The Denver Jewish news., 1921-12-21


ben stilled the wild longing in his
heart 60 take his place with the men
who fought to overthrow the SYRIA II
tryant and rema lined with his stricken
friend; and the quiet days in the hills
went on as before.
Then the quiet was broken by r'l-
mors thar AIaccabeus had actually en-
tered Jerusalem and had taken posses
sion of the desecrated Temple. few
warriors from his army. permitted TO
return home to their families. stras-
cled past the hut in the hills; Oh an
ether day several sturdy women from
Modin Travelled by oil their way to
Jerusalem that they might reJoin
their brothers aud husbands who had
sent them word by swift messengers
that it was now safe for them 10 come
TO the city which had suffered so ter
ribly at the hands of the heather zoe.
And, hearing them speak. Daniel had
croped for his staff and said: Il viii
go to Jerusalem for it is my right to
stand with the others when the Tenn
ple is redeemed and purified.
So the two set out together. the
eager boy and the soldier who WAS
litfle more than II youth i'll years hNt
bowed by suffering and atiiiction. In
spite of Daniels blindness. they travel
ed swiftly, for Reuben served as his
eyes, and often when the warrior grew
weak and weary, lifted him i'll his own
strong Young arms and carried him
upon his back. And when they near
cd Jerusalem. they met wealthy mer-
chant of that place. who had been
forced to flee with his household dur
irC the prosecutions of Antiochus OF
Syria he was an old man. proud of
his name and his wealth. but when he
heard that Daniel had been one OF
JuLas's men he ordered him to be
seated at his side in his litter. ana
babe his servants bring them wine ana
bread to eat and water for their bleed
ing feet. Then when they set out fof
Jerusalem again. Daniel rested upon
soft cushions in the rich merchant $
litter. while Reuben followed with the
resi- of the household, rejoicing that
the long, hard journey WAS almost
over.
Reuben had never seen Jerusalem,
for until the war devastcd the land
he had not been old enough 10 he re-
CURED to ta,e the journey to the Tenn
pie for the three great pilgrimagcs
each year. Buo he had often heard
of the wonders of Dayid's city. high
upon the hill. for thru his grandfatli-
cr's eyes lie had looked upon the state
ly palaces and fair gardens and the
shining Temple as the old man ha'l
seen them i'm his own youth. But look
ing upon his blind friend. Reuben re-
joiced for the first time tliat Daniel
would not he forced To gaze upon the
city for which he had suffered. nov
laid waste and spoiled by Ghc hcathcn,
whose shrines still stood on every
side mocking the deSecrated places
once held dear 10y every faithful son
Of Israel Guiding Daniel along the
Uneven flag stones thru which the
grass had struggled. Reuben entered
the Temple. now crowded with sol
,liers, who hurried hither and thither
bearing the heather statues and other
uncean objects the Syrians had left
behind them. While some staggered
under the weight of the altar stones
which had been polluted by heatheil
sacrifices and could no longer Ike us'0.
Placing Daniel in II safe corner,
where he might ut least hear the
tumult which he could not join. Reu-
hen at lasr joined the soldiers. not TO
fight as he had once dreamed, hut
To help them prepare the desecratc'l
Temple for its rp-dedicatiom. So for
several weeks. he worked with the 9th
crs helping to clear away tho hcather
symbols and the debris chat had az
cumuatcd during the time the Tenn
Pile had suffered from alien. hands
later he aided those WHO pulit tnc ne"
altar and bore new vessels into the
clcansed shrine. to take the place of
those fhc Syrians had made unit fol
use And tho he often grew very tired
for he was still only young lad and
wearicd sooner than an Older man
would have done. it was n great jos
to Reuben to do his little share il
cleansing the holy place; and ever
greater joy to- serve as nanicIs eyes
and tell him how fair the shrine was
growing. how the quiet face of Judas
glowcd when he looked upon the work
of his soldiers and declared that the
Feast of Rc-dedication might bcgih'
So the day came at last when tho
Temple at Jerusalem was again con