The Denver Jewish news., 1918-10-24
Moses in Legend
LEON srIrz.

Legends are not fanciful flights Of
an aroused and high-strung nature.
OFT they are couched in poesy and
song. Many a legend. too. IL draped
with Il beauteous garb. and radiates
with the ltistre of priceless gems. Le-
even thoughts and moral truths. but
present much that Is real history.
We need to understand the Language
of folklore, to read Alright Its vieled
meanings. and TO catch bits of its
whispered speech. Popular stories have
their. origin in real facts and in real
personages !: and these are enhanced
in beauty. In moral value, and in mag
nitude by the dignity and the rever-
ence we manifest for the times re-
mote. ancestral lineage, and ,hoary age.
The Moses of the Bible offers
splendid and complete picture of the
great and noble Jewish leader. Yet
the Midrashic, legendary Moses pOr-
trays ain even more real and more
truly historical personality. 1t shows
MS Moses. as our people loved to think
Of him and to picture him! Moses.
the ideal hero Of the nation, the Moses
on Jewish thought. Jewish idealism
and the Jewish life of thousands Of
years. J..
A cycle Of legends and folk-tales
drawn from Jewish, Midrashic sources
and centering about the character and
parsonage OF Moses, not alone conjure
up to our exalting eyes the wonder
full career Of our ancient leader. but
also betray the wealth and richness
that color the soul Of our Jewish peo-
pie. W
/ The Birth Of Moses.
The passing of tyranny-the birth
of freedom. The birth Of JOchebeds
little child proclaimed these parallel
events. The astrologers Of Pharaoh's
court looked up unto the high heav-
ems and In the harmony Of the spheres
they beheld the knell OF tyranny. A
ncw and bright star had appeared on
| thA customar1 horison. and filled with
mystic dread they proclaimed the
appearance Of a righteous champion.
Their Pharoah published the decree,
.AIl the boys shall ye drown In the
Nile."
In the humble Jewish home the un-
lighted candles became aglow with u
divine flame at the birth Of the child.
The birth Of the leader kindled and
aroused the slumbering fire in the
breasts of the oppressed and the down
trodden.
At the Palace.
Noses was brought up In Pharaoh's
palace A princely soul must be nur-
tured in the sphere Of a palace 1t ere
ates and builds up the richness and
the luxuriance Of the magnificence OF
royal splendor even IN its humble and
lowly abode.
He sucked the breast Of his own
mother. The milk that nurtured him
was pure and native to his spirit. he
played on his mothers lap, and iisped
Jewish sounds in his own tongue.
Playfully, and who knows, but
knowingly, the legend says, one day,
the little Moses took off the crown
from Pharaoh's head ana placed 1t on
his own This was but symbol. The
crown of true greatness, the crown
OF service. and the leadership was even
then to he his. 1t was but biding
the hour of his awakening. his first
plunge into action.
Two dishes were set before him. the
dish of gold and the dish with glow
ing Goals. What leader has not en-
countered the test. what champion has
not struggled with temptation? His
angel pushed him towards the dish
with the hot Goals. Blessed was the
angel who chcered the leader on to
the noble goal The poor child burn
ed his lips at the touch of the red
hot fire. The fairest gold has been
molten in the, crucible. has withstood
the heat of the flames and has come
forth more pure and more bright.
Thunder and lightning the prophet
must sway ut this will and burning tor
rents gush forth from his fire-touched
lips.
The Romance Of Moses.
Jethro. the priest of Midian. had
wondrous beautiful garden. iuxuriant
in many splendors. A marvellous
branch sprouted there. deeply rooted
in the hard soil. Jethro had one fair
daughter. the pride Of Midian. Many