Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 1.pdf/733

677 THE JEWISU EXCYCLOPEDIA

677 pi'iiliiimcr,

.'i.')0,

old numliir lOGl),

and boars the

title

^nj pD

^Nyot,'" 1^5 lUn ISD (see Neul)aiRT, "Cat. Bodl. llebr. MSS."No. 1050. 2; MteinscliiK-ider. "Cat. Bodl." pp. 033 et seq.). Both the priuted editions are incomplete, but fortunately they supplement eacli other. After cliapter xvi. of .Tellinek's edition si. chapThe I.einlxTj; edition Ijreaks off ters are niis.sing. suddenly iu the middle of the apocalyp.se, what follows belonging to"Hekalot Habbati " with the exception of the "addition" (DSDin) in chapter ..i...

which is taken probably from one of the recensions of the Alphabct-JIidnish of H. Akiba (sec below). The number of chapters in .Tellinek is forty-two, which, with the si. missing chapters (supiilied by the Lcmberg edition) makes forty-eight, and this is also the numbrr wljich, according to Jscubauer, is contained in the Bodleian manuscript. This apocalypse is quoted very often in the rabbinical lit<'rature of the Midille Ages, jiarticularly in the cabalistic branch. In the Zoii.u it is even twice called "Sefer Kazin de Hanok " ("The Book of the Secrets of Enoch ") (at the beginning of section T. 13). E.ccrpts of chaps, i. to xvi. arc contained in the niauuscript works of Eleazar of Worms (Cod. >Iunicli, 81) "with many belter readings" than iu Jellinek (Steinschneider, "Ilebr. Bibl." xiv. S'i et seq.).

A

new critical edition is much to be desired, and in connection with the lirejiaration of such, it would be necessary to determine to what extent the k of Enoch, in tlie rabbinical literature of the Middle Ages belong to the present book, or are taken from other books of Enoch. There are, for e.vample, lengthy ([Uotations from the Book of Enoch in the manuscript work, "Mishkan ha-'Edut" of Jloses de Leon, which are not in the book under consideration (given by Jellinek, " 15. H." ii. :!1, ill. 19.5 et nq.. and variants der, "Helir. Bibl. " iv. 1.T.J et wq.). This book

is

by Steinschnei-

an interesting specimen of the apoc-

illustrates strikingly many of the characteristics of the literature to which it belongs. It

alypse,

and

shows an intimate dependence upon the" Book of the Secrets of Enoch" discovered some years ago in a Slavonic translation. A brief synopsis of the book will best show the metamorphosis which the old pseudepigraphic writing underwent, and what new elements from other ajiocalypses were addi-d in the process; it will also show that thireis juslilication for considering it a geninne apocalypse and treating it altogether apart from the "llekalot" litc-rature. The book opens with tlie verse Gen. v. 24 concerning Enoch's godly lire. H. Ishniael imrmtcs how he ascentled into heaven to s<'e the Mkuk.mi.m.

and how.

after he hail pa.ssed through six hiavenly came to meet him at the eiilranee to the Si'vi nth, and condu( led him insiilc, bailing hitu stndghl before the celeslial chariot into the presence of Ood (comimre "Secrets of Enoch," .xxi. 2A-.')). At the sight of the heaveidy hosts Ishmael halls, ^AIk.t.vtkon

fell

unconscious;

l)ut

Ood motioned them back and

IshJletatron restored Ishmael to consi iousnes.s. mael then proclainird the glory of the l.oril, and all In chap. ii. Metatron conthe angels joined him. (|Uers the objection of the angrls to Ishinai Is ap proaeli to tiod's throne. In chaps, iii.-v. and vii xvi. >le(a(ron relates to Ishniael that he is ICiiocli that at the time of the Deluge b. Jareii, and Gixl had him translated to heaven, by his angel 'Anpi'el, in a chariot of tire, that there he might bear eternal witness against his .sinful contempo-

Apocalyptic Literature

rarie.s. Further, that God, overcoming the protests of the heavenly hosts, transfigured him with the rays of heavenly glory and made him as one of theiii,selvcs, in order that he might serve before His throne as one of the highest angel-princes (compare "Secrelsof Enoch," xxii. Oi-lO); that first, however, the Angel of Wisdom, at God's command, had instructed him in all wisdom and knowledge (compare ih. xxii. 11, 12 and xxiii.jand had imparli'd to him all the mysteries of creation, of heaven and earth, of past and future things, and of the world to come (compare ih. xxiv.-xx.xiii. 2). In chap. vi. Metatron tells Ishmael that, after Ailani was driven out of jiaradise, God abode under the tree of life, and the angels and heavenly hosts descended to the earth in many divisions. Adam and his generation, .sitting at the entrance to paradise, beheld the heavenly glory until, in the time of Enoch, 'Aza and "Azael led men to idolatry (comjiare ih. xxxi. 2. where it is said, however,"that at the time Adam dwelt in jiaradise "God made the heavens open to him that he might behold the angels," etc., and the following words, the meaning of wliieli is obscure, occur: "and he was constantly in i>anidi.se"). Chaps, xviii.-xxii. (not in .lellinek's edition) describe the seven heavens with their hosts of angels, and the courses of the sun, moon, and stars, dwelling with special minuteness on the highest heaven and its hosts. This account is an interesting mixture of the description of the si-ven heavens contained in " Ascensio Isaia*" and of that given in the "Secrets of Enoch." As in the former, the seven hijivens are represented as being iiiliabiiid by angels, and as increasing in glory in each successive heaven and they are described in the descendContenta of ing oriler. Ami just as recension A of "Enoch." " Secrets of Enoch " mentions, besides the seven heavens, an eighth {mmalut) and a ninth (kiichaeim) and above them all a tenth CariilMt). the seat of Goil's glory, so this book has a separate heaven for the sun and moon, together with the stations of the moon (iiutizuhit). another for the stars (/(//.((W;/!) with the dilTerence, however, that thesetwoareunderthe .seven heavens anda highest heaven over tliini all. called here also 'iinilx't, the abode of God and of the highest angelic hosts. In chap, xxiii. iletafron describes to Ishmael the winds issuing from the cherubim of the heavenly chariot, and tells how these, after tmversing the universe, enter Jiaradise to waft the fragrant odors and exquisite ]H'rfunies there unto the ))ious and just, for wlioni paradise and the tree of life are prepared asanelernal inheritance (compare "Secrets of Enoch," ix. and the somewhat obscure pas.sage iu viii. 5</-(i). In chaps, xxiv.-xxvi. Enoch (Me|atron) gives Ishmael u description of the chariot and of the niany-eyid, radiant. Ginl-praising Of.wim and Skumuiim (compare ih. . 1, xxi. 1). the latter of whiih burn the accusations against Israel, which Salan, in conspiracy with the guardian aniril of Home and the giiartlian angel of Persia, coiilinually sends ill. In chap, xxvii. he describes the archangel Hadveri'el. the heavenly regislrarand keeperof the archives (compare xxii. Hi/*'/.); in xxviii.xxix., the "Irin and Kaddishin," who daily sit in judgment with OikI; in xxx.-xxxiv.. the judgment itself: ill XXXV. -xl. he tells how the heavenly liosis pass into the pnsrnce of (iod to praise and glorify llini with the song. "Holy, Holy, Holy is the I.oni i^Irbaol " and how. at thai, the Ofanlni, Cherubim. Hayyol, and Seraphim standing around the throne prostrate lhems<'lves in adoration, responding Willi, " I'mised be the glory of His Kiugiloiu forever! " (com|>ure ih. xx. 8fr-x.l. 1).

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