Gabriella Weiss

4, June 2009
RLST 124
Prof. Jacobs
As A Driven Leaf Book Report
The novel, As A Driven Leaf, written by Milton Steinberg, follows the life of Elisha ben
Abuyah who grows up in Palestine under the Roman Empire. The struggles Elisha faces
between tradition and new ideas, are likely faced by many members of minority groups being
controlled by a dominant majority. The idea of assimilation into the new culture or religion
seems appealing, as do the old ways. The Jewish people are coming to grips with a dominant
majority. They are divided; some support the idea of assimilation into the dominant society,
some support the idea of revolt against the authority, and others desire to live peacefully, keeping
to themselves and their traditions. A majority of Jewish people, Elisha included, view the Roman
Empire as a negative entity.
Elisha struggles between the Greek ideas he was raised to believe as a child and the
Jewish traditions he later adopted through years of study. Elisha’s father saw the Jewish ways as
negative and believed the Greek ways were more enlightening and truthful. Elisha’s colleagues
in the Sanhedrin looked at assimilation in a negative way. They believed in preserving Jewish
identity.
Jewish life under the Roman Empire is not ideal Jewish life. Jews did not believe that
their Jewish traditions were compatible with a full and productive life under the control of the
Roman Empire. Although the Jews were allowed to practice their religion, there were
restrictions placed upon them. They were not allowed to rebuild their sacred temple and at a
time they had to pay a special Jew tax. Elisha explains, “‘the Temple [is] gone, and the hope of
rebuilding it, too. The land [is] passing from under our control. Suffocating laws, crushing
taxation. And our own ranks, especially in countries like Egypt, depleted by constant desertions
to Christianity, Gnosticism, or unadulterated paganism.’” (p. 239). This shows the struggles
faced by the Jewish population under the Roman Empire. Along with the Romans came new
religious ideas, like Christianity and Gnosticism, which drew people away from Judaism. This is
a common occurance under a new ruling culture and falls under assimilation.

“ ‘Your admiration for the Empire bewilders me,’ Elisha said slowly. ‘It is so directly the
contrary of my own and what I assumed to be the general opinion of thinking people. I have
always regarded, or to express it more accurately, I gave been trained to regard Rome as the great
oppressor of mankind. It is difficult for me to conceive it otherwise.’” (p. 298-299). In a way,
Elisha was taught to view the Roman Empire in a bad light because of the oppression of the
Jewish people. When a group of people is being oppressed, it is difficult to view the oppressors
in a positive way and easier to think ill of them.

“‘ To me it was the brutal power that conquered peoples, stripped them of their liberties,
despoiled their shrines and drained them of their wealth by rapacious taxation…’” (p. 311)

Elisha trades his Jewish identity for that of a Roman citizen. However, there are aspects
of Roman society that still do not sit right with him. For example, when Elisha attended the
gladiator fights, “he could not stand it. Rising in panic, he stumbled blindly across Pappas’
sprawling legs and disregarding astonished questions fought his way out of the box into a
corridor.” (p. 340)

“‘…if Palestine becomes independent, so also will Syria and Egypt, Armenia, every province in
the Orient. The Empire disintegrates piecemeal and each nation becomes the arbiter of its own
destiny. Inevitably then every peoples’ hand is raised against the other. I tell you, the earth will
run with blood and perish in its own lawlessness.’” (p. 385)
Interestingly, as Elisha progresses in his search for truth throughout the novel, his attitude
towards the Romans changes a bit. Elisha states that “‘[he has] no illusions about the Roman
Government. It is always rapacious, occasionally despotic and often brutal. But it is at its worst
to be preferred to what preceded it and what will most certainly follow on its dissolution, a
multitude of warring states, each misrules bu its own petty tyrant.’” (p. 386). At this point,
Elisha is accepting that, although the Romans are terrible, there is worse out there. A prolonged
relationship between a minority and majority group can create this effect. In a way, Elisha has
become used to the way things are run under the Romans.
Overall, the struggles faced by Elisha and the Jewish population under the Roman Empire
greatly resemble the struggles that can be encountered between any other religious, ethnic or
cultural minority and a dominant majority. There are the struggles of assimilation and revolt that
plague the minority group.