The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah—Appendix
Pereq VI
Mishnah 1. Three fathers and their generations, seven subduers and their hosts (planets?), seven boundaries of hypothenuse—and the proof of matter: faithful witnesses are the world, the year, and the nephesh. The law (statute, settled order) of the twelve, and of the seven, and of the three, and they are appointed over the heavenly dragon, and the cycle, and the heart. Three: fire, and water, and wind (air); the fire above, the water below, and the wind (air) the statute intermediate between them. And the demonstration of the matter: the fire bears the water, is silent, hisses, and is the statute intermediate between them (all these have further mystic meaning and application in connection with words and ideas). LTJMBA 71.1
Mishnah 2. The dragon is in the world like a king on his throne; the cycle is in the year like a king in his land; the heart is in the nephesh like a king in war. Also in all that is pursued God has made the one against the other (opposite poles and their reconciliation): the good against the evil; good from good, and evil from evil; the good trying the evil, and the evil trying the good the good is kept for the good, and the evil is kept for the evil. LTJMBA 71.2
Mishnah 3. Three are one, that standeth alone; seven are divided, there as against three, and the statute intermediate between them. Twelve are in war: three loving, three hating, three giving life, three giving death. The three loving ones: the heart, the ears, and the mouth; the three hating ones: the liver, the gall, and the tongue—and God a faithful king reigning over all: one (is) over three, three over seven, seven over twelve, and they are all joined together, the one with the other. LTJMBA 71.3
Mishnah 4. And when Abraham our father had beheld, and considered, and seen, and drawn, and hewn, and obtained it, then the Lord of all revealed Himself to him, and called him His friend, and made a covenant with him and with his seed: and he believed in Jehovah, and it was imputed to him for righteousness. He made with him a covenant between the ten toes, and that is circumcision; between the ten fingers of his hand, and that is the tongue; and He bound two-and-twenty letters on his tongue, and showed him their foundation. He drew them with water, He kindled them with fire, He breathed them with (air); He burnt them in seven; He poured them forth in the twelve constellations. LTJMBA 71.4
The views expressed in the Book Yetsirah are repeatedly referred to in the Mishnah and in other of the most ancient Jewish writings. They represent, as stated at the outset, a direction long anterior to the Mishnah, and of which the first beginnings and ultimate principles are of deepest interest to the Christian student. The reader who wishes to see the application to Christian metaphysics and theology of the Kabbalah, of which Yetsirah is but the first word, is referred to a deeply interesting and profound work, strangely unknown to English scholars: Molitor, Philosophie d. Gesch. oder uber d. Tradition, 4 vols. English readers will find much to interest them in the now somewhat rare work of the Rev. John Oxley: The Christian Doctrine of the Trinity and Incarnation (London, 1815, 2 vols.) LTJMBA 71.5
The principles laid down in the Book Yetsirah are further carried out and receive their fullest (often most remarkable) development and application in the book Zohar (Splendour’—the edition used by us is the 8vo. edition, Amsterdam, 1805, in 3 vols, with the Amsterdam edition of the Tikkune Zohar; other Kabbalistic books used by us need not here be mentioned). The main portion of the Zohar is in the form of a Commentary on the Pentateuch, but other tractates are interspersed throughout the volumes. LTJMBA 72.1
5. Dogmatic Theology.—This is fully treated of in the text of these volumes. LTJMBA 72.2
6. Historic Theology.—To describe and criticise the various works which come under this designation would require the expansion of this Appendix into a Tractate. Some of these compositions have been referred to in the text of these volumes. For a general account and criticism of them I must again refer to the History of the Jewish Nation (see especially the chapters on The Progress of Arts and Sciences among the Jews and Theological Science and Religious Belief in Palestine). For the historical and critical account of Rabbinic historical works the student is referred to Zunz, Gottesd. Vortr. d. Juden, ch 8. The only thing which we shall here attempt is a translation of the so-called Megillath Taanith, or Roll of Fast; rather, a Calendar of the days on which fasting and mourning was prohibited. The oldest part of the document (referred to in the Mishnah, Taan. ii. 8) dates from the beginning of the second century of our era, and contains elements of even much greater antiquity. That which has come down of it is here given in translation: 4 LTJMBA 72.3
MEGILLATH TAANITH, OR ROLL OF FASTS. LTJMBA 73.1
These are the days on which it is not lawful to fast, and during some of them mourning must also be intermitted. LTJMBA 73.2
I. Nisan. LTJMBA 73.3
1. From the 1st day of the month Nisan, and to the 8th of it, it was settled about the daily sacrifice (that it should be paid out of the Temple treasury)—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 73.4
2. And from the 8th to the end of the Feast (the 27th) the Feast of Weeks was re-established—mourning is interdicted. LTJMBA 73.5
II. Iyar. LTJMBA 73.6
1. On the 7th Iyar the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 73.7
2. On the 14th is the day of the little (the second) Passover—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 73.8
3. On the 23rd the sons of Acra 5 issued from Jerusalem. LTJMBA 73.9
4. On the 27th the imposts were removed from Judaea and Jerusalem. LTJMBA 73.10
III. Sivan. LTJMBA 73.11
1. On the 17th Sivan the tower of Zur was taken. LTJMBA 73.12
2. On the 15th and 16th men of Bethshean and of the plain were exiled. LTJMBA 73.13
3. On the 25th the tax-gatherers were withdrawn from Judah and Jerusalem. LTJMBA 73.14
IV. Tammuz. LTJMBA 73.15
1. On the 14th Tammuz the Book of Decisions (aggravating ordinances) was abrogated—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 73.16
V. Abh. LTJMBA 73.17
1. On the 15th Abh the season of wood-offerings (for the Temple use) of priests (comp. Jos. War ii. 17. 6)—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 73.18
2. On the 24th we returned to our Law. LTJMBA 73.19
VI. Elul. LTJMBA 73.20
1. On the 7th of Elul the day of the Dedication of Jerusalem—mourning prohibited. LTJMBA 74.1
2. On the 17th the Romans withdrew from Judaea and Jerusalem. LTJMBA 74.2
3. On the 22nd we returned to kill the apostates. LTJMBA 74.3
VII. Tisri. LTJMBA 74.4
1. ON the 3rd Tishri the mention of the Divine Name was removed from public deeds. LTJMBA 74.5
VIII. Marcheshvan. LTJMBA 74.6
1. On the 23rd Marcheshvan the Sorigah (a partition wall in the Temple, supposed to have been erected by the heathen, comp. 1 Macc. iv. 43-46) was removed from the Temple court. LTJMBA 74.7
2. On the 25th the wall of Samaria was taken. LTJMBA 74.8
3. On the 27th the meat offering was again brought on the altar. LTJMBA 74.9
IX. Kislev. LTJMBA 74.10
1. On the 3rd the Simavatha (another heathen structure) was removed from the court or the Temple, LTJMBA 74.11
2. On the 7th is a feast day. LTJMBA 74.12
3. On the 21st is the day of Mount Garizim—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 74.13
4. On the 25th the eight days of the Feast of Lights (Chanukah) begin—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 74.14
X. Tebheth. LTJMBA 74.15
1. On the 28th the congregation was re-established according to the Law. (This seems to refer to the restoration of the Sanhedrin after the Sadducean members were removed, under the rule of Queen Salome. See the historical notes in Appendix IV.) LTJMBA 74.16
XI. Shebhat. LTJMBA 74.17
1. On the 2nd a feast day 6—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 74.18
2. On the 22nd the work, of which the enemy said that it was to be in the Temple, was destroyed—mourning is interdicted. (This seems to refer to the time of Caligula, when, on the resistance of the Jews, the statute of the Emperor was at last not allowed to be in the Temple.) LTJMBA 74.19
3. On the 28th King Antiochus was removed from Jerusalem (supposed to refer to the day of the death of Antiochus, son of Antiochus Epiphanes, in his expedition against the Parthians). LTJMBA 74.20
XII. Adar. LTJMBA 74.21
1. On the 8th and the 9th, days of joy on account of rainfall. LTJMBA 74.22
2. On the 12th is the day of Trajan. LTJMBA 74.23
3. On the 13th is the day of Nicanor (his defeat). LTJMBA 74.24
4. On the 14th and on the 15th are the days of Purim (Feast of Esther)—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 74.25
5. On the 16th was begun the building the wall of Jerusalem—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 74.26
6. On the 17th rose the heathens against the remnant of the Scribes in the country of Chalcis and of the Zabedaeans, and Israel was delivered. LTJMBA 74.27
7. On the 20th the people fasted for rain, and it was granted to them. LTJMBA 74.28
8. On the 28th the Jews received good tidings that they would no longer be hindered from the sayings of the Law—mourning is prohibited. LTJMBA 75.1
On these days every one who has before made a vow of fasting is to give himself to prayer. LTJMBA 75.2
(In extenuation of the apparent harshness and literality of our renderings, it should be stated, that both the Sepher Yetsirah and the Megillath Taanith are here for the first time translated into English.) LTJMBA 75.3
III. LIST OF HIGH-PRIESTS FROM THE ACCESSION OF HEROD THE GREAT TO THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. LTJMBA 75.4
Appointed by LTJMBA 75.5
Herod the Great ... 1. Ananel. 2. Aristobulus. 3. Jesus, son of Phabes. 4. Simon, son of Boethos. 5. Matthias, son of Theophilos. 6. Joazar, son of Boethos. LTJMBA 75.6
Archelaus ... 7. Eleazar, son of Boethos. 8. Jesus, son of Sie. LTJMBA 75.7
Quirinius ... 9. Ananos (Annas). LTJMBA 75.8
Valerius Gratus ... 10. Ishmael, son of Phabi. 11. Eleazar, son of Ananos. 12. Simon, son of Camithos. 13. Joseph (Caiaphas). LTJMBA 75.9
Vitellius ... 14. Jonathan, son of Ananos. 15. Theophilos, son of Ananos. LTJMBA 75.10
Agrippa I. ... 16. Simon Cantheras, son of Boethos. 17. Matthias, son of Ananos. 18. Elionaios, son of Cantheras. LTJMBA 75.11
Herod of Chalcis ... 19. Joseph, son of Camithos. 20. Ananias, son of Nedebaios. LTJMBA 75.12
Agrippa II. ... 21. Ishmael, son of Phabi. 22. Joseph Cabi, son of Simon. 23. Ananos, son of Ananos. 24. Jesus, son of Damnaios. 25. Jesus, son of Gamaliel. 26. Matthias, son of Theophilos. LTJMBA 75.13
The People during the last war ... 27. Phannias, son of Samuel. LTJMBA 75.14
IV. LIST OF PROCURATORS OF JUDAEA. LTJMBA 75.15
3 B.C. to 66 A.D. ... 1. Ethnarch Archelaus. 2. Coponius. 3. M. Ambivius. 4. Annius Rufus. 5. Valerius Gratus. 6. Pontius Pilate. 7. Marcellus. 8. King Agrippa. 9. Cuspius Fadus. 10. Tiberius Alexander. 11. Ventidius Cumanus. 12. Antonius Felix. 13. Porcius Festus. 14. Albinus. 15. Gessius Florus. LTJMBA 75.16
V. LIST OF ROMAN GOVERNORS OF SYRIA. LTJMBA 75.17
6 B.C. to 69 A.D. ... 1. P. Quinctilius Varus. 2. M. Lollius. 3. C. Marcius Censorinus (?) 4. L. Volusius Saturniuns. 5. P. Sulpic. Quirinius. 6. Qu. Caecilius Creticus Silanus. 7. Cn. Calpurn. Piso. 8. Cn. Sent. Staurninus (?) 9. Aelius Lamia. 10. L. Pompon. Flaccus. 11. L. Vitellius. 12. P. Petronius. 13. C. Vibius Marsus. 14. C. Cass. Longinus. 15. C. U. Quadratus. 16. [Domitius Corbulo. 17. C. Itius (conjoined).] 18. Cestius Gallus. 19. C. Lic. Mucianus. LTJMBA 75.18