[1] Lit., “The accepting of the yoke of the heaven’s dominion;” “The accepting of the yoke of the precepts.” The expression “yoke” is here by no means derogatory. It simply indicates the duty which in the one case “the dominion of heaven,” and in the other case “the Divine precepts,” impose upon us. ↑ [a] [b]
[2] Hebrew titles of books are often fanciful names, which more or less distinctly imply either the nature or contents of the books, or the name of their authors. The Hebrew names for the fourteen books of Mishneh-torah are as follows: (1) מדע “Knowledge;” (2) אהבה “Love;” (3) זמנים “Seasons;” (4) נשים “Women;” (5) קדושה “Sanctification;” (6) הפלאה “Distinction;” (7) זרעים “Seeds;” (8) עבודה “Service;” (9) קרבנות “Sacrifices;” (10) טהרה “Purity;” (11) נזיקין “Damages;” (12) קנין “Acquisition:” (13) משפטים “Disputes;” (14) שופטים “Judges.” Rabbenu Jakob calls his work ארבעה טורים “Four Rows,” a name borrowed from Exod. xxviii. 17. The names of the four parts are: ארח חיים “Path of Life” (Ps. xvi. 11); יורה דעה “Teacher of knowledge” (Isa. xxviii. 9); אבן העזר “Stone of Help” (1 Sam. vii. 12, and Gen. ii. 18), and חשן משפט “Breastplate of Judgment” (Exod. xxviii. 15). [↑]
[3] I.e., if a person has no fear of God, he is himself the sole cause of its absence, and he alone is responsible for it. [↑]
[4] The words of the Mishnah are בכל מדה ומדה שהוא מודד לך הוי מודה לו מאד The meanings of three roots are combined in this interpretation of the words בכל מאדך viz., מאד “exceedingly,” מודד “measuring,” and מודה “thanking.” The three words are similar in sound. [↑]
[5] The term עיון תפלה (lit., “reflecting on prayer”) has two meanings: (1) reflecting on the prayer while uttering it; devotion; in German, Andacht; (2) reflecting on the prayer after having uttered it, while we are waiting for the sure fulfilment of the wishes expressed in it. [↑]
[6] In the whole Book of Esther the name of God does not occur even once. It is not mere chance; there are several passages where the mention of the Divine Being is expected, and it is believed that the omission is due to the fear of a subsequent desecration of the book in the hands of the Persians. [↑]
[7] I.e., the word consisting of four letters, yod, hé, vav and hé. [↑]
[8] E.g., by giving bad advice and transgressing the law, “Thou shalt not put a stumbling block before the blind” (Lev. xix. 14). [↑]
[9] Comp. the saying, לא עכברא גמבא אלא חורא “Not the mouse is the thief, but the hole.” [↑]
[10] Those who become security for a stranger are blamed (Prov. vi. 1 seq.) as acting rashly, and foolishly endangering their peace and welfare. [↑]