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 greatest sinner is uniformly presumed throughout the Talmud
to have a certain amount of merit, and therefore a corresponding
title to reward (see chap. 2, No. 10 = Ps. xxxvii. 35-37). Much
of this last is enjoyed by the wicked themselves in the present
world, and the surplus is often transferred to the credit of the
righteous in the world to come (see "Genesis", page 482, No. 173
= Matt. xiii. 12).
Abraham our father was tested ten times; in every case he stood firm;
which shows how great the love of our father Abraham was.
Ibid., mish. 4.
Ten miracles were wrought for our forefathers in Egypt, and ten at the
Red Sea. Ten plagues did the Holy One--blessed be He!--inflict on the
Egyptians in Egypt, and ten at the sea. Ten times did our ancestors
tempt God in the wilderness, as it is said (Num. xiv. 22), "And have
tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice."
Ibid., mish. 5, 6, 7.
Ten times did God test our forefathers, and they were not so much as
once found to be perfect.
_Avoth d'Rab. Nathan_, chap. 34.
Ten times the Shechinah came down unto the world:--At the garden of Eden
(Gen. iii. 8); at the time of the Tower (Gen. xi. 5); at Sodom (Gen.
xviii. 21); in Egypt (Exod. iii. 8); at the Red Sea (Ps. xviii. 9); on
Mount Sinai (Exod. xix. 20); into the Temple (Ezek. xliv. 2); in the
pillar of cloud (Num. xi. 25). It will descend in the days of Gog and
Magog, for it is said (Zech. xiv. 4), "And His feet shall stand in that
day upon the Mount of Olives" (the tenth is omitted in the original).
Ibid.
The Shechinah made ten gradual ascents in passing from place to
place:--From the cover of the ark to the cherub (2 Sam. xxii. 11);
thence to the threshold of the house (Ezek. ix. 3); thence to the
cherubim (Ezek. x. 18); thence to the roof of the Temple (Prov. xxi. 9);
thence to the wall of the court (Amos vii. 7); thence to the altar (Amos
ix. 1); thence to the city (Micah vi. 9); thence to the mount (Ezek. xi.
23); thence to the wilderness (Prov. xxi. 9); whence the Shechinah went
up, as it is said (Hosea v. 15), "I will go and return to my place."
_Avoth d Rab. Nathan_, chap. 34.
Ten different terms are employed to express the title of
prophet:--Ambassador, Faithful, Servant, Messenger, Seer, Watchman, Seer
of Vision, Dreamer, Prophet, Man of God.
Ibid.
Ten distinct designations are applied to the Holy Spirit:--Proverb,
Interpretation, Dark, Saying, Oracle, Utterance, Decree, Burden,
Prophecy, Vision.
Ibid.
Ten are designated by the term Life or Living:--God, the law, Israel,
the righteous, the garden of Eden, the tree of life, the land of Israel,
Jerusalem, benevolence, the sages; and water also is described as life,
as it is said (Zech. xiv. 8), "And it shall be in that day that living
water shall go out from Jerusalem."
Ibid.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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