Chapter II: Preface: To the Second Edition

The first edition being exhausted a second edition has been prepared. There is no cause for any change in the body of the book. Religion, both “Glaubenslehre” and “Pflichtenlehre,” are given as objectively as possible, and the most rigid examination of all that is taught in “The Jewish Religion,” discovered no misstatement. A few unimportant errors, which according to the Psalmist (Ps. xix) are excusable, are rectified in the list of Errata. Questions concerning religious principles which have arisen in the Community since the publication have been foreseen and dealt with according to Law and Tradition. A few notes are added in the second edition, where further elucidations seemed necessary. There is also appended the bibliography of text-books of Jewish Religion, an abstract of a paper on Religious Education, read before the Jews’ College Literary Society, and the prayer which in the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogues is offered up by the Barmitzvah when called to the Law. The latter practice is worthy of imitation.

M. F.

London, Adar I., 5660.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
Introduction 1–18
What is Judaism? 2

OUR CREED.

Faith as commended in Bible and Tradition 5
Faith according to Saadiah 9
,, ,, ,, Ibn Gabirol 11
,, ,, ,, Dunash ben Tamim, Bachya b. Joseph 12
,, ,, ,, Shem-tob; Abraham b. David; Jehudah hallevi 13
,, ,, ,, Ibn Ezra; Maimonides; Joseph Albo 14
,, ,, ,, Eliah del Medigo 15
,, ,, ,, Moses Mendelssohn 16

The Thirteen Principles of Faith 19
First Group of Principles—Existence of God 22
Natural Religion 22
Polytheism 25
Pantheism 26
Atheism 27
Deism; Theism 29
The First Principle: God, the Creator and Ruler of
the Universe 30
Natural Laws and Miracles 31
Evolution and Creation 33
Principle II.—Unity of God 38
,, III. 41
Anthropomorphism in the Bible 41
Principle IV. 43
,, V. 44
Various Attributes of God 41

Second Group of Principles—Revelation 46
General Remarks—Early Revelations 46
Prophet 49
Text of Prophecies 53
Massorah 55
Names and Authors of the Books of the Bible 55
Pentateuch 57
Earlier Prophets 62
Latter Prophets 66
Isaiah 66
Jeremiah 70
Ezekiel 75
Minor Prophets 78
Hagiographa 87
Psalms 87
Proverbs 96
Job 108
The Song of Solomon 112
Ruth; Lamentations 113
Ecclesiastes 114
Esther; Daniel 116
Ezra; Nehemiah 125
Chronicles 126
Apocrypha 127
The Book of Wisdom 127
The Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach 128
Baruch 129
Tobit; Judith 130
The Books of the Maccabees 131
Principle VI.—Truth of the Prophecies 131
,, VII.—Distinction of Moses from other Prophets 133
,, VIII.—Authenticity of the Torah 134
The Oral Law 136
Principle IX.—Immutability of the Torah 139

Third Group of Principles—Reward and Punishment 142
Divine Justice and Man’s Free-will 142
Principle X.—God’s Omniscience 148
,, XI.—Reward and Punishment 150
Principle XII.—Messiah 155
,, XIII.—Resurrection—Future Life 163

Notes on the Number of Principles 169
On Principle I. 174
Creation according to Maimonides 174
,, ,, ,, Saadiah 177
Bible and Science 178
On Principle V.—Efficacy of Prayer 183
,, Revelation 190
,, Principle VI. 192
Revelation according to Saadiah 192
,, ,, ,, Jehudah hallevi 194
,, ,, ,, Ibn Ezra 197
,, ,, ,, Maimonides 197
,, ,, ,, Albo 201
On Principle VII. 201
,, ,, VIII. 202
,, Variæ Lectiones, Tikkun Soferim, Ittur Soferim 203
,, Al-tikre, Biblical Quotations in Talmud and Midrash 204
,, Bible Criticism 205
,, the Pentateuch 205
Explanation of 2 Kings xxii. 8 sqq. 207
Abraham ibn Ezra’s View on the Integrity of the Pentateuch 210
Authenticity of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 212
Authenticity of the Book of Daniel 214
On Principle IX. 215
Explanation of Jer. xxxi. 31–33 216
,, ,, some Talmudical Passages 216
The Immutability of the Torah according to Maimonides 217
The Immutability of the Torah according to Jehudah hallevi 218
The Immutability of the Torah according to Albo and
R. Abraham b. David 219
On Principle X. 220
,, ,, XI. 221
,, Eternal Punishment 223
,, Vicarious Atonement 224
,, Principle XII. 225
Maimonides on Messiah, Jesus, and Mohammed 226
Principle XIII. 231

OUR DUTIES.

On Religious Duties in General 233
Classification of the Divine Precepts 239
Object of the Divine Law 242

I. The Ten Commandments 247–272
Notes on the Ten Commandments 266–272
Different Opinions on the Division of the Commandments 266
Ibn Ezra on Exod. xx. 2 269
Abarbanel and R. S. Hirsch on the Ten Commandments 270
Parallels to the Decalogue 272

II. General Moral Principles 272–328
Duties towards God 273–291
(a.) Duties of the Heart 273–278
Fear and Love of God 273
Gratitude toward Him 275
Reverence for His Name 275
Obedience to His Will 276
Faith and Confidence in His Goodness 277
Resignation to His Will 277
(b.) Duties with reference to Speech 278–288
Prayer 280
Study of His Word 285
(c.) Duties with reference to Action 288–291
Sanctification of God’s Name 289
Imitation of His Ways 290
Duties towards our Fellow-creatures 292–319
General Principles 292
Duties in reference to the Life and the Property
of our Fellow-man 292
Prohibition of Interest and Usury 294
Duties in reference to our Fellow-men’s Honour and
Well-being 298
Charity, גמלות חסד and צדקה 302
Special Duties 305–318
Children and Parents 305
Friends 306
Husband and Wife 310
Fellow-citizens 310
Fellow-members of a Community 312
Duties towards Members of another Community 312
Employers and Employed 313
Superiors and Inferiors 313
Teacher and Pupil; Master and Servant; Rich and Poor 314
Duties towards the Old, Magistrates, and all to whom
Honour is due 317
Kindness to Animals 318
Duties to Ourselves 319–328

III. Signs as Outward Reminders of God and His Will 328–338
Tsitsith 329
Tefillin 331
Mezuzah 335
Circumcision 336
Notes 336

IV. Sabbath, Festivals, and Fasts 339–413
On Sabbath and Festivals in General 339–360
1. זכור “Remember” 340–349
Kiddush and Habhdalah 340
Lessons from the Pentateuch and the Prophets 345
2. שמור “Take Heed” 349–353
Work Forbidden 349
3. ענג “Delight” 353–355
Sabbath and Festivals Days of Cheerfulness 353
4. כבוד “Honour” 355–358
Sabbath and Festival Bread and Lights 355
Notes 358
The Jewish Calendar 360
Notes 367
The Festivals 368–409
The Three Festivals שלש רגלים 369–400
The Four Distinguished Sabbaths 369
Passover 372–392
Seder-evening 379
Counting of the Omer 389
The Days of the Counting of the Omer 392
The Feast of Weeks 393–394
The Feast of Tabernacles 395–400
Solemn Days ימים נוראים 400–409
New-year 402
Day of Atonement 405
Historical Feasts and Fasts 409–413
Chanuccah 409
Purim 411
The Four Fasts 412
Optional Fasts 413

V. Divine Worship 413–455
Beginnings of Divine Worship 413
Sacrifices 414
Prayer 418–455
Devotion 419
Minhag or Custom 419
Prayer in Hebrew 420
Efficacy of Prayer 422
Synagogue 423
Instrumental Music in Synagogue 427
The Ritual, in Talmud and Midrash 429
Prayers at Fixed Times 435
Shema, שמע 436
Amidah or Tefillah 437
Abridged Forms of the Amidah 439
Other Constituent Elements of the Service 439
Night-prayer 440
Public Service 441
Kaddish 441
Kedushah 442
Repetition of Amidah 442
Priests’ Benediction 442
The Reading of the Law 442
Occasional Prayers; Benedictions; Grace 442
Notes on Customs in Synagogue 444
Temporary Substitutes for the Service 446
Repetition of the Amidah 446
Kedushah; Kaddish 447
Sermons and Lectures 448
Special Prayer-Meetings 449
Reform of the Ritual 449
Congregations and their Religious Guide 454

VI. The Dietary Laws 455–466
Their Object 455
ערלה Fruit of Trees in the First Three Years 457
חדש, כלאים, שעטנז 457
Meaning of חקות 458
The Killing of Animals for Food 459
Prohibition of Blood 459
Trefah 459
Clean and Unclean Animals 459
Forbidden Fat 461
The Sinew that Shrank 461
Meat and Milk 461
Notes.—Explanation of Gen. ix. 4—Seven Noachide
Precepts 462
On Shechitah 463
How to Kasher the Meat 463
Explanation of Num. xi. 22 and Lev. xvii. 13 464
On Clean and Unclean Birds 465
Meat and Milk 465
Honey 466
Wine of Libation 466

VII. Jewish Life 467–496
Guiding Principles in Jewish Life 467
Torah and Abodah; Beth-hammidrash and Synagogue 469
Charity 469
Jewish Women 470
The Days of the Week 473
Anticipation of Sabbath, Feast, and Fast 474
Friday Evening.—Sabbath and Festivals 475
New-moon and Full-moon 476
Important Moments in the Life of the Jew 476–494
Birth.—Initiation of the Male Child into the
Covenant of Abraham 477
Redemption of the First-born 478
Thanksgiving of the Mother after Confinement 479
ברכת הגומל 479
Education 479
Bar-mitsvah 481
Choice of Vocation 482
Marriage 483
Divorce 487
Obligatory Marriage (יבום) and Obligatory
Divorce (הליצה) 488
Death and Mourning 489
Regard for the Memory of the Deceased 494
Notes on Customs in Connection with the Burial Rites 496

Appendices:—

I. The Thirteen Principles in Hebrew 497–498
II. The Jewish Calendar 498–501
III. Religious Education 501*–504*
IV. Prayer for Barmitzvah 505*–506*
V. Bibliography 507*–510*

I. Index of Quotations from Bible and Post-Biblical
Literature 502–512
II. General Index 513–520
III. Index of Names 521–523
IV. Index of Hebrew Terms 524–528
Errata 529–530

THE JEWISH RELIGION.