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

| Not to mention the long list of those who
| apostatlzed and became the prosecutors OF their
race it is worth remembering that the whole
| history Of the Reformation turns upon the
antics of one OF these converted Jews. HUI
manism II less critical took broader outlook
In Germany that 1t did In Italy In the person
OF Reuchlin 1t revived not merely the study or
Greek and classic Latin. but also Hebrew.
Into the midst OF society stirred by IDEAS
that were new only because they had been so
long unfamiliar to the minds OF men was thrust
the ungainly figure OF the Jewish butcher.
Pfefferkorn. ignorant conceited and obstinate,
burning with a desire to annihilate at a blow
the whole body of Hebrew literature outside OF
the Bible Had his appeal been only to the
Dominicans and to the populacc. he would soon
have consigned every Jewish book to the flames
But Reuchlin's example and his writings had
convinced men OF learning that the literature
Of the despised race was not wholly bad Ihey
were not willing that books should be burned
indiscriminately without examination Of their
contents. This led to the appointment OF
commission for reading the prescribed htera-
ture and almost OF necessity Reuchlin was
asked to be one of its members. one proVoca-
ton followed another. until Reuchlin was trans
formed from a possible judge into an uncom-
promising advocate of Jewish books. In addi-
only the defence Of the Talmud and the writ
ings which had grown up around the Kabbala.
he had the advantage Of appealing to public
with which converted Jews were far from
being In favor. II was common saying or the
time that baptized Jews resembed clean lnen'
"as long as 1t is fresh the eye delights III III
after a few days wear 1t is cast aside as
soed" Now it was only these baptized jews
wrote Reuchlin contemptuousy who were anH-
ious to have the Talmud burned. and they had'
he supposed. some private reason for seeking
to destroy what others found incomprehensbe.
AS for the Kabbala. Reuchlin had only to APP
peal to the general conviction Of Christendom
that in it was to be found the strongest PROOF
Of the greatest Of Christian mysteries
The quarrel was taken before the Emperor
and the Pope. 1t appealed to the violence OF
the religious orders on one side and to the satire
spirit that pervaded the youthful scholarship OF
Germany on the other Thus it had already d.
yided Germany before Luther began to preach.
and it had opened mems minds to the justice and
value of discussion. The obvious one-sidedness
of the argument served to array all the inteh-
gence of Germany with Reuchlin and TO convince
his opponents Of bigotry. The prejudice OF race
was intensified rather than lessened by this bat
tie over a Jewish book. All the hatred felt for
the Jew In general eliminated In contempt TOT
PfeNerkorn with his disagreeable. repulsive
face distinctly Jewish features and coarse. vu'-
gar look" preaching before Christian congre-
CATION In his Jewsh-German jargon the I'M
mediate result was that a complete edition OF the
Talmud. with the approval Of the Pope. Leo y.
was published at Antwerp In twelve volumes
folio The prejudice which. in the time OF St
Louis and later. had consigned manuscripts OK
this strange collection to the flames was now
foiled forever Reuchlin was justified not merely
BY the popular verdict. but by the Court 81
Rome The Hebrew language became favorite
study The Old Testament outran the new as
rule Of conduct. and 1t became practically the
constitution Of the Puritan Commonwealth In
England and In America. But the real subject
OF the controversy. the Talmud. has remained
almost to the present day incomprehensible
as it was to Reuchlin Only within recent years.
as Gustav Karpeles says In his essays on Jewish
literature has it been made the subject Of
scientific study. Around the Mosaic law
thousand years Of labor and thirty gen
erations OF commentators gathered all the
thought observation. experience and an
ecdote they were capable Of. the product
being commonplace book Of laws and Discus
sons philosophc. theologic and juridic dicta.
historical notes and national "reminiscences In
functions and prohibitions controlling all the po-
stions and relations Of life curious. quaint tales
ideal maxims and proverbs. uplifting legends,
charming lyrical outbursts. and attractive enig-
mas side by side with msanthropic utterances.
bewildering medical prescriptions. superstitous
practices expressions OF deep agony. peculiar as
THEOLOGICAL charms. and rambling dgressons on
law, zoology and botany. and when all this is
said not half it's contents have been told. 1t is
a uxuriant jungle. which must be explored by
him who would gain adequate idea Of its feat
ures and products"
IT is a curious commentary on human nature
that this great Talmudic controversy In Humanst
Germany which, while 1t indicated Jewish liter
allure. was attended by much suffering and mar
tyrdom on the part Of the Jews. ended In bitter
controversy and cruel intolerance within their
own circle. The new attention paid to the He
brew language was rewarded by many discov-
cries Among the rest Elias Levita. lnguist Of
singular acutenees made some unexpected infer
ences concerning the accents and vowel signs. It
would hardly be guessed that these marks had
anything to do with Jewish faith. But they had,
as Levita found to his cost. The general sup
position that they had been added to the
Hebrew script Mount Sinai or at the very
latest had been intrusted to Ezra by the Deity.
Levta maintained that they were unknown even
to the writer's OF the Talmud, since they were su
perfuous to those with whom ancient Hebrew
was living language. 1t can be imagined. says
Professor Graetz. what storm this opinion
raised One would have supposed that Levita had
undermined the foundations Of Judaism. The
conservative Jews would almost have agreed TO
let Pfefferkorn burn every copy OF the Talmud in
existence In preference to allowing that their be-
loved vowel points-one Of which Ia a cross by
the way--had been traced by any hand save that
~
tiled Baruch Spnoza was In later times. but
he was deliberately excluded from Jewish society
and his descendants were for long time sufferers
from Jewish intolerance.
Ill