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The following is from Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch's essay Teveth I that
appears in Volume II of his Collected Writings. Note the next to the last
paragraph below. I think it has much applicability to today.
(The entire essay may be read at
<a href="http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/teveth_II.pdf">
<font face="arial" size=3><b>Teveth II</a> Judaism and
Rome</b>) Yitzchok Levine<br><br>
</font>In contrast with Hellas' idealism, Rome's essential character
bears<br>
the imprint of blatant material possessions. The value of objects
and<br>
actions was determined by their usefulness. Rome had no use for<br>
anything that might elevate the mind and lead the soul toward self
reflection<br>
and ennoblement, no room for anything that might render<br>
man more humane. All respect for ethical conduct and human rights<br>
faded and warlike heroism and a skill in exploiting the weakness of<br>
other nations became praiseworthy virtues. Implacable and full of<br>
hostility towards outsiders, Rome demanded of her own sons
subordination<br>
and devotion, the same military virtues that are required of a<br>
band of pirates. Even that loftiest of ideas called religion, and
the<br>
concept of deity, were totally submerged in the expedient
utilitarianism<br>
of the state's power. Religion, fear of gods and the priesthood were<br>
only used as tools for power. Religion and priests were used as a
public<br>
facade to issue edicts which no one else dared to issue. Religion
and<br>
priests were needed attachments to the rapacious claws of the Roman<br>
eagle. Priests and religion were held in high esteem only as a
guarantee<br>
of their rulers' power. Culture and the arts became only a means of<br>
pleasure in the hands of the coarse materialistic Roman rulers. And<br>
this pleasure reached such a degree of mindless animalism and<br>
degeneration that depravity buried the last spark of humanity
dormant<br>
even in the crudest of men. The desire for pleasure grew to such an<br>
extent that there was no longer anything sacred in the Roman world<br>
which was not degraded into a mere race for possession and
pleasure.<br><br>
Within, the craving for power and possessions lacerated the very<br>
entrails of Rome. Over the corpses of outlawed citizens, the victor,<br>
cheered by a populace won over by "Bread and Circuses,"
draped<br>
himself in the purple of a blood-stained toga. Beyond Rome, the<br>
legions carried its depravity across the sea and to other lands.
Under<br>
the pretense of friendly alliances, under the flag of right and
order,<br>
under the cloak of the sacred office of a court of arbitration
dispensing<br>
justice and peace, a policy was pursued which drew the very marrow<br>
out of its citizens leaving the dismembered and decaying bodies of<br>
nations in the graveyard of history.<br><br>
It was at the time of the most intense degradation that the state of<br>
Judah came into contact with the Roman despots. Two brothers of the<br>
House of the Hasmoneans, contesting each other's right to the<br>
throne-which they had seized illegally-called upon one of the<br>
Roman governors advancing at the head of his legions to act as<br>
arbitrator. Jerusalem was lost at the very moment Jewish
representatives<br>
appeared before Pompey's governor Scaurus, a century before<br>
the fall of Jerusalem. From that moment on Rome began to suck the<br>
blood of Judea and inculcated Judea's princes and nobles with the<br>
spirit of their system. They plunged the people into a sea of
depravity<br>
and taught them the abuse of religion, temple and priesthood, as
tools<br>
and means of power and self-aggrandizement. The spirit of Rome<br>
corrupted the soul of the Jewish Temple. In an angry response the<br>
majesty of God ceded the Temple and priests, king and throne to the<br>
Roman legions, and joined its faithful nation in its exile.<br><br>
Let the recollection of the days commemorating this downfall act<br>
as a warning against the Roman spirit. We must fear Roman
materialism,<br>
not Hellenic idealism.<br><br>
Chanukah is followed by Teveth. The Hellenic spirit attempted to<br>
corrupt our Temple; it was thwarted. Initially Rome left our Temple<br>
intact; indeed, its hirelings restored, yeah surpassed its glory and<br>
wonders, and yet it was Rome that in the end destroyed our
Temple.</body>
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