entanglements (from Laban), then contending with the affections, ridding himself of five

of the seventy-five souls with which he had entered Egypt (Deut. x.22, comp. with Gen.

xlvi. 27), often nearly misled by the Sophists (Dinah and Hamor), often nearly failing and

faint in the conflict (Jacob's wrestling), but holpen by God, and finally victorious, when

Jacob became Israel.

But the highest of all was the spiritual life which came neither from study nor discipline,

but through a good disposition. Here we have, first of all, Noah, who symbolises only the

commencement of virtue, since we read not of any special virtue in him. Rather is he rest

- as the name implies - good, relatively to those around. It was otherwise with Isaac, who

was perfect before his birth (and hence chosen), even as Rebekah meant constancy in

virtue. In that state the soul enjoyed true rest (the Sabbath, Jerusalem) and joy, which

Isaac's name implied. But true virtue, which was also true wisdom, was Paradise, whence

issued the one strea m (goodness), which again divided into four branches (the four Stoic

virtues): - Pison, 'prudence' (φρονησις); Gihon, 'fortitude' (ανδρια ); Tigris, 'desire'

(επιθυµια ), and Euphrates, 'justice' (δικαιοσυνη). And yet, though these be the Stoic

virtues, they all spring from Paradise, the Garden of God - and all that is good, and all

help to it, comes to us ultimately from God Himself, and is in God.

On this point, especially as regarded images, statues, and coins, the views of the Rabbis

underwent (as stated in the text) changes and modifications according to the outward

circumstances of the people. The earlier and strictest opinions, which absolutely forbade

any representation, were relaxed in the Mishnah, and still further in the Talmud.

In tracing this development, we mark as a first stage that a distinction was made between

having such pictorial representations and making use of them , in the sense of selling or

bartering them; and again between making and finding them. The Mishnah forbids only

such representations of human beings as carry in their hand some symbol of power, such

as a staff, b ird, globe, or as the Talmud adds, a sword, or even a signet-ring (Ab. Z. iii. 1).

The Commentaries explain that this must refer to the making use of them, since their

possession was, at any rate, prohibited. The Talmud adds (Ab. Z. 40 b, 41 a) that these