Ancient Jews Quotes
After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. : Joseph ben Matthias
“Slaves” in this passage referred to indentured servants. This concept is referred to as the “Jubilee” where once every 50 years all the land reverted to the original owner or heirs even if it had been rented or sold. Land therefore, was very cheap as the Jubilee year approached, as it would have to be given up. And this command of God made sure that no one could be in servitude forever.
The newly freed slave would have no practical chance of success in a capitalistic, competitive society unless he had the basic tools and property to earn a living and compete. This was mandated for the ancient Jews in the Law of Moses. This was not considered too seriously in Reconstruction after the Civil War, and much of the discrimination and racism might have been avoided if the freed slaves were all given some land as many were in general homesteading programs. These Blacks, and those that went to the industrial North where business owners provided them with the tools and resources in exchange for their labor, were generally the most successful.
Joseph ben Matthias. There a different kinds of theocracy, There can be a Pope, a King, or a Supreme Leader who acts as the chief magistrate using a religious tract as the law of the land. The Ancient Jews had a Republican Theocracy were the leaders were chosen by the people but they did not promulgate any laws. The Torah—the first 5 books of the Old Testament—was the law of the land. In comparison. 21st century Iran recognized the Koran as the source of Laws. However, their chief magistrate was a cleric—the supreme leader who is not elected but appointed by a few other clerics. None of the other Iranian leaders are chosen by the people because all candidates must be approved by the Supreme Leader in order to even stand for election. So the ancient Jews had a republican theocracy, while Iran was an autocratic theocracy.
This is one of the characteristics of a theocracy—that all law comes from the Deity and religious law is civil law and vica versa. This is similar to the modern views held by the extreme conservative Muslims regarding their Islamic law, Sharia.
With the dissatisfaction with the British monarchy rising, American colonial leaders were considering many different alternatives. This quotation shows us that the year before Bunker Hill, the colonials were already thinking about independence but were examining alternatives for the new independent nation. The Jewish Republic was one that a number of Americans considered and some aspects of its civil law were incorporated into some independent State Governments and influenced thinking about the Federal Government in 1787.
Rev Fobes saw the Jubilee as an instrument that would protect liberty by not allowing people a certain amount of economic freedom. See {638120} for an example of how the Jubilee functioned.
See {638124} for how this Biblical passage evolved into a concept of property ownership
the Jews of Ancient Israel
The photo is Rev, Hunting’s original house—a historical landmark in Connecticut.
Like the other people’s of the ancient world, the Jews on several occasions murdered captives and pillaged cities who had resisted them, there was never an occasion where captive peoples were forced into Judaism or denied the worship of their customary religion.
The ancient Jews valued resarch and studying in their own right but the greatest of these are when they lead to action.
See {638095} for more information on the Jubilee.
See {638095} for a brief explanation of the Jubilee. Spinoza was one of the most feared intellectuals in human history—feared that is by the established power structures. He is the only known person who was excommunicated by the Catholics, the Jews and the Muslims—all were forbidden to read his works. He was the enemy of authority and advocated personal reason as the guide for men.
This is one of the several examples of Biblical injuntions to burn transgressors at the stake. See Related Quotes for others. Both New and Old Testamant not only did not condemn this cruelty, but actually proscribed it. This was one of the reasons that it was so difficult for Christian nations to abolish the practice. Not also the patriarchial nature of the rationale for such a punishment. It was not what the daughter did per se that was the offence. It was the the dishonor and profanity of the father that was the crime that had to be punished, Also, priest's daughters were treated more severly than other daughters.
The possession in perpetuity was the result of the Biblical Jubilee. See {638120} for an example of how the Jubilee functioned. Hebrew citizen could NEVER lose his land permanently even if he could not pay his debts. Spinoza was one of the most feared intellectuals in human history—feared that is by the established power structures. He is the only known person who was excommunicated by the Catholics, the Jews and the Muslims—all were forbidden to read his works. He was the enemy of authority and advocated personal reason as the guide for men.
This is one of the best, short, historical summaries of the Ancient Jews’ governmental structure after the Exodus from Egypt. They had, to the best of our knowledge, the first republic, although the orthodox Jews do not credit the Jewish people. It was the Almighty who created the Republic and ordered them to live under it. Later, the Jews wanted Kings, and they had them, destroying the Jewish Republic and creating a Jewish Empire where the kings ranged from good to horrible. Ultra-orthodox Jews in modern Israel, reject the Democracy, and believe. Like ultra-orthodox Muslims, that God rules and not kings or the people or representatives chosen by the people.
This quotation illustrates the method by which the Ancient Jews (also modern ultra orthodox Christians and Jews coped with the problem of inequality of wealth and the problem of a permanent poor and debtor class. It was a form of redistribution of wealth. As a practical manner, this passage had a profound influence on the Jewish and early Christian cultures. Namely there was not a great deal of lending or borrowing amongst the Jews. However, Jews were able to obtain repayment for longer than the 7 years if they made a loan to foreigners. The early Christians had the same stricture. So Jews could lend money to Christians and Christians to Jews without being required to forgo collection ever 7th year. So for Christians, Jews were money lenders which is where the Jewish money lender stereotype had its origin.
