The Maccabaean

(Continued)

THE Hebrew language is the only royal road to our literary monuments.

It is evident that an essential element of the science of Judaism is constituted by Biblical and Talmudic exegesis and philology. At the same time the great results of general scientific work in both exegesis and philology are of direct benefit to Judaism, and it was incumbent on scholars to find the proper means for transferring to Judaism the results attained by non-Jewish writers, and to develop and broaden them from a Jewish point of view. This task was reserved for the second half of the nineteenth century. The sterility that characterized the period from Mendelssohn to the "Twenties" also prevailed in Bible exegesis, and the work begun by Mendelssohn of translating the Bible was not even continued, though only Daniel, the Minor Prophets, and Proverbs remained to be done. Thus the duty arose to introduce scientific exegesis into Jewish life, and, in turn, to bring to scientific interpretation valuable treasures from the mines of older Jewish exegesis. This work of mediation involved the exercise of critical insight; the chaff had to be separated from the grain; for it is obvious that however objective the standpoint of individual Christian exegetes, their work was either colored by Christian views and tendencies or went to a negative extreme. Consequently the need was all the greater for a new complete Bible translation from a Jewish standpoint, having equal regard, however, for the investigations of Jews and Christians. Judaism offered an exceptional opportunity for the service of such a free scientific spirit, since it recognized no authorized translation, such as the Vulgate in the Catholic Church, and no generally accepted translation, such as Luther's among Protestants. Moreover, the Talmud had acknowledged the right to a free and untrammeled interpretation. Four translations of the entire Bible made their appearance at the same time; one by Gotthold Salomon; another by a number of scholars, under the editorship of Zunz; Herxheimer's Bible; and Philippsohn's Bible. A second revised edition of the last appeared under the auspices of the Israelitish Bible Institute. In addition S. Cahen produced a complete French translation; Leeser in Philadelphia an English one; S. D. Luzzatto began one in Italian; and attempts were

made at a Russian (Lew Mandelstamm) and a Polish (Neufeld) translation. Herxheimer wrote a long commentary enriched by his own researches. Fuerst was the author of a free translation with a popular commentary, and Philippsohn was the author of a comprehensive commentary. Besides, individual books of the Bible have received special attention. In Biblical criticism Geiger’s work (“Urschrift”) is marked by acumen, but it is full of hypotheses, the deduction from which pass the bounds of Jewish distinctiveness. The achievements of Luzzatto were noble. His works written in Hebrew are full of incomparable ideas in grammar, lexicography, and exegesis. The Talmud, also, received comprehensive treatment. It was frequently drawn upon for historical writings; its historical notices were the subject of criticism; the character of the Halacha was partially elucidated, and a number of special points were more or less thoroughly examined. Of value were the investigations of Chajes, the introduction to the Mishna by Frankel, and the Halachic exegesis by Hirschfeld. Significant results in this department were effected by Salomon Loeb Rappaport. He opened up a literature of which the Jews themselves had not had a suspicion; he taught Jewish scholars not to rest contented with mere acquaintance with facts; but to draw considerations of place and time into the purlieus of research, in order to throw proper light upon the facts. Fuerst did valuable work in Hebrew and Chaldaic grammar; Geiger, Sachs, and others in a number of special subjects.

Then the literature of reform and polemics began to unfold itself. After the effort to reduce the ancient, though far from senile race of Jews to nothing but a religious brotherhood, the wish was natural to possess a freshly veneered creed. “Wie es sich christelt, so juedelt es sich.” The Jew lived among Protestant peoples, he must have reform. He was clothed with a strange garment, out of keeping with the Jewish soul, the Jewish mind, the entire character of Judaism. He had an ardent desire to imitate, but he had no comprehension of the inner significance of what he imitated. The first reformers had at times a touch of idealism; then a state of fatty degeneration set in, owing to the introduction of Philistinism into the government of congrega-