Book: Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and

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A joyous day dawned for her; the man she loved returned, and when he
learned that others had doubted and asked her how she had preserved her
faith, she showed his letters to him, declaring her eternal trust.

Israel, in misery and captivity, was mocked by the nations; her hopes of
redemption were made a laughing-stock; her sages scoffed at; her holy
men derided. Into her synagogues, into her schools went Israel; she read
the letters which her God had written, and believed in the holy promises
which they contained.

God will in time redeem her; and when He says:--

"How could you alone be faithful of all the mocking nations?"

She will point to the law and answer:--

"Had not Thy law been my delight, I should long since have perished in
my affliction."

* * * * *

When God was about to created man the angels gathered about him. Some of
them opening their lips exclaimed, "Create, O God, a being who shall
praise Thee from earth even as we in heaven sing Thy glory."

But others said:--

"Hear us, Almighty King, create no more! The glorious harmony of the
heavens which Thou hast sent to earth will be by man disturbed,
destroyed."

Then silence fell upon the contesting hosts as the Angel of Mercy
appeared before the throne of grace on bended knees.

Sweet was the voice which said entreatingly:--

"O, Father, create Thou man; make him Thine own noble image. With
heavenly pity will I fill his heart, with sympathy toward every living
thing impress his being; through him will they find cause to praise
Thee."

Then the Angel of Mercy ceased, and the Angel of Peace with tearful eyes
spoke thus:--

"O God, create him not! Thy peace he will disturb, the flow of blood,
will follow sure his coming. Confusion, horror, war, will blot the
earth, and Thou wilt no longer find a pleasant place among Thy works on
earth."

Then spoke in stern tones the Angel of Justice:--

"And Thou wilt judge him, God; he shall be subject to my sway."

The Angel of Truth approached, saying:--

"Cease! O God of truth, with man Thou sendest falsehood to the earth."

Then all were silent, and out of the deep quietness the Divine words
came:--

"Thou, O Truth, shall go to earth with him, and yet remain a denizen of
heaven; 'twixt heaven and earth to float, connecting link between the
two."

* * * * *

It was customary in Bithar when a child was born for the parents to
plant a young cedar tree, to grow up with the infant. It happened upon
one occasion when the daughter of the emperor was riding through the
city, that her chariot broke down, and her attendants pulled up a young
cedar tree to use in repairing it. The man who had planted the tree,
seeing this, attacked the servants and beat them severely. This action
incensed the emperor, who immediately dispatched an army of eighty
thousand men against the city. These captured it and killed the
inhabitants, men, women, and children. The rivers ran red with blood,
and 'tis said that the ground was rich and prolific to the farmers for
seven years, from the bodies of those who perished, said to be four
hundred thousand Israelites.

* * * * *

When the guilt of the Israelites grew too great for the forbearance of
the Most High, and they refused to listen to the words and warnings of
Jeremiah, the prophet left Jerusalem and traveled to the land of
Benjamin. While he was in the holy city, and prayed for mercy on it, it
was spared; but while he sojourned in the land of Benjamin,
Nebuchadnezzar laid waste the land of Israel, plundered the holy Temple,
robbed it of its ornaments, and gave it a prey to the devouring flames.
By the hands of Nebuzaradan did Nebuchadnezzar send (while he himself
remained in Riblah) to destroy Jerusalem.

Before he ordered the expedition he endeavored by means of signs, in
accordance with the superstition of his age, to ascertain the result of
the attempt. He shot an arrow from his bow, pointing to the west, and
the arrow turned toward Jerusalem. Then he shot again, pointing toward
the east, and the arrow sped toward Jerusalem. Then he shot once more,
desiring to know in which direction lay the guilty city which should be
blotted from the world, and for the third time his arrow pointed toward
Jerusalem.

When the city had been captured, he marched with his princes and
officers into the Temple, and called out mockingly to the God of Israel,
"And art thou the great God before whom the world trembles, and we here
in thy city and thy Temple!"

On one of the walls he found the mark of an arrow's head, as though
somebody had been killed or hit near by, and he asked, "Who was killed
here?"

"Zachariah, the son of Yehoyadah, the high priest," answered the people;
"he rebuked us incessantly on account of our transgressions, and we
tired of his words, and put him to death."

The followers of Nebuchadnezzar massacred the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the priests and the people, old and young, women, and children who were
attending school, even babies in the cradle. The feast of blood at last
shocked even the leader of the hostile heathens, who ordered a stay of
this wholesale murder. He then removed all the vessels of gold and
silver from the Temple, and sent them by his ships, to Babel, after
which he set the Temple on fire.

The high priest donned his robe and ephod, and saying, "Now that the
Temple is destroyed, no priest is needed to officiate," threw himself
into the flames and was consumed. When the other priests who were still
alive witnessed this action, they took their harps and musical
instruments and followed the example of the high priest. Those of the
people whom the soldiers had not killed were bound in iron chains,
burdened with the spoils of the victors, and carried into captivity.
Jeremiah the prophet returned to Jerusalem and accompanied his
unfortunate brethren, who went out almost naked. When they reached a
place called Bet Kuro, Jeremiah obtained better clothing for them. And
he spoke to Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans, and said, "Think not that
of your own strength you were able to overcome the people chosen of the
Lord; 'tis their iniquities which have condemned them to this sorrow."

Thus the people journeyed on with crying and moaning until they reached
the rivers of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Sing, ye
people,--play for me,--sing the songs ye were wont to sing before your
great Lord in Jerusalem."

In answer to this command, the Levites hung their harps upon the willow
trees near the banks of the river, as it is written, "Upon the willows
in her midst had we hung up our harps." Then they said, "If we had but
performed the will of God and sung His praises devoutly, we should not
have been delivered into thy hands. Now, how can we sing before thee the
prayers and hymns that belong only to the One Eternal God?" as it is
said, "How should we sing the song of the Lord on the soil of the
stranger?"

Then said the officers of the captors, "These men are men of death; they
refuse to obey the order of the king; let them die."

But forth stepped Pelatya, the son of Yehoyadah, and thus he addressed
Nebuchadnezzar:--

"Behold, if a flock is delivered into the hands of a shepherd, and a
wolf steals a lamb from the flock, tell me, who is responsible to the
owner of the lost animal?"

"Surely the shepherd," replied Nebuchadnezzar.

"Then listen to thine own words," replied Pelatya. "God has given Israel
into thy hands; to Him art thou responsible for those who are slain."

The king ordered the chains to be removed from the captives, and they
were not put to death.

* * * * *

Through Kamtzah and Bar Kamtzah was Jerusalem destroyed; and thus it
happened.

A certain man made a feast; he was a friend of Kamtzah, but Bar Kamtzah
he hated. He sent a messenger to Kamtzah with an invitation to his
banquet, but this messenger making a mistake, delivered the invitation
to his master's enemy, Bar Kamtzah.

Bar Kamtzah accepted the invitation, and was on hand at the appointed
time, but when the host saw his enemy enter his house, he ordered him to
leave at once.

"Nay," said Bar Kamtzah, "now that I am here, do not so insult me as to
send me forth. I will pay thee for all that I may eat and drink."

"I want not thy money," returned the other, "neither do I desire thy
presence; get thee gone at once."

But Bar Kamtzah persisted.

"I will pay the entire expense of thy feast," he said; "do not let me be
degraded in the eyes of thy guests."

The host was determined, and Bar Kamtzah withdrew from the banquet-room
in anger.

"Many Rabbis were present," said he in his heart, "and not one of them
interfered in my behalf, therefore this insult which they saw put upon
me must have pleased them."

So Bar Kamtzah spoke treacherously of the Jews unto the king, saying,
"The Jews have rebelled against thee."

"How can I know this?" inquired the king.

"Send a sacrifice to their Temple and it will be rejected," replied Bar
Kamtzah.

The ruler then sent a well-conditioned calf to be sacrificed for him in
the Temple, but through the machinations of Bar Kamtzah the messenger
inflicted a blemish upon it, and, of course, not being fit for the
sacrifice it was not accepted.

Through this cause was Caesar sent to capture Jerusalem, and for two
years he besieged the city. Four wealthy citizens of Jerusalem had
stored up enough food to last the inhabitants a much longer time than
this, but the people being anxious to fight with the Romans, destroyed
the storehouses and brought dire famine upon the city.

A certain noble lady, Miriam, the daughter of Baythus, sent her servant
to purchase some flour for household use. The servant found that all the
flour had been sold, but there was still some meal which he might have
purchased. Hurrying home, however, to learn his mistress's wishes in
regard to this, he discovered on his return that this too had been sold,
and he could obtain nothing save some coarse barley meal. Not wishing to
purchase this without orders he returned home again, but when he
returned to the storehouse to secure the barley meal, that was gone
also. Then his mistress started out herself to purchase food, but she
could find nothing. Suffering from the pangs of hunger she picked from
the street the skin of a fig and ate it; this sickened her and she died.
But previous to her death she cast all her gold and silver into the
street, saying, "What use is this wealth to me when I can obtain no food
for it?" Thus were the words of Ezekiel fulfilled:--

"Their silver shall they cast into the streets."

After the destruction of the storehouses, Rabbi Jochanan in walking
through the city saw the populace boiling straw in water and drinking of
the same for sustenance. "Ah, woe is me for this calamity!" he
exclaimed; "how can such a people strive against a mighty host?" He
applied to Ben Batiach, his nephew, one of the chiefs of the city, for
permission to leave Jerusalem. But Ben Batiach replied, "It may not be;
no living body may leave the city." "Take me out then as a corpse,"
entreated Jochanan. Ben Batiach assented to this, and Jochanan was
placed in a coffin and carried through the gates of the city; Rabbi
Eleazer, Rabbi Joshua, and Ben Batiach acting as pall-bearers. The
coffin was placed in a cave, and after they had all returned to their
homes Jochanan arose from the coffin and made his way to the enemy's
camp. He obtained from the commander permission to establish an academy
in Jabna with Rabbon Gamliel as the principal.

Titus soon captured the city, killed many of the people, and sent the
others into exile. He entered the Temple, even in the Most Holy, and cut
down the veil which separated it from the less sacred precincts. He
seized the holy vessels, and sent them to Rome.

From this history of Kamtzah and Bar Kamtzah we should learn to be
careful of offending our neighbors, when in so slight a cause such great
results may originate. Our Rabbis have said that he who causes his
neighbor to blush through an insult, should be compared to the one who
sheds blood.

* * * * *

During the terrible times which followed the fall of the Holy City,
Hannah and her seven sons were cast into prison.

According to their ages they were brought before the tyrant conqueror,
and commanded to pay homage to him and his gods.

"God forbid," exclaimed the eldest lad, "that I should bow to thy image.
Our commandments say to us, 'I am the Lord thy God;' to no other will I
bow."

He was immediately led out to execution, and the same demand made of his
brother, the second son.

"My brother bowed not," he answered, "and no more will I."

"Wherefore not?" asked the tyrant.

"Because," replied the lad, "the second commandment of the Decalogue
tells us, 'Thou shalt have no other God but me.'"

His death followed immediately his brave words.

"My religion teaches me, 'Thou shalt worship no other God,'" said the
third son, "and I welcome the fate accorded to my brothers rather than
bow to thee or thy images."

The same homage was demanded of the fourth son, but brave and faithful
as his brethren, he replied, "'He that sacrificeth unto any God save
unto the Lord only,'" and was slain pitilessly.

"'Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God, the Lord is One,'" exclaimed the
fifth lad, yielding up his young life with the watchword of Israel's
hosts.

"Why art thou so obstinate?" was asked of the sixth brother, when he,
too, was brought before the tyrant and scorned the propositions made
him.

"'The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty and terrible God,'"
he said; and died for the principles he proclaimed.

Then the seventh and youngest boy was brought before the murderer of his
relatives, who addressed him kindly, saying:--

"My son, come bow before my gods."

And the child answered:--

"God forbid! Our holy religion teaches us 'Know therefore this day, and
reflect in thy heart that the Lord he is God, in the heavens above and
on the earth beneath there is none else.' Never will we exchange our God
for any other, neither will He exchange us for any other nation, for as
it is written, 'Thou hast this day acknowledged the Lord,' so is it also
written, 'And the Lord hath acknowledged thee this day, that thou art
unto him a peculiar people!'"

Still the tyrant spoke smoothly, and with kind words.

"Thou art young," he said; "thou hast seen but little of the pleasures
and joys of life, not as much as has fallen to the portion of thy
brethren. Do as I wish thee and thy future shall be bright and happy."

"The Lord will reign forever and ever," said the lad; "thy nation and
thy kingdom will be destroyed; thou art here to-day, to-morrow in the
grave; to-day elevated, to-morrow lowly; but the most Holy One endures
forever."

"See," continued the other, "thy brothers lie slain before thee; their
fate will be thine if thou refusest to do as I desire. See, I will cast
my ring to the ground, stoop thou and pick it up; that I will consider
allegiance to my gods."

"Thinkest thou that I fear thy threats?" returned the unterrified lad;
"why should I fear a human being more than the great God, the King of
kings?"

"Where and what is thy God?" asked the oppressor. "Is there a God in the
world?"

"Can there be a world without a Creator?" replied the youth. "Of thy
gods 'tis said, 'mouths they have, but speak not.' Of our God the
Psalmist says, 'By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.' Thy gods
have 'eyes but see not,' but 'the eyes of the Lord run to and fro in the
whole earth!' Thy gods have 'ears but hear not,' but of our God 'tis
written, 'The Lord hearkened and heard.' Of thy gods 'tis said, 'a nose
they have but smell not,' while our God 'smelled the sweet savor.'
'Hands have thy gods but they touch not,' while our God says, 'My hand
hath also founded the earth.' Of thy gods 'tis written, 'feet they have
but walk not,' while Zachariah tells us of our God, 'His feet will stand
that day upon the mount of Olives.'"

Then said the cruel one:--

"If thy God hath all these attributes, why does He not deliver thee from
my power?"

The lad replied:--

"He delivered Chananyah and his companions from the power of
Nebuchadnezzar, but they were righteous men, and Nebuchadnezzar was a
king deserving of seeing a miracle performed, but for me, alas, I am not
worthy of redemption, neither art thou worthy of a demonstration of
God's power."

"Let the lad be slain as were his brothers," commanded the tyrant.

Then spoke Hannah, the mother of the boys:--

"Give me my child," she cried, "oh, cruel king, let me fold him in my
arms ere thou destroyest his innocent young life."

She threw her arms around the lad, clasping him tightly to her bosom,
and pressing her lips to his. "Take my life," she cried; "kill me first
before my child."

"Nay," he answered, scoffingly, "I cannot do it, for thy own laws
forbid; 'Whether it be ox or sheep ye shall not kill it and its young in
one day.'"

"Oh, woe to thee," replied the mother, "thou who art so particular to
regard the laws." Then pressing her boy to her heart, "Go, my dear one,"
she said, "say to Abraham that my sacrifice hath exceeded his. He built
one altar whereon to sacrifice Isaac; thy mother hath built seven altars
and sacrificed seven Isaacs in one day. He was but tempted; thy mother
hath performed."

After the execution of her last son, Hannah became insane, and threw
herself from her house-top. Where she fell, she expired.

Happy are ye, ye seven sons of Hannah; your portion in the future world
was waiting for you. In faithfulness ye served your God, and with her
children shall your mother rejoice forever in the eternal world.

* * * * *

Moses Maimonides, one of the greatest of Jewish commentators, and a
descendant of Rabbi Judah, the compiler of the Mishna, was born in the
city of Cordova, Spain, March 30, 1135. His father was somewhat advanced
in life when he married, and it is said that he entered into the
conjugal state through having dreamed several successive times that he
was wedded to the daughter of a butcher in his neighborhood; the lady
whom he did actually marry.

Moses was the only child of this lady, who died shortly after his birth.
His father lamented her demise for about a year, and then married again,
several children being the result of this second union.

Moses displayed no love for study in his youth; a fact which grieved his
father much. All efforts to induce him to become more studious failed;
his brothers called him "the butcher's boy," as a term of reproach for
his dullness; and finally, in anger, his father drove him from his home.

While traveling, entirely friendless, Moses fell in with a learned
Rabbi, and admired his wisdom and knowledge so much that he resolved to
study zealously and emulate such attainments.

Many years after this a new preacher was announced to lecture in the
synagogue, at Cordova, upon a designated Sabbath. Numerous rumors of his
wonderful learning and eloquence were rife, and all were anxious to hear
him. In matter, delivery, earnestness, and effect, the sermon excelled
all that the people had before listened to, and to the amazement of
Maimonides the elder, and his sons, they recognized in the man all were
eager to honor, their outcast relative.

The first commentary of Maimonides is upon the Mishna, and it concludes
with these words:--

"I, Moses, the son of Maymon, commenced this commentary when
twenty-three years of age. I have finished it at the age of thirty in
the land of Egypt."

Maimonides fled from Spain to Cairo, in Egypt, from fanaticism and
persecution. There he studied the Greek and Chaldaic languages, becoming
master of both after seven years' attention. His fame spread through the
country. His scientific standing and his general knowledge were
universally recognized, and his books were not only valued by his
brethren in faith, but by all the cultured and enlightened of his day.

It is said that the king of Egypt appointed him as one of his staff of
physicians. The enlightened men of the kingdom were divided into seven
grades, each grade occupying a corresponding position near the throne of
the king on state occasions. The monarch considered Maimonides so much
superior to the others that he made for him a special position. This,
Moses, a modest man, declined. The other physicians, however, were
jealous of his high standing, and being unable to injure him openly,
they endeavored to accomplish his ruin in a secret manner.

The king was taken very sick, and Maimonides attended him. Taking
advantage of this, the physicians put poison in the draught which Moses
had prepared for him, and then informed the king that the latter
designed his death. To prove their words, they gave some of the mixture
to a dog, and the animal died.

The king was grieved and surprised, and Maimonides, struck dumb with
amazement, was unable to say a word.

"Death is the penalty for one who attempts to assassinate his ruler,"
said the king. "Choose now the mode of thy punishment."

Moses asked for three days for consideration, which the king granted.
During this time he prepared a certain mixture, and instructed his
pupils to have it ready and apply it according to his directions, when
he should be brought home senseless. He then appeared before the king,
and desired to have his veins opened. The vital artery was missed, as he
had anticipated, and the result was as he had foreseen. After his
recovery, he fled from Egypt, taking refuge in a cave, where he wrote
his _Yad Hazakah_ (the "Strong Hand"), consisting of fourteen divisions,
typified by the word _Yad_, which also means fourteen.

Maimonides simplified the Talmudical rules and traditions, making them
clear to the comprehension of all. He was the author of an exhaustive
work, entitled, _Mishne Torah_, the "Second Law," which was eagerly
copied and extensively disseminated. He also wrote many philosophical
treatises leveled against atheism, and designed to prove that God
produced the world from naught, and at the age of fifty gave to the
world his great work, _Moreh Nebuchim_ ("Guide of the Perplexed"), to
which Rabbi Judah Charizi added an appendix.

Maimonides died at the age of seventy years, and his remains were
interred at Cairo, Egypt. Both Jews and Gentiles mourned his loss. The
lamentation in Jerusalem was intense, a fast was declared, the
synagogues were opened, and a portion of the law (Levit. 25:12 to end),
and the fifth chapter of Samuel 1, were made parts of the service of the
day.

* * * * *

During the reign of one of the bishops in Metz, there lived a Jew in
that city, who was called Rabbi Amnon. He was of illustrious family, of
great personal merit, rich and respected by the Bishop and the people.
The Bishop frequently pressed him to abjure Judaism and embrace
Christianity, but without the slightest avail. It happened, however,
upon a certain day, being more closely pressed than usual, and somewhat
anxious to be rid of the Bishop's importunities, he said hastily, "I
will consider the subject, and give thee an answer in three days."

As soon as he had left the Bishop's presence, however, his heart smote
him, and an unquiet conscience blamed him for admitting, even in this
manner, a doubt of the true faith. He reached home overwhelmed with
grief; meat was set before him, but he refused to eat; and when his
friends visited him and ascertained the cause of his low spirits, he
refused their proffered consolation, saying, "I shall go down mourning
to the grave for these words." On the third day, while he was still
lamenting his imprudent concession, the Bishop sent for him, but he
refused to answer the call.

Having refused several of the Bishop's messengers, they were finally
ordered to seize him, and bring him by force before the prelate.

"Amnon," said the Bishop, "why didst thou not come to me, according to
thy promise, to inform me of thy decision in regard to my request?"

"Let me," answered Amnon, "pronounce my own doom for this neglect. Let
my tongue, which uttered those hasty, doubting words, be cut out; a lie
I uttered, for I never intended to consider the proposition."

"Nay," said the Bishop, "I will not cut out thy tongue, but thy feet
which refused to come to me, shall be cut off, and the other parts of
thy obstinate body shall be also punished and tormented."

Under the Bishop's eye and order, the toes and thumbs of Rabbi Amnon
were then cut off, and after having been severely tortured, he was sent
home in a carriage, his mangled members beside him.

Rabbi Amnon bore all this with the greatest resignation, firmly hoping
and trusting that this earthly torment would plead his pardon with God.

His life after this was of course to be measured only by days. The Feast
of the New Year came round, while he was living, and he desired to be
carried to the synagogue. He was conveyed to the house of God, and
during the service he requested to be allowed to utter a prayer. The
words which proved to be his last were as follows:--

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