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The Talmud: Selections, by H. Polano, [1876], at sacred-texts.com


p. vii

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

 

PAGE

INTRODUCTION

 

NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE TALMUD

1

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF ITS COMPILATION

10

 

PART FIRST.

 

BIBLICAL HISTORY.

 


CHAPTER I.

 

FROM CAIN AND ABEL TO THE DESTRUCTION OF BABEL'S TOWER

 

Death of Abel--Enoch--Kenan--Lemech--Death of Cain--Enoch, his righteousness--Death of Adam--Enoch's ascent to Heaven--Methusaleh--Lemech--Noah--The Flood--Nimrod--The Building of the Tower--Confusion of Language.

 


CHAPTER II.

 

FROM THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM TO THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH

30

Therach--Birth of Abram his son--His early peril--His knowledge of God and studies with Noah--His return to his father's house--He destroys his father's

 

p. viii

 

idols--His deliverance from Ur Chaldee--Death of Charan his brother--Abram settles in Canaan--His parting with Lot--Sodom--The wickedness of its inhabitants--Legends of their wrongdoings--Destruction of the City.

 


CHAPTER III.

 

FROM THE BIRTH OF ISAAC TO THE WARS OF SHECHEM

50

Birth of Isaac--Dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael--Abram's visits to Ishmael--"A good nail"--Sacrifice of Isaac--His deliverance--Death of Sarah--Birth of Esau and Jacob--Death of Abraham--Esau sells his birthright--Jacob's flight--His reception by Laban--Meeting of Esau and Jacob--Jacob settles in Shechem--Dinah and the son of Chamor--The vengeance of Jacob's sons--The threatening Emorites--Death of Rachel.

 


CHAPTER IV.

 

FROM JOSEPH'S YOUTH TO HIS ELEVATION OVER EGYPT

72

The Master of Dreams--Joseph sold by his brethren--He is taken to Egypt--The grief of Jacob--Zelicha, the wife of Potiphar--The unjust accusation--Joseph in prison--The Chief Butler--Death of Isaac--Division of his property--Pharaoh's dreams--Failure of the wise men--Joseph interprets the dreams--His elevation to the office of Viceroy.

 


CHAPTER V.

 

JOSEPH'S GREATNESS AND JACOB'S ENTRY INTO EGYPT

92

Marriage of Joseph--The famine--Joseph's brethren journey to Egypt--They are brought before the Viceroy--The money in the sacks--Benjamin goes down to Egypt--The silver cup--Joseph and Judah--Joseph makes himself known--Jacob journeys to meet his son.

 

p. ix

 


CHAPTER VI.

 

DEATH OF JACOB--DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT

113

Death of Jacob--His burial--Esau's interference--Esau killed by Hushim, the son of Dan--Death of Pharaoh--Joseph's death--Death of Jacob's sons--The new king--Pithom and Ráamses--The proclamation of Death--Birth of Moses--His adoption by Pharaoh's daughter--His flight to Ethiopia--He travels to Midian, and marries Ziporah, the daughter of Reüel--He is sent to Pharaoh--The Plagues--Deliverance of the Israelites--The passage of the Red Sea.

 

 

PART SECOND.

 


SPECIMENS OF BIBLICAL COMMENTARIES.

 

 I. The Deliverance from Egypt

142

II. The Ten Plagues

155

     Blood--Frogs--Lice--The Multitude of Beasts--Pestilence--Boils--Hail--Locusts--Darkness--The Slaying of the First Born.

 

III. The Death of Moses

163

IV. The Book of Esther

166

 V. King Solomon, the Wise

192

 

PART THIRD.

 


THE RABBIS--THEIR TEACHINGS AND INCIDENTS IN THEIR LIVES.

 

Rabbi Judah, the "Chief"

205

Simon, the Righteous

209

Rabbi Ishmael, the High Priest

213

Rabbi Meir

215

Hillel Hannasi

220

Tashi

222

Maimonides

224

Rabbi Amnon, of Metz

227

p. x

 


TEACHINGS OF THE RABBIS

 

Benevolence

231

Meekness

237

The Fear of God

238

Honour to Parents

241

The Law and its Study

245

Prayer

253

The Sabbath

257

Rewards and Punishments

260

Trades

262

Death

263

Funeral Sermon over a Dead Rabbi

264


INCIDENTS IN THE LIVES OF THE RABBIS.

 

Rabbi Akiba

266

Elishah ben Abuyah

273

Rabbi Simon

276

Rabbi Judah: Soul and Body equally answerable to God

217

Rabbi Joshua: God's Knowledge of the Future

299

Rabbi Gamliel: A Wife for a Rib

279

Rabbi Joshua: Why Woman was made from the rib of Man

280

Rabbi Simon ben Jochai: Why the Manna fell daily

280

Rabbi Eleazer: The Way of Life

281

Rabbi Johanan, son of Zakai: The Highwayman and the Sneak Thief

281

Rabbi Nachman: The Blessing of Rabbi Yitzchak

282

Gebiah ben Pesisah

283

A Wise King

284

 

PART FOURTH.

 


PROVERBS AND SAVINGS OF THE RABBIS, LEGENDS, &c.

 

Sayings of the Rabbis

286

The Desert Island

299

The Emperor and the Aged Man

302

Proving a Claim

304

p. xi

 

A Payment with Interest

306

The Weasel and the Well

303

The Lawful Heir

309

Nothing in the World without a Use

310

The Reward of Faith

312

Abtinoss and Garmah

312

Trust in God

313

The Bride and Bridegroom

316

Truth

317

The Destruction of Bithar

313

The Destruction of Jerusalem

319

Second Destruction of Jerusalem

322

Hannah and her Seven Sons

324

 

PART FIFTH.

 


CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LAW--THE HOLY DAYS.

 

Sketch of Civil and Criminal Codes

329

Passover

332

Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks

333

New Year, or Day of Memorial

335

The Day of Atonement

341

Succoth, or Feast of Tabernacles

349

Hannuckah

356

Purim

358

 


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