Transcript Masada or Yavneh? - New Levels Education Home

MASADA OR YAVNEH?
By Bentzion Goldman
Overview
Throughout this presentation I will be discussing a
few topics:
 1. The Background History of the Destruction of
the Second Temple
 2. The two approaches to the destruction
 3. Which approach I think was more inspiring.
BACKGROUND HISTORY
What Led Up to the Destruction
Background History
There were three main events which increasingly
built up to the two responses of the destruction of
the 2nd temple. Here’s an overview:
63 CE-Roman
Rule
66 CE-Great
Revolt
70 CEDestruction of
the 2nd Temple
Background History
There were three main events which increasingly
built up to the two responses of the destruction of
the 2nd temple. Here’s an overview:
63 CE-Roman
Rule
66 CE-Great
Revolt
70 CEDestruction of
the 2nd Temple
Background History-Roman Rule
63 CE-Roman
Rule
At the start of the Roman Rule, the ruling
became increasingly harsh on the Jews.
They were treated unfairly. Many
sporadic revolts broke out, eventually
leading to a full-scale revolt, called the
Great Revolt, in 66 CE.
Background History-The Great Revolt
66 CE-Great
Revolt
The Great revolt broke out as a result of
the increasingly harsh and unfair laws
which were set upon the Jews. The
Romans and Jews were in constant
battle. At the end, the Roman army, led
by Titus, succeeded in razing Jerusalem
to the ground, in 70 CE.
Background History-The Destruction
70 CEDestruction of
the 2nd Temple
Ending The Great Revolt, The Romans,
led by Titus, conquered Jerusalem and
succeeded in destroying the Temple.
Hundreds of Thousands of Jews
perished in the siege, or in other places
in Jerusalem, and many thousands
more were sold into slavery.
Important Roman Characters
Titus, Roman general
who eventually
destroyed the Temple
Vespasian, the Roman
who became emporer
and who gave R’
Yochanan Yavneh
THE TWO APPROACHES
How the Jews Reacted to the Destruction.
The Two Approaches to the Destruction
There were two different approaches to the
destruction of the Temple;
 the approach of the Zealots,
 and the approach of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
and his followers.
Here is an overview:
The Zealots
 Their main thought was
to ‘fight to the death’
rather than to be sold
into slavery by the
Romans.
 They believed that all
Jews should think like
them
 They fought at the
fortress Masada for some
time.
R’ Yochanan and his
followers
 They believed in as
little violence as
possible
 They were more
worried about saving
Jewish ways
The Zealots
 Once Jerusalem was
captured, they
succeeded in escaping
to the fortress Masada,
which King Herod had
built many years
before.
The Zealots
 The Zealots then lived
there for a period of
time until the Romans
came to fight.
Map of Masada and its features
1. Upper ending of the “Snake Path”
2. Housing units with “triclinia”
3. Storerooms
4. Thermal baths
5. Northern palace (three levels)
6. Administrative palace
7. Observation point
8. Synagogue 9. Casemate wall
10. Roman breach and assault ramp
11. West entrance
12. Bursecai tower (tanners workshop)
13. Western palace
14. Byzantine church
15. Officials' quarter
16. Guard tower
17. Residences
18. Round columbarium
19. Huge water-cistern
20. South fortress
21. Casemate wall and zealots dwellings
22. Monastic cell
The Zealots
 When the Romans
came to fight, they
used weapons such as
battering rams and
high towers from
which trained archers
would shoot arrows.
The Zealots
 The Jews, although they used weapons, had a lot of
safety, for the walls of Masada were taller than three
men on top of each other, and the double walls were
each as thicker than the length of a man’s arm.
The Zealots
 When the Romans finally broke through the walls of Masada,
they found all the Jews who had been inside the fortress, lying
dead on the floor.
 Once they realized that they could not win the war, the Jews
came to a realization that it would be better to commit suicide,
rather than to be sold in slavery by the Romans. For, there they
would most likely be forced to to act against the name of G-d.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
 Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was a very wise and
well respected man. He succeeded in saving Jewish
ways by doing a number of things…
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
 1. First off, R’ Yochanan analyzed the situation and
realized that there was no defeating the Romans,
but he did not panic.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
 2. Secondly, R’ Yochanan was not thinking about
saving himself, yet saving everyone else and Jewish
ways.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
 3. Thirdly, he thought up a plan which would not
require violence, yet would still save Judaism.
However, he had to make sure that the plan was
fool-proof, for this might be the only chance he
would get to save Judaism.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
 4. Lastly, R’ Yochanan acted and put his plan into
action. In that way, he saved all Jewish ways. Here
is what he did…
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
R’ Yochanan decided that the best way to be snuck
out of Jerusalem was to climb into an un-used
coffin and have two of his pupils pretend to be
leaving Jerusalem to bury him. Why he needed to
get out of Jerusalem-I will explain shortly.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
Two of his pupils, Rabbi Eliezer, and Rabbi Yehoshua
snuck R’ Yochanan out of Jerusalem in a coffin. R’
Eliezer held the head of the coffin, while R’ Yehoshua
held the other end. Together they went to a gate
leading out of Jerusalem, where they were met by
Roman guards.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
The guards asked them,
“Who is this, you are carrying”
The two Rabbis responded,
“He just passed away, and did you not know that
we do not bury the dead inside Jerusalem?”
The guards once again spoke,
“If he is dead then take him out.”
So they did.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
Once out of the city, the two Rabbis took R’
Yochanan out of the city and the three went
directly to Vespasian.
On seeing R’ Yochanan he immediately spoke,
“Is it you, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai? Tell me
what you desire, and I will give it to you.”
R’ Yochanan answered,
“I want nothing-but Yavneh [the city] and its
scholars to continue learning torah there.”
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
Then R’ Yochanan explained a vision he had.
Vespasian was to become emperor. Vespasian then
said,
“If your prophecy becomes true, I will give you
Yavneh.”
R’ Yochanan’s vision became true shortly after, and
in return, he received Yavneh.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai
 When R’ Yochanan received the city of Yavneh, he
continued to keep the torah, perform all the
mitzvot, and basically continue Jewish life there. It
is appropriate to say that he saved the religion of
Judaism-of course with G-d’s help.
THE MOST INSPIRING
APPROACH
In my opinion…
The Most Inspiring Approach
 First off I will state that I find the approach of
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and his followers to be
more inspiring to me. Why? I will now explain…
The Most Inspiring Approach
 As it is obvious, R’ Yochanan’s act was one of pure
genius, and thought. He devised a plan to save
Judaism, without violating any mitzvot, and
avoiding as much violence as possible.
The Most Inspiring Approach
 He started off by thinking to himself: no doubt,
the Romans cannot be defeated. BUT HE DID
NOT PANIC! He simply and without fuss left
than plan, and so to speak thought of a ‘plan
B’.
The Most Inspiring Approach
 He then thought up a ‘plan B’ so flawless that it
would trick the Romans.
 Here , we can identify an important trait which a
leader (and really a hero) must have:
PERSEVERANCE
The Most Inspiring Approach
 Then R’ Yochanan took two of his pupils, and
actually performed the daring act.
 Here we find yet another trait in R’ Yochanan:
BRAVERY
The Most Inspiring Approach
 Once R’ Yochanan completed his task, he had
saved-NOT HIMSELF-but the entire Jewish nation.
 Another trait is identified in R’ Yochanan:
BEING UN-SELFISH
The Most Inspiring Approach
 So, as you can see Rabbi Yochanan is not only a
savior, not only a good torah scholar and role
model, but also a hero. That is one of the main
reasons I find his approach the most inspiring.
The Most Inspiring Approach
 R’ Yochanan
Persevered
b. Was brave
c. Was un-selfish
And that was what really caused him to save Judaism; as
opposed to the zealots, who stuck to one idea, and
although showed bravery, were not as flexible to get
their plan done, as was R’ Yochanan.
a.
CONCLUSION
Conclusion
 I find R’ Yochanan’s act to be more inspiring to me,
because what he did was truly an act of heroism,
compared to the Zealot’s actions which were
stubbornly based on one idea.