El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-12-13
Judaism advanced in
three streams whose main sources
were At Jerusalem. Babylon and

DOSTEXILIC Judaism advanced in
three streams whose main sources
were at Jerusalem. Babylon and
Egypt Hulel combined TO a remarka-
bic degree the cultural and religious
development Of Babylon and Jerusalem
and we now turn to PhilO, the best
representative of the Egyptian Jewish
community. He is not to be regarded
as single philosophical genius who
suddenly sprang up at Alexandria but
rather as the elimination OF long de-
velopment, the supreme master Of an
II seems the irony of fate that Jewish
philosophers should be either neglected
writer of the book Of Job is unknown.
Philo, seeking to combine Greek phi
IosOphy with Jewish theology. was soon
forgotten by the rabbis and in a short
time became a Christian worthy. Mai
monides (1135-1204), seeking to com
bfne Arabic philosophy with Jewish
lore, aroused the ire Of the rabbis, who
declared his teaching heretical, while
Spinoza- (1632-l641), combining the phi
lOsophy of Descartes with biblical law
and tradition, was communicated at
Amsterdam. And yet history has placed
upon their brOWS the WreathS OF victory
and proclaimed their thought worthy
day.
We know little of Philo, though we
other Jewish writer of antiquity. He
was born at Alexandria about the year
20 before the present era, of a.~Weu
known and respected family. dis
brother was Alabarch, or a ruler of the
Jews at Alexandria and his nephew at
a later date occupied the same position.
He doubtless came of an influential
family and his writings naturally car
ried that weight which comes to words
delivered by a prominent citizen We
must not forget that he was a contem-
porary Of Hillel. While the latter was
influencing Jewish thought and pro-
gress in Palestine, Philo Influenced
Jewish thought and development at
Alexandria and throughout the dias-
pora-
one other fact we know about his
life. In the year 40 Of the present era
he was chairman of a committee sent
from Alexandria to plead with the en-
peror Gatus Cahgula Tor more lenlent
treatment OF the Jews at Alexandria,
and though this commission accom-
plished little, the death of the emperor
soon after improved their condition.
A Picture Of the Times.
From his numerous works, however,
we can evolve a fair picture Of the
condition of his life, the condition of
the Jews at Alexandria, his. likes and
dislikes, and build up a worthy biogra-
ply Of a representative Jew Of the time.
It viii be impossible in a popular lee
ture, as this. to give in detail the phIlO-
sOphicaI teachings he promulgated, to
show the nice distinctions he drew to
make Judaism acceptable to the philos-
ophy loving Greeks; the attempt to in
terpret Jewish law and tradition in
terms OF Greek thought; the proselytis-
ing efforts he made Il. replace the gods
Of nature by the God of history who
had preserved the race through the
ages" And this task would be so much
more difficult since authorities differ
as to his Jewish worth. Friedlander
declares, 'Philo's entire philosophy is
while Bentwich goes to the
other extreme and tells US. "Philo's
thought is through and through Jew
ish." When authorities differ it is best /
for laymen to consider only such points |
as are Of general interest and about /
which there is no disagreement
Period Of Religious Unrest.
The first half of the first century of |
the present era was g period Of intense |