The Jewish advance. (Chicago, Ill.) 1878-1881, 1880-08-06

way OF communicating with MN. They
disguised themselves as peddlers, and
passing the prison, called WHO buys
needles ? Who buys forks? What
about the law of dispensation for mar
rying the late brothers wife ?" and the
prisoner understood the hint and gave
his decision in like manner.
A certain Rufus bar Tuda warned the
rabbi That he had better give up preach
ing, because of the watchfulness of the
Roman spies, and received the following
answer: "A fox once said to fish,
You are in such great danger in the
waters, because of the nets spread by
man better come out to the shore
where there is no such danger for you,
No, answered the fish, if we are not safe
in our own element, how much greater a
risk should we run in an element for
eign to US? THE Torah," continued
the rabbi, is our element, and there is
much more danger for us if we abandon
it than if we adhere to it,"
The hour of martyrdom finally came
for this great man, who had been such
strong pillar to the synagogue, and
whose life had been so active and use
full. The tyrant Rufus ordered his skin
to be torn off with currycombs, and in
this fearful agony the martyr preserved
a joyful mien, and repeated his prayers,
The tyrant observing his smiling coun-
tenance, asked him whether he was not
a sorcerer No" answered the mar
tyr, | am only glad that | have the
chance to serve my God with my life,
while till now [ served Him only with
my might" His soul departed while his
lips pronounced God is) One" His
colleagues lamented him With his
death was broken the arm of the law,
and the spring of wisdom became dry"
r. Chanina ben Teradion died for the
same crime as R. Akiba he was caught
studying the law, and when he was
asked why he disregarded the DEGREES of
the emperor, he answered simply 1t is
the order of my God [ am obeying"
In his death he gave the most glorious
lessons Of belief in the holiness of the
law and in the Immortality of the soul
Before his execution, he suffered the
anguish of seeing his wife killed and his
two daughters outraged. Then he was
wrapped in the roll which he studied,
and put on pyre of fresh ivy branches;
a wet sponge was placed on his breast
in order that his sufferings should not
soon end His daughter exclaimed
Z" Father, must | see you in such a
state ?" And he answered DO not
be so grieved if | was burned alone it
would perhaps be grievous, but now a
scroll of the law is burned with me
God, who is certain to avenge the abuse
of His holy Torah, will avenge me also"
To the crowd of disciples who witnessed
the fearful drama, he said amid his tor
lures see the parchment consuming
in the flame and the letters flying UP to
heaven The executioner being affect
ed by the sight, told him to take from
his heart the wet sponge that he should
die sooner but the rabbi refused to do
so, saying The One who gave me the
soul may take it whenever it pleases
Him, have no right to hasten the time
by a single second The executioper
took the sponge from his heart
sprang into the flames and was burned
with the rabbi.
After the death Of these rabbis. the
synagogue was in very bad condition
for want of leading men, and Rabbi .Je
huda ben Baba resolved to ordain five
of the best disciples. He selected a
desert valley far from the town where
he would perform the ceremony in Sc
cret. But he was found out by the
Romans, and the enemy came to the
spot just when the ceremony was over.
R. Jehuda seeing them come, persuaded
the newly ordained rabbis to fly. He
showed them that they could not save
him If thnU rnmojnad oD1 HOW oroo+ ,