13. The lord of the fig tree knows when the fruits thereof are ripe; so God knows when it is time to call the righteous away from this world.

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We read (Ex. xvii, 11) that while, in the contest with Ama. lek, Moses lifted up his arms, Israel prevailed. Did Moses's hands make war or break war? But this is to tell you that as long as Israel are looking upwards and humbling their hearts before their Father which is in Heaven, they prevail; if not, they fall.

In the same way you find (Num. xxi, 9), "And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." Dost think that a serpent killeth or giveth life? But as long as Israel are looking upward to their Father which is in Heaven they will live; if not, they will die.

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V.

BURDEN not thyself with the care of to-morrow for thou knowest not what to-day may bring forth. The greatest evil is the fear of evil. The man of little faith suffers hunger while there is still bread in the basket.

He that makes the day will give us our daily bread.

Who are the poor? They who are poor in spirit. He who looks with a covetous eye upon what belongs to others, will not attain to what he desires, and will lose what he possesses.

"That the LORD may bless thee in all thou doest." Miracles may happen, but our daily bread is not given to us without our own effort. He is a pious man who lives by the work of his hand. Despise no labor, for labor is the glory of man.

Get your living by skinning carcases in the street, if you cannot otherwise, and do not say, I am a priest, I am a great man, this work would not befit my dignity. He who walks daily over his estates finds a little coin each time.

After the thief runs the theft; after the beggar poverty. When the thief has no opportunity for stealing he considers himself an honest man. The God of the thief is like himself; he invokes God while he breaks into a house.”

If thy friends agree in calling the an ass, go and get a halter around thee. Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be discreet. A small coin in a large jar makes a big noise. Fools are no proof. The sun will go down all by himself without your assistance.

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When the ox is down many are the butchers. While thỳ foot is shod smash the thorn. The soldiers fight, the kings are the heroes. One eats, another says grace. If there is anything bad about you, say it yourself.

Man is not to be made responsible for words which he utters in his grief. Not what you say about yourself, but what others

say.

10. When the pitcher falls upon the stone, woe unto the pitcher, when the stone falls upon the pitcher, woe unto the pitcher: whatever befalls, woe unto the pitcher.

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Descend a step in choosing a wife, mount a step in choosing a friend. Love your wife like yourself, honor her more than yourself. Whoever lives unmarried lives without joy, without comfort, without blessing. If thy wife be small bend down to her and whisper into her ear.

He who forsakes the love of his youth, God's altar weeps for him. He who sees his wife die before him has, as it were, been present at the destruction of the sanctuary itself; around him the world grows dark.

It is woman alone through whom God's blessings are vouchsafed to a house. She teaches the children, speeds the husband to the place of worship and avocation, welcomes him when he returns, keeps the house godly and pure, and God's blessing rests upon all these things.

He who marries for money, his children will be no blessing to him. The house that does not open to the poor will open to the physician. The birds in the air even despise the miser.

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LOVE made the world in the beginning; by deeds of love the world must be preserved. God will have mercy on him who is merciful to His creatures.

Mercifulness, modesty and charity are the three marks by which the true Israelite is to be recognized. Of him who loves his fellow-men, takes care of his relations, and lends to the poor in the hour of his distress, Scripture says, "Thou shalt call and the LORD will answer thee."

He that turns away from the works of love, turns away from God. To the poor who refuses to accept alms, thou shalt lend sufficient for his need, for lending to the poor is a nobler charity than giving alms. But the noblest of all charities is enabling the poor to earn a livelihood.

4 Blessed is he who gives of his substance to the poor; twice blessed is he who accompanies his gifts with comforting words. Thus says the Eternal: I love the mite offered by the hand of the poor far better than handfuls of costly incense placed on mine altar by the high priest.

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He who gives alms in public commits a sin. It were far better not to have given him at all than to put a man publicly to shame with your gifts. Charity is better than sacrifice.

The table at which you support your family is a sacred altar. The sanctuary of Jerusalem has been destroyed but an altar of atonement has been left us-the works of love. The duty of benevolence includes all other duties. He who practices love and charity, fulfills the whole law of Moses.

In a year of grievous famine king Monobaz distributed among the poor all the treasures which his forefathers had gathered together. But his brothers and relatives reproached him for it. and said: Thy forefathers accumulated treasures, increasing it from generation to generation, but thou squanderest what they saved up. But he answered them and said: My forefathers laid up treasures on earth, I lay up treasures in heaven. My forefathers kept their treasures in a place where the hand of men can reach them, but I put away mine in a place which cannot. be reached by human hands. My forefathers gathered together things which bear no fruit, but I gather what does bear fruit. My forefathers strove after Mammon, but I strive after the treasure of souls. My forefathers gathered for this life, but I do gather for life eternal.

The value of charitable works consists in the love which has given them birth. He who practices justice and mercy, establishes the kingdom of heaven in the world.

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"HONOR thy father and thy mother," even if thou hast to go begging for them from door to door. Scripture enjoins the reverence of parents as much as the reverence of God, and compares the blessing of parents to the blessing of God.

The child loves its mother more than its father, it fears the father more than the mother. See how Scripture makes the father precede the mother in the injunction, "Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother;" and the mother, when it says, “Ye shall fear everyone his mother and his father."

The teacher, who leads you to wisdom and religion, leads you to life eternal. If the old tell you, "Tear down," and the young

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"Build up," even then follow the advise of the old. For
the old ofttimes build while they seem to tear down, and the
young often tear down, while they seem to build up.

But who is to be esteemed an old man? He whose brow wears the crown of wisdom. For it is wisdom alone that makes old age venerable. Yet thou shalt rise before every hoary head. Show honor to an old man whose mental powers age has caused to fail. Also the broken tablets of the covenant were preserved in the Ark of Testimony.

Let us honor the great men of our time, and not say, that those of former ages were greater than they. Jephtah was for his age as great a man as Samuel for his generation.

Woe to the generation that has lost its leaders. Woe to the ship which has lost its pilot. Woe to the generation that judges its judges. Blessed the age whose great men do not despise those beneath them..

Cast no stone into a well whose waters have once quenched thy thirst. The rivalry of the wise increases knowledge. Honor the sons of the poor, for through them knowledge is brought to >plendor.

As a burning chip may set a large trunk on fire, so may an inferior mind kindle thought in one superior to him.

Of the friends you have, cling to those that censure you, and avoid them that praise you.

Far greater is the effect of a bad example for evil, than that of a good example for good; one learns evil more readily than good. Choose a teacher whose conduct is like his teachings. 11. Follow the manners and customs of the country you happen to live in. Do not depart from the prevailing customs. Be not gay among the sad, nor sad among the gay, be not awake among the sleeping, and sleep not among the wakeful.

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The law of the State in which you live is as binding as the law of God.

Peace is a most precious good, for the world is preserved by peace, and the burden of the whole divine Law is peace. Thus it is said: "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her ways are peace" (Prov. iii; 17). No vessel contains as many blessings as the vessel of peace, for it contains all blessings. Even the Holy One, blessed be He, is named Peace.

Since the God blesses his servants with peace even in this world which they must soon leave, how much more will He pour out upon them the blessing of peace in the future world which is eternal!

MEDIEVAL JEWISH WRITERS.

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My son, give God all honor and the gratitude which is His due; for He it is who made thee and brought thee into this world. Thou hast need of Him, but He needs thee not. Put no trust in thy mere corporeal well-doing here below. Many a one hath laid him down to sleep at nightfall, but at morn risen not again; many a one hath gone to his couch at night, sound in health and of high cheerfulness, and has waked up to agonies and

terrors.

Respect the poor man by gifts whose source he knows not of; and when he eats at thy table gaze not on him too much, lest he doubt his welcome; be not deaf to his beseechings, deal not hard words out to him, and give him of thy richest food when 3. he sits at meal with thee. When thou prayest, be lowly and think thyself nothing before the Almighty, and use all thy souls. energy and force to hold in check what evil desire there may be 4. in thy heart. Rather feed thyself with the poorest weed than make thyself dependent on ther human beings; and seek not 5. greedily after power and pre-eminence in the world. Be not as the fly that is always seeking sore and wounded places; and tell 6. not of the faults and failings of those about thee. Dare not to rejoice when thine enemy comes to the ground; but give him food when he hungers; be on thy guard lest thou give pain ever 7. to the widow and the orphan. Never enter thy house with abrupt and startling step, and bear not thyself so that those who 8. dwell under thy roof feel dread when in thy presence. Purge thy soul of angry passion, that inheritance of fools; love wise men, and strive to know more and more of the works and the ways of thy Creator. Forget not that the hope of pious souls is that concealed paradise prepared by God before the foundations of the world; that consecrated place where pure and holy spirits enter at last into their rest.

9. No crown carries such royalty with it as doth humility; no monument gives such glory as an unsullied name; no worldly gain can equal that which comes from observing God's law; the highest sacrifice is a broken and contrite heart; the highest wisdom is that which is found in the law; the noblest of all ornaments is modesty; the most beautiful of all the things man can do is to forgive wrong.