BENEDICT DE SPINOZA: Theological-Political Treatise

On the vocation of the Hebrews
As for the fact that when the prophets speak of election on the basis
of virtue alone, they also say a good deal about sacri¢ces and other
Temple ceremonies and about rebuilding the city, they were attempting,
in the manner and nature of prophecy, to explain spiritual things under
such ¢gures, so that they might at the same time indicate to the Jews,
whose prophets they were, the restoration of the commonwealth and the
Temple, to be expected in the time of Cyrus.
[12] Thus the Jews today have absolutely nothing that they can attribute
to themselves but not to other peoples. As for their being dispersed and
stateless for so many years, it is not at all surprising that, after separating
themselves from all the nations in this way, they brought the resentment of
all men upon themselves, not only because of their external rites which are
contrary to the rites of other nations, but also by the sign of circumcision
which they zealously maintain. But experience has shown that it is the
resentment of the gentiles to a large extent that preserves them.When the
king of Spain at one time compelled the Jews to accept the religion of his
kingdom or go into exile, a large number of Jews converted to the Catholic
faith. All those who accepted it were granted the privileges of native
Spaniards and were considered worthy of all positions of dignity. Hence
they immediately integrated with the Spanish, so that in a short time there
were no remnants of them left and no memory of them. But quite the
opposite happened to those whom the king of Portugal compelled to convert
to the religion of his kingdom. 9 For though they submitted to this
faith, they continued to live apart from all men, doubtless because he
declared them unworthy of all higher positions.
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Furthermore, I think that the sign of circumcision has such great
importance as almost to persuade me that this thing alone will preserve
their nation for ever, and in fact, were it not that the principles of their
religion weaken their courage, I would believe unreservedly that at some
time, given an opportunity, since all things are changeable, they might reestablish
their state, and God will choose them again. We also have an
excellent example of this among the Chinese, who likewise zealously retain
a kind of topknot on their heads, by which they distinguish themselves
from all other men, and have preserved themselves in this distinctive
9 A large proportion of the Jews expelled from Spain in 1492, estimated at around 40,000, migrated
to Portugal where, however, in 1497 they were forcibly baptized, en masse, on the orders of the
Portuguese king.
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