Be sure to thank the Essenes profusely for their hospitality and discretion. Make sure they know you know the risk they're taking by hiding us.
1. Even during our enmity, Hillel pointed out to me similarities between my beliefs and the Essenes.
2. Herod's evil, and the failure to contain it due to the absence of backbone straight opposition - make the implication clear that it's Hillel who made Herod possible.
3. Rulers like Herod rise up because our lack of stringent observance allows them.
4. The State of Israel belongs to us, and those who exist upon our land must be made submit to our rule or face the consequences.
5. The light of the world is Hashem, we are the darkness who must constantly aspire to live in the luminous path Hashem lays for us. Stray from that path and we remain in darkness.
6. We have tried as much passive resistance as we can afford. We can only resist tyrants like Herod through violent opposition.
7. Our reputation in the world as murderers is not because our people are murderous but because our people are weak. Every civilization arose because they killed those who opposed them. If we simply did what other peoples have long always done, our existence would simply be taken for granted.
8. We know the Divine Will. We need only follow it closely enough and we shall prosper.
9. G-d is testing us, waiting for us to show strength in the face of opposition and inertia to demonstrate ourselves worthy of His greatness.
10. There is nothing obscure about what Hashem wants from us. There is no hidden truth. Everything about what Hashem wants has been made clear in the Torah.
Thank them again.
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