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The Jewish religion

CONTENTS.

Reading edition

PAGE

Introduction 1–18

What is Judaism? 2

OUR CREED.

Faith as commended in Bible and Tradition 5

Faith according to Saadiah 9

Faith,, according,, to,, Ibn Gabirol 11

Faith,, according,, to,, Dunash ben Tamim, Bachya b. Joseph 12

Faith,, according,, to,, Shem-tob; Abraham b. David; Jehudah hallevi 13

Faith,, according,, to,, Ibn Ezra; Maimonides; Joseph Albo 14

Faith,, according,, to,, Eliah del Medigo 15

Faith,, according,, to,, 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

Principle,, III. 41

Anthropomorphism in the Bible 41

Principle IV. 43

Principle,, 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

Principle,, VII.—Distinction of Moses from other Prophets 133

Principle,, 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

Principle,, XI.—Reward and Punishment 150

Principle XII.—Messiah 155

Principle,, XIII.—Resurrection—Future Life 163

Notes on the Number of Principles 169

On Principle I. 174

Creation according to Maimonides 174

Creation,, according,, to,, Saadiah 177

Bible and Science 178

On Principle V.—Efficacy of Prayer 183

On,, Revelation 190

On,, Principle VI. 192

Revelation according to Saadiah 192

Revelation,, according,, to,, Jehudah hallevi 194

Revelation,, according,, to,, Ibn Ezra 197

Revelation,, according,, to,, Maimonides 197

Revelation,, according,, to,, Albo 201

On Principle VII. 201

On,, Principle,, VIII. 202

On,, Variæ Lectiones, Tikkun Soferim, Ittur Soferim 203

On,, Al-tikre, Biblical Quotations in Talmud and Midrash 204

On,, Bible Criticism 205

On,, 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

Explanation,, of,, 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

On,, Principle,, XI. 221

On,, Eternal Punishment 223

On,, Vicarious Atonement 224

On,, 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

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

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