The Jewish outlook., 1907-11-29
25Oth Anniversary of Men
asseh ben Israel's Death

niversary of whose death occurred
last Wednesday (November 2Oth),
looms so large in the story OF the re-
settlement of the Jews in England
that in concentrating ones attention
on that picturesque and important
episode in his career, one is in danger
of losing sight of his many other
claims to fame. In a just estimate of
the Amsterdam rabbi s career and
character, one should perhaps put
foremost his scholarship. His writ
ings and learning were wide, rather
than deep. The former may roughly
be divided into three classes: Theo-
logical philosophy, theological expo
sitions, and historical writings. In
the second comes his principal work.
Gel COnciliador, of which the first
part was published in 1852, and the
fourth and last in 1861. Gel Con-
ciliador" set out to reconcile all ap-
parently inconsistent passages in the
Jewish Bible. The traditional Jewish
interpretations were given, and this
book, in common with practically all
Of Menasseh s writings, was a compi-
lation, rather than the fruit of his
intellect. The book was not only of
Jewish, but also of Christian interest,
and was almost the first of that de-
scription to be written by Jew in a
modern language. 1t attracted wide
spread attention, both in Christian
and Jewish circles, and brought the
author into intimate relations with
many eminent scholars. Gel Concil-
iador" was translated into Latin by
Dionysi,ls Vossius, and into Italian
by Marco Luzzatto.
Preeminent among his friends was
Rembrandt, by whom two portraits of
Menasseh-One somewhat doubtful
are eXtant. He also counted among
his intimates the three Vossius, Hugo
Grotius, Barleus, Bochart, Blondel,
Zacuto Lusitano, and other we'll
known names.
Cromwell was by no means the only
ruler with whom Menasseh was a ia
vorite; nor was England the first
country to which he looked as land
of refuge for the oppressed Of Jewry.
In the interests of his coreligionists
fleeing from persecution, he obtained,
through his friend, Isaac Vossius, an
introduction to Queen Christina Of
Sweden. On the occasion of her coro-
nation, Menasseh dedicated to her
Spanish and Hebrew poem, and asked
permission to do likewise to his "Con-
ciliador" on its completion. He also
assisted her in the formation Of her
Hebrew library-the Queen was stu
dent of Hebrew. Menasseh was, how
ever, not so successful in this direc-
ton with his political objects, for the
abdication of the Queen deprived her
of all power to assist him in that mat
ter. The friendship and correspond
ence between them, however, con-
tinued long after that event.
1t has been truly said that no man
is a prophet in his own country, and
Menasseh was no exception to this
rule. The friend of Queen Christina
and the hOnored guest of Cromwell
and the English nation, the intimate
of the first scholars of Europe and the
most widely known Jew Of his day,
Menasseh lived at Amsterdam in cir
clmstances of great discomfort, phys
ical and mental His official appoint
ment as rabbi was always precarious,
and the emoluments it brought him
were insufficient without being sup
plemented, to enable him to support
the modest menage with which he was
satisfied. So precarious was the ten
ure of his office in Amsterdam that
his departure for London WAS LONG