Lecture 39. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 39. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

12 pages on 5 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 4

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3bk1779q/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3bk1779q

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF4_19.xml

content

Post Biblical
39

Who was he that bared his arm to thrust back the iron clad legions of imperial Rome in the oppressive days of Hadrian? Whence did he come who struggled for the deliverance of his brethren in the oppressive days of Hadrian, when Israel verged on the brink of the brink ruin? None can tell it. The national champion is known by a name which a world-renowned sage of his time ap--plied to him--"Bar Cochebà," meaning in the Aramaic language, "the son of the star". To have deserved that appellation, the newly arisen defender must have shown splendid characteristics. It is asserted that on seeing his stately form and daring valor, Rabbi Akiba said exclaimed [Hebrew]: "he is the star of Balaam's prediction, shooting out of the race of Jacob." The surmise that the hero called himself Simon, has no reliable foundation; more plausible is the theory that "Bar Koziba", as the Talmudists often style him, was not a term of contempt reproach, signifying, "the son of lies," but that such was possibly his real name. Now: setting aside as improbable much of what has been written by Jewish and Greek authors regarding that

extraordinary personage, it cannot never--theless be denied that he must have possessed an irresistible magnetism in his looks and speech nature. Warriors sprung up almost instantaneously at his summons; myriads of patriots rallied round his banner, eager to measure arms again with despotic Rome. Rufus was the com--mander whom Hadrian provokingly sent to force the Palestenian Jews to subjection submit to impious rules. Rufus had a hateful name, recalling disasters. But this one deepened the wound which others bearing his appellation had opened. The Rufus of Hadrian occupies a prominent part in Talmudist legends, because of his subtle arguments with which he fancied that he might perplex our Sages. But more than for his cunning queries, Tinnius or Tyrannus Rufus is remembered with detestation by reason of his shocking brutality. The cruelties he committed fired the hearts with a burning indignation. The Roman garrisons in Palestine, could not stand the outburst of wrath which found vent into a mighty insurrection. They quacked at its

uprising. Bar Cocheba was the soul of the re--volution. All looked upon him as the heaven ap--pointed leader; as a resurrected David who would set his throne in Zion, and, like his prototype, subscribe himself [Hebrew] "the Messiah of the God of Jacob." Not alone these of his faith considered him a being destined to tear down the Roman Eagle and plant the flag of a rejuvenated nationality on the top of Moriah mountain, but foreigners strangers regarded the hero with awe, and voluntarily enlisted in his army. The moral support he received from the most distinguished Rabbi of his age, was in itself a tower of strength. Who so universally revered as Akiba Ben Joseph? He was consulted like an oracle upon the Law and tra--ditions. The very history of his life had won for him unequalled popularity. A legend made the Sage descend from a Pagan warrior,--Sisera the general in chief of King Jabin, who fought against by Deborah and Barak. What a merit to have drawn his blood from proselytes, who had washed away the impurities of heathenism, and plunged into the soul-cleansing waters of Sinaic truths?

In his early days Akiba had served the owner of a large estate as a shepherd boy. He grew up in the pursuit the growth, and of his humble vocation, and the daughter of his rich employer had promised the youth love as a reward for his modest virtues. Driven away indignantly by her father, as an illiterate boor, he was not forsaken by the woman who had vowed to him abiding affection. Both lived in poverty rather than seek help at the house of the harsh parent who had unkindly disinherited his child. The young wife, appreciating the inborn talents of her husband, urged him to leave her and go where he could acquire learning, which would secure to him celebrity. The legend tells that he studied twelve years and came back with a wealth of knowledge, and yet his Rachel, ambitious to ensure Akiba's preeminence, advised that he would travel still further and gain such erudition as would might raise him above all his con-temporaries. He finally returned gratefully to the wife of his youth, followed by a train of choice pupils disciples; to be acknowledged by his own the once harsh father in law as his su--perior, whom every Israelite should honor, and to whom his rehabilitated daughter should cling with undying affection.

Now: to be favored by a man who moulded religious opinions, and sat as chief in the Sanhedrin, was a gain which Bar Cocheba knew well how to value. But it seems to me gratuitous on the part of modern his--torians to assert that Rabbi Akiba lent his personal aid to the warlike Messiah. Maimonides does write that the illustrious Sage was [Hebrew] "the armor bearer of Bar Cocheba Koziba," but in all humility say that it would be difficult to find Talmudical authority for the statement. The Rabbi was confessedly very aged, when the insurrection broke out. To believe, as held by some, that at his time of life, he could journeyed to great distances, harangued the people and mustered them as soldiers in the national cause, is to admit believe the incredible. That Rabbi Akiba travelled, at different periods of his life, through the East Orient and also to Europe, there are strong proofs, but it is unreasonable to admit that he undertook to leave his home and his college, in the interest of the popular revolution, when he had reached his hundred and twentieth year, or even a lesser age, if that be deemed an Oriental Eastern exaggeration. Besides, the renowned Sage suffered imprisonment and martyrdom, not

as a penalty for having been involved in the political struggle, but for having defied the ordi--nance which forbid studying and teaching the imparting teaching the Jewish religion. Still, that the mastermind of Palestenian schools should have applied the words of Holy Writ to Bar Cocheba's mission, sufficed to surround it with a halo of sanctity. Inspirited by the prediction, the insurgents marched on to victory. Wherever they advanced, Rufus retreated. The fearless leader of our ancestors, conquered with ease and profitted of by his conquests with moderation. He signalized his rule by stamp--ing upon old coins new emblems typical of a res--toration to freedom. For two years Bar Cocheba had made Roman cohorts pale at the boldness of his army. Hadrian's additional forces could not unseat him who had proclaimed himself the king Messiah, that would humble the arrogance of tyrannic gentilism. It is certainly a cause of boast, that while other nations were brought, with comparative ease facility, under that Power which claimed dominion over the known world, the Jews compelled Rome to employ against them the most formidable

hosts and the greatest generals in history. Pompey, Caesar, Vespasian, Titus, witnessed the determined tenacious will of a small but resolute people, and now the emperor Hadrian felt it necessary to called Julius Severus from distant Brittannia to come and crush the rem--nant of Israel. Severus found Bar Cocheba master of fifty castles and nearly one thousand vil--lages. The Roman general did was sagacious enough not to venture there--fore on a pitched battle, but with consummate skill he harassed the Jews by a species of guerillas, cutting off small bands at a time, depending on his cavalry to prevent a flight, watching every oppor--tunity to stop supplies, and thus gradually bring on great famine. It was a long slow and wearisome war, but of sure success to him who could always fill his ranks afresh, and set against wild enthusiasm a mili--tary discipline unparalleled. One year this irregular warfare dragged on; at length after dire suffering on both sides, it centred itself into a town, made famous in the annals of Judaism for the noble resistance of our forefathers even in the face of an impending and overwhelming defeat.

Bither has been topographically put in different localities. While some have imagined to have found discovered its remains in a village not far from Jerusalem, others have looked for it near the coasts of the Medi-terranean. At all events, in Bither But wherever the ominous spot stood was there, Jewish independence received its final death blow. Bar Cocheba had hoped to send from thence the Roman legions flying beyond the sea. The bravest of his soldiers stood fast by him in that last struggle, and every man was fired up for the tremendous fight. It taxed the military skill of a famous chief like Julius Severus to humble to the Dust a high-spirited people, sworn to die--if it must--sword in hand. Why Bither became the charnel house of a ruined host, why the hoofs of Roman horses trampled upon the Jewish corpses, and waded through rivers of Jewish blood, none has ever satisfactorily cause has been learned. assigned. A Josephus to thrillingly describe the fall of Bither, as he had portrayed the surrender of Jotapata and Gamala after deeds of marvellous valor, did not live in the year 135 of the common era.

Few, contradictory and unreliable are the fragments of history touching this stirring period, nor can the Talmud be always taken to the letter, in its account interspersed and varied in a diver- through a variety -sity of books. The Sages did say that not a drop of rain came to refresh the weary combattants during a whole inauspicious summer. Peoples dropped dead from devouring thirst, as many perished from hunger. It has been also intimated that treason placed into the power of the enemy, an under--ground passage through by means of which a commanding position was gained, and a bloody slaughter of the defenceless was perpetrated. But in truth a veil hangs still over the scenes of horror, which culminated into the crushing of the national re--volution. A tradition tells that the same fatal day of the ninth of Ab, which saw the Temple reduced to ashes under Nebuchadnezzar and under Titus, beheld the fond anticipations which the valor of Bar Cocheba had inspired, rudely scattered to the four winds. The elegies which observant Israelites recited on the yearly fast,

commemorative of our past sorrows, trace also in plaintive language the butchery, the shame, the torturing which attended the overthrow of Bither. One of the saddest incidents was the martyrdom of Hebrew Sages which soon followed--that of Rabbi Akiba being the most heart-rending because of the illustrious teacher's far advanced age, and the uni--versal reverence in which he was deservedly held. He had been entreated by well meaning friends to desist imparting the Law, since Hadrian had so peremptorily ordered, and the lynx eyed Rufus would detect his doing, and punish it cruelly. Akiba refused to listen to a counsel which he considered treasonable to his faith. He was inform--ed against, imprisoned, and condemned to have his flesh torn with sharp-pointed irons. Rufus looked on with fiendish pleasure, but observing that the Sage, in the mist of excruciating torments, read the Shemang (the declaration of God's Unity) with a placid smile upon his countenance, the tyrant said: "Akiba thou must be a sorcerer, else there would I feel agonies."

To which the Rabbi replied "I am no magician, but I have ever been anxious to illustrate the precept of the Law: 'thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy might.' I experience now a spiritual joy because even to my last hour I have has proved me true." Akiba expired uttering the words Adonai Echad, "the Lord is One." We, his fellow-believers and disciples, we that have survived the brutal persecutions of Hadrian and the fall of Bither, we that have nationally remained immortal, while kings, and emperors and dynasties that aimed at our extermination have perished from the earth globe, still rejoice in the knowledge of that One God, and hope to transmit it to the remotest ages, that its verity may ultimately triumph through the seed of Abraham, by which all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Identifier

p3bk1779q

identifier

SMBx12FF4_19