Lecture 11. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 11. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

10 pages on 4 sheets

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 12, Folder 3

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3zg6gs0w/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3zg6gs0w

Provenance

Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF3_11.xml

content

Post-biblical lecture
No 11

All may have been a high hippodrome, but to judge from2 that which we understand now by it of1 what it was with the ancient Greeks would be to fall into an error. A hippodrome among the would-be polished plo polytheists of old Hellas meant more than the name denotes. Horse ra--cing was alternated with entertainments which entered to the savage taste of the general public. In Judea, so long as the laws of Israel were respected, a hippodrome and kindred places of amusement would not have been tolerated. Societies to prevent cruelty to animals and to children, or to guard the young against demora--lization were not needed. Only when to ape Grecian--ism became the fashion, and our rulers aimed to ingra--tiate themselves with foreign potentates, objectionable sights were introduced into the Holy Land. Our Sages loudly condemned such diversions, but too often with no effect, for who can stem the current of popular perversion wrong, when set in by those in who weild power?
It happened Not long ago it happened that King Alfonso of the Spaniards Spain Spain wished to celebrate magnificently his the second

marriage of King Alfonso with the Arch-Duchess of Austria. The latter requested as a favor that the festivities might be inexpen--sive, devoting the amount thus saved to the relief of people, who had shortly before had suffered by disastrous floods. But the humane queen designed principally wished [?] that to prevent the full bull-fights in which the gallant Span--niards take great delight on holidays special festive occasions. We dispensed with Yet so deep-rooted is that barbarous custom, that the authorities at Madrid declared it impoli--tic to dispense with that national pastime recreation. So, she whose feelings revolted at a contest between infuriated beasts and human beings, may have found it necessary to witness the an abhorrent strife for to gain a brutal history. However, it is neither to Spain nor to Judea that my thoughts are just now at this moment di--rected. The shocking spectacle present now in my mind took place in Egypt of the Ptolemies. On the occasion which I am about to describe, intoxi--cated ef elephants were exhibited at the hippodrome at in Alexandria. They had been made drunk with wine and furious with mixed drugs, for to accomplish a terrible purpose. In a large enclosure, men, women

and children might be seen chained in irons bound in fetters. The unfortunate creatures had been doomed to gratify the spectators by on being set upon and devoured by the elephants. Immense was the crowd and restless in its eagerness for the performance to come off. But this the amusement could not begin till the king arrived, and the king was long waited for in vain. A night spent in banquetting and debauchery had so stupefied Ptolemy Philopater that he forgot the inhuman order given. For it was he, who, to take revenge o the Jews in whose Temple at Jerusalem he had felt humiliated, determined to make a horrible sport of his Hebrew subjects at home. The more was he urged to it, because our people not alone had refused to appease his anger by apostatising, and but had treated with open contempt the few who had among their coreligionists who purchased safety by selling their souls to idols. Accordingly, Phi--lopater had destined many of the recusants to be mangled and torn by elephants. The heathen populace at Alexandria, may have looked forward to that issue with pleasure. to that issue

For then, like always, Jews aroused excited jealousy through their success in industrial and intellectual pursuits, and history tells that our ancestors in Egypt of the Ptolemies had risen high. Disappointed at the absence of the King, the ill-natured assemblage dis--persed. The sight was postponed to the next day, but with the same results as on the preceding one. Upon the third day, however, the herald announced the coming of their King Sovereign, and the Israelites in fetters chains were brought out to confront the infuriated elephants. It has been asserted, and but I am too ignorant of the subject to express an opinion--that the elephant is of a nature so sagacious that it can distinguish discern on people's countenance the distress of their minds. Be it so or not, a tradition relates that those animals instead of attacking the wobe--gone Jews bound in chains whose looks implored pity, exhausted their fury on the riotous spectators, killing a large number of them. This unexpected occurrence, recalled the wicked ruler to his senses. He saw in it the interposition of Divine justice, and altered his conduct towards our people. But the Israelites could not wherever they dwelt did could not easily forget the trials they had experienced experienced because of a man, maddened by dissoluteness

and fanaticism. The loyalty which had distinguished their intercourse with the dynasty house of the Ptolemies, was blotted out from their hearts. They must have longed for the moment in which they could safely swear fealty to another potentate dynasty. It is not therefore surprising that when Philapater, brought on his death prematurely by dissipation, Palestine wel- -comed hailed as a liberator Antiochus the great, who claimed possession of Syria. Our ancestors forefathers did not scruple breaking off their connection with the young offspring of a old former tyrant, and declaring themselves in favor of tributary to one who fought to conquer Western Asia. There are records left of letters written by Antiochus III expressive of his appreciation of the friendship of the Jews, and offering important immunities, useful to our nation both socially and politically. Our progenitors had a very good motives reasons for attaching themselves to preferring a ruler, who relinquished taxes, and tribute, who encouraged immigra--tion and forbid heathens from offending Jewish laws; who filled peopled his dominions with Hebrews, and supplied them with means to promote their material welfare. Whatever we may think of his the uncontrollable ambition which hastened his the ruin of Antiochus III we must admit that while Antiochus III he lived, Palestine enjoyed a degree of internal

prosperity and independence rather unusual to a degree almost exceptional during the second Temple. But truly changes do not always realize the anticipations which had led to their adoption. After all Not many years elapsed before our ancestors had cause to rue the moment hour day that they transferred their allegiance from Egypt to Syria. On the death of Antiochus, Seleucus his oldest elder son Seleucus mounted the throne to find that the crown rest set uneasily upon his head. His father had left him ample territories, but with them heavy obligations to inexorable exactors. Rome once despised in Asia as an impotent upstart, had grown gigantic. She had humbled Carthage and her notwithstanding the heroism of a Hannibal. Her eagle soaring high, spied from afar a rich prey. Soon would all Asia the world send her its treasuries to the seven-hilled city. Antiochus having dared to measure arms with Roman legions was crippled broken in his power and crippled in his means. He pledged himself to pay an enormous tribute to the Senate Commonwealth upon the Tiber, and in order to raise the amount, he began to plunder the temples of his own Grecian idol gods. His son and successor, in the early part of his reign, kept back refrained from indulging in that offensive

practice, feeling knowing that it was very it would make him exceedingly unpopular. Still, Seleucus felt the pressure of the yearly payment due to Rome. He welcomed therefore an event, which he thought would put him in possession of vast sums. [?] Unfortunately, that event took place in Judea. Onias III was the high priest. He is represented as a God-fearing man, studying the interest and honor of his people, and guarding against whatever might be detrimental to his religion. History does not relate the origin of a quarrel between Onias and a certain Simon a Benjamite. The latter occupied a public posi--tion connected with the Temple. Having failed to bring over to its views the righteous priest over to the views he entertained (whatever these may have been), he turned traitor to his country. He informed Seleucus that in the Temple there were lay large deposits of money, which could be seized and laid into on behalf of the royal treasury. The King was not long in despatching Heliodorus, an officer at his court, to fetch the treasures gold he greatly needed. Onias did not suspecting any foul play, and received Helio--dorus with marked respect. But when asked to sur--render what had been entrusted to his honor, he protested and urged the official not to attempt to forcibly take

what belonged to the worship of the sanctuary, and what had been placed into his safe-keeping for orphans and wi--dows. Heliodorus insisted, but his rashness was punished like that of Ptolemy Philopater. Terror-struck, he fell insensible and was carried away from the sacred courts. A legend, preserved in the second book of the Maccabees, adds that a vision appeared a warrior on horse back magnifi--cently armed and accompanied by two splendid looking youths; that while the horse trod upon Eliodorus, the youths scourged him severely, and that only through the prayers of Onias the King's officer was brought to, and that when he acknowledged his fault and counselled Seleucus never to attempt again so heinous an offense. again. Whether we accept or reject the story, it is at all events generally agreed that Heliodorus did not touch the gold which his master covetted for, and hence the sacrilege was not committed. But treachery had not was still plotting shame and ruin. Senior, the recreant faithless Jew, to screen himself from the hatred which he richly deserved, charged the high priest with having himself occasioned the event which had so outraged the nation; that he had craftily acted in a manner which might increase his influence, and further his selfish ends.

Unhappily, men are very apt to listen to slander and believe it when directed against one individuals in a high positions. Two factions were the consequence of the accusation. Onias anxious to avoid a conflict attended already with blood-shed, went personally to Seleucus, convinced the King of the infamy of Simon, the informer, and succeeded in having the wicked informer banished from Judea the land of Israel. But it is easier to pour into human ears the poison of calumny than to drive it from the mind. Onias The worthy high priest could never regain the universal confidence of his countrymen, and of this circumstance men, still more inequitous perfidious than Simon, availed themselves to throw Judea into a state of anarchy. But I must put off to another lecture the narrative of an episode in our history, which, if it brought to light atrocious crimes, it unfolded also the goodness self-denial and heroism of the children of our race.

Identifier

p3zg6gs0w

identifier

SMBx12FF3_11