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.

Works and activism

Hirsch had an exceptionally powerful pen. An example is his opinion about a Jewish state (Hirsch Siddur, 1969 p703):

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:During the reign of Hadrian when the uprising led by Bar Kochba proved a disastrous error, it became essential that the Jewish people be reminded for all times of an important, essential fact, namely that (the people of) Israel must never again attempt to restore its national independence by its own power; it was to entrust its future as a nation solely to Divine Providence.

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Other works (besides the ones mentioned above) were:

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• Pamphlet: "Jüdische Anmerkungen zu den Bemerkungen eines Protestanten" (anon.), Emden, 1841 (response to a provocative pamphlet by an anonymous Protestant);
• Pamphlet: "Die Religion im Bunde mit dem Fortschritt (anon.), Frankfurt am Main, 1854 (response to provocations from the side of the Reform-dominated "Main Community");
• "Uebersetzung und Erklärung des Pentateuchs,", 5 volumes 1867-78 (Hirsch' innovative and influential Torah commentary, see below);
• Pamphlets during the Secession Debate:
• "Das Princip der Gewissensfreiheit," 1874;
• "Der Austritt aus der Gemeinde," 1876
• "Uebersetzung und Erklärung der Psalmen", 1882 (Hirsch' commentary on the book of Psalms);
• "Ueber die Beziehungen des Talmuds zum Judenthum", 1884 (a defense of Talmudic literature against anti-Semitic slanders in Russia)

He left in manuscript at the time of his death a translation and explanation of the prayer-book which was subsequently published. The publication, in several volumes, of his collected writings (Gesammelte Schriften) was begun in 1902.

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Most of Hirsch' writings have been translated into English and Hebrew by his descendants, starting with "Horeb" in the 1950s (by Dayan Isidore Grunfeld of London) and his Torah commentary in the 1960s (by his grandson Isaac Levi, also of London). The bulk of his Collected Writings, that had previously been published in German in 1902-12, were translated during the 1980s and 1990s in memory of his grandson Joseph Breuer.

Related Topics:
English - Hebrew - 1950s - Torah - 1960s - German - 1902 - 12 - 1980s - 1990s - Joseph Breuer

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