A Soulful Journey

Onkelos was a convert to Judaism.  The Roman authorities were particularly angry, as Onkelos was a member of the royal house.  When troops came to arrest him. Onkelos spoke to them passionately about his devotion to Judaism and of it power and greatness. They were so moved that they too decided to convert.  Group after group was sent to him, each with the same result.  Finally, the emperor indicated that no more soldiers were allowed to speak with Onkelos.  On his way out, Onkelos kissed the mezzuzah attached to his doorpost and said, “Generals protect the king within the palace but God protects us from without." Check your home today.

…[T]he Rabbis were not unaware of the fact that the Romans tried to put a face of legality on their robberies. A Rabbi of the third century summarized it in the following phrase: …"This wicked government robs and extorts and makes it appear as though it were holding court.”   -Professor Saul Leiberman The law must not be  above morality.

Rabbi Hanina ben Teradyon remarks in the Talmud (Avoda Zara), "How van I take my life -- even to prevent the pain of my martyrdom at the hands of the Romans?  Let God Himself take the life that He gave me." Some times in our lives it is unbearably painful.  Yet, as Rabbi Hanina teaches, we have been given the gift of life.  It is not ours to end it.  Days of light will come.