews for
J bid them 70 take usury Of their brethernf
I .6ns.--Dcuteronomy, chap. %, verse 10,
"you shall not lend on interest toyour bro
ther, neither money, nor grains, nor any
| thing whatsoever"
| The Hebrew word nechel, which has ccen
translated by the word hsury, has wrongly
been explained. 1t signifies in the Hebrew
tongue, = any Interest,"" and not an usuri-
GUS interest: IL has not, therefore, the sg-
MITIGATION which is now applied to the word
usury. 1t is even impossible that it could
have that Specification, for that expression
is relative, and there is nothing in the text
which expresses IFS relation.
! What 60 We understand by the French
word usury is it not au interest higher
| than the rate fixed by law?
! If the law of Moses has not hXed that rate
| is it possible that the Hebrew word should
signify an illegal interest?
| The word .Nechei is in the Hebrewtongue
what the word Feonus is in the Latin.
| Z IL. - f..fso .-Han n