FROM JUDAISM to CHRISTIANITY

by

F. C. Gilbert

CHAPTER    I

PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE 

1. THE parents of the writer were born in Russia, and having both been reared as strictly orthodox Jews, they followed very closely the laws and customs which had been handed down among the Jews for many generations. Like thousands of others, they sought to flee from the persecutions of Russia; for the Jews there are not allowed to live, and are scarcely allowed to die. For centuries the persecutions of the Jews have been terrible, and the reader can hardly imagine the awful things which are perpetrated against the Jews; the most of the persecutions are carried on in the name of Christianity. (a)

^(p18) 2. Soon after their marriage, my parents left the land of their oppression, and went to Germany, where they remained a few years. They were married young, as is customary among the orthodox Jews; for it is one of the rabbinical regulations and strict commands. In the “Ethics of the Fathers,” one of the most stringent commentaries, it is commanded that marriage must take place at eighteen. (b)

3. After a brief stay in Germany, they went to England, where were born to them eight children, the writer being the youngest of the family. It is the earnest desire of the pious Jewish parent that at least one of the children of the family shall be a rabbi, or teacher. Of course it is desirable that there be more than one, as a teacher, or rabbi, brings much honor to his family. There have been so many laws and commands made by the rabbis concerning themselves, that a rabbi has come to be regarded as a sort of deity. 

4. That the reader may form a clearer conception of what the rabbis have done, we here insert one law as taken from the “Ethics of the Fathers:”

“Thou must consider no honor greater than the honor of the rabbi, and no fear greater than the fear of the rabbi. The wise men have said, ‘The fear of thy rabbi is as the fear of God'.”

It was no doubt because of this attitude on the part of the rabbis, and the fear of men thus produced upon the people, that the Saviour told the Jews not to desire the title of “Rabbi.” [1]

^(p19) 5. The father of our family was exceedingly pious, in many respects more so than the average strict orthodox Jew. Three times a day he would attend the synagogue service,[2] besides spending a large share of the Sabbath day in religious devotion, both in the synagogue and in the home. In fact, every thought of his life seemed to be religious from the standpoint of the law and of the interpretation of it as expounded by the rabbis.

My father

6. It was in the midst of such an atmosphere that the writer appeared in the humble home in London, on September 30, 1867. According to the Hebrew reckoning of time, it was on the second day of the Jewish New Year. (c) It must be remembered that the orthodox Jews, even in their dispersion, follow strictly Jewish ways and methods; and when any event is to take place, it is always considered from the Jewish reckoning.

7. As I was born on the evening of the second day, it was practically part of the next day, and just one week before the Day of Atonement,[3] It is generally known that the Jews to this day practice the rite of circumcision which God gave to Abraham;[4] and on the eighth day, the male child has to be circumcised. This rite is so highly regarded, that however bad a person may be, whatever his sins are, however heinous, if he will only follow out this ceremony, and have this rite performed, all other things will be forgiven him.

^(p20) 8. The familiar reader of the New Testament can appreciate something of the multitudinous traditions the Jews had on Sabbath observance, from the experiences the Saviour had with the rabbis.[5] But as strict as were these teachers, circumcision was always allowed on the Sabbath. This the Saviour Himself reminded them, when they were trying to condemn Him for performing some good work on that day. In fact, the rabbis go still further, and claim that the reason why the Lord made the world was that He might create man upon it, so that this important rite of circumcision might be performed. Therefore, everything in the world depends upon the carrying out of this ceremony.

9. As a result of the abundance of these customs and traditions, the Jews are a very superstitious people. Everything has certain signs and peculiar meanings. So if a child is born just one week before the Day of Atonement, it is considered unusual and remarkable, because the circumcision will have to take place on the Day of Atonement. This day is of great sacredness to the Jews. More will be said concerning this in future chapters, (d)

It was decided by the parents that God must have some peculiar work for this child to do, and therefore the circumcision must take place, not only on this Day of Atonement, but also in the Great Synagogue of London. This synagogue is located in the very heart of Jewry, and is regarded as the center of all religious life throughout the United Kingdom and all the British possessions, (e) 

10. In connection with this synagogue they had the Beth Din, the house of judgment, a place where all important questions which affected the Jewish community were considered and discussed. ^(p21) It was here that Dayan, the judge, had his office, as did also the Chief Rabbi of all the Jews in the territory of England, and it was with this synagogue that the Rothchilds and other of the most wealthy and pious Jews were connected.

11. The writer’s godfather, and the assistants at this service were the most devoted Jews of the synagogue, and when the Day of Atonement was over, his parents were the recipients of many valuable and costly gifts, besides many Jewish benedictions. It was felt that Jehovah must have something unusual in store for the child and the family; and it was decided that if his life were spared, he would be the rabbi, or teacher, of the family. From earliest infancy everything was done that Jewish parents could do to keep this thought uppermost in the child’s mind; all teaching and praying had this in view.[6]

12. The Jews still hope and pray and look for Messiah to come the first time (f); and they hope that if from his earliest childhood they instil correctly the true teaching in the child’s mind, they will be rewarded with a rabbi who shall be not only a great teacher, but perhaps a forerunner of the Messiah himself, (g) This is the thought and hope in every pious mother’s breast, as she tenderly and carefully cares for the babe in her arms.

On to chapter two

^(p22) 

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

PARAGRAPH 1 (a).—See chapter 22 of this book, on the “Persecutions of the Jews.”  Back

 PAR. 2 (b).—Rabbi Judah Ben Tamai says : “At five years of age a child should study the Bible; at ten the Mishna; at thirteen to observe the precepts ; at fifteen to study the Gemara; at eighteen to enter into wedlock.” Back

 PAR. 6 (c).—See “Practical Lessons from the Experience of Israel,” by the author, p. 690, 691. Back

 PAR. 9 (d).—See chapter 3, “ Youthful Education.” Back

 PAR. 9 (e).—See “ Children of the Ghetto,” by Zangwill. Back

 PAR. 12 (f).—In the “Jewish Daily Prayer Book,” English edition, in the first prayer, called “Yigdol,” is found the following statement: “He will send at the end of the days our Messiah.” Back

 PAR. 12 (g).—Doubtless this idea has been in vogue for many centuries, and had its origin in Ruth 4 :14, 15.  Back

INDEX