Lecture 37. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 37. 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/p35x25x8n/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p35x25x8n

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF4_17.xml

content

Post-Biblical
37

Before we part altogether with Josephus, and give direct our attention to the narrative of events drawn from later sources, some remarks are necessary. In the short post-biblical lectures, delivered here at intervals, and principally for the instruction of the young in this congregation, the character of our, confessedly great, historian, has been brought set to view in an unfavorable light. He was shown to have lacked patriotism, though he was not wanting in courage and military skill; to have cared more for his literary fame than for the honor of his unfortunate brethren. Nevertheless, justice demands that the charge of apos--tasy against him should not go uncontradicted. Some Early Christian writers have unwarrantably represented Josephus as a convert to the new religion, founding their arguments upon certain passages in his books histories. The most striking would be the most damaging, if it were genuine, but that it is forged, any reader who will stop to think, can easily discover.
In the 18th book of his "Jewish Antiquities," our histo--rian gives an account of oppressive measures, which made Pontus Pilate--the Roman proconsul in Judea--hateful to the Jews, and which caused political

disturbances. To this narrative there follows a para--graph of only four sentences concerning Jesus, who is described as "a door of wonderful works," and as "having come back to life according to divine promises." Then im--mediately after comes we are told a long story of concerning touching a disgraceful act perpetrated in the temple of the Egyptian deity Anubis at Rome. Now: can any one that is at all acquainted with the style of Josephus, believe that he, who habitually descants on even trifling occurrences, would have so quickly disposed of an incident, which he is credited to have interpreted as the advent of a prophetically predicted Messiah? Or that he can it be credited that an historian devote to it such an episode merely a few lines thrust between two narratives entirely disconnected with it? Clearly, that and the like statements are interpolations made by Christians, who pretend that the destruction of the Temple and the consequent dispersion were punish--ments for having refused to worship a man-god. To be consistent in their pious fraud, they Nazarenes make Josephus, who has often denounced his own people, a convert to the newly born creed. But in all truth, if Jose--phus was not disloyal to his country, he surely did not disown his religion.

In one of his dissertations, added to the end of his history, he boasts of the undying attachment of Jews to their laws, despite all changes of fortune. Viewing it the subject also in the light of self-interest--and who more egotistical than Josephus?--, the favorite of the Flavian family, whose name he took, would not have benefitted by his apostasy. For "the tribes of Christians," as he is supposed to have called the comparatively few followers of Jesus in his time, were severely persecuted at Rome. Their having kept aloof from their former coreligionists, during the seige of Jerusalem did not ensure for them a kind treatment on at the part hands of the heathen conquerors. On the contrary, the veil of secresy they threw cast over their worship, excited suspicion, and exposed the devotees to the rising belief of the rising Nazarene church to the ill will of a popu--lation, who feared that fancied to see conspiracies everywhere, and whose demoralising polytheism rendered them it fiercely cruel.
I have felt prompted to say all this, as a caution to the young of my faith, who either at schools or at home read histories which, instead of filling them with arousing profound admira--tion for a heroic ancestry, inspire contempt for men whom inveterate prejudice calls deicides and infidels.

For what is noble daringness in others, is obstinacy in the Jew, what is religious firmness in the followers of the man of Nazreth, is incredulity disbelief in the adherents of the Unity. But verily if only the last episode handed down by Josephus had been penned, an unbiased posterity must should have awarded to the Hebrews the palm for unequalled bravery supported by unwavering belief. After the conquest by Titus three fortres--ses had not yet fallen into the hands of failed to be captured by the Roman legions. Heordion, Macharus and Masada. Incre--dible as it may seem appear, still notwithstanding the fall of Jerusalem and the overthrow of the Temple, a few thousands still remained up in arms in those strongholds. Herodion not being in a position to offer a stout resistance, submitted to the sad fate and opened its gates to the enemy. Macharus, which was situated on a rugged ro cliff, surrounded by by ravines of great length and depth, struggled hard for a time. After many attacks and repulses it was finally taken, through the imprudence of a too fearless youth, named Eleazar. He was always the first to throw the arrow at the adversary, and the last to stop pause. Sometimes, he would check single-handed the advancing host, till he could safely beat a retreat.

One day relying on his prowess, he ventured outside of the walls gates. An Egyptian, serving in the Roman army, stealthily watched the daring youth. Being of a clo colossal strength, he sprung upon the Jewish hero, and holding him tight as in a vice, bore him triumph--antly to the Roman camp. There he was stripped and unmercifully whipped scourged. From the top of the walls, a cry of distress broke forth. The Jews saw their champion vilely treated. They saw a cross set up for having him crucified, according to the barbarous usage of Rome. Unable to witness the ignominious death of the man who had formed their pride, they promised to surrender, if only Eleazar's life was spared. He was restored to his family and the gar--rison capitulated. But many among the inhabitants who tried to leave the city by night, evading the vigilance of the Roman sentinels, were caught and killed. Some were pursued into the woods, where they had sought a hiding place, but found death. But The Masada still held firm, and there the last scene in that bloody drama was enact--ed. at Masada The Its fortress seemed destined to baffle

any attempt to capture it. Not unlike Gamala, its steps and precipices made one giddy to look at them. Nothing but rocks and chasms met the eye. The city however rose a on fairy-like upon a height. Picturesque it was and beautifully laid out. The soil though mountainous was received a carefully cultivation, and it supplied provision in plenty. Masada had been originally built by Jonathan the Maccabean. In later years Herod I had bestowed on it vast means to render it impregnable and withal magnificent and fertile. When the Roman general Flavius Silva undertook to storm the stronghold, its commander was a certain Eleazar, a descendant of that Judah & Galilee, who had pro--claimed it a crime to pay tributes to a foreign power. He emboldened the people with resistance, and with a military genius deserving of a better success, kept the foe at bay, and made the battering rams im--potent. But the element, which had destroyed the capital and its sanctuary, conspired also against this band of heroes. The beseiged had run up a double wall, the posterior of which was so ingeniously constructed that the more it was battered beaten against the more solid it became.

The Roman general perceiving the impossibility of gaining his point by war inquiry, ordered that fire brands be thrown upon the inner wall, made which was consisted of immense beams of timber felled covered all over with earth. The wind which at first had blown into the face of the Romans and dis--concerted their plans, suddenly changed and the for--tress of Masada was delivered to the flames. The same night the commander assembled the defenders and spoke thus: "Since we long ago, my generous friends," re--solved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, the time has now come that obliges us to put that resolution into practice." He then reminded his hearers companions of the tenacity with which they had clung to their principle, and how they were had to the very last to dealt a blows at a despotic power, though with no avail, through a dispensation of Providence. They should crown their firmness steadfastness by a desperate but necessary deed. They should setting all their property on fire that it might not enrich the enemy, killing their wives that they might not be defiled by a loose Roman soldiery, their children that they might not be sold at the market place as slaves, and then slaying one another. As he Eleazar noticed that at his proposition

some strong men wept and looked yearningly towards their wives those they loved most, and children, Eleazar he portrayed in vivid touches the a free existence in immortality, far to be preferred to a life of shame and abject bondage.
It is certainly incredible that Eleazar the commander should have delivered at such a time, the lengthy and learned dis--course reported by Josephus, who was not present; but it is beyond doubt that the impassioned words of the chief struck a responsive chord. The men clasped to their hearts their wives and children, gave them the warmest kiss, then plunged the weapon into their breasts. Having chosen by lot ten of their number to act as executioners, they offered their necks to receive the fatal blow. Then nine of the ten fell by each other's hand, and the last setting fire to the palace and the most va--luable objects collected therein, drove the sword into his own body. Early in the morn--ing the Romans scaled the walls--None resisted. They entered the city--silence remained unbroken. They met nothing, they heard nothing not a sound, save the

crackling of the flames still burning. A shout went up as if to awaken those wrapped in deep sleep. The noise brought out two wo--men and five children. They had crept into a cave and escaped the voluntary slaughter. Some One of the women females, related the act of self-sacri--fice by which nine hundred and sixty had perished. The Romans refused to believe, but having partly extinguished the fire, and opened a way into the palace, they beheld the closing tragic scene of a nation's political death. Who dares deny the Jew a freedom loving soul? Involuntary perhaps, Josephus pays a tribute to those unhappy votaries of liberty, though when in the pages which he wrote he very nearly close his narratives. But when he wrote to immortalize our heros martyrs, he was himself was enjoying ease at Rome. All lands in the country of his birth were ordered by the twin emperors at Rome in the eternal city to be put up for at sale a public sale, but the favorite of Vespa-sian and Titus was granted other and larger posses--sions. His coreligionists were condemned to pay for the rebuilding of the temple of Jupiter Capitolnius, which had been also devoured by the flames, the

same tax which they had given for the support of the temple at Jerusalem, but Josephus was exempt from all taxation, was declared a Roman citizen, and received a yearly stipend. Having married a third time, after having divorced his two for--mer wives, he settled under the aegis of the empire, with his three remaining sons, among a people that was not had destroyed his own people. The boast he makes in his autobiography does not raise him in our estimation as an impartial historian. That his writings bore the mark of an imperial appro--bation is not a recommendation to his outraged people brethren; that what he said of the Jews and their wars, pleased Agrippa II is rather a cause of displeasure ot us, who know how degenerate was that would Jewish king, of the Jews, and how he and his sister Berenice have forfeited for ever the respect of posterity. Nevertheless, the lovers the authors student of history does miss the well connected and elegantly penned narratives of Josephus, when obliged to search into a variety of works for an account of events subsequent to the conquest of Titus.

To scholars who have labored unweariedly to enlighten us on that important subject, Hebrews are greatly beholden. To German Israelites of the present age, who have excelled in that branch of literature, as in many other departments of human knowledge, all honor is due. To them thanks must their be coreligionists rendered thanks by their coreligionists who are eager to learn the stirring vicissitudes which befell Israel in the days that have gone.

Identifier

p35x25x8n

identifier

SMBx12FF4_17