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Sabbath Perversion. pp. 81-Gr
Jewish exclusiveness xii;
The 400 +430yto p.6.

Creation of He

sun moon p 8

vey

E. Baasch

BUHR BM

502

11883

THE PENTATEUCH ACCORDING TO THE TALMUD.

GENESIS:

WITH A

TALMUDICAL COMMENTARY,

BY

PAUL ISAAC HERSHON,

AUTHOR OF "A TALMUDIC MISCELLANY," "TREASURES OF THE TALMUD," &c.

TRANSLATED BY THE REV. M. WOLKENBERG.

WITH

AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY,

BY THE

REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, M.A.,

VICAR OF ST. PANCRAS, AND RURAL DEAN; HON. CANON OF GLOUCESTER; AND EXAMINING
CHAPLAIN TO THE LORD BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL.

BUAK/GRAD 500179101 UST 1125-06

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ON THE TALMUD.

THE first five books of Moses, ordinarily known as the Penta-
teuch, are the oldest written records in the world. Next to
these in antiquity probably come portions of the Talmud.

The Rabbis and the learned Jews assert that on Mount Sinai,
in addition to the Law-embodied in the books of Moses-the
Law in writing (anan, Torah Shebekthab), another and
an oral Law ( byaw nn, Torah Shebaal Peh), the Law
upon the Lip-was given to Moses by the Eternal.

This second or oral Law is generally known among Jewish

Halachah le Mosheh mi Sinai) the) הלכה למשה מסיני scholars as

Traditional Law (given) to Moses on Sinai. This oral Law

(see the Pirke Avoth, I.) was repeated by Moses to Joshua, and

.

by him rehearsed to the elders of the people, and they in turn
handed it down to their successors. This "Law upon the Lip"
for centuries was preserved in memory or in sacred rolls.
Jeremiah is expressly mentioned as dictating it to Baruch the
scribe, who gave it to Ezra, who taught it to the men of the
great synagogue. Haggai the Prophet was the first of these
men of the great synagogue; he lived about 520 B.C.
It was
handed down with extreme care by the leading men of this
college of teachers until the days of Simon the Just, 300 B.C.
This Simon was the last of the men of the great synagogue.
The precious Tradition was delivered after 300 B.C. to a succes-
sion of learned men, whose names are preserved, to the days of
Hillel the Great, who is said to have arranged the oral Law