Year: 1869

Amang the most learned and pieus
Jews of the twelfth century, next to-4he
great Maimoun or Maimonides of Euro
pean fame, stands Rasch, or as he was
more properly called, Schlomo ben Isaac
lie wrote commentary on Thora and on
several of the books of the Prophets, and
also one on the Talmud He was
great mathematician. and among his own
people was reverenced for his sanctity
and asceticism.


His parents lived in Toulon. but Ras-
chi was born in Troyes, and this is the
reason why his father Isaac and his
another loft Toulon


Shortly before the birth of the child,
the good woman walked down narrow
street. A cumbrous wagon was being
drawn along it by four stout horses, and
the wagon filled the street, so as to make
it impossible to pass. Seeing this, the
woman turned to seek a side street, but
Mt that moment the car Of a young noble
man drove vp the lane toward her. The
tmid woman ran from side to side in
quest OF a corner into which she might
retreat from the danger of being crushed
by one of the vehicles.


''Look at the Jewess - exclaimed the
driver of the nobleman's car; show
frightened she is -


Whip the horses aud run her down."
said his master.


The two vehicles approached, and the
poor creature, finding no place of retreat,
with piteous cry shrank against the
wall At that moment the huge wheel
of the wagon rolled toward her, almost
grazing the house wall. Then, suddenly,
the wall bowed inward and formed little
recess, in which the Jewess stood secure


A4Softer and more yielding are these
stones than your hearts, ye Christians" !"
she exclaimed.


Now when this miracle was known, it
by magic, aud Isaac, fearing lest it should
be the cause of their both being brought
TO the stake, fed precipitately to Troyes,
and there Raschi was born.


When Raschi was an old man, and
was renowned everywhere for his vast
learning and profound wisdom, and above
all for his great holiness, the school
wherein he taught was crowded with
pupils, and his sayings were treasured as
though they were precious like gold. He
tasted continuously, only eating what was
just sufficient to keep life in, and what
he ate was of poor quality, and was
mingled with ashes. He drank nothing
save water, and of that only little, once
a day He remained whole nights in
prayer, and when not engaged in teach
ing during the day, he stood rapt in med
itation.


AS he stood at his window one evening
two Jews passed, and they were speaking
of him.


One said to the other, sWas there
ever in the days of the prophets greater
saint than is this Rabbi Raschi {"


To which the other replied, s9Surely
for him there must be prepared one of
the most exalted stations in Paradise"


Then the Rabbi fell to musing on the
place that was to be his in the kingdom
of God, and he wondered who would be
his companion in the Land of Light, and
sit at his side in Paradise. With his
thoughts fixed on this theme, he stood
long at his window gazing out over the
vineclad hills, toward the horizon where
the sun had set, and where its rays shot
upward, kindling the fnely-attenuated
vapor which hung in the air, and mixing
the blue of heaven as green as grass
Level bars of cloud burned like gold in
a furnace, and small, misty fragments
glowed scarlet, ike fiery lilies growing in
field of sunlight grass between strips of
yellow crocuses.


As the old man stood with his eyes
fixed on the west, and his mind revoly.
ing the thoughts suggested by the speak.
ers, be saw the western sky undergo q
sudden transformation; the golden clouds
became steps Of light in a pavement o4