commanded us.'
Then the governor commanded, and they brought
back the Jews whom he had sent outside, and they put
them in prison, separately, so that they should not
lay hands on one another, as some Jews did in other
towns.
There were two women in that town, the name of
the one was Gentila, and the name of the other Re-
becca. And one of them who was with child bowed
herself and brought forth a son, for her pains came
upon her. There was nobody with them but a young
girl of very beautiful appearance. When she saw that
the enemies rose up against them, they took the child,
and wrapped him up in clothes, for their mercies grew
warm for him, and they threw him down to the ground
from the tower in which they were imprisoned. When
the enemies saw what they had done, they arose on the
following morning, and seized hold upon them, and led
them against their will to the high place, and did
unto them according to their desire, and there was
none to say : ' Halt ! ' Some were slain with the
edge of the s\\^ord, others bowed to the idol, after
being tortured, on that terrible day, and they turned
away from the Lord.
238 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE
There was a Jew among them, whose name was
Shemariah ; and the bishop's treasurer said to him :
' Shemariah, Shemariah, fear not ; abide with me,
and I shall save thee from their hand.' So the man
was content to dwell with him, and gave him the
money that was found with him. The bishop's trea-
surer then led away him, his wife, and his three sons,
and made them dwell in the forest until the ninth
day of Ab, which is the fifth month. Then this base
fellow forced him to send to his sons in Spires that
they should give him silver pieces or gold pieces.
When they sent him some of the money that was
found with them, this base fellow took it away, and
immediately delivered Shemariah and his family to the
hand of the enemy. The inhabitants of the village
rejoiced to see him, for they had known him, and
consented that he should not change his religion until
the following day. So on that day they ate no unclean
thing, for they said craftily : ' Let us do to-day ac-
cording to our custom, but to-morrow about this time
we shall become one people.' Whereupon they
retired to their room, for they were dejected and
fatigued. They closed the door, and spent that night
there. And it came to pass in the morning watch
that his sleep fled from his eyes, and the man arose
before a man could recognize his fellow, and took
the knife and slew his children and his wife. He
also attempted to cut his throat, but did not succeed,
for giddiness took hold of him ; he swooned, but did
not die.
As soon as the morning was light, the enemies
arose against him, and when they saw what he had
done, they were exceedingly astounded at him, and
said unto him : ' Why hast thou committed such a
JOSEPH B. JOSHUA B. MEIR HA-KOHEN 239
wicked thing? Thy blood is upon thine own head,
and we are free ; evil is determined upon thee. Now
thy sin will thereby be atoned for, by thy becoming
like us ; by thy being turned into another man, thy
life may be saved. Otherwise we shall deal worse
with thee than with them, and thou shalt be buried
alive with them.' But he said unto them : ' Far be
it from me to do such a thing. Do with me as it
seems good in your eyes ; but I shall not rebel against
the Lord.' Then they made a grave, whither he
walked by himself, and wherein he was buried. His
wife was placed at his right, and his children at his
left. They threw earth over them, and said unto him
every time : ' Turn to our religion, that thou mayest
live and not die.' But he did not hearken unto their
voice, and they removed the earth from him three
times to see whether he would not be persuaded; but
he would not listen to them. So they covered him
with earth. His voice was heard all day ; but they
mocked him.
Wilt Thou refrain Thyself for these things, O
Lord?
XLIV. MENASSEH B. JOSEPH BEN ISRAEL
[Scholar, theologian, and historian. He was born at Rochelle
about i6o-t, and died at Middelburg in 1657. He wrote in
Latin, Spanish, and Hebrew. It was due to his efforts that
the English government, presided over by Cromwell, recog-
nized that there was nothing in the English law against the
readmission of the Jews to England. He was also a celebrated
printer.]
The Soul Is Likened to the Moon *
It is known to him who is acquainted with the
science of astronomy that the moon receives its Hght
from the splendor of the sun. Now since the moor is in
the lowest sphere, while the sun is 'n the fourth sphere
beneath the earth, the light of the moon diminishes
on its lower side the nearer it draws to the sun ; for
the. sun's light strikes it from above. When it reaches
a position opposite to the sun from below, its upper
half is light, while the other half facing the earth is
entirely dark. All the time that the moon gradually
moves aAvay from the sun toward the east, as it
does during the first half of the month, the light of
the moon increases toward us, while it decreases on
the half facing above; it is then in its fulness. Thou
also knowest that the astronomers are agreed that on
the day when it reaches the point directly opposite
to the sun, and on the days preceding and following
the true conjunction, tbat is to say, at the beginning of
the month, the moon is covered up, and does not ap-
pear to give light on any side. They have likewise
asserted concerning it that its light dees not become
^Nishmat Hayyim (Soul of Life), part 2, chapter 30.
240
MENASSEH B. JOSEPH BEN ISRAEL 241
fixed, until seven days have passed since its birth ;
it is then that a benediction may be pronounced upon
it, according to the law. They have also said that the
moon completes its revolution in twenty-nine days,
twelve hours, and seven-hundred and ninety-three
fractions, which is approximately thirty days.
After these prefatory remarks I will say that the
soul is likened to the moon, and that the sun is God,
who is blessed, as it is written : ' The Lord God is a sun
and a shield.' ^ Now just as the moon, when it ap-
proaches the sun, its light becomes stronger above ; even
so the divine soul, when it draws nearer to God,
who is blessed, and forsakes pleasures and worldly
affairs, its light becomes fuller, and it attains bhss ;
for the way of life is upward to the wise. But when
it removes itself from God, who is blessed, and clings
to the affairs of the body, making God's service sub-
ordinate, it becomes dark on the upper part, and only
sheds its light from its lower part upon bodily and
worldly things. This is the cause of its perdition with
regards to spiritual matters which occasion and bring
about its welfare. It is on account of this circum-
stance that our teachers of blessed memory tell us
that the preservation and light of the soul depend on
its being turned towards God's countenance, and that
its perdition and death are caused by its removing it-
self from Him ; as it is written : ' Lo, they that go
far from Thee shall perish.' ^ They have taken this
parable from the moon. It is for this reason that
they have insisted that there should be three days for
weeping, seven days for mourning, and that thirty
days should elapse before one is allowed to put on
^ Psalm 84. 12.
'^ Ibid. 73.27.
16
242 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE
clean linen or to trim the hair. This is in accordance
with the three phases of the moon which we have
mentioned. And a hint is sufficient for the under-
standing.
I will say further that God has appointed these
fixed times, in order to requite His mourners with
comforts. For it is hereby shown to them that the
Holy One, blessed be He, is gracious and merciful ;
if His left hand thrusts them away, His right hand
draws them nigh ; for He doth not afflict willingly,
nor grieve the children of men. It therefore behooves
every living being to trust in God, for though He
wounded. He will heal ; because he sees that the moon,
though it is dead while being directly opposite the
sun, revives when it moves away from it, and though
it is cut down, it renews its strength and returns to
the days of its youth. Even so it behooves the
mourner to accept consolation, and not to weep too
much for his dead, for though He cause grief, yet
will He have compassion according to the multitude
of His mercies.
XLV. MOSES HAYYIM LUZZATTO
[Italian poet and mystic. He was born at Padua in 1707,
and died at Acre in 1747. He was very versatile, and wrote
some poetic compositions as well as ethical and mystical treat-
ises. As a poet he chiefly distinguished himself in the alle-
gorical drama which was the fashion of the day. He had a
vivid imagination, and his style is vigorous and charming. He
also wrote on the methodology of the Talmud. His most popu-
lar book is the ethical treatise Mesillat Yesharim (Path of the
Upright).]
Dialogue Between Understanding and Uprightness ^
Understanding: O Uprightness, beloved of my soul,
let thy heart take courage; like a girdle gird on
strength ! For when assistance seems very far away,
relief comes suddenly to us. When in the blazing
heat, in summer drought, the sky is covered with
thick darkness of the clouds, whose thunder's roar-
ing makes the earth beneath to quake ; when lightning
flashes like an arrow ; when the wind rends the
mounts, as though they were earthen pitchers ; when
at the sound of the abundance of rain, all ears grow
deaf ; then the beasts of the forest all together take
refuge, and all the young doves flee unto the clefts
of rocks. But in a moment, with the radiance of its
light, the sun shines forth, and breaks through, and
dispels all clouds and darkness, so that the storm is
then as though it had not been. Thus likewise He,
who rules the world with might, causes relief from
^ La-Ycsharim Tehillah (Praise to the Upright), Act II,
Scene I. An allegorical drama written mostly in blank verse.
As a rule the lines are of ten syllables, but now and then there
are lines of six syllables. Each line ends with a word whose
accent is on the penult.
243
244 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE
trouble to spring forth within a moment unto the con-
trite.
Uprightness: O Understanding, O joy of my heart,
thy comforting has surely enlarged my heart. For
now it seems as though from the words of thy mouth
I behold an opening for my hope. But be so kind, if
thou hast good tidings, withhold it not from me.
Understanding: Would that I had good tidings!
I would not hide it. Howbeit, I hope to bring it to
thee, though not now. For the worker of righteous-
ness shall not forever fail, nor shall the hope of the
perfect perish forever. Though Arrogance now rises
high, reaches to the clouds, and rides prosperously on
the high places of the earth ; he is strong and firmly
rooted, waxes mighty in his strength; he abstains not
from all his lusts, and sees no trouble, neither does
he know affliction's cords ; but he will be brought
down unto the nether-world, and there shall his pride of
heart be humbled ; instead of haughtiness he will clothe
himself with disgrace like a garment ; instead of glory,
he shall take shame for ever. But thou, the fruit of
thy faithfulness shalt thou find in due time ; the end
of all the troubles of thy soul shalt thou behold, and
be for ever satisfied. And when relief comes, thou
wilt be thankful for thy affliction; for sorrows which
are past and gone are even as great joys esteemed
on the day of bliss ; for the recollection of them in-
creases our gladness.
Uprightness: Fain would I (if I could muster
strength) endure bravely my bitter lot, according
to my wish, O Understanding; but it is hard for me,
whenever mine eyes see the two stones of stumbling,
Deceit and Folly, who take counsel together to be as
pricks to me and cause me grief of soul. For noisily
MOSES HAYYIM LUZZATTO 245
Folly shouts on the street; she treads on all the high-
est places of the town with impudent countenance ;
she knows no fear, and knows no shame ; she breaks
all covenants, annuls all laws; there is no faithfulness
in her ; falsehood is her right hand ; her merchandise
is violence, perjury, and treachery. She is a sister to
all evil and a mother to all sin; but all the sons of
prudence she oppresses unto death ; she sits and speaks
against them, and slanders them amidst bowls of
wine ; her inner thoughts are for evil against
them ; if she were able, she would devour them as a
fish, or would bite them like an ass, and break
their bones. And likewise is Deceit ; for with the
flattering of his mouth he hunts for souls as for a
bird, and he feeds the dolt and fool with poison and
death covered with honey ; he bites when he kisses,
and when his hands pretend to cure he bruises ; he
does according to all his desire, and yet succeeds.
Understanding: Indeed, it is but the illusion of our
eyes, for they are eyes of flesh, and, therefore, they
confound truth with falsehood. They change dark-
ness into light, and light into darkness. Now, if
in matters that they can perceive, they err at every
occasion and chance, how greatly must they err in
matters hidden and concealed from them ! Look at
the end of an oar put in the water : Lo, it appears to
thee twisted and crooked, although thou knowest in
thy heart that in reality it is straight. Sheshai and
Talmai ^ appear like ants, when reflected in a concave
mirror ; but in a convex mirror the effect is reversed.
Consider now our spirit, which is like the sea cease-
lessly agitated by the conflicts with the wind : its bil-
lows surge wildly, and are tossed about from place to
" Names of giants ; comp. Numbers 13. 22.
246 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE
place ; even so our spirit is never free from grief.
And as our sorrows change the moods of our spirit, so
are our senses changed from time to time : We only
see what we desire ; our ears only hear what we long
for, or that which our imagination conceives. If we
would have seen this world with clear eyes but once,
then could we have beheld these our enemies together
so afflicted, stricken, and distressed, that we would
have said: 'Enough! we have had our fill of ven-
geance ! ' Lo, as thine eyes see them all filled with
bliss, and satisfied with ease, so truly are their feet
entangled in the net, where they are held since long,
and whence they will not escape ; their steps take hold
on the depth of the nether-world ; as soon as their feet
slip, they will have no power to rise there again. Now
take thou courage, gird on strength ! I shall go now
and look about ; if there is aught I hear, I shall return,
and tell thee ; for the present rest thou still, and di-
rect the meditations of thy heart and all thy thoughts
according to thy wisdom. Lo, there is no bravery
like the bravery of a man who conquers his strong
passior>^ and rules over his spirit ; only the heart that
keeps vexation far away rests and resposes.
XLVI. NAPHTALI HIRZ (HARTWIG)
WESSELY
[Educationalist and poet. He was born at Hamburg in 1725,
and died in 1805. Although he lacked poetic imagination, his
purely biblical style gained for him a great reputation, and he
exerted unusual influence on his contemporaries and on sub-
sequent writers. In a certain sense he may be regarded as the
father of the modern Hebrew renaissance. He was also the
author of a commentary on some books of the Bible, and was
an enthusiastic follower of Moses Mendelssohn. His master-
piece is the epic poem entitled Shire Tiferet (Songs of Glory),
describing the exodus.]
Moses Prepares the People for the Divine
Revelation *
Filled with divine rejoicing and words of pleasant-
ness, Moses came down from the mountain unto the
people that waited for him. He declared to them the
words of their God and said : ' I heard from God's
mouth more bliss than ever I hoped for ; He will create
for you that which has never been since His hands
fashioned the earth, O house of Jacob, hark and
stand aghast ! The voice of the living God from
heaven shall ye hear speaking unto you. The laws
which ye are to keep shall ye learn now from
God's mouth, not from an interpreter. Howbeit, that
ye may know that He raised me for His prophet, ye
shall behold me bring word between you and God.
And seeing that I am esteemed by Him a faithful
prophet, ye shall believe me, too, when I enjoin you
in His name, that I heard all the commandments from
the mouth of God.'
^ Shire Tiferet, part of canto XVII.
247
248 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE
Moses' words were sweeter unto the congregation
than melodious strains upon a pleasant harp and psal-
tery. With joyful voice responded they : ' It is more
than we have hoped ! Ears that were wont to hear the
oppressor's voice, the voice of fear, shall now hear
the utterances of the Living God ! No people, since
there was a nation until now, has ever heard such
words ! Great is this glory. Now, if God performs all
these wonders for the sake of man's soul, so that it may
b€ saved, shall we not turn away from evil, and depart
from sin, so that we may deliver our souls from
seeing the pit? Our lot is happy if we shall hear
these laws from God's mouth ; if He speaks, who
would be rebellious and would not fear Him? O
master, not because there is no faithfulness in us, did
we ask thee to let us hear the voice of God. Far be
this thought from us ! for thou art faithful unto us ;
we shall obey the law of thy mouth, as though we heard
it from God. But thou hast aroused in us the love
of God; when thou hast said that God desired to speak
with us, our soul has fainted and longed to hear His
voice. For we love our Lord and His holy words
dearly, so that we may declare to our children that shall
be bom that from the mouth of our God we heard the
laws. We shall tell them, too, of thy greatness and the
splendor of thy majesty, how thou stoodest between
God and between us, so that all generations shall believe
in thee like us. Having been told by their fathers, by
six hundred thousand men, that thou art truth and that
thy words are truth, they shall not hearken unto
prophets that teach lies, and unto strangers.'
These words of the people, too, gladdened Moses'
heart; he went up the mountain to bring back word to
Him who sent him, and told Him all the words spoken
NAPHTALI HIRZ (HARTWIG) WESSELY 249
by the people ; and he said : ' Thy people would exult
to hear the majesty of Thy voice ; their soul faints and
longs to see Thy glory and Thy might. I pray Thee,
honor and cheer them with the light of Thy counte-
nance ; and I, Thy servant, shall make them hear Thy
holy words, as Thou commandest, so that they shall
also believe in me.'
To these words of the man of faithful spirit God
replied : ' I shall do according to thy words : I grant
the wishes of the meek. Their ear shall hear a mighty
voice like which no ear has heard, so that they may
know that the voice of God is wonderful. Yea, a
benign and graceful spirit shall I pour upon them,
so that they may be strengthened, if their heart fails
through fear. In order that My fear should be be-
fore them all their days, that they should dread My
majesty, and tremble through their fear, this very
mountain shall be clothed with terror and with dread ;
he who sees it shall fear, his heart shall melt, his
hands shall drop ; so that My people see that, though
I am a God of plenteous mercy, a pestilence goes before
Me, a fiery bolt is at My feet, and a fire not kindled
by man devours him that contemns My words ; so that
they may fear Me always, and never sin. But thou alone
shalt know no fear, for great is thy strength. Thou
shalt walk securely between fire-brands and flames
of fire, for I set on thee a splendor which no other
mortal has. And therefore if thou seest that mighty
men bow themiselves, speak comfortably unto them,
and say to them : " Fear not ; " I show them but the
lot of the presumptuous and the portion of the wicked ;
but I love them that love Me ; the perfect shall inherit
good: I shall support their lot, and I alone am their
portion ; they that honor Me have peace, securely dwells
250 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE
he who obeys Me. Great shall be that day, there never
has been one like it ! They should therefore prepare
their hearts, My chosen ones shall be sanctified. Go
to the people, and prepare their hearts with thy
words ; teach them to-day My fear, and sanctify them
to-morrow ; they shall wash their garments, and bathe
their flesh ; and they shall be ready on the third day
in the morning. For on the third day (that is the
very day on which I chose to give to them the Law of
truth and righteous ordinances) shall God come down
from His throne in heaven upon this mount, yea,
on this mount Sinai in holiness. A glorious ap-
pearance which no eye has yet beheld shall be upon
its top, which I shall show to the people. Although I
am a God that hide Myself, no mortal eye sees Me,
the splendor is the sign that I dwell there and that
there is the hiding of My power. And as before the
arrival of the day on which I speak to them, all the
people shall for two days sanctify themselves, so like-
wise shall the mountain, before I shine forth from it,
be prepared and sanctified for two days : allow not
the feet of man or beast to come on it ; set bounds
about the mountain, the boundary being all around,
so that people do not cross the bounds which thou hast
set. And say to them : " Take heed that ye ascend
not the mount ; nor shall ye touch it : he that touches
it shall surely die." And even they that pursue the
transgressor shall not tread on the mount ; from afar
shall he be stoned, or arrows shall be shot at him.
All who go up the mountain, whether man or beast,
shall die ; this mount with all that is around it shall
henceforth be holy ground to you, for with My glory
will I adorn it. But when My glory is taken off from
it, I will give a sign: the trumpet's voice shall I
NAPHTALI HIRZ (HARTWIG) WESSELY 251
cause to be heard from the top of the mount. Not
like the voice of the trumpet which they will hear
when I arrive — a terrifying voice, that all wicked hearts
may be humbled and fear God their Creator and ob-
serve His law — but when My glory ascends, departing
from the earth, the trumpet shall be blown in honor and
might to My name ; and when the trumpet sounds
long, they also shall come up to the mount.'
RITTER UHRARY ^
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Post-Biblical Hebrew
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