Samson Raphael Hirsch

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (June 20, 1808 - December 31, 1888) was the intellectual founder of the Torah im Derech Eretz school of contemporary Orthodox Judaism. Occasionally termed neo-Orthodoxy, his philosophy, together with that of Ezriel Hildesheimer, has had a considerable influence on the development of Modern Orthodox Judaism.

Frankfurt am Main

In 1851 he accepted a call as rabbi of an Orthodox separatist group in Frankfurt am Main, a part of the Jewish community of which had otherwise largely accepted classical Reform Judaism. This group, known as the "Israelite Religious Society" ("Israelitische Religions-Gesellschaft" or IRG), became under his administration a great congregation, numbering about 500 families. Hirsch was to remain Rabbi of this congregation the rest of his life.

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1851 - Frankfurt am Main

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Hirsch organized the Realschule and the Bürgerschule, in which thorough Jewish and secular training went hand in hand (Torah im Derech Eretz). He also founded and edited the monthly magazine Jeschurun (1855-70; new series, 1882 et seq); most of the pages of the Jeschurun were filled by himself.

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Torah im Derech Eretz - 1855 - 70 - 1882

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In 1876, Edward Lasker (a Jewish parliamentarian in the Prussian Landtag) introduced the "Secession Bill" (Austrittsgesetz), which would enable Jews to secede from a religious congregation without having to relinquish their religious status. The law was passed on July 28, 1876. Sadly, there arose a conflict whether "Austritt" (secession) was required by Jewish law. Hirsch held this was mandatory, even though it involved a court appearance and visible disapproval of the Reform-dominated "Main Community" (Grossgemeinde). His contemporary Joseph Dov Bamberger, Rabbi of Würzburg, argued that as long as the Grossgemeinde made appropriate arrangements for the Orthodox element, secession was unnecessary. The schism caused a terrible rift and many hurt feelings, and its aftershocks could be felt until the ultimate destruction of the Frankfurt community by the Nazis.

Related Topics:
July 28 - 1876 - Jewish law - Joseph Dov Bamberger - Rabbi - Würzburg

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