SELECTED WISDOM FROM GREAT HEBREWS REVERENCE GOD AND HELP MEN Some people attaching themselves to one portion of the Decalogue, neglect the other. For, filled with the unmixed draught of religious yearning, they bid farewell to all other occupations and dedicate their whole life to God. Others, who believe there is no good beyond well-doing towards men, care only for human intercourse; and, by their social zeal, share their possessions with their fellows and seek to alleviate distress to the utmost of their power. Now, both the exclusive lover of man and the exclusive lover of God we may rightly call half perfect. The perfectly virtuous are those who excel in both. PHILO JUDAEUS, B.C. 20. THE ACCEPTED WORSHIP Do not seek for the City of God on earth, for it is not built of wood or stone; but seek it in the soul of the man who is at peace with himself and is a lover of true wisdom. If a man practises ablutions of the body, but defiles his mind; if he offers hecatombs, founds a temple, adorns a shrine, and does nothing for making his soul beautiful, let him not be called religious. He has wandered far from real religion, mistaking ritual for holiness; attempting, as it were, to bribe the Incorruptible and to flatter Him whom none can flatter. God welcomes the genuine service of a soul, the sacrifice of truth, but from display of wealth He turns away. Will any man with impure soul and with no intention to repent dare to approach the most High God? The grateful soul of the wise man is the true altar of God. PHILO JUDaeus. THE DEEPER SENSE OF GRATITUDE Moses has shown that we should all confess our gratitude for the powers we possess. The wise man should dedicate his sagacity, the eloquent man his speech, to the praise of God; the physicist should offer to Him his physics, the moralist his ethics, the scientist his science, and the artist his art; the sailor his successful voyage, the husbandman his harvest, the herdsman the increase of his cattle, the physician the recovery of his patients, the general his victory, the statesman his chieftaincy, the monarch his rule. Let no one, therefore, however lowly in station despair or scruple to become a suppliant of God. PHILO JUDAEUS. THE PRAISE OF THE CREATOR There is an old story, invented by the sages and handed down by memory from age to age. They say, when God had finished the world, He asked one of the angels if aught were wanting on land or on sea, in air or in heaven. The angel answered that all was perfect; one thing only he desired-speech, to praise God's works, or recount them, which would be their praise. The sincerity of truth would be their most perfect praise. And the Father approved the angel's words, and not long after appeared the race, gifted with the muses and with song. This is the ancient story; and in consonance with its spirit, I say: It is God's peculiar work to benefit, and His creatures' work to give Him thanks. FEELING AFTER GOD PHILO JUDAEUS. The powers of God are ubiquitous; not merely for the benefit of pre-eminent men, but also for those who seem to be insignificant. To them, too, God gives that which harmonizes with the capacity and measure of their souls. Who is there so without reason and soul as never, either voluntarily or involuntarily, to conceive a notion of God? For a sudden apparition of the good frequently flits past even the wickedest; but they cannot retain or keep hold of it. . . . For it quickly passes away from those who have lived beyond the bounds of law and justice; as, indeed, it would never have visited them at all if it were not to convict those who chose evil instead of good. PHILO JUDAEUS. THE UNFAILING REWARD All labor in the pursuit of that which is perfectly good, even if it fail to reach the goal, is sufficient of itself to benefit the laborer. The impulses towards excellence, though they fail to attain their end, give joy to those who have them. But the disciples of the true Word must be true men, lovers of temperance and order and reverence, who have laid the foundations of their lives in selfrestraint and endurance and contentment, as the safe harborage of their souls where they can lie at anchor without risk or harm. PHILO JUDAEUs, b.c. 20. PATHFINDERS Our laws do not call men to misanthropy, but encourage people to share what they have with one another freely, to be enemies to injustice and eager for righteousness, to banish idleness and expensive living. They forbid making war from a desire of lucre; but bid us to be brave in defending our laws and inexorable in punishing malefactors. And I make bold to say that we are become the teachers of men in the greatest number of things, and those the most excellent. For what is more excellent than inviolable piety? What is more just than obedience to the laws? And what is more advantageous than mutual love and concord, and neither to be divided by calamities, nor to become injurious and seditious in prosperity; to despise death when we are in war, and in peace to apply ourselves to trade and agriculture; while we are persuaded that God surveys and directs everything everywhere. FLAVIUS JOsephus. THE SCHOOLING OF THE LAW Now I venture to say that no one can tell of many, nay, of more than two or three, that have abandoned our laws, or feared death, not the easiest of deaths which happens in battles, but which comes with tortures, which is the hardest of all. Indeed, I think they have put us to such deaths, not from their hatred of us, but rather to see a wonderful sight, namely: that there are men in the world who believe that the only evil is being compelled to do or speak anything contrary to their sacred laws. But men ought not to wonder at our courage; when they know how willingly we submit throughout our life to such practices, as working with our hands, living frugally, avoiding luxury and keeping of our days of rest. For those that can use their swords in war, and put their enemies to flight, cannot bear to submit to rules about their mode of living; whereas our being accustomed willingly to submit to laws makes us readier to show our fortitude upon other occasions also. FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS, A.D. 37. THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMANDMENTS What are the things that we Jews are commanded or forbidden? They are simple and well known. The first command is concerning God, and affirms that God is almighty and perfect, self-sufficient and sufficient for all other things; indeed, the beginning, the middle and the end of all things. He is manifest in His works and benefits, and more conspicuous than any other being whatever; but as to His essential nature, most obscure. All materials, let them be ever so costly, are unworthy to compose an image of Him, and all arts are inartistic to express the idea of Him. . . . All men ought to follow and worship Him in the exercise of virtue; for this way of worship is the most holy. And we ought first to pray for the common welfare of all, and after that for our own, since we are made for fellowship with one another, and he who prefers the common good to his own private good is especially acceptable to God. And let our prayers and supplications be made to |