commence

For on the following day the minutes of the doings and sayings of the previous day are read over before business commence, and if there has been any irregularity, the matter is at once set right.

And Judah said unto Joseph, Surely it becometh thee and thy people to fear me; as the Lord liveth if I once draw my sword I shall not sheathe it again until I shall this day have slain all Egypt, and I will commence with thee and finish with Pharaoh thy master.

And when they insisted on their law, and the custom of their country, and how it was not only not permitted them to make either an image of God, or indeed of a man, and to put it in any despicable part of their country, much less in the temple itself, Petronius replied, "And am not I also," said he, "bound to keep the law of my own lord? For if I transgress it, and spare you, it is but just that I perish; while he that sent me, and not I, will commence a war against you; for I am under command as well as you." Hereupon the whole multitude cried out that they were ready to suffer for their law. Petronius then quieted them, and said to them, "Will you then make war against Caesar?" The Jews said, "We offer sacrifices twice every day for Caesar, and for the Roman people;" but that if he would place the images among them, he must first sacrifice the whole Jewish nation; and that they were ready to expose themselves, together with their children and wives, to be slain. At this Petronius was astonished, and pitied them, on account of the inexpressible sense of religion the men were under, and that courage of theirs which made them ready to die for it; so they were dismissed without success.

While Josephus was making this exhortation to the Jews, many of them jested upon him from the wall, and many reproached him; nay, some threw their darts at him: but when he could not himself persuade them by such open good advice, he betook himself to the histories belonging to their own nation, and cried out aloud, "O miserable creatures! are you so unmindful of those that used to assist you, that you will fight by your weapons and by your hands against the Romans? When did we ever conquer any other nation by such means? and when was it that God, who is the Creator of the Jewish people, did not avenge them when they had been injured? Will not you turn again, and look back, and consider whence it is that you fight with such violence, and how great a Supporter you have profanely abused? Will not you recall to mind the prodigious things done for your forefathers and this holy place, and how great enemies of yours were by him subdued under you? I even tremble myself in declaring the works of God before your ears, that are unworthy to hear them; however, hearken to me, that you may be informed how you fight not only against the Romans, but against God himself. In old times there was one Necao, king of Egypt, who was also called Pharaoh; he came with a prodigious army of soldiers, and seized queen Sarah, the mother of our nation. What did Abraham our progenitor then do? Did he defend himself from this injurious person by war, although he had three hundred and eighteen captains under him, and an immense army under each of them? Indeed he deemed them to be no number at all without God's assistance, and only spread out his hands towards this holy place, which you have now polluted, and reckoned upon him as upon his invincible supporter, instead of his own army. Was not our queen sent back, without any defilement, to her husband, the very next evening?--while the king of Egypt fled away, adoring this place which you have defiled by shedding thereon the blood of your own countrymen; and he also trembled at those visions which he saw in the night season, and bestowed both silver and gold on the Hebrews, as on a people beloved by God. Shall I say nothing, or shall I mention the removal of our fathers into Egypt, who, when they were used tyrannically, and were fallen under the power of foreign kings for four hundred years together, and might have defended themselves by war and by fighting, did yet do nothing but commit themselves to God! Who is there that does not know that Egypt was overrun with all sorts of wild beasts, and consumed by all sorts of distempers? how their land did not bring forth its fruit? how the Nile failed of water? how the ten plagues of Egypt followed one upon another? and how by those means our fathers were sent away under a guard, without any bloodshed, and without running any dangers, because God conducted them as his peculiar servants? Moreover, did not Palestine groan under the ravage the Assyrians made, when they carried away our sacred ark? as did their idol Dagon, and as also did that entire nation of those that carried it away, how they were smitten with a loathsome distemper in the secret parts of their bodies, when their very bowels came down together with what they had eaten, till those hands that stole it away were obliged to bring it back again, and that with the sound of cymbals and timbrels, and other oblations, in order to appease the anger of God for their violation of his holy ark. It was God who then became our General, and accomplished these great things for our fathers, and this because they did not meddle with war and fighting, but committed it to him to judge about their affairs. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, brought along with him all Asia, and encompassed this city round with his army, did he fall by the hands of men? were not those hands lifted up to God in prayers, without meddling with their arms, when an angel of God destroyed that prodigious army in one night? when the Assyrian king, as he rose the next day, found a hundred fourscore and five thousand dead bodies, and when he, with the remainder of his army, fled away from the Hebrews, though they were unarmed, and did not pursue them. You are also acquainted with the slavery we were under at Babylon, where the people were captives for seventy years; yet were they not delivered into freedom again before God made Cyrus his gracious instrument in bringing it about; accordingly they were set free by him, and did again restore the worship of their Deliverer at his temple. And, to speak in general, we can produce no example wherein our fathers got any success by war, or failed of success when without war they committed themselves to God. When they staid at home, they conquered, as pleased their Judge; but when they went out to fight, they were always disappointed: for example, when the king of Babylon besieged this very city, and our king Zedekiah fought against him, contrary to what predictions were made to him by Jeremiah the prophet, he was at once taken prisoner, and saw the city and the temple demolished. Yet how much greater was the moderation of that king, than is that of your present governors, and that of the people then under him, than is that of you at this time! for when Jeremiah cried out aloud, how very angry God was at them, because of their transgressions, and told them they should be taken prisoners, unless they would surrender up their city, neither did the king nor the people put him to death; but for you, [to pass over what you have done within the city, which I am not able to describe as your wickedness deserves,] you abuse me, and throw darts at me, who only exhort you to save yourselves, as being provoked when you are put in mind of your sins, and cannot bear the very mention of those crimes which you every day perpetrate. For another example, when Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, lay before this city, and had been guilty of many indignities against God, and our forefathers met him in arms, they then were slain in the battle, this city was plundered by our enemies, and our sanctuary made desolate for three years and six months. And what need I bring any more examples? Indeed what can it be that hath stirred up an army of the Romans against our nation? Is it not the impiety of the inhabitants? Whence did our servitude commence? Was it not derived from the seditions that were among our forefathers, when the madness of Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, and our mutual quarrels, brought Pompey upon this city, and when God reduced those under subjection to the Romans who were unworthy of the liberty they had enjoyed? After a siege, therefore, of three months, they were forced to surrender themselves, although they had not been guilty of such offenses, with regard to our sanctuary and our laws, as you have; and this while they had much greater advantages to go to war than you have. Do not we know what end Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, came to, under whose reign God provided that this city should be taken again upon account of the people's offenses? When Herod, the son of Antipater, brought upon us Sosius, and Sosius brought upon us the Roman army, they were then encompassed and besieged for six months, till, as a punishment for their sins, they were taken, and the city was plundered by the enemy. Thus it appears that arms were never given to our nation, but that we are always given up to be fought against, and to be taken; for I suppose that such as inhabit this holy place ought to commit the disposal of all things to God, and then only to disregard the assistance of men when they resign themselves up to their Arbitrator, who is above. As for you, what have you done of those things that are recommended by our legislator? and what have you not done of those things that he hath condemned? How much more impious are you than those who were so quickly taken! You have not avoided so much as those sins that are usually done in secret; I mean thefts, and treacherous plots against men, and adulteries. You are quarrelling about rapines and murders, and invent strange ways of wickedness. Nay, the temple itself is become the receptacle of all, and this Divine place is polluted by the hands of those of our own country; which place hath yet been reverenced by the Romans when it was at a distance from them, when they have suffered many of their own customs to give place to our law. And, after all this, do you expect Him whom you have so impiously abused to be your supporter? To be sure then you have a right to be petitioners, and to call upon Him to assist you, so pure are your hands! Did your king [Hezekiah] lift up such hands in prayer to God against the king of Assyria, when he destroyed that great army in one night? And do the Romans commit such wickedness as did the king of Assyria, that you may have reason to hope for the like vengeance upon them? Did not that king accept of money from our king on this condition, that he should not destroy the city, and yet, contrary to the oath he had taken, he came down to burn the temple? while the Romans do demand no more than that accustomed tribute which our fathers paid to their fathers; and if they may but once obtain that, they neither aim to destroy this city, nor to touch this sanctuary; nay, they will grant you besides, that your posterity shall be free, and your possessions secured to you, and will preserve our holy laws inviolate to you. And it is plain madness to expect that God should appear as well disposed towards the wicked as towards the righteous, since he knows when it is proper to punish men for their sins immediately; accordingly he brake the power of the Assyrians the very first night that they pitched their camp. Wherefore, had he judged that our nation was worthy of freedom, or the Romans of punishment, he had immediately inflicted punishment upon those Romans, as he did upon the Assyrians, when Pompey began to meddle with our nation, or when after him Sosius came up against us, or when Vespasian laid waste Galilee, or, lastly, when Titus came first of all near to this city; although Magnus and Sosius did not only suffer nothing, but took the city by force; as did Vespasian go from the war he made against you to receive the empire; and as for Titus, those springs that were formerly almost dried up when they were under your power since he is come, run more plentifully than they did before; accordingly, you know that Siloam, as well as all the other springs that were without the city, did so far fail, that water was sold by distinct measures; whereas they now have such a great quantity of water for your enemies, as is sufficient not only for drink both for themselves and their cattle, but for watering their gardens also. The same wonderful sign you had also experience of formerly, when the forementioned king of Babylon made war against us, and when he took the city, and burnt the temple; while yet I believe the Jews of that age were not so impious as you are. Wherefore I cannot but suppose that God is fled out of his sanctuary, and stands on the side of those against whom you fight. Now even a man, if he be but a good man, will fly from an impure house, and will hate those that are in it; and do you persuade yourselves that God will abide with you in your iniquities, who sees all secret things, and hears what is kept most private? Now what crime is there, I pray you, that is so much as kept secret among you, or is concealed by you? nay, what is there that is not open to your very enemies? for you show your transgressions after a pompous manner, and contend one with another which of you shall be more wicked than another; and you make a public demonstration of your injustice, as if it were virtue. However, there is a place left for your preservation, if you be willing to accept of it; and God is easily reconciled to those that confess their faults, and repent of them. O hard-hearted wretches as you are! cast away all your arms, and take pity of your country already going to ruin; return from your wicked ways, and have regard to the excellency of that city which you are going to betray, to that excellent temple with the donations of so many countries in it. Who could bear to be the first that should set that temple on fire? who could be willing that these things should be no more? and what is there that can better deserve to be preserved? O insensible creatures, and more stupid than are the stones themselves! And if you cannot look at these things with discerning eyes, yet, however, have pity upon your families, and set before every one of your eyes your children, and wives, and parents, who will be gradually consumed either by famine or by war. I am sensible that this danger will extend to my mother, and wife, and to that family of mine who have been by no means ignoble, and indeed to one that hath been very eminent in old time; and perhaps you may imagine that it is on their account only that I give you this advice; if that be all, kill them; nay, take my own blood as a reward, if it may but procure your preservation; for I am ready to die, in case you will but return to a sound mind after my death."

But observe inviolably that thou commence nothing while the Moon is in conjunction with the Sun, seeing that this is extremely unfortunate, and that thou wilt then be able to effect nothing; but the Moon quitting his beams and increasing in Light, thou canst perform all that thou desirest, observing nevertheless the directions in this chapter.

After which let him turn again towards the four quarters of the Earth, and towards each let him utter the following words: Behold the symbols and names of the creator, which give unto ye forever terror and fear. Obey then, by the virtue of these holy names, and by these Mysteries of Mysteries. After this he shall see the spirits come from every side. But in case they are occupied in some other place, or that they cannot come, or that they are unwilling to come: then let him commence afresh to invoke them after the following manner, and let the exorcist be assured that even were they bound with chains of iron, and with fire, they could not refrain from coming to accomplish his will.

But if, on the contrary, they do not yet make their appearance, holding the consecrated knife in the right hand, and the pentacles being uncovered by the removal of their consecrated covering, strike and beat the air with the knife as if wishing to commence a combat, comfort and exhort thy companions, and then in a loud and stern voice repeat the following conjuration:—

It is necessary to have a chamber or cabinet specially set apart and newly cleaned, wherein thou canst remain without interruption, the which having entered with thy companions, thou shalt incense and perfume it with the odours and perfumes of the art. The sky should be clear and serene. It is necessary that thou shouldest have one or more pieces of virgin paper prepared and arranged ready, as we shall tell you more fully later on, in its place. Thou shalt commence the writing or construction of the pentacles in the hour aforesaid. Among other things, thou shalt chiefly use these colours: Gold, cinnabar or vermilion red, and celestial or brilliant azure blue. Furthermore, thou shalt make these medals or pentacles with exorcised pen and colours, as we shall hereafter show thee. Whensoever thou constructest them, if thou canst complete them in the hour wherein thou didst begin them, it is better. However, if it be absolutely necessary to interrupt the work, thou shouldest await the proper day and hour before re-commencing it.

ARACHIO, ASAC, ASACRA, BEDRIMULAL, FILAT, ARABONAS, IERABILEM, IODODOC, ACHAZEL, ZOPHIEL, PLAUTEL, BARACATA, EDONIEL, ELOY, EMAGRO, ABRAXATE, DREBARACH, ZAMUEL, CADAT, ERA, ELY EXA, AMISTRA, MACHED, DANIEL, DAMA, ELAMOS, BRACHEL, BEEL, SEGEN, GEMON, DEMAS. O Lord God, who art seated upon the Heavens, and who regardest the abysses beneath, grant unto me thy grace I beseech thee, so that what I conceive in my mind I may accomplish in my work, through thee, O God, the sovereign ruler of all, who livest and reignest unto the ages of the ages. Amen. These three days having passed, thou must have all things in readiness, as hath been said, and after this a day appointed and set apart. It will be necessary for thee to wait for the hour in which thou shouldst commence the operation; but when once it shall be commenced at this hour, thou shalt be able to continue it unto the end, seeing that it deriveth its force and virtue from its beginning, which extendeth to and spreadeth over the succeeding hours, so that the master of the art will be enabled to complete his work so as to arrive at the desired result.

During the three last days before the commencement of this action, thou shalt content thyself with only eating fasting diet, and that only once in the day; and it will be better still if thou only partakest of bread and water. Thou shalt also abstain from every impure thing; reciting the prayer above written. And on the last day, when thou shalt wish to commence the Operation, thou shalt remain all day without eating, and later on thou shalt go into a secret place, where thou shalt confess all thy sins unto God with a contrite heart. The Disciples also, together with the Master, shall recite the same Confession with a low but distinct voice, as hath been already said in the First Book.

The which being done, thou shalt go unto the ordained place with thy companions, and all things being prepared, thou shalt make the circle, as hath been already said, with all other necessary ceremonies; then shalt thou commence to invoke the spirits by the exorcisms; thou shalt also repeat anew the foregoing confession as hath been already said in the first book. After which, in sign of amendment and of repentance, each shall mutually kiss the other.

After this perfume the vestments with the perfumes and suffumigations of the Art, and sprinkle them with the water and hyssop of the Art. But when the master and his disciples shall commence to robe themselves after the first Psalm, and before continuing with the others, he should pronounce these words:— ANCOR, AMATOR, AMIDES, THEODONIAS, PANCOR, PLAGOR, ANITOR; through the merits of these holy angels will I robe and indue myself with the vestments of power, through which may I conduct unto the desired end those things which I ardently wish, through thee, O most holy ADONAI, whose kingdom and empire endureth for ever. Amen.

After this let the magus commence his incantations, having placed the knife upright in the ground at his feet. Having sounded the trumpet towards the East as before taught let him invoke the spirits, and if need he conjure them, as is said in the first book, and having attained his desired effect, let him license them to depart.

May holy MICHAEL the archangel of God, and MUTIEL and MINIEL, the chiefs and captains of the celestial army, be my aid in the operation I am about to perform, so that I may write herewith all things which are necessary, and that all the experiments which I commence herewith may through you and through your names be perfected by the power of the most high Creator. Amen.

O God, who drewest Moses, thy well beloved and thine elect, from among the reeds on the marshy banks of the Nile, and from the waters, he being yet but a child, grant unto me through thy great mercy and compassion that this reed may receive power and virtue to effect that which I desire through thy holy name and the names of thy holy angels. Amen. This being done, thou shalt commence with this knife to flay the animal, whether it be virgin or unborn, saying:—

In whatsoever place ye may be, ye spirits, who are invited to this feast, come ye and be ready to receive our offerings, presents, and sacrifices, and ye shall have hereafter yet more agreeable oblations. Perfume the viands with sweet incense, and sprinkle them with exorcised water; then commence to conjure the spirits until they shall come. This is the manner of making sacrifices in all arts and operations wherein it is necessary, and acting thus, the spirits will be prompt to serve thee. Here endeth our Key, the which if thou thoroughly instillest into thy memory, thou shalt be able, if it pleaseth thee, even to fly with the wings of the wind. But if thou takest little heed hereof, and despiseth this book, never shalt thou attain unto the desired end in any magical experiment or operation whatsoever. For in this book is comprised all science of magical art, and it should be strictly kept by thee. And hereunto is the end of our Key, in the name of God the righteous, the merciful, and the eternal, who liveth and reigneth throughout the ages. Amen.

“And those measurements have been included within certain limitations, in order that they should not be confounded with each other. (Others read the passage thus: Because they are communicated unto the inferiors. For this have we been taught. The hairs commence before the ears, because they have been separated, and are not to be mingled with the others,” &c.)

And all those powers, Geboran, commence to descend from the nose. And from it depend a thousand times a thousand and four hundred myriads in their single (forms).

Abbai said to him : What is there excellent in this? Behold, Rab Kahana has said in the name of Rab : One need not commence [the third paragraph at all] ; but if he has commenced it, he must finish it ! Shouldest thou argue that [to say the words] "And thou shalt say unto them" is not commencing, behold Rab Samuel b. Isaac has declared in the name of Rab : "Speak unto the children of Israel" is not considered a commencement, but "And thou shalt say unto them" is to be so regarded !

Abbai said : Therefore we commence as they commence in the West, and since we have commenced, we also complete it ; for Rab Kahana said in the name of Rab : One need not commence it ; but if he has commenced it, he must finish it.

Abbai said : Therefore we commence as they commence in the West, and since we have commenced, we also complete it ; for Rab Kahana said in the name of Rab : One need not commence it ; but if he has commenced it, he must finish it.

Abbai said : Therefore we commence as they commence in the West, and since we have commenced, we also complete it ; for Rab Kahana said in the name of Rab : One need not commence it ; but if he has commenced it, he must finish it.

Having buried the dead and returned [from the grave], if they have sufficient time to begin and finish [the Shema'] before arriving at the row, they should commence it ; but if they have not sufficient time, they should not commence it.

Having buried the dead and returned [from the grave], if they have sufficient time to begin and finish [the Shema'] before arriving at the row, they should commence it ; but if they have not sufficient time, they should not commence it.

Having buried the dead and returned, etc. If they are able to begin and finish the whole, yes ; but if only one paragraph or one verse, are they not [to commence it]? Against this conclusion I quote : Having buried the dead and returned, if they are able to begin and complete even one paragraph or one verse [they should commence it] !

Having buried the dead and returned, etc. If they are able to begin and finish the whole, yes ; but if only one paragraph or one verse, are they not [to commence it]? Against this conclusion I quote : Having buried the dead and returned, if they are able to begin and complete even one paragraph or one verse [they should commence it] !

Here likewise it means that ... if they are able to begin and finish one paragraph or even one verse, before reaching the row, they should begin ; but if not, they should not commence it.

Rab Huna said : Should one enter a Synagogue and find the Congregation saying the Tefillah, if he is able to commence and finish before the Precentor reaches the words "We give thanks unto Thee," he should say the Tefillah; but if not, he should not say it. R. Joshua b. Levi said : If he is able to commence and finish before the Precentor reaches the "Sanctification," he should say the Tefillah ; but if not, he should not say it.

Rab Huna said : Should one enter a Synagogue and find the Congregation saying the Tefillah, if he is able to commence and finish before the Precentor reaches the words "We give thanks unto Thee," he should say the Tefillah; but if not, he should not say it. R. Joshua b. Levi said : If he is able to commence and finish before the Precentor reaches the "Sanctification," he should say the Tefillah ; but if not, he should not say it.

What, then, does it signify? "Until" and including. Then the difficulty in the first clause remains, viz. : What is the point of variance between R. Judah and the Rabbis? Dost thou hold the opinion that when R. Judah mentioned "The middle of the afternoon" he meant the second half? He meant the first half, and he must be understood to say : When does the first half conclude and the latter half commence? At the expiration of the eleventh hour less a quarter.

R. Zera was ill. R. Abbahu went in to visit him, and took [a vow] upon himself, "If the little one with the scorched legs recovers, I will make a joyous day for the Rabbis." He did recover, and R. Abbahu made a feast for all the Rabbis. When it was time to commence the meal, he said to R. Zera, "Let the master begin for us." He replied, "Does not the master hold with R. Johanan's statement, 'The master of the house should break the bread'?" He commenced for them.

and in others one concludes with "Blessed" but does not commence with it. Since one opens the benediction "Who art kind and dealest kindly" with "Blessed" but does not conclude with it, the inference is that it is a benediction by itself.

[Rab Sheshet asked the Exilarch], "With whom do [the Persians] commence to wash previous to the meal ?" He replied, "With the chief guest."

"With whom do they commence to wash at the conclusion of the meal?" He answered, "With the person of least importance."

Rab Sheshet said [to the Exilarch] : I know a teaching, viz. : What is the procedure of reclining ? When there are two couches, the more important person reclines first, and the other below him. When there are three couches, the chief person reclines first, the next important above him, and the third below him. They begin the washing previous to the meal with the chief guest. As for the washing at the conclusion of the meal, when there are five, they commence with the chief guest; but when there are a hundred they commence with the person of least importance until they reach the last five, and then they commence with the principal guest. To whom the water after the meal returns, [the privilege of saying] Grace likewise returns.

Rab Sheshet said [to the Exilarch] : I know a teaching, viz. : What is the procedure of reclining ? When there are two couches, the more important person reclines first, and the other below him. When there are three couches, the chief person reclines first, the next important above him, and the third below him. They begin the washing previous to the meal with the chief guest. As for the washing at the conclusion of the meal, when there are five, they commence with the chief guest; but when there are a hundred they commence with the person of least importance until they reach the last five, and then they commence with the principal guest. To whom the water after the meal returns, [the privilege of saying] Grace likewise returns.

Rab Sheshet said [to the Exilarch] : I know a teaching, viz. : What is the procedure of reclining ? When there are two couches, the more important person reclines first, and the other below him. When there are three couches, the chief person reclines first, the next important above him, and the third below him. They begin the washing previous to the meal with the chief guest. As for the washing at the conclusion of the meal, when there are five, they commence with the chief guest; but when there are a hundred they commence with the person of least importance until they reach the last five, and then they commence with the principal guest. To whom the water after the meal returns, [the privilege of saying] Grace likewise returns.

Rab once came to Babylonia and, noticing that the people were reciting the Hallel on New Moon, intended to interrupt them, but seeing that they skipped over some portions thereof he concluded that they were following a custom of their ancestors. It was taught that individuals need not commence the recital of the Hallel on New Moon, but having commenced they may finish it.