The Talmud: Selections, by H. Polano, [1876]
CONTENTS.
| | 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 |