Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-10-24
Traits and anecdotes Of Modern Jewish Supe rsti
items.

dom Recollections Of Ramble in the
East:"
The aspect Of the Jewish burial ground
over the valley Of Jehoshaphat, where
countless little marble slabs stray up one
side Of the Mount Of Olives naturally at
tracts the notice Of even the most cursory
observer. l confess was for long time
quite at loss to conjecture why that
portion Olivet, demonstrated the Noun. of
Offence, had been selected, and why the
graves were huddled 90 closely together
that, with room enough on either side,
one solitory spot actually seemed peopled
by the dead. This clsoiee Of cemetery |
found on inquiry, TO be connected with a
deep point in modern Jewish theology
We may, in a moral point of view, divide
all mankind into three classes, viz good
bad and indifferent; aud employing some
what similar classification, the Jews
maintain that three classes of Israelites
will rise from the dead for no one but an
lsraelite can share in the reserection)-
these are, the just, the reprobates, and
the intermediates.
1.-The just, persons whose good deed,
preponderate, will rise to lite eternal.-.
The reprobates. the converse Of the form
er, will rise but to be cast down into he'll
The intermediate, milk-and- water class,
the total of whose virtues and vices is in
exact proportion, rise to be plunged into
puritac'ory torment for the space of elev-
en- or twelve months--precise period un-
decided. Now, those that are inferred
within the bounds Of the Holy Land, Ito
quote from DR. Wilson,, and especially at
Jerusalem, will be raised directly, and
without any difficulty; but those who die,
and are found beyond its bounds, must
roll like casks of wine through the caverns
of the earth, or tunnels made by God, till
they reach the valley Of Jehoshashat, and
the Mount Of Olives hence the talmud
says, this rolling is grief to the lust
(and little marvel.) I'VE may hence a.
Bnxtorf has remarked, see how much
Jews are interested in returning to their
country, and dying there as pious Jews,
that they may be freed from the great
pains and grievous labor Of rolling under
the deep waters and heavy mountains
$50 far we learn the cause of the pious
Israelites anxiety to die and be buried
at Jerusalem, post mortem locomotion
being anything but desirable. Their Sc
lection of the ground for the cemetery,
however, was directed by less palpable
extravagant tradition which instructs them
that while the general resurrection is to
I ..1flIezari>-- -tsei-~-5-,-la thu Al ---:i =, ~
occupied by their present buriai-place !;
hence, they beautifully and POLITICALLY style
it, not the place of the dead, but Be,hham
the house of the living.
notwithstanding all this devotional at
tachment to his ancient land, and the strong
religious feeling which attracts them TO its
soil, the Jew in Palestine like the Jew in
by gone times, too genersly rests satisfied
with drawing nigh unto God with the lips
though the heart be far from him. The
"opus opera,nm" is with him the main
object of regard. Witness the palpable
irreverence that marks their demeanoI
in the synagogue, except when actually
: engaged in answ erine the responses; ,h'
male portion of the congregation is EN-
ployed in chanting laughing, or walking
about without trace Of solemnity, or r.
spect for the sacred place or service, te
ing discernble as for the female par
the poor women are either Gagged up in
> lat,iced gallery, or compelled to clnste
81 in groups outside the door, each, like tn
Peri in paradise, directing her inquisitiv
: glance to what is going forward Within
h The very veneration Of the Jews Tor IN
n law is displayed by the grosaest super
. stition, a copy Of the Torah or Decalogu
q being carefully soddered into narro,
tin case, and hung over the entrance
their chambers, as old crones with us ma
a horseshoe to door it is even believe
e to avail as an amulet or charm capable
n averting evil, or curing the most obstina'
<, disease.
E. "Ah! said bed-ridden old Hebre
J. woman to me, as I visited the missile
b. hospital in Jerusalem, what can the do
tors do. for me? If could only touo
p the Torah should be made whole N
:. :. exactly comprehending what she meant,
:" handed her little tin-cased copy Of I'll
Ten Commandments; she graspeG it
r her hands which trembled with anxie
5; and her eve. were lit up with transcie
ne CLEAN of Joy, sAre you made whole ?
at inquired; she made no answer, fell ba'
n. on her pillow, let drop the Torah, al
lis turned from me with . sigh.
ad s'Sitting one evening with an intellige
re German Jew, who used often to pay mt
ps visit at my lodging, the conversatie
lit turned on Jewish religious rites ~
b. ceremonies. Abiding TO the day Of aton
ment he assured the that on that day t
Jew. believe tha: ministers are appoint
an in heaven for the ensueing year "a mi
er, lister over angels; one over tho star
ur one over earth; the winds, trees, pla,
birds, beasts, fishes, men, and so forth.
:, "That on that day, also, the good a
u, evil deeds of every son of Abraham, 1
M ao actually summed up, for or against ea'
* individually. Where the evil deeds p
'e' ponderate, such individuals are brou!
in as in debt to the law and ten days
in ter the day of atonement, summonses
ba, issued to call the defaulters before God
,.lf When these are served the party su
moned to appear is visited either W
sudden death or rapid and violent d
the ease which must terminate speedily
ars death. But cannot the devine wrath
tier appeased?' said l. Not appeased,' S
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