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27 Ellul 5762 - September 4, 2002 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Book Written by Haskalah Figure and Disguised as Mussar Distributed Among Chareidim
by N. Ze'evi

Recently an anonymous publisher tried to reprint a book written by leading Haskalah figure Naftoli Hertz Wessely in Berlin, and to distribute it within the chareidi sector, despite scathing denunciations by the gedolei hador of over 200 years ago. The introduction carries a recommendation to study the text as a mussar sefer and attempts to recast the ignominious author as a "tzaddik yesod olom," presenting the severe cheirem of gedolei Yisroel against him as a "machlokes tzadikim."

Sefer Hamiddos was written by Naftoli Hertz Wessely in 5545 (1785). Born in Hamburg, he later lived in Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Raised in an observant home, he chose to devote his intellectual abilities to the study of Hebrew, publishing several works on biblical grammar and linguistics, the analysis of synonyms, and similar subjects.

At which stage in his life he went astray and decided to beat a new path as one of the first disseminators of Enlightenment ideas remains a mystery. What is clear, however, is that after he moved to Berlin and joined the Enlightenment circle there, he decided to put the dangerous ideas he harbored to use.

While in Berlin he wrote poems of praise of the infamous Moshe Mendelssohn sheim reshoim yirkav, and even helped him edit and distribute his books.

In 5542 (1782) he published his famous letter, "Divrei Sholom Ve'emes," in which he demands that his Jewish brethren introduce secular studies into their yeshivos and into children's education. His call for change came in the form of an explanation to the Jewish community of the Austrian Kaiser's decree regarding Jewish schools, the so- called "Edict of Tolerance," but Wessely carried out his task zealously, presenting the decree as a worthy endeavor in its own right.

In addition to the Kaiser's original order to teach German in Jewish schools, he added a firm demand to teach general subjects of a wide scope, prioritizing secular studies over limudei kodesh and limiting gemora study to a small minority of gifted students, claiming "we were not all created to be Talmudic scholars."

In his letter Wessely draws a distinction between "the laws of man" (Toras Ho'odom, such as codes of conduct and secular knowledge) and "the laws of G-d and His doctrines," even declaring the former to be the more exalted of the two, for at least the nations of the world derive some benefit from the civilized man! He even goes one step further by claiming that a Torah scholar who does not acquire knowledge in secular fields and codes of conduct is "a talmid chochom who lacks daas."

His writings, which disgraced and belittled Hashem's Torah and talmidei chachomim, were virulently opposed by the Torah greats of his generation, who considered him an apikores who aimed to destroy the fundamentals of Judaism, particularly chinuch habonim.

The battle against Wessely was headed by leading rabbonim in countries where his influence threatened to destroy education and emunoh: the Noda BeYehudo, HaRav Dovid Tevele of Lissa, HaRav Yosef Hatzaddik of Posen (the son-in-law of the Noda BeYehudo), the Baal Haflo'oh and others. In Vilna, the Gra ordered his book burned in the heart of the Jewish quarter.

The Noda BeYehudo spoke against him in a drosho in Prague (printed in Drushei Hatzlach) and wrote an acerbic letter in which he calls Wessely a heretic who has no belief in Torah: "Never has such an enemy appeared among the Jews, who removes the mask of disgrace from his face to write and sign and testify against himself that he has no part in G-d or His Torah . . . The very existence of this pamphlet ["Divrei Sholom Ve'emes"] is to deny and scorn the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, and to say that they have no useful purpose."

The Noda BeYehudo would have issued a cheirem against Wessely but the law required obtaining permission for such steps from the secular authorities and he was wary of the potential repercussions. "He is damned and cursed and cut off from Adas Yisroel . . . And from this point onward I hope anyone from Adas Yisroel who is aware of this will not give him overnight lodgings or receive this rosho, Hertz Wessely, in his home . . . And if this Hertz Wessely comes to Vienna, no Jew should greet him or bring him into his home under any circumstances. Everyone should beware of a punishment from Heaven for coming near this rosho and apikores, and he who keeps his distance from him and loathes him will be blessed from Above . . . And one should not buy any of this writer's books chas vesholom, which were written to defile others with his tumoh. Even Yein Levanon should not be bought from him," emphasizes the Noda BeYehudo, who himself had granted Yein Levanon a haskomoh, before the author's true colors became apparent. Even then he took the precaution of noting he had not read the text himself and gave his approval on condition it adhered to traditional sources.

The Noda BeYehudo worked to spread the word of Wessely's heresy to Jewish communities far and wide, asking rabbonim from well-known kehillos to launch similar campaigns against Wessely and to condemn him publicly. "I have asked his High Honor to publicize this matter in Vienna so this pamphlet will not present a stumbling block for anyone . . . Although I have already denounced him . . . please forward this letter to the geonim near Vienna, such as the Gaon of Pressburg and the Gaon of Nicholsburg, and they should do the same, publicizing the infamy of this rosho, Hertz Wessely, may his name be blotted out, to the masses."

That year gedolei hador retracted the haskomos they had given his previous books. The leaders of the generation saw a pressing need to wage war against Wessely because as the Noda BeYehudo said, "He has deceived people since his youth" ("mine'urov gonev daas habriyos") by presenting himself as a writer of Torah-based books. Gedolei hador believed he posed a serious threat because many people might be tempted to read his books and to perceive him as a legitimate Torah scholar who had uncovered Haskoloh ideas based on sources supposedly gleaned from Tanach and midrashei Chazal.

Wessely printed Sefer Hamiddos in 5545, three years after the publication of "Divrei Sholom Ve'emes" rocked the Jewish world. This time he did not have the daring to print the recanted haskomos he had earlier obtained from gedolei Yisroel through chicanery. Nevertheless he was not dissuaded from quoting excerpts from the widely denounced pamphlet. He repeats his recommendation to pursue secular knowledge (to strengthen religious practice, supposedly), referring to the fields of knowledge "we discussed in the four well-known letters." In a chapter devoted to "yiras Shomayim umussar" he even has the audacity to claim "what must be stressed in raising children and in their study program we began to outline a bit in our estimable letters we called `Divrei Sholom Ve'emes' and in three other letters appended to it. And he who adds intelligent ideas to expand on the details of this great mitzvah, of which it is written "velimadetem osom es beneichem ledabeir bom," will receive a just reward from Heaven." One critic wrote that the Sefer Hamiddos "reflects contemporary [i.e. non-Jewish] philosophical and ethical German thought."

*

@Big Let Body=In recent weeks many chareidim aware of Wessely's notoriety, were astonished to find a new edition of Sefer Hamiddos in bookstores selling sifrei kodesh.

According to the title page, the recently published edition includes "important excerpts from his remarks in other works, with a comprehensive prologue to his approaches by Rav Chaim Lifshitz, author of Emunas Chachomim." Yet the identity of Rav Chaim Lifshitz remains a mystery and efforts to locate him proved unsuccessful.

Even the distributor, Yerid Haseforim (which decided to discard all copies of the book after rabbonim issued scathing condemnations), said the publisher left neither address nor phone number. Although inquiries and extensive searches in large libraries showed no book called Emunas Chachomim has ever been published, the title was mentioned in a book called Beis Yechezkel written decades ago by Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel. On page 143 he writes, "And if I have the zechus I will publish my book, Emunas Chachomim, which contains a reservoir of further proofs."

The opening pages of the new edition of Sefer Hamiddos contain a letter of approbation from Rav Moshe Tzuriel, who refers to the notorious Haskalah author as a "gaon olom, tzaddik yesod olom" He promotes the publication of Wessely's book "in this generation that has been blessed, boruch Hashem, with a reawakening of the Mussar Movement. How good it is to turn once again to the words of our predecessors, as Chazal said, `Better the fingernail of Rishonim than the belly of Acharonim.' "

In his introduction he emphasizes how the book is distinct from other sifrei mussar in that the author's approach is based on "a depth of understanding of biblical phraseology." He praises Wessely for his focus on an analysis of biblical linguistics--an emphasis gedolei Yisroel viewed as a major deficiency--and even suggests the failure by bnei yeshivos and talmidei chachomim to focus on this area stems from "the great slyness of the yetzer hora, which steals from Bnei Yisroel their primary weapon and tempts them not to occupy themselves much with Tanach, weakening them [in the fight] against evil." He also dismisses statements made by gedolei Yisroel by claiming "the Diaspora caused mistakes and unnecessary suspicions." In conclusion he writes, "I hereby encourage all of our brethren among Bnei Yisroel to engage in this work with the appreciation and scrutiny this fabulous book deserves."

Rav Dovid Tzvi Hilman wrote a long, detailed letter to the publisher and the enigmatic approbation writer, denouncing the series of fundamental historical distortions included in the introduction to the book in a directed effort to defend the author and even to present him as a "tzaddik yesod olom."

When gedolei haTorah vehahoro'o learned the book was being distributed, they wrote and publicized letters against the dangerous publishing enterprise, expressing their fears over this renewed attempt to breach the walls of our generation by introducing works by the pioneers of the Haskalah Movement, who hoodwinked the masses by disguising their ideas as Torah scholarship that some readers would fail to recognize as venomous heresy.

Dayonim from the Badatz Eida Chareidis wrote, "Sefer Hamiddos by Naftoli Hertz Wessely, one of the heads of the Haskalah thinkers of his generation, has been reprinted and reintroduced, and the publisher had the audacity to write that the author is a gaon and tzaddik, etc. In his day Rabbenu Hagodol Baal HaNoda BeYehudo zt'l launched a battle against him, writing, `It is apparent that he does not believe in religion or Torah at all, and such an enemy has never risen up among the Jews . . . and that he is cut off from the community of Israel' -- who would come after the king to question his remarks chas vesholom?

"Therefore we hereby issue a warning and a position statement reflecting daas Torah that it is an outright prohibition to study from these books or to distribute them, or to print any further editions of this author's books and books by his fellow Haskalah figures, in order not to place a stumbling block before the public by leading them to read seforim chitzonim chas vesholom, of which it is written, `Kol bo'eho lo yeshuvun.'"

The signatories include HaRav Nosson Gestetner, HaRav Shmuel Eliezer Stern and HaRav Shmuel Halevy Wosner.

 

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