Editorial: On Martyrdom
A martyr, by the dictionary, dies rather than renounce his religion — the ten rabbis under Hadrian, the communities of Cologne, Blois and York who chose death over baptism, the uncounted of the Shoah. In four thousand years only Samson chose to kill his enemies as he died, and he is not offered for emulation. Written because propaganda during the intifada calls suicide bombers martyrs. They are not; they are murderers.
EDITORIAL
Webster’s Dictionary defines a “martyr” as one who voluntarily suffers death as a penalty for witnessing to and refusing to renounce his religion. Who can count the millions of Jews massacred, burnt alive, quartered, or systematically gassed in the course of the last 2000 years?
A pattern was set during the persecutions of Hadrian by the 10 illustrious rabbis, Akiba foremost among them, who were put to death for defying Hadrian’s edict against teaching Torah. These rabbis and the untold number of other Jewish martyrs died for קידוש הש [Sanctification of the Divine Name].
Thus far, we have dealt with heroic individuals. The Crusades created a new grisly situation: self-sacrifice of entire communities. Of the many gruesome incidents where entire communities were wiped out, we will mention three. The Jews of Cologne, rather than accept baptism, selected five individuals to kill the rest and then themselves. In Blois (1171), Jews were accused of crucifying a Christian child for the Passover, and given the choice of baptism or being burnt alive, they chose the latter. In York (1182) the Jews also rejected baptism and chose death; they killed one another and the last one left, Rabbi Yom-Tov, committed suicide.
The communities and individuals martyred in the Shoah will never be totally known. A half-century later, names of individuals and towns who expired for קדוש הש are still being added to the roster of martyrs.
And yet, in the almost 4,000 years of Jewish history, only Samson, blinded and humiliated by the Philistines, chose to kill his enemies as he committed suicide. Samson is not given to us as a Jewish hero to be emulated. Judaism teaches the sanctity of life. Noting the willingness of many to become martyrs for their faith, the rabbis set down the rule that only for three cardinal sins: murder, incest and idol worship, must the Jew choose martyrdom. Why this editorial? Insidious propaganda during the current “intifada” identifies suicide bombers as martyrs. They are not. They are murderers.
Cite this article
The Editorial Board. "Editorial: On Martyrdom." Jewish Bible Quarterly 30, no. 3 (July – September 2002).
The Editorial Board. "Editorial: On Martyrdom." Jewish Bible Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 3, 2002.