361
Levi reports an iulerprctation harmonizing certain contradictory paa<yi.i;('s in the Pentateiicli. In one place (Dent. xxv. I'J) the Lord is represented as commanding, "Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amiilek " and in another (Ex. xvii. 14-16, llth.), as saying. "I will utterly put out the remembrance of Anialek from under heaven. Yea, a hand on the throne of Yah: the Lord will have war against Amalck from generation to gcnenition," Hy thi- first, says Alcxandri, we arc to understand that, as long as Anmlok lays no hand on (Jod's Ihnme, tliou must strive against him; by the second, when he lays hands on God's throne, the Lord Himself will blot out Amalek's remembrance, waging war against him from generation to generation (Tan. Ki Teze, II; Pesik. I{. xii, 51«. Here the name appears as Alexandros). Another of H. Alexandri's interpretations reported by the same K. Joshua suggests a Hiblical support for the rabbinic enactment of blowing the .iltufar (trumpet) during the muiiiif (additional service) of the New-year, and not during the s/inhnrit (morning service), by pointing out that in his pniyer (Ps. xvii. 2) the Psalmist sjiid, "Let my Interpreta- sentence come forth from thy prestion of cnce." only after using several terms Prayers, expressive of pmycr and meditation. These tenns he construes as follows; "Hear the right, () Lord," represents the recital of the SiiEM.v' (the declaration of God's unity); "Attend to my cry, the reading of the Law; "Give ear to my prayer" refers to that jiart of the service genendly callecl TKFrr.i,.ii (prayer); " which I offer with unfeigned lips" refers to the additional prayer (Yen 1{. II. iv. '}'.>r; compare Pesik U. xl. Midr.Teh. on the vivse). It is the same K. Alcxandri in whose name H. lluna b. Aha (Uoba) reports this olwervalion Come and see how great is the influence of those who perform pious deeds: generally where the Hible uses the term liishkif (o look toward or down, as in Gen. xix. 28, Ex. xiv. 24), a curse is implied, while when used in connection with the discliarge of duly, it means blessing, as in the pniyer recited after the olferingof lithes(Deut. xxvi. 12-l."i), which concludes with the expression: "Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless" (Yer. Ma'as. Sh. v. .Iti.where the author's name is written AU'xandra. Compare Tan. Ki Tissa, 14; Ex. H. xli; see Krankel, sci'iiiiugly
.
.
.
Jlibo, 04'/; Wei.ss, "Dor," iii. 5;!). 2. In the legendary portrayal
of
K.
llanina
and death, the following incident is fold: H. H""'""' '* Pappa was dead, and people were ready to pay him the last honors; but It pillar of tire suddenly appeand andimpe<l<d their approach to the remains. At last I{. Alcxandri came near, ami addres.sing Ihedecea.sed. said, "Order the obstruction away, out of respect for the a.ssembled sages"; but the deceased paid no attention to this demand, nt^t even when recpiested to grant it out of respect for his r>wn father (whose memory also would be himored by revc>renc<> shown to hlnn. "Then do it out of respect for thy.self." said 1{. Alcxandri. whereupon the jiillar disappeared Ket.
(Hinena)
b.
Pappa's
lifi'
(
This legend, evidencing the |>opular esteem in which Alcxandri was held, is also of chronological interest, because of its reference to Alexandri's presence at the funend of an amoni of the third generation (fourth centuryi. Elsewhere (Ned. 41") Alcxandri reports sayings of H. H'.vyu b. Abba. It 77/').
this 1{. Alcxandri. who reports some Haggadot anil Halakot in the naini' of Joshua b. Levi (Yonui, KV'. Saidi. DHdi. and it is probably the same in whose Is
name I;
|{. Aha HI. reports (Tan. Lek l^'ka.ed. llubcr, Midr. Tih. on Ps. ii. W). t
Alexandra
JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
TllK
Alexandria, E^ypt
Among the numerous homiletic observations coupled with the name of Alcxandri, which may be the production of either of the two personages discussed above, are the following: The expres.sion (Ps. X. 1.5), "Break thou the arm of the wicked," is applied to those who monopolize the market and raise the price of breadstuffs (Meg. 174). From the tautology in the verse (Isa. xxvii. .5). "Let him take hold of my strength, that he may Specimen of make peace with me: peace may he Haggadah. make with me," the doctrine is de<luced, that, whosoever applies himself to the study of God's law which is called ty strength for its own sake, effects peace in heaven and peace on earth (Sanh. 994). The reason for calling the same heavenly visitors " men " when in Abraham's company (Gen. xviii. 2), and "angels" when they visited Lot (Gen. xix.l), is because with Abra-
—
—
ham
angels' visits were
common
occurrences, there-
fore the visitors were in his eyes only men; while to Lot "the common man " they were angels (Tan., Waycra.ed. Buber,20;compare"Gen.R.I.). The prov-
—
—
xi. 17), "He that is cruel troubleth his flesh," refers to him who in hours of rejoicing neglects to invite his relatives because they are poor (Lev. R. xxxiv.). David is justified in applying to himself the term A'M/rf (pious Ps. xvi. 10, Ix.xxvi. 2) because whosoever hears himself reviled and resents not, when it is in his power to resent, is a partner of God, who is blasphemed by idolaters and resents not; and since David heard iiim.self reviled when he could resent, and did not (II Sam. xvi. .T-l'i). he had the right to call himself hasid (Midr. Teh. Ixxxvi. 1, and xvi. 10). With reference to the Psalmist's saying (Ps. li. 17). "A broken and a contrite heart. "O (!od. thou wilt not despise," H. .lcxandri remarks, When a conuuon man uses a broken ves,scl he is ashamed of it, but not so with the Holy One. All the instruments of His service are broken vessels." "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart" {ibid, xxxiv. 19); "He healcth the broken in heart "(/4(i/.cxlvii.3); "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (P.s. li. 17); therefore. Hosca exhorts the Israelites, saying (Hosea xiv. for thou 1), " O Israel, return unto the Lord fhy God hast fallen by thine iniquity" (Pesik. K. xxv. 1,584). Two Alexandris, one of whom is surnamed "b. Haggai " (or Hadrin) and the other " Karobah" (the liturgical poet), the former n'porting a homiletic observation in the name of the latter, are also mentioned (Lev. U. xix.. Cant. K. to v. U). Their relation to the two Alexandris of this article must bo As to the equivalent a matter of conjecture only. of the name, see Ai.kx.knhua.
erb (Prov.
own
—
nuu.iocut.vPMV
l>r. iJcr.
Midy. Till., mi. W-Mi; I'iMI,. Indc-.t;
IMI. .Iiii"r.
1.
eil.
tl..5<i: (Ijiil. be. 1.1?)
r<iii.,
ed.Buber,
I'mik. It. YX<a, IfiTd, Frlediimnn, Initex; liuilicr. Ay.
liubtT, fmti'.
It.. I'll.
IHVLIX.
S.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt— Ancient
M.
Historic
cilv >itU!iti'd on file Mcdilcrnuiean sea; fourteen miles wcsl of fill' (anopic mouth of the Nile. The history of the Jews of Alexandria dates from the foundation of the city by Alexander the (trciit.
- t32 II. c. at which they were pre.si'nt (Jos«-phus,
"Conlni Ap."ii. 4; "Ant." xix. 5, «;2). From the very beginning their numbers seem In have been consideriible; at all cvi'nts. they formed n very large portion
of the populiitioii under till' successorsof Alexander. . sepanite .«<'tion of the city was as-igmd to them by the first Ptolemies, so that they might not be hindiTed in the observance of their laws by <'onlinunl conla<'l with the pagan population ("H J." ii. 18, The site of this ancient Jcwisli quarter Uio S 7).
—
