UNaḥmanides—Ingabe Waphikisa UbuKristu?

INKATHI EPHAKATHI. Isikhumbuzani? IZimpi Zenkolo? UkuQulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki? Ukuhlushwa? Nakuba ngokuvamile kungeyona inkathi ehlobene nezingxoxo zenkolo ezikhululekile, phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngonyaka ka-1263, kwaba nenye yezinkulumo-mpikiswano ezivelele kakhulu emlandweni waseYurophu eyayiphakathi kwamaJuda namaKristu. Obani ababehilelekile? Iziphi izindaba ezadingidwa? Ingasisiza kanjani namuhla ukuba sibone inkolo yeqiniso?

Yini Eyavusa Lenkulumo-Mpikiswano?

Kuyo yonke iNkathi Ephakathi, iSonto LamaRoma Katolika lazibiza ngokuthi liyinkolo yeqiniso. Nokho, abantu abangamaJuda babengazange bakuyeke ukuthi bangabantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe. Ukuhluleka kwesonto ukwenza amaJuda abone isidingo sokuguquka kwaholela ekukhungathekeni futhi ngokuvamile ebudloveni nasoshushisweni. Phakathi neZimpi Zenkolo amashumi ezinkulungwane zamaJuda abulawa ngesihluku noma ashiswa esigxotsheni lapho enikwe ithuba lokukhetha phakathi kobhapathizo nokufa. Emazweni amaningi ukubandlululwa kwamaJuda okwakukhuthazwa isonto kwakuvamile.

Nokho, kwakunomoya ohlukile eSpain yobuKatolika yekhulu le-12 nele-13. AmaJuda ayenikwa inkululeko engokwenkolo—uma nje ayengahlaseli inkolo yobuKristu—enikwa ngisho nezikhundla ezibalulekile enkundleni yenkosi. Kodwa cishe ngemva kwekhulu leminyaka laleyo mpatho enhle, abapristi besigaba sikaDominic bathatha izinyathelo zokunciphisa ithonya lamaJuda emphakathini nokuguqulela amaJuda enkolweni yobuKatolika. INkosi uJames I yase-Aragon yacindezelwa amalungu esigaba sikaDominic ukuba ihlele inkulumo-mpikiswano engokomthetho, ngenjongo yokubonisa ukuba phansi kwenkolo yamaJuda nesidingo sokuba wonke amaJuda aguquke.

Lena kwakungeyona inkulumo-mpikiswano yokuqala phakathi kwamaJuda namaKristu. Ngonyaka ka-1240, kwaba nempikiswano engokomthetho eParis, eFrance. Injongo yayo eyinhloko yayiwukuvivinya iTalmud, incwadi engcwele kumaJuda. Nokho, amaJuda ayenengxenye anikwa inkululeko encane yokukhuluma. Ngemva kokuba isonto limemezele ukunqoba kwalo kulempikiswano, inqwaba yamakhophi eTalmud yashiswa ezinkundleni zomphakathi.

Kodwa umoya weNkosi uJames I yase-Aragon wokubabekezelela kakhudlwana abanye awuzange ukuvumele lokho kuvivinya kokugcona. Eqaphela lokhu, amalungu esigaba sikaDominic azama enye indlela. Njengoba uHyam Maccoby akubeka encwadini yakhe ethi Judaism on Trial, amemela amaJuda kuyinkulumo-mpikiswano “ngokuzenza anomusa nafuna ukuwakholisa, kunokuwagxeka njengaseParis.” Amalungu esigaba sikaDominic akhetha uPablo Christiani njengommeleli wawo oyinhloko, umJuda owayeguqukele enkolweni yobuKatolika futhi owayesengumpristi wesigaba sikaDominic. Ngokusebenzisa ulwazi lukaPablo Christiani lwemibhalo yeTalmud neyorabi, amalungu esigaba sikaDominic azizwa eqiniseka ukuthi angakwazi ukunikeza ubufakazi obugculisayo.

Kungani Kwaba NguNaḥmanides?

ESpain wayemunye vó umuntu owayekulungele ngokomoya ukumelela uhlangothi lwamaJuda kulenkulumo-mpikiswano—uMoses ben Naḥman, noma uNaḥmanides.a UNaḥmanides owazalwa cishe ngo-1194 edolobheni laseGerona, lapho eva eminyakeni eyishumi nambili wayesezibonakalise njengesazi seBhayibheli neTalmud. Lapho eneminyaka engu-30, wayesebhale ukuhlaziywa kwengxenye enkulu yeTalmud futhi ngemva nje kwalokho waba umkhulumeli oyinhloko ekuxazululeni impikiswano eyayiphathelene nemibhalo kaMaimonides eyayisongela ukuhlukanisa umphakathi wamaJuda.b UNaḥmanides ubhekwa njengesazi esingumJuda esikhulu kunazo zonke seBhayibheli neTalmud esizukulwaneni sakhe nowesibili mhlawumbe nowukuphela kwakhe ngemva kukaMaimonides ngethonya aba nalo ebuJudeni phakathi naleyo nkathi.

UNaḥmanides waba nethonya elikhulu emphakathini wamaJuda eCatalonia, ngisho neNkosi uJames I yayithintana naye ngezindaba ezihlukahlukene zoMbuso. Ikhono lakhe lokucabanga elikhaliphile lalihlonishwa amaJuda nabeZizwe. Amalungu esigaba sikaDominic aqaphela ukuthi ukuze aphumelele ekuwathobiseni amaJuda, uNaḥmanides, owayengurabi wawo omkhulu, kwakuyodingeka kube nguye ongenela inkulumo-mpikiswano.

UNaḥmanides wayengabaza ukuyingenela lenkulumo-mpikiswano, eqaphela ukuthi amalungu esigaba sikaDominic ayengazimisele ukuba nempikiswano engachemi. Kwakufanele aphendule imibuzo kodwa angabuzi lutho. Nokho, wasamukela isicelo senkosi, ecela ukuba anikwe imvume yokukhuluma ngokukhululekile lapho ephendula. INkosi uJames I yavuma. Ukuvunyelwa okunjalo kwenkululeko yokukhuluma elinganiselwe kwakungakaze kwenzeke futhi akuzange kuphinde kwenzeke kuyo yonke iNkathi Ephakathi, okuwubufakazi obusobala bokuthi inkosi yayimazisa kakhulu uNaḥmanides. Noma kunjalo, uNaḥmanides wayenokuqonda. Ukube wayebhekwe njengophikisa ngokweqile kuleyo nkulumo-mpikiswano, kwakuyoba nemiphumela eyinhlekelele kokubili kuye nasemphakathini wamaJuda. Kwakungaqubuka udlame noma nini.

UNaḥmanides Uphikisana NoPablo Christiani

Indawo eyinhloko yalenkulumo-mpikiswano yayisesigodlweni senkosi eBarcelona. Kwaba neziwombe ezine—ngo-July 20, 23, 26, nango-27, 1263. Isiwombe ngasinye sasenganyelwe inkosi ngokwayo, kukhona nezikhulu zeSonto noMbuso kanye namaJuda ayewumphakathi wakuleyo ndawo.

Isonto laliqiniseka ngomphumela walenkulumo-mpikiswano. Ekulandiseni kwawo okungokomthetho, amalungu esigaba sikaDominic athi injongo yenkulumo-mpikiswano ‘yayingekhona ukuba kuphikiswane ngokholo njengokungathi lwalungatshazwa, kodwa yayiwukuba kuqedwe amaphutha amaJuda futhi kushatshalaliswe ukholo olugxilile lwamaJuda amaningi.’

Nakuba ayeneminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-70, uNaḥmanides wabonisa ikhono lakhe lokucabanga elikhaliphile ngokufuna ukulinganisela ingxoxo ezindabeni eziyinhloko kuphela. Waqala ngokuthi: “Izimpikiswano [ezidlule] phakathi kwabezizwe namaJuda zathinta imikhakha eminingi yemikhuba engokwenkolo okungancikile kuyo isimiso esiyinhloko sokholo. Nokho, kulenkundla yasebukhosini, ngifisa ukukhuluma kuphela ngezindaba okuncike kuzo yonke lempikiswano.” Kwabe sekuvunyelwana ngokuthi kwakuzokhulunywa kuphela ngokuthi ingabe uMesiya wayesefikile yini, ukuthi wayenguNkulunkulu noma wayengumuntu yini nokuthi ingabe amaJuda noma amaKristu anomthetho wangempela.

Emazwini akhe okuvula, uPablo Christiani wathi wayezonikeza ubufakazi obuvela kuyiTalmud bokuthi uMesiya wayesefikile. UNaḥmanides waphendula ngokuthi uma kunjalo, kungani orabi abayamukela iTalmud bengamamukelanga uJesu? Kunokuba agxilise impikiswano yakhe emiBhalweni ecacile, uChristiani wabhekisela ngokuphindaphindiwe ezindinyaneni zaworabi ezingacacile ukuze asekele impikiswano yakhe. UNaḥmanides waphikisa iphuzu ngalinye laleyo mpikiswano ngokubonisa ukuthi lezo zindinyana zazicashunwe ngokuphambene nomongo. Ngokufanelekile, uNaḥmanides wayezibheka njengokufanelekela kangcono ukuphikisana ngalemibhalo ayechithe ukuphila kwakhe konke eyihlola. Ngisho nalapho uChristiani ebhekisela emBhalweni, impikiswano yakhe yayiveza amaphuzu ayephikiswa kalula.

Nakuba kwathiwa aphendule imibuzo kuphela, uNaḥmanides wakwazi ukuveza amaphuzu anamandla ayebonisa isizathu sokungamukeleki kokuma kweSonto LamaKatolika kokubili kumaJuda nakwabanye abantu abacabangayo. Ngokuphathelene nemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, wathi: “Umqondo wanoma imuphi umJuda noma wanoma imuphi umuntu awunakumvumela ukuba akholelwe ukuthi uMdali wezulu nomhlaba . . . wayengadlula esibelethweni sowesifazane ongumJuda . . . futhi kamuva [abe] esenikelwa ezandleni zezitha zakhe, lezo . . . ezambulala.” Ngamafuphi, uNaḥmanides wathi: “Enikukholelwayo—futhi okuyisisekelo sokholo lwenu—akwamukeleki emqondweni [ohluzekile].”

Eqokomisa ukuguquguquka okuye kwavimbela amaJuda amaningi kuze kube namuhla ukuba akucabangele ngisho nokukucabangela ukuthi uJesu angase abe uMesiya, uNaḥmanides wagcizelela ukuba necala legazi okukhulu kwesonto. Wathi: “Isiprofetho sithi ngesikhathi sikaMesiya, . . . bayokukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe-ngamakhuba nemikhonto yabo ibe-ngocelemba; isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa. Kusukela ezinsukwini zomNazaretha kuze kube manje, umhlaba wonke uye wagcwala udlame nokuphanga. [Ngempela], amaKristu achitha igazi eliningi kunazo zonke ezinye izizwe, futhi aphila ukuphila kokuziphatha okubi. Yeka ukuthi kungaba nzima kanjani ngawe, nkosi yami, nakulezi zinduna zakho uma bezingeke . . . zisafunda ukulwa!”—Isaya 2:4.

Ngemva kwesiwombe sesine, inkosi yayimisa lenkulumo-mpikiswano. Yathi kuNaḥmanides: “Angikaze ngimbone umuntu onecala ophikisa kahle njengoba wenzile.” Igcina isithembiso sayo sokuqinisekisa uNaḥmanides ngenkululeko yokukhuluma nesivikelo, iNkosi uJames I yase-Aragon yammukisa nesipho sama-dinar angu-300. Ngokuvumelana nesicelo sombhishobhi waseGerona, uNaḥmanides wenza umbhalo ogciniwe waleyo nkulumo-mpikiswano.

Nakuba ayememezela ukunqoba okungenakungatshazwa, kusobala ukuthi amalungu esigaba sikaDominic ayethukuthele. Kamuva amangalela uNaḥmanides ngokuhlambalaza isonto, esebenzisa lenkulumo-mpikiswano ayeyibhalile njengobufakazi. Enganelisekile ngendlela inkosi eyaphatha ngayo uNaḥmanides, adlulisela icala kuPapa uClement IV. Nakuba ayeneminyaka engaphezu kuka-70, uNaḥmanides waxoshwa eSpain.c

Likuphi Iqiniso?

Ingabe impikiswano yakuzo zombili izinhlangothi yasiza ekuboneni inkolo yeqiniso? Nakuba uhlangothi ngalunye lwaqokomisa amaphutha olunye, alukho olwaveza isigijimi esicacile seqiniso. Lokho uNaḥmanides akuphikisa ngekhono elikhulu kwakungebona ubuKristu beqiniso, kodwa kunalokho, imfundiso eyenziwe abantu, njengemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, eyasungulwa eLobukholwa emakhulwini athile eminyaka ngemva kukaJesu. Ukuziphatha okubi kweLobukholwa nokuchitha igazi ngonya, okwaqokonyiswa uNaḥmanides ngesibindi esingako, nakho kuyizindaba ezingokomlando ezingenakuphikwa.

Akunzima ukuqonda ukuthi kungani, ngaphansi kwalezi zimo, uNaḥmanides namanye amaJuda bengazange bahlatshwe umxhwele izimpikiswano ezazisekela ubuKristu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izimpikiswano zikaPablo Christiani zazingasekelwe emiBhalweni YesiHeberu ecacile, kodwa emibhalweni yorabi esetshenziswe kabi.

Cha, uNaḥmanides akazange aphikise ubuKristu beqiniso. Ngesikhathi sakhe ukukhanya kwangempela kwezimfundiso zikaJesu nobufakazi bokuba kwakhe uMesiya kwase kufiphazwe ukumelelwa kwakho ngendlela engamanga. Ukuvela kwezimfundiso ezinjalo zezihlubuki empeleni kwaprofethwa uJesu nabaphostoli.—Mathewu 7:21-23; 13:24-30, 37-43; 1 Thimothewu 4:1-3; 2 Petru 2:1, 2.

Nokho, inkolo yeqiniso ibonakala ngokucacile namuhla. UJesu wathi ngabalandeli bakhe beqiniso: “Niyobabona ngezithelo zabo. . . . Ngokufanayo yonke imithi emihle ithela izithelo ezinhle, kodwa yonke imithi ebolile ithela izithelo ezingenanzuzo.” (Mathewu 7:16, 17) Sikumema ukuba uphawule lowo mehluko. Vumela oFakazi BakaJehova bakusize wenze ukucwaninga okunenjongo kobufakazi obungokomBhalo. Ngaleyo ndlela uyothola incazelo yangempela yazo zonke izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ezihlobene noMesiya nokubusa kwakhe.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

UNaḥmanides walumelela uhlangothi lwakhe eBarcelona

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 19]

Illustrations on pages 19-20: Reproduced from Illustrirte Pracht - Bibel/Heilige Schrift des Alten und Neuen Testaments, nach der deutschen Uebersetzung D. Martin Luther’s