Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 1.pdf/127

81 THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

81

light of this iuterpri-tation as a misthe plinise used in Daniel, tlicro is no (liiiil)t tliat in the eircles directly inllneneed by the Hook of Daniel the same eircles that orijrinated llic apocalyptic literature the expression was em ployed to desifinate an importiint eschatolojriciil conception. For it is only in an esclml<ilofcical sense that the ex])ression can he acle(|Uately explained iu the Testament passajjes above inenlioned. Aceonliiij^ to most modern commentators, these

nized in

the

translation of

—

—

New

Jewish apocalypse, somewluit tinged to propliesy the end of time, when the Antichrist, as the Abomination of Desiilation, shall be enthroned as a ruler in (Jod's The closely related "smaller Apocalypse " Ti-Miple. passajji's are a

with

t'hristianit}', inten<led

Thess. ii. l~Vi is a conclusive justillcation of view; for it shows that neither the Kdinans (as Weiss in his coimnentary, ml lor., holds), northe Zealots (Bleek,"Synoptische Erklarunir,"and others), nor Caliiiula with his .self deitication (Spitta, in his "Offenbaruni.' Jiiliannis ") can be intended. in

II

this

In Kabbinical Literature whole

a

((insiilcr

that



The

the expression

ralibis as

DDt^'


 * '1pt^'

refers to the desecration of the Temple by the erection of a Zens statue in itssacred precincts by Antiochus Epiphanes (see Ai'dstemos). Some rabbis, however, see in ij an allusion to Manasseh, who, as related in II Chron. xxxiii. 7, set up "a carved imaije ... in the house of God " (Yer. Ta'anit. iv. (iH,(,'and Uashi on the passage in Habli, Hiid.iH/A. The

Haggadah

two statues were erecteil, over upon the other and broke olf

narrates that

one of which

fell

I'pon the severed hand the following liand. inscription was found engraved: "I sought to destroy God's house, but Thou didst lend Thy hand to its protection " (Ta'anit, 'iShetseq. ;coinpare Habbinovicz." Variic Lectiones," on the passage for variant readings). its

Compare moflem rommentators — MetnlioliI, Wels.s Prlllee— ujxtn llle passiiyes in l>anlel jmd Miil-

imtMOGR.Kriiv llfvan. ttifw nlw)



t)rr Autirhri:7 iv. note 15; Cliajes, Murhit.-*-StuilU}i.

Hoiis.s^'t,

i's|M-clMlly liiili'X



(ihU;{, tjttfch.

Judtn^

(/.



L.

ABOT

G.

Fathers") or PIRKE ABOT the Fathers") The ii.iinr oC a small

("The

(•('liiiplers

iif



but highly valuiible treatise of the .Mishnali containing the olilest cdlleetion of ethical maxims and uphorisnis of labbinieal .sjiges. It is the liisl nf the nine li-eatises belonging to Nezikin. the fourth sec tidiiof the .Mishnah collection. The word " Abot "in the title of this tiealise is used in the .sense of chief autlmrities whose favorite sjiyings are fnioted in On account of the preeminently ethical this woik. iharacter of its ciintenls, the treatise iscummonly designated as "The Ethicsof the Falheis." It isilividid into live ehaplei's. which ai'e sulidivided into paiagniphs. The lirst chapleropeiis by stating the continuity of tiadilinn fidin Mo.sestothe Menidlhe Great Synod, anil fiom these down to the principal teachers of the Mishnah, The oliject of this historical stati'inenl wasevidentlyto give the ethical teachings cullected in this treatise more weight and aulliorily by linking ihem Ihrnugh thechain of tnidilion to the Law iif >Iiis(s proclaimed mi Sinai. .Vt lii-st the treatise comprised only the chain of tnidilion down to he school of Johaimn ben Zakkai, but it was gradually enlarged and inlerpolat<il (see HotTinan, "Die Ersle Mishnah," p. M, and "Seder Nezikin," p. 20, I

Berlin, IHilS).

The lirst four chapters of PirHe Abot contain sen tences of sixty distiuguishcd teachers who tlourished 1.— (i

Abolitionists

Abot

during a period covering about four hundred and lifty years that extends from the time of Simon the Just to the close of the compilation of the Mishnah. Every teacher is credited with one. and .some of them with several sjiyings. The sentence thus ascribed lo a certain teacher is generally one which

was habitually in his mouth as his favorite maxim, or one which is a condensed summary of his experience and wisdom. Like theliiblieal proverbs, these ralibinical sentences ai'c generally brief and concise in style, each conveying some important truth or precept. Some of them arc like precious stones of many facets; for instance, Hillel's sentence: "If I do not care for myself, who will care for me and if I care only for myself, what am I? and if not now, wIk'II':'" (i. 14) which sentence reminds us of the<lntiesof self-preservation and selfcnilivation, and at the same time warns against selfi.shness and against ])rocrastinaliou. Some of the sentences are either a condensation or an ainpliticaAmplifica- lion of Scriptural teachings. Thus, tion of the Biblical laws of justice and love Biblical toward fellow men are summarized in Passages, the sentences: "Thy neighbor's property should bi' precious to thee as is thine own" (ii. 12) "Let tliy neighbor's honor be as dear to thee as thine own" (ii. 10); "Meet every man with kindness and friendliness" (i. 1.5, iii. 12). In some instances the rabbis gave a new setting to Thus, the Biblical teaching "A a Biblical maxim. good name is better than precious ointment " (Eccl. vii. 1) is beautifully set in the rabbinical sentence: "There are three ci'owns. the crown <if learning, the crown of priestliood, and the crown of royalty; but the crown of a gooil name excelleth them all" (iv. IS). Ill some of the sentences we lind single pearls of Biblical wisdom gracefully applied to practical life, as in the following .sentence of Ben Zoma (iv. 1): '/





"

Who

He who learns from evervbody, as is salil IPs. From all who coiilil teach nie have ohtalned hero? He who suppresses his passion, as II Is sjilil (I'rov, XV, ;C Ht/i.): Hethat riileih his spirit Is hi-tier tliHii he that laketh a cltv.' Who Is rioh V He who is satlslled

I'xix.

Is

wise'?

W. Hill J

instruetlon.'

'



I

Who Ls a

'

lot, as It Is said IPs. exxviil. 2. Uch.): 'When thou Uie labor of thine hands, thou shall be happy, and It Is well with thee.' Who Is honorable? He who honors his fellow nuMi, as it is salil (1 Sam. II. :», Uth.): 'Those thai honor me 1 will honor'" [lm|>lylnt' that In himorlni; theiTealure you honor the Creator).

wilh his e:it4'st

The fifth chapter differs in form iind in contents fi-om the ]ireceding four chapters, and was evidently an additional collection made by iinother compilc-r. With the exception of the

last

four paragraphs, the

senteni'es of Ibis chapter are not cpioted in the

name

of lliiir authors, but are given anonymously. They contain historical, legendary, and ethical aphorisms, arrani;ed, in the main, according to certain numerals, especially the numbersten, seven, four, and three, as:

"By

ten divine words the world wa.s ereated." ete. (v. II. "Seven are the ehjinieliTlsties of ilie wist- and seven of the uneultin-eil." ete. (v, Ti. "There are four kinds 4if ills[)osltlon8 who im.s.si-sselh the followlnjic amoiiK' men," ele, (v. 1(1). threti vli'lues Is of the disciples of Altnihain." ete. (v, IU),

"He

Although ethics is not treated in Pirlje Abot in a coherent system, but given in single pithy sentences coming from the months of various teachers who belong to difTi'ienl periods, still these rabbinical sentences, if pioperly arranged, iire.sent an idinost complete coile of hnnuin duties. They are. besides, life, and also with some purely religious iiphorisms concerning ))rayer, repentance, and the future life. The treatise Abot hi>lils the same place in the ralibinical lilerature as does the Book of Proverbs in till' Bible. . celebrated Babvlonian teaihiT of the lifth century |)roperly remarked: "lli' who wants
 * -eplete with wisi' observatiiiiis, praitieal rules of