The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-07

a the atsone an 12lmu4.
Dr. Haqhall, late of Birmingham, Englant
now rabbipreacher In New York, recent
! closed very instructive course of lectures O.
the PostBiblical History Of the Jews, which b
has been 9~h-ering inths Crosby street Colleg
OF Physicians and Surgeons ia that city. Tn
Newark Advertiser quotes the following inter
esting facts from one of his lectures:
SWe do not mean to enter upon the particu
Lar details ofany of the lectures; but still mus
Just mention two matters treated of in the yer,
last; we refer to the Mishna and Talmud. The
former work was composed under the following
circumstances: The Jews were now within two
centuries alter the common era, dispersed over
the whole world. The high priests Office was
abolished. During his existence he was the
oracle OF the law, and its interpreter TO the ma
ton. After the destruction of the temple. and
the extinction of the line of the high priests.
the rabbins, regularly ordained, became the de-
positories and expounders of the law. This
consisted OF two parts, the written, and un-
written or oral The former was Of course the
books OF Moses; the oral were the commenta-
ries and traditions. These latter, for various
reasons, had never been reduced to writing, but
were orally transmitted through the learned
kabbians from age to age. The times had, how
ever changed. Another sect, that Of the Chris
tlans, had arisen, and adhering to the old Testa-
ment in its morals and some of its ceremoiials,
as well as the Jews; observing the Sabbath, re-
Jectng certain meats, in some instances prac-
Using circumcision, and protesting the unity of
God. There was danger Of confusion from this
cause, as it became difficult often to distinguish
Gentle from Jew. This was one reason
why the Mshna was composed. The other,
still more strong, was this If by any accident
the order OF the Rabbns should become extinct
as that of the high priest had done, the Jewish
religion, as distinct faith, would necessarily
cease to be, because the commentaries and ira
ditions would come to an end, of course, when
the Rabbins no longer lived.
In the dispersed and precarous condition Of
the Jews at That time, such catastrophe was
not at all Improbable. It was consequently at
length determined to reduce the oral law to
writing. Accordingly the work was set on foot
in the famous schools of Tiberas, and by the
immense labors of the Rabbins, continued
through several years, the vast undertaking was
accomplished and all the commentaries upon
the law, and all the traditions, which had been
collected and transmitted for FIVE hundred years
before, were incorporated. committed to writing,
and the religion OF the Hebrews thus perpetu.
ated till the present time This is book which
all should resort to as the treasury Of their faith
This work having been compiled eighteen hun
dred years ago, and containing the traditions OF
the 500 Immediately preceding, consequently
lays claim to the age of 2300yelrs. The Mishna
is a complete code Of law on all subjects which
concern the Jew, his religion, property, personal
rights, and duties.
The other work referred to, the Talmud--the
most extraordinary production Of any age or
land, perhaps originated at the schools of the
Jews upon the Enphrates. That nation, as has
been said, was widely dispersed, and the Mishna
was not universally acknowledged as law among
powerful communities and learned Rabbins in |
every section of the globe. The Jews were
very numerous in the neighborhood of the Eu
pirates, and had established powerful seminares
there, which, 10 consequence of the acquisition !
of the two most eminent doctors of Tiberias, |
came at length to be the rivals of those cele-
brated schools. 1t was then that they under |
took the task of comprising in a single work all
the laws, commentaries, traditions, and knowl- |
edge in the keeping of the Rabbins. The task |
was therefore parcelled out among them, each |
taking certain chapters or portions of the COM
piIation. After the lapse of several months, |
which had been agreed on, all these individuals, |
having by exclusive application to their respec- |
tive departments become perfect masters Of
everything relating to their themes, assembled |
in a general council to PROFOUND and defend /
them.
This was not accomplished without the con-
sumption Of much time-twenty years were oc-
cupied in putting upon record these multifarious
propositions, the objections to Them and their de-
fences, together with the decisions Of the msjorty
of the great council, which was final. Every thing
was recorded, however trifing, however objection
able or absurd, with the decisions thereupon, so
that posterity, in case any theory or proposition
should be preached thereafter, nightly recurring |
TO the voluminous pages Of the Talmud, ascertain
that il was no novelty, and learn what the opinion
of their fathers was upon it. There is no order
in the work. questions and determinations of
them being found in the most unexpected places.
On account Of this want Of the least arrange
ment, and more particularly, in consequence Of
its being written in several languages promis-
cuously, some words occurring in Syriac, others
in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and the like, il is at
this day sealed book to most Of the descend
ants Of Abraham. Ponderous dictionaries have
been indeed composed expressly for its elucida-
ton, and yet ii IL rather venerated as monu-
ment of the zeal, industry and knowledge Of
the schools on the Euphrates, than used rs
vehicle Of light and instruction at this distant
period"
Horse STEALING AND KILLIsG.-An article
in the New York Courier and Enquirer makes
the following statement:
.,:ll nx;.f .nd th.;,a IL Ike cffv ibai