Hebrew Literature Part 72

705 Num. iv. 5.

706 Num. x. 21.

707 Num. iv. 15.

708 Num. x. 22.

709 Num. ii. 17.

710 Num. ix. 18.

711 Num. ix. 23.

712 Num. x. 2.

713 Exod. xl. 34.

714 Exod. xl. 38.

715 Isa. lx. 1, 19, 20.

716 Exod. x.x.x. 6.

717 Exod. x.x.x. 36.

718 Exod. xxix. 42.

719 The Jews say that Solomon, who understood all the commands of G.o.d, could not comprehend the full meaning of the Red Heifer.

720 The meaning is that he who spends as much time in a leprous house as is sufficient for eating a loaf of such a size, becomes defiled in his garments. See "Leprosy," xiii. 10.

721 Num. viii. 8.

722 The age of the lamb was reckoned from its birthday in Elul of last year till the first day of Elul in the current year.

723 Lev. xxiii. 10, 17. The omer or wave-sheaf of barley was always cut on the evening of the 15th Nisan, even though it were a Sabbath. It must always have been gathered from a fresh harvest cultivated even in the Sabbatical year. The reapers asked these questions three times of those who were witnesses, "Has the sun gone down?" "With this sickle?" "Into this basket?" "On this Sabbath [first day of the Pa.s.sover]?" "Shall I reap?" After the witnesses answered these questions the sheaf was reaped. It was finally ground into flour, and a handful of it mixed with frankincense was burned on the altar.

The remainder belonged to the priests.

724 Num. xxviii. The two wave-loaves of wheaten flour were always offered on the Jewish Pentecost.

725 Deut. xxiii. 18.

726 Nehem. ii. 8. 1 Chron. xxix. 1.

727 According to Jewish tradition a dead body covered in with earth conveyed legal uncleanness to everyone who walked over it; but if a vault was over the body, or if air intervened between the corpse and the surface of the ground, it was regarded as a non-conductor. There are reckoned six degrees of uncleanness-the father of fathers, the fathers, the first, second, third, and fourth children of defilement. There are altogether twenty-nine fathers of uncleanness, of which eleven arise from contact with a dead body.

728 Some commentators explain that "each heifer requires a fresh lad."

729 Num. xix. 3.

730 The Pharisees a.s.serted that a priest might be defiled, and that after washing he was legally clean for burning the red heifer. But the Sadducees maintained that he was not legally clean before sunset. Num. xix. 9, 10.

731 Lev. xxii. 7.

732 The cedar, hyssop, and scarlet wool were laid parallel to each other, and whatever portion of the scarlet wool remained too long was wrapped round the bundle.

733 Num. xix. 9.

734 Or thick parts of straw.

735 If the vessels had been in the first row, someone might have touched them, or some vessel might have come in contact with them, so as to render them unclean.

736 Num. xix. 15.

737 It does not disallow the purifying pool if water flowed through a crevice in the rock into the pool.

738 The principle laid down in this mishna is that if one merely carried the rope for drawing the water, it was allowed to him to do so. But if he used the rope for any work advantageous to himself it was disallowed.

739 The modern Yebna (Jamnia).

740 The water is disallowed, because the man gained something for himself during the act of drawing it. His intention was not single-minded and pure.

741 Lev. iv. 12, 21.

742 Primary uncleanness arises from touching a dead body, leprosy, etc.

Secondary uncleanness arises from touching one who had primary uncleanness.

743 A tertiary uncleanness follows from contact with secondary uncleanness.

744 That is one over whom evening had not yet come, nor was his offering yet made. Lev. xxii. 6, 7.

745 Gen. i. 10.

746 Isa. lviii. 11.

747 The river Jarmuk is the Hieromax of the Greeks. It falls into the Jordan about four miles below the Lake of Tiberias. The Arabs now call it the Sheriat el Mandhur.

748 The well of Ahab is supposed by some to be the source of a river near Beirut. This supposition is, however, very doubtful.

749 The modern Banias, one of the sources of the Jordan. It is situated under Mount Hermon, close to the remains of the ancient Caesarea Philippi.

750 Literally, "from time to time."

751 The meaning is, that if the greater part of the ashes be legal, purification would follow; but if the greater part be ordinary ashes, there would be no purification.

752 The dispute is now about what const.i.tutes "a clean place."

753 Heb. ix. 13, 14.