A Gentile had challenged Shammai and Hillel to explain the Torah while standing on one foot. Shammai dismissed the challenge, while Hillel accepted though saying: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn”

Regarding the difference between the ancient and the modern, indeed we have noted, as with Frankfort, that one difference between the ancient and the modern is that the ancient sees nature not as an “it”, but as a “thou”, whereas it is the contrary for the modern.

By no longer being absorbed or caught up in and by detaching oneself from an object, the object comes into existence as an object and can be studied. Whence the development of astronomy, says Benjamin in this case.

Optical connection vs. Ecstatic trance – perceiving/studying vs being caught up in

A very poetic – yet haunting – description of battle. reminiscent of Apollinaire for example.

Reminded of Apollinaire’s line “Le ciel est étoilé par les obus des Boches”  when reading “new constellations rose in the sky. Of course the difference is the Germans are indicated by Apollinaire as the one launching shells into the sky, whereas in Benjamin there is no attribution of “blame”, if that is the word to use.

Benjamin highlights the impossible fate of the foot-soldier by using the phrase “Sacrificial shafts dug in Mother Earth” to describe trenches. But also he causes a sharp contrast between the image of Mother Earth and then the fact that trenches soon filled with blood are dug in her.

Note too the technologized vocabulary and the fact that “technology betrayed man” and turned the “bridal bed into a bloodbath.”

Note here the difference here between men as a species and mankind as a species.

Interesting that the last line speaks both of “frenzy of destruction” and “ecstasy of procreation” – ie. of thanatos and eros.