Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala Part 71

"Wherefore not?" asked the tyrant.

"Because," replied the lad, "the second commandment of the Decalogue tells us, 'Thou shalt have no other G.o.d but me.'"

His death followed immediately his brave words.

"My religion teaches me, 'Thou shalt worship no other G.o.d,'" said the third son, "and I welcome the fate accorded to my brothers rather than bow to thee or thy images."

The same homage was demanded of the fourth son, but brave and faithful as his brethren, he replied, "'He that sacrificeth unto any G.o.d save unto the Lord only,'" and was slain pitilessly.

"'Hear, O Israel! the Lord our G.o.d, the Lord is One,'" exclaimed the fifth lad, yielding up his young life with the watchword of Israel's hosts.

"Why art thou so obstinate?" was asked of the sixth brother, when he, too, was brought before the tyrant and scorned the propositions made him.

"'The Lord thy G.o.d is in the midst of thee, a mighty and terrible G.o.d,'"

he said; and died for the principles he proclaimed.

Then the seventh and youngest boy was brought before the murderer of his relatives, who addressed him kindly, saying:--

"My son, come bow before my G.o.ds."

And the child answered:--

"G.o.d forbid! Our holy religion teaches us 'Know therefore this day, and reflect in thy heart that the Lord he is G.o.d, in the heavens above and on the earth beneath there is none else.' Never will we exchange our G.o.d for any other, neither will He exchange us for any other nation, for as it is written, 'Thou hast this day acknowledged the Lord,' so is it also written, 'And the Lord hath acknowledged thee this day, that thou art unto him a peculiar people!'"

Still the tyrant spoke smoothly, and with kind words.

"Thou art young," he said; "thou hast seen but little of the pleasures and joys of life, not as much as has fallen to the portion of thy brethren. Do as I wish thee and thy future shall be bright and happy."

"The Lord will reign forever and ever," said the lad; "thy nation and thy kingdom will be destroyed; thou art here to-day, to-morrow in the grave; to-day elevated, to-morrow lowly; but the most Holy One endures forever."

"See," continued the other, "thy brothers lie slain before thee; their fate will be thine if thou refusest to do as I desire. See, I will cast my ring to the ground, stoop thou and pick it up; that I will consider allegiance to my G.o.ds."

"Thinkest thou that I fear thy threats?" returned the unterrified lad; "why should I fear a human being more than the great G.o.d, the King of kings?"

"Where and what is thy G.o.d?" asked the oppressor. "Is there a G.o.d in the world?"

"Can there be a world without a Creator?" replied the youth. "Of thy G.o.ds 'tis said, 'mouths they have, but speak not.' Of our G.o.d the Psalmist says, 'By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.' Thy G.o.ds have 'eyes but see not,' but 'the eyes of the Lord run to and fro in the whole earth!' Thy G.o.ds have 'ears but hear not,' but of our G.o.d 'tis written, 'The Lord hearkened and heard.' Of thy G.o.ds 'tis said, 'a nose they have but smell not,' while our G.o.d 'smelled the sweet savor.'

'Hands have thy G.o.ds but they touch not,' while our G.o.d says, 'My hand hath also founded the earth.' Of thy G.o.ds 'tis written, 'feet they have but walk not,' while Zachariah tells us of our G.o.d, 'His feet will stand that day upon the mount of Olives.'"

Then said the cruel one:--

"If thy G.o.d hath all these attributes, why does He not deliver thee from my power?"

The lad replied:--

"He delivered Chananyah and his companions from the power of Nebuchadnezzar, but they were righteous men, and Nebuchadnezzar was a king deserving of seeing a miracle performed, but for me, alas, I am not worthy of redemption, neither art thou worthy of a demonstration of G.o.d's power."

"Let the lad be slain as were his brothers," commanded the tyrant.

Then spoke Hannah, the mother of the boys:--

"Give me my child," she cried, "oh, cruel king, let me fold him in my arms ere thou destroyest his innocent young life."

She threw her arms around the lad, clasping him tightly to her bosom, and pressing her lips to his. "Take my life," she cried; "kill me first before my child."

"Nay," he answered, scoffingly, "I cannot do it, for thy own laws forbid; 'Whether it be ox or sheep ye shall not kill it and its young in one day.'"

"Oh, woe to thee," replied the mother, "thou who art so particular to regard the laws." Then pressing her boy to her heart, "Go, my dear one,"

she said, "say to Abraham that my sacrifice hath exceeded his. He built one altar whereon to sacrifice Isaac; thy mother hath built seven altars and sacrificed seven Isaacs in one day. He was but tempted; thy mother hath performed."

After the execution of her last son, Hannah became insane, and threw herself from her house-top. Where she fell, she expired.

Happy are ye, ye seven sons of Hannah; your portion in the future world was waiting for you. In faithfulness ye served your G.o.d, and with her children shall your mother rejoice forever in the eternal world.

Moses Maimonides, one of the greatest of Jewish commentators, and a descendant of Rabbi Judah, the compiler of the Mishna, was born in the city of Cordova, Spain, March 30, 1135. His father was somewhat advanced in life when he married, and it is said that he entered into the conjugal state through having dreamed several successive times that he was wedded to the daughter of a butcher in his neighborhood; the lady whom he did actually marry.

Moses was the only child of this lady, who died shortly after his birth.

His father lamented her demise for about a year, and then married again, several children being the result of this second union.

Moses displayed no love for study in his youth; a fact which grieved his father much. All efforts to induce him to become more studious failed; his brothers called him "the butcher's boy," as a term of reproach for his dullness; and finally, in anger, his father drove him from his home.

While traveling, entirely friendless, Moses fell in with a learned Rabbi, and admired his wisdom and knowledge so much that he resolved to study zealously and emulate such attainments.

Many years after this a new preacher was announced to lecture in the synagogue, at Cordova, upon a designated Sabbath. Numerous rumors of his wonderful learning and eloquence were rife, and all were anxious to hear him. In matter, delivery, earnestness, and effect, the sermon excelled all that the people had before listened to, and to the amazement of Maimonides the elder, and his sons, they recognized in the man all were eager to honor, their outcast relative.

The first commentary of Maimonides is upon the Mishna, and it concludes with these words:--

"I, Moses, the son of Maymon, commenced this commentary when twenty-three years of age. I have finished it at the age of thirty in the land of Egypt."

Maimonides fled from Spain to Cairo, in Egypt, from fanaticism and persecution. There he studied the Greek and Chaldaic languages, becoming master of both after seven years' attention. His fame spread through the country. His scientific standing and his general knowledge were universally recognized, and his books were not only valued by his brethren in faith, but by all the cultured and enlightened of his day.

It is said that the king of Egypt appointed him as one of his staff of physicians. The enlightened men of the kingdom were divided into seven grades, each grade occupying a corresponding position near the throne of the king on state occasions. The monarch considered Maimonides so much superior to the others that he made for him a special position. This, Moses, a modest man, declined. The other physicians, however, were jealous of his high standing, and being unable to injure him openly, they endeavored to accomplish his ruin in a secret manner.

The king was taken very sick, and Maimonides attended him. Taking advantage of this, the physicians put poison in the draught which Moses had prepared for him, and then informed the king that the latter designed his death. To prove their words, they gave some of the mixture to a dog, and the animal died.

The king was grieved and surprised, and Maimonides, struck dumb with amazement, was unable to say a word.

"Death is the penalty for one who attempts to a.s.sa.s.sinate his ruler,"

said the king. "Choose now the mode of thy punishment."

Moses asked for three days for consideration, which the king granted.

During this time he prepared a certain mixture, and instructed his pupils to have it ready and apply it according to his directions, when he should be brought home senseless. He then appeared before the king, and desired to have his veins opened. The vital artery was missed, as he had antic.i.p.ated, and the result was as he had foreseen. After his recovery, he fled from Egypt, taking refuge in a cave, where he wrote his _Yad Hazakah_ (the "Strong Hand"), consisting of fourteen divisions, typified by the word _Yad_, which also means fourteen.

Maimonides simplified the Talmudical rules and traditions, making them clear to the comprehension of all. He was the author of an exhaustive work, ent.i.tled, _Mishne Torah_, the "Second Law," which was eagerly copied and extensively disseminated. He also wrote many philosophical treatises leveled against atheism, and designed to prove that G.o.d produced the world from naught, and at the age of fifty gave to the world his great work, _Moreh Nebuchim_ ("Guide of the Perplexed"), to which Rabbi Judah Charizi added an appendix.

Maimonides died at the age of seventy years, and his remains were interred at Cairo, Egypt. Both Jews and Gentiles mourned his loss. The lamentation in Jerusalem was intense, a fast was declared, the synagogues were opened, and a portion of the law (Levit. 25:12 to end), and the fifth chapter of Samuel 1, were made parts of the service of the day.