Morris Raphall

January 3, 1798 (age 70)

Stockholm, Sweden

He began his career in 1832 as a professional lecturer. His ability to make his discourses at once scholarly and popular drew large audiences, both Jewish and Christian, throughout the United Kingdom. In 1840 he became secretary to Chief Rabbi Solomon Hirschell, and supported him particularly in the refutation of the blood accusation brought that year in Damascus. In 1841 he accepted the post of rabbi and preacher and master of the Hebrew school of the Birmingham Hebrew Congregation. Here he built up a national reputation as orator and scholar, his addresses helping to remove prejudices and misunderstanding and contributing towards the subsequent success of the Jewish battle for equal rights in England. On his departure for America eight years later, the entire citizenry of Birmingham, Jewish and non-Jewish, united in honoring him. He came to New York at the end of 1849 on a life contract to be lecturer and preacher to the Congregation B'nai Jeshurun at a salary of $2, 000, then said to be the highest paid to any clergyman in the country. He served that congregation until he was made rabbi emeritus in December 1865. Moses Montefiore, prince of Jewish philanthropy, found in him an ever ready and able American ally. Raphall's literary activity was important in its day. While in England he founded and edited the Hebrew Review, or Magazine of Rabbinical Literature (1834 - 36), the first Jewish weekly in Great Britain; he was one of the editors of the Book of Genesis for The Sacred Scriptures in Hebrew and English; a New Translation with Notes; and a co-translator of Eighteen Treatises from the Mishnah (1845). In addition, he wrote Judaism Defended; The Unity of God; Post-Biblical History of the Jews, an ambitious and useful work; and The Path to Immortality (1859), besides other devotional books and pamphlets.

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Eighteen Jewish Treatises from the Mishna

The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 2: Nisan, 5595 Tishri, 5596; April, 1835 September, 1835 (Classic Reprint)

(Excerpt from The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical...)

Post-biblical history of the Jews, from the close of the Old Testament till the year 70 C.E

(This is a reproduction of a classic text optimised for ki...)

The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 3: Tebath Ab, 5596; January July, 1836 (Classic Reprint)

(Excerpt from The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical...)

Excerpt from The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 3: Tebath Ab, 5596; January July, 1836 Longobardi, like most of the north ern barbarians who embraced chris tianity, had been converted by Arian teachers. They knew from expe ricuce that they could not rely on the affection or loyalty of their Athanasian or orthodox subjects; while the Jews, on the contrary, had always been most faithful to their Arian rulers. Accordingly the Longobardi, not only placed the Jews on a footing Of perfect equa ltty with their other subjects, but at the first establishment of the new monarchy, they granted them im munities and exemptions from many of the burthens, which weighed heavily on the conquered land. If we ret1ace the short sketch which we have now submitted to our readers, we find that at the com mencement of the seventh century, the Jews were Oppressed at the two extremities of Europe, in the Spanish peninsula, and the empire of Constantinople That among the Longobardi in Italy, they were placed on an equality with the rest Of their conquered fellow-citizens; while in the south Of France they enjoyed perfect liberty and consider able political inﬂuence. But few of them were settled among the Franks in the northern parts Of France, and their congregations in the Roman colonies on the Rhine were equally inconsiderable. The patriarchal dignity, - which was held during ten generations by descend ants of Hillel, who resided at Ti herias, and whose authority over the western Jews had been acknow ledged by the Christian emperors as late as the days oftheodosius II. Had ceased to exist. So that the Jews of Europe, without any visible or authorized chief, and deprived Of that centre Of unity, which the patriarch had Offered to them, stood isolated from each other, without any community of feelihg, or fre quent and continuous intercourse. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of 2: From the Close of the Old Testament, About the Year 420 B.C.E. Till the Destruction of the Second Temple, in the Year 70 C. E (Classic Reprint)

(Excerpt from Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of...)

Excerpt from Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of 2: From the Close of the Old Testament, About the Year 420 B.C.E. Till the Destruction of the Second Temple, in the Year 70 C. E As soon as this important conquest had been achieved, Simon in person led his army against Gaza, a city which had revolted after the death of Jonathan. The walls were battered by his engines until suﬂicient breaches were made, and the Jews were on the point of storming, when the entire population of the city, men, women, and children, appeared on the walls with their clothes rent, and prayed for mercy with such doleful cries, that Simon took pity on them, and granted them a capitulation on the same terms as Joppa, replacing the Syrian population by Jews. The next year (142 B. O. E.) the fortress of Acre, which, for more than a quarter of a century, had been a grievous thorn in the side of the Jews, was after a close investment of two years starved into a surrender. Simon, who was anxious to get possession of a fortress impregnable to his utmost force, and to be subdued only by famine, granted a liberal capitulation as well to the Syrians as to the Jewish apostates who formed the garrison, whom he per mitted to march out and leave J udea peaceably and unmo lested. He himself at the head of his men, with palm-branches in their hands, and trumpets sounding, and singing psalms, marched to take possession with every demonstration of joy. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Morris Jacob Raphall

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clergyman

Background

Morris Jacob Raphall was born on October 3, 1798 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Jacob Raphall.

Education

In gratitude for the boy's recovery from a dangerous illness, his father, a banker, dedicated him at the age of five years to the rabbinate, and sent him to a Hebrew grammar school in Copenhagen (1807 - 12). In 1812 the family moved to England, and later Raphall traveled in France, Belgium, and Germany. He attended the universities of Giessen and Erlangen, receiving from the latter the degree of Ph. D.

Career

He began his career in 1832 as a professional lecturer. His ability to make his discourses at once scholarly and popular drew large audiences, both Jewish and Christian, throughout the United Kingdom.

In 1840 he became secretary to Chief Rabbi Solomon Hirschell, and supported him particularly in the refutation of the blood accusation brought that year in Damascus. In 1841 he accepted the post of rabbi and preacher and master of the Hebrew school of the Birmingham Hebrew Congregation. Here he built up a national reputation as orator and scholar, his addresses helping to remove prejudices and misunderstanding and contributing towards the subsequent success of the Jewish battle for equal rights in England. On his departure for America eight years later, the entire citizenry of Birmingham, Jewish and non-Jewish, united in honoring him.

He came to New York at the end of 1849 on a life contract to be lecturer and preacher to the Congregation B'nai Jeshurun at a salary of $2, 000, then said to be the highest paid to any clergyman in the country. He served that congregation until he was made rabbi emeritus in December 1865.

Moses Montefiore, prince of Jewish philanthropy, found in him an ever ready and able American ally.

Raphall's literary activity was important in its day. While in England he founded and edited the Hebrew Review, or Magazine of Rabbinical Literature (1834 - 36), the first Jewish weekly in Great Britain; he was one of the editors of the Book of Genesis for The Sacred Scriptures in Hebrew and English; a New Translation with Notes; and a co-translator of Eighteen Treatises from the Mishnah (1845). In addition, he wrote Judaism Defended; The Unity of God; Post-Biblical History of the Jews, an ambitious and useful work; and The Path to Immortality (1859), besides other devotional books and pamphlets.

Achievements

He was the first rabbi in New York to preach regular weekly English sermons, his addresses attracting large congregations. He was also the first Jew to be invited to open a session of the House of Representatives with prayer. He lectured in various cities in the United States, and before such bodies as the New York Historical Society and the University of Pennsylvania. He showed deep interest in Jewish communal life and endeavored, though without lasting success, to establish a more satisfactory system of Jewish religious instruction. He stimulated charitable activities and was active in gathering funds for the relief of distressed Jews in the Holy Land and elsewhere. He is remembered as a talented and scholarly orator rather than as a great leader; but his permanent importance rests in his championship of the Jewish people and their time-honored traditions. Side by side with Isaac Leeser, Sabato Morais, and Samuel M. Isaacs, he defended orthodox Judaism in America from the growing encroachments of reform, and improved the standards of the orthodox synagogue.

Works

Eighteen Jewish Treatises from the Mishna Eighteen Jewish Treatises from the Mishna

The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 2: Nisan, 5595 Tishri, 5596; April, 1835 September, 1835 (Classic Reprint) The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 2: Nisan, 5595 Tishri, 5596; April, 1835 September, 1835 (Classic Reprint)

Post-biblical history of the Jews, from the close of the Old Testament till the year 70 C.E Post-biblical history of the Jews, from the close of the Old Testament till the year 70 C.E

The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 3: Tebath Ab, 5596; January July, 1836 (Classic Reprint) The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 3: Tebath Ab, 5596; January July, 1836 (Classic Reprint)

Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of 2: From the Close of the Old Testament, About the Year 420 B.C.E. Till the Destruction of the Second Temple, in the Year 70 C. E (Classic Reprint) Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of 2: From the Close of the Old Testament, About the Year 420 B.C.E. Till the Destruction of the Second Temple, in the Year 70 C. E (Classic Reprint)

book
- The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 2: Nisan, 5595 Tishri, 5596; April, 1835 September, 1835 (Classic Reprint)
  (Excerpt from The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical...)
- The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 3: Tebath Ab, 5596; January July, 1836 (Classic Reprint)
  (Excerpt from The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical...)
- Post-biblical history of the Jews, from the close of the Old Testament till the year 70 C.E
  (This is a reproduction of a classic text optimised for ki...)
- Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of 2: From the Close of the Old Testament, About the Year 420 B.C.E. Till the Destruction of the Second Temple, in the Year 70 C. E (Classic Reprint)
  (Excerpt from Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of...)
- Eighteen Jewish Treatises from the Mishna

Views

An outstanding episode in his American career was the publication of his discourse, The Bible View of Slavery (1861), in which he maintained that slave-holding was not a sin according to Biblical law. When the wide publicity and editorial comments on his address threatened to give an impression that American Jews as a class were pro-slavery, rabbis and Jewish laymen alike emphatically contraverted his views. His loyalty to the Union remained beyond question, however, and one of his sons served as a commissioned officer in the Union army.

Connections

In 1825 he returned to England and married. His wife, Rachel Goldstein, bore him six children, of whom four survived.

Father:: Jacob Raphall
Spouse:: Rachel Goldstein

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book

Eighteen Jewish Treatises from the Mishna

The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 2: Nisan, 5595 Tishri, 5596; April, 1835 September, 1835 (Classic Reprint)

Post-biblical history of the Jews, from the close of the Old Testament till the year 70 C.E

The Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature, Vol. 3: Tebath Ab, 5596; January July, 1836 (Classic Reprint)

Post-Biblical History of the Jews, Vol. 2 of 2: From the Close of the Old Testament, About the Year 420 B.C.E. Till the Destruction of the Second Temple, in the Year 70 C. E (Classic Reprint)

Morris Jacob Raphall

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