Stories and Pictures Part 71

[15] Father.

[16] Of the bridegroom in Shool to the Reading of the Law.

[17] The Friday nearest December 21.

[18] Diminutive of Tate = Father.

[19] No unbaptized Jew may become an official in the courts in Russia.

[20] For the soul of the dead, to wash and dry itself.

[21] A verst is .663 of a mile.

[22] A Lithuanian mile = 5.56 English miles.

[23] A Jew taken from his home as a child, under Nicholas I, estranged from his family and his faith, and made to serve in the army.

[24] Jewish name for the typical Russian.

[25] Addressing them in Polish instead of Russian.

[26] "When you are a hundred and twenty years old"--the ideal age for the Jew, the age reached by Moses.

[27] Get up! Russian.

[28] Three men necessary for a certain form of grace.

[29] Piekalik--built on to the stove.

[30] Little souls fly, little souls fly!

[31] "You also have a soul?" Polish.

[32] Because he was suspected of not keeping the dietary laws.

[33] Our little Talmud student would not be familiar with much of the Prophets' writings beyond what is contained in the prayer-book. The study of the Prophets savored rather of free-thinking.

[34] A tiny bit of wood tied up and thrown away with the nails. The superst.i.tions behind this practice are not confined to the Jews.

[35] Which had been invested with wonder-working powers.

[36] "Fine meal," as in Gen. xviii. 3; used also figuratively.

[37] Head-dress with broad ribbon to hide the hair of a married woman.

[38] A celebrated Hebrew novel by Mapu.

[39] Eve of the Day of Atonement.

[40] Pious offerings dropped into the collecting-box of "Mer Baal-Ness," to be found in every orthodox Jewish house. The money is for the poor Jews in Palestine.

[41] Free meals given to poor students at the tables of different householders.

[42] Instead of bringing him up to the study of the Law.

[43] The man in the moon is sometimes identified with Joshua in Jewish legend.

[44] According to the Talmudical legend.

[45] Little Jew.

[46] Adapted from the twelfth principle of the Jewish faith, relating to the Messiah.

[47] Sabbath dish prepared the day before, and kept in a heated oven overnight.

[48] Bontzye "mum."

[49] Men of great learning in the Law.

[50] By which the law is made applicable to an elderly woman.

[51] Grandsons. A celebrated Rebbe would have "sons" and "grandsons"

among his adherents. The former would remain, the latter would come and go in companies and more or less respectable conveyances.

[52] Owing to the emigration of the younger men to America in the "bad times."

[53] "Chapter of Song," a Midrash, found in some editions of the prayer-book.

[54] "Tore is die beste S'ch.o.r.e." From a Yiddish cradle-song.

[55] Hebrew blessing before eating bread.

[56] According to the Talmudic legend like Moses and other saints.

[57] Ruach, Hebrew for wind and spirit both.

[58] Who stand for colonization in Argentina and Palestine, respectively.

[59] G.o.d.

[60] They have understood that the writer's mission is connected with the matter of Jewish recruits.

[61] Unfit for military service.

[62] "Bride"-grace, girlish charm.

[63] A Hebrew newspaper