Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-18
THEFAUST OF THE TALMUD

DR. Faust,is. one Of mankind's primitive unr-
s.ry tales. could be read between the lines Of
that repository Of wit and wisdom. mirth and
marvel. the Talnudi Let the reader judge
whether Faust, Margaret and Mephistopheles
are not in some degree suggested by the Solo
mon. Mama and Ashmodai Of the following
Taimudic legend
Solomon. the king. 10 whom God lad given
power over the whole creation, and whose
knowledge encompassed all things, was in
despair The divine word had been pro
nouncesi that no iron wss TO be employed In
building the temple, and how was ne 70 erect
q suitable editice without the aid of iron'
How could be crush huge masses c: marbles
How split adamantine rockt How cleave
hard bowlders Of woodi The work had TO be
done 1t was his duty and privilege as
David's son The resources of u mighty realm
were at his service. But without the employ
n,ent of iron be could not advance a step.
Was he, the sovereign of Israel, TO abandon
the undertaking. We're his wisdom and his
wealth in yaint
Let INV counselors be summoned" the
monarch said And he laid his perplexities
before them All were silent when Solomon
concluded his recital. They too shared his
chagrin and realized their helplessness Can
none Of you aid mef' the king exclaimed.
20 king" said at length one of the sases,
there is something mightier far than iron.
In the early days of creation, when light and
darkness struggled for the mastery, the Al
mighty called into life a tiny worm, Sfamir,
which possesses the property of splitting the
hardest rock.
And where turks this wormm Solomon
impatiently asked
.Ah, your majesty" the sage exclaimed,
there is the difficulty. No mortal spirit has
yet discovered its hiding place"
That shall not battle me-" Solomon re-
joined II am more than mortal
He dismissed the assembly, The courtiers
and sages depar- id But no sooner had their
footsteps died away than Solomon, arising
from his throne and gazing at his dazzling
signet ring upon which was written the in
etfable name, summoned to his presence two
genii With rushing as of mighty wind
and a rumbling as of an earthquake they
bowed before him.
What is thy will, o masterr they ex.
claimed.
Tell me where can find the shamir."
The genii trembled Ask US not, O
master 1t is our king alone, Ashmodai,
who knows its secret abode
And where does Ashmodai liver Solomon
inquired.
Far, far from here" they replied "Our
mouarch dwells upon the crest of lofty
mountain. He has dug out a deep pit,
which he has filed with water and covered
with a huge stone securely sealed to the
ground Daily he ascends to heaven and re-
turns to earth Then he closely examines
the seal to see whether any one has touched
it and uncovered the well. Afterward he
opens it himself, quenches his thirst, covers
it again and realizes the seal
Enough cried Solomon. We can GO
And with rushing as of fierce hurricane
and rumbling as OF mighty earthquake
the genii departed. In moment Solomon
called his trusty captain Benaiah, the hero OF
a hundred battles. He told him what he
wanted, gave him certain directions, a chain
and seal upon which was stamped the in
efable name, and i'll addition some wool, and
various skins filed with wine. He then bade
him farewell, with many a secret prayer for
his success.
Tho warriors journey was long and toll
some. When Solomon Travelled he rode upon
the wind. Seated on his mantle and green
silk, sixty miles in breadth and sixty in
length. the king would journey with the
rapidity of lightning He could breakfast in
Damascus and enjoy his evening meal in
Media, so swift was his flight from east tc
west. No so Benaiah. Many days passed be
fore he reached the designated path. And
how desolate the mountain, how profound the
stiffness, how steep the ascent
Nothing daunted, Benaiah set to work
He dug out second pit little to the right
of Ashinodais, drained off the water, and
plugged the opening with wool. Then he
dug out another pit higher up, whose chan
mel led to the emptied pit of Ashmodai, and
therein he poured the wine.
His WORK completed Benaiah looked around
with satisfston, and hid himself behind q
stump of VOID while he awaited, full of i'm
patience, Ashnlodai's arrival
The sun sank, ine shadows Of evening he.
gan to fall, and the stars shone out in their
inches in the armament. Ashmodai few
down from heaven, examined the seal, and
finding it untouched, rasel the stone and de
scendeI into the well What fragrance as.
sailed his senses 1t was wine, joy dispensing
wine, Shall he taste it, or spurn tho tempta-
tioni
wine is a moclier," he exclaimed, and
was about to fly from the spst. But wine
rejoiceth the heart, was his next thought
and lie could not fee. \ great burning thirs,
overpowerei him. Ho quafYed whole mouth
fuls of the Intoxicating drink. Again and
again he strove to break from the spell but
the fumes Of the liquor were too enticing
His brain became eol,lISed, TO staggered and
fell. Deep sleep claimed him for its own
Like flash Benaiah sprang from his con
cealment, and fastened the chain around
Ashmodal's neck.
Ashmodai awakes at length. He perceives
the chain, and in his terror and anguish utter:
so wild lamentati0n that the mountain
trembles, In vain he strives to free himself
His eyes emit sparks of fire, his lips are white
with foam, his convulsive struggles are
frightful in their agony The birds fly from
the scene; the stars fade in the distant sky
BE patient, o mighty spirit, Benaiah ex
claimed Thy struggles are useless The
ineffable Name is upon thee. Be still"
Ashmodai heaved sigh SO profound that
all creation heard and trenbled, and the
genii of the sea and the air flew into their
inuermost caverns, where they bewailed the
fate Of their master.
II am calm" said Ashmodai at last ~
shall obey thy will"
Beuaiah babe him follow, but, wherever he
went, destruction seemed to be his compan-
ion. UprOoted trees and overturned houses
marked his path. as if he wished TO wreak
vengeance on nature He passed a wedding
party. and ne wept at their joy. In three
days, said be, the bridegroom will die. They
hear a man bid a shoemaker make his shoes
last for seven years, and Ashmodai bursts
into laughter, In seven days" he said,
"that man may die, and he orders shoes 70
seven vearsT
King Solomons palace was gained a
length, and Ashmodai was brought face +
face with the monarch.
II ask but this of thee Solomon 81
claimed II am to build the holy temple an
need the shamir. Tell me where it is con
cealed"
Il have it not" Ashmodai answered 81
is intrusted to the Prince of the Sea, and b
him confded to fowl, who is bound by
most solemn oath to retain it unframed 70
all time. High on a solitary mountain to
the fowl has made his nest He never for
sakes the spot. Seek for him, o, king"
Again Benaiah was summoned, and agail
he set out on toilsome journey Over bill
and sea he wandered, across forest wastes an,
painless meadows; and at last, upon the sum
NIT of mountain so near the sky that tn
star CLEANS seemed reflected on its rock
sides, be covered the fowls nest With
cry of joy he started forward, and placed
glass over the most 50 that the fowl could se
but not touch its brood Ha than copo., IL