צא 66 MUNICH-JOSEPH TITSA. 155 whose land will be burning pitch: there came "thither the messenger of your highnesses, and in "his hand a roll of a book; and he spread it out "before me, and it was full of pleasant and tender "words, and it was in my mouth like honey for "sweetness* ; when I read therein with under 66 66 standing eyes, I thought to return unto your highnesses an answer briefly. It is already "known unto the honor of your learning, concerning the vision which I wrote from the city Monasterio unto our master, the revered Joseph Titsat (may his Rock and Redeemer 66 66 66 preserve him!)§. For when I was there, he "asked of me to make known unto him my jour66 ney from Portugal, in what manner it was; and "I wrote to him every thing after its order; and I "vowed to write also all which should in future 66 66 happen unto me in the kingdom of Edom||; and "in that vision your highnesses will see what came upon me during my coming from Portugal and Turkey unto the land of Edom, wherein I am now a prisoner by the hand of the king over kings of kings, the holy ONE (holy and blessed is HE!), by the hand of his servant, my master, 66 66 66 Ezek. iii. 3. .מונישטיריאי + .טיטסה + ישמרהו צורו וגואלו a contraction for יצ"ו 8 i. e. The European states, but especially Italy. 156 66 66 David, without permission to do any thing except that which is shewn unto me from heaven. "And now I am come to tell your highnesses the verity of the words of truth. When I reached Ancona, immediately an assembly of the wicked* 66 66 encompassed me, and slandered me before the bishop, by their saying how I dwelt in the tents "of Kedarf, but now am I in peace: for when "he sent for me, Jews from that place, and from 66 Turkey, went with me to see how the thing would fall out; and he asked of me concerning the "matter, and I said unto him, 'They have told "thee the truth.' And he answered me, What "hast thou seen concerning it?' And I replied "unto him, That the Lord is God; He is truth, "and his law is true, and there is no other; and " he became dumb like a dead carcase.' And 66 66 66 upon the men who were with me there fell a great trembling§. And he dismissed me with peace, but commanded me, that I should not preach unto the Gentiles in opposition to their "law. But notwithstanding all that, every time I "was preaching, there came into the synagogue "nobles and priests, and much people; and I also *Ps. xxii. 16. Ps. cxx. 5. i. e. What was my condition and character among the orientals. Kedar means here the Mohammedan territories. Idiom for, Why hast thou done thus? Esther ix. 26. § Gen. xv. צא DUKE OF URBINO. 157 "had an argument with a bishop in the market 66 place and this was the occasion on which the "Duke of Urbino brought me away with him; "and I left my servants in his country, and I went on foot*, I alone, and no man with me, for so it was commanded me. And on the fifth 66 66 66 day of my journey, I saw the place from afar†, "which was a stumbling-block unto us, because "of the multitude of the sins which we have "committed against the Lord our God, and we "have not entreated his face, to return from our "wickedness, to hearken unto his voice, and to "attend unto his truth; and I lifted up mine eyes "unto heaven, and I wept a sore weeping over my sins and the sins of the children of our 66 66 66 people; and I opened my mouth toward the gate of tears, and said, Lord of hosts! how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, for the sake of the wrongs "done by them who stand up in this city to op 66 66 press us, and to cast us away from our country. Because of our sins, and for the wickedness of "our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people have be .via conculcationis דרך בצרה * + Gen. xxii. 4. According to a rabbinical tradition there are various gates in heaven, through which tears, prayers, mercies, snow, &c., pass to the places where they are treasured up. port by passages like Ps. lvi. 9, Put and Job xxxvii. 11, "gates of death," treasures of snow," &c. 66 This tradition they supmy tears into thy bottle," and ib., verse 12, "the 158 THE HOLY STONE ENGRAVED. צא come a reproach round about us*. And now, "hearken, O our God, unto the prayer of thy "servant, and unto his supplications†. 66 66 830. "That the holy stone may be engraven, "the one stone which thou hast placed upon the "breast of thy holy priests to clothe them with righteousness and salvation, to cause the horn of thy anointed to bud forth. Forgive, I pray thee, "the sins of thy country and the sins of thy children, the children of thy covenant, whom thou "hast caused to go into captivity among the na❝tions. And remember unto us the covenant " and the loving-kindness which thou hast sworn "unto our forefathers of ancient days. And let thy countenance shine into thy desolate sanc 66 tuary, for the sake of my Lord, and for the sake "of thy Name, by which thy city and thy nation "were called§.' The while I was speaking and 66 66 66 66 66 praying according to those words, mine eyes became like unto an increasing fountain, and my strength left me, neither was there breath left in me||; but I gathered strength, and I prayed the evening offering in the field, before the enteringin¶ of the city. And when I came to the blessing, * Dan. ix. 16. § Dan. ix. 19. Ezek. xxix. 21. + Dan. ix. 7. || Dan. x. 17. ¶ MOD, DA, e, introitus, ingressus, congressus, congregatio. צא BATH-KOL-ROME. 159 "The deliverer of Israel,' I heard a voice speak 66 ing into mine ears, and it was that of my own " rabbi speaking*, and it said unto me, ' And Seir "shall be a possession for his enemiest.' And on "the blessing, 'The gatherer of the scattered of Israel,' I heard also the same voice, and it said, And Israel shall do valiantly ‡.' And on the 6 blessing, 'The king who loveth righteousness and "judgment,' I heard, Their foot shall slide in due times.' And at the blessing, 'The support and 66 66 6 safety unto the righteous,' I heard, And He "will repent himself concerning His servants .' "And on the blessing, 'The builder of Jerusalem,' "I heard, To me belongeth vengeance, and recompense¶.' And on the blessing, 'Who causeth "the horn of salvation to bud forth,' I heard, ‘And "Edom shall be a possession**.' And at the end of 66 my prayer I went into the city, and I went into "the house of the commander of the host, and I gave him the horse, and my goodly raiment††, and I "said unto him, 'I have in this country a beloved, The Rabbi והיא מהרבי שלי ויאמר אלי Like an echo * heard abi, a sort of oracle, on repeating the eighteen blessings in the daily prayer of the Jews. † Numb. xxiv. 18. § Deut. xxxii. 35. ¶ Deut. xxxii. 35. tt Gen. xxvii. 15. Deut. xxxii. 35. || Deut. xxxii. 36; Psalm cxxxv. 14. ** Numb. xxiv. 18. |