Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Bava Batra 4 – King Herod Rebuilds the Temple (Civil)

King Herod feared that the Sages might question his fitness to be a king, leading to a rebellion, and killed all of them, leaving Bava ben Buta, whom he blinded. He then pretended to be a commoner and came to test Bava ben Buta.

H. See, master, what is this wicked slave doing?
B. What shall I do to him?
H. Curse him.
H. But this man is not a king.
H. If I had known that the Sages were so circumspect, I would not have killed them. What is my remedy?
B. Rebuild the Temple.

And so King Herod started.

Art: Temple by Roberts