Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 1.pdf/739

683 particularly adapted to throw light upon various points in the Antichrist legend. All four apoca- lypses contain the legend of Messiah b. Joseph in common. They state that he will gather Israelites around him (among whom in "The Wars of King Messiah" and "Prayer of R. Simon b. Yohai" a part of the Ten Tribes will be found), march up to Jerusalem and there, after overcoming the hostile powers (in the "Apocalypse of Zerub- babel" the king of Persia is the hostile power; in "The Wars of King Messiah" and "Prayer of R. Simon b. Yohai," the Roman empire; in the "Reve- lations of R. Simon b. Yohai." there is no definite statement on this point), reintroduce the worship of the Temple, and establish his own dominion. This, however, will be of short duration; for Armilus, with the heathen, will appear before Jerusalem to battle against him and will slay him. Then the time of the last extreme suffering and persecution for Israel will begin, from which escape will be sought by flight into the wilderness. There, Messiah b. David and the prophet Elijah will appear to them (in the "Revelations of R. Simon b. Yohai " the latter is not mentioned), and lead them up to Jerusalem, where the Messiah will destroy Armilus and all the armies of the heathen. In the "Apocalupse of Zerubbabel," as well as in "The Wars of King Messiah." the Mes- siah b. David, in company with Elijah, will resurrect Messiah b. Joseph, who lies slain at the gates of Jerusalem. Another point common to the "Apocalypse of Zerubbabel" and the " Revelations of R. Simon b. Yohai " is, that on bis advent the Israelites will not acknowledge Messiah b. David. The one point mentioned which only the "Apocalypse of Zerub- babel" contains is that besides the two Messiahs there is to be a woman, Hephzibah, the mother of Messiah b. David. According to the te.t in Jel- linek's edition, she will come upon the scene five years before Messiah b. Joseph: and a great star will light up her path. She will slay two kings, and assist Messiah b. Joseph in his war against the king of Persia; and during tlw flight into the wilderness she will shelter Israel from the pi-rsecution of Ar milus. This last feature of the description calls to mind the flight of the woman, as described in the Revelation of John, .ii. 13-17, and the description of Tabitha in the Coptic "Apocalypse of Elijah." The picture of the future world in the Zerubbabel apoca- lypse is also distinctive; for in addition to the estab- lishment of the heavenly Jerusalem upon five mount- tains (Lebanon, Moriah, Tabor, Carmel, and llermon), nothing more is mentioned than the resurrection of the generation buried in the wilderness, and of the faithful who met death during the giiiend persecu tion ("the ocean," which is spoken of in this connec- tion, must be understood in its symbolical significa- tion as it is used as early as Dan. vii. 3 ?t ?q.).

9. The Wars of King Messiah

C]^^

mon^D

n PICn^D "ISD "The linnk of the Wars of YIIWH," and |nX'33 I^NJn' iC'Sl DiniX n'C'On "c<'urrences at the Time of the Advent of n'L"D). (called also

Messiah." and, tlnallv, "The Wars of Gog ninl Ma gog, of Messiah 1). Joseph, Messiah b. David, ami Elijah the Prophet"): This apocalypse must liave had a very wide circulali<in. as evidenced by the many manuscripts in wliirli it is prcsirved. It is contained in a Parisian manuscript (Codex llel)r. 710); in oncin Leipsic (Codex Ilebr. 12l. andanolher nt Ilalberstamin, and in three manuscripts at the Bodleian Library (see Nculiauer. "Catalogue," Kos. The lirst of these is 1460. l.T; •."-'7-1, C; aiiOO, «.

complete

Apocalyptic Literature

in the second the introduction and conclusion are missing; the third .seems to be only a fnig;

—

ment) in a Munich manuscript (Codex Hebr. 313; the introduction and conclusion are also omitted in this); and it was also included in the "Mah/or Vilry," in which, however, as some pages in the manuscript are missing, only the first anil last parts are preserved. This work was printed in the Constantinople collection mentioned above, in l.")19, and also in " Abkat Rokel " (Pedler's Spice-

Wide

Its

Circulation.

Box) by Jacob Machir.

Eromthclat-

reprinted it in " B. H." ii. 58-63, omitting, however, the introduction and the conclusion, which he added in vi>l. vi. 117-120. The >Iunich mamiscript was found by the luesent writer, who collated it with the text iu "Abkat Rokel," and with .lellinek. to contain a numberof better readings and variants than the latter. ter, .leflinek

The following may be added

to what has been reabove as explanatory of the contents of this

lated

book:

A

parenetic discourse forms the introduction; after which the unusual phenomena that will usher in the end lumalural and iiestileuce-prfKlueing hi'at, poisonous dew, and an eclipse of tiw siui lasting thirty days arc depicted. The Roman " kingdom "

— —

will spread its dominion over the whole world, and will persecute Israel most cruelly for the space of nine months, at the end of which time Messiah b. Joseph will appear. From here on. the description

continuesasoutlinedabove. After Messiah b. David shall have destroyed Armilus and the heathen armies, together with the "wicked" Home, then the dead will ari.se, and the Israelites, dispersed overall lands, will be gathered into Jerusjilem. The heathen will convey them thither, and will offer homage to Israel;

Ten Tribes, together with the descendants of Moses, will return, enveloped in clouds, from the regions of Chaboras and Ilalach and from Media; and as they march, the earth will be transformed before them into a paradise. The conclusion contains the description of the glinious new Jerusalem of the other bles-sings of the future world, which and are here of a more spiritinil character. According to the various editions, it is said of Armilus, that "the nations call him Antichrist." But the Munich manuscript reads here, "He is called Gog and Ma,u'og"; and for "palace of Julian," it reads "palace of Hadrian." also, the

of B. Simon b. Tol^ai This apocalyiise w;is I minCJi lirinled at Sahaiica in 17-13. in the collection already menlioncd, and was reprinted from it by Jellimk

The Kevelations

10.

("nr

p

in " B.

PV!:L"

H."

iii.

li^itaii/.

It is

presj'rved also in the

Munich manuscript (Codex Hebr.

2"2".?),

which con-

tains better readings in simie places. The apocalypse really ends with "Thy people shall all be righteous," 81, 13 in Jellinek; what follows, as Graetz already recogniziil ("tiescli. der Juden." v. •1-16). was addeil later, probably from the "Prayer As (Jraet/. shows {Hi.), this of R. Simon b. Yohai."

apocalypse was written during the stormy period of the deposition of the Dmmiads (7.'i(U. It descrilws plainly the wars of MerAbout 760. wan II who is mentioned by nnnu'. his flight aftir the battle on the bank of the Great Zab. his capture, and his ii.s.sassi nation. The revelations about Iheciul arc made by Mepitron to l{. .Simon b. Yohai. while the latt<'r is dwelling The in a cavi', hiding from tlw Ronain emperor. history of Islam is reviewed from the appearance of Fnuu the prophet up to the events just mentioned. this jioint on. the real prophecy of the future Ivgins. It opens with the prediction that after Mcrwana

Written

,