Lecture 15. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 15. 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/p3513vf25/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3513vf25

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF3_15.xml

content

Post Biblical lecture
15th

Brethren. The grand son of Mattathias the As--monean, is fully worthy of a golden record in the history of Israel. He For John Hyrcamus inherited the bravery and administrative abilities of his predecessors. In his charac--ter were combined the patriotism of Judah Maccabee, and the sagaciousness of his own father Simon. When by the treachery infamy iniquity of Ptolemy of Jericho the treacherous Jewish governor of Jericho to whom I alluded in my last lecture of the course, Judea was exposed laid open again to the invasion, of the Syrians, John Hyrcamus strongly resisted the foe foreigners. Notwithstanding the fearful sufferings endured, he showed no disposition to surrender, and leave his country at the mercy of the foreigner heathen foe. Still, he sensibly profitted of a circumstance to gain some respite. The feast of Tabernacles was drawing nigh. Hyrcamus ventured to ask for a suspension of arms during seven days. That truce would enable his people to duly celebrate one of the three national holidays & it would and afford them some rest. Antiochus Sidetes who had none of the fanaticism of his name-sake of former years, consented. Whether out of fear of a remonstrance from the Roman Levite with which the Asmoneans had a treaty, or from pure kindness, he did more.

He sent rich presents of animal offerings for the altar, and objects of silver and gold for the Temple. Touched by this act of generosity, Hyrcamus proposed to come to terms. He would never would agree to have a Syrian garrison stationed in his land, but rather than expose this again to the horrors of a seige, he paid a war indemnity, and remained for a time, a nominal vassal to Syria. Shortly after, Hyrcamus with deep pene--tration, joined yeilded to the wish of Antiochus Sidetes and joined him in a campaign against the Parthians, who had been heretofore subject to Syria. On that occasion, the Asmonean and his troops, distinguished themselves so notably signally, that they placed their ally under great obligations. The keen eyed Hyrcamus turned that to his advantage. The following year, when Antiochus lost his life in battle, the Judeans judged that the hour glar their independence had struck. They fought for it liberty with severity, but a determined will, and gained it completely. Syria which, at different intervals, from the days of Laomedon, a general of Alexander the great Macedonian, and afterwards under the rule of Antiochus III the Great, had held dominion over Palestine, lost its entire hold control altogether. Hyrcamus pushed his victories further. Anxious to free his country from the annoyance of semi-heathens

as well as of real entire heathens, he directed his arms against the Samaritans. It is scarcely necessary that I should explain who this people were. The seven--teenth chapter of the second book of Kings and several passages in Ezra and Nehemiah furnish the inform--ation. Still, it may not be considered out of place, to epitomise here their history in a few words. After the breaking up of the kingdom of Israel, its inhabitants were transported to Assyria, and their deserted cities were given to colonists sent over from Assyria. The country, being thinly populated, was infested by ferocious beasts. The new settlers who worshipped a variety of idols, and believed that each locality had they were troubled that its local deity, fancied that they which must be propitiated, fancied that were trobled in that manner, because they did not know how to serve the particular god of those regions. They therefore petitioned the home government to let some priests of the exiled Israelites come back, and be their re--ligious teachers. The Divine code was then in--troduced among those heathens, who were called "Samaritans" from Samaria, the former capital of the Kingdom of Israel,. But with some of the the acceptance of a number of Mosaic commandments,

pagan customs were still adhered to. At the return of the Judeans from the Babylonian captivity, the Samaritans proposed to join hands in participate in the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. Our leaders objected. The Talmudists state that the image of a dove was found discovered among those tribes. Possibly, the dove was the symbol of the country form which they had originally come from. For, a fable tells that Semiramis, the first queen of Assyria was nursed by doves. That symbol may or may not have been tendered homage to, but the heads of our nation, who would not tolerate anything savoring of idolatry, opposed the alliance. An irreconcilable hatred arose ensued, and it was intensified by as time rolled on through the circumstance that the cities of the Samaritans became a refuge to disaffected Jews, while the Sa--maritans themselves changed side, according as our fortune changed. At one time they proposed Mosaism, at others paganism. In the lapse of ages, after having been, like ourselves, persecuted by Christians, the Samaritans were cleansed from some many of their false no--tions, but as they had altered the Pentateuch to suit their own views, our people generally kept them generally at a distance.

Towards the end of the seventeenth century, a learned German, Job Rudolf put to them, by a letter entered into a correspondence with them, and put correspondence a number of questions, which they answered in wretched Hebrew. They proposed alleged to have issued from the twofold tribe of Joseph, and to be the sole possessors of the genuine copy of the five books of Moses. By degrees they dwindled into away down into a shadow of their former selves. About two hundred of them still live yet in Naplus, which is the ancient Shechem of the Bible, and, I believe, on high festivals, they offer sacrifices on Gerizim. When Hyrcamus conquered their ancestors, they had upon that mountain a gorgeous temple, in opposition to that in Jerusalem. The demolition of that the said edifice, and the subjugation of those who worshipped in it, was a great triumph to the Jewish cause. No rival sanctuary would raise its spires in the land devoted to the One only Lord. The faithless in our ranks could not find an asylum among our adversaries. But the Asmonean chief was over zealous. Having secured Judea against religious opponents, who claimed the same parentage, he determined to rid it of political enemies, descending from one stock with Israel. The Edomites or Jed Idumeans, whose founder was Esau, had displayed in every stage of our history, an open hostility

against their cousins, the progeny of Jacob. They had moreover enlarged their borders by seizing several cities that had belonged to us. John Hyrcamus brought them under his power, and placed before them an harsh alter--native. They should either emigrate in a body, or embrace Judaism. The accepted the latter, simply as a shield against banishment. But the measures taken by to which our ruler resorted, is doubly to be doubly regretted. First, because our religion does not favor proselytism; & surely and most assuredly not by force coercion; secondly, because from those very Idumeans sprang up a serpent that coiled itself round our body politic, and eventually caused our political death. I have reference to Herod the destroyer of the Asmonean family, and the vile hireling of Rome. I do not remember to have met with any Rabbinical writing in our post biblical literature, condemning John Hyrcamus for his act. The Sages doubtless appreciated the motives that brought it about and looked thereupon as a dire ne--cessity. in self defence. Perhaps so, for however we For however we may deprecate the incident, none can deny For it must be acknowledged that Hyrcamus studied may deplore it, we can never deny it that Hyrcamus with singleness of heart the welfare of his nation; that he was a studied the welfare of his nation, that he was a single hearted valiant general, a good ruler and not less than a true patriot, and a valiant general. patriot

But our Rabbis who have bestowed merited praise on that prince and high priest of Judea for his zeal and bravery and glorious important conquests, point him out also as an illustar--tion of their saying, that we dare not believe ourselves above reproach, till we have died. Whether the achieve--ments attained, finally created engendered in the son of Simon an overweening sense of self-importance, or whether some of his countrymen began to fear the effects of Church and State authority centred in one man, it is impossible to ascertain at this distance of time. But what happened towards the close of the life of Hyrcamus, shows that he was not proof against ambition, and but that he suffered evil counsel finally to lead him astray. He had made a banquet, to which he invited some of the leading members of the Pharisees. For the latter, as I have explained in a former lecture, constituted the most numerous and popular sect. Having entertained these his quests sumptuously, he addressed them nearly as follows: "Gentlemen. You are aware of my intention to do what is right, conformably with our national laws. I presume that my conduct has met with your approval. Nevertheless, if you see aught that seems to you unbecoming to my station, or injurious to our

common interest, I will be thankful for your corrections and suggestions! The distinguished company answered that they were satisfied with the course he had followed, and that his personal virtues challenged respect. Hy--canus looked happy. But suddenly a voice was heard to spoke thus: "Sire, since thou wishest to hear but the truth, I will say that hear this. Thou shouldst not weild the scepter and wear the mitre. Leave the priesthood to the seed of Aaron." All turned with astonishment to the bold speaker. Hyrcanus insisted upon knowing for what reason he ought to relinquish the ministry at the altar. The answer was indeed offensive. It cast doubts on the legiti--macy of the prince's birth. A prominent member of the sect of the Saducces the sect the antagonistic to the Pharisees, and who may have been the insti--gator of the unfortunate occurrence, added fuel to the fire. He urged Hyrcanus to demand justice at the hands of the Pharisees themselves as a test of their sentiments ideas of the gravity of the crime. The Sanhedrin condemned the accuser him who the person who had aspersed the character of the mother of the high Pontiff to suffer imprisonment and stripes. But this penalty was not considered a sufficient separation. On the contrary, it its moderation was interpreted as a connivance at the insult; as a screening of the offender.

Wounded in his pride, Hyrcanus after nearly thirty years of a pious life, in the service of the largest multitudes of his people, abandoned the Pharisees, and declared himself in favorable to of the Saducees. A fatal error, pregnant with evil consequences. These did not become manifest during the last days of him that consulted it. The brilliant career and noble of the son of Simon prevented his spared him a sorrowful end. We shall see, however, how his severance from those who had stood by his side in the days of national trials and had loved him well in the days of national trials, worked injury, when the successors of the last Asmonean worthy of that name, became rulers in Judea.

Identifier

p3513vf25

identifier

SMBx12FF3_15