
Emancipation
Definition:
"The legal process, which began in Europe with the French
Revolution, of granting to the Jews equal civic rights in the countries in
which they reside."
By Extension:
"The whole cultural and social movement promoting
directly and indirectly Jewish integration."
Causes:
- Rise of nation-state and mercantilism. People were valued for
their individual contributions to the national treasury.
- Liberal philosophy: Ideals of equality must be applied equally, even to
Jews.
Implications of Emancipation:
Rights:
The cost:
- The Jews were expected to give up their communal,
cultural and national identities.
The Ideological Expression of Emancipation |
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"Enlightenment." |
The Religious Expression of Emancipation |
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"Reform." |
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Challenges to traditional Jewish religious ideas:
Messianism and National redemption
- Often equated with ideals of
Emancipation and Enlightenment, universal brotherhood, etc.
Hope for restoration to homeland
- Ties to Jews in other countries.
- Question of "dual loyalties."
Perception of Galut (exile).
- "Mission" theory of Jewish exile.
Ideas of religious evolution and progress.
Tension between universalism and need to proclaim superiority of
Judaism.
Use of Hebrew.
Jewish legal autonomy as a religious value.
Religion would now be treated only as a matter of individual belief.
- Less emphasis on practice and observance.
- Transformation of Rabbi into clergyman.
New emphasis on Bible.
Anti-Jewish assumptions in European society
- It was assumed by Christians that the Jews were a backward, materialistic people, lacking
culture and spirituality.
- Introduction of reforms in religous practice
in order to conform to the
aesthetic standards of the host society.
- Some felt that this was a result of the Jews' forcible segregation, and would
be remedied once Jews were permitted access to more advanced ideas and
culture.
- Jews often accepted these stereotypes, and felt the need to improve
themselves, in order to be worthy of acceptance by the host society.
- Demand for vocational retraining of Jews, often based on the assumption that
the Jewish concentration on banking was part of their religion!
- It was widely assumed that European liberal Protestant culture was the
embodiment of universal enlightenment.
Moses Mendelssohn (1729-86): Pioneer of Jewish Enlghtenment
Biography;
A traditionally observant Jew who also excelled as a philosopher and
literary figure. Relationship with Gottfried Lessing (Nathan der
Weise).
Challenge by Johann Lavater to either refute Christianity or convert.
Jerusalem:
Presentation of Judaism as more universal than Christianity.
Mendelssohn's Programme:
Opposition to use of Herem (ban of excommunication)
- the
principal means of the Rabbis' control over the Jewish community)
- Weakening of central authority accelerates rise of factionalism.
.
Education of the Jewish masses:
Translation of the Bible into German
New Hebrew Bible Commentary.
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Hebrew Journals
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