Crossing Into Italy, He Went By Land To Rome And
Lucca.
He afterwards crossed the Alps, and passed through a great part of
Germany, mentioning, in his remarks, the great
Multitudes of Jews who were
settled in the numerous cities of that extensive empire, insisting at large
on their wealth, and generosity, and hospitality to their distressed
brethren, and gives a particular detail of the manner in which they were
received. He informs us, that at the entertainments of the Jews they
encourage each other to persist in hoping for the coming of their Messiah,
when the tribes of Israel shall be gathered under his command, and
conducted back into their own country. Until this long expected event shall
arrive, they hold it their duty to persevere in their obedience to the law
of Moses, to lament with tears the destruction of Jerusalem and Zion, and
to beseech the Almighty to pity them in their affliction, and restore them
at his appointed time. He asserts that his countrymen are not only settled
in all the provinces and cities of the German empire, but through all the
countries of the north, to the very extremities of Russia; and describes
that country as so cold in winter that the inhabitants could not stir out
of doors. He tells us that France, which the Rabbins call Tzorphat, is full
of the disciples of the wise men, who study the law day and night, and are
extremely charitable to their distressed brethren; and concludes with an
earnest prayer to God, to remember his promise to the children of Israel,
to return unto them, and to reassemble them from among all the nations,
through which, in his wrath, he has dispersed them.
Towards the end of his travels[33], Benjamin mentions that Prague in
Bohemia is the beginning of Sclavonia. In speaking of the Russian empire,
he says it extends from the gates of Prague to the gates of [Hebrew]
Phin, a large town at the beginning of the kingdom. In that country the
animals called [Hebrew] Wairegres, and [Hebrew] Neblinatz are found.
Interpreters disagree about the meaning of these words. But it clearly
appears that Phin is no other than Kiow, then the capital of the
Russian empire; and we should therefore read [Hebrew:] Chiw: and indeed
the interpreters might easily have supposed that the word was wrong
written, from its wanting the final nun. Russia has always been famous
for its gray foxes or gray squirrels, which, in the Russian language, are
called [Hebrew] in the Hebrew text, therefore, of Benjamin, we should read
[Hebrew] Waiwerges, which as nearly resembles the Russian word, as a
Spanish Jew could possibly write it. The name of the other animal should be
written [Hebrew] Zeblinatz, by which are meant Sables. Jordanis had
before this called these skins Sapphilinias pelles. - Forst.
[1] Harris, I. 545. Forster, 91.
[2] So named as descended from Javan: the Jewish writers affecting to
employ scripture names for modern countries and nations.
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