Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature: An Anthology :: XLVI. NAPHTALI HIRZ (HARTWIG) WESSELY

XLVI. NAPHTALI HIRZ (HARTWIG) WESSELY

[Educationalist and poet. He was born at Hamburg in 1725, and died in 1805. Although he lacked poetic imagination, his purely biblical style gained for him a great reputation, and he exerted unusual influence on his contemporaries and on subsequent writers. In a certain sense he may be regarded as the father of the modern Hebrew renaissance. He was also the author of a commentary on some books of the Bible, and was an enthusiastic follower of Moses Mendelssohn. His master-piece is the epic poem entitled Shire Tif’eret (Songs of Glory), describing the exodus.]

Moses Prepares the People for the Divine Revelation^[262]

Filled with divine rejoicing and words of pleasantness, Moses came down from the mountain unto the people that waited for him. He declared to them the words of their God and said: ‘I heard from God’s mouth more bliss than ever I hoped for; He will create for you that which has never been since His hands fashioned the earth, O house of Jacob, hark and stand aghast! The voice of the living God from heaven shall ye hear speaking unto you. The laws which ye are to keep shall ye learn now from God’s mouth, not from an interpreter. Howbeit, that ye may know that He raised me for His prophet, ye shall behold me bring word between you and God. And seeing that I am esteemed by Him a faithful prophet, ye shall believe me, too, when I enjoin you in His name, that I heard all the commandments from the mouth of God.’

Moses’ words were sweeter unto the congregation than melodious strains upon a pleasant harp and psaltery. With joyful voice responded they: ‘It is more than we have hoped! Ears that were wont to hear the oppressor’s voice, the voice of fear, shall now hear the utterances of the Living God! No people, since there was a nation until now, has ever heard such words! Great is this glory. Now, if God performs all these wonders for the sake of man’s soul, so that it may be saved, shall we not turn away from evil, and depart from sin, so that we may deliver our souls from seeing the pit? Our lot is happy if we shall hear these laws from God’s mouth; if He speaks, who would be rebellious and would not fear Him? O master, not because there is no faithfulness in us, did we ask thee to let us hear the voice of God. Far be this thought from us! for thou art faithful unto us; we shall obey the law of thy mouth, as though we heard it from God. But thou hast aroused in us the love of God; when thou hast said that God desired to speak with us, our soul has fainted and longed to hear His voice. For we love our Lord and His holy words dearly, so that we may declare to our children that shall be born that from the mouth of our God we heard the laws. We shall tell them, too, of thy greatness and the splendor of thy majesty, how thou stoodest between God and between us, so that all generations shall believe in thee like us. Having been told by their fathers, by six hundred thousand men, that thou art truth and that thy words are truth, they shall not hearken unto prophets that teach lies, and unto strangers.’

These words of the people, too, gladdened Moses’ heart; he went up the mountain to bring back word to Him who sent him, and told Him all the words spoken by the people; and he said: ‘Thy people would exult to hear the majesty of Thy voice; their soul faints and longs to see Thy glory and Thy might. I pray Thee, honor and cheer them with the light of Thy countenance; and I, Thy servant, shall make them hear Thy holy words, as Thou commandest, so that they shall also believe in me.’

To these words of the man of faithful spirit God replied: ‘I shall do according to thy words: I grant the wishes of the meek. Their ear shall hear a mighty voice like which no ear has heard, so that they may know that the voice of God is wonderful. Yea, a benign and graceful spirit shall I pour upon them, so that they may be strengthened, if their heart fails through fear. In order that My fear should be before them all their days, that they should dread My majesty, and tremble through their fear, this very mountain shall be clothed with terror and with dread; he who sees it shall fear, his heart shall melt, his hands shall drop; so that My people see that, though I am a God of plenteous mercy, a pestilence goes before Me, a fiery bolt is at My feet, and a fire not kindled by man devours him that condemns My words; so that they may fear Me always, and never sin. But thou alone shalt know no fear, for great is thy strength. Thou shalt walk securely between firebrands and flames of fire, for I set on thee a splendor which no other mortal has. And therefore if thou seest that mighty men bow themselves, speak comfortably unto them, and say to them: “Fear not;” I show them but the lot of the presumptuous and the portion of the wicked; but I love them that love Me; the perfect shall inherit good: I shall support their lot, and I alone am their portion; they that honor Me have peace, securely dwells he who obeys Me. Great shall be that day, there never has been one like it! They should therefore prepare their hearts, My chosen ones shall be sanctified. Go to the people, and prepare their hearts with thy words; teach them to-day My fear, and sanctify them to-morrow; they shall wash their garments, and bathe their flesh; and they shall be ready on the third day in the morning. For on the third day (that is the very day on which I chose to give to them the Law of truth and righteous ordinances) shall God come down from His throne in heaven upon this mount, yea, on this mount Sinai in holiness. A glorious appearance which no eye has yet beheld shall be upon its top, which I shall show to the people. Although I am a God that hide Myself, no mortal eye sees Me, the splendor is the sign that I dwell there and that there is the hiding of My power. And as before the arrival of the day on which I speak to them, all the people shall for two days sanctify themselves, so likewise shall the mountain, before I shine forth from it, be prepared and sanctified for two days: allow not the feet of man or beast to come on it; set bounds about the mountain, the boundary being all around, so that people do not cross the bounds which thou hast set. And say to them: “Take heed that ye ascend not the mount; nor shall ye touch it: he that touches it shall surely die.” And even they that pursue the transgressor shall not tread on the mount; from afar shall he be stoned, or arrows shall be shot at him. All who go up the mountain, whether man or beast, shall die; this mount with all that is around it shall henceforth be holy ground to you, for with My glory will I adorn it. But when My glory is taken off from it, I will give a sign: the trumpet’s voice shall I cause to be heard from the top of the mount. Not like the voice of the trumpet which they will hear when I arrive—a terrifying voice, that all wicked hearts may be humbled and fear God their Creator and observe His law—but when My glory ascends, departing from the earth, the trumpet shall be blown in honor and might to My name; and when the trumpet sounds long, they also shall come up to the mount.’

1. Chapters 14.20–15.8.

2. Chapter 38, 1–15.

3. Chapter 50, 1–24.

4. There are some illegible letters in the original.

5. Tractate Bikkurim 3. 2–8.

6. Psalm 30. 2.

7. Deuteronomy 26. 3.

8. Ibid. 26. 5.

9. Tractate Sukkah 4. 9–5. 4.

10. That is, the priests and Levites.

11. That is, perhaps, they repeated God’s name.

12. Chapter 14, Schechter’s edition, p. 58.

13. Genesis 4. 25.

14. Job 1. 21.

15. Leviticus 10. 3.

16. 2 Samuel 12. 24.

17. This is an expression, of frequent occurrence in Aramaic, denoting: pay him homage. Comp. ‘Erubin’ 27b.

18. Tractate Berakot 61b.

19. Deuteronomy 30. 20.

20. Ibid. 6. 5.

21. Psalm 17. 14. A haggadic interpretation is given here. Rashi offers a different explanation. It is also possible, by changing the vocalization, to translate: These are slain for Thy hand.

22. Ibid.

23. Tractate Baba Batra 10a.

24. A Roman commander in Judea under Hadrian. Turnus stands either for Tyrannus or T. Annius.

25. Leviticus 25. 55.

26. Deuteronomy 14. 1.

27. Isaiah 58. 7.

28. Tractate Derek Erez Zuta, chapter 9, Tawrogi’s edition pp. 45, seq.

29. Proverbs 21. 14.

30. Deuteronomy 28. 6.

31. Ezekiel 24. 16.

32. Ecclesiastes 8. 5.

33. Isaiah 58. 9.

34. Hosea 4. 17. A haggadic interpretation is here given.

35. Ibid. 10. 2.

36. Pesikta Rabbati, Friedmann’s edition, p. 131b.

37. Jeremiah 15. 9.

38. Here and in the following sentences the prophet speaks for God.

39. Isaiah 52. 2.

40. Psalm 147. 2.

41. This narrative is part of a Midrash especially devoted to this subject, entitled Midrash Petirat Mosheh, which was added at the end of Debarim Rabbah.

42. Isaiah 48. 22.

43. Exodus 3. 10.

44. Numbers 12. 1.

45. Psalm 94. 16.

46. Deuteronomy 34. 10.

47. Micah 7. 2.

48. Psalm 12. 2.

49. Deuteronomy 33. 21.

50. Ibid.

51. Isaiah 57. 2.

52. This poem, which is found in the Ashkenazic ritual for New Year, consists of fifteen stanzas, and is an acrostic bearing the author’s name. Each stanza has three short rhyming lines. The poet asks why the Jewish kingdom is cast down (stanza 1). A brief answer is given by the Holy Spirit (stanzas 2 and 3). The remaining stanzas are uttered by the Jewish nation complaining of the evil done to her by her enemies who as yet have not been punished for their wickedness.

53. That is, Rome.

54. This poem is found in the Ashkenazic ritual for the Ninth of Ab. It consists of eleven stanzas of five rhyming lines, except the last which has four lines. The stanzas are in alphabetic order, two letters being disposed of in each stanza.

55. Leviticus 26. 45.

56. Jeremiah 5. 12.

57. That is, Abraham.

58. Genesis 15. 1.

59. Ibid. 17. 21.

60. That is, Jacob.

61. That is, Moses.

62. Jeremiah 51. 5.

63. Epstein’s edition, pp. 23, seq.

64. Joshua 1. 8.

65. Exodus 14. 13.

66. Comp. Deuteronomy 2. 4, 9, 19.

67. Part of Book IV, chapter 20.

68. In Yoma 72b and Horayot 12a this term refers to the priest who is anointed to encourage the army. Comp. Deuteronomy 20. 2–4.

69. From a manuscript in the library of the Dropsie College.

70. 2 Kings 13. 23.

71. Psalm 123. 2.

72. Ezekiel 39. 25.

73. Leviticus 26. 9.

74. This is the end of a leaf in the manuscript of the original, and there is a likelihood that some leaves are missing here, so that the following sentences are not a continuation of this part.

75. Neubauer, MediÆval Jewish Chronicles, vol. II., pp. 83, seq.

76. That is, Psalm 91.

77. That is, Psalms 145–150.

78. The following four poems are from a manuscript in the library of the Dropsie College, and are probably the first of a series of fifteen based on the fifteen Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120–134). The first stanza of each poem bears the author’s name in acrostic, while the remaining stanzas are in alphabetic order, three letters being disposed of in each stanza. The fourth line is a verse, or part thereof, from the Psalm upon which the poem is based.

79. That is, Edon. (Comp. Genesis 22. 21), hence Rome.

80. That is, Israel mourning for the temple.

81. All these are tribes of Gentiles. Comp. Genesis 22. 21; 36. 18.

82. Philipp’s edition, lines 109–136. For reasons, which do not appear to be cogent, Hai’s authorship of these maxims has been doubted.

83. Harkavy’s edition No. 15; Brody’s edition No. 36. It is an excellent specimen of the Fakhr (self-glorification) poems of the Arabs.

84. Comp. Exodus 21. 6.

85. Harkavy’s edition, No. 23; Brody’s edition, No. 39. Some lines are missing in the place indicated by the asterisks. Then follows a graphic description of the tunny fish.

86. Comp. 1 Samuel 2. 22, 34.

87. Numbers 25. 6, 14.

88. Genesis 38. 9, 10.

89. Comp. 2 Kings 17. 30.

90. Comp. Daniel 9. 24–27.

91. Dukes’ edition, No. 1. The poet complains of his uncongenial surroundings. He is misunderstood by his neighbors, because he strives to attain to knowledge.

92. Dukes’ edition, No. 7. The poet declares that, in spite of all obstacles and discouragement, he will seek wisdom and strive to make himself as perfect as possible.

93. This seems to be an allusion to those who adopted false doctrines.

94. This is the first part of that beautiful composition in rhymed prose. It has been incorporated in the Sephardic ritual for the eve of the Day of Atonement. The biblical verses are introduced with wonderfully artistic skill.

95. This beautiful prose poem has been frequently printed in some Hebrew prayer-books.

96. Comp. Job 21. 14, 15.

97. Ecclesiastes 12. 13, 14.

98. Comp. Job 37. 7.

99. Comp. Job 34. 22.

100. Neubauer, MediÆval Jewish Chronicles, vol. II., p. 123, seq.

101. Comp. Isaiah 44. 25.

102. Comp. Genesis 3.

103. Basil I, known as the Macedonian (died 886).

104. Town in Italy.

105. That is, Judah; comp. Genesis 49. 9.

106. Brody, in Steinschneider’s Festschrift (1896), p. 43 (Hebrew part).

107. Ibid., p. 44.

108. The poet describes his own plight.

109. That is, thou spendest money freely.

110. That is, Time.

111. Brody and Albrecht, Sha’ar ha-Shir, No. 59.

112. Four lines have been omitted in this translation.

113. Harkavy’s edition, vol. I., p. 10; Brody’s edition, vol. II., p. 155.

114. That is, Thummim and Urim.

115. Harkavy, vol. I., p. 28; Brody, vol. II., p. 160.

116. Levitic families; comp. Exodus 6. 19.

117. Harkavy, vol. I., p. 158; Brody, vol. I., p. 214. It is written in rhymed prose, and is an excellent specimen of the rhetorical and florid style in which the Arabs and their Jewish imitators delighted.

118. That is, Babylon.

119. In the original this word represents also Nathan.

120. Egers’ edition, p. 50. This poem is complicated in its structure. It consists of seven stanzas, and the initial letters of stanzas 1, 2, 4, and 6 are the author’s name ????.

121. Egers, p. 147. It consists of twenty lines without rhymes. The double acrostic reads ????? ?????.

122. Egers, p. 139; Rosin, I, p. 168. This is the first part of this composition which is in rhymed prose. The author meets Hai b. Mekiz (the Living, Son of the Wakeful), who urges him to leave his companions and to seek wisdom.

123. That is, the multitude, crowd.

124. That is, Imagination.

125. That is, Emotions, Passions, and Moods.

126. That is, Lust and Appetite.

127. Neubauer, MediÆval Jewish Chronicles, vol. I., pp. 67, seq.

128. Psalm 68. 23.

129. Asher, The Itinerary of Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela, pp. 34, seq.; M. Adler’s edition, pp. ???, seq.

130. That is, Christ.

131. Sefer ha-Yashar on Exodus, Venice edition, pp. 135a, seq.

132. Comp. Genesis 24. 3. The verse is not quoted verbatim.

133. Comp. ibid. 28. 1. The verse is amplified. See also ibid. 9. 26, 27.

134. Judah ha-Levi’s Book of the Khazarite, part II, 45–50. Hirschfeld’s edition, pp. 107, seq.

135. Deuteronomy 10. 12.

136. Micah 6. 8.

137. Ibid.

138. Jeremiah 7. 21.

139. Deuteronomy 4. 32.

140. Ibid. 4. 33.

141. Ibid. 4. 34.

142. Psalm 123. 1.

143. See Leviticus 22. 33; the verse is modified.

144. Isaiah 49. 3.

145. Code, Hilkot De’ot, chapter 1.

146. Ecclesiastes 5. 9.

147. Proverbs 13. 25.

148. Psalm 37. 16.

149. Deuteronomy 28. 9.

150. Shabbat 133b; Sotah 14a.

151. Genesis 18. 19.

152. Ibid.

153. Sefer Sha’ashu’im, Davidson’s edition, pp. 49, seq.

154. There is a pun in the original: Anak is a necklace as well as a name of a tribe of giants.

155. It is an Oriental custom to take off the shoes.

156. Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed, vol. I., chapter 31.

157. The nineteenth Makamah, or chapter of the Tahkemoni.

158. This name of the biblical sage (comp. 1 Kings 5. 11) has been adopted for the name of the “narrator” (Al-Harizi himself?) who records the exploits and wonderful utterances of the “hero,” Heber the Kenite.

159. Proverbs 31. 29.

160. Sefer Hasidim, Judah Wistinetzki’s edition, §§ 19024–19030.

161. Proverbs 13. 24.

162. Leviticus 19. 14.

163. Psalms 27. 13.

164. The Rabbis usually give a homiletic reason for the dots that are placed over a word in the masoretic text of the Bible. See Berakot 4a.

165. 1 Kings 1. 6.

166. Psalm 45. 5.

167. Leviticus 19. 29.

168. Exodus 20. 14.

169. Ibid. 20. 13.

170. Psalm 7. 14.

171. Comp. Hagigah 5a.

172. Sotah 21b.

173. Proverbs 31. 8.

174. Ezekiel 18. 18.

175. Part of the Introduction to the Sefer ha-Rokeah.

176. Psalm 16. 8.

177. Comp. Isaiah 9. 4.

178. Genesis 18. 27.

179. Comp. Megillah 31a. Isaiah 57. 15.

180. Jeremiah 23. 24.

181. Iggeret ha-Ramban.

182. Midrash Le-‘Olam, chapter 15 (Jellinek’s Bet ha-Midrash, III., p. 117).

183. Ecclesiastes 11. 10.

184. Proverbs 16. 4.

185. Ibid. 22. 4.

186. Pirke Abot 4. 4.

187. Numbers 12. 3.

188. Isaiah 57. 15.

189. Jeremiah 23. 24.

190. 1 Kings 8. 27 and Proverbs 15. 11.

191. Pirke Abot 4. 1.

192. Psalm 93. 1.

193. 1 Chronicle 29. 12.

194. 1 Samuel 2. 7.

195. Job 12. 20.

196. Baba Mezi’a 33b.

197. Psalm 10. 17.

198. This epistle, which is in rhymed prose, is the second of a series of three letters written on this subject. In vehement language the author denounces those who make light of the words of the Law, and prefer philosophy to the word of God. The three epistles were written with the consent of the Jewish community at Barcelona.

199. Names of wise men mentioned in the Bible; comp. Proverbs 30. 1; 1 Kings 5. 11.

200. The allusion is to Genesis 14. 1–15.

201. The allusion is to the first epistle.

202. The reference is to Joshua 22. 10–34.

203. That is, traditional Judaism.

204. Hosea 10. 9.

205. Behinat ‘Olam, chapters 8 and 9. Soncino edition (1484).

206. Comp. Deuteronomy 29. 22.

207. This is part of the twenty-eighth composition of the Mahberot ‘Immanuel, and is entitled ha-Tofet we-ha-‘Eden (Hell and Paradise). It is written in a manner similar to that of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

208. This is supposed to be Dante his friend.

209. Part of the ethical will of Judah b. Asher. Schechter’s edition, pp. 11, seq.

210. Comp. Isaiah 28. 22.

211. Baba Batra 165a.

212. ‘Arakin 16a.

213. Pirke Abot 1. 17.

214. Numbers 12. 3.

215. Pirke Abot 4. 4.

216. Yerushalmi Shabbat 3c, in commenting on Psalm 111. 10 and Proverbs 22. 4.

217. 1 Samuel 2. 30.

218. ‘Arakin 16b.

219. Part of Eben Bohan, Venice edition, p. 59d.

220. Comp. Exodus 4. 25 and Isaiah 8. 16.

221. That is, Youth. Comp. Shabbat 152a.

222. Milhamot ha-Shem, part VI, chapters 1 and 2.

223. That is, Aristotle.

224. Guide of the Perplexed, book II, chapter 15. The quotation is inaccurate.

225. Ma’aseh Efod, chapter 8, pp. 42, seq.

226. That is, Maimonides.

227. Psalm 119. 103.

228. Magen Abot, part 3, chapter 2, p. 33.

229. That is, through repetition of perception.

230. That is, Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi. See ‘Abodah Zarah 40b.

231. Berakot 8a.

232. Ibid. 6b; Shabbat 30b.

233. Berakot 58a.

234. ‘Ikkarim, part 3, chapter 17.

235. Ezekiel 21. 5.

236. Numbers 12. 8.

237. Isaiah 6. 1.

238. Exodus 33. 20.

239. Exodus 33. 11.

240. Numbers 12. 6–8.

241. Yebamodt 49b.

242. Isaiah 6. 5.

243. Ibid.

244. Ibid. In the Hebrew the word for undone is similar to the one for imaginative.

245. Yebamot 49b.

246. Exodus 24. 10.

247. Commentary on Deuteronomy 17. 15.

248. Proverbs 16. 14.

249. Comp. Job 37. 13.

250. That is, Maimonides.

251. Proverbs 28. 2.

252. Isaiah 7. 6 (shortened).

253. Shebet Yehudah, 29, Wiener’s edition, pp. 48, seq.

254. Isaiah 66. 2.

255. Iggeret Orehot ‘Olam, chapter 14, Hyde’s edition, pp. 90, seq.

256. ‘Emek ha-Baka (the Vale of Weeping), Letteris’ edition, pp. 20, seq.

257. Nishmat Hayyim (Soul of Life), part 2, chapter 30.

258. Psalm 84. 12.

259. Ibid. 73. 27.

260. La-Yesharim Tehillah (Praise to the Upright), Act II, Scene I. An allegorical drama written mostly in blank verse. As a rule the lines are of ten syllables, but now and then there are lines of six syllables. Each line ends with a word whose accent is on the penult.

261. Names of giants; comp. Numbers 13. 22.

262. Shire Tif’eret, part of canto XVII.

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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.
Anachronistic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed.
Footnotes have been re-indexed using numbers and collected together at the end of the last chapter.

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Moses Prepares the People for the Divine Revelation[262]

Moses Prepares the People for the Divine Revelation^[262]