was said, the angel of death had had no power--viz., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

because they had seen their work quite completed; and over Miriam, A aron, and Moses,

who had died by "the kiss of God." If premature death was the punishment of sin, the

righteous died because others were to enter on their work--Joshua on that of Moses,

Solomon on that of David, etc. But, when the time for death came, anything might serve

for its infliction, or, to put it in Rabbinical language, "O Lord, all these are Thy

servants"; for "whither a man was to go, thither his feet would carry him."

Certain signs were also noted as to the time and manner of dying. Sudden death was

called "being swallowed up," death after one day's illness, that of rejection; after two

days', that of despair; after four days', that of reproof; after five days', a natural death.

Similarly, the posture of the dying was carefully marked. To die with a happy smile, or at

least with a bright countenance, or looking upward, was a good omen; to look

downward, to seem disturbed, to weep, or even to turn to the wall, were evil signs. On

recovering from illness, it was enjoined to return special thanks. I was a curious

t

superstition (Ber. 55 b), that, if any one announced his illness on the first day of its

occurrence, it might tend to make him worse, and that only on the second day should

prayers be offered for him. Lastly, we may mention in this connection, as possibly

throwing light on the practice referred to by St. James (James 5:14), that it was the

custom to anoint the sick with a mixture of oil, wine, and water, the preparation of which

was even allowed on the Sabbath (Jer. Ber. ii. 2).

When our Lord mentioned visitation of the sick among the evidences of that religion

which would stand the test of the judgment day (Matt 25:36), He appealed to a principle

universally acknowledged among the Jews. The great Jewish doctor Maimonides holds

that this duty takes precedence of all other good works, and the Talmud goes even so

far as to assert, that whoever visits the sick shall deliver his soul from Gehenna (Ned. 40-

a). Accordingly, a Rabbi, discussing the meaning of the expression, "Ye shall walk after

the Lord your God" (Deu 13:4), arrives at the conclusion, that it refers to the imitation of

what we read in Scripture of His doings. Thus God clothed the naked (Gen 3:21), and so

should we; He visited the sick (Gen 18:1); He comforted the mourners, (Gen 25:11); and

He buried the dead (Deu 35:6); leaving us in all this an ensample that we should follow

in His footsteps (Sota 14 a). It was possibly to encourage to this duty, or else in

reference to the good effects of sympathy upon the sick, that we are told, that whoever

visits the sick takes away a sixtieth part of his sufferings (Ned. 39 b). Nor was the

service of love to stop here; for, as we have seen, the burial of the dead was quite as

urgent a duty as the visitation of the sick. As the funeral procession passed, every one

was expected, if possible, to join the convoy. The Rabbis applied to the observance of

this direction Proverbs 14:32, and 19:17; and to its neglect Proverbs 17:5 (Ber. 18 a).

Similarly, all reverence was shown towards the remains of the dead, and burying-places

were kept free from every kind of profanation, and even from light conversation.

Burial followed generally as soon as possible after death (Matt 9:23; Acts 5:6,10, 8:2), no

doubt partly on sanitary grounds. For special reasons, however (Acts 9:37,39), or in the

case of parents, there might be a delay even of days. The preparations for the burial of

our Lord, mentioned in the gospels --the ointment against His burial (Matt 26:12), the

spices and ointments (Luke 23:56), the mixture of myrrh and aloes --find their literal

confirmation in what the Rabbis tell us of the customs of the period (Ber. 53 a). At one

time the wasteful expenditure connected with funerals was so great as to involve in

serious difficulties the poor, who would not be outdone by their neighbours. The folly

extended not only to the funeral rites, the burning of spices at the grave, and the

depositing of money and valuables in the tomb, but even to luxury in the wrappings of

the dead body. At last a much-needed reform was introduced by Rabbi Gamaliel, who

left directions that he was to be buried in simple linen garments. In recognition of this a

cup is to this day emptied to his memory at funeral meals. His grandson limited even the

number of graveclothes to one dress. The burial-dress is made of the most inexpensive

linen, and bears the name of (Tachrichin) "wrappings," or else the "travelling-dress." At

present it is always white, but formerly any other colour might be chosen, of which we