Lecture 22. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 22. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

13 pages on 5 sheets

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

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 12, Folder 4

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p37s7jb4s/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p37s7jb4s

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF4_2.xml

content

Post-biblical history
22.

Brethren. In resuming my post-biblical lectures, which I will try endeavour to condense in order not to tire, and while trying to be plain, so as to interest many more than a few, I may say this. that Herod the Idumean whose people was forcibly converted to Judaism by Hrycanus I, is the man who virtually bound our people hands and feet to the victorious chariot of conquering Rome. Herod ought therefore to be named by every Jew, not with the title of "the great," as bestowed upon him by historians, but rather with that of "the accursed" which he fully deserves. A satisfaction which the right-minded thinking derive from reading his life, is that of knowing that it was one a life of misery, notwithstanding the glare of the throne and the dazzle of the crown. Herod was singularly successful in the general acceptation of the words, but never happy; nor could he be possibly so, who defied the laws of nature and the laws of God. Having been de--clared King of the Jews by the Roman Senate, through the interposition of his friend, the profligate Mark Antony, his Herod's first undertaking in rushing back to Palestine was to fight Antigonus, the Asmonean, who had taken possession of the capital. Roman cohorts stood by the man who had bought protection in the

seven-hilled city with Jewish gold, Parthians soldiers assisted the rival in the hope of humbling the power of aggressive Rome. But it could not be crushed. The seige of Jerusalem which lasted about five months, called forth deeds of wonderful valor but also of wholesale slaughter in both armies; but finally the party that had stood up for helped Antigonus to yeilded to the superior forces sent by which the Latin Republic on the Tiber had sent. It is asserted by some and denied by others, that Antigonus did not behave with the dignity, which a descend--ant of Judah Maccabee ought ot have shown even in misfortune. Whether he fell on his knees and wept before the Roman general, and this derisively called him "Antigona", meaning a woman, instead of Antigonus, is a point which I will not attempt to settle, but all writers agree that Herod paid a large sum to have his rival put out of the way igno--miniously. Accordingly, the brutal Mark Antony had the last prince of the house of Asmonean house tied to a stake, and after having his body unmercifully scourged, as a malefactor, cut off his head if he were a criminal, he ordered that the head of Herod's opponent be cut off. Thus perished the last ruling high-priest of a most illustrious race.

Herod had now nothing more ot fear from the stock of Mattathias. He had rooted out the last shoot that might have proved a thorn in into his side. Breathing freely, he began the work of revenge personal revenge vengeance whoever had mani--fested any opposition aversion to his rule, felt the weight of his rancor. Death and exile were apportioned to the highest in the land. A record is left in the Talmud, which tells that with two exceptions, Herod proscribed some and killed many of the members of the national council, or Sanhedrin, whom he knew to have been his irreconcilable enemies on religious and political grounds. He filled their vacancy with creatures subservient to his will, and even ventured to raise to the high priesthood a man of no worth social standing whatever, but of whom he could dispose at pleasure. The usurper had cleared for himself the path to absolutism. But justly has the book of Proverbs written [Hebrew], "the way of the wicked is like darkness itself; they do not know against what they may stumble." Herod found a cause of constant dread in within the walls of his own house. He had married Miriam or Marianne, grand-daughter of the imbecile Hyrcanus II, who had been an easy tool in the hands of the

wily Antipater. The marriage was one of convenience. Herod believed that by mixing with with the family of the Maccabees, he might gain po--pularity, but Marianne realized too keenly her false position. She could be a faithful wife, an obedient wife, but a fondly loving wife she could not be. Herod, on the contrary, was seized with a passion akin to distraction, for the woman, who to the extraordinary charms of her person, added those of the intellect. But unhappily for him, the passion of dominion was equally strong, and in gratifying that, he mortally offended the woman he had wedded. Marianne had a young brother, as handsome as herself, named Aristobulus. Since Hyrcanus, her maternal grand parent had been made unfit for the high-priesthood by Antigonus who cruelly had cut off his ears, she anticipated to have seen her brother minister at the altar. For the fulfilment of that natural wish, she may have earnestly begged her husband, but he had already appointed another to suit his own pur--poses. He In fact he feared the effect impression which the comely youth of the Asmonean race might create among the people, when officiating as Pontiff in the Temple.

But Alexandra, the mother of Marianne, was too proud of her two children's descent to stoop before the Idumean. She would would not condescend to ask as a favor, what she considered her right. She stealthily sent addressed a letter to Cleopatra queen of Egypt, whose influence on Mark Antony needs not to be as described here. In it sh the mother set forth her grievances, and pleaded for her own son against her cunning son in law. Herod received a missive from the Roman Triumvir upon the subject, and, discovering danger, pretended that his previous election of a high-priest was only temporary, becaused of and being occasioned by the tender age of Aristobulus. But now he would clothe the youth with sacredotal authority, as he had always intended. What Herod had foreseen and dreaded, was fully realized brought to pass. The entrance of the splendid-looking Aristobulus at the Temple robed in the sacred garments which his ancestors had worn, evoked a perfect ovation. All seemed to view in him again the founders of that family of heros who had struck for freedom and won it over for their country and their laws.

But those popular demonstrations were so may many wounds to the heart of Herod. He re--solved therefore to remove from earth an object that excited his envy. At an entertainment, Herod engaged in gymnastic exercises with his young brother in law. Towards evening, the weather being warm, the King proposed that all the men present, should go to a neighboring stream and bathe. Aristobulus also went but never to return. He was drowned. Sorrow overspread the land; but but, the hypocritical pretended assumed grief of Herod and the costly funeral made for the body of the unhappy scion of the Maccabean race, could not deceive the Jews. They knew had reason to surmise suspect that the death was not accidental, but premidated and pre arranged by the iniquitous king. Hatred for the son of the stranger who murdered the best and dearest in the nation was intensified, but none felt it more poignantly more deeply than the bereaved mother. At the news that the son upon whom she had built her hopes for a revival of Asmonean power, had been drawn a corpse out of the water into which he had plunged at the instance of Herod, she became frantic. She would have laid hands on her own life, but the thought of revenge held her back.

Again she appealed to Cleopatra to imploring that she would use her good offices with Antony and bring Herod to grief. The unprincipled Egyptian who covetted Judea and was but too glad of an opportunity to stir up against its Idumean King the ill will of Rome, promised assistance. Mark Antony demanded that Herod should come meet before him and explain how Aristobulus had come at Laodicea and prove that no foul play had brought Aristobulus to an his death untimely end. Herod dared not disobey, but before he set off, he appointed as provisional governor his uncle Joseph, who had married his sister Salome, To him he and gave entrusted to him a secret commission. Should Antony detain Herod as prisoner, or order command his execution, Marianne must be killed, to prevent her falling into the power clutches of the dissolute Roman. triumvir The Idumean who was by no means deficient in the art of speaking, who was adroit, who possessed self-reliance and winning manners, and who knew the power influence of gold, succeeded in justifying beyond his expectations in clearing his conduct, and returned in high spirits to the capi--tal of his kingdom. But the scout commission order had not been kept from Marianne. Joseph unguardedly told it, as an illustration of Herod's conjugal affection, when Alexandra sharply cast doubts upon it.

But Who can blame Marianne for putting her own construction? She was horrified, and interpreted the secret order as another instance of Herod's savageness dispo--sition Remembering, moreover, the recent loss of her promising brother, she could not hypocritically welcome home the Idumean--though he were the father of her children. Salome whose malicious spirit made her a worthy sister of her wicked brother, fan--ned into blaze the fire of domestic strife. She mad--dened Herod, by arousing within him horrid suspicions against Marianne's character. In a fit of jealousy, he had his uncle Joseph--the very husband of Salome--put to death, without even giving affording him an opportunity to defend his course. Alexandra, accused of having plan--ned a conspiracy, was confined into a dungeon. Thus Herod thought to have purchased security, but it was not tranquillity that he had procured. His home gave him no comfort, and in the compul--sory silence of his people, he could hear their curses against a man who had become their executioner, and who ruled only through the consent of hateful Rome.

A new source of trouble to Herod were the am--bitious schemes of Cleopatra. She had prevailed on Mark Antony to assign to her some territory properly belonging to the kingdom of Judea. But unruly as she was in all her cravings, she now pushed her desires still further. She would sit as Queen of in Palestine. Antony, infatuated as he was, dared not nonetheless comply with that wish, and Cleopatra having accompanied him beyond the Euphrates, where he was going to fight the Parthians, paid a state visit to Herod. The latter with masterly prudence avoided being entrapped in the net of laid by her artifices, and escorted her out of his dominions with every demonstrations of a respect to which she was not entitled. The woman, however, who was a complete adept in state political intrigues, managed to involve Herod in a fearful war with the Arabs, tributaries to her crown. If he had Should he been defeated, Cleopatra would have might attained her object. For a time it looked as if her greed was bout to be gratified. The issue of many a battle varied. Teacher, and nature seemed to conspire against Herod.

Egyptian auxiliaries, acting on the secret instruction of their queen, deserted his cause, and a terrible earth--quake in Judea created a panic. Still, fortune did not desert her favorite. Herod's skill as a general, and his great presence of mind finally triumphed. The Arabs, routed and decimated, sued for peace. But the king of Judea had scarcely rested from the last struggle, when a politic--al storm burst upon him. Mark Antony, his friend and protector, had paid dearly for years of wanton inactivity. At Actium, a city in Greece, Petavious Caesar, who afterwards reigned under the title of Augustus, had put an end to the power of the corrupt associate of Cleopatra.
These tidings filled Herod with dismay. Might no Octavious, who was aware of the relations that had existed between the ruler of Judea and the last triumvir, vent his spleen? Herod imagined himself abandoned by Rome, dethroned, stripped of all authority in favor of the rival house of the Asmoneans, and dark suspicions led him again to the commission of a foul shocking crime.

[Hebrew] "The wicked are like the raging sea, that cannot never be at rest." Hyrcanus II had lived for years in for a period, in voluntary exile among the Parthians and was greatly honored by the Jews who largely inhabited the cities beyond the Euphrates. Shortly After Herod became king, he invited the former ruler sovereign of Judea with flattering promises to return to his own country. Anxious to revisit the place of his birth and of his checkered history, the unfortunate man accepted. But Herod now in danger fancied he saw even in the impotent octo--generian a powerful enemy. It has been stated that Alexandra induced her aged father to seek of the king of the Arabs the means of for fleeing away and watching coming events from a distance, and that the com--munication and its reply fell into the hands of Herod. But it is more likely, as many have surmised, that the whole was an invention of the crafty Idumean, who used it as a pretext to utterly destroy every hope that the house beloved by the people, might entertain. Hyrcanus through whose fatal weakness Antipater had mounted up to a height greatness, was beheaded sent to the scaffold, when on the verge of the grave, by the son of the stranger whom he had so immensely benefitted.

It was then that the heart of Marianne revolted against her inhuman husband. Her nuptials had been celebrated, while a carnage was being perpetrated committed among the adherents of her family; the first months of her married life chronicled the ineffaceable insult to her family in the scourging and beheading of her uncle Antigonus. A few years later, she was made to weep from sorrow and anger rage, over the murder of her brother, and now her grand-father, old and inoffensive had been put under the axe of delivered to the executioner. And all these deeds of horror had proceeded from the man with whom she had been doomed to share her earthly existence. To honor such a husband, to show him any conjugal consideration became a natural impossibility. A gulph was opened between Marianne and Herod, which nothing could bridge over. The sequel will tell how this domestic unhappiness affected the destiny of our people.

Identifier

p37s7jb4s

identifier

SMBx12FF4_2