these leaders united in their person the high-priestly with the royal dignity, the party of

the "Chasidim" not only deserted them, but went into open opposition. They called on

them to resign the high-priesthood, and were ready to suffer martyrdom, as many of

them did, for their outspoken convictions. Thenceforth the "Chasidim" of the early type

disappear as a class. They had, as a party, already given place to the Pharisees --the

modern "Nivdalim"; and when we meet them again they are only a higher order or

branch of the Pharisees --"the pious" of old having, so to speak, become pietists."

Tradition (Men. 40) expressly distinguished "the early Chasidim" (harishonim) from "the

later" (acheronim). No doubt, those are some of their principles, although tinged with

later colouring, which are handed down as the characteristics of the "chasid" in such

sayings of the Mishnah as: "What is mine is thine, and what is thine remains thine as

well" (P. Ab. V. 10); "Hard to make angry, but easy to reconcile" (11); "Giving alms, and

inducing others to do likewise" (13); "Going to the house of learning, and at the same

time doing good works" (14).

The earliest mention of the Pharisees occurs at the time of the Maccabees. As a

"fraternity" we meet them first under the rule of John Hyrcanus, the fourth of the

Maccabees from Mattathias (135-105 BC); although Josephus speaks of them already

two reigns earlier, at the time of Jonathan (Ant. xiii, 171-173). He may have done so by

anticipation, or applying later terms to earlier circumstances, since there can be little

doubt that the Essenes, whom he names at the same time, had not then any corporate

existence. Without questioning that, to use a modern term, "the direction" existed at the

time of Jonathan,56 we can put our finger on a definite event with which the origin of

"the fraternity" of the Pharisees is connected. From Jewish writings we learn, that at the

time of Hyrcanus a commission was appointed to inquire throughout the land, how the

Divine law of religious contributions was observed by the people.57

The result showed that, while the "therumah," (see The Temple) or priestly "heave-

offerings," was regularly given, neither the first or Levitical tithe, nor yet the so-called

"second" or "poor's tithe," was paid, as the law enjoined. But such transgression

involved mortal sin, since it implied the personal use of what really belonged to the

Lord. Then it was that the following arrangements were made. All that the "country

people " ('am ha-aretz) sold was to be considered "demai" --a word derived from the

Greek for "people," and so betraying the time of its introduction, but really implying that

it was "doubtful" whether or not it had been tithed. In such cases the buyer had to

regard the "therumah," and the "poor's tithe" as still due on what he had purchased. On

the other hand, the Pharisees formed a "Chabura," or fraternity, of which each member--

"Chaber," or "companion"--bound himself to pay these tithes before use or sale. Each

"Ch aber" was regarded as "neeman," or "credited"--his produce being freely bought

and sold by the rest of the "Chaberim." Of course, the burden of additional expense

which this involved to each non-"chaber" was very great, since he had to pay

"therumah" and tithe on all that he purchased or used, while the Pharisee who bought

from another Pharisee was free. One cannot help suspecting that this, in connection

with kindred enactments, which bore very hard upon the mass of the people, while they

left "the Pharisee" untouched, may underlie the charge of our Lord (Matt 23:4): "They

bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but

they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

But the rigorous discharge of tithes was only one part of the obligations of a "Chaber."

The other part consisted in an equally rigorous submission to all the laws of Levitical

purity as then understood. Indeed, the varied questions as to what was, or what made

"clean," divided the one "order" of Pharisees into members of various degrees. Four

such degrees, according to increasing strictness in "making clean," are mentioned. It

would take too long to explain this fourfold gradation in its details. Suffice it, that,

generally speaking, a member of the first degree was called a "Chaber," or "Ben

hacheneseth," "son of the union"--an ordinary Pharisee; while the other three degrees

were ranked together under the generic name of "Teharoth" (purifications). These latter

were probably the "Chasidim" of the later period. The "Chaber," or ordinary Pharisee,