Lecture 34. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 34. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

11 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/p3xd0rg8r/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3xd0rg8r

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF4_14.xml

content

Post-Biblical
34.

Not unsuitable is the comparison, which Dr. Morris J. Raphall has drawn in his post-biblical history between "the reign of terror" in the capital of France during the revolution in the last century against King Louis XVI, and the political condition of Judea about the year 68 of the common era. In both instances the worst pas--sions were let loose, and innocent blood flowed like rivers. Many of the zealots in Jerusalem antici--pated the unscrupulous and ferocius behaviour of the Jacobins of Paris. Still, it would be unjust to consider all alike, and brand them as lawless ruffians. Beyond doubt, the ranks of the zealots were filled with noble hearted men, men ready to lay down their lives for their country, but a large number were also unprincipled rebels, eager to take advantage of a state of anarchy. Barione or robbers, as well as securii or assassins, is the name by which the Talmud distinguishes such, occasionally alluding to their seizing other people's property, and attacking the unsuspecting. Those dangerous men were largely found in the capital, specially after the whole of Galilee

had fallen into the hand of the Romans.
For whoever could escape fled to Jerusalem, and this city, always vastly populated, was then crowded to excess with the inhabitants of different parts of Judea, who differed also in temper and in purpose. Among the refugees came John of Giskala, about whose character, opinions are greatly at variance. for While Josephus, his personal enemy, paints him that chief of the Zealots in the darkest colors, others have represented him as a bright model of patrio--tism. He was received with an ovation by the uncompromising anti-Roman party, for, hatred against a foreign power had grown more intense since Jotapata, Gamala and other moutnainous cities which seemed impregnable, had been stormed and conquered by the enemy. But unhappily the union of feelings indispensable for making an attempt, at least, to resistance, was sadly wanting. The zealots saw, or fancied to see in everyone who did not fully share their views an enemy to the cause of independence. The mistaken zeal of some, the deliberate wickedness of others,

plunged the metropolis into a civil war. When men of social standing, men of influence, men whose only fault was that they had means at their command, were cast into prisons, and then killed by order of a self-constituted "assembly," not unlike that under the control of Robespierre, and Danton and Marat, the people arose against so fierce a tyranny. Once person deser--vedly esteemed stirred up multitudes. Haudin or Anamus, was a temporal officer, and also a priest gifted with an eloquence to which sincerity and uprightness lent additional force. He exhorted his countrymen to shake off the yoke of a faction, more unsupport--able than even that of the Romans. His words arou--sed a spirit of determination to put an end to the reign of terror inaugurated by many of the Zealots. The latter prepared to fight, but overpowered by a su--perior number, they retreated within the first enclosure of the Temple. Anamus prompted by pious motives ordered a cessation of arms. He would not pol-lute the house of God with slain. In chastising the zealots his object had been to check their violence,

and compel them to submit to rules, but his generosity cost him, his associates and the country very dearly. For, the zealots who had been blockaded and watchfully guarded within the precincts of the Temple, succeeded in eluding detection, and stealthily sent a message to southern Jews, living in Idumea. Those Jews, originally heathens, but converted to Judaism through the unwise policy of John Hyrcanus, the Asmonean, were a fair specimen of the adventurers of the middle ages, who hired themselves to any party that held out a promise of gain. Worthy compatriots of Herod, they flew to arms and 20,000 strong and mocked at the gates of Jerusalem to enter and spill blood. Ananus found himself shut up between the fiery zealots and the murderous Idumeans. What followed is too harrowing to relate--a night in which the heavens appeared to hurl down curses upon brothers killing brothers within sight of the Holy of Holies, was the night which succeeded the arrival of the Idu--means. Peal on peal of deep thunders made the very earth quake, and when morning dawned, it lighted upon a slaughter. The highest and most renowned

were pierced through by the arrow and the sword, and Ananus shared the fate of his illustrious com-panions. A distinguished citizen called Zechariah, whose wealth had given the irrepressible zealots umbrage, was summoned before a Sanhedrin, gotten up for the purpose, and accused of high treasonable intercourse with Rome. He easily proved his innocence and was acquitted, but two of the Barionè, the overbearing ruffians of whom the Talmud speaks, stabbed him, as he was leaving the court, after they had treated the his judges with shocking indignity.
The conduct of John of Giskala under all those sorrowful circumstances admits of a doubt. To believe Josephus, he was plotting with the most violent of among the zealots, while professing friendship for Ananus and the party of law and order. But as Josephus was not an eye witness of what happened then in the capital, since he had escaped to the Romans and enjoyed their protection, we may incline to judge the Galilean chief more favorably. It is not unlikely that after the departure of the Idumeans, who returned

to their country by reason of the ferocities atrocities practised in Jerusalem, at which even they revolted, John Giskala assumed absolute power to control the zealots. He certainly possessed military abilities and personal qualities calculated to win followers, but a Joshua, could not, without a mi--racle, have curbed spirits wild with mistakenly false, or wickedly destructive, notions. Feuds and quarrels within the ranks of the zealots were a constant occurrence, and in the midst of them another self-appointed leader arose to add to the misery.
Simon son of Gioras was at a fortress in Massada, situated on the South Western side of the Dead Sea, when he heard of the events, which had given John of Giskala the opportunity to take up the command. Simon was young, of great physical strength, courageous, daring and regardless of the means by which he could gratify his ambition. Among the zealots he stood foremost as the sworn foe of Rome and of her partizans--the moderates, as we might call them, or the peace-party. The son of Giorus having left Massada, gathered around him

all who had nothing to lose, promised liberty to slaves, high wages of freemen. Every day the number of his followers swelled, some joined him out of fear, some out of hope of gain, and some also out of admiration for his surpassing intrepidity. He raised an army, and with it he threw himself into the mountains, forced his entrance into cities, fought back whatever dared oppose his movements, took rich spoil and left everywhere behind the traces of his audacious will. In Idumea he met with stout resistance, and his boldness was put to a severe test, but the treachery of an Idumean made him victorious. Success into--xicated Simon to a degree that he carried devasta--tion through the whole south of Palestine, and dashed down to the very gates of Jerusalem. The zealots, who adhered to John of Giskala, haras--sed Simon outside of the city walls, and took his wife a prisoner. They thought that the husband to recover the woman he fondly loved, her husband would sue for peace, but he grew furious, slew all that came near him, and swore that he would break down the

walls and spare no one, unless his wife was restored to him uninjured. The people saw his dread earnestness and let his wife go free. Simon son of Geiras withdrew them, for a time, to Idumea.
Vespasian looked on with complancence, and reasoned himself against making a strong effort to beseige Jerusalem. "Let opposite parties tear each other, and when weakened enough I shall secure an easy conquest." So must the Ro--man general have argued, and to cut off any chance of assistance which the capital might receive, he and the warlike Placidus, scoured all the country around with the besom of destruction. In vain the fugitives of Gadara attempted to turn on their pursuers. They were impetuously set upon near the river Jor--dan when at spring tide its water swiftly overflowed its banks. But no Joshua was there to bid the Jordan turn backward. The ri historic river which had ebbed away at the approach of

at the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, swelled on before the unhappy people of Gadara. Thousands found a grave where the successor of Moses had raised the his twelve memorial stones, thousands were killed and multitudes dragged the chains of captivity. Bent upon lea--ving Jerusalem isolated, Roman legions carried the fire and sword through all the surrounding regions. Antipatrus, Lydda, Jammia--cities famous in Jewish literature--forcibly submitted to a gal--ling yoke. Woe to those who refused to surrender, no trace of their homes would remain behind the army which like swarms of locusts consumed every thing. At Jericho,--fraught with remiscences of God's wonders--the soldiers of Rome pitched at length their tents. Judea saw the plains of Jericho filled studded with barracks stretched out by the enemy of a strange language that had come from after. The delicious gardens and broad leaved palm trees of the spot first conquered by the redeemed of Egypt, were enjoyed by the nation, that

came flying like an eagle, and thirsting but for rapine and carnage. The prediction of our arch prophet registered in the 28th chap. of Deuteronomy were but too literally fulfilled, even before the final dispersion, which he also foretold, became a sorrowful fact. We shall yet be brought face to face with made to contemplate the events that brought on the burning of the Temple and the scattering of our people from one end of the earth to its opposite end.

Identifier

p3xd0rg8r

identifier

SMBx12FF4_14