"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 God, 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 assassinate 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 anticipated, 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, entitled, _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 God
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.
* * * * *
During the reign of one of the bishops in Metz, there lived a Jew in
that city, who was called Rabbi Amnon. He was of illustrious family, of
great personal merit, rich and respected by the Bishop and the people.
The Bishop frequently pressed him to abjure Judaism and embrace
Christianity, but without the slightest avail. It happened, however,
upon a certain day, being more closely pressed than usual, and somewhat
anxious to be rid of the Bishop's importunities, he said hastily, "I
will consider the subject, and give thee an answer in three days."
As soon as he had left the Bishop's presence, however, his heart smote
him, and an unquiet conscience blamed him for admitting, even in this
manner, a doubt of the true faith. He reached home overwhelmed with
grief; meat was set before him, but he refused to eat; and when his
friends visited him and ascertained the cause of his low spirits, he
refused their proffered consolation, saying, "I shall go down mourning
to the grave for these words." On the third day, while he was still
lamenting his imprudent concession, the Bishop sent for him, but he
refused to answer the call.
Having refused several of the Bishop's messengers, they were finally
ordered to seize him, and bring him by force before the prelate.
"Amnon," said the Bishop, "why didst thou not come to me, according to
thy promise, to inform me of thy decision in regard to my request?"
"Let me," answered Amnon, "pronounce my own doom for this neglect. Let
my tongue, which uttered those hasty, doubting words, be cut out; a lie
I uttered, for I never intended to consider the proposition."
"Nay," said the Bishop, "I will not cut out thy tongue, but thy feet
which refused to come to me, shall be cut off, and the other parts of
thy obstinate body shall be also punished and tormented."
Under the Bishop's eye and order, the toes and thumbs of Rabbi Amnon
were then cut off, and after having been severely tortured, he was sent
home in a carriage, his mangled members beside him.
Rabbi Amnon bore all this with the greatest resignation, firmly hoping
and trusting that this earthly torment would plead his pardon with God.
His life after this was of course to be measured only by days. The Feast
of the New Year came round, while he was living, and he desired to be
carried to the synagogue. He was conveyed to the house of God, and
during the service he requested to be allowed to utter a prayer. The
words which proved to be his last were as follows:--
"I will declare the mighty holiness of this day, for it is awful and
tremendous. Thy kingdom is exalted thereon; Thy throne is established in
mercy, and upon it Thou dost rest in truth. Thou art the Judge, who
chastiseth, and from Thee naught may be concealed. Thou bearest witness,
writest, sealest, recordest, and rememberest all things, aye, those
which we imagine long buried in the past. The Book of Records thou
openest; the great _shophar_ (cornet) is sounded; even the angels are
terrified, and they cry aloud, 'The Day of Judgment dawns upon us,' for
in judgment they, the angels, are not faultless.
"All who have entered the world pass before Thee. Even as the shepherd
causes the flock he numbers to pass under his crook, so Thou, O Lord,
causest every living soul to pass before Thee. Thou numberest, Thou
visitest; appointing the limitations of every creature, Thy judgment and
Thy sentence.
"On the New Year it is written, on the Day of Atonement it is sealed.
Aye, all Thy decrees are recorded. Who is to live and who to die. The
names of those to meet death by fire, by water, or by the sword; through
hunger, through thirst, and with the pestilence. All is recorded. Those
who are to have tranquillity, those who are to be disturbed. Those who
are to be troubled, those who are to be blessed with repose. Those who
are to be prosperous, those for whom affliction is in store. Those who
are to become rich, who poor; who exalted, who cast down; but penitence,
prayer, and charity, O Lord, may avert all evil decrees."
When he had finished this declaration, in which he designed to
acknowledge his sin and the justice of his punishment, Rabbi Amnon
expired, dying fitly in God's house among the assembled sons of Israel.