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552 THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Bamch, Apocalypse of

it. Then Baruch, Jeremiah, and all other pious ones go to the brook Kidron, where they await the sad event. Chapters vi.-viii. On the following day the Chaldeans surround the city; and while Baruch stands sorrowing at the fate of the people, a wind carries him up to the walls of Jerusalem. He sees four angels with torches firing the walls, but not before another angel has consigned the sacred vessels of the Temple to the earth, which swallows them up till the latter days. Chapters ix.-xii. : Seven days after the capture of Jerusalem, Baruch again receives a revelation. He is told that Jeremiah should accompany the captives to Babylon, but that he himself must remain at the ruins of Jerusalem, where God will reveal to him what shall happen at the end of days. Then Baruch sings a dirge on the destruction of Jerusalem and the sorrows of Israel, beginning " Happy he that was not born, and he that, being born, hath died "

will arise for



(compare Job

11).

iii.

Chapters xiii.-xv. After fasting seven days, Baruch receives a revelation concerning the future

punishment of the heathen and of all godless persons and he is told that he will live until the consummation of the time, that he may bear witness in the hour of their punishment against those nations

who now

prosper.

God

cuts short Baruch's reflections on the just course of history by referring to the end of days soon to come, and promising to reveal it.

Chapters xxi.-xxx.

After another seven-day

':

and long prayers the heavens open and Baruch hears a heavenly voice. First he is blamed for the doubt and timidity expressed in his complaints and prayers, and then he learns that the " future time " will come onty when the earth shall have brought fast



that

is,

when all

the souls destined

have seen the light of day. He is told of the twelve divisions of the time of oppression, and of the following Messianic era of joy and glory. Chapters xxxi.-xxxiv. : Baruch assembles the elders of the people and tells them that Zion will soon be restored, but destroyed once again, then to to be born shall

be rebuilt for

of the resurrection and final destiny of the righteous, and of the fate of the godless. Chapters liii.-lxxiv. A second prophetic vision follows, whose meaning is explained by the angel Ramiel. A cloud which arises from the sea rains

down twelve

times alternately dark and bright This indicates the course of events from Adam to the Messiah. The six dark waters are the dominion of the godless Adam, Egypt, Canaanitic influence, Jeroboam, Manasseh, and the Chaldeans. The six bright waters are Abraham, Moses, David, Hezekiah, Josiah, and the time of the Second Temple. After these twelve waters comes another water still darker than the others and shot with fire, carrying annihilation in its train. A clear flash puts an end to the fearful tempest. The dark cloud is the period between the time of the Second Temple and the advent of the Messiah, which latter event determines the dominion of the wicked, and inaugurates the waters.

—

era of eternal bliss.

Chapters lxxv.-lxxxvii. : After Baruch has thanked God for the secrets revealed to him, God bids him warn the people, and keep himself in readiness for his translation to heaven, since

God

intends

keep him there until the consummation of the Baruch admonishes the people and, besides, times. writes two letters: one to the nine and one-half tribes the other to the two and one-half tribes exiled to



Chapters xvi.-xx.

forth all her fruit

552

all eternity.

Chapters xxxv.-xli. Baruch, while sitting in the ruins of the Temple lamenting, receives a new

revelation in the form of the following vision In his sleep he sees a wood surrounded by rocks and crags, and, opposite the wood, a growing vine, beneath which flows a spring. The spring runs quietly as far as the wood, where it waxes to a mighty stream, overwhelming the wood and leaving only one cedar standing. This cedar, too, is finally swept away and carried to the vine. God explains the meaning The wood is the mighty of the vision to Baruch.

fourth power (Rome) the spring is the dominion of the Messiah and the vine is the Messiah Himself, who will destroy the last hostile ruler (of Rome) on Mt. Zion.



Chapters xlii.-xlviii. 24 Baruch is directed to warn the people and to prepare himself for another revelation, which he does. Chapters xlviii. 25-lii. In this revelation Baruoh is told of the oppressions in the latter days,



The contents of the first letter only are given. In it Baruch justifies the deeds of God concerning the kingdoms of Samaria and Judah, and reveals God's judgment on Israel's oppressors. His in Babylon.

people to repent before God and His Law ends the letter and the book. Many parallels exist between the Apocalypse and rabbinical literature, a consideration call to the

Haggadah

of some of which will throw light upon

of the Apoc- certain misunderstood passages in the alypse. former, and, at the same time, be of material assistance in forming a judgment upon the whole work. 'Arakin 17a, in which the last king of Judah is said to be pious, while his people are godless, corresponds to i. 3 of the Apocalypse. Pesik. R. 26 (ed. Friedmann, 131a), in which God causes Jeremiah to leave Jerusalem, since his presence would preserve it from destruction, corresponds to ii. 1, 2; and the rabbinical passages in which the heavenly Temple (Sifre, Deut. 37 for details, compare Ginzberg, " Die Haggada bei den Kirchenvatern, " p. 13) is revealed to Adam and Abraham in the night during the " covenant between the pieces" (Gen. R. xvi. 8; xliv. 20, 22) correspond to iv. 3, 4, 5. Of the persons mentioned in v. 5 of the Apocalypse, Seraiah is a prophet, according to Sifre, Num. 78; Seder 'Olam R.xx. Gedaliah, a righteous man (" zaddik "), according to R. H. 186 and Jabez (probably fay 1 ), one of those who reach paradise alive (Derek Erez Zutta i. Kohler, in " Jew. Quart. Rev." v. 418; for the correct reading here see Tawrogi's ed., KOnigsberg, 1885, and Epstein,







"

Mi-Kadmoniyot ha-Yehudim,"

p. Ill, note).

The

account of the destruction of Jerusalem by angels in vi.-viii. of the Apocalypse is in parts almost word for word the same as in Pesik. R. (I.e.). Here, also, the destruction is wrought by four angels with torches in their hands, while another angel invites