Page:Domestic Life in Palestine.pdf/443

436 The history of poor Shaayea, and many somewhat similar circumstances which I had witnessed, prove to me that the Oriental Jews still regard blessings and curses with great awe. Even a blessing pronounced by mistake was declared by Jacob to be irrevocable, and Balak entreated Balaam to "curse the people of Israel," as if he thoroughly believed that a curse would act as a charm, and alter and determine the course of events. Shaayea's case is one example, out of many which I could give, of the excessive fear with which Christians are regarded by Oriental Jews, especially by the Jews of Northern Syria. This is a sad and striking proof that the Christianity of the East is not the world embracing, harmonizing Christianity which Christ taught.