Jew- ish sages: The great Akiba tells us: 'Whosoever neglects the duty of visiting the sick is guilty of shedding blood. Even so, this amiable man with the long mustaches was sweat- ing, not because of the heat, but because of intricate and danger- ous plans in which he was involved. They moved through the cold early light like ghosts, their eyes trans- fixed and their feet shuffling with no apparent purpose but with a constant forward impulse. Abulatia had ignored a strict interpretation of the Mosaic law, and Eliezer felt that the spiritual foundations of Judaism were under attack.
But he had to grant that the effect was strong. At the critical moment, as had so often happened in Acre's history, substantial reinforcements were at hand. He then prayed for nearly an hour, struggling with the con- cepts of God, of Torah and of law. But if the syna- gogue was that big, it had to serve about eight hundred fifty Jews.
Join the newsletter to receive news, updates, new products and freebies in your inbox.