לבירורה של תורת אחרית הימים בימי הבית השני

Preface: The author continues his research published in Zion, Vols. 17 and 18 and in his book "Israel Amongst the Nations". He proposes a new approach to the investigation of eschatological doctrine during the period of the Second Temple. He focuses upon the beliefs and doctrines of the Khakhamim of the period as expressed in Halakha and Hagada, noting that the foundations for these doctrines were laid several generations prior to the destruction of the Second Temple and preceding the appearance of Christianity. The problem of eschatological doctrine is examined as a chapter in the relationship between the temporal and transcendental worlds. The author attempts to show that the development of "rabbinical" Judaism was on one hand, based upon the biblical tradition and on the other hand was influenced, in certain elements, by contact with the Platonic philosophy. Investigation of this latter type of influence would serve to promote clarification of rational and emotional elements in the "rabbinical" tradition, modes of their expression in mythical forms, and paths of their transmission from generation to generation. The eschatological doctrines formulated approximately during the early Maccabean times were concerned with two problems: 1) existence and reward of the soul in Heaven, and 2) the "World to come" (Olam Haba) — viz. the period of complete revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven (Transcendental World) on Earth. The first chapter of the article deals with the doctrine of rewards of the soul in the "World of Souls" and with major concepts concerning the essence of the soul. The second chapter ("Transcendental and Temporal Worlds") begins with a section covering the Hebrew term "Hamakom". In part 2 of the chapter, which will appear in the following issue of Zion, the author will consider the doctrine of Creation, which begins with the model of the transcendental world (Paradigma) in heaven and ends on earth. In the final section of this chapter the author deals particularly with the resemblance between Halakhic discussion and Platonic dialectic and with elements of contemplation and mystic experience found in the studies of the Jewish Khakham. In the third chapter the author attempts to explain the development of eschatological beliefs and of the doctrine of revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven within this framework. Chapter 1 — The Soul and its Rewards. a) The Baraitha of the "Three Classes to the Day of Judgement" (Babylonian Talmud — Rosh Hashana 16, Toseftha Sanhedrin 13). The author summarizes and completes his previous writings on this topic: the text under discussion is influenced by Orphic, Pythagorean and Platonic doctrine and was formulated primarily during the period of the first Maccabees. b) "Give unto him in purity as was given to you". The soul is given to man as a loan from heaven and is compared to royal garments which are distributed by a king to his servants: they must be returned in a state of cleanliness, but if unclean must be cleansed. By means of this example, which appears in various instances in the Hebrew tradition and in Philo's works, the Khakhamim wish to teach their doctrines of the heavenly origin of the soul, and of return of the soul to Heaven after its cleansing, purification and repentance. The souls of righteous men are retained in the "Bundle of Life" (Tsror Hakhayim), among the angels and adjacent to the "Seat of Glory". A temple and an altar are to be found in Heaven where the Great Angel Michael sacrifices the souls of righteous men. This "Aggadah", which is also found in the Christian Apocalypse of John, is mentioned even earlier by Philo. The author again emphasizes the resemblance of these concepts concerning the descent and ascent of the soul to corresponding Orphic, Pythagorean and Platonic doctrines. Human souls are pre-existential. They are sent to the Temporal World to fulfill their missions and return to their places of origin in Heaven after a process of purification. Obscure signs of the doctrine of transmigration of the soul (Metempsychosis), which was accepted in Platonic philosophy, may also be recognised in the doctrines of the Khakhamim. Each soul is to be assigned its specific place in Heaven according to its honor and rights. The most exalted place is to be given to the souls of men devoting their lives to philosophic contemplation, which among the Jews is expressed in the study of Torah. With the return of all the souls to their places in Heaven, a process is completed. This process constitutes the first problem of the eschatological doctrine. The doctrine of "Recollection" (Anamnesis) is also expostulated in an Aggadic text of the Ammoraic period, but its initial idea was distorted in the direction of fantasy. c) In the doctrine of the Soul in the second book of Maccabees (in the martyrological passages of this book), the influence of Platonic moral philosophy is evident. The latter influence is not peculiar to Jewish-Hellenistic circles but is characteristic of the doctrines and pedagogical principles of well known Jewish Khakhamim. The author presents several examples indicating the influence of Platonic moral philosophy upon "rabbinical" Judaism. d) The author considers the Mishnaic text (Sanhedrin 4, 5 — one of the authentic texts of the period of greatest power of the Sanhedrin): "God molded all men with the form of the first man" etc. The author cites certain passages of Philo which, in his opinion, derive from the teachings of the Palestine Khakhamim, and interprets the term "Form (Seal) of the First man" as an expression of the Platonic idea ("Typos"). Chapter 2 — Transcendental and Temporal Worlds. a) The discussion centers upon the well-known Midrash concerning the passage in Genesis 28, 11 which interprets the term "Makom" as referring to God. The Lord is the place of His universe, for He bears His universe as the mounted warrior; i.e. the warrior bears his horse and not vice versa. In his book "On dreams" and in other works, Philo develops a similar concept with reference to Jacob's dream. The expressions of the two traditions — the Hebrew tradition and the Hellenistic-Jewish tradition — are alike not only in their conceptions of God's way in ruling the World, but also in interpreting Jacob's dream as symbolic of the mystic revelation of God in the souls of the chosen ones. The Hebrew sermon appears to be the more original and the more colourful. The Hebrew Midrash serves as an example of mystic vision known to the Khakhamim. The "mounted warrior", symbolizing the Lord ruling His Universe by means of His Divine powers and, in turn, all the Universe dependent upon Him, is the "Rider" of the "Merkava" — the old symbol of revelation of God in mystic experience. In the author's opinion, this symbol, is counterpart to the Greek and Platonic expression of the Divine Ruler (Charioteer) of the World. The term "place" (makom, topos) is used by Philo both to connote God Himself and to connote the "Logos", viz. the first and primary divine manifestation; but the Hebrew tradition accepts the "Makom" only as the name of God Himself. This name, which, as is known, was very widely used in the Mishna and in the early Midrashim, may be interpreted as an expression for the Deity in the manner of Platonic philosophy i.e. the celestial room (topos) which is apart from time and space and which alone has true existence and reality, whilst the Universe, its counterpart in time and space, has existence and reality only as derived from Him.