the Scriptures, of the oldest "Targumim," or paraphrastic commentaries, of the Mishnah,

and of the two Talmuds, are not only unanimous, but most extravagant. Not only are

miracles supposed to be performed in attestation of certain Rabbis, but such a story is

actually ventured upon (Bab. Mes. 86 a), as that on the occasion of a discussion in the

academy of heaven, when the Almighty and His angels were of different opinions in

regard to a special point of law, a Rabbi famed for his knowledge of that subject was

summoned up by the angel of death to decide the matter between them! The story is

altogether too blasphemous for details, and indeed the whole subject is too wide for

treatment in this connection. If such was the exalted position of a Rabbi, this direction of

the Mishnah seems quite natural, that in case of loss, of difficulties, or of captivity, a

teacher was to be cared for before a father, since to the latter we owed only our

existence in this world, but to the former the life of the world to come (Bab. Mez. ii. 11). It

is curious how in this respect also Roman Catholicism and Pharisaism arrive at the same

ultimate results. Witness this saying of the celebrated Rabbi, who flourished in the

thirteenth century, and whose authority is almost absolute among the Jews. The

following is his glo ssary on Deuteronomy 17:11: "Even if a Rabbi were to teach that

your left hand was the right, and your right hand the left, you are bound to obey."

The third inference which the reader will draw is as to the influence which such views

must have exercised upon education, alike at home and in schools. It is no doubt only

the echo of the most ancient mode of congratulating a parent when to this day those

who are present at a circumcision, and also the priest when the first-born is redeemed

from him, utter this: "As this child has been joined to the covenant" (or, as the case may

be, "attained this redemption"), "so may it also be to him in reference to the 'thorah,' the

'chuppah' (the marriage-baldacchino, under which the regular marriage ceremony is

performed), and to good works." The wish marks with twofold emphasis the life that is

to come, as compared with the life that now is. This quite agrees with the account of

Josephus, who contrasts the heathen festivals at the birth of children with the Jewish

enactments by which children were from their very infancy nourished up in the laws of

God (Ag. Apion, i, 38-68, ii, 173-205).

There can be no question that, according to the law of Moses, the early education of a

child devolved upon the father; of course, always bearing in mind that his first training

would be the mother's (Deu 11:19, and many other passages). If the father were not

capable of elementary teaching, a stranger would be employed. Passing over the Old

Testament period, we may take it that, in the days of Christ, home -teaching ordinarily

began when the child was about three years old. There is reason for believing that, even

before this, that careful training of the memory commenced, which has ever since been

one of the mental characteristics of the Jewish nation. Verses of Scripture, benedictions,

wise sayings, etc., were impressed on the child, and mnemonic rules devised to facilitate

the retention of what was so acquired. We can understand the reason of this from the

religious importance attaching to the exact preservation of the very words of tradition.

The Talmud describes the beau ideal of a student when it compares him to a well-

plastered cistern, which would not let even a single drop escape. Indeed, according to

the Mishnah, he who from negligence "forgets any one thing in his study of the

Mishnah, Scripture imputes it to him as if he had forfeited his life"; the reference here

being to Deuteronomy 4:9 (Ab. iii. 10). And so we may attach some credit even to

Josephus' boast about his "wonderful memory" (Life, ii, 8).

In teaching to read, the alphabet was to be imparted by drawing the letters on a board,

till the child became familiar with them. Next, the teacher would point in the copy read

with his finger, or, still better, with a style, to keep up the attention of the pupil. None

but well-corrected manuscripts were to be used, since, as was rightly said, mistakes

impressed upon the young mind were afterwards not easily corrected. To acquire

fluency, the child should be made to read aloud. Special care was to be bestowed on the

choice of good language, in which respect, as we know, the inhabitants of Judaea far

excelled those of Galilee, who failed not only in elegance of diction, but even in their

pronunciation. At five years of age the Hebrew Bible was to be begun; commencing,