277 



prepared for this especial purpose by a Jew. If prepared by 

 a Gentile, or even by a Jew, if not destined from the be- 

 ginning for this especial purpose, it cannot be used for writ- 

 ing the Law. And there exists a curious rule, a remnant 

 of the ancient hatred between the Jews and Samaritans, viz., 

 that a copy of the Law written by a Samaritan must be 

 burned ; a copy written by a Gentile, or by an Apostate Jew, 

 or by a slave, or a woman, or even by a minor not yet of age, 

 must be buried. 



The fragment exhibited to the Academy is probably part 

 of a MS. which possessed some of these ceremonial defects, 

 and was therefore buried. But there are also other defects 

 besides those mentioned, of a much more minute and unim- 

 portant nature, such as clerical errors or inaccuracies of va- 

 rious kinds, which rendered a Pentateuch unfit for synagogue 

 use, although not altogether profane, or unfit for all use. Such 

 MSS. were sometimes employed in schools to instruct chil- 

 dren, and to prepare young men for the office of synagogue 

 readers. When worn out, or so far injured as to be unfit for 

 this purpose, they were buried with the dead, inclosed in a 

 vessel of earthenware, and placed in the hand or on the breast 

 of the corpse. But this was always regarded as a high com- 

 pliment to the deceased, and an evidence of the esteem in 

 which his moral and religious character was held by his bre- 

 thren. Tradition says that this custom was first introduced 

 at the burial of King Hezekiah, and that this was the peculiar 

 honour which the Scripture says was paid him by the nation. 

 (2 Chron. xxxii. 33.) A copy of the law was laid on his breast, 

 and proclamation was made, PIK} iVDB? HE fit D^p. " He 

 had fulfilled what is written therein."* 



As an illustration of this class of Hebrew MSS., Dr. Todd 

 exhibited two fac similes of MSS. recently found at a syna- 

 gogue of Chinese Jews, at a place called K'ae-fung-foo, the 



* Wagenseil. Sota. p. 310. 



