The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-11-28
ASSEMBLY OF THE JEWS IN PARIS.
PARIS. Sent. LII.

PARIS, Sept.ll
The German papers, having mott frsngei,
perverted the anfwers given by the Synod of tn,
Jews convened in Paris, more particularly thoit
given TO the third and lixth qucaicns, we hay,
to crafty number of our fubfcrbers by repub
lining all the anfwers, we have obtained the n
from we'll informed correspondent.
(Jowzai deS Commerce.
In Qne!.--Is plurality of wives permitted to
the Jews?
Ans.---It is not lawful for the Jews 10 take
more than one wife. They generally comply
with the laws of the European Rates in which
they reiide, and thofe forbidding po!ygamy, the
Jews comply with thofe laws.
Motes did not expressly command to marry
more than one, neither did he forbid it. 1t
would appear that taking it for granted that
iuch thing would happen, he regulates the
portions of children Of different wives Altho'
polygamy was tolerated in the Ear, the anci-
ents preicrihe to the Jews not to marry more
than one woman, unlefs their fu5Rance afford
! ed the means of providing for more, and their
ifiuc. II was different in the weh, where def
rous of conforming to the uiages OF the nations
among which they ietted, the Jews generally
renouuced polygamy. Some few individuals
however fill following that practice, Synod
was convened at Worms in the 18th century, in
which the Rabbi Guerqon prefided, competed
of 90 Rabies. This afTembly pronounced an
anathema againR every Ifraelte, who fhould
thereafter marry more than one woman, this
prohibition, feconied By the influence OF Euro
pcan manners and laws, has been o5eyed ever
lince.
I'd. Oneqion.- Does the religion of the Jews
admit Of divorce Is fuch a divorce conGaercd
as conclUlive, when at varicnce with the laws Of
France?
An5. DIVORCES allowed by the lav. Ct Moi.
PC hnf 10 vail ,,,la T.,
by the tribunals according to the laws of France.
Suhmiiiion to the laws Of the Prince, is the
firft duty of all Jews, and if it is fundamental
maxim adopted among them, that in whatever
relates to civil and political concerns, the laws
of the fate ilali be paramount. Before they
enjoyed in France the fame rights rs other citi
zens, and when b. fpecia acls of the Hatr,
which permitted them 10 govern ;hcmfelves in
conformity with their religious cuftoms, they
had the Liberty of divorcing their wives it was
however very rarely uieG. Since the Revoluti-
Gil they have entirely conforulcd 10 the French
laws; and when admitted to the rights of Citi-
zen!hiP, the Rabies and principal Jeyvs of
France appeared before the local Municipalities,
and took the oath, tri6!y 10 conform in all
things TO the laws OF France, and to have no
other rule in the adjufment of their civil con-
Germs. Thus they can no longer conGder d.
vorcc pronounced by their Rabies rs valid,
hncc TO be 70 it NUT be previously pronounced
by the civil tribunals of the fate
Inafmuch as the Rabies, ~ a decree of the
Coniuls, were forbidden to adminiGer the mar
riagc ceremony, unlefS the parties could thew
that they were rreviCully married by NUM-
cipal officer, 70 in Ike manner they cannot pro-
nounce divorce, unlefs previoully pronounced
by the civil authority. IF even this decree did
not decide the point, the fcntence Of the Rab
bies would not be valid, as the law in regard
to civil concerns, would be fuperiour, to which
either of the parties would have the right of
appealing; from all which it refutS that the
ientence of the Rabbie, without the fan6ion of
the civil law, cannot be valid And it is fur
Their evident, that iuce the Jews marry before
the cival magiltrdte, that no Jew, VINO relpees
his religion can repudiate his wife, unefs by
double divorce, and on which account it is df-
ierted that the law of Notes, is perfectly con-
formable to the civil law.
OHefiOn 9.---May Jewels marry Chri1ian.
or Chri'ian woman mary Jew Or does
Their law allow them only to marry among them
felves?
Fg/lVer.--The laws does not fay, that a
Je~efs fhail not marry Chritan, nor a chri(li
90 woman Jew neither does it declare that
the Jews can only marry among themfelvrs.
The law forbids only marr;7r-s with the feycn
Can7nean nations, with Anon Moab, and thu
Egyptians. The prohibition with the feven
nations is abfolute, that refpeGing Anon and
Moab is according to the laws OF the Talmud,
confined TO the men, and not to the women,
but IT is Believed that the latter ought TO have
embraced the Jewiili religion. The law con-
corning the Egyptians is confined to the third
generation. The prohibition is 0riGlv applica-
ble TO the nations who worfiip Idols The
Talmud dclares formally, that the modern M
tons are not idoat,rs, feeling that they, as we
10, worlhip the Lord God Of heaven and
Earth, hence many marriages have taken place
between Jews and Chrihians, in France, Sgain
and Germany. Thefe marriages were permit
ted or prohibited by the Princes in Whole king
doms or fItes the Jews reiided fome fuch
marriages are tn he found in France at prcfsnt
vet cannot concedI that thefe marriages are
syaint the opinion of the Rabbies according
to their tenets it is held that in the &C ceptance
Of the Tamud, marriage requires religious
ceremonies called KiiYlt5ia, and the nuDiial
bellings, and as no marriage is valid il point Of
religion, if the fld ceremonies are not perform
ed, it is evident that no fuch marriage can take
place between two individuals who fhould not
both coufder the faid ceremony Gcrcd in
which cafe they might ieparate again without
being under the neccIiy Of applying to their
Church for divorce. They would be confder-
ed as civii,y, but moi reHgiouny married.
Such is the opinion Of thc Rabies, members
Of The aIcm5ly, and they would in general be
not more inclined TO celebrate the nup;7s Of a
Chri.ian woman with a Jew, or of q Jewels,