Rabbi B'chai is very precise as to the number of servants which every strict observer of fringes is to have as a reward; he comments thus (for it is a commentum indeed, though he borrowed it from Talmud) on Num. 15.

כל המקיים מצות ציצית זוכה ומשמשין אותו אלפים :39-40 ושמונה מאות עבדים שנאמר והיה ביום ההוא והחזיקו עשרה אנשים מכל לשונות הגוים בכנף איש יהודי לאמר נלכה עמכם כי שמענו אלהים עמכם שבעים אומות הם עשרה אנשים מכל אומה הרי תשי בכנף אחד ולארבע כנפות Whosoever performs the precept of » אלפים ושמונה מאות

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fringes is privileged to be served by 2800 servants; for it was said, 'In those days it shall come to pass that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt [literally, corner] of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.' (Zech. 8. 23.) Now there are 70 nations; 10 men of every nation amount to 700 on one corner, and therefore on 4 corners to 2800." Every Rabbinical Jew believes implicitly, and fully anticipates to realize, all the above mentioned privileges as a reward for carefully observing the precept of fringes; and as they believe the Oral Law to be of Divine origin, and, therefore, binding, any one expressing a doubt on the subject would be stigmatized as an heretic or seceder. The Jews of this country, however, even those who attempt to prove that the Oral Law is of Divine origin, are cautious in propagating such a doctrine. It appears that they suspect that their auditors are not prepared to believe such absurdities. I shall give here an exposition delivered in the Synagogue Hall, St. Helen's, London, on Saturday, June the 4th, 1842; the subject was fringes, as that precept was contained in the portion appointed to be read in the synagogue on that Saturday.* After reading the

* The Pentateuch is divided into 54 portions, according to the number of Saturdays in the year. Every Saturday a sermon or exposition is delivered, sometimes on the portion appointed for Saturday, but generally the text is selected from Talmud, especially in Palestine, Poland, Russia, Turkey, and Holland.

text as found in Num. 15. 37-41, the expounder proceeded as follows: "In this passage, the first apparent incongruity is the change from the third to the second person,

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And it והיה לכם לציצית by the introduction of the words

that ye may * וראיתם וזכרתם is the words

shall be unto you for a fringe,' which, besides, seem to have no connexion whatever with either the preceding or succeeding sentences: the second point requiring explanation look upon it and remember;' for at first it appears impossible to suppose that the simple fact of seeing the fringes, could make us remember the commands of God, still less on'wy perform them: the next words that present a difficulty, are in

and that ye seek not after your own אחרי לבבכם וכו

hearts,' &c. for we are at a loss to know, why we should not follow the inclinations of our hearts, since we have been sent by Providence into this world, not only with every means to secure happiness, but with every desire to attain that great end of our existence; and lastly, what connexion is there between the concluding verse and the other parts of the paragraph? Before attempting the exposition of these apparent incongruities, it will be necessary to state, that the command concerning y fringes is but a link in the great chain that binds us to the Almighty, and it will, therefore, be requisite to regard the nature of that chain, by considering the vocation of Israel, and the mission with which they have been intrusted. As was stated above, man is born to secure felicity, and it would therefore seem strange, that any individual or body of individuals should neglect those sacred duties which are so eminently fitted to promote happiness; notwithstanding this, however, history informs us but too frequently of a belief in a multiplicity of gods, and of the forgetfulness of all kindly feelings by the offering of human sacrifices, under the dreadful impression that such offerings were acceptable to Heaven.

“Under these circumstances, it was necessary for the

furtherance of His great design, that Providence should interfere now there were two ways of doing this:-the first was to compel men to act properly, but then there would be no merit in doing well, no crime in vice, for freewill would be destroyed; the second was to establish Truth in some convenient place, guarded by suitable officers, whose duty it should be, not only to preserve their charge in all its pristine purity, but to promulgate the beauties of it to all mankind.

"These were the means adopted, but that they might be effectual, it was further essential that the place in which the Truth was established should be distinctly marked out, and that its guardians should have some distinctions whereby they might at once be recognised. The place in which God has deposited this Truth, is our holy law-the guardians are We. That the Law is the source of Truth there can be no doubt, the fact is too generally admitted to require proof:—that we are its guardians, is also beyond contradiction: it therefore, only remains for us to see if we are sufficiently distinguished to be recognised as public officers: this it will not be difficult to prove, for we are unlike all mankind in three things-in our habitations, our food, and our dress; our houses have parapets and the sign at door posts:' our food is select, to our dresses we attach nyy fringes; the superior importance of this last distinction will become manifest, when we reflect that the two former are local, and only present when we are either in a Jewish dwelling or at meals, while our dress is at all times and in all places on us, and we therefore, can never forget the ny fringes, besides which, in our connexion with other nations, our dress is ever the object most likely to attract their attention, and thence to inform them of our vocation.

"With these reflections, the passage to be expounded becomes clear. The verb y Tsits, means to blossom or look cheerfully, the substantive nyy Tsitsith, means any

thing hanging like a blossom, and attracting notice. Hence, after having been commanded by God to do something extraordinary to our dress, by the insertion of a blue thread; we are told nyys And it shall be unto you for a fringe,' a thing on which every one shall look; the change to the second person being used to call particular attention to the passage, and to point out its great importance. At the same time, however, that it excites notice from others, it will also remind you, (continues the passage) of your duties; for when you behold it, you will be reminded of your high calling, of your being distinguished above all other nations, and then you will

remember that you are the guardians of the Eternal Truth,

you will perform the commands ועשיתם אותם and then

enjoined you. Hence, it appears, that the word And it shall be,' is not superfluous. Men were formerly led astray by wrong impressions of the nature of God, and by false conceptions of His worship: they attributed defects to their divinities, and imitated them; God therefore, com

you shall not turn after the לא תתורו אחרי לבבכם manded

inclination of your hearts, where these false notions are engendered: Dynor after your eyes, which convey what you witness in others, and thereby confirm you in their errors. When you have done this, continues the Almighty, then you will have performed your duty, and then will that end be attained for which I have chosen a peculiar people, whom, for the benefit of mankind, I have brought out of the land of Egypt, and whom I require to do my behests-"I am the Lord your God."

“Our sages have commanded the daily reading of this portion concerning Лy fringes, in conjunction with the you Sh'ma, [Deut. 6. 5—9. See page 81.] because the

the recognition of קבלת עול מלכות שמים Shima contains

the Unity of God, because ' 'And it shall be,' [Deut. 11. 13-21,] contains the reception of the precepts: while completes the chain, by telling us

why the Almighty thought proper to reveal His religion to us, and why He distinguished us by so many peculiarities: these reasons our sages find in the portion fringes."

I do not intend to offer any comment on the orthodoxy of the above exposition, but leave it to the reader to compare with God's holy word, and not with the reasons of Talmudic sages.

I cannot conclude my investigation of fringes without pointing my brethren to the Lamb of God, the ' ¡ Ben Yah, the Son of God. Our ancient Rabbies have, according to their system of Theology, shewn how closely the Ben Yah is connected with the precept of fringes; I cannot but remind them, that, whenever they put on the fringes, the Son of God should be brought to their remembrance. Were I to quote all the passages that occur in the oral law, in which the Rabbies connect the Son of God with the precept of fringes, this volume would become inconveniently large. I will, however, refer my Jewish brethren to a few places in Zohar, which they may investigate for themselves. See Vol. I. pages 228, 262265, 308–310. I trust, with the blessing of God, in a future work, to give copious extracts from both Talmuds, Zohars, Medrashim, Yalkutim, Alshich, H'A'ri, &c. which will throw a great deal of light on the ideas of the primitive Rabbies concerning the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one God Jehovah Jesus. Though much has already been written on this subject, I find numberless very striking passages in those books to that effect, which have never been touched upon as yet, worthy of the attention both of Jews and Christians.