The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-31

Tree Interpretation OF scripture No' pihuins mm
self TO any rigorous or even rational eaegetca
principles, the Hagodist would bring almost any
thing out Of the sacred text and Intervene MS
| comments with curious legends. Jochanan'
successor in the sacred ofBcc was Rabbi Gamnlie
| H., tho grcatgrandson Of Simeon, Hillel's son
! He obtained the dignity Of President both by
virtue Of his extraction and Of his merit His
was an imperious disposition. Unable TO brook
contradiction, he exercised the prerogatvos OF his
post in a dospotic manner. scncing by excom.
munication those whom he could not convince by
argument On the other hand he was kind 70
his interiors, readily moved 10 pity, wei Versed
in traditional lore and the cognnte sciences, and
Of such liberal principles as TO cultivate even inter
course with Gentilcs Indeed, Gama,lel iclt MN.
self at liberty 10 do things which would have been
denounced in any other tHacitc as little 'ess than
apostacy. Such indulgcnccs as having figure
carved upon his seal az batting az bo.n in
and. In general displaying taste Tor the bcnu'liul
In nature and art were serious innovauons IN NC
tyranny became intoerabc and provoked general
resistance The Sanhedrin inccnsed AZ the treat
ment TO which one of their number, Rabbi Joshua,
had been systematically exposed. rOsc against
the President and deposed him from the sacred
Office. Subsequently boweyet, he was reinstnted
and atSge.het Gamelei IL occupied ahe t hss
died before the beginning OF the troubles which
arose In tho reign Of the Emperor Hnduan but
the year Of his death is unknown. He certainly
outl'vcd tho first century OF this era with which
the book before us is concerned.
III.
We turn 70 tho chapters witch describe the
life Of the Jewish people at the period under re.
view. Lot us glance. first at the rural population
and then at tho inhabitants Of towns. The
Jews Of course. werc designed to be an agricul.
turh people. Innsmuch, however, as the agri'
culture laborer had neither leisure opportunity
for studying the Law or distinguish himself In
the practice OF ritual observnnccs he was held in
contempt by the rabbins. IL was otherwise with
tho largo proprietors, who rented their fields 10
farmers either for money or for part Of tho produce
or who employed land stewards and, also, with
tho small proprietors who resided in the many
villages and towns with which Palestine was
studded. These enjoyed tho privileges which
town residence conferred In their husbnndry
the Hebrews used simple implements I'll, natural
fertility Of the soil compensatng for lack Of the
appliances Of tho modern agriculturist The
plough with which the Jewish father turned up
tho dry ground was fragile and comparatively
inefficient The harrow was employed both be.
fotc and after committing the seed to the ground
and manure was not altogether unknown. In
Palestine, tho character Of the crop depended
chiefly on the supply OF water. which was provided
by digging canals and by a rude kind Of machin.
cry which conveyed tho water over the fields
Tho seod WAS sown either in October or Novem.
Der or In January or in February. The early
rain" WAS expected about the middle OF October,
the latter rain" about tho end Of March or III,
beginning Of April. Between these periods, the
ground mainly depended upon the copious dew
which fell nightly. The harvest began in April,
tho vintage In September. A considerable dl
vcrsity Of climate. and hence. Of produce. obtained
in Palestine. The nciEhborhood Of Jericho was,
apparently the hottest and itl produce almost
approached that Of tropical lattudcs. The Jew
ish law required tho agrculturist To take care
that in the varieties 81 grain and fruit there
should be- no mixing 81 different seeds, or CnGratt.
ing Of various kinds. II also provided that
besides the regular tithes, one siSticth Of ell tho
produce should b. left on tho field for the poor
this being the portion computed as growing on the
borders thereof Whatever was forgotten. or
had accidentally dropped from tho hand Of tho
shcarer. who generally used thu common hand
sickle. also belonged 10 the poor well as what.
ever grew Of tsclf during tic Sabbaucal year
The grain was threshed with sticks or fails
or rodden out by cattle not muzzled Peculiar
ihreshinE machines which were dragged over
the sheaves also in use. After being threshcd
and winnowcd the grain was laid up in store
houses We should note that, where the soil
was very light a kind Of no. was used instead
Of the plough. Palestine was peculiarly rich
in all kinds Of fruit Ripe figs might I've had
during ten months Of the year. Srai-s were mu,h
cultivated throughout the land The vines were
pruncd and dug about, and ,hc juice Of the grapes
was used both before and after i,imcuta,iDn
II was always filtered before ii wGs drunk, and,
for ordinary purposes diluted with water: the
luxurious added Ia IL spices Drunkenness
was not one Of the national, sjus Among other
knIi late H. aI,tr
made from bnrley, sailor Hnl salt. another swcc,
or honey wine; and. especially. date wine. high
ly nutrtve and agreeable beverage, made by
first squeezing out the Juice Of dates, and then
maceraung tho residue In water The fructi
ilcauon OF the date palms was artificial and their
culture required some care Another source
Of wealth 10 the agr!cuturst was the juice yielded
by certain plants and trees, notably by the halsnm
pant which grow in Vineyards, especially in
the ncighborhood Of Jericho II rose 10 the height
II five feet. and IN appearance rcsemhled the
vine The juice, which was obtained by small
!ncisons. was preserved In new carihcrn vessels
Al first thin and white. 1t gradually became thick
and red An inferior kind Of balsam was thrcshcd
out from the seeds and young twigs BY sim
liar process. the myrrh tree was made to yield
Ito myrrh and the storax its storax. In the gar.
den. and even by the wayside. the more common
granate. tho mulberry and the almond grew in
abundance. The law carefully protected agri-
cultural property and pursuits Watchmcn in lodges
guarded the ripe fruit, but were not allowed 10
prevent passersby from taking ~ much grain
OF fruit as was requisite for immediate personal
use. Tho best grain was obtained from the
neighorhood Of Michmash. in the inheritance
OF Benjamin, 10 the northeast Of Jerusalem and
from Chorazim and Kefar. Achim, in Galilcc.
the inheritance Of tho tribe Of Asher. produced
the greates' quantity Of olive OIL and 1ekoa,
two hours south OF Bethlehem. the finest quality
There were three grades Of olives and three ouali
ties of oil, according as this was extracted from
the first ripo olives or from those which grew
about the middle of the tree. OF from those which
were indscriminately gathered and allowed
70 lie till they were nearly putrid and prepared
either by mere pr Of the hand or under boards
and stones or by maccratng machines. Tho
best wine came from Kcrochim, situated appar-
emily in the mountainous country ri Judea
and from Hetolim, probably north Of Gilgal.
A large portion Of farmers wealth consisted
in his herds and Hocks Following the character
Of the soil certain kinds Of cattle were
more generally reared in certain districts Tn.