Israel and Humanity - Influence of proselytes in Israel

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Influence of proselytes in Israel.

The study of the influence that the Gentiles might have had on Judaism is certainly appropriate in a work which aims to highlight the true idea of God among the Hebrews and that of universal religion that follows. Proselytizing that we find in all periods of Israel's history seems to be a providential means which were used for this purpose and through which the Jewish and the Gentile world have consistently reacted on each other.

We reserve to further explore this great Jewish proselytizing too unknown, but what we wish to point out now is that the Aryan genius by joining the Semitic element took action on it and that some of this union was born the doctrine to seal one day of peace between the religious aspirations of different races.

Not in vain for many centuries an uninterrupted supply of blood has mingled with pagan and Jewish blood that each proselyte, by converting, has added his ideas, trends, his personal feelings to Jewish heritage. The Jewish proselytism could not be exercised unless, on both sides, the mind opens to give and receive. When a door is open, which must enter and exit in and out freely, the main thing is that there is no fence, no insurmountable barrier. The Israelites losing their political independence, however, have imposed upon their conquerors, not their laws, but the eternal law, but also they have not failed to receive in exchange for what their own civilization was likely to receive. That is probably why the doctors have sometimes proselytes dangerous for Israel and also why they recommended not to treat with contempt the idols in the presence of a proselyte, even were it to the tenth generation, as they included a well converted pagan could still feel its origins.

It is certain that, in moral as well as in the physical world, endowed with all kinds of great life force is able to withstand environmental influences. It can then assimilate to his own kind which will be strictly proper, but not yet escape any assimilation. This will become even a prerequisite for growth. Because instead of claiming that Darwinism with the atmosphere as the type, but rather that it derives from the outside world what is necessary for his full development. And this law of assimilation is the strongest type, the noblest that transforms into its own substance which is inferior not only to achieve development and that has its

We also study the influence of Judaism on the pagan world, while there blazed his way, what concerns us now is the response made by the Gentiles into Israel and we are far from claiming that the law of assimilation quoted above does not find its application here. The Kabbalists have seen in the prolonged stay of the Hebrews in Egypt, a means employed by Divine Providence to restore the religion of Israel and incorporate by selecting everything was good and true in the Egyptian religion . They pointed out the similarity between the words Mizraim , Egypt, and mezarim> /i>, boundaries, limits, indicating that Egypt was not only geographically, but also to point Religiously speaking, the country closest to Palestine. Still others have wanted to see in the vessels of gold and money borrowed by the Hebrews to the Egyptians that a picture of spiritual assimilation made in the field of truth, or as we said at the beginning, sparks returned to their homes. That the Roman Senate wrapped in the same sentence Judaic and Egyptian superstitions, when he tried to outlaw imports oriental proves that the close relationship between the two religions struck foreigners themselves. The modern discoveries in Egyptology have recently shown, in worship and in social institutions, such surprising similarities in the eyes of some eigenvalue of the Mosaic seemed to be erased.

But if Judaism mutilated by the release of its full tradition is very poor position to defend themselves against arms now provides historical criticism, this is not the same comprehensive Jewish orthodoxy, which at one time when we could not possibly foresee the progress of science on this point, had already responded to current objections by his theory of natural selection ideas, in the words of Darwin. The similarities that we demonstrate scholars between Judaism and Egypt, far from surprising, fully justifies what we said the Rabbis of the mutual action of Egypt and Israel.

Exodus speaks of the servants of Pharaoh "<i> devout " who believed in the predictions of Moses and put away their servants and herds . The phrase is even more remarkable because it reminds one that later came to refer to the Gentile converts to Judaism. We also see that on departure from Egypt a multitude of people went with the Hebrews. These were probably novices more or less completely detached from paganism, but whose influence in any case is attested by the Bible. The Zoar tells us that this influence persisted long after the era of the desert and that all religious errors which have plagued Israel for so many centuries have no other origin Moses certainly could not conceal the dangers posed to such contact his people and yet he did nothing to save him, while his role of wise legislators seemed to command him to throw off the hers as heterogeneous elements, he was not afraid to welcome them, apparently because he expected the benefits outweighed the disadvantages he had reason to fear.

What were the benefits? They are: not only in the ignorant masses that the action of proselytes was felt, was also among thinkers. From among the multitude of foreign intelligence arose sometimes elite, a priest a Egyptian philosopher was among his fellow Israelite men capable of understanding and what resulted from this combination of spirits eager for truth, it was certainly anything but making the golden calf. Scripture gives us a remarkable example in the relationship of Moses with Jethro his father. We really wonder how, apart from the reason we give here can be explained without compromising the very principle of Mosaic revelation, the influence exercised by the priest of Midian on Moses obediently followed his counsel. A legend in Midrash Pirke R. tells us how important and almost incredible, if we think it is a pagan, the rabbis were assigned to Jethro. The rod of Moses, says the legend, was engraved in the wood, the holy name of God. She had been given by Adam to Seth, who passed it to his successor and thus passing from hand to hand in the succession of generations, it fell to Jethro who stuck it in his garden: that is where Moses saw and he managed to to tear the ground that no one had done before him. This fable is quite transparent to let in its hidden meaning. The channel runs through the rod of Moses, from Adam to Jethro, is that of religious tradition and from Jethro that Moses received the rod which was engraved the sacred name, a symbol of the new revelation. Zipporah's father is a founder of the religion of Israel when he brought the non-Semitic element intended to complete for its humanitarian role. This is the truth, a little hard to national pride, that the Midrash was wrapped in the veil of the allegory.

Do not forget that Jethro was the father of the Kenites of which came the Rechabites and there is a strong probability that they descended the Essenes Thus this is a society of followers who perpetuated the midst of Israel to the teachings of their ancestors, are indistinguishable, moreover, that a strict observance of precepts, and whose action should be even safer and more continuous than the home of their religious life was maintained by more indissoluble union and by a sort of monastic rule. But if one side back to the Essenes Rechabites and by them to the tradition of Jethro, the other they are connected with this school of Kabbalah, whose characteristic, we have said, is to approximate the Aryan and Semitic elements, we have a proof of this intellectual work that tended to make proselytism among the Jews. This was not the outright adoption of foreign beliefs, because science proclaims that as we introduce this kind is contrary to the genius of the people, each race can only receive from others what works for her special abilities. We do not say nothing than recognizing the most authoritative critics, when we say that, whatever the ideas taken outside of Judaism, which have contributed to the formation of Essenism, there is nevertheless a well production authentically Jewish and doctrines are due to the development which softens in response to inputs provided by the spiritual converts, and not importing doctrines unknown to the Jewish religion. Here as in many other respects, it is with orthodoxy that meets the real science and Helgenfeld

Political relations with the Gentiles could not remain without its influence on Judaism. Under the reign of Solomon in particular, we see that the reputation of wisdom of the monarch put Israel in relation to all that the East were educated people. When David's son began to build the temple which his father had designed the project, he accepted the assistance of Hiram, king of Tyre. Foreigners and intervened in achieving this important work on the Jewish religion, so that science could identify, in the ornamentation of the temple of Solomon, traces of Phoenician or Tyrian symbols, as we later found also in the grandiose visions of Ezekiel, the similarities with the myths Assyrian.

This latter finding any more than the first one is made for us by surprise. A formal proof of the book of Daniel shows that during the Babylonian period the elite of the Jewish youth was paid in all the sciences and literature of the Chaldeans. At the time of the doctors, we mention the most famous of them R. Akiba, R. Meir as a descendant, one of Sidera, one of Haman, and it is hardly necessary in mind that several of these famous rabbis were not themselves as pagans of birth and converted as Shemayah Abtalion, last descendants of Sennacherib, the masters of this Hillel that was the glory of the synagogue, and Onkelos, perhaps even Aquila, who translated into Aramaic and Greek books of Moses.

Even when we can not accept, without a strong element of exaggeration, what the Rabbis tell us about conversion to Judaism of the distinguished persons, philosophers and rulers, and even entire populations, there is no doubt that Jewish proselytism had substantially begun the pagan world and he had prepared, through the dissemination of principles of Israel, a spiritual movement which later greatly facilitate the spread of Christianity. But no less certain is the benefit derived by the Judaism of these reports with the Gentiles, as these same rabbis do not hesitate to confess that quite often because of religion, to intellect such or such texts and even questions about beliefs most important, they in turn are greatly indebted to scholars and philosophers Contrast unexpected but explainable though! Both these doctors are horrified to learn, even the smallest thing, deserters from the faith, heretics they carefully distinguish the pagans, because they rightly assume that with them the prejudices and sectarian passions shadow over the trial, as they keep an open mind to welcome the lights may come to their side of the Gentile wise men, even in matters where they are masters. They included - and the bye this remains as true today - that their religious faith encounter more easily with strangers aids free of any sectarian concern among scientists fully independent, as in systems with more claim or less liberal attempt to reconcile, by compromise arbitrary, science and religion by distorting both the one and the other, so it is safer for the ship to reach the high seas than along the coast dangerous risk of breaking against the rocks.

Proselytizing, means of communication between Judaism and the Gentile, can be viewed from two angles: first as a source of ideas and knowledge, and that's what we tried to do so far, then as a mixture of foreign blood to the strain as a result of Jewish marriages between Jews and Gentile converts, which could not fail to change to some extent the national character.

The spiritual abilities are undoubtedly related to the physical temperament, so the prohibition of mixed marriages does it honor the insight into the legislature of the Pentateuch anxious to keep unaltered the religious genius of his nation. However, we find that despite its commitment to maintain the purity as ethnological report, he was not afraid to permit the marriage with converts. While trying to protect its people against idolatry, he does not, however, rejected alliances that tend to cross the blood with Jewish blood pagan offrissent they provided strong guarantees against the intrusion of polytheism in Jewish families and that foreigners, who were admitted, their origin might keep only the qualities necessary to effectively influence the formation of the race. So he has established between the proselytes gradations, according to him they seemed more or less likely to contribute to the goal he intended to achieve. If he feels obliged to exclude forever Ammon and Moab, he admits the Egyptian to the third generation. In a word, either for people or for individuals, Moses seems to obey the principle that there are Jews by nature, as there are Jews by birth, much like the Fathers of the Church have said Later, in speaking of some pagan philosophers, that they were of course Christian.

The doctors have said the same, about proselytes, that whosoever shall put away idolatry must be considered a Jew. Abraham, after receiving the first name, became the father of all nations and converts wherever they come, should call our father. Their souls were present near the Sinai to the enactment of this Act and of these, as well as future generations of Israelites, which Moses hears when he says: "Neither with you only do I this alliance, this alliance sealed by the oath, but it is with those who are here with us present that day to the Lord our God, as with those who are not here among us this day ". For the Kabbalists, it is the same yard, the same selection that Judaism operates or that, dispersed among the Gentiles, he collects, to incorporate the fragments of truth that there is scattered whether it attracts the sweet souls monotheistic tendencies and increases by the admission of proselytes. the ranks of the Church of Israel.

Moses, the Talmud and Kabbalah therefore agree to assimilate proselytes to the Jews by birth, without any concern ethnological differences. It should also be careful not to confuse the specific characteristics of a race with signs of degeneration, which can present, such as idolatry. It may be that all peoples are not made to the strict monotheism and this is a need for certain kinds of set closer to the Uncreated, the finite to the Infinite, and embody the divine in the world . We recognize that this doctrine, this pan-monotheism, to use the expression of Hartmann, the quota is given by the Gentiles, the religion of the future. But it is far from this particular form of belief in polytheism is rude to the theory of emanation that anthropomorphism, the materialization of the divine personality is pure Monotheism. The proselytizing was so true to character of his race, keeping his religious views that they had reconciled with Israel's faith, while the polytheists were still in error by the abuse of their system and exaggerations their natural tendencies. Similarly, it happened to the Jews enemies of the Kabala to err contrary, by substituting a false notion of divine unity in true doctrine, because the true God is that if A satisfies all beings, or rather, if we love Him in Being itself, as its name revered by all.

Even when he would see in the particular form of polytheism religion of the Gentiles, proselytes why would not an anomaly but a mere variety, such as those which, according to Darwinism, species that appear in existing as a result of favorable circumstances, create new species. Still, if their admission to Israel has produced the good we hoped for. it has not even been present often without serious drawbacks. This was recognized by the rabbis when they are written at the sight of scandals: It comes from the crowd! , in allusion to the crowd of foreigners went to Egypt with the Hebrews. They will say that they alone are really children of Abraham who show modest, merciful and charitable, while those who do not possess these qualities are the descendants of Malik. There was therefore unworthy proselytes who remained in their adopted country. Others, perhaps, were too little credit to the religious doctrine they embraced: the abuse of the Semitic element on one side responded too often the other excesses of the pagan element. The true Jew, he is Jewish by birth or proselytizing, which is held in a fair proportion of the two trends: the former is not only a citizen of Palestine, he is a citizen of the world's No God ' is not only transcendent, inaccessible, it is also immanent, he lives in us.

We must now address a few words to those who are tempted to object that if Moses had to a religious purpose, he should have encouraged and not prohibit mixed marriages because such unions could do more for the intellectual and moral Pagan races of the immediate proclamation that they were the best preparation. But who sees only a small drop of blood would be lost Jewish property quickly in large arteries of humanity? The breath of Israel would have been suffocated and could not have accomplished its mission. It agreed instead to save it, that great precautions were taken and made, many of prescriptions have, if this direct object, at least this result. Besides, we must distinguish between the actual temperament of a breed and level of culture. If the monotheistic tendency is characteristic of the Jewish people, this does not imply that he was an intellectual level allowing him to mingle with other civilized nations without damaging its own originality. Scientists at this point of view do not hesitate to place the Semitic race below the Aryan race, so it is infinitely likely that the victory would have remained, it finally if mixed marriages were multiplied for several generations. The Jewish race which had risen to more pure monotheism, not by philosophical speculation but a natural instinct, but still able to assimilate the additional elements that came from outside, have given way to another gifted race might be more brilliant qualities, but now without those who had made the greatness of their ancestors. We should have seen her grow so high schools who are distinguished scholars, eminent philosophers, but it was all over the spontaneous impulse which produced the apostles, seers, prophets, is to say precisely what that 'Israel must give to mankind. The fate of Jewish genius and faith in one God had been so seriously compromised Shem, with its cult of the principles and the absolute, disappeared before Japheth merely relative and are concerned instead of analysis.

But very wise laws of Moses on the converts and marriages have preserved the integrity of the Israelite religion and they have saved too, we shall see, that of humanity. Through them, the Jews were allowed to keep their dual nature has made them a nation truly apart, he remained a people the character of a remarkable quenching, very patriotic, very exclusive even, full of pride and passion, but also the exceptional people whose extraordinary vitality finds its justification in the distinguished service he was called to the world and who, without ever losing sight of what he owed to itself, however, took more and more conscious of its universal mission.