Morning journal and courier., 1890-02-18
THE JEWISH rALmUD.

An Interesting and Able Paper By
Rev. DR.. Lewis KIeeberg Upon Thls
Great Work Before the Historical
Society.
The Talmud was Interestingly and ably
before the Historical society in the
common pleas court room last night by Rev.
DR.. Lewis Kieebsrg, before an appreciative
and cultivated audience. DR.. Kleeberg
stated that the Talmud was not book but
whole literature. It is the unwritten law of
the Jews.
ST might call the Talmud the New Tesla
ment of the Jews" said he, ''as the New
Testament in the eyes of the Christian is the
legitimate issue of the Old Testament. just
as the latter corroborates the truths of the
former, go it is with the Talmud according to
the opinion of the jews. As the believer In
the New Testament holds its teaching supe-
believer in the Talmud thinks of this, his
New Testament, as more than of the Old
Testament. Az the Christian, after having
given but superficial attention to tho cons
tents Of the Old Testament, hastens to the
New and becomes absorbed in and abides BY
it, 80 the Jew proceeds speedily from the
Old Testament to the Talmud. Heretofore
into its labyrinthian paths: He who en-
cages in the study of the Bible, says the Tall
mud, cannot claim much credit for repre-
senting the law of God, but he who devotes
his time to the study Of the Talmud does the
commendable thing and merits the highest
praise and the blessings of God.
Whilst on the one hand the Talmud ex-
tends the laws of Moses to gigantic proper
tions, on the other hand 1t contracts and
condenses them to minimum, placing
the ethical element of the Bible in bold re-
lief. Six hundred and thirteen injunctions, says
the Talmud, was Moses intructed to give to
| the people. David reduced them all to
eleven in the first Psalm. The prophet
Isaiah, thirty-third chapter, reduced them to
| six. The prophet Michael reduced them to
| three The second Isaiah reduced them to two.
| to one. The philosophy of the Jewish re-
ligion will be best comprehended by the
| large number of maxims, precepts, sayings
and proverbs in which the Talmud abounds
and which characterize Talmudical Judaism.
I cite only few of them.
| DR.. Kleeberg here gave way citations,
many of which are here given.
God fills the whole universe. As God
sees and is not seen, 90 the soul sees and ID
| not seen.
As God nourishes the whole universe, SO
the soul nourishes the whole body.
| As God is pure, so the soul is pure.
| Be thou the cursed, not he who curses.
| Be Of them that are persecuted, not Of
them that persecute.
| Bring me sacrifice not from them that
persecute, but from them that are persecu.
ted.
Scripture ordains that the Hebrew slave
who loves his bondage shall have his cal
pierced against the door post. Why? Be.
cause it is that ear which heard on Sinai.
They are my servants; they shall not be
sold as bondsmen, They are my servants
not my servants servants. This man volun'
tarily throws away his precious freedom
i Pierce his ear.
| When the pitcher falls upon the stove
| woe unto the pitcher. When the stove falli
upon the pitcher, woe unto the pitcher
Whatever befalls, woe unto the pitcher.
Get your living by skinniug carcasses il
the street If you cannot otherwise and d.
not say, am q priest, am great man
this work would not befit my dignity:
Not the place honors the man, but thu
man honors the place.
The cat and the rat make peace over {
carcass. Whatever runs after greatness
greatness runs away from him; he who
works for greatness, greatness follows him
Commit sin twice and you will think Il
perfectly allowable.
Why is the external not of firm texture
with the exception of the lobe which is soft
and pliablea The reason is that thou mayes
pus" rne lobe into the opening when thor
nearest words ofslander or blasphemy.
There are fewpf the innurscsoera5le popular
sayings of paranSanT importance which pub
lie instruction had not assumed in the life o
the nation. Proceeding, the lecturer re-
marked: Jerusalem was destroyed because
the instruction Of the young was neglected
The world is only saved by the breath of tn
school children. Each for the rebuilding o
the temple the schools must not be interrupt
ed. Study is more msritorious than sacrifice
A scholar is greater than prophet
You should revere the teacher evel
more than your father. The lat
ter only brought you into thi
world; the former Indicates the way into tn
next. But blessed is the SOD, who ha
learned from his father, he shall serve hin
both as his father and mother and blessed
Is the father who has instructed his son
As warning and comfort this adag
strikes upon the ear. It Is not incumben
upon thee to complete the work, but tho,
must not therefore cease from It.