Jewish History | Page 5

and nevertheless successful in
preserving its spiritual unity, its originality, complete and
undiminished.
At first glance, Jewish history during the period of independence seems
to be but slightly different from the history of other nations. Though
not without individual coloring, there are yet the same wars and

intestine disturbances, the same political revolutions and dynastic
quarrels, the same conflicts between the classes of the people, the same
warring between economical interests. This is only a surface view of
Jewish history. If we pierce to its depths, and scrutinize the processes
that take place in its penetralia, we perceive that even in the early
period there were latent within it great powers of intellect, universal
principles, which, visibly or invisibly, determined the course of events.
We have before us not a simple political or racial entity, but, to an
eminent degree, "a spiritual people." The national development is based
upon an all-pervasive religious tradition, which lives in the soul of the
people as the Sinaitic Revelation, the Law of Moses. With this holy
tradition, embracing a luminous theory of life and an explicit code of
morality and social converse, was associated the idea of the election of
the Jewish people, of its peculiar spiritual mission. "And ye shall be
unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" is the figurative
expression of this ideal calling. It conveys the thought that the
Israelitish people as a whole, without distinction of rank and regardless
of the social prominence of individuals, has been called to guide the
other nations toward sublime moral and religious principles, and to
officiate for them, the laity as it were, in the capacity of priests. This
exalted ideal would never have been reached, if the development of the
Jewish people had lain along hackneyed lines; if, like the Egyptians and
the Chaldeans, it had had an inflexible caste of priests, who consider
the guardianship of the spiritual treasures of the nation the exclusive
privilege of their estate, and strive to keep the mass of the people in
crass ignorance. For a time, something approaching this condition
prevailed among the Jews. The priests descended from Aaron, with the
Temple servants (the Levites), formed a priestly class, and played the
part of authoritative bearers of the religious tradition. But early, in the
very infancy of the nation, there arose by the side of this official,
aristocratic hierarchy, a far mightier priesthood, a democratic fraternity,
seeking to enlighten the whole nation, and inculcating convictions that
make for a consciously held aim. The Prophets were the real and
appointed executors of the holy command enjoining the "conversion"
of all Jews into "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Their activity
cannot be paralleled in the whole range of the world's history. They
were not priests, but popular educators and popular teachers. They were

animated by the desire to instil into every soul a deeply religious
consciousness, to ennoble every heart by moral aspirations, to
indoctrinate every individual with an unequivocal theory of life, to
inspire every member of the nation with lofty ideals. Their work did
not fail to leave its traces. Slowly but deeply idealism entered into the
very pith and marrow of the national consciousness. This consciousness
gained in strength and amplitude century by century, showing itself
particularly in the latter part of the first period, after the crisis known as
"the Babylonian Exile." Thanks to the exertions of the Soferim
(Scribes), directed toward the broadest popularization of the Holy
Writings, and constituting the formal complement to the work of the
Prophets, spiritual activity became an integral part of Jewish national
life. In the closing centuries of its political existence, the Jewish people
received its permanent form. There was imposed upon it the
unmistakable hallmark of spirituality that has always identified it in the
throng of the nations. Out of the bosom of Judaism went forth the
religion that in a short time ran its triumphant course through the whole
ancient world, transforming races of barbarians into civilized beings. It
was the fulfilment of the Prophetical promise--that the nations would
walk in the light of Israel.
At the very moment when the strength and fertility of the Jewish mind
reached the culminating point, occurred a political revolution--the
period of homeless wandering began. It seemed as though, before
scattering the Jewish people to all ends of the earth, the providence of
history desired to teach it a final lesson, to take with it on its way. It
seemed to say: "Now you may go forth. Your character has been
sufficiently tempered; you can bear the bitterest of hardships. You are
equipped with an inexhaustible store of energy, and you can live for
centuries, yea, for thousands of years, under conditions that would
prove the bane of other nations in less than