The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-08-31
TALES FROM THE TALMUD.
rHf xssk AID rnE nAuourr.

THk 4kBk AND THE HAU0urY.
,Austerity Of manners and harshness
of disposition are the greoelsss offspring
of pride and arrogance, Like chilling
frost, they repel aud contract whatever
comes near them, aud, like dark cloud,
they obscure and deform the most shin
ing talents and tho greatest learning,
whereas humility aud meakness are the
lovely children Of humanity and bene.
Violence. Like tho mild rays Of the
sun, they warm aud expand whatever
comes within tho circle .af their in.
auence. They sweetly allure the hearts
Of men, throw splendor on the most
humble, and arc the best ornaments of
the truly great.
The truth of these maxims We find
fully exemplified in the conduct of two
Hebrew sages, who fourished in the
timo of Herod the Great. Shamnai,
though a man of great learning, wa, Of
q morose temper. Hillel, in addition
to his great knowledge, possessed the
virtues Of humility aud meekness ID an
eminent degree. It happened thai q
heathen came to the former, and thus
addressed him:-
~ wish to become a proselyte, on
condition that thou doest teach me tho
whole law whilo I stand upon ope
leg"
The morose teacher, offended at 80
unreasonable request, pushed the ap-
plicant away with the staff he held In
his hand. The hcathen went to Hillel,
and made the same application The
amiable instructor complied with his
request, aud told him.
"Remembor, whatever thou dislikest
thysclf, do not unto thy neighbors.-
is the substance of the law; everything
else is but its comment: now 20 and
learn"
The heather thanked him, and be.
camo good and pious man.
1t happened at another time that a
seathon, h passing synagogue, heard the
Sopher (clcrk) read the following
words: "And these are the garments
which they shall make a breast plato,
and an ephod, and robe, and broider.
ed coat, mitre and o girdle," etc.
The heathen asked for whom all these
fino garments were intended? "For
the high. priest" was the answer. AS
soon as the heathen heard this, he went
to Shammai, and said,-
"Mastcr, I wish to become prose-.
lyte, but on condition that be made a
high"pricst."
Shammai drove him away with con-
tempt. lie applied to Hillcl, and mado
the same request. This mild Instructor
of Isrcal received him courtcously, aud
thus addressed him -
"Friend, hast thou ever known a
king to be elected without being first
introduced in the rules Of governm ent I?
Whoever wishes to be high-pricst must
first be made acquainted with the rules
belonging to so dignifcd an office. Come
then, and learn"
lie then taught him the 18th chapter
Of Numbers. When they came to the
7th verse, which says,-"And the
STRANGER that cometh nigh shall be
put to DEATH" the heathen asked who
was meant by the stranger?
"It applies" answered Hillel, "to any
one who is not q descendant of Aaron.
Even David the king of Israel, if he
had presumed to administer this sa
cred function, would have been punisha
bic with DEATH"
Tho man then reasoned with him.
sclf:-
off thus the greatest OF Israel is not
thought worthy to fll this Office, how
should /, poor, miserable stranger I!
Hc gave up tho desire Of becoming a
high priest; but, by continuing to study
the law, became an adopted member Of
that nation to whom God said, "Yo
shall be unto me kingdom of priest"
etc.
In the course of time they all thrce
happened to meet together, when the
grateful prosclyte thus expressed him
self -
"Shammai's harshncss almost drove
mo from the world but IIillcrs humili>
ty saved me. May all the blessings rest
upon thy head, thou worthy instructor
Of Israeli for it is thou who hast
brought mo under the wings of tho
Divine presence"
Another example will still further
provo the great meekness and patient
forbcarance Of this truly great man.
A man once wagcred four hundred
zuz that he would provoke IIillel to
anger. In order to make sure of it, he
went to the house Of Hillel, and in q
very turbulent manner called out,
"Wherc is Hillel? where is nillcl ?''
IIillcl, without noticing his rudencss,
with his usual mildnoss, asked him
"what was his pleasure 2"
"I want to know" said the man,
"why the Babylouians have round
heads"
"Au important question, truly" an
swcrcd llillcl. "Thc reason is, because
they have DO experienced midwives."
The man went away, and came again
in an hour, vociferating as before,
"Wherc is Hillel? where is Hillcl 2''
The sage again threw his mantle over
his shoulders, and said to him -
"What dost thou want, my son ?"
~ want to know" said the man,
"why the Tarmudians have weak eyes ?'