n. 4.
His wife's daughter. 5. Her son's daughter. 6. Her daughter's daughter.
7. His mother-in-law. 8. The mother of his mother-in-law. 9. The mother
of his father-in-law, and so forth.

2. TREATISE ON VOWS (_Nedarim_). No. 3 in order.

The Scriptures Given as a Punishment for Men's Sin.

_G._ If the Israelites had not been guilty of sin they would never have
required more Scripture than the Pentateuch and the Book of Joshua. The
last is indispensable as it records the way in which the land was
divided among the Israelites. The other Scriptures (the Prophets and the
Writing) because in much wisdom there is grief. (Eccles. i, 18).

3. TREATISE ON BETROTHALS (_Qidushin_). No. 7 in order.

The Families Who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

_M._ Ten kinds of families left Babylon for Palestine after the edict of
Cyrus went forth in B.C. 538 permitting the nation to return. These were
as follows: 1. Priests. 2. Levites. 3. Israelites. 4. Degraded Priests
(lit. profaned ones). 5. Proselytes (19). 6. Freedmen. 7. Bastards. 8.
Netinim. 9. Those of unknown lineage. 10. Foundlings. The three first
are allowed to intermarry: the last six may also intermarry. All those
whose mother is known but not their father are said to be of unknown
lineage. A foundling is one picked up in the streets whose parents are
both unknown.

The Evil of Idolatry.

_G_. The worship of idols is so grave a sin that he who renounces or
disavows it does as much as if he confessed his belief in the whole law.

Sons More Desirable than Daughters.

_G_. The world cannot exist without males and females, yet blessed is he
whose children are boys, and unlucky he whose children are girls. Cf.
Baba Bathra, p. 113, col. I:--"Whoever does not leave a son to be heir,
God will heap wrath upon him."

_IV.--CONCERNING PENALTIES_ (NEZIKIN)

[In this division the principal part of the civil and criminal court of
the Hebrews is included. See especially the treatise "Sanhedrin."]

1. TREATISE CALLED LIT. Chap. I, or THE FIRST GATE. (20)(Heb. _Baba
Qama_.)

Damages to be made good by those responsible for them.

_M_. There are four principal causes of damage to life and property. I.
The Ox. 2. The Uncovered Pit. 3. The Man who sets fire to anything. 4.
The Fire which starts of its own accord through neglect.

Whenever damage is done in any of these four ways the one that is
responsible for it must make the loss good.

_G_. The Rabbis teach