The old paths, or the Talmud tested by Scripture: Being a comparison of the principles and doctrines of modern Judaism with the religion of Moses and the prophetsMcCaul, Alexander
Religion
The old paths, or the Talmud tested by Scripture: Being a comparison of the principles and doctrines of modern Judaism with the religion of Moses and the prophets
McCaul, Alexander
Judaism -- Works to 1900
“The Gentiles will then say before him, O Lord of the world, the
Israelites received the law, but how did they keep it? The Holy One,
blessed be He, will reply, I bear them witness that they have kept the
law. The Gentiles will say, O Lord of the world, is it fair that a
Father should be a witness for his children? For it is written, ‘Israel
is my son, even my first-born.’ (Exod. iv. 22.) The Holy One, blessed be
He, will then say to them, Let the heaven and the earth bear witness to
them, that they have kept the whole law. The Gentiles will answer, O
Lord of the world, the heavens and the earth are interested witnesses,
for it is said, ‘If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have
not appointed the ordinances of heaven and the earth.’ (Jer. xxxiii.
25.) R. Simon Ben Lakish says, What is the meaning of the words ‘And it
was evening and it was morning, the sixth day?’ They show us that the
Holy and Blessed One, made a condition with the creation, and said, If
Israel will receive my law, all is well; but if not, then I will turn
you back into chaos. Hezekiah also teaches this same truth, saying, What
is the meaning of the words, ‘Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from
heaven; the earth feared, and was still?’ (Ps. lxxvi. 9, Eng. 8.) If it
feared, how could it be still; and if it was still, how could it fear?
The answer is, at first it feared [that Israel would not receive the
law, and it should be turned into chaos]; but afterwards it was still.
God will then say to the Gentiles, Then let some of yourselves come, and
bear witness to Israel that they have kept the whole law. Nimrod shall
then come forth and testify of Abraham that he did not commit idolatry.
Laban shall come forth and testify of Jacob that he was not suspected of
dishonesty. Potiphar’s wife shall come forth and testify of Joseph that
he was not suspected of the transgression. Nebuchadnezzar shall come
forth and testify of Hannaniah, Mishael, and Azariah, that they would
not worship the image. Darius shall come and testify of Daniel that he
did not neglect prayer. Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite,
and Eliphaz the Temanite, and Elihu the son of Beracheel, shall come
forth and testify of Israel that they have kept the whole law, as it is
said, ‘Let them being forth their witnesses, that they may be
justified.’ (Isaiah xliii. 9.) The Gentiles will then say, O Lord of the
world, give us the law from the beginning, and we will do it. To this
the Holy One will reply, O fools, he that works on the eve of the
Sabbath shall eat on the Sabbath. He that will not work on the Sabbath
eve, from whence should he eat on the Sabbath? Nevertheless, I have one
easy commandment, Tabernacle is its name, go, therefore, and do it. But
how is it possible, to affirm that God will do this, when R. Joshua, the
son of Levi, says, What is the meaning of the words, ‘Which I command
thee this day?’ And says, the meaning is, they are to be observed to-day
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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