Israel and Humanity - Agreement relating to awards rabbinical Sabbath

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§ 2.

AGREEMENT OF AWARDS RABBI ON SABBATH.

should ask ourselves before going further what is, after all the evidence in favor of Noachides Sabbath, Talmudic sentence we have quoted above which states that "the Gentile observing the Sabbath deserves death [1] ". Any place is there then between the maxim and other practices which demonstrate quite contrary? It is impossible that a sentence pronounced in a form so sharp in the same environment and at the same school as the previous did not some secret reason for which coordinates with them and he is us discover. Note first that this sentence proves itself already in the habit of observing the Sabbath had spread among the Gentiles. [2]

Rabbi Menahem Azariah Fano [3] tells us that the generation just prior to the revelation at Sinai, who followed the ways of Israel, had the quality of Jews and so they kept the Sabbath, too, although it is said that the Gentile observes the Sabbath is punishable by death, as they had the quality of Israelites, there is no contradiction [4] Another writer rabbinical [5] does not move away from this system, when he says that because the proselyte of the gate is forced, in the opinion of Rashi, to observe the Sabbath, the maxim of after which the idle Gentile Sabbath deserves death only for the pagan, polytheistic ie Gentile [6]. The conviction in this case reached the category of pagans, already numerous in the words of Roman writers, who thought they were allowed to combine the worship of false gods to observe the Jewish Sabbath, deceived perhaps by one side example of their brothers, proselytes of the gate , Greek or Roman, which, while not accepting the Mosaic, however, observed the Sabbath and the other by a false analogy with other religions Oriental, Persian, Egyptian, Babylonian, which the Romans would adopt the rites and ceremonies, while remaining faithful to their former polytheism. So this hybrid mixture of Jewish observances and practices as idolatrous the doctors have condemned and nothing more. Perhaps, too, were putting themselves in terms of those who claim that the Noachide is not required to observe the Sabbath, or is at least subject to a semi-compliance, the rabbis, who articulated this strict disapproval did they want to simply maintain a deep dividing line between Mosaic and Noachism so that loans made by it to this one was not designed to replace the one and the other one new religion that would not have been a compromise between the two. The need for this double form, as a rule the priestly, the other as a cult of humanity, was a principle we wanted and we had to save at all costs, lest such a wide concept that replaced by the logic of humanity forced to convert to the Mosaic, or a universal cult substituting [7] to the Jewish religion abolished. We know how this double jeopardy appeared at that time because one side Judaizing Christians claimed subjugate Gentiles to the Mosaic law, and the other Paul and his school, since Christianity became the official tried instead of remove the Act for Israel.

It is in this sense that Maimonides seems to understand rabbinic prohibition, saying: "If the Noachide is created for himself a rest day as the Sabbath, it is worthy of death, he must say as much s it establishes a special celebration. In a word, we must not allow him to found a new religion and the precepts invented by his imagination. Only he has the option of becoming or "proselyte of justice by committing itself to all the precepts of the law or abide by its own law without adding or deleting anything" [8]. The intention to retain, without altering the only two forms of religious law, the Mosaic and Noachism, is here manifest.

But the interpretation given by Rashi in Sanhedrin 58 Comment [9] rabbinical defense is very different from this one. The prohibition does his view that the suspension of work as for the Jewish way of birth and the celebration of a religious holiday. This explanation has the advantage of reconciling the various Talmudic maxims relating to the Sabbath of the Gentiles with the award which we are now and which prohibits them [10] It's like religious holiday and not as cessation of any work that the Sabbath was moved to the gentile or, rather, to Noachide because there can be no question for the rabbis of the true pagan polytheist who, having for Judaism no legal existence, can not be the subject of a religious commandment. He is also obvious that if the Sabbath had been a celebration of any kind for the Noachide, the doctors never thought to wonder if the work is permitted or forbidden that day.

Anyway, the story is there to prove that the doctrine that prevailed in Israel is the Sabbath for Noachides like the Israelites, with or without work stoppage bridge first. It followed naturally, if not the precept Special [11] of the Exodus, at least that other statutory provision which Maimonides himself has been the organ, after which the Noachide may addition to its own precepts, voluntarily perform a particular precept mosaic choice [12]. This option that was left to practice some of the Mosaic seems, indeed, at first sight in contradiction with the defense that it made no change in the religion to which it is subjected. But once we explained that the distinction between the free and voluntary compliance, accepted as a precept Noachide and as a mark of separation from the pagan observance of the Mosaic command must be imposed. The non-Jew is a way vis-à-vis the Mosaic law in the same situation as the Israelite against supererogatory practices or pure devotion. It is free to impose as much as he wants, provided it be as a voluntary observances and the line of demarcation between the Act and evidence of personal piety is exactly maintained. But he would be guilty of tampering of the Act, if he made these precepts, optional for him, a religious obligation.

We say that the compatibility of Sabbath observance with the legal position of Noachide is demonstrated not only by rabbinical law, but by history. A strange spectacle, indeed, than the heathen, without becoming Jews, watched some of the practices of Judaism and especially the Sabbath! The critics note, but did not seek explanation. "Many of those attracted by the Mosaic, simply says Renan, confined themselves to observing the Sabbath. The same purity of life, even horror cons polytheism met all these small groups of devout men whose superficial pagans were content to say: "They lead a Jewish life [13] "Horace, in one of his satires [14] refers to the "thirtieth Sabbath", which would indicate that it was the custom among the pagans to count the Sabbaths, and observers were in great numbers, as the poet who mocks this custom is as a spirit safe, free from such scruples. Seneca also mocked in his book against the superstitions, the religion of the Jewish Sabbath, which had won not only the Judaizers, but the crowd even [15] pagans, everybody, "he said , lighting candles that day or lamps, while "The gods do not need to be enlightened as men to shut themselves up. Persia depicts these illuminations and prayers which we accompanied them. And Philo, speaking of Jewish efforts to convert the barbarians and Greeks, exclaims: "Where the Sabbath is not it celebrated? Where then does one observed not as religiously annual solemnity of the great Famine? M. Havet, who reported these words, adds: "The verses of Horace, Ovid and those of other texts, show that Philo has told the truth ... The recognition of the Sabbath was the first victory of Judaism, the most brilliant and most durable, because the still famous throughout Christendom and Islam by any [16]. "

References

  1. Sanhedrin, 58 b <super> </super>
  2. Page 481
  3. From <super> XV th </super> century.
  4. Hikkour din Maamar, ch. III.
  5. Joseph David of Thessaloniki, the author of the four בית דוד comment Tourima R. Jacob and יקרא רשכבי book
  6. יקרא רשכבי
  7. Page 482
  8. Kings , X, 9.
  9. <super> b </super>.
  10. The ban would be based, apparently, a very plausible interpretation of < i> Genesis </i> VIII, 22, on the descendants of Noah and should be translated as "day and night, they are resting point."
  11. Page 483
  12. Kings , X, 10.
  13. The Gospels, P. 231.
  14. I. 9.
  15. Page 484
  16. Christianity and its origins, vol. III, p. 457