ll not come until the whole (Roman) Empire has been
converted to Christianity (_Minuth_)."(1384) This is supplemented by the
Babylonian Rabbah, who plays with a Biblical phrase, saying: "Not until
the whole (Roman) world has turned to the Son (of God)."(1385) Henceforth
Christian Rome was termed _Edom_, like pagan Rome from the days of Herod
the Idumean. In fact, her imperial edicts showed the fratricidal hatred of
Esau, with hardly a trace of the professed religion of love. No wonder the
Haggadists identified Rome with the Biblical "Boar of the forest," and
waited impatiently for the time when she would have to give up her rule as
the fourth world-empire to the people of God, ushering in the Messianic
era.(1386)

3. Meanwhile the relapse of Christianity from monotheism became more
steady and more apparent. The One God of the Jew was pushed into the
background by the "Son of Man"; and the Virgin-Mother with her divine
child became adored like the Queen of Heaven of pagan times, showing
similarity especially to Isis, the Egyptian mother-goddess, with Horus,
the young son-god, on her lap. The pagan deities of the various lands were
transformed into saints of the Church and worshiped by means of images, in
order to win the pagan masses for the Christian faith. The original pure
and absolute monotheism and the stern conception of holiness were thus
turned into their very opposites by the hierarchy and monasticism of the
Church. How, then, could the Jewish people recognize the crucified Christ
as one of their own? One whose preaching seemed to bring them only
damnation and death instead of salvation and life, even while speaking in
the name of Israel's God after the manner of the prophets of yore? How
could they see in the strange doctrines of the Church any resemblance to
their own system of faith, especially as the very doctrines which repelled
them were those most emphasized by Christianity? Maimonides considered the
adherents of the Roman Church to be idolaters,(1387) a view which was
modified by the Jewish authorities in the West, as they became better
acquainted with Christian doctrines.(1388)

4. The world-empire of the Church was subsequently divided between Rome,
which the Jewish writers called _Edom_,(1389) and Byzantium, which they
named _Yavan_, but neither showed any real advance in religious views and
ideals. On the contrary, they both persecuted with fire and sword the
little people who were faithful to their