The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Thousand Years of Jewish History, by Maurice H. (Maurice Henry) Harris
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Title: A Thousand Years of Jewish History
From the days of Alexander the Great to the Moslem Conquest of Spain
Author: Maurice H. (Maurice Henry) Harris
Release Date: December 11, 2013 [eBook #44409]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A THOUSAND YEARS OF JEWISH HISTORY***
E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Julia Neufeld,
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)
"For a thousand years in thy sight, are but ... as a watch in the night"
Psalms, xc, 4.
Jerusalem Besieged by Titus. (See page 167.)
A Thousand Years
of Jewish History
From the Days of Alexander the Great
To the Moslem Conquest of Spain
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS,
MAPS AND NOTES.
BY THE
Rev. Maurice H. Harris, A. M., Ph. D.
Author of "People of the Book."
"History of the Mediæval Jews"
"Modern Jewish History"
"Selected Addresses," etc.
SIXTH EDITION.
Revised and Enlarged
NEW YORK:
BLOCH PUBLISHING CO., 40 EAST 14TH ST.,
1914.
Copyright, 1911
By MAURICE H. HARRIS
PRESS OF
PHILIP COWEN
NEW YORK
Introduction
"Wenn es eine Stufenleiter von Leiden giebt, so hat Israel die höchste Staffel erstiegen; wenn die Dauer der Schmerzen und die Geduld, mit welcher sie ertragen werden, adeln, so nehmen es die Juden mit den Hochgeborenen aller Länder auf; wenn eine Literatur reich genannt wird, die wenige klassische Trauerspiele besitzt, welcher Platz gebührt dann einer Tragödie, die anderthalb Jahrtausende währt gedichtet und dargestellt von den Helden selber?"
—Zunz: Die Synagogale Poesie des Mittelalters.
When the impatient youth demands, like the heathen from Hillel, a definition of Judaism, bid him "go and learn" the history of the Jew. Let him follow the fascinating story from hoar antiquity, when the obscure Hebrews, "leaving kindred and father's house," took a bold and new departure for the land that God would show—the land that would show God.
Point to the colossal figure of Moses on Sinai, "greatest of the prophets," who gave the first uplifting impulse with his Ten Words of Faith and Duty. Trace with him the soul struggle of this "fewest of all peoples" to reach the truth of divinity—beginning with a crude conception that became steadily more exalted and more clarified with each successive age, until, at last, the idea is realized of an all-pervading Spirit, with "righteousness and justice as the pillars of His throne," the "refuge of all generations."
Make clear to him how the revelation of the divine will came to be expressed in Law. And, how the preservation and development of this Law, in the interpreting hands of prophets, scribes, rabbis, poets and philosophers, became henceforth the controlling motif of the history of the Jew, his modus vivendi, whether under Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabians or Franks. Help him to see that through it the Jew held in his keeping the religious fate of Orient and Occident, that took from him their respective impressions of Islamism and Christianity.
Let him see the "God-intoxicated" teaching his message by living it; the Suffering Servant whose martyrdom brought healing to his smiters.
Then, perhaps, he may understand that no one definition can completely express the Faith of the Jew and his place in the divine economy. But with this glimpse of his history the grandeur of his inheritance will sink into his consciousness, becoming part of himself, and he will be thrilled with the tremendous responsibility devolving upon him as a member of the priest-people, the witnesses of God, whose mission was and is to "bring light to the Gentiles—that salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."
Preface to the Revised Edition
The dual purpose of the revision of this work has been simplification and amplification.
The language has been recast in parts and there have been added sub-titles within each chapter, cross-references and an index. Ideas such as "Religion as law," the Logos of Philo and the development of Messianism have been made as simple as these subjects admit of.
In seeking illustrations to vivify the narrative it is unfortunate that so little is available. Ah! if we had pictures of Hillel, of Akiba the Martyr, of Judah the Saint, of the Jamnia Academy, of the splendor of the Babylonian Exilarch. But this very absence of pictures is in itself a bit of Jewish history.
This new edition contains quotations from the literature of the periods covered, from the Apocrypha, Philo, Josephus and the Mishna. Three chapters have been added, two on "Stories and Sayings of the Sages of the Talmud" and one on "Rabbi Judah and his times." Other chapters have been placed in more logical sequence. Both the Chronological Tables and the Notes are fuller. A new feature has been introduced in a "theme for discussion" at the close of each chapter that may be found helpful to study circles and Chautauqua societies. This has also been introduced in the recently issued "Modern Jewish History."
The author expresses his grateful indebtedness to Dr. David de Sola Pool for a most careful reading of the manuscript and for many corrections and suggestions; also to Mr. Philip Cowen for the aid rendered in collecting the illustrations. The author has availed himself of writings that have appeared on this epoch since the edition of 1904. He hopes he has succeeded in producing a more readable book.
Contents
Political Silence — Religious activity — The Bible Canon. Notes: Persian influence — Judaism as law — Bible books.
17-25 Chapter II. Greek and Jew.Alexander the Great — Judea part of Greco-Egypt — Joseph the Satrap. Note: Greek and Jew.
26-32 Chapter III. Judea Fights for its Faith.The High Priest's office sold — Religious Persecution — Judas Maccabeus — Feast of Hanukkah — The Book of Daniel. Note: Immortality.
33-44 Chapter IV. Judea Fights for its Independence.Death of Judas — Jonathan — Death of Eleazar — Independence
45-51 Chapter V. The Apocrypha.I. Esdras — II. Esdras — Tobit — Judith — Additions to Esther — Wisdom Literature: Wisdom of Solomon — Ecclesiasticus — Baruch — Song of the Three Holy Children — History of Susanna — Bel and the Dragon — Prayer of Manasses — I. Maccabees — II. Maccabees
52-66 Chapter VI. In the Diaspora.Egypt — The Septuagint — Onias and his temple
67-71 BOOK II. JUDEA INDEPENDENT.Chapter VII. Pharisees and Sadducees.
Simon — Hyrcanus I. — Pharisees and Sadducees — Essenes
77-84 Chapter VIII. A Royal House Again.Aristobulus — Alexander Janneus — Queen Salome Alexandra — The "Pairs."
85-90 Chapter IX. Rival Claimants for the Throne.Aristobolus II. — Prayer of Onias — Pompey takes Jerusalem.
91-94 Chapter X. Judea Under Roman Suzerainty.Growth of Rome — From First Triumvirate to Empire — Herod enters on the scene — The last Hasmonean ruler.
95-101 Chapter XI. Herod.Herod as man — Herod as builder — Herod as father. Note: Edom, type of Rome.
102-110 Chapter XII. Hillel.Hillel as moralist — Hillel as legislator — Last days — Shammai. Note: Law and equity.
111-117 Chapter XIII. Herod's Successors.Antipas and John the Baptist — The last Herodian — Judea part of a Roman province.
117-122 BOOK III. JUDEA UNDER ROME.Chapter XIV. Pilate the Procurator.
Procurators in general — Pilate in particular — Proselytes.
123-126 Chapter XV. Jesus of Nazareth.The Messianic hope — Jesus the man — Jesus the Messiah — Christianity — Teachings of Jesus. Note: The Crucifixion.
127-135 Chapter XVI. The Alexandrian School.Jew and Greek — Jewish Missionaries.
136-140 Chapter XVII.His Bible Commentary — His philosophy — The Logos — His Ethics.
141-146 Chapter XVIII. A Jewish King Once More.The mad emperor Caligula — Agrippa's youth — Agrippa the king — Agrippa slain — Agrippa II.
147-152 Chapter XIX. The Last Procurators.The Zealots — The Sicarii.
153-156 Chapter XX. Judea's War With Rome.Revolution — A peace party — Josephus.
157-160 Chapter XXI. The Siege.The North succumbs — Rival parties in Jerusalem.
161-167 Chapter XXII. The Fall of Jerusalem.Masada, the last fortress — The remnant again.
168-171 Chapter XXIII. Josephus and his Works.His early life — Josephus vs. Jeremiah — His "History of the Jews" — "Contra Apion." Note: Josephus and Christianity.
172-180 BOOK IV. THE TALMUDIC ERA. Chapter XXIV. Jochanan Ben Zakkai.The Academy at Jamnia — Prayer replaces sacrifice — Halacha and Agada.
183-189 Chapter XXV. The Palestinian Academies.R. Gamaliel — R. Joshua — Ordination of rabbis — The Prayer Book.
190-196 Chapter XXVI. Judaism and the Church.The development of Christianity — Old and New Testaments — Gnostics. Note: Jewish Scripture and Church doctrine.
197-200 Chapter XXVII. Rome's Regime After Judea's Overthrow.Proselytes again — Revolt against Trajan — Hadrian's "Promise."
201-205 Chapter XXVIII. Akiba.Love and Law — Akiba's Ethics.
206-210 Chapter XXIX. Last Struggle for Liberty.Bar Cochba — General Severus — Martyrdom.
211-216 Chapter XXX. Judah "the Saint" and His Times.Mair and Beruria — Judah ha-Nasi — Other famous teachers.
217-221 Chapter XXXI. The Mishna.Written and Oral Law — Quotations — Amoraim.
222-228 Chapter XXXII. Babylonia and its Schools.The Resh Galutha — Rab and Samuel — Babylonian Schools. Note: Patriotism and Judaism.
229-238 Chapter XXXIII. Christianity the State Church of Rome.Rome's decline — Why Christianity appealed to Romans — Judaism and Christianity contrasted — The Calendar.
239-244 Chapter XXXIV. Division of the Roman Empire.Julian — Two Roman Empires — Goths and Vandals — Persecution of the Jews.
245-249 Chapter XXXV. The Talmud.The Gemara — The contents — Talmudic Literature — Saboräim. Note: Law of the Talmud.
250-255 Chapter XXXVI. Sayings and Stories of the Sages of the Talmud.God — Providence — Prayer — Righteousness — Study of the Law — Education in general — Parents
Work — Truth — Justice and Honesty — Kindness — Charity — Humility and Patience — Sin — Repentance — Death and immortality — Wit and Humor.
264-279 BOOK V. SHEM AND JAPHETH. Chapter XXXVIII. Beginning of the Jewish Middle Ages.In the Byzantine Empire — Laws of Justinian — Jews again involved in war — Rome's successors — Italy — The Popes — Slavery and trade.
281-287 Chapter XXXIX. In the Spanish Peninsula.Gaul and the Franks — Vicissitudes in Spain.
288-292 Chapter XL. Arabia.The land and the people — Arabian Jews — Jussef the Proselyte — Samuel the chivalrous.
293-298 Chapter XLI. Mohammed.The Hegira.
299-304 Chapter XLII. Islam and the Jews.Christianity and Islam — The Koran or the Sword — The Spread of Islam — Fall of Visigothic Spain.
304-310