Lecture 14. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 14. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

9 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/p3dj5919n/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3dj5919n

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF3_14.xml

content

Post Biblical lecture
14th

Brethren. To take up the thread of my post-Biblical lectures, I will call back to your memory the imprisonment of Jonathan, through the treachery of Tryphon, the Syrian general. Intense as the mental suffering of our valiant chief at his abject confinement, must have been, it scarcely could have exceeded that endured by his brother Simon. The latter burnt with the wish to make the traitor feel how sharp was yet the Asmonean sword was yet, and how severely it could punish iniquity. But he was obliged to act with great prudence. He knew that unhappily many Jews, fond of the loose habits practices of the Greeks, sided with the enemy, and that they would not scruple to sacrifice the honor of their religion and country. Consequently, he undertook forthwith to render Jerusalem strong secure within and without, and raise an army brave strong enough to oppose Tryphon. This wily Syrian was not long to move on towards the capital of Judea, but discovering that he would have met with a determined resistance, he had recourse once more to deception. He pretended to be as very anxious for peace;

and sent word that if one hundred talents, which, he alleged, Jonathan owed him were paid; he would release the prisoner and go back. The proposition cause Simon anguish of soul spirit; the more so, because the perfidious Tryphon, insisted on having two sons of Jona--than as hostages, to make it sure that their father, when at liberty, would not go again to war against the Syrians. Simon felt convinced that a vile trick was intended. He felt convinced that by paying the sum asked, he would not save the life of Jonathan, but risk also that of his children. The alternative was terrible. He either must refuse, and be open to the charge of having occasioned his brother's death, or he must agree comply, regardless of the results which he dreaded. He did what public opinion demanded. One hundred talents were sent forwarded by means of the two sons of Jonathan. But alas! Simon's suspicions were too sadly realized. Not alone Tryphon did not free Jonathan, after having received the ful required amount, but he would have stealthily attacked Jerusalem at night, if a heavy fall of snow had not providentially hindered the movements of his cavalry, and compelled him to leave his wicked devices unfulfilled.

Angry because of this unexpected check to on his plans, the traitor upon his returning to CaloSyria murdered Jona--than and his two sons in cold blood, and ordered that they be given an ordinary burial. The news that he whom the faithful in Israel regarded as a deliverer, had died like a [?] culprit, grieved the nation to the core. Israel They Our people had la--mented E over Eleazar, and Judah and Johanan, but still they had fallen with sword in hand. Jonathan was killed while dragging the chains of a slave. But Simon did not allow the precious body to continue unhonored among hea--then foes. He went in search thereof, and having disin--interred it, carried the corpse, amdist the tears of a grateful people, to Modin, where his parents and their heroic sons lay. History has left a description of the magnificent tombstones erected by Simon over the remains of the Asmonean family. It is recorded that the marble was so perfect, and the architecture so unique and superb, that for ages those mausoleums were objects of general admiration. But the last survivor of Mattathia's sons, glorified the name he bore, more highly than by rearing splendid monuments for the dead.

His victories on the battle field and his statesmanship in the Senate chamber gave the living independence. Whilst he exercised power, Judea paid no more tributes to Greek, or Egyptian or Syrian rulers. In acknowledgment of his services, the re--presentatives of the nation, at a grand assembly, pro--claimed Simon prince, as well as high priest of Judah, and to perpetuate the memorial of this event, a copper plate with an inscription signifying the people's will, was conspicuously placed in the Temple. So deep and universal was the regard paid to the successful Asmonean, that all public documents were dated thus: "On such a day of the month from such a year of the rule of Simon, the benefactor of the Jews and chief of the nation." So Josephus tells us. It is certain, however, that money was struck in Simon's time by his authority, bearing the Phoenician characters then in use for coinage, and having different engravings. Some had presented one one side the name of Simon, and on the other "Such a year of the deliverance of Zion;" some had "shekel of the sanctuary," or "holy Jerusalem," and so forth or similar devices. Of those coins a number exists still in European libraries and museums, and it is not impossible that American institutions of learning may have procured also possess them.

For eight years the noble working influence of the last child of Mattathias was felt throughout the land. He dispersed the enemies of Israel, and raised powerful friends; gave liberty with law, and watched over the preservation of both; inspired his people with self-respect, and drew towards them the respect of even their opponents. Never was Judea, during the second Temple, freer and mightier safer than when governed by Simon, and therefore no sadder calamity could have befallen it, than to have lost its guide and exemplar. If the our nation had wept bitterly at the unnatural end, which Jonathan had met through heathen treachery, it must have become wild with horror, when told that Simon was assassinated by a Jew--and that a very near relative. He had married his daughter to a man called one Ptolemy, whom he appointed governor of Jericho. Simon usually travelled from city to city to ascertain by personal inspection its conditions and wants. He visited Jericho, in company with his wife and two of his sons, and received a welcome, apparently as hearty as it was royal. Ptolemy invited his father and mother in law and their children to the gorgeous castle he had built. A sumptuous feast was made ostensibly to do them honor, but while all was pleasure

and mirth, Simon was murdered and his wife and sons were dragged into a dungeon. Thirst for power had goaded on Ptolemy to the commission of that shocking crime, and as he was immensely rich, he believed that foreigners could be bribed to assist him in carrying out his ambitious schemes. Once that Simon was dead, he could would make him--self absolute king of Judea. But there lived yet a son of the murdered Asmonean, who would fully able to avenge his father, and overthrow the plans of the murderer. Ptolemy knew that, and therefore dispatched hired men mercenaries hired miscreants to slay John Hyrcanus. But the latter was quick in entering Jerusalem, announ--cing the awful tragedy, and calling on the people to rise and repel his treacherous relation. The Jewish inhabitants at in the capital rose at responded vigorously to the summons. Ptolemy and his troops were forced to flee in great haste and take refuge in the castle of Jericho. There he was beseiged, and he would surely have perished, but for a shield he had kept in his possession, and which he used with horrid adroitness. That shield was his mother and brothers in law. Whenever John Hyracanus drew near to the castle to storm it, Ptolemy, with refined cruelty, would place his prisoners front on the ramparts,

and strike beat them fiercely. That sight would so overcame the son and brother, that he was compelled to desist. The aged mother made expressive signs, and as if entreating that he would punish the assassin, even if she was to be thrown down from the wall, but filial love always prevailed, and the castle continued long to be beseiged but not in a state of seige, without being taken. Meanwhile, the Sabbatical year, during which it seems that no offensive wars doom were not waged, arrived, and Ptolemy escaped abroad, after having kill stained imbrued his hands in the blood of the wife and two sons of Simon.
I have thus briefly narrated what every Jew who prides himself on reckoning among his ancestors the children of Mattathias the priest, must feel an interest to know. From what I have sketched, it will be have been noticed observed that all the five were brave, all alike self-denying for the sake of their religion. Most admirable we should consider the fidelity with which they carried out the parting counsel of their aged father, acting in accord of sentiments, aiming uni-formly to secure the independence and elevation of Israel. If in reading their history, we natu--rally deplore the causes, which denied each of them

a peaceful death on a bed surrounded by loved objects, we may nevertheless rejoice that it was no domestic strife which brought any of them to an untimely grave. The names of those five heros have been transmitted to their descendants unsullied as honest and virtuous pa--triots. Yet, posterity has reason to lament a circumstance in the life of Jadah, and which was copied reproduced by in that of Jonathan and Simon. Not in condemnation of that famous triad of our immortal liberators I say it, but in sorrow for the consequences of which their entangling al--liances brought on occasioned. They did not, nor could they then, forsee the interposition and friendship good services offices of Rome, which they eagerly sought would be fatal prove evil in other extreme evils in the end; nevertheless we that still suffer from it that fatal error, cannot suppress this confession. Our Maccabean deliverers indirectly sold us to the cruel Power of on the seven-hilled city. They invited it to mingle with the affairs of our nation, and showing our weak points, led it to pounce upon us, faster its blows upon our bodies, tear up the country of our inheritance and scatter our people, like chaff throughout the habitable globe.

Identifier

p3dj5919n

identifier

SMBx12FF3_14