New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-15

gave no indications of his real character, ana
with the astuteness Of his race he took pans not
to enhance the ransom which his co-reheioHis'S
were obliged to pay for him. the jews vi Co'-
dOva. and Of all Spain. indeed. were IN 'he s'ase
of learning when they were ready To We'C"ne d
living teacher in place Of the messages Which "au
hitherto come from the East. Moses ben Cha1och
had hardly time TO finish his first address on
passage in the Talmud before he was CHOSEN
Judge and rabbi. The old sea-capta!n attempted
TO get an additional ransom but the jews were
too cunning for him. They called the attention
OF the Caliph. whose principal minister was MINI
self Hebrew. to the fact OF which ne was wei
aware. that vast sums Of money were continually
sent from Spain TO maintain the jewish scho"iS
of the East. This drain on the resources OF the
country could now be stopped. Cordova might
in its turn become a seat Of learning as famous
as any in Babylonia The Calph understood the
matter thoroughly He silenced the captain and
encouraged the new movement in every way
that he could Both Jews and Arabs In Spain mad
the freshness of n new race. They thirsted for
learning If the Jew brought the means OF study
he soon found that outside Of exclusively re-
ligious learning. Arabs were as eager pupils a.
the people to whom ne belonged Moreover
Arabian genius reacted on the Hebrew literature
in Il marvellous way. Its main achievement
hitherto had been poetry and works OF the inagi-
nation while the Hebrew had been methodicai'
panstaking and encyclopaedia. Now the Jew
taught the Arab philosophy and science. While
the Arab showed the Jew how TO turn the ancient
sacred language to the ises OF poetry. Hebrew
lost its rigid character; 1t became flexible and In
the hands Of a succession Of literary men In
Spain was enriched with a wonderful variety OF
prose and verse.
This development was attained under con-
dtions which were not always prosperous. In
Spain. as almost everywhere in Europe. the safety
OF the Jews depended largely on place and time
and the favor Of kings But it is curious to note
that in Italy, where they generally escaped perse-
cution they accomplished least. On the other
hand they did almost as little in the country
where they were troubled mOst-that IL. in Ger
many. Occasional, even frequent, adversities, as
in Spain and France. stimulated their efforts
Every crusading host passed through Germany.
The ceaseless attacks Of these fanatcal hordes
made the development Of Judaism In that country
impossible though. it did not prevent the steady
Increase Of Jews. But from Spain, dominated
politically by the Arabs intellectually by the Jews.
went forth influences that awoke Europe II what
has sometimes been called the Renaissance OF
the Twelfth Century. Judged BY It's fruits, inns
semi Oriental learning; founded manly on 1nr
study Of Greek originals. was not all that fancy
has painted ii. Professor Graetz has. perhaps
cxa ggera ted its absolute value in estimating its
relative Importance. 1t was. indeed. wonderful
advance upon previous ignorance But y must
be remembered that IL never--not even In the case
Of Moses Acknowledged beyond The limits OF
the magical supersttions Of the East II taught
Europe to use Aristotle and to handle the tools
Of logic. but IL did not teach II 10 investigate
facts and It's influence stined in prison the only
voice-that of Roger BacOn-which could forctell
the future OF science. II Is strange that no
Oriental race has Of its 3wn motion ever passed
out OF the shadow OF As.atic mysticism Thus.
If the debt OF modern Europe to the Jew was
great the benefits it has conferred In return
have been of the highest value. Just In the
measure that he has become Western In his mode
of thought he has been released from the thral-
dom Of his own mental organism. and has been
enabled to find truth not only by inward con-
temptation hut by outward observation. Even
the great Maimonides. eXpounded by Professor
Graetz. fails where all Orientasm falls, namely
al the verge OF inductive science He fetteTed
Judaism with the system Of Aristotle when the
Christian world was about 10 throw on its chans.
The Jew fanCied later that he saw way or
escape but he erred by returning 10 oriental
specu,ations instead Of appealing 10 the facts OF
the world and Of human nature. THE kabbala.
saws Professor GraetZ. "is a daughter OF embar-
rassment: its system was the way OF escape from
the dilemma between the simple. anthropo-
morphic Interpretation Of the Bible and the shall
lowness Of the Maimunst philosophy. The secret
doctrine established not a new but peculiar
philosophy Of religion. or. more correctly. the
osophy which advancing from one inconceivabe
statement to another. finally SCARED Into the misty
region where all thinking ceases. and even imagi-
nation drOOps its wings.