final war and rebellion those proselytes would, from fear, cast off the yoke of Judaism
and join the enemies.
58. Kethub. 111 a.
56. Vayyik. R. 13, end.
57. Ber. R. 65.
59. On that day Gabriel had descended, cut a reed from the ocean, and planted it in mud
from the sea, and on this the city of Rome was founded (Siphré 86 a).
60. Ab. A. 24 a.
61. Ab. Z. 3 b; Yeb. 24 b.
That war, which seems a continuation of that Gog and Magog, would close the
Messianic era. The nations, who had hitherto g iven tribute to Messiah, would rebel
against Him, when He would destroy them by the breath of His mouth, so that Israel
alone would be left on the face of the earth.62 The duration of that period of rebellion is
stated to be seven years. It seems, at least , a doubtful point, whether a second or
general Resurrection was expected, the more probable view being, that there was only
one Resurrection, and that of Israel alone,63 or, at any rate, only of the studious and the
pious,64 and that this was to take place at the beginning of the Messianic reign. If the
Gentiles rose at all, it would only be immediately again to die.65 66
62. Tanch. ed. Warsh ii. p. 115 a, top.
63. Taan. 7a.
64. Kethub. 111 b.
65. Pirké d. R. Eliez. 34.
66. It is, of course, not denied, that individual voices would have assigned part in the
world to come to the pious from among the Gentiles. But even so, what is the precise
import of this admission?
Then the final Judgment would commence. We must here once more make distincti on
between Israel and the Gentiles, with whom, nay, as more punishable than they, certain
notorious sinners, heretics, and all apostates, were to be ranked. Whereas to Israel the
Gehenna, to which all but the perfectly righteous had been consigned at death, had
proved a kind of purgatory, from which they were all ultimately delivered by Abraham,67
or, according to some of the later Midrashim, by the Messiah, no such deliverance was
in prospect for the heathen nor for sinners of Israel.68 The question whethe r the fiery
torments suffered (which are very realistically described) would at last end in
annihilation, is one which at different times received different answers, as fully explained
in another place.69 At the time of Christ the punishment of the wicked was certainly
regarded as of eternal duration. Rabbi José, a teacher of the second century, and a
representative of the more rationalistic school, says expressly, 'The fire of Gehinnom is
never quenched.'70 And even the passage, so often (although only par tially) quoted, to
the effect, that the final torments of Gehenna would last for twelve months, after which
body and soul would be annihilated, excepts from this a number of Jewish sinners,
specially mentioned, such as heretics, Epicureans, apostates, and persecutors, who are
designated as 'children of Gehenna' (ledorey doroth , to 'ages of ages').71 And with this
other statements agree,72 so that at most it would follow that, while annihilation would
await the less guilty, the most guilty were to be reserve d for eternal punishment.