Hebraic Literature 35

Hebraic Literature 35

While Rabbi Eleazer was sick, the four elders, Rabbi Tarphon, Rabbi

Joshua, Rabbi Eleazer, the son of Azoria, and Rabbi Akiba, called upon

him.

 

"Thou art better to Israel than the raindrops to earth, or the raindrops

are for this world only, while thou, my teacher, have helped the

ripening of fruit for this world and the next," said Rabbi Tarphon.

 

"Thou art better to Israel than the sun, for the sun is for this world

alone; thou hast given light for this world and the next," said Rabbi

Joshua.

 

Then spoke Rabbi Eleazer, the son of Azoria:--

 

"Thou art better to Israel," said he, "than father and mother to man.

They bring him into the world, but thou, my teacher, showest him the way

into the world of Immortality."

 

Then said Rabbi Akiba:--

 

"It is well that man should be afflicted, for his distresses atone for

his sins."

 

"Does the Bible make such an assertion, Akiba?" asked his teacher.

 

"Yes," answered Akiba. "'Twelve years old was Manassah when he became

king, and fifty-and-five years did he reign in Jerusalem, and he did

what was evil in the eyes of the Lord' (Kings). Now, how was this? Did

Hezekiah teach the law to the whole world and not to his son Manassah?

Assuredly not; but Manassah paid no attention to his precepts, and

neglected the word of God until he was afflicted with bodily pain, as it

is written, 'And the Lord spoke to Manassah and to his people, but they

listened not, wherefore the Lord brought over them the captains of the

armies belonging to the king of Assyria, and they took Manassah prisoner

with chains, and bound him with fetters, and led him off to Babylon; and

when he was in distress he besought the Lord his God, and humbled

himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And he prayed to Him, and

He permitted Himself to be entreated by him and heard his supplication,

and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom. Then did Manassah

feel conscious that the Lord is indeed the (true) God.'

 

"Now, what did the king of Assyria to Manassah? He placed him in a

copper barrel and had a fire kindled beneath it, and while enduring

great torture of his body, Manassah was further tortured in his mind.

'Shall I call upon the Almighty?' he thought. 'Alas! His anger burns

against me. To call upon my idols is to call in vain,--alas, alas, what

hope remains to me!'

 

"He prayed to the greatest of his idols, and waited in vain for a reply.

He called to the lesser gods, and remained unanswered. Then with

trembling heart he addressed the great Eternal.

 

"'O Eternal! God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants,

the heavens and the earth are the works of Thy hand. Thou didst give to

the sea a shore, controlling with a word the power of the mighty deep.

Thou art merciful as Thou art great, and Thou hast promised to accept

the repentance of those who return to Thee with upright hearts. As

numerous are my sins as the sands which cover the seashore. I have done

evil before Thee, committing abominations in Thy presence and acting

wickedly. Bound with fetters I come before Thee, and on my knees I

entreat Thee, in the name of Thy great attributes of mercy, to

compassionate my suffering and my distress. Pardon me, O Lord, forgive

me. Do not utterly destroy me because of my transgressions. Let not my

punishment eternally continue. Though I am unworthy of Thy goodness, O

Lord, yet save me in Thy mercy. Henceforth will I praise Thy name all

the days of my life, for all Thy creatures delight in praising Thee, and

unto Thee is the greatness and the goodness forever and ever, Selah!'"

 

"God heard this prayer, even as it is written, 'And He permitted Himself

to be entreated by him, and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his

kingdom.'"

 

"From which we may learn," continued Akiba, "that affliction is an

atonement for sin."

 

* * * * *

 

Said Rabbi Eleazer, the great, "It is commanded 'thou shalt love the

Lord thy God with all thy soul and with all that is loved by thee.'

 

"Does not 'with all thy soul' include 'with all that is loved by thee?'

 

"Some people love themselves more than they love their money; to them

'tis said, 'with all thy soul;' while for those who love their money

more than themselves the commandment reads, 'with all that is loved by

thee.'"

 

But Rabbi Akiba always expounded the words, "with all thy soul," to mean

"even though thy life be demanded of thee."

 

When the decree was issued forbidding the Israelites to study the law,

what did Rabbi Akiba?

 

He installed many congregations secretly, and in secret lectured before

them.

 

Then Papus, the son of Juda said to him:--

 

"Art not afraid, Akiba? Thy doings may be discovered, and thou wilt be

punished for disobeying the decree."

 

"Listen, and I will relate to thee a parable," answered Akiba. "A fox,

walking by the river side, noticed the fishes therein swimming and

swimming to and fro, never ceasing; so he said to them, 'Why are ye

hurrying, what do ye fear?'

 

"'The nets of the angler,' they replied.

 

"'Come, then,' said the fox, 'and live with me on dry land.'

 

"But the fishes laughed.

 

"'And art thou called the wisest of the beasts?' they exclaimed; 'verily

thou art the most foolish. If we are in danger even in our element, how

much greater would be our risk in leaving it.'

 

"It is the same with us. We are told of the law that it is 'our life and

the prolongation of our days.' This is it when things are peaceful with

us; how much greater is our need of it then in times like these?"

 

It is said that it was but shortly after this when Rabbi Akiba was

imprisoned for teaching the law, and in the prison in which he was

incarcerated he found Papus, who had been condemned for some other

offense.

 

Rabbi Akiba said to him:--

 

"Papus, what brought thee here?"

 

And Papus replied:--

 

"Joy, joy, to thee, that thou art imprisoned for studying God's law; but

woe, woe is mine that I am here through vanity."

 

When Rabbi Akiba was led forth to execution, it was just at the time of

the morning service.

 

"'Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God, the Lord is one,'" he exclaimed in a

loud and firm voice.

 

The torturers tore his flesh with pointed cards, yet still he repeated,

"The Lord is one."

 

"Always did I say," he continued, "that 'with all thy soul,' meant even

though life should be demanded of thee, and I wondered whether I should

ever be able to so observe it. Now see, to-day, I do so; 'the Lord is

one.'"

 

With these word he died.

 

* * * * *

 

Elishah ben Abuyah, a most learned man, became in after-life an

apostate. Rabbi Meir had been one of his pupils, and he never failed in

the great love which he bore for his teacher.

 

It happened upon one occasion when Rabbi Meir was lecturing in the

college, that some students entered and said to him:--

 

"Thy teacher, Elishah, is riding by on horseback on this holy Sabbath

day."

 

Rabbi Meir left the college, and overtaking Elishah walked along by his

horse's side.

 

The latter saluted him, and asked:--

 

"What passage of scripture hast thou been expounding?"

 

"From the book of Job," replied Rabbi Meir. "'The Lord blessed the

latter days of Job more than the beginning.'"

 

"And how didst thou explain the verse?" said Elishah.

 

"That the Lord increased his wealth twofold."

 

"But thy teacher, Akiba, said not so," returned Elishah. "He said that

the Lord blessed the latter days of Job with twofold of penitence and

good deeds."

 

"How," inquired Rabbi Meir, "wouldst thou explain the verse, 'Better is

the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.' If a man buys

merchandise in his youth and meets with losses, is it likely that he

will recover his substance in old age? Or, if a person studies God's law

in his youth and forgets it, is it probable that it will return to his

memory in his latter days?"

 

"Thy teacher, Akiba, said not so," replied Elishah; "he explained the

verse, 'Better is the end of a thing when the beginning was good.' My

own life proves the soundness of this explanation. On the day when I was

admitted into the covenant of Abraham, my father made a great feast.

Some of his visitors sang, some of them danced, but the Rabbis conversed

upon God's wisdom and His laws. This latter pleased my father, Abuyah,

and he said, 'When my son grows up ye shall teach him and he shall

become like ye; he did not cause me to study for God's sake but only to

make his name famous through me. Therefore, in my latter days have I

become wicked and an apostate; and now, return home.'"

 

"And wherefore?"

 

"Because, on the Sabbath day, thou art allowed to go so far and no

farther, and I have reckoned the distance thou hast traveled with me by

the footsteps of my horse."

 

"If thou art so wise," said Rabbi Meir, "as to reckon the distance I may

travel by the footsteps of thy horse, and so particular for my sake, why

not return to God and repent of thy apostacy?"

 

Elishah answered:--

 

"It is not in my power. I rode upon horseback once on the Day of

Atonement; yea, when it fell upon the Sabbath, and when I passed the

synagogue I heard a voice crying, 'Return, oh backsliding children,

return to me and I will return to ye; except Elishah, the son of Abuyah,

he knew his Master and yet rebelled against Him.'"

 

What caused such a learned man as Elishah to turn to evil ways?

 

It is reported that once while studying the law in the vale of Genusan,

he saw a man climbing a tree. The man found a bird's-nest in the tree,

and taking the mother with the young ones he still departed in peace. He

saw another man who finding a bird's-nest followed the Bible's command

and took the young only, allowing the mother to fly away; and yet a

serpent stung him as he descended, and he died. "Now," thought he,

"where is the Bible's truth and promises? Is it not written, 'And the

young thou mayest take to thyself, but the mother thou shalt surely let

go, that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live many days.'

Now, where is the long life to this man who followed the precept, while

the one who transgressed it is unhurt?"

 

He had not heard how Rabbi Akiba expounded this verse, that the days

would be long in the future world where all is happiness.

 

There is also another reason given as the cause for Elishah's

backsliding and apostacy.

 

During the fearful period of religious persecution, the learned Rabbi

Judah, whose life had been passed in the study of the law and the

practice of God's precepts, was delivered into the power of the cruel

torturer. His tongue was placed in a dog's mouth and the dog bit it off.

 

So Elishah said, "If a tongue which uttered naught but truth be so used,

and a learned, wise man be so treated, of what use is it to avoid having

a lying tongue and being ignorant. Lo, if these things are allowed,

there is surely no reward for the righteous, and no resurrection for the

dead."

 

When Elishah waxed old he was taken sick, and Rabbi Meir, learning of

the illness of his aged teacher, called upon him.

 

"Oh return, return unto thy God." entreated Rabbi Meir.

 

"What!" exclaimed Elishah, "return! and could He receive my penitence,

the penitence of an apostate who has so rebelled against Him?"

 

"Is it not written," said Meir, "'Thou turnest man to contrition?' No

matter how the soul of man may be crushed, he can still turn to his God

and find relief."

 

Elishah listened to these words, wept bitterly and died. Not many years

after his death his daughters came, poverty stricken, asking relief from

the colleges. "Remember," said they, "the merit of our father's

learning, not his conduct."

 

The colleges listened to the appeal and supported the daughters of

Elishah.

 

* * * * *

 

Rabbi Judah, Rabbi Joseh, and Rabbi Simon were conversing one day, when

Judah ben Gerim entered the apartment and sat down with the three. Rabbi

Judah was speaking in a complimentary strain of the Gentiles (Romans).

"See," said he, "how they have improved their cities, how beautiful they

have made them, and how much they have done for the comfort and

convenience of the citizens; bath-houses, bridges, fine broad streets,

surely much credit is due them."

 

"Nay," answered Rabbi Simon, "all that they have done has been from a

selfish motive. The bridges bring them in a revenue, for all who use

them are taxed; the bath-houses are for their personal adornment--'tis

all selfishness, not patriotism."

 

Judah ben Gerim repeated these remarks to his friends, and finally they

reached the ears of the emperor. He would not allow them to pass

unnoticed. He ordered that Judah, who had spoken well of the nation,

should be advanced in honor; that Joseh, who had remained silent instead

of seconding the assertions, should be banished to Zipore; and that

Simon, who had disputed the compliment, should be put to death.

 

The latter with his son fled and concealed himself in the college when

this fiat became known to him. For some time he remained there

comparatively safe, his wife bringing his meals daily. But when the

officers were directed to make diligent search he became afraid, lest

through the indiscretion of his wife his place of concealment might be

discovered.

 

"The mind of woman is weak and unsteady," said he, "perhaps they may

question and confuse her, and thus may death come upon me."

 

So leaving the city, Simon and his son took refuge in a lonely cave.

Near its mouth some fruit trees grew, supplying them with food, and a

spring of pure water bubbled from rocks in the immediate vicinity. For

thirteen years Rabbi Simon lived here, until the emperor died and his

decrees were repealed. He then returned to the city.

 

When Rabbi Phineas, his son-in-law, heard of his return, he called upon

him at once, and noticing an apparent neglect in the mental and physical

condition of his relative, he exclaimed, "Woe, woe! that I meet thee in

so sad a condition!"

 

But Rabbi Simon answered:--

 

"Not so; happy is it that thou findest me in this condition, for thou

findest me no less righteous than before. God has preserved me, and my

faith in Him, and thus hereafter shall I explain the verse of scripture,

'And Jacob came perfect.' Perfect in his physical condition, perfect in

his temporal condition, and perfect in his knowledge of God."

 

* * * * *

 

Antoninus, in conversing with Rabbi Judah, said to him:

 

"In the future world, when the soul comes before the Almighty Creator

for judgment, may it not find a plea of excuse for worldly wickedness in

saying, 'Lo, the sin is the body's; I am now free from the body; the

sins were not mine'?"

 

Rabbi Judah answered, "Let me relate to thee a parable. A king had an

orchard of fine figs, which he prized most highly. That the fruit might

not be stolen or abused, he placed two watchers in the orchard, and that

they themselves might not be tempted to partake of the fruit, he chose

one of them a blind man, and the other one lame. But lo, when they were

in the orchard, the lame man said to his companion, 'I see very fine

figs; they are luscious and tempting; carry me to the tree, that we may

both partake of them.'

 

"So the blind man carried the lame man, and they ate of the figs.

 

"When the king entered the orchard he noticed at once that his finest

figs were missing, and he asked the watchers what had become of them.

 

"The blind man answered:--

 

"'I know not. I could not steal them; I am blind; I cannot even see

them.'

 

"And the lame man answered:--

 

"'Neither could I steal them; I could not approach the tree.'

 

"But the king was wise, and he answered:--

 

"'Lo, the blind carried the lame,' and he punished them accordingly.

 

"So it is with us. The world is the orchard in which The Eternal King

has placed us, to keep watch and ward, to till its soil and care for its

fruit. But the soul and body are the man; if one violates the precepts,

so does the other, and after death the soul may not say, 'It is the

fault of the body to which I was tied that I committed sins;' no, God

will do as did the owner of the orchard, as it is written:--

 

"'He shall call from the heaven above, and to the earth to judge his

people.'

 

"He shall call from the 'heaven above,' which is the soul, and to the

'earth below', which is the body, mixing with the dust from whence it

sprung."

 

A heathen said to Rabbi Joshua, "Thou believest that God knows the

future?"

 

"Yes," replied the Rabbi.

 

"Then," said the questioner, "wherefore is it written, 'The Lord said, I

will destroy everything which I have made, because it repenteth me that

I have made them'? Did not the Lord foresee that man would become

corrupt?"

 

Then said Rabbi Joshua, "Hast thou children?"

 

"Yes," was the answer.

 

"When a child was born, what didst thou?"

 

"I made a great rejoicing."

 

"What cause hadst thou to rejoice? Dost thou not know that they must

die?"

 

"Yes, that is true; but in the time of enjoyment I do not think of the

future."

 

"So was it with God," said Rabbi Joshua. "He knew that men would sin;

still that knowledge did not prevent the execution of his beneficent

purpose to create them."

 

One of the emperors said to Rabon Gamliel:--

 

"Your God is a thief, as it is written, 'And the Lord God caused a deep

sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. And He took a rib from Adam.'"

 

The Rabbi's daughter said, "Let me answer this aspersion. Last night

robbers broke into my room, and stole therefrom a silver vessel: but

they left a golden one in its stead."

 

The emperor replied, "I wish that such thieves would come every night."

 

Thus was it with Adam; God took a rib from him, but placed a woman

instead of it.

 

Rabbi Joshua, of Saknin, said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "The Lord

considered from what part of the man he should form woman; not from the

head, lest she should be proud; not from the eyes, lest she should wish

to see everything; not from the mouth, lest she might be talkative; nor

from the ear, lest she should wish to hear everything; nor from the

heart, lest she should be jealous; nor from the hand, lest she should

wish to find out everything; nor from the feet in order that she might

not be a wanderer; only from the most hidden place, that is covered even

when a man is naked--namely, the rib."

 

The scholars of Rabbi Simon ben Jochai once asked him:--

 

"Why did not the Lord give to Israel enough manna to suffice them for a year, at one time, instead of meting it out daily?"