SAMSON RAPHAEL HIRSCH
The Collected Writings VOLUME II
THE JEWISH YEAR PART TWO ELUL - ADAR
Published for the Rabbi Dr. Joseph Breuer Foundation and the Samson Raphael Hirsch Publications Society
Philipp Feldheim, Inc. New York - Jerusalem -- - .. TAJ{ PAYMENT SYSTEM
Adar VI
ruu Cl '11(1-"And Nel'ertheless ..." The Great Enigma of World History
"And nevertheless...." This is the age-old promise cited in a I(n'lnO (1('" il"lO) reflecting upon the perils and deliverance which Israel has experienced since the beginnings of its galuth. Among these are the mortal danger and the miraculous rescue that are commemorated each year during the month of Adar. onl( 'n',::! '!lil' on':l' O'n'~ll(" o'nol(o 1(' Oil'::!'1( f'l(::! om'it::! nl(t Ol "l1(1 o:"l'i"1( ':"1 ')1( ':l-"And yet nevertheless, even though they are in enemy country, I have not despised them, nor have 1rejected them, to destroy them utterly, to break My covenant with them, for I, 'il, remain their God" (Leviticus 26,44). This promise is the first half of the concluding sentence of a Biblical passage in which all of Jewish history, with all its glories and sorrows, was outlined even before so much as one day of it had come to pass. Uttered at the cradle of the Jewish nation, this passage depicts the centuries of horror through which the Jewish people will have to pass if it becomes unfaithful to its mission. Nothing is omitted from this picture: fear and terror, affliction and disease, privation and hunger, exile and despair, and even the most horrible fate that could befall any person, any class or any nation that they should become "p, "accidental," with no rights anywhere, belonging nowhere, with no one paying attention to their needs or claims, tolerated only as long as the others, those who consider them selves entitled to rights and freedom, feel that this would bring them benefit or gain. All this is depicted in that dire prediction of Israel's future. The Children of Israel are seen in the "enemy country;" they are charged with the theft of the very ground beneath their feet, of the very air they breathe. They are "despised;" they have forfeited that which should have been "their wisdom and their insight in'the eyes of the nations," 421 ...... ' ~ ~, -
422 COLLECTED WRITINGS the ideals that should have shown to the nations of the earth how the an entity wh:;l::J Name of God shines upon Israel and that should have won Israel the type p,)licy ...:] respect of the world. They preferred to compete with the cavalries of tered abro2.':: a the nations, with the armed might of the princes, with the politics and nation that. jc the political sagacity of the sovereign states. They attempted to vie apart frorr. " 1 with the others on a level not permitted them, when in fact it was their and custorr.5 :::J mission to teach the nations by their own example, in life and history, every peop:;:" l that such trappings of material power are secondary, transitory and pattern of tte !l wanting. aspect of its ~:ii: And so the Children of Israel lost the respect of the nations, with do they kee~ :1 whose physical prowess they were never meant to compete. Because that there is .::.( they regarded the very core of their existence as merely "accidental," state, that ;:i.:j they were repaid measure for measure in that their existence truly be, will ope::.::. became "accidental" * in the midst of an arrogant mankind, armed and prisor'.s. :. with violence, which could only see that the exiles who accidentally that there i5 2:1 had been scattered among them lacked the foundation upon which one author.::· 1: they, the nations of the world, had built their glory and greatness. is therefore :J There is among the nations no eye which appreciates that quiet that all thi::-.,€:s... grandeur, that everlasting might which should shine all the more look to the 5::: brightly during the dark periods of Israel's history; an ideal which-if enables an:· ~ only the exiles themselves had perceived it as their one true remaining authority C·'::'~_::l treasure-would have placed Israel as a shining ligh't upon the horizon profit the and would have presented even these remnants to thinking men as the As a C0::-50e miracle nation, worthy of their respect. over the cc;:::.:.. The nations, aware that Israel does not have what they consider the tnought an':' :f. trappings of power, do not understand the greatness which Israel does these exiles .., in fact possess. Therefore Israel finds itself "despised" in enemy a livelihooc . .u country, without personal and civil rights, scorned as a lowly worm aim of the ::'.?:JI among earth's creatures. The Biblical prediction portrays the Children diminish t:"e::::l of Israel as "rejected" everywhere, a foreign body, disruptive, trouble 0'::)1(' ::.-.:- • some, an obstacle to the unity of the host nation, intruders whom the The nation ;':171, must literally eliminate or disgorge if it is to regain its ing him tC' ;:~."lI balance. objective .,. The Jews are the only element that cannot be absorbed by the state; seductia 1: :i they are a problem for which political wisdom cannot find a solution, That whi.:::: ::2:.1 ::::l persister::::. ::'JI .. See the author's rendering of Leviticus 26,40-41 in his Commentary: " ... they may be 51:::! ::l have walked with Me (only) by chance" as compared to the conventional English rendering: " ... they have walked contrary to Me." [Ed.] the air b:;:,:.~ ADAR VI 423
: s:.: _J.:: IO the nations of the earth how the an entity which no political authority can encompass. Any Haman ~i~le: and that should have won Israel the type policy will treat them as C'~lIi1 r:l "'!)l)' 'fDl) ClI ("a people scat ;: -=:=~red to compete with the cavalries of tered abroad and dispersed among the peoples"-Esther 3, 8), a f - of the princes, with the politics and nation that, despite its dispersion, stubbornly insists on remaining r: s:·.ereign states. They attempted to vie apart from all the other nations, a nation that, with its strange laws c: ;::-=~::nitted them, when in fact it was their and customs ClI ?:;)~ ml'1I1 Ci1'm ("their laws are different from those of $ =-:' _:heir own example, in life and history, every people"), has introduced a foreign element into the orderly t':2.. ?ower are secondary, transitory and pattern of the host country's development. By refusing to submit every aspect of its life to the laws of the king C'1I1l7 Cl'N 1?tll'! 'M nN' ("neither H5:-lel lost the respect of the nations, with do they keep the king's laws"-), this nation, of course, demonstrates e:. -J. ere never meant to compete. Because that th.ere is indeed one area that cannot be touched by the laws of the : :heir existence as merely "accidental" state, that eludes governmental regulations, one entity which, if need :: ~ ::n.easure in that their existence truiy be, will openly resist the king's power, defying the terrors of shackles ~ ::n:ast of an arrogant mankind, armed and prisons, torture and execution. This nation proclaims the truth : - ~ee that the exiles who accidentally that there is one power before which even a king's majesty fades away, ::.:e::n ,acked the foundation upon which one authority before which the might of sovereign states evaporates. It J~~:. had built their glory and greatness. is therefore the most eloquent protest against the absurd notion E::> ::: eye which appreciates that quiet that all things, including man with his God and his conscience, must - which should shine all the more look to the state for the license to exist. Such a nation naturally :'':~:SJf Israel's history; an ideal which-if enables any Haman to label it as a group whom the king's absolute li: ;-;:r~ived it as their one true remaining authority cannot afford to tolerate Cn'l1'l? m1l1 T'N 1?l)?' ("it does not f :5:-.:.e1 as a shining light upon the horizon profit the king to tolerate them"-Esther 3, 9). r~:: ::'ese remnants to thinking men as the As a consequence, the description of Israel's future predicts that, !:e: ~espect. over the centuries to come, nations and statesmen will not devote $;;';;.e: Coes not have what they consider the thought and effort to finding ways of dealing justly and humanely with c:::"s:a.'1d the greatness which Israel does these exiles in their midst, promoting their prosperity, affording them U:".:.e: _iin.ds itself "despised" in enemy a livelihood, and aiding them in their pursuit of happiness. Instead, the .rr:.::;,-:l nghts, scorned as a lowly worm aim of the nations and their leaders will be cn?:;)?, "to destroy them," to : 3: ~ 'ica] prediction portrays the Children diminish them, to wear them down until they cease to exist. '~::-e. a foreign body, disruptive, trouble t:n:lN? :In:;)' ("let it be written that they be destroyed"-Esther 3, 9). t;.::- Llte host nation, intruders whom the The purblind policy of Haman was to demand a royal decree authoriz 1C=.:::a.te or disgorge if it is to regain its ing him to exterminate the Jews. Antiochus sought to attain the same objective with a sword in his right hand and with all the cunning of r.e::: that -.;annot be absorbed by the state' seduction in his left, appealing to the senses and befuddling the mind. I ";'::: :'::;cal wisdom cannot find a solution: That which cannot be exterminated physically by murder could well be vanquished morally by diabolical, gentle seduction; a policy that l..!-.::.::-..s 26.40-41 in his Commentary: "_ .. they persistently employs both violence and temptation to achieve its ends tL:::'l: as compared to the conventional English may be sure of success. This is indeed the policy which has poisoned :c::"---:. :0 ~e_" [Ed.] the air breathed by the unfortunate exiles over hundreds and even - -- .-..
424 COLLECTED WRITISGS thousands of years. Haman's example is followed only from ti.me to time if someone's patience has worn thin, or if a Haman runs afoul of not de5?~'" to brea;;: \ a Mordecai and seeks to slake a base thirst for revenge or an even more sordid avarice under the guise of concern for the welfare of his kn':.nr: country. By and large, the atmosphere in which the history of the exiles did no: :-;j unfolds follows the pattern set by Antiochus. The unfortunates have the da:" ~ 'it, shail :-t: been subjected to the pressures and the ridicule of crude force on the nation .... J] one hand, and the satanic smile of seductive temptation on the other, "nl." :--:--, in the hope that they will be destroyed physically and morally at the Oil:! ~7';;;- , same time. their hee';: And then the Roman-Christian world took a certain book from become :J: the hands of that very despised and rejected nation which had been marked for destruction, and hailed this book as a promise of the if all t!:le 5.1: the po·,.e; world's redemption and of their own deliverance from the corruption Rome y,e:-c of paganism. The adherents of this creed even began to worship a son deprave.: II of these exiles as their divine savior, and to revere that book and that able to :!: son as the foundation of all future civilizations and of the advancement erasing 15:-1 of salvation on earth. Then they felt they could no longer dismiss out men-f.:: I of hand the suggestion that the origin, the destiny, the history and the may ha\;:; teachings of these scattered exiles had been attended by a "special stand. :.::., Divine element." At that point the urge to destroy the Jews was given an intellectual rationalization: the ','Divine" element that had been toricai its ragin!; : manifest in these exiles had become a thing of the past; the Jews them the mic.s: selves had cast it aside and therefore God had scattered them among grudgir:t:_: the nations, Onl( 'n'1:! 1!lil'. "to break My covenant with them." (Exodus ~ At one time, it was claimed, the Jews had indeed been the Chosen them-:::: People, whom God had blessed and found worthy of bringing about them, a:-_: the salvation of the world. But now they are the pariahs whQm God upon the::= Himself has despised and rejected. He Himself has canceled His kept ~ covenant with them and marked them for destruction. Therefore those His The;;. who hate, oppress and persecute the Jews are performing a sacred task in the 'i!__ . that is pleasing to God. 'il 01() ""'il' ,,11f1rJ ("They that rule over them history:: bring them misery in the name of God"-Isaiah 52, 5). That spirit to Go:: 1 which might have salvaged the fate of the Jews had turned the hatred enigm2. . and persecution of Jews into a religion. thus cutting off even the last hope of the exiles. priori ;: histor1 ::.::, The Biblical promise foresees all these developments. nl(! Ol ~I(' ("He tl-.:::: 'il '11( 'j onl( 'n'1:! 1!li'l' on,j, C'n'l.'l 1<,' c'nOl(rJ 1(' Oil':l'K f1K:l om'il:! the one G c;'!'P'I<. "nevertheless, even though they are in enemy country, I have cible, I:::: - - - - • a
:. --" ~-::::':J WRITINGS ADAR VI 425 ~ ~ !\.:.:nple is followed only from time to e:.":':;' JrTI thin, or if a Haman runs afoul of not despised them, nor have I rejected them, to destroy them utterly, r E~';; " base thirst for revenge or an even to break My covenant with them; for I 'il, rem~in their God." As the e:- :.":: of concern for the welfare of his Itn'l11'" explains, "I did not despise them in the days of the Chaldeans, I : "'.::-. -s;:>::ere in which the history of the exiles did not reject them in the days of Haman, to destroy them utterly in :::- ;.:: :y A.ntiochus. The unfortunates have the days of the Syrian Greeks, to break My covenant with them, for I, :So _~;s 2.'1d the ridicule of crude force on the 'il, shall remain their God for that future in which no state and no ..: E=:.! of seductive temptation on the other nation will have power over them any longer, It;, 0'111)j '''''::1 0'110X", x; [ ~;' ':;:5:royed physically and morally at th; 1'1111'; Oi1'v;X 'il 'lX 0"7.)" '7.)'::1 011K 'l1',::1 '1)i1; O'l" '7.)'::1 011;j; 17.)il '7.)'::1 0'11;3:') Oil::l ",;1l7; il;'j' 1'11);' il",'K 7.l rK1I) K::I; (Yalkut). "Even if they have lost L:-'_ .. :,:,:ian world took a certain book from their homeland, even if they are strangers in enemy country, I have not .5~': and rejected nation which had been become their enemy. They have not lost Me; they still have Me." Even ~::::::ailed this book as a promise of the if all the shrewdness of the Chaldeans, all the trickery of the Greeks, all :: :--.~:~ own deliverance from the corruption the power of the Persians and all the secular and clerical prowess of :::.E -: :'::15 creed even began to worship a son Rome were to join forces to portray this nation as the most despicable, -.'.::~ 5~"-iar, and to revere that book and that depraved nation on earth, they would not succeed. They will never be .L :·..::..:~e civilizations and of the advancement able to destroy it, not even spiritually; they will never succeed in i.e:: :::e:. Eel t they could no longer dismiss out erasing Israel's spiritual, God-ordained significance from the minds of :.~: ..-.e "rigin, the destiny, the history and the men-not even from their own. Much against their will, though they e::-e·: edes had been attended by a "special may have stormed at Israel over centuries, they will ultimately have to t ::.: .::: :~1:: urge to destroy the Jews was given stand, hat in hand, filled with awe and admiration, before the his l:2.:":::. :~e "'Divine" element that had been torical phenomenon of this nation. Israel's miraculous survival amidst ~.L :-:;2::1:: a thing of the past; the Jews them its raging foes, its wonderful resilience, its spiritual and moral vigor in l:: _~.e:;;;-ore God had scattered them among the midst of all its sufferings, will force its enemies to concede t- ,2 :creak My covenant with them." grudgingly that this is, indeed, the "finger of God" K1il O'V;K 17::llrX ~-"-. -::e":. :ie Jews had indeed been the Chosen (Exodus 8,15). God was with the Children of Israel-and within ~ -';5;;:':; and found worthy of bringing about them-not only in the remote Biblical past in Palestine but He is with ',: 3_. :-.·)W they are the pariahs whom God them, and within them, still, even today, amidst the woes inflicted <.::: ~e~e::ed. He Himself has canceied His upon them by European perversity. He said Oil'P;K 'il 'lK '::l, and He has =~~..:e': :hem for destruction. Therefore those kept His promise. :",;.; _:e :he Jews are performing a sacred task The words "and nevertheless ..." in God's promise, and "indeed" - :.<; '''.-0:' "11."1?;) ("They that rule over them in the reluctant concession by the nations, have transformed the whole ,;' ::.::.=:. 0: God"-Isaiah 52, 5). That spirit history of the Jewish people in galuth into a most glorious monument ::: :::= :ate of the Jews had turned the hatred to God. They have set up this nation, in its dispersion, as the great .:::" ~ :eligion, thus cutting off even the last enigma of world history that defies all predictions, demolishes all a priori concepts of history and mocks the statistical pragmatism of , : -,:see:; all these developments. nKl Ol 'lK' historians, a nation that compellingly proclaims God, 1l7K'", m"n K'P :: ~- :.:-~:.. ~ X" 0'110X'" N; Oil'J'K f'K::I Om'il::l ("He that called the generations from the beginning" -Isaiah 41, 4), as :-:: :.~:;: they are in enemy country, I have the one Guide of all human destiny, and morality, as the sole invin cible, indestructible force in the lives of men and nations. EFTpSe ~Y;:;'()!l"red$V'r~.p~rr,Gff,$,'''''' 1£ you do NOT tell us vvithin 4 business days after you learn of the leo, or theft of your EFTPS Internet Password, and we can prove we could ,,~n~ Password without your
426 COLLECTED WRITINGS
However, the ICl"I'll"l1.) does not merely skim the surface; it does raised for thee ~:=. -: not simply review the phases of Jewish ga/uth history in the light of the tions." Biblical promise; it does not only trace the survival of God's covenant This is h~'" : -" ; with Israel through the historic fact that Israel in dispersion did not that God \\35 ~.:: ~:J succumb to the power of the Chaldeans, to the arrogance of Persia, to tion in an Lr::es-; ::~'..:l the spirit of ancient Greece or to the sword of Rome. The ICl"I'll"l7.) and His prOle.:' =:". stresses that this is not the only proof of God's almighty power and of despised or re:e~:e: ' the awe-inspiring protection He extends to Israel before the eyes of the never broke n:s :>~ nations. (t:I"C 1C7.)1' ;T'" /' O'1:11-t:l1P;' :1'l"IlIC111 Til Til 1'rn',:1:1 Til Til) It delves of our exile He~::;::;; deeply into the history of the centuries of Jewish galuth to show us, in deliverance, ;r.e:-. '''.3 every generation, that though Israel has strayed far from God, God is knew, even l:l :~-.;:: _"': still near to Israel and that, though Israel has been dispersed among own high mer" ,,-~j the nations, God still desires His people. True, the fall of the Jewish personal .e state attests to the moral perversion and spiritual decline of the Jewish Was there e',:: J people. But as the ICl"I'ln1.) demonstrates to us, the Jewish nation them!" (Jere;r.::=." : .. retained its moral and spiritual superiority and remained close to the succumbed [~ '.r::~ ,21 awakening, enlightening and reviving nearness of God. Israel's moral were exiled :: 3~ ="'l perversion and spiritual decline were never so complete that they could lay in ruins a:::: : ... e 1 have destroyed that deep-rooted, God-seeking core of life, that deep had lost the ;:;'::._ :.::J> seated loyalty which awaits irradiation from the light of God. As a that should ;,,,,'. o'C.' consequence, Israel was able to produce, in every age, men imbued were forced :~ ::'" d with the Jewish spirit and with Jewish loyalty, men who, by their this misf ora"r::: - ::.: teachings and their personal example, by word and by action, swept as a result c·f 1;::=.=1 the whole nation along with them. lifting it far above the pitfalls of because Is;2.;;: .. .=.: perversion and corruption to the heights of learning and loyalty. Israel from God's L,· J won the respect of a hostile world, forcing the astounded nations to prophet whe ~ : i realize that God is still not only with Israel but also within Israel, so before the d:5.2.,::::r that even a mouth (Balaam) opened to curse Israel was forced to bless themselves oes;:::: it: 1:1 ,;7.) l"IY11rn 11.)Y 1'P?iC 'il ("God is with him. and the homage to a king last spark 01 ::.e :-'-1: is in him"-Numbers 23, 21). ?IC')' Oil? 'n17.)Yil1!) 0"1!):;) '1.)'::1 O'l"IOIC7.) IC; and partkt:~:;'. .1l 0'11' '1.)':1 on?::l? 1l"101C1 ':;)"1.) Oi!; 'n'7.)Yil1!) 11.)i! '7.)':1 O'l"I;YllC" "1T1'1 ?1C1!)'1.) "lln "Neyer:::::.!s", 0"7.)11 '/:)':1 Ol"llC 'n'1:1 15)i!? )ni!:;) "nn/:)1 "1:11 '1C11/:)1!)m P":I\'i! TlY/:)1!) Oi!? 'n,7.)Yi!1V Jewish eli:.:: :':;.• -';: (I< n, 07'l7.)) m1" '/:):;)m ':11 eJi!; 'n17.)Yi!tI.' "I did not despise them in the days nobles"-D.'. .. = of the Chaldeans, for I raised for them Daniel, Chananiah, Mishael them in C:::;..:,!.:..:r and Azariah. I did not reject them in the days of Haman, for I raised among ,;:e,,, .:':..J for them Mordechai and Esther. I did not allow them to be utterly Chanania;" ::-.! ~ destroyed in the days of the Greeks, for I raised for them Simon the made eOCE':: ..C.:.l Just, the Hasmonean and' his sons and the High Priest Mattathias. I stood firm :=. ... :.;.1 did not break My covenant with them in the days of the Romans, for I of the king'! : . ...:l fiii!.rU)!JL. ...,···~.· .. ··..·
ADAK Vi 427
; :::: ::::;;ely skim the surface; it does raised for them Rabbi Judah the Prince and the Sages of later genera II' :!'",:;, :5t: ga[uth history in the light of the tions." c..~. :::2.:{! ,he survival of God's covenant This is how the xn'lMl:) explains the Biblical verse, pointing out ::.; :',::.::: :ha: Israel in dispersion did not that God was not only with us and did not only save us from destruc ::'~:e2.n5, to the arrogance of Persia, to tion in all these trying stages of ga[uth history, but that His nearness z ~ :2 :1::e s"liord of Rome, The Xn'll"I1: and His protection were demonstrated by the fact that He never t, ~-: ::' of God's almighty power and of despised' or rejected us, that He never marked us for destruction and ie ~,:e::ds to Israel before the eyes of the never broke His covenant with us. For even during the worst periods -:;-::-"~~~'1l Ti'l Ti'l ,'m"::Il Ti'lli'1) It delves of our exile He created in our midst the tools to bring about our .:!!-=:~:-:e5 of Jewish gaJuth to show us, in deliverance, men who stood at the peak of the Jewish spirit and who Is~.i.;;: ias strayed far from God, God is knew, even in the days of harsh trials, how to raise their people to their .t::.~:: Israel has been dispersed among own high moral and spiritual level through their teachings and their rL5 ;:ceople. True, the fall of the Jewish personal example. ~:,;::: a::d spiritual decline of the Jewish Was there ever a time when the cry on::l ':'I OXI:) '::l, "God despised 5e;:::2::s:~ates to us, the Jewish nation them!" (Jeremiah 6, 30) seemed more justified than it was when Judah LL s.;·;;rlority and remained close to the succumbed to the Chaldeans and when the princes and tribes of Judah :-:,<:.:::g 'learness of God. Israel's moral were exiled to Babylonia? The Sanctuary, founded by God Himself, !!<:.,:;, ;;~e ::ever so complete that they could lay in ruins and the throne established by God had been toppled. Israel Kec.:. God-seeking core of life, that deep had lost the land that God had given to it. The remnants of the nation i:::'.:.::a:;on from the light of God. As a that should have stood erect as a Divine Sanctuary among the nations = '':: ;roduce, in every age, men imbued were forced to dwell in the lands of their enemies. Israel had brought ..::.: Jewish loyalty, men who, by their this misfortune upon itself, by its own acts; the catastrophe had come by word and by action, swept as a result of Israel's sins, in accordance with God's explicit sentence, , :':!:::. lifting it far above the pitfalls of because Israel had opened its gates wide to idolatry and to defection :.::e :eights of learning and loyalty. Israel from God's Law. If we read the admonitions and castigations of the .. ,:: ;::, forcing the astounded nations to prophet who had been sent to warn the people almost two centuries .... :Ih Israel but also within Israel, so before the disaster struck, and if we read how the kings conducted to curse Israel was forced to bless themselves despite the warnings, we are led to believe that, truly, the r:: :5 ',,'ith him, and the homage to a king last spark of the fire from Sinai had died within the heart of the nation "'IV:'" Oif' 'n1I:)Yi'llV O"lV:l '1:)'::1 0'l'10XI:) x, and particularly in the hearts of its leaders and rulers. -::--::~ ;:;)if '1:)'::1 C'n'Yl x;' I"lln 'XlV'l:) "lln "Nevertheless, ..." It was precisely from the royal family and the -:-,-:-::' ~'l:J' 'Xlll:)lVM1 p"'i¥if pYl:)lV 011' 'n1I:)Yi'llV Jewish elite C'I:)l'11!:li'1 11:)1 11::l,'I:)11 Y'll:)' ("and of the royal seed, and of the -::7""":1 hI did not despise them in the days nobles"-Daniel I, 3) that Nebuchadnezzar chose youths to train :: :0: them Daniel, Chananiah, Mishael them in Chaldean studies and culture for service at his court. But :.::e:n in the days of Haman, for I raised among these youths of royal lineage there were one Daniel, one :.:c I did not allow them to be utterly Chananiah, one Mishael and one Azariah. who, when Israel in exile Greeks, for I raised for them Simon the made contact with the customs and usages ofits Babylonian overlords, , ,cr.s and the High Priest Mattathias. I stood firm amidst the enticements of the gently caressing atmosphere :::. ,hem in the days of the Romans, for I of the king's court, and showed to all future galuth generations how EFTpS·,,""I:J%'t_,
428 COLLECTED WRITINGS
them fIOIT. ::ll Jewish youths and men should withstand tests such as these. The Haman s:-:::.i: kitchen at court, whose delicacies these Jewish courtiers refused to would n~: ~..1 sample, the royal idol before which these Jewish men refused to bow, Je\'(-j-..:.:~;:I; the fiery furnace that could not deter Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah confroEt ;;. from their commitment, and the threat of the lion's jaw that could not one... eig~::, .,:.-= keep Daniel from reciting his prayers three times each day even in the long as y:: - ::J lion's den-these were the shining reminders which, in centuries to for him :;:-;' corne, were to light, for thousands upon thousands of Jewish souls, the apart fro:!". j path that led them to embrace death with all its terrors for the sake of Indee.:l. j the loyalty they owed to God and to His Law. To this day the story of half-Jews, ~:.; Daniel at Belshazzar's feast affords to Israel and to a marveling world if you conu:il a splendid example of Jewish spiritual nobility before which the power you can :::e of kings and the erudition of savants pale into insignificance. If a yours th.:.: s: generation which was condemned to 1::1''" and m?l could produce men which se~.:.:-: such as these, then there could never be a generation "despised" by your ar~J~':': God, not even during its worst periods of corruption. Israel had sunk and pra:~:.::o very low indeed by the measure of the high standard of its Divine disci pli:-.;!" tt mission, but even in its worst time of demoralization it always shone so. You ~2;:: brightly above the darkness that had enveloped the mind and spirit of he hirose.=- 1 a pagan world. were car.:.-i Then carne 1lln '1;)" the days of Haman. Not even by the waters of him the ::. :-.;: Babylon did all of Israel join in the Psalmist's vow, O?l1m' 1n:lIrnc ON ("If your I forget you, 0 Jerusalem" - Psalms 137,5) . Not every Jew had But remained standing unbowed before the king's pillar in the plain of regard :::: I Dura, as described in the third chapter of Daniel (nllp::I::I O?l? "nnl1)11 answer ,~e K'" "they cast themselves down before the image in the plain of retained ~:-. Dura"-K"w,;-m 1"» ::I'" n?'lll). And when the Babylonian empire was non-le''''. ;::;:! replaced by the mild regime of Persia, which took pride in uniting so you eX;:;':":'l many different peoples and tongues beneath its scepter, and which Law \\j-.~.:i most graciously invited also the exiles of Judea to bask in the sunshine to becc<:":.::: of its imperial court, the sons of Judah were unable to resist these suppor: :.e blandishments. In return for a condescending smile from crowned froro H:, L mortais, they began to ignore basic precepts of God's will (,n,,»oll '3m that sn.;;:d "they partook of his banquet"-:J'" n?-lll). They felt that in the face of justify:. : ..J so much kindness they no longer needed to cling to their "rigid, self seating :. J isolating" loyalty to the Law. One kind of tolerance, they argued, Hamarr :.:J deserved another. It seemed to them that whatever they might lose by certain ;--0 forsaking God's covenant would be amply compensated by their Su:;, I future friendships with princes and nations-until Haman roused can prove we 'without your
- :"i:.ECTED WRITI~GS AOAR VI 429 e:: s::.ould withstand tests such as these. The them from the drunken stupor that would have ended in their death. r~! .=-e.lcacles these Jewish courtiers refused to Haman shocked them into the realization that unfaithfulness to God :'!: : ~e which these Jewish men refused to bow would not buy Israel the lasting friendship of men. C __ C ,:ot deter Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah Jew-hatred cannot be bought off. Regardless of whether you t:.. ':':.j ~he threat of the lion's jaw that could not confront th'e Jew-hater as a whole Jew, a half-Jew, a quarter Jew or a =~ :::;, ~r~yers three times each day even in the one-eighth Jew, even if you drink with him and dine at his table-as : _=e snmlng reminders which, in centuries to long as you have not become entirely one of his own, you will remain . ..:sands upon thousands of Jewish souls the for him the '1l1 T11£)~1 'T'I£)~ 017, the isolated nation that has set itself ::::::'~:e death with all its terrors for the sake of apart from the others by virtue of its religious laws. : _~: J._,~nd to His Law. To this day the story of Indeed, is the Jew-hater not right in his attitude with regard to Ie"", ;:..l~rds to Israel and to a marveling world half-Jews, quarter Jews and one-eighth Jews? If you are a whole Jew, ~... ,5:: S?lfltual nobility before which the power if you consider the Law of God inviolable in both theory and practice, l:"::: Oi savants pale into insignificance. If a you can cite the will of God as your explanation for any behavior of c:: :e::1ned. _ to J::J,m and m;l could produce men yours that sets you apart from the non-Jew. In that case the way oflife r: ::":,d never be a generation "despised" b which separates you from the Gentile world cannot be ascribed to :.s ~ ::~5t periods of corruption. Israel had sun~ your arrogance, or to any contempt on your part for non-Jewish ideas =. --;;2.su.re of the high standard of its Divine and practices; it is not a creation of your own will and resolve but a .. ::: ~5: tIme of demoralization it always shone discipline which you follow because God has commanded you to do C~5 ::::.1t had enveloped the mind and spirit of so. You can prove this to the Gentile from your H.oly Scriptures which he himself may revere as Divine Law. And in any event-if hatred h;:::::,s of Haman. Not even by the waters of were capable of logic and rationality-you could easily demonstrate to ~.: .::1 :he Psalmist's vow, 0;lIi1,' 1n::llliN ON ("If him the absurdity of the hatred he has for you, supposedly because of le= . .- Psalms 137,5). Not every Jew had your peCUliar, alien way of life. ~ e.: 'Jefore the king's pillar in the plain of But if you are no longer a whole Jew, if you yourself no longer It: =:"'::0 chapter of Daniel (n17p::J::J 0;3:; 1mnlZlil regard the Law of God as Divine, holy and inviolable, how will you .e3 :Own before the image in the plain of answer the Jew-hater if he considers any observance you may have r:;: . :-\nd .when the Babylonian empire was retained from that Law, anything that still sets you apart from the C:: :: PersIa, which took pride in uniting so non· Jew, as nothing but proof of your obstinate arrogance? How will
•i<..: - .:c:ngues beneath its scepter , and W h'IC h you explain to him your failure to discard those remnants of God's 15-: :.:e exiles of Judea to bask in the sunshine Law which you still observe, your refusal to cease being a half-Jew and e ::::5 of Judah were unable to resist these to become a complete Gentile? You can no longer cite God in your t : :.:. '"' ::clndescending smile from crowned support because you have refused Him your obedience by defecting ::.:~: ,::2.51C precepts of God's will (1n"n)~ 1lm from His Law. Therefore it is no longer His will but only your pleasure , -:", rr"l~). They felt that in the face of that shapes your way of life. Not God but only you yourself can now :;_ ::ger needed to cling to their "rigid, self justify your behavior in the eyes of your Gentile neighbor. Precisely by ::.".1,. One kind of tolerance, they argued seating yourself at his table despite your Jewishness do you give e,: :: them that whatever they might lose b,: Haman the license to slander you as a member of ,nN 017 'llli' (Ha t: ';:.ould be amply compensated by thei~ certain people ..."). ::'=-..:;;·e~ and nations-until Haman roused Such Hamanic periods of Jewish half-heartedness and consum 1
EFTP$"-----~~fi,,~edCt~T)r:r-#,W:SfY'''''' . uS withilJ. 4 bUSilJ.eSs cia,'s after-: ._.~"-r'(1. and ,,'{£ \
430 COLLECTED WRITINGS
mate Jew-hatred cause the Jewish people to appear as truly "rejected," This brings -5 as having forfeited both worlds. It has broken its allegiance with God more than i:-. ::-.;; and failed to win the friendship of men. The nations at whose doors it on',', u:te~ :::!5::I! begs for admittance regard it as not yet "ready" for acceptance in their spirituall:, ::!~:C...51 midst and therefore will not let it in. Simultaneously, Israel excluded resolveu :c .~:: ~.~ i itself from the Divine covenant that was meant to preserve and sustain the other h;;~.: 1 it forever. At such times Israel seems irretrievably lost, hovering spirits of .::.:. ~. '!;I precariously between heaven and earth. "Nevertheless... ," God Israel. He us:;,: ;; declares, ,nox, "i'~ on, 'n;~Yn1l1 1~n '~'::I O'n'Yl X7, "I did not reject ments 10 de·,'-:Y them even in the days of Haman, for I raised for them Mordecai and Persian arF.,:~' :-..l Esther." He raised Mordecai, ",n' 1I1'X, the "Jewish man," who, as the to believe th,,: j Sages put it, 'O,/.)'J::I ,n,,/.) ("was crowned by his dignity"), who powers of the Cri regarded God's Law as his crown, his pride and the source of his zation to Si.lCC-: manly dignity. Mordecai maintained his Judaism without compro this convic:;::", tl mise, no matter what befell him. He was a Jew in exile, and he sword and.::.:- ::.: remained a Jew-and nothing but a Jew-even as uncle to the queen as the river; ,:..i and minister to the king. And just as he was the instrument of the mature de:?::: :21 physical deliverance of the Jewish people, so, too, he became one of among the:T5;;YI the most important ..:o-workers in the spiritual upbuilding of the countries c:' :-::e Jewish people for the impending millennia of exile. God also raised A few ge::e:-3 Esther, the lovely daughter of Judah who, even on her way to the certain of ',:-,~'" king's throne, did not forget the Jewish spirit and the Jewish way of life merciless. :.:. ',:-:~e in which she had been reared at her guardian's home. Even as queen of the prbc;; "':", ~ Persia she remained a Jewess, risking her crown and her life to save her Syrian-Grt;~ ~ people. and the Je'':' ~S.~, J A generation capable of revering Mordecai and Esther as its pride view, was Ce.;~~I and joy must still have had healthy roots and branches; the spirit of both the e::-,:.:::! vacillation and defection could not have been so deeply entrenched in conver: ls~,,";;, : Israel as one might have thought (::I'" n"l/.)-O'J'" x'x ,1I1Y x, on). cause for i:::e~:!'. The example set by Mordecai and Esther, and the catastrophe could see ::-."': almost wrought by Haman, were sufficient to bring the Jews under toward He::=:::.c Persian rule to their senses, so much so that 1111111' nn~1!11n"x nn'il o",n', selves uc:;:.:i; 'p" ("the Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor"-Esther appealed :. ',J! 8,16); they once again honored the n'1n as their light and the m:l:~ as chus, wr.;~J .a their joy, their bliss and their glory. Henceforth, the Jews in the members ,2: ',,:,' Persian-Babylonian exile cultivated m:l:/.)' n"n so diligently that campaign 2; ; Babylonian Jewry was able to produce such a man as Hillel, who "educated'- ',:l brought new life and a new flowering of Torah learning from the land cause of "R~:'. of exile to the Jewish homeland. educatior, ADAR VI 431
:.::~ ." !,\ish people to appear as truly "rejec~t:d." This brings us to the "days of the Greeks," C'l1' ,/:)" in which, even 1;:;. ~ ::js. It has broken its allegiance \vith Ged more than in the days of Haman, Israel seemed inexorably doomed to of men. The nations at whose dOOiS it cn'::l;' utter destruction. Haman, having despaired of destroying Israel p."~:: ,:.'is not yet "ready" for acceptance in ,he:! spiritually because Israel had proven "stubborn and incorrigible," had L ~,:: :et it in. Simultaneously, Israel excludeci resolved to bring about its physical extermination. The Greek ruler, on :::.:: '. ::l.'!:lt that was meant to preserve and sustain the other hand, believed that his gods could conquer the minds and i= ~'5 Israel seems irretrievably lost, hoven::lg spirits of all men and consequently should also be able to subdue :~~. en and earth. "Nevertheless... ," Goe Israel. He used a combination of physical torture and material entice ;;-'- -~-:';'f1V l/:)n 'C'::I l:l'n':f.ll x,, "I did not ments to destroy Israel both morally and spiritually. Ever since the .' for I raised for them Mordecai a::lC Persian armies had retreated before the Greeks, the nations had come :r :;-,:,~;, "i1:1' IV'X, the "Jewish man," who, as the to believe that the European spirit would be able to overcome the -.-;-: I,"was crowned by his dignity"), who powers of the Orient. '{hey felt it to be the mission of European civili ~ :::5 crown, his pride and the source of his zation to subdue and Europeanize the peoples of the Orient. Driven by 1e;;::2: :::aintained his Judaism without compio this conviction, the hero of Macedonia (Alexander the Great) drew his i: :,e:'ell him. He was a Jew in exile, and he sword and, by conquering all the nations in his path as far to the east 1 ,.:: but a Jew-even as uncle to the queen as the river Indus, turned his ideas into reality that not even his pre L-:ii And just as he was the instrument of the mature death could reverse entirely. His generals divided his empire ":: :::e Jewish people, so, too, he became one of among themselves with the result that the wealthiest and most civilized ,:•.• 2 rkers in the spiritual upbuilding of the countries of the Orient came under the rule of Greek dynasties . .:: ,:::;:-ending millennia of exile, God also raised A few generations later, there emerged a Greek ruler so fanatically :li ::-::er of Judah who, even on her way to the certain of the worldwide triumph of Hellenism that he set out on a t: =ii": the Jewish spirit and theJewish way of life merciless, ruthless campaign to enforce his visions ofvictory. That was ::: -""-ie': at her guardian's home. Even as queen of the prince under whose rule Judea, too, became a province of the :.< J,,'':';:.55. risking her crown and her life to save her Syrian-Greek empire. Antiochus Epiphanes viewed the Jewish spirit and the Jewish way of life as an insult to the Hellenist spirit that, in his G::,: ::: f r,wering Mordecai and Esther as its pride view, was destined to conquer the world. He therefore decided to use .'. !::"j healthy roots and branches; the spirit of both the enticements of seductions and the terrors of violence to :::: :~, ~Quld not have been so deeply entrenched in convert Israel to his way of life, or else to destroy it. He had some :,':'.! :hcught (:In, n"lc-o'lD' K'K 1IVlI It, l:ln). cause for believing that he would be able to conquer the Jews, for he ::. .\iordecai and Esther, and the catastrophe could see that the elite of the Jewish state already clearly tended ~':':::"-:1. were sufficient to bring the Jews under toward Hellenism. There were priests and leaders who found them ~":.xs. 50 much so that llVlV' nncIV' n'1K ml'il o",:-r':' selves unable to resist the blandishments of Greek culture, which and gladness, and joy and honor"-Esther appealed to their senses, and the prospects of civil rights under Antio - ~"0~ored the :or,," as their light and the mlC~ as chus, which appealed to their self-interest. As a matter of fact, , "':;: their glory. Henceforth, the Jews in t!::e mem bers of the Jewish priestly caste had encouraged him to start his ~1:~:e cultivated mlCO' ;'111n so diligently that campaign of conversion. And since the leaders of the nation, the .:.; 2-"::lle to produce such a man as Hillel, who "educated," the "intellectuals" and the rich had already espoused the .:. ::ew flowering of Torah learning from the land cause of "Reform toward Hellenism" in their own conduct and in the ;. ':.::::neland. education of their children, Antiochus could easily dismiss the people's ------EF1""P$' £~7lI"cf&j;!'" 1M ""A,.....".i:~·"·"- US within 4 businesS d 432 COLLECTED WRITINGS people and :i::;i~ j loyalty to the Torah as mob obstinacy that could be overcome-by instructio n. th3.: =' force, if necessary. Jewish loyal::. 3.:'.!1 At that point, en,;), Israel's destruction certainly seemed close at among t',e pe: :.: hand; nevertheless ]1l.'7.)UI e;l' 'r!1/:)l.';lUlO'l1' '/:)'J en,;), O'n'l.'lX'1 o'nox7.) x, darkest bo~: _:::i:,j l;l";) ;'J"nn7.)1 1'lJ1 'Xl17.)Ulnl P'111;l. family which -.. ~:: Already, when the Greek warrior (Alexander the Great) first tuary from the =-.2i triumphantly planted his foot in Palestine and, goaded by politically to the heigh:s :: :z inspired rancor and anti-Jewish innuendos, marched on Jerusalem at Then came ·.he the head of his armies, Simon the Ju~t, one of the last of that "Great in galuth: the Rc::J..: Assembly" of which Mordecai had been one of the earliest members, the world and ['::~ went forth in full high priestly garb to meet the conqueror. And to the postponed. E'.;;;:] :.jJ astonishment of his princes and his troops, Alexander, seeing Simon with the spiri, ':: thus arrayed, dismounted from his chariot and bowed low before withstood the Simon, the Jewish High Priest, explaining to his men that he saw in enticements c:' 5;;;j Simon the embodiment of the ideals that had inspired his own military politics of the R~3 campaigns. (13"0 X7.)1') m:m ;'J7.)n'7.)J n1' 'lXUI;) ;lX1' 'lX m ?UI 'lpl". themselves in"::e.J Thus, at its very first contact with Judah, the Hellenists sensed that and soon Rome, c:r at the Mediterranean gateway to Asia, there was a spirit which would Jewis,h state i~z= ' be able to overcome even the all-conquering spirit of ancient Greece. within. As a co::y=-~ Japhet would be forced to bow to Shem; the Greek victory would serve land. They lost :t:< only as a trailblazer for the spirit of Judaism. dignity and the~: ::, Antiochus Epiphanes, Alexander's least worthy successor, in his into the grouncs"'! blind fanaticism, had not thought of this. He believed that he had decay toward tn;: ~ already defeated the God of the Jews; he had seized His temple, His The world [;:0:3. priests and His princess, and now he sent forth his executioners to the differences :t:. .::: wipe out the loyal observance of Jewish Law also among the common in their hatred .:::-,::: people. When it seemed that the destruction of the Jews was imminent, they set up their -. and that there could be no plaCe where the light of the Jewish spirit and they incuk3.:;;;: might take refuge, there suddenly burst forth in the midst of that of faith that sO'"e: ' spiritual night, a flame of pure Divine inspiration. It came from one rejected Jews." T: family, from the breast of one aged priest who dwelt in the mountains, Catechism and :~.;: far away from the bustle of the capital. There, in the remote country barred from GJj, side, he succeeded in keeping himself and his family close to God and justice and c.::::::- "-' to His Law. At the hour of temptation, he was able to confront the Yet for 3.:: :':-.l: minions of the Greek god with such Divinely-inspired courage and mercy did no: ;.;: with such enthusiasm for God and for His holy Law, that his inspira crozier, stones ~.:. tion kindled the spirit of the entire nation, which then rose up as one burnings at the 0:": man to drive the Greek god and his royal satellite from Jewish soil. world. Then the Jews proceeded to clear the last traces of the Hellenist evil In all these :: e· from the territory of God's Law. And so, once again, an astounded ADAR VI 433 people and their descendants were shown, by way of consolat~on ~nd _:s:::-~2.cy that could be overcome-b~ instruction, that even in such peril of spiritual eclipse and extmctlOn, Jewish loyalty and the Jewish spirit will never perish entirely from , ; ::;:~'uction certainly seemed close a: among the people of God. cn~::l' !:I'n~37l X" !:I'nONe X? Even in Israel's '1:)':l 0':;'371 X" I(" -::;~ :,:~, Or,~:l' C'MX~ darkest 'hour, God will find in the midst of His people a Hasmonean family which will be strong enough to raise His Law and His Sanc [ .. 2.~r:or (Alexander the Great) Ilrs: tuary from the most abject degradation, from virtual elimination, back , ,- ?2.~estine and, goaded by poiiticall;. to the heights of triumphant light and glory. i..- :-: Jc:1dos, marched on Jerusalem a: Then came the final, most critical phase in the history of the Jews , "., one of the last of that "Grea: in galuth: the Roman galuth, in which the Jews were scatte~ed all ?ver ~ .. .:: - been one of the earliest member;;, the world and the fulfillment of Israel's destiny seemed mdefimtely ~2:-:: :<:: meet the conqueror. And to the postponed. Even the scions of the Hasmonean fa~ily had ~roken faith :: :'l,S t~oops, Alexander, seeing Simor: with the spirit of their forebears. They, who dad so trIumphantly =:::, :-;, chariot and bowed low before withstood the spirit of Hellenism, proved to be no match for the to his men that he saw i;: enticements of self-indulgence and the temptations offered by the :,:e,:,,5 :hat had inspired his own milita:;. politics of the Roman Caesars. The descendants of the Hasm?neans r-:: -.' 'lXlZl:l l"IX" 'lX l"IT 71ZI llP"'. themselves invited Rome to become Judea's patron and arbItrator, c: -.,::: Jildah, the Hellenists sensed tha: and soon Rome's iron foot succeeded in crushing the structure of the :: ,-\;;:a. the:e was a spirit which wo;;[d Jewish state from without because Israel had become hollow from ,,L,,,-::;:quering spirit of ancient Greece, withi~. As a consequence, the sons of that nation had to leave the~r _S.-,e:n; the Greek victory would ser\! land. They lost their home, their morale, and very soon also theIr r, ,:.:' Judaism. dignity and their human rights. They were swept farther an? farther l..":-,.;er's least worthy successor, in his into the groundswell of a world in ferment, a world strugglIng from r~,-':J:' this, He believed that he had decay toward the impending dawn of a new life. , I:e ;!.:.s: he had seized His temple, His The world became increasingly hostile toward the Jews. DespIte ::.::. :-:e sent forth his executioners te the differences that divided them, the nations of the world were united ::' : ~'''' :sh Law also among the commo:. in their hatred and contempt for the Jews. Indeed, before too long, ~ :;-; :~.;ction ofthe Jews was imminent. they set up their hostility to the Jews as a fiendish frin~iple of relig,ion, ,.::;: - ::e;e the light of the Jewish spir:: and they inculcated into their children, from earlIest mfancy, articles Ie-:"'" :;Jrst forth in the midst of that of faith that sowed the seeds ofhatred and contempt for the "accursed, : ::. '-:;:e inspiration. It came from 0:1::: rejected Jews." The Roman empire and the Roman Church" the ~e: who dwelt in the mountains. Catechism and the Codex presented the unfortunate Jews as panahs, " There, in the remote count:;. barred from God's mercy and therefore also from any claim to human l::::s.:::' and his family close to God ar,d justice and compassion. . , c:::.:. ::0:1, he was able to confront t:ie; Yet for all that, God's grace did not abandon them; God m HIS I:: :: .2r, Divinely-inspired courage an,c mercy did not permit them to be destroyed. Despite scepter and His holy Law, that his inspira <:.:: :;::: crozier, stones and sticks, ghettoes and prisons, expulsions and ::"-e :-:ation, which then rose up as 01::: burnings at the stake, God preserved them as a wonderment to the [:,~;; :oyal satellite from Jewish sa:; world. :.?.: ::-.! last traces of the Hellenist e'.:. In all these developments was God's almighty promise, r,NT Cl 'lN ... ,l,,:-:d 50, once again, an astounde..:: ,.. EFTP$' "0" \,?,,-:_("e-;r.? ,-,~,", ~~ US witl:\lIl4 businesS da;'3 .~r~...r1 an! 434 COLLECTED WRITINGS "nevertheless ..." fulfilled only by the protection He extended to the yoke of dominion 0'.;7 :.: e :J; Jews from without? Or was His supreme power not also demonstrated, Roman law which '""en: ::.: -:-.:. .:. precisely during those centuries of utter darkness, by the inner life upon the peoples of E;;.,.:?! :.i which the Jews managed to unfold despite their misery? Israel's relations with one ar":::DC ':.::" flowering from within, during those dark ages, is the most convincing this day, the talons of t~:: R;}! proof for any thinking Jew (or non-Jew) that T"lltl OIWl'I:I meT Cl '11<'1 lightning, terrestrial a::: ;;::le:.-:ti Ol'llt '1'1',:1 'l'll'I' 01'17::>7 0'1'1'>7.1 It" C'I'\OItO 1t7 Oi1':I'K even though the Jews and religious life of Cl>i::Zci :::Ii were in enemy country, God had not despised them, nor rejected them, Esau be right to comide: ~:.;.e::i to destroy them utterly, to break His covenant with them '1'1',:1 '!ll'I7 earth? Would it not be :'..:.s::...... m"T.'I 'c::>m ':I, 1'1':1 0i17 '1'l1t)~l'I1t' 0"0" '0':1 Cl'llt. blessing and the covena..:.: ..1:; Consider the spiritual life which the Jews developed especially nation of Jacob, a nat:c::: .. ::.:it during the centuries of their Roman galuth! Look upon the strength from its homeland and,. :::c:t ] and happiness which this spiritual flowering brought us, enlightening "church," had debarred ;cr :lI and ennobling our hearts and minds, our domestic and communal grace? Would the geniu;::::' Fl." lives! See how this spiritual life, and the strength and happiness it scornful arrogance tt.al Gc': ) afforded us from within, gave us the courage and perseverance to OOIt 'IT''1:1 '!)i17, in orde: :0 ~ absorb every blow aimed at us from without! Review before your Israel? mind's eye the splendid procession of those men of the spirit whom Yet for all that ... e'ec. .u; God, in His grace and loving kindness, raised, like pillars of fire, to of Rome upon his neck. h;;;:J,t guide every generation in this, our darkest period of ga/uth! the eye. Before conceoir.g ;.:.a Seeing these wonders, what blind, fumbling stupidity would assert that his oppressor was ;.:I::Seed in all seriousness that God had canceled His covenant with the Jews to save the world, JacocxlI when they were dispersed in the lands of the Roman empire? salvation, how much hap,;:,:..:lII Look at the exiles that were dispersed throughout the lands of the had brought to mankJr.:'. ':...a Roman empire, and then look at the Roman empire which dispersed enlightenment and edu:,;:;a::;..:1 them! Certainly, Rome could proudly call herself the "Eternal City" souls of men. Jacob co~: .'1 and look down with contempt upon Israel, whose very life-blood was incinerated hovels. the :C~,""'"1: draining away at her feet-Israel, that nation which had dared to peoples, the fallen na tliJr::,. :1!J contest Rome's mission to conquer and to save the world. When that resulted from the 1"":':::i Rome defeated Judea, she stood at the pinnacle of her imperial power. she hallowed, the tr~th; s::C The fall of Jerusalem was one of the last conquests Rome won for her humanity, the insults she ~ empire. When Rome planted her eagles upon the hills of Zion, a desolation, the misery .:o.::d trembling world, from Britannia in the north to Hispania in the west dominion. Jacob codd ;::,i:)~ and Judea in the south paid tribute to Rome. By that time Rome had the most eloquent p:o:es: .i.gJ already passed the climax of her glory. She collapsed beneath the of Rome had bro;;.g.t: ::l,;;P burden of her own weight because her colossus had become rotten In contrast, he n~': from within. saved from the ruil:s c: ..: i But even as Rome fell, her spirit triumphed over those that had God has "appoimed" '2!:li defeated her, and before long, the spirit of Rome had placed a double loyal keepers and c:":':::. • .a:..:JIIII! ..i=:~:0}r;,:;I~;;j;~~ - ,"':'"E.: \\ ~rr;:;GS AOAR. VI 435 , :'\ :..:;: ;rcl:ection He extended to the yoke of dominion over the necks of the nations. For centuries the "'-;: -;:::e ;:Jwer not also demonstrated. Roman law which went forth from the City of the Seven Hills imposed :5 : :'il::;; darkness, by the inner life upon the peoples of Europe that absolute order which dictated their ~:::.: despite their misery? Israel's relations with one another and their relationship with their God. To z:,,: :a:K ages, is the most convincing this day, the talons of the Roman eagle, grasping this double bolt of c ::::.Je'",) that f'It:l 01"'1'1:1 llltT Ol ~ lightning, terrestrial and celestial, maintain a firm hold on the political :"':-:«: X7 ::":":l'1t even though the Jews and religious life of civilized nations. Would not the Roman spirit of lCi ::: ,:i~5pised them, nor rejected them. Esau be right to consider itself the Divinely-appointed master of this c:.:u;,. :1:S ~ovenant with them '11":1 ,t\:-:~ earth? Would it not be justified in regarding itself as the heir to the r :-:;,. '::': 0111t. blessing and the covenant which God had once bestowed upon the : .. :.:~:: the Jews developed especially nation of Jacob, a nation which He Himself had subsequently driven 1=:::::.: galuth! Look upon the strength from its homeland and which He Himself, through His "law" and His ti:.-i. :-:owering brought us, enlightening "church," had debarred for centuries from human rights and Divine c =:::d5. our domestic and communal grace? Would the genius of Rome not be right, then, if it proclaimed in ",::d the strength and happiness it scornful arrogance that God had delivered the Jews into their hands, !Jle! il5 :be courage and perseverance to cnlt 'IM:I 'Dn?, in order to break the covenant He had made with _5 :rClffi without! Review before your Israel? :e5S~::: of those men of the spirit whom Yet for all that ... even as he lies in the dust, with the Edomite foot ! .L.,:neSS, raised, like pillars of fire, to of Rome upon his neck, Jacob has every right to look Rome firmly in ts.•il: darkest period of galuth! the eye. Before conceding that he had been defeated and destroyed and a::" ~:::j. fumbling stupidity would assen that his oppressor was indeed the triumphant heir to his own mission t.::..: ;.::.::celed His covenant with the Jews to save the world, Jacob could ask Rome just how much peace and , ::e ;::.nds of the Roman empire? salvation, how much happiness and prosperity, her world dominion 11:'[; :;;;persed throughout the lands of the had brought to mankind, how much freedom and right, how much e.... :.: :~e Roman empire which dispersed enlightenment and edification her Church had bestowed upon the k: :::2ildly call herself the "Eternal City" souls of men. Jacob could question her about the ruined cities, the ~;;:: ...:;:on Israel, whose very life-blood was incinerated hovels, the tortured bodies, the broken hearts, the enslaved -:;.;e:l;:. that nation which had dared to peoples, the fallen nations, the despairing spirits and the duped minds ;~ :-:;;,]ler and to save the world. When that resulted from the rule of Rome. He could point to the fanaticism ce·:: at the pinnacle of her imperial power. she hallowed, the t~uths she denied, the scorn she had heaped upon r.;:::·:he iast conquests Rome won for her humanity, the insults she had dealt to human dignity, the crime. the :e-.i jer eagles upon the hills of Zion, " desolation. the misery and the vice that ran rampant under her C:.:::' :n the north to Hispania in the Wes'L dominion. Jacob could point to all these historical outrages and lodge i ::-.:'.He '0 Rome. By that time Rome had the most eloquent protest against the mad delusion that the Esau spirit ::' :er glory. She collapsed beneath ,he of Rome had brought happiness and salvation to the world. c·e..:.?ilse her colossus had become rotten In contrast, he need only point to the spiritual paradise which he saved from the ruins of all his other possessions, and the men whom :e: spirit triumphed over those that had God has "appointed" for him at all times, amidst all our misery. as :g. :be spirit of Rome had placed a double loyal keepers and cultivators of this garden of the Jewish spirit. He ___~"t·I ... ,14 !lImt!ii. 436 COLLECTED WRITINGS could point to the upholders and nurturers of the Jewish spirit and of of world c;, Jewish knowledge in the midst of all the sufferings of gaJuth that Esau's Judah the p~: -~: ,,:: dominion has inflicted upon the nation and upon its spirit. And then work, were e~,i="~=: Jacob could say to Esau: Would you really label a nation whose spirit and the "C-.~~ ~ and knowledge could celebrate victories unparalleled anywhere else on ment of ~ ;';'.\ ,- ~: earth as "rejected and accursed by God?" Would you deny that, even Roman \'C~,_, _:'~1 in the midst of the darkness you have inflicted upon them, the Ark of endeavo~ '.'-'.0 :,.~ .. ' the Covenant of God's Law has traveled witr. that nation at all times? by power -'.::': :~. ::: That the glory, the grace, the blessings and the spirit of God still bring work of G oJ':: "~.::: .::1 new life and happiness to the last ofIsrael's surviving sons? When you every sword ~'~, ~.::;j behold a people in whose midst God has caused His spirit and the world made., -" -; knowledge of His Word to live and flourish unlike anything else on of one natic':-., '~ earth, would you indeed dare to assert that God has canceled His darkness. a ,::e :,::; age-old covenant with them long ago? The ' .\ Yes, unlike anything else on earth, you need not look back all the come to G,~,: :7:::1 way to the spiritual heroes of our remote antiquity; you need look no "lI11:l 0:: ;"X' -:- ',( further than m"'iI '1:l::ln1 '::11 n'J 7u; (the house of Rabbi Judah the Prince folly in W~,l~'-, :~e:-~ and the Sages of the later generations), the chain of Israel's Sages that tions the) f:. ~ _~,J has continued unbroken ever since the days of Rabbi Judah the Prince, brought the~, :7_::: the friend of the Roman emperor Antoninus, a ruler in whom the spirit to them as ;:'_ "c::- : of Esau showed respect and understanding for the spirit of Jacob, for by Jacob. 1:',:-0; .lI the first time and perhaps the only time for many centuries to come. fathers cou:': 5~>;: Look upon these men as they pass through the growing darkness of the into the ca~_: : J11 ages, see what they meant to us and what they accomplished, and then tree, nunCj~e~ ::. try to find even one parallel to their ch.aracter and to their achieve tions," h~·.;; _~.:! ments! Search the whole earth, if you will, for another nation in whom bringing :.:-u the elements of spirit, thought and knowledge were not merely To be s:..~e. ::.: reserved for individual thinkers but became the very soul of an entire but only j" :~. ' nation! Look for another nation whose collective intellectual bent appreciate ::.e= labored with unflagging zeal for one and a half millennia to develop the other ~___ :- 'Jl one single area of knowledge, a nation within which knowledge was mountai:: :; J .:i not merely the prerogative of a few ivory-tower thinkers, the kind the natio::s :o' ::: comforter of philosophers behind prison bars, but the consolation, the of God.' ::; .. ,( wealth, the strength and the inspiration of an entire people. about H:s ... "-:''; J Jacob and Esau have been engaged, almost simultaneously, in long last. ::! ::-~:J endeavors which, on the surface, appear identical in character. Almost them to p..:: :.':: ! in the same centuries during which the imperial dynasty of Rome earth. This -,;. codified Roman law and developed the Church of Rome, creating the m11'iI, the H ::...s: two factors that have molded the civilized world and the disseminators lived and ":~L~ "~'~lli!ijililil!l a ADAR VI 437 e;::-; .:.::d nurturers of the Jewish spirit and of of world civilization to this day, the ':l, r1':l, the House of Rabbi ~,::,;::,: all the sufferings ofgaluth that Esau's Judah the Prince and 'O:ln, the chain of Sages who continued his .:::: ±e nation and upon its spirit. And then m",., work, were engaged in the codification and developme~t of the Law ji.- _ ..::d you really label a nation whose spirit and the "Church" of God, thereby ensuring the harmomous develop ~r.:.:~ '.lctories unparalleled anywhere else on ment of Jewish life everywhere, even in dispersion throughout the ~_:5~': by God?" Would you deny that, even Roman world, upon the foundation of the Word of God. But Rome's :s.> ". :0''': have inflicted upon them, the Ark of endeavor was the work of men, sustained in a manner worthy of Esau: ['''' t':'5 traveled with that nation at all times? by power and by the sword. Israel's endeavor, by cont:as~, was the t.:,:t :: lessings and the spirit ofGod still bring work of God and had neither power nor weapons to assist It. In fact, ::,e :':'5t of Israel's surviving sons? When you every sword on earth was drawn against it and all t~e powers of :h.e ie ::;.::st God has caused His spirit and the world made war upon it. It survived only within the hfe and the spmt :: i',1: and flourish unlike anything else on of one nation, a spirit that shone brightly even in the midst of utter I 2.::.re to assert that God has canceled His darkness a life that flourished even amidst the graves of the dead. ~:: :OClg ago? The (Jeremiah 16, 19) predicted the nations would e~:;,: 0:: earth, you need not look back all the ~rophet t~at come to God from all ends of the earth, declarmg: 1J'!'n:lIC ,'m) 'i'w 1IC e> :r;' cur remote antiquity; you need look no ~,l."O OJ rIC' ~:l;'1 "Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood, ;;"" :--: ':"!l (the house of Rabbi Judah the Prince folly in which there is no profit." They will realize that, of all the tradi r ~:::erations), the chain of Israel's Sages that tions they have inherited from their ancestors, the only ones that have If".:t~ since the days of Rabbi Judah the Prince, brought them true happiness and salvation were those .that had come r::::'eror Antoninus, a ruler in whom the spirit to them as pollen from the tree of life so quietly and patiently nurtured l!.:.~ :.;nderstanding for the spirit of Jacob, for by Jacob. These are the ideals for which the traditions of th~ir own f'S ::1e only time for many centuries to come, fathers could serve only as frail, temporary vessels. Then they will look pass through the growing darkness of the into the camp of Jacob, and there they will behold the fruits which that I: :c ;1S and what they accomplished, and then tree, nurtured by the "House of Rabbi and the Sages of the gen~ra .~:e: to their ch.aracter and to their achieve tions," have yielded in the midst of all the upheavals of past centufles, :e;.:.:th, if you will, for another nation in whom bringing light, exaltation and happiness to the people of Israel. . :.'1oilght and knowledge were not merely To be sure, the nations had been aware of these facts for centufles, t..:::.::"ers but became the very soul of an entire but only in that still-distant day will they learn to understand and ne: nation whose collective intellectual bent appreciate them. This is what elevates the mountain ~f God over all ! :::11 for one and a half millennia to develop the other mountains; this is the reason why all the hills uphold the a nation within which knowledge was mountain of God and bow to its might. It is to this mountain that all I:':' ',c of a few ivory-tower thinkers, the kind the nations of the world will flock. They all will come to the mountain :,5 cehind prison bars, but the consolation, the of God, to the House of the God of Jacob, so that they may be taught :: ::-.e in~ipiration of an entire people. about His ways and that they, too, may walk in His paths. Then, at ;: been engaged, almost simultaneously, in long last, the nations will learn one Law and one Torah that will teach 5urface, appear identical in character. Almost them to put the sword and the spear aside and to establish peace on which the imperial dynasty of Rome earth. This will be that Law and that Torah for which 'o:lm ':1' n'J : d:tveloped the Church of Rome, creating the m",." the House of Rabbi and the Sages of all subsequent generations ::jed the civilized world and the disseminators lived and worked. Only then, in retrospect, will the nations truly 438 COLLECTED WRITINGS understand that I1Kt 01 "1K1, "even though they are in enemy country, I have not despised them, nor have I rejected them, to destrey them utterly, to break My covenant with them, for I, ';'I, remain their God" K'n O'I1OKIJ K7 O;'l'::J'K Y'K::J On1';'I::J I1KT O.l "1K1 .oil'p7~ 'fl ')~ " on/{ 'n":1 ,!:m7 on7'7 0'n7:n "'~~ ", ," ~'" ;" ""',,:i:MI{~'FI'(~ , , -~-,-~ --.--.-,~~-