New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-21

Pentateuch. wellhausen maintains that the
Jehovist author has more OF the spechcaIy pro-
nhet,c shirt. that he has a more primtive-that
is omorphic-conception OF the Deity.
and nrofers natural causes for events while the
Elohist author exhibits as opposed to the mere
nronhetc splr,t more developed and more theo-
retlcal Righteousness as opposed to crude anthro-
nomorphism. Deity who speaks from his hidden
Mace IN the heavens or reveals himself In dreams,
and as opposed to natural causes looks ior 'ne
hand Of the Deity in everything.
The time when the experimentation OF the
Kabbela was most effective was also the time
when the only physicians and almost the only
vo,ar,es Of natural science were Jews. Be-
tweon these two extremes. orthodox Judaism
showed less fear OF mysticism than II did OF
science. that is to paraphrase the language
which the critic has applied to the Pentateuch
Il preferred invoking the Deity as cause Tor
everything to accepting natural causes TOT
ANYTHING The Kahbala especially under the
stimulus given by that remarkable forgery the
'Zohar" nourished beyond measure In the Iour-
tenth century. while the study OF science was
the theme Of bitter controversy. IL was even
attempted to prohibit any Jew from read'hg
a scientific book until he was past MS tniruetn
year This WAS mere theoretical proposition.
II was enforced by those who believed IL WIN
ou tho mower of that minute and annoying pe-se-
cution I'm which the Jew is expert beyond the
measure of all other human beings. 1t Is far
more cruel than burning at the stake. as any
one can tell who has been subjected to IL even
for a short time. An example or tnis KIM vi
persecution was shown at the very >hcep'ioh vi
those quarrels among the Spanish jews VINO"
were the true cause Of their downfall. The
prosecutor was stilily orthodox raop'' pen
Adret the object of luminosity was Levi OF
Villefranche. 1t was Ben Adrets idea 'ha' o"is
mo, of mature age. "who had filled their minds
with the Bible and the Talmud. were TO De al
lowed ~ warm themselves by the strange fires
OF philosophy and the natural sciences. ne
disclaimed opposition to science. however and
ALLEGED against Levi only the fact that he had
provoked anmosities on every side III was
rocessarv In nut some constraint on such DIS
,urber NJ the peace of Israel Levi had just
ono faithful friend. the pious Samuel Sulami. IN
whose house he lodged. Ben Adret "harassed
samuel Sulami SO numerically and subjected
his conscience to such torment that the man
not very remarkable for strength OF character
hecame shaken In his previous CONVICTIONS
When a daughter OF his died. he believed tha'
Il was punishment for his sinfuiness' ana r.
nounced his hospitality TO Levi. Ihoush me
friends OF science won In the end. tne iiiiih'ui-
ate resut OF the turmoil was the nrst heresy
tribunal known TO Jewish history. rms cuurt
solemnlv agreed that whoever read scientlnc
hook before his twenty-ffth year should be
liable to communication; that the same ia'''
as we'll as untold miseries In the world To come
should be meted out TO philosophical expoundeIs
Of Holy Writ. and that their writings shouih
be burned This sentence Included the DOCKS
Of the great Maimonides, the one supreme
,binker nroduced bv the Jewish race But Hen
Adret and his colleagues had to permit the
study and practice OF medicine. and so they
left the whole question just where they iouhI
:, CO.. ,nadicinn involves the whole circle of
natural science by Implication. This was only
one Of the controversies In the Jewry OF me
Middle Ages. but all the rest, when examines.
,ui no found 10 have had in substance the
same provocation. namely. the preference on
the one hand for natural causes. and on tne
other for the one final. supernatural cause AZ
an explanation OF all things.