Jacob’s brother Esau was also called Edom… and the Sages tell us that Edom is Rome.
No wonder so much of our Jewish history is intertwined with a love/hate relationship with Rome and its descendants who try to take control of the Land of Israel without living by Torah values.
Southern Gate to Tiberias flanked by two round towers
In the first century Herod Antipas (note: he was an Idumaean – meaning an Edomite!) built a city to honor the new Caesar, Tiberias, in the same way that his father Herod the Great built the city of Caesarea to honor Augustus.
The Jews lived alongside the Romans in Tiberias sharing the hot springs and market places.
Other Jews were intolerant of the pagan roman values brought to the country and revolted which resulted in two wars, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and exile of Jews of Judea.
While the Jews were studying and praying in Study Halls and Synagogues the Romans were attending theaters and circuses.
By remaining steadfast to our Torah values we have seen all the great empires who tried to destroy us, rise and eventually fall and disappear.
The the city of Tiberias placed this quote of the Sages next to the Tiberias Amphitheater…
“In the future the [Roman] circuses and theaters will be turned into Torah study halls…” (Babylonian Talmud,Tractate Megillah)
0 Comments