At the same time with Ezra, or, to speak more accurately, under his
direction, the Great Assembly carried on its beneficent activities,
which laid the foundations of Rabbinical Judaism, and constituted the
binding link between the Jewish Prophet and the Jewish Sage. (56) The
great men who belonged to this august assembly once succeeded, through
the efficacy of their prayers, in laying hands upon the seducers unto
sin, and confining them, to prevent them from doing more mischief. Thus
they banished from the world "the desire unto idolatry." They tried to
do the same to "the desire unto lustfulness." This evil adversary
warned them against making away with him, for the world would cease to
exist without him. For three days they kept him a prisoner, but then
they had to dismiss him and let him go free. They found that not even
an egg was to be had, for sexual appetite had vanished from the world.
However, he did not escape altogether unscathed. They plastered up his
eyes, and from that time on he gave up inflaming the passions of men
against their blood relations. (57)
Among the decrees and ordinances of the Great Assembly, the most
prominent is the fixation of the prayer of the Eighteen Benedictions.
The several benedictions composing this prayer date back to remote
ancient times. The Patriarchs were their authors, and the work of the
Great Assembly was to put them together in the order in which we now
have them. We know how each of the benedictions originated: 1. When
Abraham was saved from the furnace angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O
Lord, the Shield of Abraham," which is the essence of the first of the
Eighteen. 2. When Isaac lay stunned by fright on Mount Moriah, God sent
His dew to revive him, whereupon the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O
Lord, who quickenest the dead." 3. When Jacob arrived at the gates of
heaven and proclaimed the holiness of God, the angels spoke: "Blessed
art Thou, O Lord, Thou holy God." 4. When Pharaoh was about to make
Joseph the ruler over Egypt, and it appeared that he was unacquainted
with the seventy tongues which an Egyptian sovereign must know, the
angel Gabriel came and taught him those languages, whereupon the angels
spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who graciously bestowest knowledge."
5. When Reuben committed the trespass against his father, sentence of
death was pronounced upon him in the heavens. But when he repented, he
was permitted to continue to live, and the angels spoke: "Blessed art
Thou, O Lord, who hast delight in repentance." 6. When Judah had
committed a trespass against Tamar, and confessing his guilt obtained
forgiveness, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who pardonest
greatly." 7. When Israel was sore oppressed by Mizraim, and God
proclaimed his redemption, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord,
who redeemest Israel." 8. When the angel Raphael came to Abraham to
soothe the pain of his circumcision, the angels spoke: "Blessed art
Thou, O Lord, who healest the sick." 9. When Israel's sowing in the
land of the Philistines bore an abundant harvest, the angels spoke:
"Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who blessest the years." 10. When Jacob was
reunited with Joseph and Simon in Egypt, the angels spoke: "Blessed art
Thou, O Lord, who gatherest the dispersed of Thy people Israel." 11.
When the Torah was revealed and God communicated the code of laws to
Moses, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who lovest
righteousness and justice." 12. When the Egyptians were drowned in the
Red Sea, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who shatterest
the enemy and humiliatest the presumptuous." 13. When Joseph laid his
hands on the eyes of his father Jacob, the angels spoke: "Blessed art
Thou, O Lord, who are the stay and the support of the pious." 14. When
Solomon built the Temple, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord,
who buildest Jerusalem." 15. When the children of Israel singing hymns
of praise unto God passed through the Red Sea, the angels spoke:
"Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who causest the hour of salvation to sprout
forth." 16. When God lent a gracious ear to the prayer of the suffering
Israelites in Egypt, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who
hearest our prayer." 17. When the Shekinah descended between the
Cherubim in the Tabernacle, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O
Lord, who wilt restore Thy Divine Presence to Jerusalem." 18. When
Solomon dedicated his Temple, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O
Lord, whose Name is worthy of praise." 19. When Israel entered the Holy
Land, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who establishest
peace." (58)
XII.
ESTHER