The two classes used generally to meet in a public library called [Hebrew: bi avidan] or in another place of assembly called [Hebrew: bi netzrafi] and we may rightly infer that some, at all events, of the beautiful sayings in the Talmud which resemble N. T. passages are due to the influence of the Hebrew Christians upon the rabbis in their discussions with them during the time when the Talmud as such, or at least the Gemara, was only in the course of formation. One passage will suffice to show that the rabbis during this period were well acquainted with the N. T. There was once a discussion between R. Gamaliel and a Christian (called a philosopher) with regard to the law of inheritance. The Christian maintained that inasmuch as a woman is placed on an equality with a man in the N. T., she has an equal right with her brother to inherit the parental property. To that Gamaliel replied by quoting Matt. v. 17, with a very slight alteration to suit his purpose. [Hebrew: ana lo lemifhat min oryata demoshe etiti velo leosfi al oryata demoshe etiti.] "I have not come to destroy the law of Moses, nor have I come to add to the law of Moses" (Shabbath 116 b). Moreover, the fact that some Rabbis at that time thought that the Evangelium should be burned--and also Hebrew Christian books generally--proves that they were acquainted with the contents, but does not shew that they were very bitterly hostile to their brethren, and they may have even referred to gnostic writings. Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho, probably R. Tarphon mentioned in the Talmud, is well known. It was otherwise after the Babylonian Talmud was finished in the fifth century. This huge building--which Scribes, Tanas, Amoras, and later gaons, tosafits, and quite a number of commentators in successive generations have reared up--was like the Tower of Babel, and brought confusion within the ranks of the Jews. The following is the language of one who took a leading part in laying one stone upon another: What is Babel? R. Johanon said: It is confused in the Scripture, confused in the Mishnah, and confused in the six orders of the Talmud. "He hath set me in darkness as they that be dead of old" (Lam. iii. 6). Rav Yirmiah said: This refers to the Babylonian Talmud. It formed an iron partition between Judæo-Christians and their brethren. While formerly tradition was only handed down by word of mouth, and many were liable to forget or disregard it, when once it was written, codified and taught in the synagogues and schools to all except women, the poor, unenlightened people in their joy at being at last able to read the oral law, which was pretended to have been given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai at the same time as the written law, clave to it with all the enthusiastic ardour of their souls, and refused to have anything to do with the Gospel or the Christian religion.