The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

is the dis proportion that exists between
| text and commentary More often than
not six lines of text will form the excuse
/ for sixty pages of commentary, intro1uc-
/ ing subjects totally unconnected and en-
/ Iirely irrelevant to the point at issue. In
! the food of depression the original point
/ is entirely lost sight of, but one must
bear it in mind 10 intelligently arrive at a
/ conclusion.
From the extreme OF the prolix we
arrive at the opposite extreme, that
of excessive terseness. a question
whose complete statement would take
lines is indicated by a single term,
from which as it were it hangs suspended.
Thus, two small Aramaic words are under
stood TO mean, But if you maintain that
only the thesis contrary to the one upheld
by me is true, why is it taught ?"
With a vast number Of these signs
and symbols indicating whole sentences
whose meaning is known from traditional
sources only, is it to be wondered at that
the Talmud has failed to attract the num-
Der of scholars that it might had the con-
tents of its pages been more available? 1t
was no idle boast of HalevTs that the
Talmud contains knowledge. not to be
found in either Aristotle or Galen. To be
called rabbi at the time of the Sannedrin
meant far more than does the term to-
day. Did it imply nothing beyond man
! who had diligently studied the Talmud
from his youth it meant great deal, for
/ in the vast com pend are comprised agri-
! culture, astronomy. the right position of
the sexes, civil legislation, the laws
/ touching commercial transactions, ethics,
! penology and medicine.
/ Let 1t be understood that the Talmud to
the orthodox Jew is the work which Tegu-
lates his acts from the time that ne arises
| In the morning till the time ne retires
from the day that he is old enough to
think coherently till the day his brain
! ceases to act. 1t contains those rules
and institution. by which, in addition to
/ the Old Testament the conduct of the
| Jewish people is regulated. Whatever is
| obligatory upon them besides the law is
! recorded in this work. Here doubts are
resolved, duties explained, cases of con-
science cleared up and the most minute
circumstances relative to the conduct of
life discussed with wonderful particular
ity. It's ethical code is nigh. We quote
from the woik under review: "Glance
through the treatise and you will find all
that the most delicate charity, the most
refined and intelligent kindliness can in
spire into souls naturally disposed to the
good. Human dignity, the sacredness of
manual labor, the superiority of good
works over learning, the equality of men
before the divine tribunal, NJ matter what
religion they may profess, these are the
great principles asserted and preacheds on
every page"
The vastness of the subject prohibits
giving more than taste OF the good
| things OF the Talmud. AS we have said
ii is amentable fact that 1t must remain
a sealed book to all who have not delved
into its pages from childhood. I'm bued
with the desire of spreading a knowledge
OF one Of the most wonderful compilations
published since the beginning of the world
one finds himself regretting that the day
OF the o!d-time teacher s over, that the
exigencies of our civilization do not per-
nit the public oratory that was possible
in the time of Herod. We are told by
Josephus that there were speakers en-
Gowed with the gift OF inspiring crowds
and engendering popular risngs. One OF
these cried in the public streets: "Who
wishes to live-to live long? Who wishes
! 10 buy happiness?" The original ques-
tions attracted a crowd demanding TO
know the orators secret. Thou desirest
TO live many days-thou wishest TO enjoy
/ peace and happiness? Keep thy tongue
! from evil and thy lips from speaking
| guile. Seek peace and pursue it. Depart
from the evil and do good" And para
phrasing the words of the thirty fourth
Psalm be developed his ideas in the midst
of the attentive crowd. Were it possible
10 teach in this old fashion to-day and in
English the study of The Talmud might
be popularized.
In concluding his mastery essay Ar
sene Darmesleter ventures into the re-
gons of prophecy. He asserts:
The science of our day owes to itself the
dI of siudv wing ha tiall