The Morning Star And Catholic Messenger

A Man Selling for Money his Share in the Future Life.—Before a court in the province of Pesth, Hungary, a suit was pending, in which an aged Jew was to make a statement under oath. He was ready to take the oath when another Jew arose and protested against it: 'This man dare not take an oath.' 'Why not?' asked the judge. 'There exists a Hebrew prayer which contains the sentence, that every Jew has a share in the life to come.' It is now about twenty years ago, whilst I was present, when the man who is now about to take an oath sold his 'share in the life to come,' guaranteed to him in the prayer, to another Jew, Mr. Y., who paid him a certain amount of money for it. As he, therefore, cannot count any longer on a future existence, he has nothing to fear or hope for in the life to come; it must be certainly indifferent to him whether to swear to a truth or a falsehood.' The matter was examined into, and as the strange transaction was found to have taken place in reality, the court granted the protest of the old man, and the party who sold his 'share in the life to come,' was declared incapable of taking an oath.—Jewish Times.