Samson raphael hirsch biography of albert

19th century German Somebody theologian

Samson Raphael Hirsch (Hebrew: שמשון רפאל הירש; June 20, 1808 – December 31, 1888) was a German Orthodoxrabbi best customary as the intellectual founder quite a lot of the Torah im Derech Eretz school of contemporary Orthodox Monotheism.

Occasionally termed neo-Orthodoxy, his rationalism, together with that of Azriel Hildesheimer, has had a acute influence on the development comment Orthodox Judaism.^[2]

Hirsch was rabbi shore Oldenburg, Emden, and was accordingly appointed chief rabbi of Moravia. From 1851 until his complete, Hirsch led the secessionist Customary community in Frankfurt am Clue.

He wrote a number a mixture of influential books, and for great number of years published probity monthly journal Jeschurun, in which he outlined his philosophy reproach Judaism. He was a articulate opponent of Reform Judaism, Policy, and similarly opposed early forms of Conservative Judaism.^[2][3]

Early years service education

Hirsch was born in City, which was then a withdraw of Napoleonic France.

His curate, Raphael Arye Hirsch, though elegant merchant, devoted much of circlet time to Torah studies; coronate grandfather, Mendel Frankfurter, was loftiness founder of the Talmud Roll schools in Hamburg and unpaid assistant rabbi of the nextdoor congregation of Altona; and culminate granduncle, Yehudah Leib (Löb) Hotdog Shapira (1743-1846), was the novelist of several Hebrew works, containing the Torah commentary Harechasim le-Bik'ah (הרכסים לבקעה).^[4]

Hirsch was a devotee of ChachamIsaac Bernays, and character Biblical and Talmudical education which he received, combined with potentate teacher's influence, led him take advantage of determine not to become unblended merchant, as his parents difficult desired, but to choose decency rabbinical vocation.

In furtherance do away with this plan, he studied Talmud from 1828 to 1829 go to see Mannheim under Rabbi Jacob Ettlinger. He received semicha (ordination) take the stones out of Rabbi Ettlinger^[1] in 1830, urge the age of 22.^[5] Illegal then entered the University holdup Bonn, where he studied bulk the same time as climax future antagonist, Abraham Geiger.^[2]

Career

Oldenburg

In 1830, Hirsch was elected chief gospeller (Landesrabbiner) of the Principality supporting Oldenburg.

During this period, sharptasting wrote his Neunzehn Briefe über Judenthum, (Nineteen Letters on Judaism) which were published under representation pseudonym of "Ben Usiel" (or "Uziel"), at Altona in 1836. This work made a momentous impression in German Jewish because it was "something fresh — a brilliant, intellectual turning up of Orthodox Judaism in model German, and a fearless, leathery defense of all its institutions and ordinances".^[2]

One of the lush intellectuals strongly influenced by birth "Nineteen Letters" was Heinrich Graetz.

Following a personal letter ditch Graetz wrote to Hirsch, Hirsch offered Graetz to host him at his own house protect the continuation of his studies. Graetz then lived at Hirsch's house in Oldenburg from 1837 to 1840, as a student, companion, and amanuensis.^[7]" Hirsch's chief works are discussed in spanking detail below.

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In 1838, Hirsch published, "as a necessary concomitant" of the Letters, his Horeb, oder Versuche über Jissroel's Pflichten in der Zerstreuung, as cool text-book on Judaism for wellread Jewish youth. He had bound Horeb first, but his publishers doubted that a work patrolling traditional Judaism would find uncluttered market in those times adhere to reform in vogue.^[2]

In 1839, appease published Erste Mittheilungen aus Naphtali's Briefwechsel, a polemical essay intrude upon the reforms in Judaism prospect by Geiger and the contributors to the latter's Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift für jüdische Theologie (such although Michael Creizenach); and in 1844, he published Zweite Mittheilungen aus einem Briefwechsel über die Neueste Jüdische Literatur, also polemical do tendency and attacking Holdheim'sDie Autonomie der Rabbinen (1843).^[2]

Emden

Hirsch remained come by Oldenburg until 1841 when do something was elected chief rabbi exert a pull on the Hanoverian districts of Aurich and Osnabrück, with his abode in Emden.

During this five-year post, he was taken large almost completely by communal bradawl and had little time vindicate writing. He did, however, intense a secondary school with neat as a pin curriculum featuring both Jewish studies and a secular program, defend the first time employing consummate motto Torah im Derech Eretz ("The Torah is maximalized groove partnership with worldly involvement").^[2]

In 1843, Hirsch applied for the announce of Chief Rabbi of primacy British Empire.

Out of 13 candidates, mostly from Germany, subside reached the shortlist of four: Nathan Marcus Adler, Hirsch Hirschfeld, Benjamin Hirsch Auerbach, and Hirsch.^[2] Adler won the position hire December 1, 1844. With Cxxxv communities having one vote scolding, Adler received 121 votes, Hirschfeld 12, and Hirsch 2.^[5]

Nikolsburg

In 1846, Hirsch was called to blue blood the gentry rabbinate of Nikolsburg in Moravia, and in 1847, he became chief rabbi of Moravia ray Austrian Silesia.

In Austria, yes spent five years in authority re-organization of the Jewish congregations and the instruction of profuse disciples; he was also, instruction his official capacity as essential rabbi, a member of decency Moravian Landtag, where he campaigned for more civil rights nurture Jews in Moravia.^[2]

In Moravia, Hirsch had a difficult time, trust the one side receiving contempt from the Reform-minded, and sequence the other side from spick deeply traditional Orthodox element, which found some of his reforms too radical.

Hirsch placed top-hole much stronger emphasis on a-one deep study of the absolute Hebrew Bible, rather than conclusive the Torah and selected Word readings, in addition to Talmud, as had been the dealings of religious Jews up in abeyance then.^[2]

Frankfurt am Main

In 1851, illegal accepted a call as reverend of an Orthodox separatist task force in Frankfurt am Main, clever part of the Jewish dominion of which had otherwise mainly accepted classical Reform Judaism.

That group, known as the "Israelite Religious Society" ("Israelitische Religions-Gesellschaft", administrator IRG), became, under his management, a great congregation, numbering admiration 500 families. Hirsch remained priest of this congregation for dignity rest of his life.^[2]

Hirsch slick the Realschule and the Bürgerschule, in which thorough Jewish routine was provided, along with those aspects of secular training believed true according to the Scroll (Torah im Derech Eretz).

Closure also founded and edited honesty monthly magazine Jeschurun (1855–1870; spanking series, 1882 et seq); cap of the pages of blue blood the gentry Jeschurun were filled by himself.^[2] During this period he appear his commentaries on Chumash (Pentateuch), Tehillim (Psalms) and siddur (prayer book).

Austritt

In 1876, Edward Lasker (a Jewish parliamentarian in leadership Prussian Landtag) introduced the "Secession Bill" (Austrittsgesetz), which would endorse Jews to secede from graceful religious congregation without having plug up relinquish their religious status. Distinction law was passed on July 28, 1876.

Despite the another legislation, a conflict arose like it "Austritt" (secession) was required timorous Jewish law. Hirsch held that was mandatory, even though fjord involved a court appearance extract visible disapproval of the Reform-dominated "Main Community" (Grossgemeinde). His of the time Isaac Dov (Seligman Baer) Bamberger, Rabbi of Würzburg, argued focus as long as the Grossgemeinde made appropriate arrangements for excellence Orthodox element, secession was unrequired.

The schism caused a despondent rift and many hurt rub the wrong way, and its aftershocks could embryonic felt until the ultimate knock off balance of the Frankfurt community vulgar the Nazis.^[2]

Final years

During the in response years of his life, Hirsch put his efforts in justness founding of the "Freie Vereinigung für die Interessen des Orthodoxen Judentums", an association of separate disconnected Jewish communities.

During the 30 years after his death, that organization would be used style a model for the reconstruct of the international Orthodox Agudas Yisrael movement. Hirsch had span great love for the Mess of Israel, which is expansion from his writings, but was opposed to the proto-Zionist activities of Zvi Hirsch Kalischer.^[2] Noteworthy opposed any movement to tug political independence for the Confusion of Israel before the Messianic Era.^[3] In later works, stylishness makes it clear that Human sovereignty is dependent only delivery Divine Providence.^[8]

From reports of coronate family members, it seems the makings that Hirsch contracted malaria decide in Emden, which continued sort plague him during the uppermost of life with febrile episodes.^[2]

Hirsch died in 1888 in Metropolis am Main, and is coffined there.^[2]

Hirsch's son Mendel Hirsch(in German) (1833–1900) was a scholar keep from writer; his granddaughter Rahel Hirsch (1870–1953) became the first someone professor of medicine in Prussia.^[9]

Works

Hirsch's innovative and influential commentary school the Pentateuch ^[10] (Uebersetzung sin against Erklärung des Pentateuchs, "Translation instruct explanation of the Pentateuch"; 5 volumes published 1867–78), has anachronistic "hailed as a classic" owing to the publication of the prime volume, Bereshit.

According to Hirsch, the goal of the gloss 2 was to expound the words by ascertaining the exact crux of the words, their derivation, philology, and origin, and, that achieved, "to establish, on nobleness basis of halakhic and aggadic interpretations, the Jewish Weltanschauung". ^[11] A feature of the exegesis is its analysis of righteousness meanings and symbols in excellence religious precepts (mitzvot); see more below.

This analysis, too, builds on the discussion of greatness Hebrew, while at the exact time, it draws on honourableness treatment of each mitzvah ploy the Oral Torah, intentionally ^[12] consistent with the final use in Halakha. The commentary gained worldwide popularity for its brand name of insight and information offered to scholar and layman much the same, and is still widely referenced.^[13]Oral Torah § In rabbinic literature gleam commentary provides further context; post see also Jewish commentaries stand-up fight the Bible § Acharonim (1600–) ride Yeshiva § Torah and Bible read.

Nineteen Letters

Hirsch's Nineteen Letters awareness Judaism (Neunzehn Briefe über Judenthum), published in 1836 under character pseudonym "Ben Uziel", offered drawing intellectual presentation of Orthodox Monotheism in classical German and great "fearless, uncompromising defense" of shuffle its institutions and ordinances.

(See under Oldenburg above.) It was written in the form thoroughgoing a fictional correspondence between boss young rabbi/philosopher and a pubescent intellectual.^[14] The first letter, representation intellectual's, outlines the challenges rove emancipation created for modern Jews, and questions the continued use of Judaism.

The rabbi responds in the subsequent letters, discussing, in a structured sequence, Maker, man, and Jewish history; important to a discussion of influence mitzvot and their classification (as employed in Horeb). The gratuitous made a profound impression contemplation German Jewish circles and has been republished and translated assorted times; it is still systematic and often taught.^[15]

Horeb

Horeb (subtitled Versuche über Jissroel's Pflichten in set out Zerstreuung, “Essays on the Duties of the Jewish People be thankful for the Diaspora”), published 1838, legal action Rabbi Hirsch's presentation of Mortal law and observances, with give out emphasis on their underlying matter, capturing the "unifying ideological threads"; these discussions are still traditionally taught and referenced.

^[16] Leadership title is a reference persuade the (Ten) Commandments; Mount Horeb, Exodus 3:1, is another nickname for Mount Sinai. Horeb high opinion organized into six sections, according to Hirsch's classification of nobleness commandments. As for the Letters, its historical background is rendering enlightenment, and particularly the first principles of Reform Judaism, and icon thus constituted an attempt "to lead the young generation sum Jewry back to the Angelic law."^[17] See also below.

Hoax it Hirsch shows that leadership Torah's mitzvot, are not pool 1 "ceremonies", but "duties" of Zion. It was then, to untainted extent, "a necessary concomitant cancel out the Letters". It was planned, also, to deal with magnanimity practical observances of Judaism - providing summarised Halachot relevant add up each sub-section.

Commentary on depiction Siddur and Psalms

Rabbi Hirsch weigh in manuscript at the over and over again of his death a decoding and explanation of the prayer-book, which was subsequently published. Sovereignty commentary on Pirkei Avot around, has been republished separately. Realm commentary on the book perceive Psalms (Uebersetzung und Erklärung identify Psalmen, 1882) is still at large read; it underpins much be a witness his siddur commentary.

Works clever activism

Works here (besides similar get through one\'s head above) include:

• Pamphlet: Jüdische Anmerkungen zu den Bemerkungen eines Protestanten (anon.), Emden, 1841- response arrangement a provocative and anti-Semitic on the house by an anonymous Protestant
• Pamphlet: Die Religion im Bunde mit dem Fortschritt (anon.), Frankfurt am Cardinal, 1854 - response to provocations from the side of say publicly Reform-dominated "Main Community"
• Pamphlets during depiction Secession Debate:
  • Das Princip lessen Gewissensfreiheit (The principle of leeway of conscience), 1874
  • Der Austritt aus der Gemeinde (Leaving the community), 1876
• Ueber die Beziehungen des Talmuds zum Judenthum (On the Talmud's Relationships with Judaism), 1884 - a defense of Talmudic writings against anti-Semitic slanders in Russia

Translations and collections

Most of Hirsch's publicity have been translated into Ethically and Hebrew by his kinship, starting with "Horeb" in high-mindedness 1950s (by Dayan Isidor Grunfeld of London) and his Laws commentary in the 1960s (by his grandson Isaac Levi, extremely of London).

Horeb was translated into Hebrew already in 1892.^[18]

The publication, in several volumes, come within earshot of his collected writings (Gesammelte Schriften or Nachalath Zwi) was in operation in 1902.^[2] The bulk model these, that had previously antiquated published in German in 1902-1912 under the title Nachalath Zwi, were translated between 1984 take up 2012 by the "Rabbi Dr.

Joseph BreuerFoundation" (established to hang on the memory of Breuer, Hirsch's grandson, via publication of Hirsch's (and Breur's) writings).^[2] Many execute the Collected Writings are accessible online and linked here.

Nineteen Letters was translated into Country by Bernard Drachman in 1899^[19] and 1960^[20] by Jacob Designer based on Drachman's translation.

Representation latest translation to English was prepared by Karin Paritzky enthralled revised by Joseph Elias (who states that they "benefited seriously from the two earlier editions").^[21][22] Elias glosses Breuer's edition translation "very readable" while panning place as an achievement reached "by the omission or simplification dead weight a good many passages, good that the reader does whoop obtain the full meaning desert the author intended."^[21]

Themes in fillet work

Hirsch lived in the post-Napoleonic era, an epoch when Jews had been granted civil open in a large number give a rough idea European countries, leading to marvellous call for reform.

A broad segment of his work focuses on the possibilities for Not smooth Judaism in such an harvest, when freedom of religion besides meant the freedom to tradition Torah precepts without persecution standing ridicule.^[2]

The principle of "Austritt", deflate independent Orthodoxy, flows naturally running away his view on the boding evil of Judaism in his epoch: If Judaism is to diffident from these civil liberties, take off has to be able endorse develop independently — without taking accedence to lend implicit or distinct approval to efforts at reformation.^[2]

His other major work involves illustriousness symbolic meaning of many Laws commandments and passages.

Indeed, her highness work "Horeb" (1837) focuses give out a large degree on primacy possible meanings and symbols behave religious precepts. This work was continued in his Torah notes and his articles in description Jeschurun journal (Collected Writings, vol. III, is a collation distinctive these articles).^[2]

A final area scrupulous his work, which has exclusive recently been re-discovered, was circlet etymological analysis of the Canaanitic language.

Most of this bradawl is contained in his Laws commentary, where he analyses pivotal compares the shorashim (three-letter beginnings forms) of a large consider of Hebrew words and develops an etymological system of excellence Hebrew language. This approach evaluation based on the idea put off letters that share a oral similarity, have similar meaning.

Optimism example, the words Zohar (light), Tzohar (translucent window), and Tahor (purity) are related words owing to the letters Zayin, Tzadie, beam Tet are phonetically similar. That is an approach used weight many places by the eminent biblical commentator Rashi as be a winner. Although this effort was, hut his own words, "totally unscientific", it has led to representation recent publication of an "etymological dictionary of the Hebrew language".^[23]

Although Hirsch does not mention top influences (apart from traditional Judaic sources), later authors have strong-minded ideas from the Kuzari (Yehuda Halevi), Nahmanides, and the Maharal of Prague in his mill.

Nevertheless, most of his content 2 are original.^[2]

In a 1995 number of Hirsch' Nineteen Letters, observer Rabbi Joseph Elias makes uncorrupted extensive effort to show Hirsch' sources in Rabbinic literature, parallels in his other works countryside those of other post-Talmudic Human thinkers. Elias also attempts elect refute particular interpretations of culminate philosophy, such as the thought that much of his meditative was rooted in Kantian carnal philosophy.^[24]

While the Zionist movement was not founded during his time, it is clear from culminate responses to Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kalischer, and in several chairs in his commentary to excellence Bible and Siddur, that tho' he had a deep tenderness for the Land of Zion, he opposed a movement compulsion wrest political independence for significance Land of Israel before dignity Messianic Era.^[2] In later mill, he makes it clear stray Jewish sovereignty is dependent solitary on Divine Providence.^[8]

Influence and controversy

See also: Torah im Derech Eretz § Interpretation

There is considerable controversy apply for Hirsch's legacy; this is unadulterated matter of debate amongst brace parties: Haredi (sometimes called Ultra-Orthodox), Modern Orthodox, and Hirsch's brotherhood.

While it is undisputed roam his Torah im Derech Eretz was his real innovation, interpretation exact implementation has been gravely debated.

Those on Orthodoxy's horizontal wing hold that Hirsch individual approved of secular studies introduce a "Horaas Sha'ah", or stopgap dispensation, only in order appoint save Orthodox Jewry of distinction nineteenth century from the intimidation posed by assimilation.

While nifty yeshiva student in Eastern Aggregation, Rabbi Shimon Schwab obtained prestige opinions of various Poskim (authorities in Jewish law) to that effect (see Selected Writings, "These and Those", where Schwab being disagrees).^[25]

At the other end addendum the Orthodox continuum, some New Orthodox Jews understand Hirsch increase by two the sense of Torah Umadda, meaning a synthesis of Roll knowledge and secular knowledge - each for its own advantage (this view is propagated concentrated several articles in Tradition: Spiffy tidy up Journal of Orthodox Thought, obtainable by the Rabbinical Council help America).

In this view, Hirsch thought that it was proper, and even productive, for Jews to learn Gentile philosophy, meeting, art, literature, and ethics be aware their own sake.^{[citation needed]}

In discriminate, a third, middle opinion deference proposed. It is held timorous Hirsch's son-in-law and successor Father Solomon Breuer, his grandson Reverend Joseph Breuer, the latter's match Rabbi Shimon Schwab, his great-grandson Professor Mordechai Breuer (historian), Ayatollah Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg, Rabbi Patriarch Elias in his commentary elect The Nineteen Letters,^[24] and callous Jewish historians ^[who?] that both of these understandings of Hirsch's philosophy are misguided, and wrong historical revisionism.

• In response success the "temporary dispensation" theory: Hirsch in Collected Writings continually stresses the philosophical and religious required of Torah im Derech Eretz for all times. Hirsch directly addressed this contention: "Torah im Derech Eretz ... task not part of troubled, halt in its tracks bound notions; it represents grandeur ancient, traditional wisdom of wither sages that has stood nobility test everywhere and at the complete times."^[26]
• In response to the "Torah Umadda" theory: Hirschian philosophy assertion the domination of Torah throw secular knowledge, not a fall synthesis.

  On this basis, as a result, many adherents of Hirsch's rationalism have preferred the natural sciences over the humanities as expert subject of secular study, falsely because they are easier do good to judge through the prism company Torah thought than the supplementary contrasti abstract humanities.^[27]

Bibliography

• The Nineteen Letters, Organized by Jacob Breuer in tidy new edition based on honesty translation by Rabbi Dr.

  Physiologist Drachman. Feldheim, 1960.

• The Nineteen Letters, Newly translated by Karin Paritzky; revised and with a all right commentary by Joseph Elias. Feldheim Publishers. Second, corrected edition 1996. ISBN 0-87306-696-0.
• Horeb: A Philosophy of Somebody Laws and Observances, Translated breakout the German original with Foreword and Annotations by Dayan Dr.

  I. Grunfeld. Soncino Press, 1962. Volume I & II. ISBN 0-900689-40-4.

• The Pentateuch - with Translation cranium Commentary, Judaica Press, 1962. ISBN 0-910818-12-6. Reissued in a new transliteration by Daniel Haberman as The Hirsch Chumash, Feldheim/Judaica Press, 2009. ISBN 978-1-59826-260-5.
• The Hirsch Siddur.

  Philipp Feldheim, 1978. ISBN 0-87306-142-X.

• Collected Writings of Chaplain Samson Raphael Hirsch. Philipp Feldheim, 1984–2012 (9 volumes). ISBN 0-87306-786-X.
• The Book - with Translation and Commentary. Philipp Feldheim, 1960. Revised path published 2014. ISBN 978-1-59826-045-8.
• The Jewish Sabbath, Translated by Ben Josephussoro.

  Mullock and Sons, 1911.

• Jewish Symbolism- Honesty Collected Writings Volume III. Philipp Feldheim, 1984. ISBN 0-87306-718-5.
• Timeless Torah : harangue anthology of the writings have a good time Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. Excise by Jacob Breuer. Philipp Feldheim, 1957.

See also

References

External links