A look back into Jewish history from "unbiased" sources can always be a refreshing perspective. This is certainly the case when outside texts come to support the statements found within our own holy texts. Below are a few select quotations from Josephus that shed light on the religious lifestyle of the Jewish people during the destruction of Beit Sheni. Personally, being skeptical of previous generations living with greater fear of heaven than that of later generations, I found many of these quotes to be enlightening.
[Quick background: Flavius Josephus was a Jew who grew up in Jerusalem at the beginning of the Common Era. He was well educated, knowing both Jewish texts and the Greek language. During the Great Revolt from 66-73 CE, Josephus served as a general of the Galilee. When the Roman army overcame his forces, Josephus and 40 compatriots fled to a cave. They agreed to commit suicide. Josephus fixed the lots so that his name would come out last. After the others killed themselves, Josephus convinced the remaining fighter to surrender with him and pledge allegiance to the Roman Emperor.As a prisoner of the Romans, Josephus volunteered to write the history of the Great Revolt for the (later) Emperor Vespasian. Josephus thus provided the Romans (and now us) with a first-hand account of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. It must be emphasized that Josephus was writing for Vespasian, so his work is biased toward Roman agenda. Josephus himself was hostile to the Torah-Sages and looked down upon the Torah-people as a "seditious multitude." ]
A few points worth noticing:
- The general religious dedication of the Jewish people at the time and during generations prior to Josephus
- The widespread influence of chazal upon the Jewish people
- The well-known piety of the Sages
- Long-standing practices of Jewish oral law
"Even now there is still no one of the Hebrews who does not act as if Moses were present, and ready to punish him if he should do anything that is indecent.... They preferred a submission to the laws of Moses before the fulfilling of their own inclinations, even when they had no fear upon them that any body could convict them, but only out of a reverence to their own conscience... To this very day the writings left by Moses have so great a force, that even those that hate us do confess that He who established this settlement was G-d, and that it was by the means of Moses and of his virtue" ( Antiquities, 4,15, 3)
No comments:
Post a Comment