Background
He was born on December 7, 1847 in Focşani, Moldavia (now Romania) to Rabbi Yitzchok Hakohen, a shochet and member of Chabad hasidim. He was named after its founder, Shneur Zalman of Liadi.
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book
Aspects of Rabbinic Theology: With a New Introduction by Neil Gillman, Including the Original Preface of 1909 & the Introduction by Louis Finkelstein
( The classic statement of the ideas which form the relig...)
The classic statement of the ideas which form the religious consciousness of the Jewish people at large, by one of the great minds of Jewish scholarship of our century. His creative scholarship, compelling English style, and warm personality have given this book lasting influence on Jew and non-Jew alike. Includes the original preface of 1909 and the introduction by Louis Finkelstein.
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Abraham Lincoln; memorial address delivered at the Lincoln centennial celebration of the Jewish theological seminary of America Volume 2
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.
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Seminary Addresses and Other Papers
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Aspects of Rabbinic Theology: Major Concepts of the Talmud
(Few writers have crafted such a classic statement of the ...)
Few writers have crafted such a classic statement of the nature of and concepts within rabbinic theology as did Solomon Schechter. Aspects of Rabbinic Theology distills for the uninitiated the basic principles, concepts, and ideas of Judaism, particularly as they are found in the Talmud and Midrash. Noted Jewish author Louis Ginzberg could say of Schechter, "He showed the . . . special Jewish conception of God and the universe, the special Jewish interpretation of the Bible." Key aspects of Jewish theology, such as the election of Israel, God's relationship to Israel, and the place of the Law, receive careful examination and vivid explanation. The notion of sin as rebellion and the nature of forgiveness and reconciliation with God, under Schechter's steady hand, likewise are disclosed in fresh and thought-provoking ways. Moreover, since "There is hardly any miracle recorded in the Bible for which a parallel might not be found in the Rabbinic literature" (from the introduction), any student of Judaism or Christianity readily recognizes the tremendous potential for increased understanding. Though written nearly ninety years ago, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology remains a clear and useful distillation of the essence of rabbinic Judaism.
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Studies in Judaism, First Series (Translated)
(Published in 1896 with title: Studies in Judaism. "These ...)
Published in 1896 with title: Studies in Judaism. "These studies appeared originally in their first form in the Jewish quarterly and the Jewish chronicle."--Pref.
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Die Chassidim, Eine Studie Ueber Juedische Mystik
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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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Solomon Schechter
Solomon Schechter was a Romanian-born American rabbi, academic scholar and educator, most famous for his roles as founder and President of the United Synagogue of America, President of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and architect of American Conservative Judaism.
Education
He studied at the Jewish theological seminary in Vienna and also at the university there.
Career
In 1882 he went to England as a private tutor in rabbinics and in the years that followed he published many important articles and books, including Some Aspects of Rabbinic Theology (1909). In 1892 he was appointed reader in rabbinics at Cambridge University, and ten years later he assumed the presidency of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, a position he held until his death in New York City, November 19, 1915. In his time, Schechter was the recognized leader of Conservative Judaism in America: he founded the United Synagogue of America (an association of Conservative synagogues), and under his guidance the Jewish Theological Seminary became one of the leading rabbinical schools in the world. He was a profound scholar: his best-known contribution to Jewish scholarship was his exploration of the Cairo Genizah, a store of hidden ancient Hebrew books and manuscripts. In 1896 he identified a fragment shown to him as part of the lost Hebrew text of the Book of Ecclesiasticus; he set out for Egypt immediately, succeeded in tracing the fragment to the Genizah, and recognized the scope and value of the Genizah collection, the greater part of which he acquired for Cambridge University.
Achievements
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He is most famous for his roles as founder and President of the United Synagogue of America, President of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and architect of American Conservative Judaism.
Schechter's name is synonymous with the findings of the Cairo Geniza. He placed the JTSA on an institutional footing strong enough to endure for over a century. He became identified as the foremost personality of Conservative Judaism and is regarded as its founder. A network of Conservative Jewish day schools is named in his honor, as well as a summer camp in Olympia, Washington. There are several dozen Solomon Schechter Day Schools across the United States and Canada.
Works
book
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Aspects of Rabbinic Theology: With a New Introduction by Neil Gillman, Including the Original Preface of 1909 & the Introduction by Louis Finkelstein
( The classic statement of the ideas which form the relig...)
-
Die Chassidim, Eine Studie Ueber Juedische Mystik
( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
-
Aspects of Rabbinic Theology: Major Concepts of the Talmud
(Few writers have crafted such a classic statement of the ...)
-
Abraham Lincoln; memorial address delivered at the Lincoln centennial celebration of the Jewish theological seminary of America Volume 2
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
-
Studies in Judaism, First Series (Translated)
(Published in 1896 with title: Studies in Judaism. "These ...)
- Seminary Addresses and Other Papers
-
Aspects of Rabbinic Theology: With a New Introduction by Neil Gillman, Including the Original Preface of 1909 & the Introduction by Louis Finkelstein
Religion
Schechter, on the other hand, believed in what he termed "Catholic Israel. " The basic idea being that Jewish law, Halacha, is formed and evolves based on the behavior of the people. This concept of modifying the law based on national consensus is an untraditional viewpoint. Schechter was an early advocate of Zionism. He was the chairman of the committee that edited the Jewish Publication Society of America Version of the Hebrew Bible.
Views
Quotations:
"Judaism is not a religion which does not oppose itself to anything in particular. Judaism is opposed to any number of things and says distinctly "thou shalt not. " It permeates the whole of your life. It demands control over all of your actions, and interferes even with your menu. It sanctifies the seasons, and regulates your history, both in the past and in the future. Above all, it teaches that disobedience is the strength of sin. It insists upon the observance of both the spirit and of the letter; spirit without letter belongs to the species known to the mystics as "nude souls" (nishmatim artilain), wandering about in the universe without balance and without consistency. .. In a word, Judaism is absolutely incompatible with the abandonment of the Torah. "
"Whatever the faults of the rabbis, consistency was not one of them. "
"You cannot be anything if you want to be everything. "
"By vulgarity I mean that vice of civilization which makes man ashamed of himself and his next of kin, and pretend to be somebody else. "
Connections
- Father:
- Yitzchok Hakohen
