Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala
Religion
Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala
Hebrew literature -- Translations into English
The ten tribes will never be restored, for it is said (Deut. xxiii. 28),
"God cast them into another land, as it is this day." As this day passes
away without return, so also they have passed away never more to return.
So says Rabbi Akiva, but Rabbi Eleazar says, "'As it is this day'
implies that, as the day darkens and lightens up again, so the ten
tribes now in darkness shall in the future be restored to light." The
Rabbis have thus taught that the ten tribes will have no portion in the
world to come; for it is said (Deut. xxix. 28), "And the Lord rooted
them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great
indignation." "And he rooted them out of their land," that is, from this
world, "and cast them into another land," that is, the World to come. So
says Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda says, "If their designs
continue as they are at this day, they will not return, but if they
repent they will return." Rabbi (the Holy) says, "They will enter the
world to come, for it is said (Isa. xxvii. 13), 'And it shall come to
pass in that day that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall
come which were ready to perish.'"
_Sanhedrin_, fol. 110, col. 2.
Ten things are detrimental to study:--Going under the halter of a camel,
and still more passing under its body; walking between two camels or
between two women; to be one of two men that a woman passes between; to
go where the atmosphere is tainted by a corpse; to pass under a bridge
beneath which no water has flowed for forty days; to eat with a ladle
that has been used for culinary purposes; to drink water that runs
through a cemetery. It is also dangerous to look at the face of a
corpse, and some say also to read inscriptions on tombstones.
_Horayoth_, fol. 13, col. 2.
Ten strong things were created in the world (of which the one that comes
after is stronger than that which preceded). A mountain is strong, but
iron can hew it in pieces; the fire weakens the iron; the water quenches
the fire; the clouds carry off the water; the wind disperses the clouds;
the living body resists the wind; fear enervates the body; wine
abolishes fear; sleep overcomes wine, and death is stronger than all
together; yet it is written (Prov. x. 2), "And alms delivereth from
death" (the original word has two meanings, righteousness and alms).
_Bava Bathra_, fol. 10, col. 1.
With the utterance of ten words was the world created.
_Avoth_, chap. 5, mish. 1.
There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, to show how great is God's
long-suffering, for each of these went on provoking Him more and more,
till His forbearance relenting, He brought the flood upon them.
Ibid., mish. 2.
There were ten generations from Noah to Abraham, to show that God is
long-suffering, since all those succeeding generations provoked Him,
until Abraham came, and he received the reward that belonged to all of
them.
_Avoth_, mish. 3.
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