Year: 1879




In deep underground cellar. where
a gloomy darkness and the shadows of
the grave prevailed, in cellar whose
pestilent atmosphere was sufficient to
take away ones breath, in cellar
shrouded in darkness and the silence of
the grave, sat Rabbi Akiba on the eve
of the Day of Atonement, his hands
were shackled, and his feet were bound
with heavy iron chains. At the feet of
this holy and learned man sat the lead
ing sages of Israel Amongst them were
Rabbi Meir, who made clear the most
complex questions of law to the sages,
Rabbi Jehuda, Rabbi Shimeon b. Yochai,
and Rabbi Yosi, his best pupils and
most intimate friends They all sat
silent, the fountains of their eyes were
empty and dry their sighs were sup
pressed in their bosoms, their tongues
cleaved to their throats; there was the
silence of death around them, and they
appeared like those who ascend from
the grave.


The sound Of rafting chains was
heard, Rabbi Akiba moved forward and
backward, and said to the holy assembly
sitting at his feet You have returned,
my dear children; you have returned to
see your aged teacher and old friend,
who is doomed to die cruel death by
the hands of the vindictive enemy, and
in short time he will be slaughtered
before your eyes, for none can save him;
but do not weep nor mourn for me, my
children; let us rather weep for the sins
which we have committed; let us i'm
plore and supplicate God to forgive us
our sins on this day of atonement Well
and good is it for me that you see me in
this position My death will be an
atonement for all my sins For, alas, [
sinned greatly when l believed in Shi-
neon Bar Cochba. should have known
that proud and passionate man like
he never could be Gods messiah [
should have known that the King mes
siah does not ride upon a mighty and
magnificent lion, decked with golden
crown and filled with pride and haughti-
ness, but that he will enter Jerusalems S
portals meekly and humbly. But Gods
law is perfect, and will remain forever :;
it constitutes the life of our immortal
souls for it's sake we should be willing
to endanger our lives for it's sake we
should be ready to pass through fire and
water, and for it's obedience we should
always gladly endure death. In times
of trouble like these, it behooves us not
only to teach our people with our
mouths and lips, that our religion is the
daughter of the true God and eternal
King, but also to demonstrate this by
our deeds and actions, so that people
may not exchange life eternal for earthly
life and carnal pleasures. Jerusalem,
the holy city, is no more sorrow and
suffering have destroyed her, and an
other city, built by the Romans, will
stand upon her sacred ground. An idols
temple will raise it's head on the site
where the sanctuary once stood, and an
abominable pollution will be placed on
the spot which was occupied by the ark
of the testimony. The great and mighty
city Of Bethar has become wilderness
and a desolate waste it's earth has alb
sorbed the blood of thousands of our
brethren, and it's soil has been enriched
with the gore of our saints and pious
ones. The enemy dashed our children
upon the edges of it's rocks in all it's
streets they slaughtered our child-bear-
ing women; all it's surroundings have
been changed into pools of blood, the