Week 9 (Wissenschaft des Judentums)

Wissenschaft des Judentums

Wissenschaft des Judentums ("The scientific investigation of Judaism") refers to a movement of the 19th century that sought critical investigation of Jewish literature and culture. Jewish scholars used scientific methods of investigation to trace the origin and development of Jewish traditions in an attempt to place Jewish culture on par with Western European culture and to restore a sense of Jewish pride. While followers of the movement worked to restore intellectual respectability for Jewish scholars, they tended to present Judaism as a relic and often ignored matters of contemporary relevance.

Week 9 (Kol Nidre Choir)

Week 9 (Kol Nidre)

Kol Nidre (English translation)

"All personal vows we are likely to make, all personal oaths and pledges we are likely to take between this Yom Kippur and the next Yom Kippur, we publicly renounce. Let them all be relinquished and abandoned, null and void, neither firm nor established. Let our personal vows, pledges and oaths be considered neither vows nor pledges nor oaths."

2 Point Extra Credit Due 11:59pm 10/31

Put these two latest texts (The quote from the National Assembly and the selection from Democracy in America) in dialogue with each other. Have them speak to one another. What would DiA say to the NA, how would the NA respond. What do these texts share? Where do they diverge? Point to specific details.

HW 10/28

Duport: I have one very short observation to make to the Assembly, which appears to be of the highest importance and which demands all its attention. You have regulated by the Constitution, Sirs, the qualities deemed necessary to become a French citizen, and an active citizen: that sufficed, I believe, to regulate all the incidental questions that could have been raised in the Assembly relative to certain professions, to certain persons. But there is a decree of adjournment that seems to strike a blow at these general rights: I speak of the Jews. To decide the question that concerns them, it suffices to lift the decree of adjournment that you have rendered and which seems to suspend the question in their regard. Thus, if you had not rendered a decree of adjournment on the question of the Jews, it would not have been necessary to do anything; for, having declared by your Constitution how all peoples of the earth could become French citizens and how all French citizens could become active citizens, there would have been no difficulty on this subject.

I ask therefore that the decree of adjournment be revoked and that it be declared relative to the Jews that they will be able to become active citizens, like all the peoples of the world, by fulfilling the conditions prescribed by the Constitution. I believe that freedom of worship no longer permits any distinction to be made between the political rights of citizens on the basis of their beliefs and I believe equally that the Jews cannot be the only exceptions to the enjoyment of these rights, when pagans, Turks, Muslims, Chinese even, men of all the sects, in short, are admitted to these rights.

Decree of the National Assembly, 27 September 1791:

"Admission of Jews to Rights of Citizenship," 27 September 1791

Your questions are due by Thursday evening at 11:59pm.

HW 10/26

A selection from the early 19th century French historian, Alexis de Tocqueville's, Democracy in America.

The principles of New England … now extend their influence beyond its limits, over the whole American world. The civilization of New England has been like a beacon lit upon a hill…. … Puritanism was not merely a religious doctrine, but corresponded in many points with the most absolute democratic and republican theories. …Nathaniel Morton, the historian of the first years of the settlement, thus opens his subject: “we may not hide from our children, showing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord; that especially the seed of Abraham his servant, and the children of Jacob his chosen ( Psalm cv. 5, 6 ), may remember his marvellous works in the beginning … “ … The general principles which are the groundwork of modern constitutions, principles … were all recognized and established by the laws of New England: the intervention of the people in public affairs, the free voting of taxes, the responsibility of the agents of power, personal liberty, and trial by jury were all positively established without discussion. … In the bosom of this obscure democracy…the following fine definition of liberty: " There is a twofold liberty, natural … and civil or federal. The first is common to man with beasts and other creatures. By this, man, as he stands in relation to man simply, hath liberty to do what he lists; it is a liberty to evil as well as to good. … The exercise and maintaining of this liberty makes men grow more evil, and in time to be worse than brute beasts: … The other kind of liberty I call civil or federal; it may also be termed moral, in reference to the covenant between God and man, in the moral law, and the politic covenants and constitutions, among men themselves. … This liberty you are to stand for, with the hazard not only of your goods, but of your lives, if need be." I have said enough to put the character of Anglo-American civilization in its true light. It is the result ( and this should be constantly kept in mind) of two distinct elements, which in other places have been in frequent disagreement, but which the Americans have succeeded in incorporating to some extent one with the other and combining admirably. I allude to the spirit of religion and the spirit of liberty.

de Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America, Chapter II ORIGIN OF THE ANGLO-AMERICANS, AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS ORIGIN IN RELATION TO THEIR FUTURE CONDITION

Your questions are due by Tuesday evening at 11:59pm.

HW 10/21

"Now I am able to concentrate my ideas of Judaism of former times, and bring them under one focus. Judaism consisted, or, according to the founder's design was to consist of:

[...]

Historical truths, or accounts of the occurrences of the primitive world, especially memoirs of the lives of the first ancestors of the nation; of their knowledge of the true correction immediately following thereon; of the covenant which God entered into with them, and his frequent promise to make their descendants a nation dedicated to himself.

These historical truths, contain the groundwork of the national union; and, as historical truths, they cannot, according to their nature, be received otherwise than on trust; authority alone gives them the necessary evidence. And they were, moreover, confirmed to the nation by miracles, and supported by an authority which sufficed to place faith beyond all doubt and hesitation."

This is from Moses Mendelssohn's Jerusalem, full quotation here. Your questions are due by THURSDAY, October 21, at 11:59pm. I have changed the time to accommodate your college apps.

Thank you, to all who have posted so far. Due to the lecture tonight, I'm more than willing to accept re-writes or submissions until Sunday evening at 11:59pm.

HW 10/18

The Volozhin Yeshiva, founded by Rabbi Chaim Volozhin and inspired by the teachings of the Gaon of Vilna. Your questions are due Monday at 11:59pm.

HW 10/12 - 10/13

Map of the Spread of Hassidism throughout Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia, The Ukraine, and Austria-Hungary). Questions are do by WEDNESDAY at 11:59pm.

hw 10/11

A Bobover Wedding Celebration, 2009.
This homework is due by 11:59pm on Monday, October 11th.

HW 10/6

From an Italian Jew

"Praise be to God that I can announce to you glad tidings which arrived here yesterday…there is no end to the confirmations of that which is reported to have happened, and they all write that time is too scarce to describe all the miracles and signs that occur all the time. I pray you to announce to the whole holy congregation that they should settle all their affairs as soon as possible. Let this hint suffice that they should cease from all trade, since there is hope that our redemption may come sooner than we expected. Four hundred families are waiting in Frankfurt, all ready for the journey, and many others of the same neighborhood have already left. I never wished to write untruths; but as I behold that from all sides they confirm the miracle, I must tell you about it. All this news arrived last night and caused such a great rejoicing that many wept for excess of joy. Immediately all copies of the roles of the comedy (Purim shpil) which they had intended to perform were torn up, since this is not a time for vanities but for the study of law and good works...Everyone must seek the welfare of his fellow man if he want to share in this blessedness. Nobody here enters any claims against anyone, but the most important thing is to restore all dishonest gain” (in Casale, Italy, 1666)

Please post your questions by 10/6 at 11:59pm. I suggest you do it after class; you'll have more familiarity with the subject and thus it's more likely you'll ask a better question. You can also revise your question up until that (11:59pm) point in time.

HomeWork 10/4

The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan of Turkey - 1891, The Russian Museum

Please post your questions by 10/4, 11:59pm