Lecture 17. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 17. 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/p3xg9fw33/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3xg9fw33

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF3_17.xml

content

Post Biblical Lecture
17th

Brethren. Our traditional laws do not favor woman's sovereignty. In Biblical times Hebrew females did occupy pro--minent stations, but only one, who usurped the power, became queen. However, the reign of Athaba, daughter of the impious Ahab King of Israel, and wife of the degenerate Jehoram King of Judah was cut short. The An outraged people arose and placed aided by the righteous priests set the crown upon the head of Joash, who had escaped from the mur--derous slaughter perpetrated by his unnatural cruel grand-mother. In post-biblical times, the royal consort of John Hyrcanus might have been allowed to act as regent, in conformity with her husband's last will, if her wicked unnatural son Aristobulus had not cast his mother into a prison and made proclaimed himself King of Judea. But the wi--dow of Alexander Janneus, whose history I cursorily briefly related in my last lecture of the course, was certainly the acknowledged queen of Judea our people. Still, I am inclined to believe that she was so but nominally and not absolutely, and that she let the Sanhedrin, or, as we would term it, the national Parlia--ment, govern the country.

The speech from the throne, if she Alexandra delivered any, must have been a mere rehearsal of what that authoritative body suggested. For nine years Alexandra the wife of Janneus reigned in comparative tranquility. As she could not officiate in the capacity of high-priest, she clothed with the sacerdotal garments the older of her two sons, Hyrcamus, so named after his grand-father. But her second son Aristobulus was not unlike his uncle who bore the same name. Ambitious and haughty he did not scruple employing using foul means to gratify attain his passions wicked ends. Although his father had made it a parting request that the Pharisees should be used treated with their highest respect, Aristobulus showed a preference for the discarded Sadducees. Unfortunately, he was given a strong motives for espousing the cause of the dissenters. The Pharisees failed to show exercise the moderation and forbearance which would have softened asperities. Not satisfied with having recalled from exile those of their sect, who had been banished under the last administration, they were harsh and, in some instances, cruel unforgiving towards their former opponents. They demanded the execution of officials who had put to death many of their adherents.

At Irritated by that, Aristobulus convened together some of the most distinguished among the Sadducees, and called upon the queen. The deputation complained to her of the indignities to which men a people who had been her husband's staunch friends were subjected. Cunningly it the spokes of men dwelt on the services rendered to her family in the past by a sect now given over to their enemies adversaries. The haughty Aristobulus went so far as to make his mother understand feel, that she--a female--had no right to the throne, while Alexander Janneus had left two sons. Alexandra was worked up to the highest pitch of excitement. Gratitude Fear and and maternal indulgence, fear and distrust struggled within her breast. At length she agreed to a compromise. The Sadducees should exercise weild some power. A number of fortresses, far away from the capital, should be placed to under their guardianship, and serve afford them military occupations,--a kind con--cession, but an unwise measure. The queen soon fell sick to die. The thought of losing her, whose motherly womanly tenderness had been stronger than exceeded her royal discretion, did not trouble the ambitious Aristobulus.

He stole away from Jerusalem to raise troops an army among his partisans, and prepare to dispute the claims of his elder brother Hyrcamus to the Judean kingdom. The anxious mother noticed his absence, and inquired into the cause. She was not long to learn that Aristobulus had left quitted her side in her last moments to go and stir up sedition, that he had already collected a large force army and seized important fortresses. It was then that Alexandra discovered the effect of her weakness. In the hopes of checking her son in his daringness, she consented to have his wife and children kept as hostages in the castle of Baris. But she the queen was too then very near her end and unable to act with unabated unflagging energy. To a deputation of the Pharisees, headed by Hyrcanus, the queen she said that her body had grown too weak, and her mind too weary to be of any further help. Still she felt satisfied at knowing But, she added, that her departure from earth was eased by the knowledge that she was leaving behind a nation strong and rich. The dying woman spoke the truth as people generally understand it, but not the truth, as it really is. A nation like an individual is strong, when held up by virtue. It is rich when supported by wisdom.

Those two essential qualities were sadly wanting in the two princes, on whose conduct the destiny of the country largely depended. Hyrcanus was inactive and easily led inveigled away. Aristobulus was rest--less and unyeilding domineering. Immediately upon the death of their mother, civil war broke out. But the army under Hyrcanus fraternized with that led on by the more soldierly Aristobulus, and the latter soon became master of the situation. An agreement was then entered into by which the elder son of Alexandria, glad to live quietly in the exercise of the priest--hood, relinquished his right to the crown in behalf of the her younger son. The mutiny to ratify the treaty took place in the Temple, amidst a large vast con--course of people, and with great solemnity. The two brothers embraced with apparent security. To strength--en the bonds of domestic affection, the only daughter of Hyrcanus was promised in marriage to the oldest son of Aristobulus. Uninterrupted peace might now have been the lot of Judea, if a vile writch[sic?] had not disturbed it by his deep-laid scheme of self-aggrandizement.

Hyrcanus had a pretended friend, called Antipater. History is not clear about the descent of that man, but likely he had issued from one of the most influential Idumean families, whom John Hyrcanus had compelled to become adopt the Jewish faith. Antipater was possessed of wealth and learning, but also of an smooth evil tongue and a wicked heart. He knew well the characters of the two scions of the Asmonean race, for he had been brought up in their association. He hated Aristobulus and determined to use Hyrcanus as his tool to accomplish this purpose. A fresh quarrel between the two brothers might facilitate his object. For he aimed at raising his own house upon the ruins of that created by the illustrious Mat-tathias of Modin. Accordingly, he Antipater spread reports prejudicial to Aristobulus wherever and whenever he could. To the leading Jews, he would say that the government was insecure, so long as the person at the head of it did not belong to their party. To Hyrcanus he would say that life was in danger, so long as the person who had forced himself into power, had a strong army at his back.

Hyrcanus refused to listen to treasonable language. Weeks and months and years were spent by the wily Idumean in trying to arouse ill-feelings in the a mind unwilling to suspect wrong. But not without reason has the book of books repeatedly cautioned us against the workings of a smooth deceitful tongue sharper than arrows, keener than the keenest steel. Antipater haras--sed his dupe into a belief of approaching evils perils, and into the necessity of fleeing to a place of safety. In the darkness of night, Hyrcanus was almost carried away from Jerusalem and en brought to Petra in Arabia. Its king, Aritas, with whom Antipater had had previously entered into secret negotiations, pro--mised an army to fight Aristobulus, and face him in the antici- to pation of recovering a number of cities which the parent and grand parent Maccabeans had captured from the Arabians. Again, civil war raged fiercely. Aristobulus have being out numbered, retreated within the forti--fications situated round the Temple. A narrative full of sorrow and shame and sacrilege is that connected with this pe--riod of our history. One brother, aided by foreign hea--thens, closely besetting the other brother, who had been compelled to take refuge within the precincts of the dwelling of God.

The Talmud did not overlook such enormities. It has recorded in all its hideousness the iniquity of which our people became then guilty. For, while the besieged, who were mostly Sadduccees, sent over the walls, behind which they were entrenched, rolls of gold to buy animals for that the sacrificial worship might not be neglected, those who lay the seige, mostly profes--sing Pharisaism, often kept the gold given in good faith for a holy purpose. Fraud was one day made more execrable by an act which horrified every Jew who had not yet sold his faith to unprincipled infamous parti--zanship. Instead of the expected lambs, the impure swine was cast over let down where the Sanctuary stood. Another day, the infatuated mob committed a murder deserving of the punishment calamities dire chastisement which unhappily was fast coming upon the land of our fathers. An Israelite, called Onias, enjoyed the reputation of being a saint. It is said that one year Passover was drawing nigh, and the bitter rain falling in March and so needed for to supply with water the pilgrims flocking to Jerusalem with water was wanting. Onias made a circle upon the ground, and stood there in supplication till copious showers poured down.

He The pious Israelite loved his religion and country, but to avoid the grievous sight which met him now on all sides, the pious Israelite he had hidden himself into a cave. He was sought after, and dragged out of his secret shelter. "Pray for us" cried the excited populace. "Since thou art so much liked by the Lord, that He unfastened the flood gates of the sky at thy request, utter let a course against Aristobulus and his followers, that they may be exterminated." And the righteous man prayed thus: "O Lord God of universe! Since those in whose midst I now stand are thy people, and those who are besieged are thy priests, I beseech Thee not to hearken to either against to the injury of one another." He had scarcely finished when he fell dead by the under pelting stones. thrown at him Josephus tells us that Providence avenged deeds so horrible by a hurricane, which destroyed all the produce and brought on the suffering of famine. But a still severer punishment calamity was waiting Judea. Legions and cohorts knocked at her gates. Devastation preceded them, dispersion was at their heels. At the end of a hundred years, the independence which Mattathias and his heroic sons bled for was forfeited by their un--worthy descendants. What the unity of the five heroic brothers conquered, the shameless dissentions of unbrotherly brothers lost. We shall see hereafter how the house of Antipater, propped up by Rome was lifted up, and how it fell in its own turn, to rise no more.

Identifier

p3xg9fw33

identifier

SMBx12FF3_17