Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-20

the nrst periOu OF JoWlsn history; WINS,
Flavius Josephus, writing tho story OF bis
people in the quiet Of C@sar's palace, con-
Guides the second period"
The 1aimudIc epoch of Jewish history
| (70-5O0. in the Christian eraJ--that is. the
period in which the Babylonian 1almud
gradually took ghape-was one Of con-
tiuual struggle. amid the chaos OF the
times, 10 preserve the essential doctrines
of Judaism in the confusion consequent
upon the destruction of the Temple and
/ tho dispersion OF the Judesns. so as TO
prolong national life and avert the threat
Of annibilat.on. The man to begin this
work. upon whose foundation others
wrought, was Jochanan, the son OF Iakkai.
Escaping from Jerusalem in coffin as a
pretended corpse, and captured by the
Romans, he submitted 10 Titus the
modest request TO he permitted to estab-
lsh school ut Jaime. This apparently
unlmportant concession enabled Judaism
/ TO outlive the Roman empire. Jabns be-
came the centre OF new Svnhedrion.
making Judaism independent of the Tenn
pie and its altar and sacrifice. In thus
developing a special science of religious
I law, Jochauan became the founder OF Tai
mudic Judaism. There was the written
! law, the Pentateuch.n and the oral law
| in tho form OF short sentences. the Ha-
lacha." These were no longer kept sepa-
rate, but were brought into close relation.
/ Deductions were made therefsom in two
WAYS In one, the ordinances OF the law
were TO be obtained FROM the words OF
! Scripture--this was the "Midrash"; in
the other. the oral law was applied 10 new
! questions as they arOse--thlS beng the
| Talmud." Besides, there was moro
! popular sort of lectures on the writings OF
/ the prophets and historians, and this ma
ture OF exposition received the name
"Agada" To employ the metaphor IN tho
volume before us: THE Halacha forms
sucking roots, which drew their nOurish-
ment from Scripture. The Ialmud forms
| the wide-spreading branches. and tho
Agada was the blossom which accented and
Z colored the simple fragment OF the laws.
Jochanan was followed by others, CANA
! liel. the arrauger: Eliezer, the upholder OF
tradition; Joshua, the ooneiliator; Akiba.
the systematizer. and Ishmael. the clear
thinker. The whole period was one IN
which the teachers OF the law were ab-
sorbed IN upholding the law and pre-
serving Jewish life. Butthey were forget
| fol of the classes and massa9 which Chris
! tianity was leayening fol- Itself as the great
/ opponent to this law. Thus the breacn
! between the Jews aui the Jewish Chris
! tians widened, and tho Jewish branch OF
| Christians became more closely related In
| feeling 20 their Gentle brethren, the lat
ter of whom now far outnumbered the
/ former. On the other hand, the stricter
! leaders of the Jews also did everything 70
prevent intercourse with the jewish Chris
/ tiaus The relations were donnltely
! strained from this time on.
A revolt of the Judeans under Bar
| Cochba against the Romans in the reign
/ of Hadrian, while conducted with despe-
rate courage and evidencing an all-defy-
/ ing enthusiasm for the cause of their race,
vet ended dIsas5rously IN defeat and IN
! the cruelest persecution. The streng h OF
! Jewish scholarship was henceforth 20 be
/ found not in Judea. but in Ba0ylonia.
J The last Of the Judean Patrlarchs. how
ever. Judah by name, had completed the
cOdifcation of the law IN the year 1Sg,
under the old name of Ms,nd. II was
intended purely as textbook TOR us
lectures. but SO great was Judah
authority il came INTO universal use. It
was not, however, put in written form,
/ but was still handed down by tradition:
But it was tradition at last codihed and
sanctioned-the traditions OF the four
centuries from the time OF the Maccabees.
Concurreutly with the Bible. the Mlshna
became the principal source otntellectual
debate and research. AID sometimes it
even superseded the Scriptures them
selves
But II was in Babvlonia that this process
was TO advance still further and the Tai
mud was TO acquire dehnlte shape. The
final completion of the Babylonlan Tai
mud was at the end Of the fifth century
(490l and comprised the compilation Of all
previous transactions and decisions for
more than SIX centuries. The Ialmud has
been the book which has proved the edu-
Gator OF the Jewish natlon--the expression
! of the genius OF Jewish teaching. Our
; authors final judgment Is critical and DIS
terminating. The Ialmud contains much
that is immaterial and frivolous It reflects
the superstitiOns and inventions due to It's
/ Persian birthplace aud In this respect "A
opposed to the spirit of Judaism II also
contains uncharltable judgments against
other nations and religions. and may OF
its scrlptural expostiOns are tasteless.
On the other hand. there are doctrines OF
beuevolence and love toward all races and
rel glons, and Gs q cOunterpoise 10 super
stltion IT contains severe warnings against
the superstitious practices OF the heather.
Before laying this volume down there
are only a few remarks we shall add. Or
course the method of treatment belongs
| TO the higher critical modes. Christianity
/ obtains scant recognition az any stage,
and much that the author holds on points
of Jewish polity, we doubt not. may be
differently decided by other doctors of the
law. Many narratives are secuted as sheer
legendary while the author still has pre-
dilectIon for telling anecdotes himself. In
treating each party he becomes Just tor
/ the moment sufficient partisan to throw
some slight contempt upon the other.
Every episode. consequently, is treated
! sheer effectively. Nowhere do we find
any genial sympathy of the soul.
The courage. the truth, the fidelity, the
strength of tho Jewish nation IS hardly
U 4, N,1 , 90 80
clearest light. so cold Is the method OF
| treatment, go bereft of spiritual warmth
and congenial affinity. Wherever these
are mentioned il seems 20 be not for them
selves but rather in order TO sheer some
what more strongly az an opponent. But
/ the effect of such contempt reacts even
/ upon the estimate of the subject or the
/ work.
| But perhaps with others this very cold
ness-thls obJeetIyity of relation will BE-
( conceded a merit, chief evidence OF
/ judicial fairness and scholarly acpmen
/ Whatever controversies the work may
awaken. of It's noble scholarship there car
/ be no question.
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