The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-13

Jewish Life In the Middle Ages.
The student OF folk lore will find that Je,rtsh
Life In tho Middle Ages tMacmillan, contains a
vast amount of interesting information. but he
Will have to use his own abilities in shifting and
arranging the matter compiled by the author.
MIR. ISRAEL ADRAnAMs of London, so as to get n
clear historical view OF the subject. An abso-
lutte disregard for historical consecutiveness
characterizes the whole work. Describing q
custom that prevailed among the Jews IN some
parts OF Germany in the fifteenth century, the
author at one sweep drives his reader back TO
the Gaonic period. between tho seventh and
eleventh centuries. citing the authority of
rabbis whose central seat was somewhere in
Persia: and then again he sends him forward to
the rnbbinical teachings Of Holland or Italy.
Among the historical authorities cited by Mr..
AbrahRms is the ronancer GretZ. whose
work on Jewish history is full of the
widest hypothesis and most confusing
speculations on tho events OF the early ages. and
II is. moreover. extremely subjective and ira
tionally personal in its description of events ofa
later day. In his reasoning appears the
tendency of the school of modern Jewish stu
dents. who would obliterate the past of their re-
liGion and their history to secure happiness for
the members OF their race in the present. But
tHS OIL III tue jew pcOpic
simply because OF their past. and by arguing their
historical vicissi;udes and religious peculiari-
ties out Of existence. you obl.terate their iden-
tity and consign them To disintegration. This
disposition OF Mr.. Abrahams appears in these re-
marks in his preface: Il confess. that when l
undertook TO write OF Jewish life in tho middle
ages. ! did so under the impression that Jewish
life was every more or less similar, and that
1t would be possible to present q generic image
OF It Deeper research has com pletely dispelled
this belief. Possibly the reader may note with
disappointment that my book reveals no central
principle: that it is n survey less of Jewish life
than OF Jewish lives" Further on he says:
THE superficial appearance Of q national
entity has. l fear. originated the movement now
popular wiki some modern Jews In favor Of
creating n Jewish state, politically independent
and perhaps religiously homogeneous. speak
rcgrctfully, because one does no. like to see en-
thusiasm wasted over a conception which has
no roots in the past. and no fruits to offer for the
future" In these remarks lies the centre of
gravity OF modern latitudinariaa Jewish schol-
ars: the conception of a central principle "
which united the Jews in all the bygone ages
has no roots in tho past" and It is therefore n
waste OF energy or enthusiasm " to work for O
restoration OF the people in the future.
Despite such an enunciation Of principle on
the part of the author. his book bears q different
message. 1t tells of a Jewish IDENTIFY
which tho passing ages could not OBJ
l~iterate. and which held its own in dire
distress as well as In prosperity. Throughout the
middle ages there was n solidarity among
the dispersed members of the race. which
nothing could destroy. The Jew OF one part of
the world had n feeling Of kinsh!p for his
brother Jew OF another CLINE. In spite OF their
dissimilarity ofdress, tastes, and manners OF llv-
tpy nlfa I a rfF Sc Nraa uazHAl In sA-. - -AnE-o
principle" Of their religious confession, which
Mr.. Abrahams tries to ignore. and in the sense
of responsibility OF one for the other. which
the learned author cannot ignore. because it
lies within the range Of the life he depicts.
Throughout the ages there was never n divcrG-
ence OF belief among the Jews in all parts OF
the world. in so far as the principal tenets of
their faith were concerned. Tho Jews OF Per-
sin, Africa and OF all parts of Europe believed
In God. Revelation, Immortality. and In the
union and selection Of their people. In their
synaGogucs the same order OF prayer was pre-
served in all the lands of their dispersion. Mr..
Abrahams does not speak about these things,
for such evidences of a central principle "
do not belong to his programme. but he
tells us many things which bear testimony
to the sans effect.
In the first chapter of the book the author
shows us that 1.-THE synagogue was the centre OF
social l!le' as well ms of religious worship
among the Jews. Io refers the reader to Jose
phus FOR proof that. even so far back rs the
times OF the Maccabees. tho temple at Jerusa-
lem was the central place for all social move
ments. Tho synagogue replaced the temple
throughout tho dispersion. But. barring a
prayer that was recitcd in behalf of the ruler OF
the time. politics was excluded from its pre-
cincts. There were. however. rare instances In
which the jews as a body display ed political
partisanship. In the middle OF the'fourteenth
century the Jews courageously fought FOR
Don Pedro OF CASTLE against his half
brother, Henry dc Trastamara. A Jewish
troupadour OF That age. Santob do Car
r.on, compiled moral and political maxims
for the King. In 1883 the Jews OF Canter-
bury prayed for the monks as against the Arch
bishops in n local dispute. Alta much later
date the Jews Of Rome erected a trophy In front
Of ono OF their synagogues in honor OF the tenn
porary establishment OF a republican Govern
ment. Until the beginning of the sixteenth
century they were never for long cut of from
the common life around them. Nay. their in
terestS were wider than those OF their environ
mrnt, for they had tho exceptional interests OF
n common religion destitute OF a political CEN
tre." Thus speaks the author who asserted In
tho introduction Of his work that he could not
discover any central principle which united the
Jews of the middle ages.
The life wi hin the synagogue reflected tho So
clal lie OF the Jews In all It's essential features.
Amid u world in which might WAS right, tho
Jews learned from their common oppression to
resrcct each others rights. Any Jew who CON
criycd that he had a grievance against bis fell
low. had the privilege OF interrupting the syna.
cpgue service he had gained a public prom
lie OF redress. So fully was this understood by
the Governments OF Europe that It was occasion
ally utilized for their own purposes. In tho
thirtSsnth century the English Government |