Brother In Messiah

AS I am going to demonstrate a most philosophical proposition, namely, that observant reasoning is absolute master of the passions, I would willingly advise you to give the utmost heed to philosophy.’ For reason is necessary to everyone as a step to science: and more especially it embraces the praise of prudence, the highest virtue. If, then, reasoning appears to hold the mastery over the passions which stand in the way of temperance, such as gluttony and lust, it surely also and manifestly has the rule over the affections which are contrary to justice, such as malice; and of those which are hindrances to manliness, as wrath, and pain, and fear. How, then, is it, perhaps some may say, that reasoning, if it rule the affections, is not also master of forgetfulness and ignorance? They attempt a ridiculous argument. For reasoning does not rule over its own affections, but over such as are contrary to justice, and manliness and temperance, and prudence; and yet over these, so as to withstand, without destroying them. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 1:1-6 את CEPHER

I might prove to you, from many other considerations, that observant reasoning is sole master of the passions; but I shall prove it with the greatest force from the fortitude of El’azar, and seven brethren, and their mother, who suffered death in defence of virtue. For all these, contemning pains even unto death, by this contempt, demonstrated that reasoning has command over the passions. For their virtues, then, it is right that I should commend those men who died with their mother at this time in behalf of rectitude; and for their honours, I may count them happy. For they, winning admiration not only from men in general, but even from the persecutors, for their manliness and endurance, became the means of the destruction of the tyranny against their nation, having conquered the tyrant by their endurance, so that by them their country was purified. But we may now at once enter upon the question, having commenced, as is our wont, with laying down the doctrine, and so proceed to the account of these persons, giving glory to the all wise ELOHIYM. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 1:7-12 את CEPHER

The question, therefore, is, whether reasoning be absolute master of the passions. Let us determine, then, What is reasoning? and what passion? and how many forms of the passions? and whether reasoning bears sway over all of these? Reasoning is, then, intellect accompanied by a life of rectitude, putting foremost the consideration of wisdom. And wisdom is a knowledge of divine and things of men, and of their causes. And this is contained in the education of the Torah; by means of which we learn divine things reverently, and things of men profitably. And the forms of wisdom are prudence, and justice, and manliness, and temperance. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 1:13-18 את CEPHER

The leading one of these is prudence; by whose means, indeed, it is that reasoning bears rule over the passions. Of the passions, pleasure and pain are the two most comprehensive; and they also by nature refer to the soul. And there are many attendant affections surrounding pleasure and pain. Before pleasure is lust; and after pleasure, joy. And before pain is fear; and after pain is sorrow. Wrath is an affection, common to pleasure and to pain, if anyone will pay attention when it comes upon him. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 1:19-24 את CEPHER

And there exists in pleasure a malicious disposition, which is the most multiform of all the affections. In the soul it is arrogance, and love of money, and vain gloriousness, and contention, and faithlessness, and the evil eye. In the body it is greediness and gormandizing, and solitary gluttony. As pleasure and pain are, therefore, two growths of the body and the soul, so there are many offshoots of these passions. And reasoning, the universal husbandman, purging, and pruning these severally, and binding round, and watering, and transplanting, in every way improves the materials of the morals and affections. For reasoning is the leader of the virtues, but it is the sole ruler of the passions. Observe then first, through the very things which stand in the way of temperance, that reasoning is absolute ruler of the passions. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 1:25-30 את CEPHER

Now temperance consists of a command over the lusts. But of the lusts, some belong to the soul, others to the body: and over each of these classes the reasoning appears to bear sway. For whence is it, otherwise, that when urged on to forbidden meats, we reject the gratification which would ensue from them? Is it not because reasoning is able to command the appetites? I believe so. Hence it is, then, that when lusting after water-animals and birds, and four footed beasts, and all kinds of food which are forbidden us by the Torah, we withhold ourselves through the mastery of reasoning. For the affections of our appetites are resisted by the temperate understanding, and bent back again, and all the impulses of the body are reined in by reasoning. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 1:31-35 את CEPHER

AND what wonder? if the lusts of the soul, after participation with what is beautiful, are frustrated, on this ground, therefore, the temperate Yoceph is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of sense. For, although young, and ripe for sexual intercourse, he abrogated by reasoning the stimulus of his passions. And it is not merely the stimulus of sensual indulgence, but that of every desire, that reasoning is able to master. For instance, the Torah says, You shall not lust after your neighbour’s woman, nor anything that belongs to your neighbour. Now, then, since it is the Torah which has forbidden us to desire, I shall much the more easily persuade you, that reasoning is able to govern our lusts, just as it does the affections which are impediments to justice. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 2:1-6 את CEPHER

Since in what way is a solitary eater, and a glutton, and a drunkard reclaimed, unless it be clear that reasoning is lord of the passions? A man, therefore, who regulates his course by the Torah, even if he be a lover of money, straightway puts force upon his own disposition; lending to the needy without interest, and cancelling the debt of the incoming Shabbath. And should a man be parsimonious, he is ruled by the Torah acting through reasoning; so that he does not glean his harvest crops, nor vintage: and in reference to other points we may perceive that it is reasoning that conquers his passions. For the Torah conquers even affection toward parents, not surrendering virtue on their account. And it prevails over marriage love, condemning it when transgressing the Torah. And it lords it over the love of parents toward their children, for they punish them for vice; and it domineers over the intimacy of friends, reproving them when wicked. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 2:7-12 את CEPHER

And think it not a strange assertion that reasoning can in behalf of the Torah conquer even enmity. It allows not to cut down the cultivated herbage of an enemy, but preserves it from the destroyers, and collects their fallen ruins. And reason appears to be master of the more violent passions, as love of empire and empty boasting, and slander. For the temperate understanding repels all these malignant passions, as it does wrath: for it masters even this. Thus Mosheh, when angered against Dathan and Aviyram, did nothing to them in wrath, but regulated his anger by reasoning. For the temperate mind is able, as I said, to be superior to the passions, and to transfer some, and destroy others. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 2:13-18 את CEPHER

For why, else, does our most wise father Ya`aqov blame Shim`on and Leviy for having irrationally slain the whole race of the Shikmiym, saying, Cursed be their anger. For if reasoning did not possess the power of subduing angry affections, he would not have spoken thus. For at the time when ELOHIYM created man, he implanted within him his passions and moral nature. And at that time he enthroned above all the holy leader mind, through the medium of the senses.’ And he gave a Torah to this mind, by living according to which it will maintain a temperate, and just, and good, and manly reign. How, then, a man may say, if reasoning be master of the passions, has it no control over forgetfulness and ignorance? MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 2:19-24 את CEPHER

THE argument is exceedingly ridiculous: for reasoning does not appear to bear sway over its own affections, but over those of the body, in such a way as that anyone of you may not be able to root out desire, but reasoning will enable you to avoid being enslaved to it. One may not be able to root out anger from the soul, but it is possible to withstand anger. Anyone of you may not be able to eradicate malice, but reasoning has force to work with you to prevent you yielding to malice. For reasoning is not an eradicator, but an antagonist of the passions. And this may be more clearly comprehended from the thirst of king David. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 3:1-6 את CEPHER

For after David had been attacking the Pelishtiym the whole day, he with the soldiers of his nation slew many of them; then when evening came, sweating and very weary, he came to the royal tent, about which the entire host of our ancestors was encamped. Now all the rest of them were at supper; but the king, being very much athirst, although he had numerous springs, could not by their means quench his thirst; but a certain irrational longing for the water in the enemy’s camp grew stronger and fiercer upon him, and consumed him with languish. Wherefore his body guards being troubled at this longing of the king, two valiant young soldiers, reverencing the desire of the king, put on their panoplies, and taking a pitcher, got over the ramparts of the enemies: MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 3:7-12 את CEPHER and unperceived by the guardians of the gate, they went throughout the whole camp of the enemy in quest. And having boldly discovered the fountain, they filled out of it the draught for the king. But he, though parched with thirst, reasoned that a draught reputed of equal value to blood, would be terribly dangerous to his soul. Wherefore, setting up reasoning in opposition to his desire, he poured out the draught to ELOHIYM. For the temperate mind has power to conquer the pressure of the passions, and to quench the fires of excitement, and to wrestle down the pains of the body, however excessive; and, through the excellency of reasoning, to abominate all the assaults of the passions. MAKKABIYM REVIY`IY (4 MACCABEES) 3:13-18 את CEPHER