The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-11-28
pleafurc ofthe government under which they
lived, that is, they had no independent judicial


Revolution. The Jews after that spocha be-
came citizens, and CONFIRMED themfelves in all
things to the laws of the State. The fun9i-
ons Of the Rabies in the places where they are
efablihed, are confined to the duties of preach
ing, celebrating marriages and pronouncing d.
vorces. In places where there is no Rabbi, any
Jew learned in his religion, may agreeao!y to
the law confecrate marriage, without the az
fiRance of Rabbi, which is an inconiieency,
the evil consequences of which ought to be re-
medied, by extending the prohibition of the
Rabies, made by the arrette of the Confuls to
every other perfon, who may be applied to, to
confecrate marriage. AS for what concerns
the judiciary police among themfelves, they can
have none lince there is no confituted ecclcii-
aftical hierarchy nor any fubordination of reli-
gious functions.
Qmefion e.---Are thofe forms of election and
the jurirdtton of thofe tribunals, directed by
law, merely efahlhed by cutom
AnjaOer.---The replies made to the two for
mer qucftons, make any reply to this unnecef-
fairy. 1t may only be obferved, that fuppofng
the Rabies to pollefs any judiciary jurifditton
at this time CHE contrary of which is the fa6t)
or that there are any particular form of eleefi-
on, they NUT be the effect of cufom, and not
by the authority of law.
Cues. lo.---Are there any projections, which
the laws of the Jews forbid
ARS.---There are none: on the contrary
the Talmud (fEidufchcm, chap. u declares po-
fitively that the father of family, who does not
bring up his child to trade, brings him up to
be a highwayman.
Dues. II.---Does the law of the Jews forbid
them to take ufiiry Of their brethren
EnS.-Deuteronomy, chap. IS, vcrie 10,
you ihall not lend on interef to your brother,
neither money, nor grain, nor any thing what
foever.''
The Hebrew word necbel, which has been
a.. 4 81,
explained. 1t iienfes in the Hebrew tongue,
"any interlR," and not an INJURIOUS intereft
1t has not, therefore, the hgnhcaton which is
now applied TO the word ufury. 1t is even i'm
poilible that it could have that Ggni6cation,
for that exprelIion is relative, and there is no.
thing in the text which expreties its relation.
What do we underfand by the French word
injury is it not an nteref higher than the rate
fixed by law
fthe law of Notes has not fixed that rate, is
it pofiible that the Hebrew word ihould ignify
an illegal intereR?
The word Ncckelis in the Hebrew tongue,
what the word Fenu5 is il the Latin.
In order therefore to induce one to believe
that this word lignifcs ufury, there ought to be
another word which would iignify interef and
frce that word does not exit, all intcreit is IL
fury, and all ufury is intereh. What view may
the iegillator have had, when he forbade the He
brews to take lnreref from one another !? 1t
was certainly to bring the ties of brotherhood
cloier among them, and to induce them to aiiif
each other from motives of benevolence.
The firt Object was to c1ablih among them
equality of property and mediocrty of private
;:I,'.it il5.11 of Inch, Saba
tick and Jubilee years were eaabHned the
former TO take place every feven, and the lat
ter every fifty years. The Sabbaticl1 year abo-
hihed all debts, and the Jubilee reltored all the
property which had been fold or alienated. 1t
was eafy to foreiee that difference of foil, more
orleis Induilry, and the common caiatnifes of
life, which would occur, would naturally pro-
@uce Inequality of property, and that the IN
fortunate Israelite would require the afiifance
Of the more fortunate. Notes did not with that
the latter fhould profit by the misfortunes of
the former, aud that he ihould increafe his milf
fortunes, by making him pay for the aid which
the unfortunate fhould be compelled to ak i,
and become more opulent, as the other became
poorer, and therefore he fays you fhall not
lend on inerelt to your brother" But what
loans could the Jews make to each other in
times like thoie they had no commerce, and
but little money was in circulation, and when
property was more equally divided 1t could
be nothing elic but few bulheiS of grain,
fomc cattle, or few utenfls of hu!bandry,
which Notes commanded to be loaned gratis
He wiihed his people to be people of huff
bandmen. Long after the time of Notes, and
dllilOuSH Juut6 WAS U.udleu near the lea, IN
hahited by the Tyrians, Syrians, and other
commercial and maritime people, the Hebrews
did not engage in commerce. All the ordnan-
ccs of their iegnator feem to divert them from
commerce.
This prohibition Of Notes IS therefore not
to be coniidcred as principle of commerce,
hut merely as principle of charity according
10 the Jalmud, the loan is only confidered as
neighbourly, and as granted to one in want if
IT was granted to merchant, and if he was a
Jew, it would be lawful to grant it under the
condition OF advantage, equivalent TO the riG.
The word ufury had formerly no opprobious
qualification it merely iguifcd any interef.
a Emple loan on nteref, was not only prohi-
hIted between Jews, but between Jews and per-
fons Of other religions. 1t muft be free and
graiuifous, whenever it has for its object to
1eive him who required it, aud was not made
for the purpoe5 of commerce.
L Ourh, however 10 be remembered, that
thcie wife and wholefome regulations, were
made at remote period from the prcrent,
and when the Jews exifed as a nation OF The
world.
But when this unhappy people were difperf-
cd among the nations of the earth, the duties
aud obligations impofed on them by their le
gifaior, while in Paleaine, naturally ceafed
with the changes Of their condition., and altho'
they delight a the principles Of the law, yet
as the re1fc7s for the law have ccafed, they do
not now 'ehtdte to lend money or intereft to