Thursday, May 17, 2012

Krochmal complains that it's hard to speak to all Jews.

Here's a great excerpt from a letter from Nachman Krochmal to Shadal, bearing the date of  1st day rosh chodesh Elul 5536/ Aug. 25, 1836.


"[The Rambam] conveyed his teachings of the inner part of the Torah only to the Arab Jews of Spain, including those of neighboring Provence. The rest of the Jews were as if they didn't exist, since there was such little bonds of communication with them then. But now, how does one speak one way, with the same message, that will be acceptable and able to penetrate the hearts of Italian Jews and Oriental Jews? In the ears of those in Germany who think they are scholars, and in those who think they are hasidim in Poland and Russia? Even if these communities are all still far apart in location and views, there is still no little connection between them nowadays. They all know each other, and despise each other. Each group of Jews feels that if its views and approach were adopted by the others, the redemption would arrive!"
(From Letteris' Mikhtevei Benei Kedem, pg. 66.)

3 comments:

  1. Some things never change.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The lette r is in the standard edition of Kol Kitvei ha-Ranak.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would translate "tahbulah" as "strategem" and "mithasdei" and "mithakmei" as "would be pietists" and "would be scholars."

    ReplyDelete

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