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Chapter III – Yeshu

Chapter Three – Yeshu

Peninnah planned Miram’s wedding early in the month of Tammuz, two years after her arrival in Yerushaláyim. Wedding invitations were sent throughout the city. There were so many, neighbors offered to take in the overflow of attending guest. This would be one of the largest weddings the city had seen in some time. Shaphan was almost overwhelmed by the intricate planning, for everything had to be in perfect order. Mariam’s bloodline had been carefully researched in the Mikdash by covert Essene with access to the archives. This information was then submitted to the kohein gadol for examination and to receive his blessing on the marriage.
The L’Sameach “Choson v’Kallah” or wedding feast, the “Chupah” a gold fringed canopy covering the ceremony, wine and many other details all had to be perfectly planned. Mariam had become a valuable asset to Shaphan and Peninnah, as not only did she help with the household chores, but her Essene training in mathematics gave her the ability to assist Shaphan with his bookkeeping. In the meantime, her own business flourished, allowing her to pay Shaphan more than Yerushaláyim’s going rate for lodging. Shaphan became distressed at the thought of her departure from his house to begin a new life, but he realized this would mean the fulfillment of a mission paramount to all other consideration.
At last the wedding preparations had been completed for what would long be remembered as one of the most beautiful and joyous weddings ever held in Yerushaláyim. As was customary, Yosef and Mariam had not seen each other for the seven days prior to the wedding and had begun the fast that would last until the wedding ceremony. Previously, each had been but half a person. Now, with the hour of marriage at hand, they would resume their original wholeness, as a single new and pure soul. Standing under the Chupah their life destiny would be set.
The ceremony began with the Kabbalas Ponim or the greeting of the bride and groom held in separate rooms in Shaphan’s house. The receptions were held separately since the Choson (groom) and the Kallah (bride) were not to see each on this last day of the week prior to the wedding. Relatives and friends all came to greet the bride and groom and bless them, offering them their heartfelt wishes. With the Kabbalas Ponim completed, Yosef the Choson and Mariam the Kallah went in solemn procession to the Chupa where they would be united.
Upon their arrival under the Chupah, Mariam and her family, represented by Shaphan and Peninnah, circled Yosef seven times. This circling recalled the seven turns of a Tefillin’s strap wrapped around a man’s arm. Just as a man would bind himself in love to G_d, so too was Yosef’s bond of love be to his bride. The seven circles represented the completion of the seven day process in which earth was created. During those seven days, the earth revolved on its axis seven times. Since their marriage served to reenact this creative process, Mariams encirclement of Yosef likewise symbolized the repetition of these seven earthly rotations. On this day of his wedding, Yosef was compared to a king and just as a king would be encircled by his legions, Yosef was now encircled by his bridal entourage. When the Mariam finished the seven circles, she took her place at Yosef’s right side right, and a Psalmist called out, “at the right hand does the queen stand.” Two witnesses were then called upon to stand under the Chupah and witness the proceedings.
As the bride and groom stood beside each other under the Chupah, a cantor welcomed them with this blessing.
“Welcome!
He who is the Al-mighty and Omnipotent, over all;
He who is Blessed over all;
He who is the Greatest of all;
He who is Distinguished of all;
Shall Bless the Choson and Kallah.”
The Seder Kiddushin – The Betrothal and Marriage Benediction
Next came the marriage benediction. This observance was held in two parts; both parts would be introduced with a benediction over wine, the symbol of joy and abundance. The first blessing over the wine sanctified the marriage. After this blessing Mariam and Yosef groom each took a sip of wine. The second blessing was recited over the ceremony, thanking G_d for providing the opportunity to perform the mitzvah. Once again after the blessing Mariam and Yosef sipped the wine from the wedding cup. After the seven blessings. The blessing ended with the Psalmist saying “Blessed are You L-rd, Who sanctifies His people Israel through Chupah and Kiddushin.” Yosef then placed a simple band of gold on his bride’s right forefinger. The gold reflected to Mariam that she would be as precious as gold to Yosef. As he placed the ring on her finger Yosef recited the following, “Harei At Mekudeshes Li B’taba’as Zo Kedas Moshe V’Yisrael – Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel.”
The Ketubah – The Marriage Contract
To separate the betrothal blessings from the marriage blessings (Sheva Berachos), the “Kesubah” (marriage contract) was now read aloud in Aramaic. The “Kesubah,” a binding document of confidence and trust, would detail Yosef’s obligations to Mariam. Therein, he would pledge to “work for his bride, honor, provide for and support her, in accordance with the practices of Jewish husbands who work for their wives’ honor, provide and support them in truth.” Symbolically, this contract recalled the wedding between G_d and Israel where “Moses took the Book of the Covenant” and read it to the people after the Jews stood under the “Chupah” at Mt. Sinai. Following the reading of the contract, Yosef handed it to Mariam.
Yichud – Seclusion
After the ceremony, the Mariam and Yosef retired to a private room for the symbolic “consummation” of their marriage. The few minutes they would share together would allude to their new intimate relationship and emphasizes that their absolute privacy was to be respected. Refreshments were then served, and the two broke their fast.
The Seudas Mitzvah – The Wedding Feast
After this moment of solitude, the festivities began in earnest. At the Seudas Mitzvah the guests would participate in the “L’Sameach Choson v’Kallah,” to celebrate in joy with the groom and bride. Although the wedding feast in itself would be a mitzvah, the emphasis would be on entertaining the newlyweds. The guest began by dancing around the Mariam and Yosef in an expression of their support for the couple. Finally at the end of the feast, the “grace after meals” was recited.
The Mitzvah Dance – The Bride dances with the guests

As evening arrived the dancing began, Mariam would dance with Shaphan her surrogate father and the other male wedding guests. During the mitzvah tanz she would hold the groom’s hand and her father’s hand, but danced with the other guests by holding on to one end of a scarf or a gartel or belt, while the guest held the other.
Late in the evening, at the conclusion of the wedding festivities, Mariam and Yosef retired to a small house rented by Shaphan as a wedding gift to the couple. It was in this small place in Yerushaláyim that their love and their marriage would be fully consummated. As was the custom, for seven consecutive evenings following the wedding, their friends or relatives hosted festive meals in their honor. The feasting would recall the seven-day celebration after the marriage of Jacob to Leah, who spent their days in prayer, learning Torah and performing mitzvos to provide the “new house in Israel” a solid foundation in G_d’s ways of holiness.
Within a few months Mariam realized there was something very special about the child she was carrying. Whenever the baby would hear Yosef reading from the Torah scrolls, he would kick violently.

Eight months later

Mariam and Yosef wed in four BC. By then Herod was ill unto death and his reign over the kingdom was rapidly deteriorating. The power vacuum of his absence led to increasing violence and political insurrections. Yosef and Mariam fled the city to the relatively safer environs of a small village called bet lahm, or “house of meat,” that lay some six Roman milliarium south-southwest of Yerushaláyim. The name was most likely an allusion to the numerous sheep herds roaming the hills of the surrounding region.
Mariam’s pregnancy was well advanced by the month of Nisan, when they departed. Even then, bet lahm was a significant part of Jewish legend, both before their entry into Egypt and after their exodus. The village is linked with “Ephrata”, a word meaning “fruitful.” This was the place where Rachel, beloved matriarch of the Jews and favorite wife of Jacob, died during childbirth. Her tomb had long been a pilgrimage for Jews. Significantly, bet lahm was also hailed by the Jews as the birthplace of king David as well as the place where Apep anointed him king. Even more significantly, scripture prophecy foretold this village as the birthplace of the long awaited messiah.
The couple arrived in bet lahm to discover the mounting violence had swelled the village population with those fleeing the panic erupting across Judea. To their dismay they could find no room or lodging anywhere in the village. Yosef stopped at the outskirts of the small village to ponder where they might find safety. With no prospect for shelter, the two wearied travelers were undecided in a direction that might lead to safety, but in a moment, an old man appeared out of the dusty haze on the trail, beckoning them to follow him.
Walking a few Roman stadia north of bet lahm, the old man stopped to address Yosef with a simple command. “Return with me to Yerushaláyim, there our brothers will provide the succor you seek.”
Several merchants had already been approached by the Essene with the idea of equipping a caravan for the two week journey to Natzret. The merchants, agreeable to the idea, had committed funds for the venture. It was decided the caravan would take goods to the northern regions and then return with raw material be used to make goods that would then be sold at the bazaars. Mariam and Yosef would be among the travelers of the caravan, but because of her special mission, she would ride upon the back of a donkey while Yosef walked.
Natzret was not an arbitrary destination, but held within it a specific design. Both Yosef and Mariam were of the same bloodline as Natzret’s founding clan. These were the Northern Essene, driven from Baghdad by Hasmonean kohanim for voicing what they considered heretical views about the sacrifice. The mystical brotherhood eventually established several remote locations designed to shelter them from the persecution of other tribes. Thus Natzret would be a quiet place of refuge for the brothers and their families. Many years later, Yeshu would describe the Essene monastery as “his own household.”
But it was more than family ties that drew Mariam and Yosef to Natzret. The secluded monastery, not far from the northern slope of Mount Carmel, also meant anonymity and safety from intruders. As such, they would live among relatives at the small monastery, a place of about one hundred and fifty souls established around one hundred B.C. Thus, Natzret was a place of refuge for the clan hailing from the house of David and exiled from the tribe of Judah for its esoteric, mystical traditions.
The monastery was nestled in a basin on top of a secluded ridge. It lay some twenty seven Roman milliarium east of the Mediterranean and nineteen milliarium west of Lake Genneraset and a mere five milliarium southeast of the bustling city of Sepphoris. The chalky ridge separated the Plain of Jezreel from the bet Netofa valley, its twenty-five inches of annual rainfall was sufficient to ensure good crops and good pasture. At thirteen hundred foot elevation, it was relatively remote and isolated from the normal flow of traffic that moved along the imperial highway on the plain below. From the ridge, one could see nearby Sepphoris perched on the hill. For the inhabitants of Natzret, a walk along the ridge evoked memories of the ancient prophets Elijah and Elisha.
The caravan provided protection, there would be safety among its numbers, but safety was far from a certainty. In an effort to avoid any suspicion among villagers encountered during the journey, Mariam dressed plainly with the traditional veil covering her face. Thus she would appear to the untrained eye as any slave girl likely traveling among the caravan.
There were several possible routes to Galil. One was along the Nehar haYarden to lake Gennesarette and then up the Jezreel valley. A second possibility lay in the road through Samaria. However, both these made for difficult passages through rough, mountainous regions. These routes were also fraught with the danger of wild animals and roaming bands of brigands. The third route chosen by the Essene was the most sensible. Although this route took the travelers down the steep ravines of the Judean hills, the journey would be infinitely easier traveling an imperial road along the flat, coastal plain. Most of the trip would be along a route well traveled by the Legions of Rome known as The Way of the Philistines, later famed as the Via Maris. Due to Mariam’s advanced pregnancy, it was decided the most agreeable route would be along the coast.
The first stop was planned at the small coastal village of Joppa, some thirty five millarium due west of Yerushaláyim. From here Rome’s imperial road took them north to Appolonia, then across the Plain of Sharon to Caesarea. Here the road forked in four directions. The two middle forks veered north eastward to mountain passes through the Carmel range. The eastern fork was a branch of the imperial road that passed close by Natzret. The western fork passed though the village of Besara. Their journey would take them along the main imperial route leading to the great plain of Esdraelon. Just beyond lay Natzret on the northern boarder of the Jezreel valley. This vast, inland valley features a large fertile plain producing numerous agricultural products. The Samarian highlands and Mount Gilboa formed the valley’s southern border while major cities like Sepphoris and Tiberias lay to the north.
In the coolness of a late morning in the month of Iyyar, the small caravan prepared for departure from Yerushaláyim. By the time they left the sun was setting, leaving the sojourners squinting into the blazing termination of the Judean day. Only the donkey carrying Mariam seemed unfazed by the final rays of the dying sun. In its entirety, the journey would cover some ninety gallic leuga, taking some two weeks total.

Though tiring, the journey was uneventful until the caravan began descending the northern ridge of the Carmel range. Due to the altitude change, Mariam began feeling distinct discomfiture. Crossing the dark plain of Esdraelon her water broke, signaling the imminent arrival of the infant. Fearing they would not make it to the monastery in time, Yosef decided to leave the caravan and seek shelter close by for the impending birth. As he led the tired donkey carrying his groaning wife, he wondered where he might find a sheltered place.
It was the night of the new moon of Iyyar. Four years before, an unusual event had occurred. A triple conjunction of three planets had occurred just before sunrise. Saturn, Jupiter and Mars came into alignment in the constellation of Pisces. At that precise moment the combined light of the three planets caused a sudden brightness in the Southern sky. For the residents of Yerushaláyim this light appeared as a scepter hanging over bet lahm. The light was taken as an omen by the superstitious Judeans witnessing the sudden bright star’s appearance over the village. Tradition held the appearance of such a sign foretold the arrival of a new king. bet lahm had long been referred to as bet lahm “Ephratah” a word meaning fruitful.
The southern village of bet lahm was located high in the rocky hills, some 2,544 Roman pes above the Mediterranean, a location suitable for shepherding animals, hence the term for this location would be in keeping with the Arabic identity bet lahm or “house of meat.” Just prior to the celebration of Pesach, shepherds tended huge flocks of sheep in the fields near the village of Bet lahm. It was unusual for shepherds to tend large flocks near towns and villages because the presence of large flocks fouled the air so badly people often had difficulty breathing. Typically, large flocks were relegated to areas far from the general populace. However, the village of bet lahm was a rare exception. Once a year, during the month Nisan and thirty days prior to the feast of Pesach, enormous flocks of lambs approaching their first year were brought in to graze near bet lahm. Here lambs declared “unblemished” by the kohanim were separated for sacrifice to the Mikdash while other “blemished” lambs would be eaten at the Pesach feast. The large flocks required a great number of shepherds working in shifts. Some watched the sheep while others slept.
The herds grazed in pastures owned by the kohein gadol, located in a valley southeast of the village. In the middle of the pastures was a tall structure known as the “migdal eder” meaning “tower of the flock.” The kohanim used the tower to oversee the shepherds. By remaining in the migdal eder, the kohanim remained ritually pure. Yet the shepherds lived a continuous state of defilement. Even the thought of ritual purity was impossible as they constantly walked about in excrement and touched dead things, activities that defined the state of impurity. Because of their defiled condition, shepherds were not allowed into the Temple to offer sacrifices or into any other ritually pure location. Thus any religious experience a shepherd might enjoy was strictly between himself and God. But to a Jew of that era and especially to Mikdash authorities, the idea of worshipping G_d apart from the Temple was anathema. For the kohanim, true religion was not a personal thing, in their eyes it was corporate.
Late in the evening, four years after the scepter of light had appeared in the sky, an Essene woman hurried from Natzret through the darkness to a small cave just outside a small village to assist a woman going into labor. A runner from the caravan had arrived at monastery to inform the brothers that Yosef was taking his wife to the nearby village of bet lehem when she began suffering labor pains. Instead of trying to make it to the village, he had moved Mariam to a cave serving as a manger for the local hoshepherds. These three would witness the birth of an infant son who would alter all history. Coming forth from that dark night, Yeshu would soon shine the light of truth on the dark intentions of the Mikdash.
Morning found Mariam beaming down at her newborn son Yeshu יֵוֹשֻׁשׁוּעַ, a name meaning “to save or rescue”. It was the chosen codename for one chosen to fulfill the Essene conspiracy. Both Yosef and Mariam agreed it was a most fitting name for the one who might deliver their people from the onerous, sacrificial burdens imposed by the Mikdash. Most would refer to him as Yeshu bar Yosef or “Savior, son of Yosef.” He was in fact a son of man who would vie with others for the lofty title of mashiach.
Due to the confusion of names and location, a short time later three Essene sages made their way towards the southern village of bet lahm to validate Yeshu’s birth. During the journey they discussed how the precious infant might be protected from the predations of the kohanim who had by now heard rumors of the conspiratorial plan to bring forth a son of the Davidic bloodline with the potential power to challenge their system. Although at that point, they could not conceive how this might be accomplished, the kohanim acted reflexively to destroy all potential threats to their power base. Spies for the Kohanim, referred to as “eyes”, located throughout the kingdom’s collective body meant the likelihood the infant would be discovered and put to death. The three sages were traveling west from Qumran when they were intercepted by Herod’s soldiers.
Upon hearing rumors of the birth, the kohein gadol, Matthais, and members of the Sanhedrin immediately arranged a meeting with Herod to discuss the problem of a potential rebel kohein being born into their midst, but as they feared this might not seem a sufficient threat to Herod’s power, they altered the story of the conspiracy. Instead of alluding to the threat presented to the Mikdash, Herod was advised that divination of the sacred Urim and Thummim stones foretold a recently born son of a kohein would usurp his reign by being crowned king of Judea. This modified story served to focus Herod’s fear, as rumors had long been flying about the meaning of the omen that appeared in the morning sky four years before. In fact his own astrologers had told Herod to be wary of a new king that might usurp his power.
Herod, alerted to the birth of the son of man, suspected the three sages of having knowledge of the event and therefore had the three Essene brought before him for questioning. He asked the three sages pointblank, “When was this ‘king of the Jews’ born?”
One of them wisely replied, “This we know not, we have only heard rumors of this birth. We travel to bet lahm in search of this supposed king and his family so we might examine them to verify his bloodline.”
At the behest of the Sanhedrin and out of fear for his own rule, Herod ordered that the infant be found and killed. Turning to his advisers in apoplectic rage, he screamed, “I want him dead, find this infant male and kill him! I want him dead before the end of Iyyar!”
As a result of the intelligence gathered by Mikdash spies, Herod dictated the search should focus on the village of bet lahm, where spies had reported rumors of the birth. However, the search revealed nothing but a few male infants who were clearly not of the linage that would produce a messiah or king. Nevertheless, in his fearful rage Herod had these few put to death.
Released by Herod, the three sages hurried to bet lahm to discover their error. Now it would be up to the Essene midwife to validate Yeshu’s birth as the son of Mariam and Yosef. Word traveled quickly, in a few days Mariam and Yosef received the warning of Herod’s murderous intent. Yosef had by now, been brought into the conspiratorial plan for his son. As a kohein, Yosef knew the true nature of the Mikdash kohanim. He well understood how they used the sacrificial system to enrich themselves at the expense of the Jewish people. He knew they cared more for the gold and sliver of this world then they cared for either G_d or their people. He reflected on his own motivations, instilled by Levirate law. He thought about how he had once lustfully accosted the love of his life. In time, he came to realize that the Essene were correct, the Mikdash and its kohanim were totally corrupt and self serving. They cared almost nothing for G_d outside what the use of the name provided for their swelling coffers. They willingly sacrificed their own people to enrich themselves. Knowing how his peers desperately wanted to murder the boy to protect themselves, Yosef now stood apart from the Mikdash with his first-born son. He had seen the light and become part of the conspiracy of man.
With the monastery only about ten millarium distant, the three departed bet lehem to finish the final leg of their journey to the monastery at Natzret. Here Yeshu would be raised and trained by Essene sages. It was now decided the best way to divert further attention form their presence in Natzret would be to create a feint. Essene brothers in Yerushaláyim spread quiet rumors among friends and relatives that Mariam and Yosef had fled to Egypt, while making no mention of their infant son. Another party lead a small caravan on a journey in the opposite direction, traveling sixty-eight gallic leuga south into Egypt.
The brothers and sisters living within the confines of the Natzret monastery, imparted their esoteric knowledge to their initiates. This knowledge was the original spiritual knowledge superceded by the materialistic laws fabricated by the Hasomanean Macabees’ scribe Ezra. These secrets, passed down through millennia, were far beyond traditional religious practices of the day. These were secrets that were not secret, but forgotten spiritual aspects of man’s original condition; teachings imparted to Yeshu. In time, he would preach variations of these ideas and concepts among his people, forever changing ideas about G_d and man’s relation to the spiritual realm. Later, these teachings would again be usurped by Jewish Christians to be redefined in service to their own materialistic agenda for control and power.*
It is written that only conscious man can act, those in the unconscious state can only react. But to act consciously, one must fully comprehend the result of their actions beforehand. Yet among the Essene, few if any realized the far reaching implications of their protégé named Yeshu. Those who did, would have had vision stretching beyond the millennia.
Safely sheltered by the people of his clan, Yeshu grew to boyhood. The members of his clan instructed him in language, writing, law and religion. By the eight BC, he was almost twelve years old. For Jews this was approaching the age where a boy passed to manhood. It is said that a Jewish boy has three teachers. The mother is the child’s teacher until weaned. The father is the child’s second teacher until puberty. The Torah, with all its Mitzvot, is the third and final teacher. Therefore, this celebration of the Bar Mitzvah denotes the change of teachers from the earthly father to a heavenly father. Yeshu however had more than three teachers and his instruction lay far beyond what might be normal for other young Jewish boys reaching the age of the Bar Mitzvah.
“Bar” means “adopted son.” “Mitzvah” is essentially understood as “command” or “law.” Thus, “Bar Mitzvah” means “adopted son of the law.” It is a time of life when that forever divides the life of a Jewish male. Before his Bar Mitzvah, he was a child, owned by his parents or guardians. As a child, he had no legal rights; he could even be sacrificed if his guardians so desired. After the Bar Mitzvah everything changed. No longer a child, he would now assume the legal responsibilities of adulthood. He could hold a contract, become betrothed to a future wife, but most importantly, he now answered to no one but himself and G_d. Thus the Bar Mitzvah established one as being legally subject to Levirate law and all its penalties for sin and requirements for sacrificial atonement.
As the Bar Mitzvah was a special time in life for a Jewish boy, it was decided that Yosef and Mariam would take Yeshu to Yerushaláyim to celebrate Pesach at the Mikdash. At the same time, the boy would be Bar Mitzvah. Yeshu’s teachers wanted the boy to visit the Mikdash and participate in the ceremonies so he might better understand the sacrificial system that he would oppose in the coming years.
Despite simmering political turmoil, the busy city of Yerushaláyim was a cosmopolitan place, with its colorful bazaars and never ending streams of merchant caravans. In celebration of their return, the three travelers were invited to return to the home of Shaphan and Peninnah, now old friends, remembered for their kindness and hospitality in the earlier and less certain years of Yosef and Mariam’s lives. While the young Yeshu marveled at the rich carpets Shaphan sold in the markets, but he marveled even more at the Pesach ceremony and its bloody ritual sacrifice in remembrance of Egypt’s Israelite sons, spared by the angel of death.
Yeshu was fascinated by the Kohein slitting the throat of the Paschal lamb purchased from a money lender for the purpose of the sacrifice. Blood flowed freely. A kohein, spattered with blood, caught the dark red liquid in a golden bowl and then poured it over the sides of the sacrificial altar. There was so much blood, the small channels cut into the south and west sides of the sacrificial altar overflowed with the rich, red, stuff of life drained from the throats of the living sacrifice.
Later, Yeshu’s Bar Mitzvah was observed in the Mikdash. He listened carefully to a kohein speak of their G_d YHVH. The boy knew this same personal G_d, demanding oppressive sacrificial tribute from his people, also delivered immense wealth and luxury to the kohanim claiming his voice and power.
With the celebration of Pesach at an end, the three once again mounted their caravan for the long journey back to Natzret. As the family’s caravan left Yerushaláyim, the young Yeshu slipped away to run back to the Mikdash so he might try his hand at challenging kohanim legal authority. Discovering their son missing, Yosef stopped among a grove of olive trees and returned to the city to search for his missing son, knowing exactly where he would find the boy. He proceeded directly to the Mikdash where he surmised Yeshu would be pontificating to the Mikdash authorities about religious law. Various kohanim, P’rushim and soferim gathered around the boy, amazed at the depth of Yeshu’s “drashah” or teaching. The authorities commented among themselves that surely this young boy was something special, little suspecting the impact this knowledge would eventually levy against their Mikdash. But far beyond the tiny world claimed by ancient Jews, the son of man would forever change the world’s religions. By the time of Yeshu’s Bar Mitzvah, Herod had been dead for six years. In that year of six AD, yet another revolt arose among the Juadeans.
Towards the end of his life, increasing political turbulence plagued the reign of Herod the Great and political matters did not improve after his death. In one BC, Herod the Great died. Augustus Caesar lost no time dividing the remaining kingdom among his sons, Philip, Antipas and Archelaus. Herod Archelaus was assigned the title Ethnarch of Judaea, with the bulk of his kingdom, consisting of Juadea, Samaria and Idumea. Almost immediately the Jews revolted against his rule.
Two scholars Judas and Matthias, whom historian Flavius Yosefus described as “two of the most eloquent men among the Jews, and the most celebrated interpreters of Jewish laws, and men well beloved by the people” incited a group of followers to destroy the golden eagle. Herod Archelaus had ordered the eagle erected over the Mikdash gate, but the Torah forbade the erection of any representation of a living creature on the Mikdash, for by law, this would be construed as idol worship. The eagle was the symbol of Rome, therefore the Jews naturally viewed this act as Herod’s worship of Caesar as G_d. The scholars and forty of their followers were caught by soldiers. In the ensuing melee the rebels were brought before Herod for trial. Herod had Matthias and his companions burned alive for their act of insurrection. This event led to a general revolt as the Jews had never truly accepted Herod as one of their own and his despotic reign had created a simmering rage among Jews of the region.
The Romans sallied forth from Herod’s palace to quell the revolt and a terrible slaughter ensued around the Mikdash. Surrounding cloisters were burned, with a few of the protestors throwing themselves into the fire or falling on their swords rather than suffer execution by Roman soldiers. Legionnaires seized the Mikdash treasury, dividing the wealth amongst themselves and Sabinus, treasurer for Syria under Augustus. Sabinus had been ordered to Judea after Herod’s death in four BC as procurator for the king’s estate. Upon his arrival, he acceded to the request of Varus, governor of Syria, to hand over custody of all the citadels and treasures to Archelaus, pending Caesar’s decision concerning Herod’s will. However, immediately after the departure of Varus to Antioch and Archelaus for Rome, he took possession of the royal palace, demanding Herod’s treasure from the estate custodians. His conduct resulted in yet another revolt, this one during the festival of Shavuot, a time when pious pilgrims assembled in Yerushaláyim for the observance. Sabinus had seized the Tower of Phasael, from which he gave the signal to attack the rebels. As the battle developed, Legionnaires set fire to the Mikdash chambers and captured the Mikdash treasury. In turn, the rebels increased their efforts, laying siege to the palace, trapping Sabinus and the Legionnaires inside. As anti-Roman sentiment among the Jews exploded out of control, most of Herod’s troops deserted, including three thousand of his fiercest warriors along with a contingent of his best cavalry. As the insurrection spread, two thousand more of Herod’s seasoned soldiers joined the rebels, driving his loyalist troops out of the plains and into the mountains.
To make matters worse, Archelaus was now on his way to Rome to be crowned by Augustus. In his absence, violent riots arose among the common people. The revolution spread throughout Judaea into Galil. Galil was then a frontier province bordering Syria. The Galilean Jews were a hardened breed of frontiersmen. The leaders of these uprisings were a robber named Judas and a royal slave called Simon and a shepherd named Athronges, who claimed himself the new messiah. Judas, son of Ezekias, had been head of the robbers. His father, described as a “strong man”, had been captured by Herod’s troops only with great difficulty. These rebels raided the royal armory in Sepphoris, plundering weapons and equipment with which to arm themselves. Around that same time Herod’s palace at Jericho was attacked and burned to the ground by the rebels until the loyalist troops were routed along with their rulers.
Archelaus’ troops, unable to cope with the revolt, called on the Roman governor of Syria, Publius Quinctilius Varus. General, Varus immediately departed for Judea with three of his four Syrian legions to the region, along with various auxiliary forces provided by leaders of the surrounding region whose forces included fierce Nabatean Arabs. In suppressing the revolt, Varus had two thousand people crucified. Under the command of his son, Legionnaires burned Sepphoris and enslaved its inhabitants. While villages burned, some of the rebel leaders escaped. However, by the end of the revolt, two thousand Zealots had been crucified and six thousand Galileans were carried off into slavery. Herod Archelaus now became so despised, that Jews and Samarians united in their appeal to Rome to depose the king.
It was a tumultuous time for Judaea and the unrest of the Jewish peasantry only increased as events unfolded. The kohein gadol Joazar managed to convince most Jews that they should cooperate with these new authorities, since the alternative would be the return of the detested king Herod Archelaus. Still, resistance to Roman rule remained. A Pharisee named Zadok and a soferim from Galil, named Judas of Gamala, said that Roman taxation was equivalent to slavery and exhorted the Jews to revolt. They said YHVH was Israel’s only lord and G_d, therefore it was blasphemous to pay tribute to anyone else – including a Roman emperor.
The Mikdash kohanim and their soferim promised followers that violent revolt would soon bring forth a righteous and just Messiah and this man, a G_d incarnate, would lead them to victory. Yet, their promises rang hollow in the ears of a people who had first hand experience in tasting the sharp edge of the empire’s power. By this time, the Romans had amassed hundreds of years of experience in ruling the unruly. Over the centuries, they had developed many techniques of political and economic intrigue and manipulation that kept opposing powers well off balance and where such techniques failed, the full military might of the empire fell upon rebellion, crushing it as a Roman boot might crush a scorpion beneath its heel.
Caesar finally banished Archelaus to Gaul in six AD while making Judaea a more or less autonomous part of the Roman province Syria, ruled by a Roman procurator. The Syrian governor Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was then ordered to organize the taxation of the new prefecture. Taxes had formerly been paid in produce. However, during Quirinius’ census, the inhabitants were required to declare their property in money. In six CE, Coponius was appointed the first governor or prefect of the Iudean province. In nine CE Marcus Ambivulus succeeded Coponius as governor of Juadea and Syria. Then in twelve CE, Annius Rufus succeeded Marcus Ambivulus as governor of the region. Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero was the second Roman Emperor. He ruled from the death of Octavian Augustus in fourteen AD until his death in 37AD.
The Emperor Tiberius commanded a number of small, but potentially difficult, provinces. Among the most difficult of these provinces was that of Judaea. The difficulty with maintaining control over the Judean province lay in the fact that Jews were by nature an unruly lot who, although conquered, were constantly invoked to uprisings either by the kohanim of the Mikdash or by various rebel groups. New Roman conquests generally fell into a category known as “equestrian”, but the status of the conquest would later change to reflect the evolving conditions of Rome’s growing empire. Thus, upon its conquest, a province would become known as a procuratorial province. It would remain as such until the emperor decided it should be declared either an imperial or senatorial province; at which point a propraetor or proconsul would be appointed to rule over the region. Smaller provinces like Judaea were held under the control of equestrian procurators. Equestrian procurators could serve any length of time, as long as five years or even longer. However, these equestrian procurators did not hold the powers of a governor. Though the practice of appointing equestrians officially began with Augustus, governors from years before were appointed procurators to help them govern.
By definition these procurators were prefects, a procuratorship was the formal way of denoting a prefect’s authority to govern. Procurators were not magistrates and so were not vested with imperium, or the full power of the state, vested in a person, to perform in whatever manner was considered to be in the best interest of the state. Instead, procurators merely exercised or reflected an emperor’s, or governor’s, authority by their approval. Although the smaller provinces administrated by a procurator typically did not rate the strength of an entire legion, Tiberius found the unruly province of Judaea required a larger contingent than usual. If the procurator of this province were expected to maintain control over the region, he would need a larger military presence. For this reason, Tiberius had promised the new Procurator reinforcements to the legion’s Judean contingent.
Pilate broke the emperor’s seal that constrained his official orders. Although he well knew beforehand what the orders held, the impact was still felt when he read the words that posted him to one of the worst provinces in Rome’s empire. Far-flung and hostile, there was no telling how long his posting might be to this stinking Roman armpit known as Judaea. It was the blackest day in Pilate’s life when he and his wife, Claudia Procula, boarded the Roman galley that would deliver them to Caesarea on the coast of Judaea.
In twenty-six AD, Tiberius appointed a new Prefect to Judaea. That bright, sunny day the surface of the Mediterranean shined and rippled like the buffed coriaceus worn by the man standing just off the balcony of the governor’s palace in Caesara. He made a final check of the alignment of his uniform and then picked up the ivory baton surmounted by an eagle. With the baton denoting the power of his office firmly in his grasp, he strode onto the balcony with the captain of the palace guard. The captain ceremoniously unfurled a scroll and read the proclamation made by Tiberius, “Hear ye! Hear ye! To all Roman subjects of Palestine, citizen, free men, and slave. By order of Tiberius Claudius Nero, Caesar of the imperial empire, the honored procurator of Juadea, Valerius Gratus, has been ordered to proceed to Rome to assume new duties to the Emperor. Furthermore, by order of Tiberius Claudius Nero, Caesar of the imperial empire, the honorable Pontius Pilate is hereby declared procurator of all Juadea. All Roman subjects are commanded to hear and obey the orders and commands issued by the presiding procurator, the honorable Pontius Pilate.”
A few days later, on a dreary afternoon, an official runner arrived at the governor’s palace. Riffling though his message bag, the messenger chose a small scroll from within its leather confines. The scroll, retaining the seal of King Herod Antipas, was unceremoniously handed to the soldier guarding the door before the runner hurried off to his next destination. The guard delivered the small scroll to Pilate’s secretary who then delivered it to the Procurator’s office, nestled among the other documents of Roman administration. Pilate sat at his desk attending to his official duties; a requirement demanded by all bureaucracies since the very first day, the paperwork of administration. Pilate mused aloud to himself, “O how much easier to be run through by a sword on the field of battle than to drown in the Atramentum of the squid.” Sorting through the newly arrived documentation, he came across the small scroll bearing the king’s seal and unseated it from its nest among the other documents.
“What now?” grumbled Pilate, “is it not sufficient that I have to deal with matters of the Roman state; must I deal with the Jews as well?”
Breaking the fragile seal, Pilate unfurled the small scroll to find an invitation to a reception honoring him as the new procurator of Judaea.
O Happy day, first a mountain of official paper work to which I must attend and now an official party to which I must also attend. Well at least my beloved Claudia will be happy, for she does so love to play among the hoi oligoi. Even a king of the Jews is still a king and the by the G_ds, this forsaken shit-hole will not afford many opportunities to attend the happiness of my beloved.
With that thought in mind, Pilate quickly penned a personal notice of acceptance.
The day of the reception arrived on a particularly beautiful and temperate day, rare in the region for that time of year. Pilate and Claudia dressed for the occasion in the robes common to Roman citizens of their stature. As the servant carefully attended the draping of Pilate’s woolen, off-white toga with its purple border, Pilate spoke,
“My dear your heart would be faint for me if you knew the number of scrolls required to administrate this region, for you might fear my suffocation under the weight of those documents. I only wish there were another way to track the business of the empire, one that did not require the use of those damnable scrolls.” Momentarily pulling away from his attendant, he employed his eyes and hands to enhance his description, “Big scrolls, little scrolls, tiny scrolls, plain scrolls, ornate scrolls; scrolls with no seals, others with large, official, seals, but all scrolls! Scrolls! My beloved when my day comes and I am upon my funeral bier, I have but one last desire.”
Claudia, adjusted an uneven earring, “And what might that wish be my love?”
Picking up the official invitation, Pontius replied, “My last wish is that there be not one of these damnable scrolls in attendance, nor one within ten stadia of my funeral procession.”
Claudia laughed, “There will be many years before I must attend to such details, in the meantime we must be off to the reception.”
“Just as I feared my love, just as I feared. I will alert the escort. I thought we might walk today, for we dare not waste such an exquisite day as this region provides so few of them.”
Claudia exclaimed, “Walk, are you mad!? We are to walk to the king’s reception announcing your appointment all Judaea? We shall be the laughing stock of the province!”
Pilate tried calming her with a soothing tone, “Nonsense my dear, no one laughs at the procurator less they face his wrath, besides I want to keep these Jews off balance by acting in unexpected manners”.
Claudia however insisted, “We simply must take the lectiʹca to the reception!”
But Pilate again refused, saying, “My dear it is but a short distance to Herod’s reception hall and the jolting ride of the lectiʹca is more than I can take on such a fine day.”
Then he laughed and added, “Besides, I have misplaced my branch of Pontic wormwood with which to protect my anus. Come my love, keep our spirits merry on this fine day; finish your preparations and let us be off”.
In the manner Pilate had planned, the couple arrived on foot at Herod’s reception hall. Claudia’s ire had cooled appreciably in the afternoon shade of the quiet streets, cleared by Herod’s order. What small part remained of her vexation evaporated the moment they made their grand entrance into the hall, for all the nobles in attendance awaited the couple with warmest greetings. It was a lavish party as only royalty could afford, and after formal introductions were made, the merriment began in earnest, transporting Claudia to the familiar social whirl of intimate rumors and intrigue.
Moving gracefully among the guests, she attracted the lion share of the crowd’s attention. The attention of the guests was due in part to her position as the most intimate confidant of the guest of honor, but equally due to her alluring beauty. Pilate had married well and it was but a short time before word of Claudia’s stature reached the remotest corners of the reception hall. This gave Pilate time to slip away from the throng and out to a secluded garden enclosed within the walls of the reception hall.
Sitting down on a nearby couch to ponder matters of state that would soon arise. No sooner had his chin sunk to his hand, he was surprised by a voice from behind, “Greetings most noble procurator of Rome, my apologies for intruding upon this moment of private reflection.”
Looking around, Pilate discovered the voice belonged to none other than king Herod Antipas himself. Herod continued, “I thought we might share a few moments privately to discuss certain discreet matters of state beyond our formal courts. No doubt you are aware the most formal proclamations often arise from the most informal conversations.”
“Yes, I have often heard that is the case” mused Pilate. Herod jibed, “Come now, a man does not reach the Roman office of Procurator without being intimately familiar with the manner in which matters of state are typically resolved between two parties intertwined by conquest!”
Pilate mildly rebuffed the comment, “Obviously, neither does a man become king without knowledge of such political intrigue.”
“Quite so, quite so!” replied Herod.
“What does Judean royalty wish then of a simple Roman bureaucrat?” queried Pilate.
Caught off guard, Herod stopped for a moment to size up the man sitting on the couch. He had not expected such a mild response from the procurator. Reports were that Pilate was quite arrogant and brusque in manner; yet the man sitting before him seemed anything but arrogant or brusque. In fact he seemed almost subdued, perhaps even dejected.
Herod continued cautiously, “Perhaps you are aware that I was raised in Rome and trained in its schools? I have traveled far beyond this flyspeck on the empire’s map. My experience has led to understanding matters far beyond Judaea. After a man has lived at the very hub of the world and savored its pleasures, well let us say that I am as much a Roman at heart as you. Knowing the problems of Judaea, as only a king and loyal subject of the empire might, it has long grieved me to see the Roman administration of this province manipulated by the clever and deceptive practices employed by the Mikdash kohanim, men who care nothing for their own people and even less for citizens of Rome. For Rome, this province represents little more than wine, dates and taxes, but for the kohanim, this is their empire. They are frogs and this is the only pond they have to float upon.”
Pilate interjected, “I do find it strange that a people might love so desolate a land and a religion that returns so little”.
Herod responded abruptly, “The people know nothing! They are provincial in both mind and spirit; they have little experience outside this realm and understand even less the larger matters of state influencing their lives. What they are painfully aware of is the tribute extracted from them by both Rome and the Mikdash. You are aware that I have written a number of letters concerning these subjects to Tiberius?”
“He did in fact mention some correspondence.”
Herod paused, drawing a breath before continuing, “You have risen through the military ranks and have served most honorably in the legion’s army. I find men of your background to be of a most practical nature. Although I lack military experience, I too am of such a nature, therefore can we agree in taking an approach befitting our practical natures?”
Shifting his position on the couch, Pilate agreed, “I think we stand in agreement on taking such an approach.”
“Well then let us begin with your orders to raise taxes”. Before Pilate could respond, Herod added, “oh no, my dear procurator, this knowledge comes not from any spy I have within your office, I simply know Tiberius and his administrative policies towards the provinces. Long ago, the Mikdash kohanim calculated the maximum amount of effort that could be extracted from a people before social breakdown would occur. The timeframe for this maximum effort was established at six days. A seventh day had to be set aside for rest and renewal if the process is to continue uninterrupted by social strife. For this reason, they have based their entire system of sacrifice on this seven-day period. Now it takes the entire productive effort of one day for a Jew to support himself and his family, another day of labor is required for the rent of his land. Another day is required to pay taxes to Rome and all the rest of his labor is spent meeting the sacrificial tribute and tithing demands of the Mikdash kohanim. Furthermore, the kohanim have cleverly woven it into their law that no labor may be expended on their day of rest, even labor as inconsequential as that found in lighting a fire is forbidden. So unless Rome can find a way to add another day to the week, there is nothing left to be taken in further tribute.”
Pilate looked hard at Herod, “You’re intimating that I might command Caiaphas to lower the Mikdash tithes?”
Herod smiled wanly and replied, “Only so much grain can be poured from the bucket. If the bull is to get a larger share, the ass must get less. Under my father’s rule, Judaea produced more than enough to satisfy both Caesar and the king’s house. Now these interlopers enrich themselves at the expense of both Rome and Judaea! While Tiberius may be denied his increase, my tribute has shrunk to a mere fraction of what my father once enjoyed. I can see only one solution to this otherwise intractable situation. . .” Pilate interjected, “depose Caiaphas”.
“As I said Excellency, we are practical men of like minds. You have the power to confiscate the Mikdash treasury and then force his successor to cut the Mikdash tithes to the very bone. . .”
Pilate finished Herod’s thought, “And divide the wealth among the two powers.”
Herod bowed, and with sweeping gesture offered, “You have but to command me Excellency I will comply to whatever order is required to fulfill this action.”
Pilate rose from his seat and paced the floor, “Yes, yes, a splendid plan no doubt and I am certain you stand at the ready with your assistance, but I find one major flaw in this plan – you.”
Herod spluttered, “but, but, your Excellency . . .”
Pilate raised his hand, “Your power over this region is but a mere shadow of your father. He had a refined taste for power and ruled with an iron hand. By contrast, you are blind to the demands of power. You are a sot, an intoxicated dilettante who spends his time on frivolous personal matters instead of attending to important matters of state. You’re a lecher, a liar, a fool, you squandered a kingdom that once lay at your feet, held firm by Rome’s command! You married a sheik’s daughter to appease your Arab subjects and then cast her from your house, forever alienating every Arab in the province. As if this did not bring sufficient ruin upon your kingdom, you then violated your own religious code by marrying your brother’s wife, turning your own people against you!”
Herod jumped to counter the attack, “Mistakes! Mistakes to be sure, but should a man be condemned for the remainders of his days for a few simple mistakes?”
“Mistakes only a fool would compound and I do not suffer fools.”
Herod begged, “But your Excellency, I only ask for another small chance to regain my standing so that I may better serve Rome.”
With fists seated firmly on his hips, Pilate now turned to face Herod. Leveling a withering gaze reserved for the most obsequious of his subjects, Pilate said, “I find unmitigated gall in a plan that involves Rome in the restoration of that which you lost through your own ineptness and at the risk of insurrection no less! While Rome takes a substantial risk in losing both blood and money on this grand effort, you stand only to gain by this venture, for if Rome wins, you regain a king’s share of the profits. Yet, in the unlikely event the kohanim gains an upper hand, then you should jump to their defense, declaring undying allegiance to your people, thereby restoring your position lost by marriage to your brother’s wife. I tell you Herod, while your people deny you as a member of their tribe, I find you the quintessential Jew in many respects. I say this to you, Rome does not appoint fools to govern and only a fool would dare entertain such a plan!”
With that, Pilate strode back to the reception where he found Claudia surrounded by a receptive audience listening to her lavish descriptions of Roman court. Herod remained in the garden to reflect on his initial encounter with the new Procurator, but only one thought came to mind, “This man is far more dangerous than his detractors led me to believe.”
Soon after Pilate took office, the quaestor requested an audience so they might discuss matters of the treasury. Awaiting the arrival of the quaestor, Pilate slumped dejectedly in a chair to contemplate his new home among the empire’s most despised nether region. Surveying the physical surroundings of his new office, he found it quite cramped. The space was now less than half of what he had enjoyed in his Roman office and the heat felt like the fires of Hades itself torturing him. Thinking to himself, Pilate could not help but dwell on the blackness of his future in this place. This would not have happened had I been more circumspect in my reply to Tiberius. He could have had me executed, but I was not so lucky for instead I am to be tortured by banishment to a place that lays but a stone’s toss from Hades. The horrid denizens of this underworld are all the worse, for in their torment they lash out at any semblance of control over their primitive, dissolute lives. These people are fools and now I am appointed governor of fools.
A knock on the door interrupted Pilate’s reverie. Without looking up, he responded, “Come!”
The procurator’s quaestor bustled into the office, accompanied by several assistants carrying those documents and implements necessary to matters of the state treasury. After carefully laying out these items on a nearby table, the quaestor motioned his assistants to leave.
As soon as the latch was heard to fall, the quaestor began making his report to Pilate. “My Lord the treasury reports that some one thousand . . ., but the words quickly faded from Pilate’s consciousness as the blackness of his thoughts returned and the longer the quaestor droned on, the blacker became Pilate’s mood. Suddenly Pilate was jolted from his foul thoughts by a small chest set before him. Opening the chest, the quaestor began describing its contents, “Here my lord are the most valuable items in Judaea’s treasury. Pilate waved a scornful hand, “No doubt more jewels, trinkets and other golden baubles confiscated from hapless Jews of the region”, but the quaestor replied, “no my lord, these are far more precious than any stone or bauble. These are in fact records of a most singular nature.”
Pilate now sat upright to take closer note of the scrolls laid out before him. The quaestor continued, “My lord these are the records of Rome’s most private agreements with those of Judaea who have found both public and secret collaboration most profitable.”
Raising his hand, Pilate interrupted the quaestor, “So we know the traitors and the bribes we have paid to keep the rabble down. Fine, fine, continue the payments and bribes and let the other matters of state move forward”.
Understanding Pilate’s exasperation, the quaestor patiently waited until he had completed his dismissal, “my lord there is much more to these documents then the mere recording of bribes and payments. Attached to these agreements are notes on the nature of each man, whether he might be trusted and if so how far and what incentives might be used to most effectively sway them to our views. My lord, these are verbatim transcripts of verbal agreements made in secret, but recorded by a scribe hidden from view during the process. These traitors have no knowledge that their promises have in fact become a matter of record.
Exasperated, Pilate again interrupted the quaestor, “Yes, yes, I know, I know all this. Do you think I came by this office yesterday?” and seeing his gaffe, added with a wry smile, “You need not answer that question. Look my friend, Rome is my life. I have been a member of its government since the beginning of my labors. I first served as a loyal soldier in our legion where I led men into battle. For this service, I was promoted to higher ranks until now I serve as procurator. Do you think I rose to this position by my inability to lead? I know men and I know what motivates them. I know how to march them to their deaths on the field of battle and I know how to persuade them to murder their mothers for political gain. Such knowledge, even at the lowest level, is a fundamental requirement for any leader of Rome; and now you tell me that somehow these documents will enhance my ability to deal with these Jews?”
Drawing a breath, the quaestor continued, “My lord, I know you are short of patience with this matter. I too was skeptical when my predecessor laid out these documents before me, but my lord it is imperative you understand the nature of these people you are appointed to govern. These men are not like those other honorable men of Rome’s occidental conquests. These are Asiatic men; oriental minds behind tongues that twist words with the sinuate skill of a snake striking its prey. These Jews convince others black is white and turn a procurator’s simple statement into a magnanimous grant of power. These are not men willing to face their opponents in open battle, but deliver a sword thrust to his back in the dead of night. These are men who scheme and maneuver, but unless forced, refuse to do so openly. Then when forced, they lash out like cornered rats. These men make war on Rome by deception and subterfuge. No my lord, there are none like them in the world, for these are a people unique in nature. These Jews are as unique in their nature as their chosen status with their singular G_d, a G_d they claim chooses them above all others. My lord, Rome’s orders have not changed; continue exacting tribute, increase the grain shipments and maintain order over a province that covers some half million square stadia. But you are asked to do this with but one beleaguered legion comprised of men sick to death of their assignment among these hostile people.”
“Tiberius has promised reinforcements that should bring the legion up to full operating strength.”
Yet the quaestor lamented, “My lord five, or even ten, legions could not maintain order in this region. The only possible order to this region lies within these scrolls, for the information contained in these transcriptions allow for the same type of political leverage as that which the Jews themselves employ. These people have no respect for law or morality, they maintain no semblance of honor; they only respect that which they fear, the raw force of the sword and threats to their lives and comfort. While we look down upon them with scornful disdain, they look upon us with a veiled hatred unknown to Roman sensibilities. Their hatred exceeds all other tempers; why they celebrate their hate by making holidays of it in remembering both victory and defeat of enemies either forgotten or unknown by others. My lord these are a very special people who require a very special form of rule, one like that applied to the most cunning, devious and vicious beast of prey. Otherwise, they will fall upon us with bared, bloody fangs and devour us in an instant. Their limitations must be firmly established like an iron chain around the neck of a wild dog and they must be allowed even less freedom. To allow them their own appointments to any position of authority is tantamount to suicide, for like a pernicious weed they will grow a single appointment until it covers the land with similar appointments, obedient only to their commands. Look at the names on these scrolls, the Sheikh Abu Khayr, the tetrarch Herod Antipas, the kohein gadol Caiaphas and the former kohein gadol Annas; skulking jackals all, circling in anticipation of another kill made by the Roman lion and these are scavengers Rome has chosen to lead the pack so the lion may gorge in peace. My lord, above all other matters concerning Judaea, I would first advise that you study these scrolls and reflect long on how they might be most effectively employed in service to Rome. Not only will this knowledge serve you in good stead for your next appointment, but it may well preserve every Roman’s life in this region as well.”
Later that day Pilate sat in his office studying the documents left by the quaestor. He raved to himself, “Concessions to the law! Concessions to the Mikdash! Concessions on all manner of tribute! Concessions to sacrificial taxes and what they refer to as graven images – by the Optimus Maximus, one might think Rome had been conquered by the Jews!”
Even as Pontius Pilate settled into the office of state, Yeshu was undergoing training at the monastery where sages instructed the boy in both the esoteric matters of the spiritual domain and carnal matters of the temporal world. Yeshu was an apt pupil for his teachers. He learned Mikdash law and customs by heart. He came to understand the true meanings behind their ceremonies as well the symbolic ones. He learned about the vibrational densities of matter and how to master them. With this knowledge one could either sink their feet into rock or walk on water. He learned meditative techniques that enabled self observation along with various breathing techniques and postures that would advance his mental and spiritual state. He learned the techniques for healing, and by the age of fifteen, Yeshu had mastered much knowledge of which few men had ever heard whispered.

*While the ancient Essene have faded into the dark recesses of history, their knowledge is still in existence, guarded by various groups like those known as Sufis and Buddhists. This knowledge transcends religion, serving to liberate man from the material plane of his existence, freeing him from the oppressive bondage and suffering imposed by both religious and secular leadership, along with all levels of their administration. Because this knowledge liberates man from the bondage of his flesh, i.e the means by which reigning powers exert their influence, those holding the reigns of power greatly fear the spread of this knowledge as did the priests of the second temple period. The crucifixion of Jesus is just one example of the type of persecution suffered by those imparting this knowledge. However, Jesus pursued a very specific agenda, one requiring a distinct form of sacrificial death. Beheading is another punishment typically imposed by those suppressing this knowledge. This persecution is why the knowledge went underground and why it has long been held to be “secret”. It explains why it has become increasingly difficult to find an enlightened teacher who can impart the full from of the original knowledge. There is much power in this knowledge, which is why there has always been legions of false teachers and “prophets” manipulating various fragments of this knowledge. But unlike the true teacher imparting the knowledge enrich the student or “seeker”, false teachers use their fragmentary knowledge only to enrich themselves at the expense of others.

Chapter Two – The Hair Weaver and The Kohein

  “Why would the Elohim want to work outside of an already miraculous creation?” – Essene quote concerning the virgin birth

  “Now it happened, that during the time of the high priesthood of this Matthias, there was another person made high kohein for a single day, that very day which the Jews observed as a fast. The occasion was this: This Matthias the high kohein, on the night before that day when the fast was to be celebrated, seemed, in a dream, to have conversation with his wife; and because he could not officiate himself on that account, Yosef, the son of Ellemus, his kinsman, assisted him in that sacred office.” – Flavius Yosefus, “War of the Jews”

  
  The Semitic tribes of the middle orient have always been patriarchal in nature and Hebrew society of the second Mikdash period was no exception. Like the Greeks, and to a lesser extent Romans, they held that women had no legal or religious rights in their cultures. Worse however, was that under the laws of the Torah, women and children were chattel; objects to be owned and used as the male patriarch saw fit. The Hebrew word for husband was “ba’al”, which meant master. “The relation of the wife to the husband was, to all intents and purposes, that of a slave to her master,” – Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics.
  Levirate law decreed only males over age thirteen had legal rights within their society. “A man may sell his daughter, but a woman may not sell her daughter.” – Babylonian Talmud. Ancient clay tablets describing legal contracts, clearly recorded those children who were bought and sold, the child’s tiny footprint impressed into the clay attesting to its status as property.
  Hebrew society was polygynous and as such, the Israelite did not proscribe marital fidelity on the part of men. However, according to Levirate law, adulterous married women and adulterous betrothed women were to be punished with death by stoning. Male accomplices could also be punished by death, but this punishment was typically reserved only for those who had offended the wealthy elite by indulging their sexual appetites with their wives or daughters.
  While Jewish women of that time were not typically subjected to the indignities of being sold among their own people, they were still wholly dependent on men for their survival. Thus, it was of the utmost importance for a woman to have some legal attachment to a man, such as a husband or a son might provide. Without this legal bond, the Hebrew woman would almost assuredly be reduced to prostitution or begging, and a short hard life; not that life was easy for married women.
  Rabbinic literature is filled with contempt for women. The rabbis taught that women were not to be saluted, or spoken to in the street. They were forbidden to be instructed in the law or to receive an inheritance. A woman walked six paces behind her husband and if she uncovered her hair in public, such as on the street or in the bazaars, she was considered a harlot. Within the confines of the Mikdash, females were allowed to observe the ceremonies from a raised gallery along three sides of the court, but were never allowed to participate.
  By contrast, the Hebrew male became a legal citizen in his thirteenth year. This limitation was developed from various accounts of thirteen-year-old biblical male figures. Abraham turned thirteen when he broke the idols that began his conversion to the concept of one God. Obeying God’s commandment, Abraham circumcised Ishmael when he turned thirteen; an act that apparently turned Ishmael into a renegade. Abraham’s grandsons, Jacob and Esau, studied until age thirteen. After that, it was written that Jacob devoted himself to further study of the Torah, while Esau worshipped at “foreign shrines”.
  Like Ishmael, two of Jacob’s twelve sons, Simeon and Levi, wreaked havoc when they turned thirteen, decimating the male population of the city of Shechem in retribution over their sister Dinah’s alleged rape. Later, thirteen-year-old Betzalel was chosen as chief artist/architect for the construction of the portable desert Mikdash called the “Tabernacle”. Centuries later, the menacing giant Goliath was felled by a thirteen-year-old David. According to the Midrash, his son, Shlomo, became king when he was thirteen. The bar mitzvah tradition, granting this legal status to boys on their thirteenth birthday, began during the second Mikdash period. Boys completing their first Yom Kippur fast, were blessed by Jewish elders. At that point, a boy was granted legal rights. He could now be a member of a Jewish court, buy and sell property and his vows were considered binding.
  The Essene however rejected this heavily slanted patriarchal tradition and while Torah jews more or less mimicked the Greeks in their treatment of women, the Essene elevated women to a status even beyond that of Roman society where woman held citizenship. As the Essene sages would say, “The sight of God in woman is the most perfect of all” and “beautiful women are divine works of art”. They recognized that human beauty as being connected with divine reality and so they celebrated the perfection of the maiden that, taken in the correct perspective, stood for a deeper reality. Their idea was women, like men, have the capacity for development and refinement beyond the base human nature that drive the bestial human consumed by conflicting emotions and desires.
  The ability to see this connection however was denied to the self-serving, patriarchal, kohanim. They were never able to perceive both the beautiful woman and the divinity in the same form. For this reason, the kohanim never suspected that a woman might hold the solution to the terrible economic burdens they had imposed upon their people.
  Mariam was barely five years old when her father delivered her to the Mikdash. As a kohein, Mariam’s father Joachim had little use for a daughter for only a firstborn son held any value or significance to the Kohanim. For this reason, Joachim offered up his five year old daughter to the temple in sacrificial tribute instead of the traditional animal sacrifice required for redemption of a child. Under the old Abrahamic tradition, the child would have had her throat slit, her blood drained and her body burned upon the alter, but by this time the priesthood found it more advantageous to use sacrificed children as slave labor to work in the Mikdash.
  Before the age of six, Mariam had begun her training as weaver. Over the years, she worked her young, tender, fingers bloody, weaving the veil for the “Bet Ḳodesh ha-Ḳodashim” or “Holy of Holies”. Due to its exacting nature, the work was grueling for little Mariam. The kohein would harshly reproach and often strike the children weavers, demanding that each thread in the veil had to be placed as if by the hand of YHVH himself. Mariam often worked long into the night and more than once had to unweave a major area of the veil after a minute imperfection was noted by a kohein inspecting the cloth.
  It wasn’t long before a kohein named Zechariah took a personal interest in Mariam. More than once, he had been sorely tempted by her innocent beauty and as it was not unusual for kohanim to take certain young girls and boys under personal tutelage; nothing would have been said had he done so, but Mariam was different. Zechariah somehow could not bring himself to despoil such a young beauty. Instead, he became her guardian, making sure she remained chaste and unmolested by the other kohanim.
  Mariam’s bloodline originally came from Canaanite beginnings, but generations before her family had married into the Davidic bloodline. During their research, an Essene sage had discovered Mariam’s special bloodline and after speaking with her, felt she might serve as a perfect mate to attract a kohein and sire the male child needed for their plan. On her tenth birthday, an Essene sage and a member of the Mikdash went to Yerushalayim to redeem Mariam’s sacrificial ransom. It was standard practice among the kohein to pay a sacrificial tribute to acquire desirable children who would then serve the kohein’s sexual pleasure or as domestic servants in their home.
  After ransoming Mariam the two returned to the small, monastic, village of Natzret located at the foot of Mount Carmel. Here Mariam would be taught new skills that would insure her marketability as a wife. A bargain was struck with a local hairdresser to teach the young girl hair and cosmetic skills, which was highly unusual, for women were not typically apprenticed and at best, were only taught simple domestic skills by their mothers. In Mariam’s case however, the special intertwining of her bloodline qualified her as a candidate for the Essene conspiracy. Certain blood relatives were made aware of her purpose and in time, she too came to understand the pivotal role she would play in bringing down the Mikdash’s oppressive sacrificial system.
  Mariam was twelve years of age when an Essene sage took her to the remote desert region of Qumran to begin her formal education. Early in her training, her tutors had realized that among the girls being trained for the task, Mariam alone would by far be the most likely candidate to successfully seduce a kohein and produce a son eligible to become a member of the kohanim. She would be groomed for one purpose only, to entice a relationship with a kohein that would lead to the birth of a son.
  A bright girl, she quickly took to the Essene’s training where she was carefully tutored in those skills that would make her highly desirable, not only to men in general, but to a Mikdash kohein in particular. She was schooled in Levirate law, math, writing and social skills as well as special sexual techniques. She learned to hold herself erect, spine straight, head high and walk in a manner that made her hips sway with a certain provocative subtlety. She was taught how to sit and how to rise from a cushion or a sofa and how to serve refreshments along with the other manners requiring graceful comportment among various social settings.
  By the age of eighteen, Mariam’s beauty was rare and arresting. She was unusually tall, a statuesque figure that stood out among her peers. Her auburn hair, shaded to almost copper, fell to her waist. Her complexion was like that of the olive. She had well formed hips for bearing children and round, firm breasts, shaped like new spring melons, but her piercing eyes of deep green were most unusual of all as the other girls all had dark brown eyes. Although a regal beauty, she was a formidable young lady with knowledge of ancient laws that exceeded that of many within the kohanim. It wasn’t long before her tutors deemed her the one most likely to assume a lead role in the conspiracy. Eventually, Mariam was inducted into the Essene mystical tradition and a small group of women, with expertise in such matters, performed certain rituals and incantations believed to at least enhance, if not ensure, Mariam’s chances of bearing a son. Like the kohanim, this son would be legally imbued with the power to forgive sin in the name of YHVH.
Already an exceptional, natural beauty, every effort was made to enhance Mariam’s features and desirability to the fullest extent possible. She was dressed in a manner that, while attractive and subliminally alluring to a modest degree, was neither garish nor ostentatious as might be expected from a local prostitute or highborn woman. Although her hair was styled in the manner of women of the higher classes, her slim fingers were devoid of any jewelry that would detract from the delicately feminine nature of her hands. Every step of her preparation was carefully designed to subliminally attract while not drawing undue attention, or worse, give even the slightest hint of a woman actively seeking the affections of men. By now, many seasons had turned and after years of training, Mariam was ready for introduction into Jewish society.
It had been decided that Mariam’s best opportunity for encountering a kohein would be found in the closest possible proximity to the Mikdash. This meant nearby Yerushalayim, so arrangements were made for her to find lodging in that city. She and three carefully chosen companions began their journey to Yerushalayim at the beginning of the month of Shevat. The plan was to have Mariam settled in Yerushalayim before the season of Nissan so she would be present for Yom Kippur. Leaving for Yerushalayim now would allow her sufficient time to integrate into the community and then perhaps meet a kohein during one of the many Mikdash celebrations or observances.
Qumran was located northwest of the Dead Sea in the wilderness of Judea. The journey East to Yerushalayim took travelers from the west side of the Northern, uppermost portion of the salt lake. The distance, about twenty two milliarium, required no more than a day’s travel. The Essenes assembled a small caravan comprised of two men and another woman to accompany Mariam. Two camels, along with a few sheep and goats were readied for the group’s departure.
The following day, the caravan made its way slowly up from the wilderness of the valley, taking a winding path up into the Judean Mountains towards Yerushalayim. The first indication the travelers had of nearing the city were the forests of almond, olive and pine trees surrounding the religious capital. It was mid-afternoon when the caravan passed through the gate known as “Sha’ar Shechem.” שכם‎. Mariam marveled at the bustling market bazaars, for she had only briefly witnessed such colorful activity during religious celebrations. The people of the bazaars took little notice of the small caravan for such travelers passed through the gates on regular basis, bringing trade goods to market from the surrounding regions.
The small caravan wound its way through the city until it came to a prearranged location, the house of a certain trusted Essene merchant. There they dismounted and almost before their feet had touched the ground, a young boy sprang from an alleyway beside the house. Taking command of the small party, the boy directed the two women to the front of the house and then led the two men and their animals to a nearby shelter. The house was neither a wealthy house nor a poor one, but typical of those merchants who prospered in the city’s bazaars. This was the house of and Mariam’s grandparents, Shaphan the rug merchant, and his wife Peninnah.
A middle-aged woman met the two at the door and graciously bade them entry into the house. The floor was covered with thick, intricately woven, Persian rugs. Pillows had been placed around the room to provide supporting comfort for guests. Peninnah swept her hand across the room, indicating the travelers should make themselves comfortable upon the rich rugs and pillows placed carefully around the spacious room before exiting to an adjoining room. Mariam and her companion then removed their outer robes and veils, sat on the rugs and adjusted themselves upon the pillows.
Peninnah returned with a jug of water, a basin and two cups. Passing the cups to the women, she poured out the cool water and then poured more water into the basin. She then knelt and began washing Mariam’s feet, “So you are the one who was chosen! And such a choice they have made, for yours is truly a rare beauty to behold! No doubt you will do well in your mission and we will assist you in every way possible. You and your servant will stay here in our house. We have many clients in Yerushalayim and my husband has arranged for us to meet with the wives of those clients who desire the services of a hairdresser. I will set up these clients and assist you until you have established a reputation.”
Mariam’s professional skills were unique in that she had combined her weaving with her hairdressing skills. She would soon become renowned for her skill in weaving intricate patterns into her client’s hair using gold and silver thread, ribbons, beads and other special, more personal objects. The effect was quite astounding and the woman of Yerushalayim soon recognized Mariam’s special talent, for until her arrival, none had ever even imagined such splendid hair preparation. Beyond the newness of hair weaving itself, was the fact that Mariam performed it with the utmost delicate and intricate skill. Her slender fingers would deftly weave her wealthy clients hair into the most spectacular patterns designed to turn heads
In the ensuing months, Mariam found her skills in great demand, even among the women of lesser royalty. Before long, other hairdressers began mimicking Mariam’s technique and designs, but none could match her skill. For a woman to be seen at an exclusive party with one’s hair prepared by Mariam was a statement that she had employed the services of the very best artisan in the land. Mariam’s own stunning beauty enhanced this effort to an even greater degree, as her clients felt that one who could attend to her own beauty with such skill could scarcely be less successful in attending to their needs.
As word of Mariam’s hairdressing skills passed throughout the city, her clientele grew. Before long, wealthy men of stature began taking notice of Mariam. Some men began to grumble that it was unbecoming, nay, even sinful, for a woman to have her hair woven in such a manner, but the wives made it known in no uncertain terms that they would not tolerate any talk of returning to plainer hair styles. Mariam’s designs had in fact exceeded the most stunning hairstyles of Rome and it wasn’t often that one in the outer provinces could outshine the wife of a visiting Roman dignitary.
As the days passed, word of Mariam’s skills became renowned not only in Yerushalayim, but throughout all Judea. She often had woman from as far away as bethphage, bet Lahm, beth ′anya and even Amasa seek her out when they visited Yerushalayim. When a woman of higher social status had a special occasion or wanted the proper cosmetics and most appropriate perfumes, others would counsel her saying, “you need to seek the services of Mariam, for only she can weave hair finer than cloth and only Mariam knows the innermost secrets of true beauty and allure. Why just a glance would make one wonder how a woman of such appearance could not be steeped in such secrets.”
Mariam visited the Mikdash on a regular basis to pray and offer sacrifice and it wasn’t long before the kohanim began noticing the statuesque young woman attending the religious ceremonies. The kohanim took special note of the girls and women attending the Mikveh, or ritual bath. The Mikveh, before it was known as such, had originally served an integral purpose for the kohanim in marking the end of a sacrificial cycle by cleansing the blood marking of atonement. This ability to supervise the cleansing of blood from sinners was considered so important that the community was required to go to the extreme of selling Torah scrolls or even a Mikdash if necessary, to provide funding for the construction of the bath. However, by the second Mikdash period, the original intent of the Mikveh had been modified and now the ritual immersion emphasized not physical, but spiritual, cleanliness.
Once bathed, sinners were ready to begin anew the cycle of atonement. By the time Mariam began entering the Mikveh, it had become little more than a ritual purification bath to relieve the woman’s state of “niddah” or separation from purity during menstruation or childbirth. However, it served a second, secret purpose as well for the kohanim would frequently peep at the bathers from a special, clandestine, niche cut into the back of the bath’s wall. Women disrobing to enter the Mikveh were unaware of the scheming eyes and drooling lips drinking in the view of their nude bodies. There was one young kohein in particular who was always present at the peeping niche when Mariam came to bathe. As the robes fell from her body, it seemed to this kohein as if this woman was a living incarnation of a Greek statue he had seen as a child. The statue was sculpted with the robes falling in almost the exactly same manner has he had seen Mariam drop her robe just before stepping into the bath. As a child, he had been entranced by this statue brought to Judea by the Roman Procurator. To see that statue now come to life aroused a passion that was almost too much for the young kohein to bear.
  It wasn’t long before Mariam’s patrons began inviting her to various social functions as by now, she had become a known attraction in her own right, especially among the eligible young men of the community. During these social gatherings, men would cluster about her, awkwardly fawning and sparing with each other over her irresistible attraction. She was quick of wit and always ready with a smile and kind word and this, more than exceptional beauty, drew the attention of men. In fact, much of Mariam’s enduring attraction was due to her conversational ability. While never overtly demonstrating her educational training, Mariam well understood the various political and economic topics discussed by men.
  While the other women conversed among themselves about matters of home and hearth, gossiping about various indiscretions committed by the better-known members of the community, Mariam would speak to the men about Roman policy and law along with Jewish religious issues. She was an excellent listener and as the men would go about displaying their knowledge, she would insert a small question here or an agreeable word there and before long, they would feel like they were communing with a soul mate. While they found her knowledge intriguing, she was always ready with a clever, witty comment and never spoke in a biting, condescending or haughty manner. Men of various stations began slyly approaching Mariam with their proposals. In private moments, some would brazenly proposition her in the most open manner, while others, especially those who were married, would be more circumspect in their advances. But all were coyly rejected by the lovely young woman who had now developed the ultimate skill of weaving the hearts of men as deftly has she wove a woman’s hair.
  Usually such attention from men would garner jealously and hostility among women, but Mariam was just as ready to speak to women about the secret matters of cosmetics and beauty tips as well as those problems associated with being little more than chattel in their male dominated society. More than once Mariam had quietly stepped in to assist a woman with those problems that arose from their affairs with men. More than once, she had assisted with a birth as a midwife or administered hyssop to intervene with an unwanted pregnancy. She lent money to young girls in need of certain medical procedures that required the utmost discretion. However, Mariam had been taught not to gossip and that which she learned about the affairs of others, was never mentioned in idle conversation. This trait above all others gained her the greatest respect of both men and women alike. This engendered the trust of the women of the community and many did indeed take her into confidence about their affairs.
  It happed in the Mikdash one late afternoon during the tenth day of the month of Tishrei. Mariam was attending the Ne’ila and the Shofar had blown. The Mikdash had emptied out but Mariam remind behind in steadfast prayer. As she prayed, a shadow suddenly appeared at her side. A furtive glance confirmed an imposing figure standing close beside her. Mariam could tell by the hem of the robe that this was the kohein gadol. She said nothing, but continued her prayer supplications without the slightest acknowledgment of his presence. After a time she heard a voice beside her say, “Mariam, I am most impressed by the piety of your supplications, but this piety pales in comparison with your beauty.” Mariam continued to pray even as she felt the kohein’s rough hands begin exploring her body.
  Suddenly, she stood up and in full fury, turned to face the kohein. Delivering a fiery look, Mariam’s flashing green eyes instantly froze the his advances. Addressing him in the harshest, most biting manner, she spat, “Has my lord somehow mistaken me for a Mikdash prostitute? Does my lord think me a morsel of shewbread upon his holy table? Perhaps his lordship considers me a juicy cut of meat, like one might expect from a tender Paschal lamb? Does he deign to consume me after which he will no doubt sit back to belch with satisfaction over my spent delights? Nay my lord, nay, retreat from me at once my lord for this is a holy place where the kohein gadol dare not desecrate either himself, nor those who serve ELOHIM!”
  The young kohein was so taken aback by this biting response, he fled in terror from the young woman. In spite of the harsh rebuke, Yosef would not forget Mariam, nor would Mariam forget the handsome young man temporarily serving the role of kohein gadol.
  Several months passed before Mariam saw the young kohein again. The occasion of a wedding party served as the setting for their next encounter. On this occasion, he came as a guest and therefore had not been called upon to officiate the marriage ceremony. During the Seudas Mitzvah, he spied Mariam conversing with several other women and quickly moved to her side with a cup of celebratory wine. As Mariam turned from her conversation, he offered her the wine saying, “I have not forgotten your beauty, you are even more radiant tonight than I remember.”
  With a cold shrug, Mariam replied, “Nor have I forgotten your indiscretions within the holy Mikdash.”
  Once again, taken aback by her frosty response, the kohein tried recovering slightly from the rebuff with an apology, “My lady I must apologize for the indiscretion, but I was overcome by your presence to a point where I could scarcely restrain my own actions.”
Again, Mariam rebuffed the kohein, “No doubt; how could one possibly expect a mere kohein gadol to have any more control over his actions than he might maintain over ELOHIM’s actions! Pray you have sufficient control over your actions that I might learn your name?”
  Still spinning over this new rebuff, the kohein spluttered, “Yosef, my name is Yosef”
  In softer tones, Mariam now asked, “And how is it you have come to the Mikdash in this city of Yerushalayim?”
  As she spoke, she took Yosef by the arm and led him into the nearby garden where they could speak privately. Walking though the garden with Mariam on his arm, Yosef began to feel comfortably lightheaded. Although the wine had produced a certain portion of the effect, Mariam’s presence was far more responsible for his heady condition than the wine.
  Yosef explained that he was the son of Ellemus and a nephew of the acting kohein gadol Matthias. On the night before Yom Kippur, his uncle had suffered nocturnal emissions during a dream. This event made Matthias ritually impure and therefore unable to officiate in the Mikdash for the Yom Kippur ceremony. For this reason Yosef, had been selected to officiate over the ceremony. As the evening wore on and the celebration waned, Yosef and Mariam spoke of many topics, but Mariam was always careful to guide the conversation back to Yosef and his life.
  The young kohein was quite arrogant and easily led by Mariam’s soothing demeanor to talk about himself and the kohanim. From their conversation, Mariam learned much about the inner workings of the Mikdash, especially which kohein was indulging in what activity and with whom. She discovered that along with his religious training, the kohanim had also trained Yosef as a carpenter. The law stipulated only kohein could enter the Mikdash, therefore only kohanim could fill the role of construction worker. It was in his role as a carpenter that Yosef served his primary function for the kohanim, participating in the final phase of Herod’s construction of the Mikdash. His actual time serving as a kohein had therefore been quite limited. Had he been older and more experienced in political matters, he would have no doubt been far more circumspect in his approach to Mariam. The kohanim knew the world of Judea belonged to them. Among the Jews they held a power beyond kings and believed all the wealth of this world was theirs for the taking.
  Had he fully realized his power as a kohein, Yosef might well have used those powers much differently in arranging clandestine relationships with women of the community. He would have had ample opportunity for such dalliance, as his carpentry work had left him ruggedly fit in appearance. There were few young women in the community who had not cast their eyes upon the young kohein as he shouldered a heavy load while plying the less spiritual side of his trade.
Had Yosef been more experienced in such affairs, Mariam’s attitude and cleverness might have put him on his guard; he might have even passed by Mariam altogether out of a sense of danger, but Yosef was young, inexperienced and impetuous. He had never tasted love and this first taste left him driven to fully satiate his burning desire to carnally consume Mariam’s charms.
For the kohanim, the desires of the flesh were all too common. Whether it was the flesh of a woman or the flesh of a beast, theirs was an overwhelming desire to dominate and consume all. Only YHVH had the power to stop them and the kohanim spoke for YHVH.
  Although Yosef had long since been smitten by Mariam’s charms, he now became obsessed with the thought of her. He sought every means available that might chance another encounter with the beautiful hairdresser. He found excuses to visit the houses where he heard she might be found in attendance to a lady. He visited those shops where various materials used in cosmetics and perfumes were sold. He walked along the paths he knew she favored. He searched for things he thought might interest her. Finally, he visited the house of Shaphan with an excuse to examine the rugs in which the merchant dealt.
  He spared no effort in his pursuit of Mariam, for he could think of little else but her. For her part, Mariam had detected a certain tenderness in Yosef, a certain innocence that belied his initial boldness. While she had discussed the possibility of Yosef as a likely candidate with Shaphan and Peninnah, she began to have feelings for Yosef that went beyond those of duty to her mission. What had begun as a lustful desire on the part of Yosef, and cold, calculated, intent by Mariam to fulfill her mission now blossomed into a love that would lead to the most profound change in man’s history.
  The Mikdash contained three outer courtyards. The easternmost of these courts was known as the “Court of Women”, so called because women could not pass beyond this area. This court contained the Mikdash collection points for its treasury, a place where people tithed their monies. With an area of almost 200 square feet, it featured ornately carved, gold trimmed, colonnades encompassing its perimeter. Nestled against the walls of the court were thirteen chests designed to receive a sinner’s tribute. These thirteen chests were shaped like trumpets, being narrow at the mouth and wide at the bottom. Each “trumpet” had the specific object of tribute inscribed on its side. Nine of these trumpets were for the receipt of what was legally due by worshippers and the other four were for voluntary gifts. Such tribute was removed daily and the corresponding number of sacrifices would then be offered. This not only saved the labor of making numerous individual sacrifices, but spared the modesty of those who might not wish to have the occasion or the circumstances of their sacrifice to be publicly known.
  It happened during the time of the evening sacrifice that Yosef spied Mariam leaving the courtyard of women. After dropping the monetary equivalent for a turtledove sin offering into Trumpet III, she was hurrying through the gate called “Beautiful” when Yosef approached her from behind to encircle her slim waist with his bronzed, muscular arms. Startled, Mariam gasped and spun around to find herself looking straight into the dark, smoking eyes of her beloved. Yosef said nothing, but put a finger to his lips and led Mariam off to a secluded area and when finally shielded from the eyes of the other sinners, he tried kissing her. Mariam fended of this amorous advance, whispering excitedly, “Yosef this is the Mikdash, we cannot be seen embracing and kissing here, you know it is forbidden!”
  Having seen her tribute, he held Mariam at a slight distance and replied to the chastisement, “My sweet turtledove, you would blush endlessly with shame if you knew what went on behind these walls. Come let me show you something”.
  Taking Mariam by the arm, he led her out of the courtyard to a door defining a passageway cut into the wall. This passageway led deep into the bowels of the Mikdash. The two lovers descended into the depths until Yosef finally stopped their progress in front of an elaborate tapestry covering the wall. The weaving in the tapestry portrayed Moses receiving the tablets from YHVH. Yosef pulled the tapestry aside to reveal another small door. Holding her by the hand, he began leading her through the opening, but Mariam hesitated. In hushed tones she pleaded, “Yosef where are you taking me, this is forbidden. You know women cannot enter into the inner sanctuaries of the Mikdash!”
  Yosef gently pressed his finger to her lips and then quickly pulled her through the opening. The dark passage was lit only by a single, small, oil lamp. First down one passage and then into another, Mariam marveled at the realization the Mikdash was a labyrinth of secret passages. She was fascinated how a small oil lamp provided just enough light to allow one to make out the end of a passageway. As the two came to yet another intersection, they heard low voices coming down the connecting passage. Yosef pulled Mariam into a small alcove in whose dark shadow the two disappeared from view. Two kohein, discussing the daily take of the offerings, passed by the adjoining corridor and then receded into the darkness. Mariam whispered vehemently, “Yosef, what are you doing? Where are you taking me? If we are caught we will be executed!”
  Yosef replied, “we are going to visit a place few humans will ever see. In fact I have only been there once myself.” I have been working in the Mikdash for years and I know these passages like the palm of my own hand. The hour is late, few kohein will be around and none will be where we are going.”
  Mariam pleaded, “Where? Where are we going Yosef?”
  “Come my beloved, I’ll show you.”
  Once again, he led Mariam by the hand of down a dark passage. The journey through the inner recesses of the Mikdash seemed to take an interminable time and she lost track of how long it took before they emerged from the dark passages to arrive at the base of a stairwell lit by a series of bronze, oil-burning torches. Again, Mariam pleaded with Yosef to tell her their destination.
  Yosef just smiled, “My love, we are going to see YHVH!”
  Urgently pulling her by the hand, the two began the long ascent up the stairwell. Reaching the top, Mariam found herself in a large foyer facing two ornately carved, massive wooden doors flanked by two pillars with similar carvings. The carvings on the door were of the various animal sacrifices of the Mikdash and a blood red sash fastened with a complex knot draped across the entrance. Mariam gasped in panic as she realized they were standing in front of the entrance of something terribly sacred. As she stood gasping in awe, Yosef undid the complex knot in the sash and then engaged an even more complex set of levers set into the doors.
  Taking a taper from within the folds of his robe, Yosef lit it from a nearby torch and began opening the ornate doors, but Mariam backed away, hissing vehemently. “Yosef you are either insane or a complete fool! If we are discovered, we will be executed; our bodies will disappear; no one will ever know what happened to us!”
  Grabbing her hand he whispered, “Perhaps my love, but know that more than one kohein gadol has sired offspring within these sacred confines. Come let me show you how YHVH lives”, and with that, he pulled her into the utter depths of blackness.
  Mariam felt disturbingly disoriented after passing through the doorway and the effect only worsened when Yosef released her hand to bring light to the blackness. Moving around the room, he reached up with his taper to light ornate, oil-fed, sconces placed at intervals along the wall. With the additional light of each lit sconce, the room increasingly came into view until Mariam finally became oriented to the new surroundings. In the soft, gently flickering light of the shielded flames, Mariam marveled at what her eyes beheld, a breathtaking amount of gold, silver and precious jewels had been used in detailing the room. It looked much like the descriptions she had heard of Heaven.
The vaulted ceiling was at least fifteen cubits high. The floor was covered with luxurious carpets, blood red in color and woven with mysterious patterns. Several plush couches, also covered in blood red fabric, were placed against the walls on either side of the room. One end of the room was covered by a veil of pure white trimmed with gold that ran from floor to ceiling; a curtain embroidered with a panorama of the heavens. The veil was woven from blue, purple, crimson and white thread, depicting fierce cherubim. It was two hundred square meters of the most valuable fabric in Judea, requiring three hundred kohanim for washing. Its purpose was separating the holy place from the most holy, to screen from view the ark of the covenant and the chariot throne.
Instantly recognizing her work in the veil, Mariam’s breath drew short. Terrible memories came flooding back at the sight of the cloth. She had only been nine years old at the time when blood from her fingers had soiled that material. She remembered how the other girls working with her looked on in terror as a kohein came up behind her with his olive branch and whipped her mercilessly for leaving those traces of blood. She remembered the long, tedious, hours spent in unweaving the entire section and then replacing it with new thread. She did not know then what she was weaving, but now she stood directly in front of the final result of her hard labor – the veil covering the Holy of Holies
  Yosef closed the doors behind him. Turning to Mariam, he grabbed her hand and like an excited child urged her on, “Come! Come my love; let me show you the marvel that lies behind the curtain!”
  Mariam snatched her hand away, “Yosef, why have you done this? You will get us both killed by this foolishness. Surely this place is guarded and just as surely a guard or a kohein will soon arrive and discover the sash undone and that will be our undoing.”
  Taking both her hands into his, Yosef looked deeply into Mariam’s eyes. “My love this is the most well guarded place in all Judea; but fear not, no guard is allowed to come through the main entry into the stairwell, let alone climb the stairs to enter here. The kohein gadol comes here but once a year on Yom Kippur pray to YHVH on Israel’s behalf. Other then that time, no one is allowed to enter. There is only one exception made when the kohein gadol has a maiden brought to this special place of immense power to sire a special son for the kohanim. Then a virginal maiden is blindfolded and brought here and after servicing the kohein gadol on one of these couches, she is escorted back blindfolded. I happen to know my uncle is not in the Mikdash, but is holding a private audience with the wife of a certain official this evening. Therefore, I know there is no chance of our being discovered. Come now, let me show you the true marvel that lies within”.
  Holding Mariam’s hand tightly, he led her around the edge of the curtain. There behind the curtain, for the first and only time in her life Mariam saw the Ark of the Covenant. It was a box constructed of acacia wood. Plating the wood was a kapporet of pure gold. Attached to this were two solid gold figures. These were the Cherubim, servants of YHVH, which knelt facing each other with bowed heads. Their outstretched wings enfolded their heads and shoulders with the tips just touching over the exact center of the Ark. On the bottom of the box were four gold rings through which two poles could be inserted so the family of Kehath could carry the ark on their shoulders. The dimensions of the box were a mere one-and-a-half, by one-and-a-half, by two-and-a-half cubits, making a total internal area of about 19 square feet.
  Mariam had never seen so much gold in her life. Looking at the gold box, she thought about the poor families she had known in the villages and how the requirement for sacrificial tribute had impoverished them to the point of starvation. She thought about the massive wanton slaughter of animals to feed the system that held this gold-plated box in the highest esteem. So intense were these thoughts, she did not even notice Yosef spreading a soft, white cloth over the couch beside them.
  As she gazed upon the golden Ark, Yosef interrupted her thoughts, “The Torah lights, the Torah shines, but only money warms”, he intoned. “It is said the Ark contains the first tablets of the Ten Commandments, broken by Moses himself. Some say the second tablets are in there as well; but what this box actually contains is the entire wealth of the Mikdash. This Ark is why the Mikdash exists! This is why the kohanim exists! The power held in this Ark is the power of the kohanim, the power of the Mikdash, the power of YHVH! For it is gold that truly rules the lives of men. That is why it is said the people who carry the Ark before them are assured of victory; they have YHVH’s wealth to fund the armies that carry them to their victory.”  
  “But what about the stories of the ark containing the broken stones on which were written the commandments; what about the hyssop branch, were these just lies?”
“My love, what better way to hide the true contents of the ark? What better way to dissuade thieves and schemers than to spread rumors the ark contains nothing but useless dross?” Who might steal a box containing nothing more than old pieces of stones, branches of a bush and dust?”
As he spoke, he gently led Mariam to a broad couch positioned directly in front of the Ark and sat her gently down upon the soft, pure, white cloth that he had spread over the velvet cushion. Yosef began kissing Mariam’s neck and while nibbling gently at her ear whispered, “it is written there is no better sex possible than that which is consummated in this place of immense sacred power”, and in the intoxicating danger that precise moment held, Mariam finally succumbed to Yosef’s advances. No longer able to restrain her own desires, she began eagerly returning his kisses. Hardly able to separate long enough to disrobe, time now faded into eternity as the two bodies merged in the contrasting rock-hard and soft yielding of coital lust. The two lovers indulged repeatedly in the mutual pleasures found in the combining of their flesh and only when fully spent, did they finally separate.
  As Mariam began donning her robes, the still naked Yosef took the bloody covering from the couch and held it to his face. Breathing deeply the scent of the virgin’s blood, Yosef shut his eyes and spun round and round in heady lust holding the bloody cloth to his nostrils. He continued spinning in ecstasy until Mariam grabbed his arm to stop him. She waited until his eyes began to focus and then, gently taking the cloth from him, carefully folded it so her blood would not show.
  Yosef stood by dumbfounded as she finished folding the cloth. Mariam quietly told Yosef to get dressed, but still he did not move. She paused momentarily to admire the hard, tanned, body sculpted to muscular perfection from years of physical labor, seeing in his body the same perfection she had once beheld in a Roman statue, spotted during her travels to Caesarea. Suddenly Yosef jolted from his daze and taking hold of her shoulders, he looked into the depths of her emerald green eyes and cried out, “my love, my dearest love, there can be no doubt that this child will truly be a son of YHVH.”
  Finally, Yosef began dressing in an almost careless manner, but after casually adjusting his robes, he began attending to the smallest detail; making sure everything was left in exactly the same order as before their arrival. Finally, with everything restored to perfect order, he opened the door and while Mariam waited without, he snuffed the sconces. The two retreated from the Holy of Holies for what would be the first, last and only time in their life. Facing the door, Yosef reset the complex latching mechanism and then refastened the red sash with its intricate knot. He had almost finished tying the knot when Mariam asked, “How is it that you know how to do these things so perfectly?”
  Yosef replied, “These are secrets of the Mikdash that certain kohanim are privileged to know. Since I served as kohein gadol for that one day of Yom Kippur, I was made privy to the secrets of entry into the Holy of Holies. It takes some time to learn how to tie the knot and how the latching mechanism works. The mechanism is quite clever in that if one is careless and works the mechanism out of sequence, it sets the lock to where it can only be opened by two kohein using special keys. My work in the construction has provided me with every detail of the labyrinth of passages running throughout the Mikdash.”
  One by one, Yosef snuffed each of the torches. First, the ones beside the doorway and then, as they descended the stairwell, he extinguished each torch in succession, leaving a long, black, trail of darkness behind. As the couple emerged into a bright, starlit night, Mariam smiled to herself in the realization she could not have chosen a better specimen as the father for her son.
  After this encounter, Yosef began pursuing a formal courtship, for he now realized that by becoming the mother of his child, Mariam had become far more than a sexual conquest to satiate his lust. In turn, Mariam’s love for the young kohein had blossomed. People began noticing that the two were seldom apart, now living in their own world that focused on each other. In time, Yosef offered his betrothal to Mariam and she consented; this however would be no ordinary marriage, but one that would echo throughout the millennium.

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Chapter I – The Essene and the Hasmonean

The sun burned Babylon as it had for countless centuries. Its intense heat lay like a bright death shroud upon the city as two men, one tall and one short, wearing flowing, spotless, white robes, made their way through the narrow passageways formed by the city’s tenement walls. Centuries later, this maze of man-made canyons would be called streets. While the two brothers gave no outward sign of their agitation, their blood boiled hotter than the sun burning the rapidly shrinking Seleucid empire. No one held the sun to account however, for it wasn’t the sun that desiccated the empire, but the dreams of men that shriveled it towards demise.
This region had once been unified as part of Alexander’s expansive empire, but after his death in 323 BC, it was ruthlessly dismembered by greater and lesser leaders of other nation states. The true test of man’s power is what remains after his death. Alexander’s power was as ephemeral as all dreams from which one must awaken. Romans, Indians, Macedonians, Parthians – collectively served as crowing rooster for Alexander’s great dream. However, the Jews of Babylon were not truly roused from their slumber until Seleucus’ younger brother, Antiochus IV Epiphanes seized the throne.
He was referred to by his contemporaries as “Epimanes” or “The Mad One”, a pun on his title, Epiphanes. The sobriquet lent itself well to Antiochus’ treatment of Jews under his dominion. In 168 B.C., Antiochus was leading his second attack on Egypt, but before he could reach Alexandria, he found his path blocked by an old Roman ambassador. Gaius Popilius Laenas, stood firm that day to deliver a message from the Roman Senate, a challenge that would survive history as “a line in the sand”. Popilius demanded Antiochus either withdraw his armies immediately from Egypt or consider himself at war with the Republic.
According to the Roman historian Livy, “After receiving the submission of the inhabitants of Memphis and of the rest of the Egyptian people, some submitting voluntarily, others under threats, Antiochus marched by easy stages towards Alexandria. After crossing the river at Eleusis, about four milliarium from Alexandria, he was met by the Roman commissioners, to whom he gave a friendly greeting and held out his hand to Popilius. Popilius, however, placed in his hand the tablets on which was written the decree of the senate and told him first of all to read that. After reading it through, he said he would call his friends into council and consider what he ought to do. Popilius, stern and imperious as ever, drew a circle round the king with the stick he was carrying and said, ‘Before you step out of that circle give me a reply to lay before the senate.’ For a few moments he hesitated, astounded at such a peremptory order, and at last replied, ‘I will do what the senate thinks right.’ Not till then did Popilius extend his hand to the king as to a friend and ally. Antiochus evacuated Egypt at the appointed date, and the commissioners exerted their authority to establish a lasting concord between the brothers, as they had as yet hardly made peace with each other.”
“Mad” though he may have been at times, Antiochus was quite sane when faced with the prospect of war with the rapidly expanding Roman Empire. Understandably, the Greek king deferred to the demand. Antiochus returned home, his soul burning from the nasty sting of ignominious defeat by a simple circle drawn in the sand, but even as he struggled with Rome’s rude, iron-fisted diplomacy, the Jew’s seized their chance. While Antiochus was busy dancing in the sand, rumor spread of his death. Shortly before, the High Priest Onias III had been replaced by his brother Jason. For financial reasons Antiochus supported Jason and his reform party. In return for a considerable sum, he permitted Jason to build a Greek style gymnasium in Jerusalem, where the Greek mode of education would be introduced to Jewish boys. Jason’s tenure as high priest, or kohein gadol, came to an abrupt end when he sent Menelaus to deliver an even larger tribute to Antiochus. Instead, Menelaus used the money to buy the priesthood for himself. The predictable result of this subterfuge was Antiochus’ confirmation of Menelaus as High Priest. Jason quickly fled Jerusalem to find refuge among Ammonites. Hearing the rumor that Antiochus was dead, the deposed High Priest gathered a force of 1,000 soldiers to launch a surprise attack on Jerusalem.
Enraged at the humiliation of defeat by a single Roman envoy, Antiochus now vented his wrath on the Jews by furiously attacking Jason’s forces in Jerusalem. After the battle, Menelaus was reinstated and resumed his priestly duties while Antiochus executed Jason and his followers. Second Maccabees describes the event in the usual horrific tradition of Biblical accounts.
“When these happenings were reported to the king, (Antiochus) he thought that Judea was in revolt. Raging like a wild animal, he set out from Egypt and took Jerusalem by storm. He ordered his soldiers to cut down without mercy those whom they met and to slay those who took refuge in their houses. There was a massacre of young and old, a killing of women and children, a slaughter of virgins and infants. In the space of three days, eighty thousand were lost, forty thousand meeting a violent death, and the same number being sold into slavery.”
To consolidate his empire and strengthen his hold on the region, Antiochus had sided with the Hellenized faction of Jews. He outlawed Jewish religious rituals such as the Sabbath and circumcision. Worse, he defiled the HaMikdash by opening the shrine to non-Jews and erecting an altar to the Greek god Zeus. Ordering the worship of the Greek god opened the Mikdash to sacrificing pigs, a true horror to traditions kept by observant Jews. The new order was blasphemous anathema to Jews. When they refused to comply, Antiochus sent an army to enforce his decree. Because of their resistance, Jerusalem was destroyed. This account is again described in Second Maccabees.
Antiochus however, was merely another supporting actor in the grand, historical play of the Jews. The Maccabean Revolt was the beginning of the civil war between orthodox and reformist parties forming the main factions of Jewish religion. The revolt of the Maccabees, or “hammers” in Hebrew, was a break between traditionalist Jews in the country and urban, Hellenized Jews in Jerusalem. Traditionalist Jews, with Hebrew/Aramaic names like “Onias”, contested the Jewish Hellenizers sporting Greek names like “Jason” and “Menelaus” over who would ascend as the “Kohein Gadol” or High Priest of the Jews. Of course, it would be far too simplistic to ignore both the social and economic motives that lay behind the religious fervor fueling this civil war. More than religion, ultimately a nation’s wealth and power was at stake – and it was winner take all.
War between the two dominate factions escalated when the Hellenistic kingdom of Syria sided with Hellenizing Jews. It was during this escalation that Antiochus sided with the Hellenizers by prohibiting the religious practices upheld by the traditionalists. Banning traditional religion of a whole people was a radical departure from traditional Seleucid practice, but among these warring Jews, it was imperative if order was to be restored. Unlike their traditional country cousins, the cosmopolitan, Hellenistic Jews were rapidly assimilating into Greek culture. It was only natural for Antiochus to support the friendlier of the two factions.
Though many Jews had been seduced by the virtues of Hellenism, persecution by Antiochus had temporarily united the two factions in a common front. When a Greek official tried to force the priest Mattathias to sacrifice to a pagan god, the Jews murdered the Greek. Predictably, Antiochus began harsh reprisals, but in 167 B.C., the Jews rose up behind Mattathias and his five sons to fight for liberation. This family, commonly known as Hasmoneans, soon became known as the Maccabees. Antiochus, underestimating the resolve of his adversaries, sent only a small force to put down the rebellion. When his troops were annihilated, he led a more powerful army into the battle only to be defeated.
After the death of Antiochus in 164 B.C., Jerusalem was recaptured by the Maccabees and the Mikdash was purified. This triumph is celebrated with the observance of “Chanukah”. Perhaps the most gruesome legend associated with this Jewish holiday is that of a mother and her seven sons. No one knows her actual name, as it was never provided by the authors of the Maccabean book, but the name assigned by popular Jewish culture is “Hannah”.
The story is told that a woman named Hannah had seven sons who refused to eat the pork sacrifice as ordered by Antiochus. Hannah’s eldest son spoke up for the others, telling Antiochus that he would die rather than violate God’s law. These words angered Antiochus who then ordered all the pans and cauldrons be brought out and put on the fires. The story alleges that as the cookware was heating, the king ordered his men to cut out the boy’s tongue and to amputate his hands and feet. His mother and brothers looked on in horror as the boy was mutilated. The king then ordered the boy to be fried alive. Hannah and her sons knew refusal meant death, but were willing to suffer and die for their piety. Each, in turn, proclaimed that while the king might deprive them of their life, in the afterlife they would be raised up by the King of the world, and that they were willing to die for the laws of that King.
After watching six of her sons suffer torture and death, the mother was given the opportunity to persuade her youngest to eat the pork or perish like his brothers. According to legend, Hannah told her youngest to follow the example of the others, for it was better to die, than to break the Torah’s strict, dietary commandment to avoid non-kosher meat. Hannah then kissed her youngest son and whispered, “When you die and see the great patriarch Abraham, tell him not to feel too proud he built an altar for the sacrifice of his only son, because I have sacrificed seven sons! While Abraham’s sacrifice was God’s test, my test was real.” In the end, not only were her seven sons martyred, she too suffered the same fate. The message to pious Jews was clear – meat was an issue to die for.
It took two more decades of Maccabean revolt before the Seleucids finally retreated from Palestine. By 143 BC, the Maccabees had fully established their independence. After 500 years of subjugation, Jews were now their own masters. When Mattathias died, the revolt was taken over by his son Judah Maccabee. Jonathan, or Apphus “the wary”, the youngest of Mattathias’ sons, succeeded Judah, whose defeat and death left Maccabean leadership in a deplorable state. It was left to Jonathan to reunify the Hasmonean dynasty. He would do this by warily calling for aid from the various rivalries competing for the Syrian throne. Manipulation of these rivalries resulted in sixty-five years of independent rule by the Hasmoneans. It was only a short time between the fading Greek rule of Syrian kings and the newly established Roman empire rule enforced by Pompey.
By the end of the war, the kingdom had regained boundaries not far short of what had been reputed to be Solomon’s realm. Most notable among these events however, was the Hasmonean claim to not only the throne of Judah, but also the critical post of high priest or “kohein gadol”. This assertion of religious authority conflicted with the tradition of the priests who claimed to be descendants of Moses’ brother Aaron and the tribe of Levi. The rivalry developing between these factions threatened the kingdom. Ultimately, the internecine rivalries, along with the appearance of Rome’s imperial power, put an end to Jewish independence. However, the original break between the Jews had led to other schisms among the increasingly fractured religion.
Babylon had long been a residence for Jews, an occupation that began with their expatriation from Jerusalem in 586 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar. Now part of the Seleucid empire, the city lay at the nexus of the western termination the silk road on an ancient Nabataean trade route. From here, caravans of Far East traders took their wares to points north like Nineveh, South to Ur and Gerrah and further west to Damascus. Many merchants and traders made their way through what even then, was a thoroughly cosmopolitan city. Jews found this atmosphere much to their satisfaction, for many had enriched themselves as middlemen in the bustling trade.
For some fifty years, Jews were held in Babylonian captivity. Over the years the kohanim, like many of their tribesmen, had become comfortable with their captivity. Thus, while many of their members returned to Jerusalem to rebuild and re-consecrate the defiled Mikdash, others remained in Babylon. Many Jews believe the Torah took its final shape during this exile. According to the Torah, about one hundred years after being sent into exile, the scribe Ezra returned to Jerusalem bearing the law books of Moses. Here he reportedly read the law aloud to the Jewish community. Jewish tradition credits Ezra with the compilation of the books of the Torah. An ancient, apocryphal account called second Esdras claims the Torah was actually “channeled” by him. What Ezra had written down was a hodge-podge of religious traditions and cultic practices the Hasmoneans called the “Law of Moses”. It was this version of the Torah the Essene rejected.
“The Nasaraeans . . .They acknowledged Moses and believed that he had received laws – not this law, however, but some other. And so, they were Jews who kept all the Jewish observances, but they would not offer sacrifice or eat meat. They considered it unlawful to eat meat or make sacrifices with it. They claim that these Books (of Moses) are fictions, and that none of these customs were instituted by the fathers. (Panarion 1:18)
By fifty B.C., this story was ancient history to the two brothers wending their way through the narrow alleyways of Babylon. These were Essene priests, members of a splinter faction of Jews that held even greater quarrel with both traditionalist and Hellenistic jews. The fundamental break lay in their opposition to the traditional priest’s highly profitable blood sacrifice. The schism stemmed from the Essene veneration of all living creatures and opposition to the slaughter of animals. Such opposition was considered even more egregious than the break between traditional and Hellenistic Jews as this presented a direct attack on the priest’s livelihood. The pace of the two brothers quickened for they were making their way to a midday meeting with members of the traditional Hasidim priesthood. The plan was to present their grievances and call for an even more profound reform than either traditional or Hellenized Jews would tolerate.
When the brothers arrived at the tenement in the upper city, they found the place opulent by the standards of the day. They knocked on the door and waited impatiently, but there was no reply. They knocked again, this time with more fervor. Finally, the door was opened by an imperious servant who asked, “What is your wish”?
The taller of the two brothers replied, “We have come to meet with the kohanim, they are expecting us.”
The servant cast a jaundiced eye on the two, as if suspecting some form of foul play was hidden within the request. As he surveyed the white robes of the men, a voice from within said sharply, “Allow the brothers entry, we are expecting them.”
The servant stepped aside allowing the two brothers entry into the cool, dark interior of the dwelling. As their eyes adjusted from the bright sun, to the gloom within, the two realized that seven men stood in a semicircle within the room. All seven were dressed in the traditional regalia of the priesthood, white robes covered by bright blue tunics overlaid with prayer shawls and held fast by wide, ornate girdles around the waist. While their heads were topped by softly crushed turbans that would one day resemble a butcher’s cap, their feet were bare. There could be no doubt these men were kohanim, only the ephod breastplate was missing that would denote a kohein gadol.
The shorter brother began the interchange, “We have come to discuss the matter of the sacrifice.”
“We have made our position clear on this matter. There can be no discussion.” Retorted the tallest priest standing central among the seven.
“Why is it you are intractable on this matter? Can you not see this issue fans the embers of hate between Jews and Greeks from both sides?
“So you have come to ask for an end to our sacrificial tribute? Are you mad? Even Greeks offer sacrificial tribute!”
“True enough, but consider they are lesser men unwise in the ways of the true god. Were we to renounce the sacrifice, would not this be the mark of the greater God of greater men?”
“It would be the mark of an idiot! How then might we atone to God for our sin? Do you propose to absolve sin by dancing and singing like children? How would Greeks view our faith in God then? Without sacrifice, Judaism would be the butt of Greek jokes. Enough! This is nonsense! There can be no rhetoric concerning God’s demand for sacrificial tribute to atone for our sins. This is the fundamental law of our sacred Torah!”
“Levirate law is written to enrich the kohanim as much as to atone for any sin. Do you not demand ten percent of the sacrificial offering?”
Withdrawing the symbol of their power from under his robe, the kohein shoved a crude hammer in the brother’s face and hissed, “Enough of this blasphemy! If you or any of your members are within the walls of Babylon when the sun rises, we will smash you along with the evil Greeks and all others following their sacrilege! The meeting is over, BE GONE! Tarry not, lest you fall under our wrath!”
The brothers looked at each other; the taller of the two asked, “Where are we to go? Is this not our home as well?” “We care not where you go. Perhaps the sheol would be best, and to the darkest pit of the underworld is where we will send you if you remain. Have we not been clear enough on this matter? Remain here and not one of your members will be alive when tomorrow’s sun sets upon the walls of this city.” Still standing beside the brothers, the servant motioned towards the door, “This way”.
Before exiting, the shorter brother turned to face the seven scowling faces, “This is not the way, your way only leads to greater strife and suffering for our people. Your greed will be your undoing!”
Wielding his hammer, The kohein moved menacingly towards the two yelling, “Be gone! NOW! Or you will find yourselves passing through the gates of sheol before you pass though our door!”
The brothers turned and left. Moving into the empty alley, they could hear a sharp report from the hammer hitting the door that had just closed behind them.
That evening the brothers met with the other ten members of their group. After reporting their encounter with the kohanim, a decision was quickly reached to depart Babylon that evening. The Essene owned nothing outside their collective body and the collective itself owned very little. They made ready with a few animals and scanty provisions for a journey to an unknown destination. Departing the city that evening, they made their way towards the hostile desert regions once claimed by ancient Edomites. As they walked, little conversation was made among the group. At last a member asked, “Where are we going? Are we to travel aimlessly until we perish in the desert?”
Without turning or missing a step, the taller brother replied, “We will return home to the remote region of HaGalil; to the holy mountain called Carmel. There, we will establish a community at the foot of the mountain and reside in peace, far from the strife created by the false traditions of our brethren.”
The journey would take the small band of brothers 435 Gallic leuga west, across the farthest northern regions of the great Arabian Desert. It would not be an easy journey as the region between Babylon and Jerusalem lay vast and desolate. The brothers chose a trail of commerce well known among travelers. This path took them Southwest from Babylon to a small, bustling, oasis called al-Jwaf. The route avoided the harsh, unforgiving, desert sands to the south, and likewise, the less passable terrain of Wadi al-Sirhan to the north.
Located at the edge of the northern curve of Arabia’s great Nafud desert, Al-Jwaf was where trade routes converged, linking Mesopotamia, Persia and Syria with Arabia. It was here Sumerians erected the great temple of Ishtar. However, the first business of al-Jawf was business. Fertile soils made the oasis a virtual breadbasket surrounded by drier, harsher lands. For centuries, merchants met here to buy, sell and exchange goods. The steady flow of commerce was further enhanced by Pilgrims drawn to Ishtar’s temple.
By this time, the oasis had become a wealthy city, renowned throughout the region. When the brothers entered the city, they were amazed at what they saw. While they had been made aware of its existence, they were unprepared for this bustling desert community. To the brothers, al-Jawf seemed almost as great as Babylon and just as corrupt. Caravans moved through the oasis lined with merchants and vendors hawking their wares.
As they walked the road, baked hard by an unrelenting sun, the brothers pulled their cowls, now khaki colored from the dust, over their shaved heads to hide from the penetrating rays that seemingly sought to expose even the tiniest shadow of darkness. A nearby vendor implored passersbys to look at his fine carpets. Another voice droned rhythmically about fresh fruit for sale. The brothers marveled at the energy of this great hive of activity that equaled the markets of their native Babylon.
“Why is it we flee?” A brother mumbled to no one in particular. “Are our differences so great that we cannot agree to live in peace with our brethren following Mikdash law?” The brothers walked on in contemplative silence for a while before another answered, “There are fundamental differences in our view of this world. First is our approach to the material desires encountered in this world. We shun this material world for we know these things attracting our physical body only serve to distract one from the spiritual path. However, we know this is by design. These things are here to be recognized for the impediment they present to one’s enlightenment. Our brethren in the Mikdash work only to obtain the material wealth of this world. Their only interest is how much wealth and comfort can be gleaned from this life. This is the fundamental difference between false religion and the true spiritual path.
“We seek to be of service to others on this material plane, while our brethren seek only to be in service to themselves. Worse, their efforts are usually achieved at great expense to others. We believe all men to be equal in the eyes of God, while our brethren of the great Mikdash believe they are set above and apart from others. Those outside the Hebrew bloodline are considered unclean; naught but beasts to be used and consumed, even as they use and consume their sacrificial animals. We abstain from slavery while the Hasidim employ them.
“Our differences are as of night and day. These men have a certain darkness of the soul, while, like the sun overhead, we seek to enlighten others and ourselves. As men of light, we therefore stand in opposition to those seeking the darkness of this existence.”
The brothers passed through al-Jwaf as they passed through life, simply observing without partaking of its pleasures. From al-Jawf, the Essene brothers followed the trade route northwest to Bostra, the northern Nabataean capital located in southern Syria. By this time, the Romans had annexed the Nabataean Empire and Bostra was now made capital of their new province, Arabia. This change in Roman trade routes had led to the shift of the capital city from Petra to Bostra, now Petra began to die.
This move however also provided an unusual advantage for traders. Bostra’s location to nearby lava beds was said to aid and abet smugglers avoiding Roman revenue agents. When approached by authorities, smugglers would quickly dissolve into the hardened crevices of the forbidding lava flows. As fitting for a capital, Bostra had many fine public buildings including a bathhouse, theater, forum and temples. The city was noted for a form of Nabataean pottery prized for its delicate, egg-shell-thin construction. Once again, the brothers passed quickly though the city, partaking of none of its pleasures and never noting its resemblance to Petra, the former Nabataean capital that lay 120 Gallic leuga southwest.
Heading north toward Damascus, the small band took an abrupt left at a bend in the road and walked west into the wilderness.The brothers squinted into the rays of the setting sun spiking the horizon. The days were longer now that spring had arrived. This was a time of year known to Jews as Nissan. In more ways than one, the Essene brethren had embarked upon a lesser traveled path. While their spiritual path would take them through time and space, their corporeal path would take them fifteen Gallic leuga to Adraa, then to the small village of Capitolis and finally to the larger city of Gadara, the focal point for Gadarine society. Situated on a small plateau, the city overlooked Lake Gennerasset, which lay to the northwest. A thoroughly gentile region, Gadera was noted for its large heard of swine, an animal declared “unclean” by the Torah. As pointed out by Hanna and her sons, these were animals to die for. Considering Hanna’s ghastly abhorrence of swine, some might have thought it odd that Gadera was also home to a small, Jewish graveyard featuring sepulchers first described in the story of Abraham’s burial of Sarah.
Sepulchers served as housing for the dead. Those in Gadera were fashioned from small caves carved by nature into the plateau’s rock face. Inside, shelves had been cut into the walls. These recesses were smoothed slabs where a body would lay in state until the flesh rotted from its bones. As with swine, Jews considered the dead body ritually unclean. Their law described a corpse as “the most unclean thing of all.” A kohein was required to purify himself for seven days for simply being under the same roof as a body. Thus, like swine, graveyards, and the bodies therein, were considered unapproachable. The brothers passed Gadara with nary nod before continuing their journey westward to a small village called bet lehem.
The agrarian culture of the Galil region was largely closed in nature. People traveled little, often living out their lives without ever seeing another village. Since there was no post or overriding political structure, it was not uncommon for villages to have the same names. More than one village in the north had a sister namesake in the south and so it was for the village of bet lehem. The northern village of bet lehem was located a few milliarium north of the great plain of Megiddo. The name means “house of bread” or in Arabic “house of meat”; the ancients often confused the terms. As the village was located at the Southern end of the verdant bet Netofa Valley where grain crops flourished, it is likely the name alluded to the former. It was here at the northern village called bet lehem the Essene brothers took a brief respite to establish contact with the community with those whom would soon become their neighbors.
After a few days respite the brothers left bet lehem, spreading out to scout the region in search of a suitable location for their monastery. It took several weeks before the brothers reconvened at the village to make their final decision. The brothers chose a small, level, plateau situated atop a chalky ridge nestled in the bet Netofa valley. As they stood atop the remote plateau, the brothers breathed the delicate spring scents of honeysuckle and jasmine permeating the valley. Surveying the sight one spoke, “It is decided; this is where we shall establish our monastery. This will be a place where truth shall be found by those who seek.” The brothers set to work.
The monastery of the Nazarene brotherhood was a small place and true to Essene tradition, quite humble, consisting of only a few small mud and stone huts surrounding a central fire pit and water well. From here, the brothers would go out among the surrounding communities to help those in need. Primary among the assistance provided by the brothers was that of healing. Essene were noted healers and through their service, gathered many followers. As Flavius Josephus wrote of them in the first century, “They are ardent students in the healing of diseases, of the roots offering protection, and of the properties of stones.”
Traveling among the locals of the region, the brothers could not help but note the grinding poverty and privation encountered along the way. The Galileans were mostly fishermen and farmers. Agricultural production was primarily grain and vegetable crops. Part of their economic problem lay in the fact that fish were excluded from the sacrificial system. The other part lay in the fact that even though grain was an acceptable sacrifice, it was a poor second to the animal sacrifice. The precedence for the blood sacrifice had been set long ago in the story of Cain and Able. Cain, a farmer, murdered his shepherd brother Able over God’s preference for Able’s blood sacrifice. Once again, meat was something to die for.
Galil was a part of Rome’s Judean Tetrarchy. Herod, both unwelcome and unpopular among the Jews, had been appointed king by the Roman overlords. Barely tolerated by the people, Herod might never have maintained his power over the Judeans but for one reason – the priesthood. It was the priests, or kohanim, who truly commanded the people for they were God’s chosen intercessors. It was the high priest, the kohein gadol, who wore the ephod holding the magic stones known as the Urim and Thummin. These semi-precious stones were cast to divine God’s words that, in turn, were delivered to Judea’s faithful followers.
The problem for the Hasmonean usurpers was although they had won their bid for power over the priesthood, many among the faithful refused to accept their authority. Those Jews refusing to pay the tribute proscribed by Levirate law were considered outcast by the kohanim. Thus, while Canaanites and Samaritans sacrificed to God, they denied the priesthood their cut of sacrificial meat. The denial was held as sacrilege, for the laws of Moses brought forth by Ezra during Babylonian captivity, demanded this tribute for the Mikdash.
Because of their weak authority and resulting division among various groups of Jews, the kohanim needed a symbol that would amplify their claim as God’s chosen power and authority. No better symbol could be found than a magnificent Mikdash consecrated to God. It was decided the magnificence of this new structure would exceed the Torah’s description of Solomon’s Mikdash. While no physical trace of Solomon’s Mikdash had ever been found, the scale alone of the new Mikdash would leave no doubt of its existence. The only question remaining for the kohanim was how to fund the immense project.
Herod the great had been a builder. Like many leaders throughout history, he was a king who loved the grand structures marking his reign. Even so, it took some effort to convince Herod to expend the necessary money and resources required to build what would become the largest structure in his kingdom, a structure far exceeding the scale of his royal palaces. The agreement was simple, Herod would build the Mikdash to the kohanim specifications; in turn, the kohanim would deliver their followers to unquestioning authority by officially recognizing and sanctioning Herod’s Kingship. Herod would also receive credit for the largest single structure marking his reign; it would hence be known as “Herod’s Mikdash.” The cozy agreement strengthened the power and authority of both parties weakened from the outset by a general lack of recognition and acceptance.
For the two usurping parties, it was a winning agreement all around and they couldn’t have been happier with the deal. Only the people would suffer from the continual demand for the sacrificial tribute that paid for both the Mikdash and its administration. For poor Judeans, the price far exceeded even the grandiose physical dimensions of the Mikdash. It was a price impoverishing people to the point where they cried out in agony and grief for a savior to deliver them from their sins, for it was sin alone that imposed the onerous, sacrificial burdens weighing heavily upon them. What was needed was a savior, a messiah, who would willingly shed his blood as final sacrificial atonement to God’s Mikdash. The Jews gnashed their teeth and rent their garments in anticipation of the savior who would offer himself as the final Paschal lamb.
The immensity of the problem was not lost on the Essene brothers. They dealt daily with the suffering caused by the Mikdash demands. More than once they would hear the refrain, “We work a day to pay the rent, a day to feed our families, a day to pay Rome’s taxes and the rest goes to the Mikdash.” The people were quite literally being bled to death. However, it wasn’t their blood being shed, but the blood of their sacrifice.
By now, other Essene brethren had filtered in form the east, making the journey from their former captivity. These new brothers joining the small monastery, swelled its numbers to the point they became a noted asset to the surrounding communities. Daily, brothers moved in and out of the monastery, sharing all work. Some lived abroad while others maintained the community. As brothers returned from their healing ministrations among the community, they would discuss the joy and grief encountered along the way. Here a son was born, yet there a daughter had been handed over to a kohein in lieu of a sacrifice.
One evening at the communal fire, a brother addressed the others sitting around the circle, twelve in all. “This has gone too far. These Hasmonean thieves are the whores of Babylon. They have written a false account of the law. Their Torah is naught but lies enticing people into a deadly liaison with promises of religious ecstasy. Yet they serve only to deliver ever more misery and suffering to our people. Not only have they stolen our homes. They have driven us from our land! They bleed the very life from our people. They care nothing for the people and less for their suffering. The Mikdash’s corruption is so blatant the kohanim often no longer even attempt hiding their criminal activities.”
The brother took a stick and stirred the remaining coals among the dying embers. “The laws have been written to sanctify their illegal actions and protect them from prosecution. They steal the wealth of the Israelites with their ever-increasing demand for sacrificial tribute, not to mention the vast array of fees for a myriad of useless services. Every jar of wine must be blessed and every blessing requires a fee. The purification services of the mikveh are now reserved for the wealthy, for only they can afford to bathe in those holy waters overseen by the kohanim. Every jot and tittle of their law must be observed, lest onerous penalties be invoked far in excess of any crime. With their wily financial machinations, they steal houses from widows, leaving them destitute.”
The brother carelessly tossed the stick into the fire before continuing. “With no home or family, how many of these women have become prostitutes? Worse, how many have been found dead; how many have died from their grief? How many loved ones have been taken to the sepulcher while still breathing only because a priest pronounced them dead in an effort to extort yet more tribute for imagined sin?”
A tear glistened on the brother’s cheek. “And these are but a few of the horrors these sons of Satan wreak upon the innocent to feed the Mikdash coffers! The kohanim have amassed so much wealth, even Rome and her kings come to them for loans! How much longer will this be allowed? What can be done to alleviate this terrible suffering? There must be a way to end this sacrificial madness. As son of Adam, the first man, we are tasked in finding a way to help our people!”
Another voice replied, speaking slowly and distinctly, “So be it, let seven among us decide what must be done to alleviate the pain and misery of those suffering under Mikdash law.” Seven heard the voice. Yet there hadn’t been a voice, for no one had spoken. The seven nodded once in mutual agreement.
In the following days, these seven met in secret and proposed different ideas for possible solutions. After some deliberation on the matter, all twelve met at the communal fire.
After lengthy meditation, one of the seven rose and spoke. “Here is the design to alleviate the suffering of the Jews. First it has been decided the Mikdash must be destroyed, for anything less will fail to root out kohanim authority. This is made clear by observing their actions in seizing the priesthood and by their close ties to Herod. Furthermore, due to their strength, their system must first be weakened. The only possible way to achieve this is to work within the Mikdash. A priest must be found who is willing and able to challenge their authority with his own. To succeed he must have unquestionable blood ties to the house of David and he must be well versed in both Levirate law and religious customs. He will also be trained in the art of healing as well as the esoteric knowledge of our brotherhood.
A second among the brethren stood and spoke, “The problem is our members are recognized by the usurpers; therefore, an attempt to recruit a priest from their ranks would undoubtedly lead to the discovery of our design and quick destruction. It has been decided that several young women of marriageable age will be chosen from among our families. These women will be trained in the art of seduction. Each will seduce a priest we have chosen as candidates most likely to sire a son. Our brothers working secretly within the Mikdash will research the linage of each candidate to assess this potential. Of those sons born, we will choose the best and brightest. He will be trained intensively for this mission. When the time is right, he will begin his ministry with the brotherhood providing assistance as needed. The brothers and this design will be unknown except to the chosen candidate. The assistance will be provided beyond the sight and knowledge of outsiders. The candidate will appear as one who is sui generis, our hidden support will make his actions appear divine.”
The first spoke again, “Thus, by both teaching and action, our candidate will be perceived as the messiah, the new YHVH of the Jewish people. Of course, the kohanim will be outraged at the claim and never permit him to continue in this role. Again, this will be to our advantage, as we will use their dark hatred and corrupt laws to our own end by turning these things against them. Our kohein shall become the final blood sacrifice, the last paschal lamb. We are aware the Romans have long been at odds with the Mikdash. Rome’s administrators are constantly manipulated by the threat of yet another revolt or general uprising by the kohanim and its militant followers. If anything, the Romans are even more disgusted and sickened by the corruption than our people. Therefore, we will collaborate with the Romans in whatever manner necessary to achieve our ends. Although we will work entirely outside the Mikdash, the system will provide it’s own destruction. We are then, a conspiracy – the conspiracy of man!”

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