Righteous Priest

In Rabbinic Jewish eschatology, the Righteous Priest or Priest of Righteousness is a figure identified with one of the Four Craftsmen in a vision mentioned in the Book of Zechariah. He is found in the Talmud and Midrash.

According to Simeon Hasida, Zechariah's Four Craftsmen are Messiah ben David, Messiah ben Joseph, Elijah and the Righteous Priest. In the oldest full manuscript of the Talmud dating from 1342, known as the Munich Talmud, the Righteous Priest is referred to as Melchizedek. In his commentary on the Talmud, Rashi says the Shem/Melchizedek is called a craftsman because he helped his father build the ark and taught Abraham.

In 1280, following the Disputation of Barcelona, the Roman Catholic Church forced Jews to censor parts of the Talmud that were theologically problematic. The Talmud was censored again in 1564 following the invention of the printing press. Numerous times between 1239 and 1775, all copies of the Talmud were ordered destroyed; few survived.

According to Avot of Rabbi Natan on Gen. i 27, Adam was born circumcised because he was created in the image of God. While they were in Egypt, the children of Israel were not circumcised because they wished to follow the customs of the Egyptians. The Israelites lived in Egypt for 210 years. According to Midrash Rabbah LVII. 4, Satan denounced Israel when they were in Egypt. Generally this is interpreted as happening after Joseph died and was because they stopped practicing circumcision. However the priestly tribe of Levi practiced circumcision in Egypt. Entry into the land of Israel required the circumcision of all the tribes.

Noah the second Adam was also born circumcised. Noah's son Shem likewise was born circumcised. Although Shem is unanimously declared by the Rabbis to have been the youngest son of Noah, he is always named first, being the most important of the three brothers. He was the ancestor of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; he was also a priest, a prophet, and one of the eight righteous mentioned twice in Genesis xi 10; they were allotted a portion both in this world and in the world to come. Shem is styled "the great one" According to Genesis R. xxx. 6, it was Shem who offered the sacrifices on the altar after Noah came out of the ark, because Noah, having been crippled by a lion, was unfit for the priestly office. Noah gave the priestly garments, which he had inherited from Adam, to Shem. Shem is extolled by the Rabbis for his filial devotion in covering his father's nakedness. Although his brother Japheth helped in this act, Shem suggested and began it; his brother did not arrive on the scene until Shem was already on his way with the garment. Noah, in blessing these two sons said, "blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem", giving special significance to Shem because Shem would be the forefather of the Jewish people.

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