Этюды

9. R. Judah b. Ila'i, who disqualifies a Cuthean because circumcision must be performed specifically for its purpose.

10. Ex. XII, 48: And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will make the Passover sacrifice unto the Lord, he shall circumcise etc. The claimed scriptural authority is thus obtained by the juxtaposition.

11. Gen. XVII, 13. The emphatic wording (indicated in Hebrew

by the infinitive before the finite verb) is taken to imply that the stricture of purpose is not to be applied.

12. V. n. 3.

13. An oft quoted dictum. The words are therefore not to be taken to imply anything beyond ordinary emphasis.

14. V. 133, n. 2.

15. Gen. XVII, 13. [H] 'He must needs be circumcised' may be rendered, by a slight alteration in the first word, to read [H], He who is circumcised shall circumcise, excluding a heathen.

16. Instead of [H] in cur. edd. MS.M. and Yalk. Gen. 81, has [H] Gibeonite.

17. As the covenant was only concluded with the Israelites, [or those who join without reservation the congregation of Israel.]

18. V. Ned. 31b.

19. Hence an Arab or Gibeonite should not be considered qualified to practise circumcision.

20. As he is exempted from circumcision by law (V. Maim. Yad. Milah, II, 1. Tur. Y.D. 264, 1).

21. Ned. ibid.

22. Ex. IV, 25.

23. Heb. [H] and [H].

24. Explanation follows in the Gemara.

25. For the heathen is liable to cut his throat with the razor.

26. A case where a misdemeanour by the heathen physician may only result in prolonged illness or intensified pain.

Abodah Zarah 27b

for he will think that he is merely asking him, and just as he is asking him so he will also ask others, so that that man [by giving wrong advice] would have his reputation spoilt. Said Raba in the name of R. Johanan [some say R. Hisda in the name of R. Johanan]: In the case where it is doubtful whether [the patient] will live or die, we must not allow them to heal; but if he will certainly die, we may allow them to heal. 'Die [etc.]'! Surely there is still the life of the hour [to be considered]? (1) The life of the hour is not to be considered. What authority have you for saying that the life of the hour is not to be considered? — The scriptural words, If we say: we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. (2) Now there is the life of the hour [which they might forfeit]! This implies that the life of the hour is not to be considered. An objection was raised: 'No man should have any dealings (3) with Minim, nor is it allowed to be healed by them even [in risking] an hour's life. It once happened to Ben Dama the son of R. Ishmael's sister that he was bitten by a serpent and Jacob, a native of Kefar Sekaniah, (4) came to heal him but R. Ishmael did not let him; whereupon Ben Dama said, 'My brother R. Ishmael, let him, so that I may be healed by him: I will even cite a verse from the Torah that he is to be permitted'; but he did not manage to complete his saying, when his soul departed and he died. (5) Whereupon R. Ishmael exclaimed, Happy art thou Ben Dama for thou wert pure in body and thy soul likewise left thee in purity; nor hast thou transgressed the words of thy colleagues, who said, He who breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him'? (6) — It is different with the teaching of Minim, for it draws, and one [having dealings with them] may be drawn after them.

The Master said: 'Nor hast thou transgressed the words of thy colleagues who have said, He who breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him'? But a serpent did indeed sting him! — The bite of the serpent [which is inflicted upon those transgressing the words] of the Rabbis is such as can never be cured. (7) Now, what is it that he might have said? (8) — 'He shall live by them, (9) but not die by them.' And R. Ishmael? — This is only meant when in private, but not in public; for it has been taught: R. Ishmael used to say: Whence can we deduce that if they say to one, 'Worship the idol and thou wilt not be killed,' that he may worship it so as not to be killed? because Scripture says, He shall live by them, but not die by them; you might take this to mean even in public, therefore Scripture says, And ye shall not profane my holy name. (10)

Said Rabba b. Bar Hanah in the name of R. Johanan: Any sore for which the Sabbath may be profaned should not be healed by a heathen. (11) Others report that Rabba b. Bar Hanah said: Any internal sore should not be healed by them.

Original footnotes renumbered.

1. The heathen may bring about the end prematurely, and so shorten his life even though by some hours.

2. II Kings VII, 4; where the four leprous men decide to hand themselves over to the besieging enemy saying, If they kill us, we shall but die.

3. Conversational intercourse [v. Tosaf. a.l.).

4. A disciple of Jesus, v. supra p. 85, n. 3.

5. [Ms.M. omits 'he died'.]

6. Eccl. X, 8, applied to those who break through 'legal fences' which serve to safeguard the Torah (V. Ab. I, 1). — Thus the above cited opinion of R. Johanan is contradicted by this incident which proves that in cases of extreme danger it is forbidden to be attended by a Min! [On this passage v. Herford, op cit. pp. 104 ff.]

7. [The fate in the hereafter that meets him who transgresses the words of the wise is more grievous than the sting of a serpent on earth.]

8. What scriptural verse might Ben Dama have cited in support of being healed by the Min?

9. Lev, XVIII, 5, Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and mine ordinances, which if a man do he shall live by them. 'The Rabbis take these words to mean that God's commandments are to be a means of life and not of destruction to His children. With the exception of three prohibitions — public idolatry, murder, or adultery — all commandments of the Law are therefore in abeyance whenever life is endangered'. Lev. edited by the Chief Rabbi (Dr. J. H. Hertz), p. 175.

10. Lev. XXII, 32 (Sanh. 74a).

11. It is to be regarded as serious enough to involve the risk of a misdemeanour by the heathen.

Автор выражает сердечную благодарность Р-ву В.Н., без чьей помощи эта работа не увидела бы свет.

ОБ ОТЦЕ И БОГЕ ЕВРЕЕВ

Предисловие

Эта книжица написана главным образом для тех, о ком в Евангелии от Иоанна фарисеи говорят: «этот народ невежда в законе, проклят он» (Иоанн,7:49).

То, что «этот народ» плохо знал свой Закон, это скорее факт, чем преувеличение. В те времена евреи «изучали» 3акон в синагогах, причем Закон читался на иврите и сопровождался переводом на понятный народу язык, с назидательным объяснением и практическим применением. Надо полагать, что и перевод и назидательные объяснения сильно зависели от переводчика- толкователя.

Насколько глубоко сами толкователи понимали истинный смысл Закона трудно сказать, но первосвященники и старейшины очень хорошо знали и знают искусно замаскированные тайны Закона. Поэтому они с полным основанием утверждали о невежестве народа и о его проклятии.

 Скачать реферат