Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE) holds a very special place in Jewish historiography and mythology. It is true that there was, traditionally, antagonism towards ‘Greek Wisdom.’ He passed through the Land of Israel on his way to Egypt although Jerusalem was not on his route. And from there he went on to conquer Persia and got as far as India. He died in Babylon on his way back.

He was a child prodigy who had been educated by Aristotle (Maimonides’ philosophical inspiration). Wherever he went he sent back scientific samples to his mentor. He believed that people should be free to believe whatever religious ideas they fancied, so long as they lived their lives according to a systematic ethical program. Putting an effigy in a temple of those he conquered was political not ideological. No more than symbolic; it certainly was not a religious compulsion. Alexander was seen as a great man precisely because he encouraged technology without trying to impose his religious views. If he ‘went native’, we Jews saw that as a compliment. Because in a way that is what we have always done. From Spain to India, we have adopted local color, dress, and culture while remaining true to our core religious values.

After Alexander died his empire was divided up. Israel fell between the Seleucid Empire, based in Damascus, and the Ptolemies in Egypt. Over the next two hundred years regimes changed, came and went. Jews fought Jews, and fought Syrians and Egyptians in turn. And yet thanks to Alexander, they were left alone religiously (except, of course, under Antiochus IV and later a Ptolemy). And, despite the rivalry and antipathy of his Greek and Roman heirs, we survived and occasionally thrived. 

The Jewish response to Greek and Roman civilization, was to borrow and adapt particularly in education. It was not technology that was the problem, but the morality of the people using it. In this respect, the rabbis of that time got it right. Focus on the positive, increase Torah through study, and make Judaism attractive, rather than adopt a Luddite agenda. 

What Judaism opposed in Greek thought was its sexual and physical overindulgence, despite the stoic strain in Greek philosophy. Judaism insisted on a non-rational, spiritual dimension, and a system of law and morality that had to apply equally to everyone, regardless of rank or power. But ideas were not enough. Judaism emphasized behavior. 

There are many legends about Alexander and his wisdom recorded in the Talmud and Midrash. One is that Shimon HaTsaddik, Simeon the Just, the High Priest, appeared before him in a dream dressed in his white Yom Kippur finery. It seems Alexander had dreamt about being visited by a white figure the night before. Actually, the dates don’t match Shimon with Alexander’s timeline. And a similar story is told about Yochanan Ben Zakkai and the Roman Vespasian. Good stories bear repeating! But Shimon asked instead of an effigy all Jewish boys born that year would be named Alexander in his honor. The name Alexander was then adopted as a Jewish name, whether it was Alexander or the short version of Sender. No other non-Jewish ruler sympathetic to the Jews, from some of the Caesars to Napoleon, was paid such a compliment.

The other famous Talmudic story that I mentioned earlier this year in another piece, is that the local nations appeared before Alexander and asked him to dispossess the Jews, but he allowed the Jews to defend themselves, and their enemies were routed.

“When the people of the Middle East came to Alexander of Macedon with a claim against the Jewish people they said, “The land of Canaan is ours, as it is written: “This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its borders” (Numbers 34:2). And Canaan is our forefather. Gavia ben Pesisa asked the Sages to go and reply…he said since you are citing proof from the Torah, I too will cite only the Torah, as it is states “Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves to his brothers” (Genesis 9:25). If a slave acquired property, who does it belong to, the slave or the master?  Therefore, not only are you not entitled to the land, but there are additional debts that must be repaid.  They fled and abandoned their fields and their vineyards. 

On another occasion, the people of Egypt came to judgment with the Jewish people before Alexander of Macedon. The Egyptians said, “It says in the Torah: “And the Lord gave the people favor in the eyes of Egypt, and they lent them gold and silver” (Exodus 12:36). Give us back the silver and gold that you took from us.” 

Gavia ben Pesisa replied that if their source was the Torah, it also says “And the Children of Israel, dwelt in Egypt, for four hundred and thirty years” (Exodus 12:40), during which they were enslaved to Egypt, engaged in hard manual labor. Give us the wages for all the work of the 600,000 whom you enslaved in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years (Exodus 12:37). Immediately, they abandoned their fields and their vineyards and fled” (TB Sanhedrin 91b abbreviated and edited).  

Of course, I do not take all this as historical fact. But these legends do tell us something about our predicament today facing almost universal antagonism. It has almost always been thus. Our historical connection to the land of Israel was challenged long before there were Muslims, Marxists or Palestinians. And people have always tried to turn our own books, whether the Bible or the Talmud against us. Why even in Egypt a few years ago there was a serious attempt to recover reparations from Israel for stealing their property three thousand years ago. Thrown out even by an Egyptian court.

It will never change. As it was then we must fight back, but humour and storytelling are useful tools we have always used to feel better and survive!