Israel and Humanity - The propitiatory sacrifice for the Gentile

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VI.

The propitiatory sacrifice for the Gentile.

§ 1.

We discussed earlier the three forms of the Gentiles sacrifice devoted by Judaism. It remains now to examine another form which is certainly not the least interesting because it reflects better than the others, if possible, the place occupied in the Gentile religious concerns of Israel. We refer propitiatory sacrifices that the Mosaic Law itself ordered to celebrate solemnly the Gentiles.

The time of year chosen for this celebration was that of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, and that date is already significant, because besides the Sabbath which we previously discussed, the Feast of Sukkot is the only Jewish festival which is said in Scripture that should be celebrated by all nations in the Temple of Jerusalem: "All that survives of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles [1] ". This prophecy is accompanied by the announcement of punishment for those who would refrain from celebrating this holiday and it is well to say in passing, one of the most conclusive evidence for the immutability of the Act in messianic times and one of the most serious objection against any religion based on the idea of the provisional nature and the subsequent abolition of the Mosaic. We also see confirmation of what we have always supported, that never thought of Judaism, the religion has been designed for all peoples of the earth. Had it been otherwise, he would [2] indeed absurd to speak of a particular observance from them at the time of the Messiah, adherence implies the exclusion of all others. If the Bible mentions this special practice, this proves two things: first, that the Mosaic law as a whole is not the Gentiles, then if they have been excused, it is not hatred, contempt or negligence, but only because a greater religious freedom they were left, some other precepts are contrary to the declared mandatory for them as well as for Israel. These considerations are not irrelevant here as one might suppose. We see in this particular provision, as in many other details of the Act that, according to the Jewish conception, the universal religion is not a straightforward conversion of the Gentiles to Mosaic, but in recognition that humanity must make the truth of the doctrine of Israel, while keeping in practice their independence and freedom. This is a crucial point on which we will not tire of calling attention of serious minds.

It would be extremely curious to gather here all the comments that the future observation of the Feast of Tabernacles has caused in rabbinic writings. They are so large they could easily form the subject of a special study. But here is the central idea around which all others are grouped. Because, during the eight days of Sukkot , Israel offered on the altar of Jerusalem seventy victims as atonement for the seventy nations of the earth [3]. It is wonderful to see the perfect harmony that exists on the destination and the meaning of this sacrifice among the oldest rabbinical writers, either in the period immediately preceding the Christian era, or in later centuries, is to ie at a time when we should expect the least to meet such provisions to the Gentiles. Indeed, the fierce hatred of paganism against the Israelites then corresponded with them a greater sensitivity than a long habit of suffering had not blunted as in the Middle Ages and in modern times. Israel was not an old man resigned, bending under the weight of accumulated pain as it appears today in the country [4] persecution, and was always a fighter and strong, who astonished the world by miracles resistance.

Well listen to the voice of the Israel expressed by the body of his teachers, the Pharisees so maligned. Because, whether we know it! Bible [5], which formally prescribes the sacrifice in question, completely silent on the reasons for it and the meaning it should be given, as General on the meaning of all the sacrifices or, rather, the entire theoretical part of the Law of God. Or is it just a matter of admiration to see that the Pharisees, instead of lowering by petty and selfish interpretations of the moral standards of Scripture, is filling the gaps in the humanitarian sense and talk them over themselves in favor of the Gentiles when it is silent? Let us first Vaïcra Rabba , the five parts of the Midrash Rabbah , is recognized by modern critics as one of the oldest. It says under the name of R. Jeoschua son of Levi, "If the nations of the world had known how the tent of meeting was useful they would have (to protect), surrounded by tents and fortified camps. And in another passage about the same: "If the nations of the world had known how the Temple was useful, they would have surrounded the fortified camps to keep it, for it was more useful to Israel."

The Midrash Schir aschirim , we can rightly be placed after the Vaïera Rabba , spoke more gently, without being less explicit, and also thought generalizes: "Your eyes are similar to those of the dove, it means that just as the dove (presented to the temple) made atonement for the whole world, even Israel is atonement for all people, because seventy calves being sacrificed on the altar on the Feast of Tabernacles were offered for the nations, that they might remain in this world, so it is written (in the Psalms): "They accuse me in return my love, as I pray (for them).

In the Talmud, Sukkah at the Treaty , we also read: "R. Johanan said: Woe unto the Gentiles for their losses (losing the Temple), because when the Temple stood, it was made atonement for them on the altar (on average seventy calves offered in sacrifice) but now what will make atonement for them? "And here are some other passages in the Pesikta:" God [6] says to Israel: My children. I know that during the seven days preceding the festival (Tabernacles), you were busy and sacrifices for the people of the world now (the day of schemin Azeret , the eighth of solemnity) you and I enjoy ourselves together. And elsewhere: "R. Alexander said: It (the institution of the Feast of Tabernacles) when referring to a king who would have had the joy (to marry his son). Throughout the week of the wedding, the son of the king was busy doing the honors he had invited guests. The week of the wedding over, the king said to his son, I know that throughout the week of the wedding, you take care of your guests, and now you and me, we all rejoice. So during the seven days of Tabernacles, Israel deals with sacrifices for the nations of the world, because, says R. Shas: The seventy calves Israel sacrificed during the festival dance corresponded to the seventy nations of the earth, so they were kept in this world. " The Bamidbar Rabbah reproduces the pattern of sacrifice given by the Schir aschirim Rabba : "This is so that the world is not deprived of the Gentiles." The Midrash Tadsché is equally explicit: "We know that seventy calves were killed by Israel during the Feast of Tabernacles for the Gentiles, to serve as an atonement."

Unanimity among various rabbinical writings is perfect on this point. But here is a fact that deserves special mention. The number of seventy victims offered during the festival is already in itself very significant, if one wants to remember everything we said earlier about the world divided into nations according to the Rabbis. But this figure of seventy victims was distributed among the seven holy days so that was offered each day a victim less than the previous day, there were thirteen on the first day, twelve the second, eleven the third and so on until the seventh day seven bullocks only had to be sacrificed, which completed the number of seventy. That could mean the gradual decrease in the number of victims? A peculiar provision is certainly not due to chance and there is no doubt that he must have some secret reason in this ceremonial order. Sometimes we meet with the rabbis this sentence: "The nations of the world are decreasing as calves of the festival. Is it a selfish desire for national pride, or the mere statement of fact, or the expression [7] a desire inspired by the noblest motives? These various hypotheses have been awards in turn. Even when the first is true, it would still be only discordant note in the impressive concert formed by the evidence we have collected from all sides in the Doctors for the universal aspirations of Judaism. And how many Jewish patriotism, so cruelly wounded by the Gentiles, could be forgiven for having sometimes fed similar thoughts! The second assumption seems consistent with the commentary of Rashi on the chapter of Numbers fixing the number of victims sacrificed during the Feast of Tabernacles [8]: "Victims of the festival are sixty in number seventies and they are decreasing every day. It is a sign of destruction of nations, but at the time of these sacrifices offered sanctuary set them free from punishment incurred. Thus the finding of a fact itself retains the holocausts of the solemnity concerned their humanitarian character.

But we went even further in that direction. It said that declining numbers of victims signified the gradual reduction of various religions and their reduction to more legitimate forms [9] and it should be noted that the number stops at seven, which, in accepting this interpretation, is still a consecration of the plurality and variety of religions, Judaism recognizes that worship of God must take various forms adapted to the genius of different races and the nature of the medium, but without prejudice to the general unity of which Israel is the custodian and the model. Involved in this process of symbolic exegesis, we do not see why it would not be logical to also consider the progressive unification and ever more comprehensive human race, under the action of the principle of universal brotherhood taught by Judaism.

§ 2.

The idea of universal religion in the celebration of the feast of Sukkot t appears more clearly when one considers the time of the year chosen for the occasion and the sacrifices offered for humanity. It was obviously the moment [10] the year began. It follows from the Bible itself as the calendar year with the opening of the Hebrew month of Tishri which is the seventh of the religious year and the first day of this month was naturally the day of the year and now acknowledges the synagogue, even better than the first day of Tishri is a day of feast instituted by Moses, but Scripture does not indicate the reason.

it is also established that the beginning of the year was prolonged until Kippur , as evidenced by the liberation of slaves by the debtors to the rest of the earth, the return of possessions All things that the proclamation was made that day. It was a whole series of days was the period from the beginning of the year and twice in the Pentateuch, Moses suggests that this period extends to Sukkot when speaking the Feast of Tabernacles, he sets the date "at the end of the year" or "the return of the year [11] ".

This way of looking at the beginning of the year with another, and marked by the celebration of the feast of humanity, gives us perhaps the explanation of singular silence Deuteronomy guard on the two festivals preliminary Rosch Ashan and Kippur . They have formed a sort of introduction to the festival Closing [12] the mere mention of which assumed and the two previous as part of the same name solemnity [13].

We know that the Hebrews had two ways to calculate the year: the month of Nissan , Spring, solemnized by the commemoration of the exodus from Egypt, marking the beginning of special religious Israel, the calendar year, beginning with the month of Tishri , was rather common to all peoples including Jews. As the Gentiles knew that last year, similar to the days of creation, was based on the autumnal equinox, a time corresponding to dusk in the order of the seasons as Nissan is the point the day, it was natural that the Jewish religious ceremonies to consecrate by an essentially cosmopolitan and we have seen that the festival of Sukkot , with its sacrifices for all [14] nations of the world testifies to the considerable all mankind occupies in Hebrew thought.

It is curious to see how Christian beliefs come by circuitous routes to a similar result. A Protestant theologian, after studying the Christian feasts of Easter and Pentecost and their relations with the Jewish holidays of the same name, adds the following: "In respect of Tabernacles, we have yet to match the festive but when times are over and we finally find the conditions, we also celebrate this festival with great solemnity. The present life is, for humanity, life in the desert, like the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt, was a Passover and Pentecost, but that has not yet Feast of Tabernacles, the it was specifically created in remembrance of the wandering life of the desert. It follows that Sukkot of the Gentiles will be celebrated at the time of the resurrection (that is to say to us in messianic times) [15] ". [16]


References

  1. Zechariah, xiv, 16.
  2. Page 549
  3. Numbers, XXXIX , 12 et seq in the Rashi Commentary
  4. Page 550
  5. Numbers, XXIX, 12 et seq
  6. Page 551
  7. Page 553
  8. Numbers, XXIX, 18
  9. Micraé Kodesch, Sect. Bo , p. 108.
  10. Page 553
  11. Exodus XXIII, 16, XXXIV, 22.
  12. Leviticus XXIII, 36, <i> Numbers XXXIX, 35
  13. Closing Day gave the eighth day of Sukkot is precisely that which designates the last day of Passover. Deut. XVI, 8.
  14. Page 554
  15. The Two Covenants pp.65-66.
  16. Page 555