JUDAICA - Wisdom In Torah

ezra
lims fear the tomb and ascribe to it supernatural powers, and
many legends are linked to it.
[Abraham Ben-Yaacob]
Bibliography: J.M. Myers, Ezra, Nehemiah (1965); D.J.
Clines, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (1984); H.G.M.Williamson, Ezra,
Nehemiah (1985); J. Blenkinsopp, Ezra-Nehemiah (1988); A. van der
Kooij, “Nehemiah 8:8 and the Question of the ‘Targum’-Tradition,” in:
G.J. Norton and S. Pisano (eds.), Tradition of the Text: Studies Offered
to Dominique Barthélemy in Celebration of his 70th Birthday (1991),
79–90; R.W. Klein, “Ezra-Nehemiah, Books of,” in: D.N. Freedman
(ed.), Anchor Bible Dictionary, 2 (1992), 731–42; S.J.D. Cohen, The Beginnings
of Jewishness (1999); J.W. Watts (ed), Persia and Torah: The
Theory of Imperial Authorization of the Pentateuch (2001); B. Porten,
“The Passover Letter (3.46),” in: W.W. Hallo (ed.), The Context of
Scripture, 3 (2002), 116–17; I. Knohl, The Divine Symphony: The Bible’s
Many Voices (2003). IN THE AGGADAH: Ginzberg, Legends, 4
(1913), 354–9; 6 (1928), 441–7. IN ISLAM: Ṭabarī, Tafsīr, 10 (1327 A.H.),
78–79; Nīsābūrī, ibid., 68–69; Ţabarī, Tafsīr, 3 (1323 A.H.), 19–20 (to
Sura 2:261); Thaʿlabī, Qiṣaṣ (1356 A.H.), 291–3; H. Speyer, Biblische Erzaehlungen…
(1961), 413; H.Z. Hirschberg, in: Leshonenu, 15 (1947),
130–3. TOMB: Ben-Jacob, in: Edoth, 1:1 (1945), 37–40. Add. Bibliography:
EIS2, 10, 960, S.V. ‘Uzayr (incl. bibl.).
EZRA, family prominent in India in the 19th and 20th centuries.
JOSEPH BEN EZRA BEN JOSEPH KHLEF (d. 1855), one of
the notables of the Jewish community in Baghdad, traveled to
India at the beginning of the 19th century. Together with his
sons Ezekiel and David, he settled in Calcutta, engaging in
commerce and becoming very wealthy. After some time, he
returned to Baghdad, where he died. The family was known
as Baḥer (Ar. “sea”), possibly because they were among the
first to cross the sea to India. The traveler *Benjamin II first
mentioned Joseph as among the most distinguished personalities
of Calcutta in 1849. Joseph’s son DAVID (1797–1882) was
president of the Calcutta Jewish community and one of the
outstanding Oriental philanthropists. Contributing generously
to charitable institutions in India and Iraq, he assisted the Palestinian
sheluḥim (“emissaries”) who often visited India, and
also provided funds for the ransoming of captives. A street was
named after him in Calcutta, where he built two magnificent
synagogues: Neweh Shalom (1856) and Bet El (1870).
His son ELIAS DAVID (1830–1886) was also a wealthy philanthropist.
In 1882 he opened a school for the poor in Calcutta
and in 1883/84 built a synagogue named Maghen David after
his father. He contributed 12,000 rupees toward the establishment
of a zoological garden which became known as “Ezra
House.” In 1870, he married Mozelle (Mazal-Tov; 1850–1921),
the daughter of Sir Albert *Sassoon. She founded a large hospital
for the poor in Calcutta, named Ezra Hospital after her
husband, and two yeshivot: Mazal Ẓome’aḥ and Knesset Eliahu
in Jerusalem. Their son SIR DAVID (1871–1947), president of
the Jewish community of Calcutta, was also a noted philanthropist.
In 1912 he married Rachel (1877–1952), daughter of
Solomon David Sassoon. Both were active in many spheres of
public life: David was president of a scientific society for the
study of nature in India; Rachel founded the League of Jewish
Women in 1913 and administered two hospitals. In recog-
nition of their services to India, David was knighted in 1927.
During World War II, they gave generous relief to refugees
from Europe.
Bibliography: D.S. Sassoon, History of the Jews in Baghdad
(1949), index.
[Abraham Ben-Yaacob]
EZRA, APOCALYPSE OF (also known as Ezra IV), book
of visions ascribed to Ezra the Scribe, written between 95–
100 C.E., probably in Ereẓ Israel. It is extant in some Greek
fragments, Latin, Syriac, Ethiopic, two separate Arabic versions,
Armenian, Georgian, and a Coptic fragment.
The book is composed of seven visions. The first three, in
the form of dialogues between Ezra and the angel Uriel, deal
primarily with the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem
and with theodicy. Each of these three visions concludes with a
brief eschatological revelation. The fourth vision is of a weeping,
bereaved woman who is transformed into the heavenly
Jerusalem, the promise of redemption for Zion. Next, Ezra sees
an eagle with 12 wings, eight “little wings,” and three heads.
This, he is told, is the fourth beast which appeared to Daniel
(Dan. 7), the fourth wicked world empire, its heads and wings
representing kings and emperors. Ezra witnesses its judgment
and destruction at the hands of a lion, a symbol of the Messiah,
after which the righteous rejoice in the messianic kingdom.
The sixth vision sees one “as the form of a man,” rising
from the sea, who is attacked by innumerable hosts, which
he destroys to be greeted by a joyous multitude – another vision
of the Messiah’s victory over the evil nations. In the last
vision, Ezra receives the Torah, the 24 books of the Bible, and
the 70 books of secret, apocalyptic lore, and then prepares for
his assumption to heaven.
IV Ezra is considered one of the high points of Jewish
apocalyptic literature, combining sensitive perception with
profound and daring analysis. The author is deeply concerned
with the theological problems arising from the destruction of
Jerusalem: “Is Israel any worse than Babylon, that they rule
over us?” he asks (IV Ezra 3:27ff.). This question brings him to
grips with some basic problems concerning the nature of man.
How could God create man with an “evil heart” and, when
giving him the Torah, not remove this evil heart, which causes
him to transgress its laws? Further, why is man given understanding,
so that sinning, he knows that he sins and is destined
for Gehenna? To these and other such questions raised in
the first three visions, no real solution is offered. Ultimately,
the angel can only say that God’s ways are inscrutable, that
He rejoices in the righteous few, and that Ezra and those like
him are assured of their salvation. But the author’s real answer
is perhaps to be sought elsewhere, in the eschatological
sections which conclude each of these visions, and in the
three eschatological visions which follow, the solution to
these problems residing in the eschatological occurrences
themselves.
The book is preserved in the Latin Church and is included
by Protestants in the Apocrypha. It did not survive
654 ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 6