Jonathan Eybeschutz

Jonathan ben Nathan Eybeschuetz (* 1690 in Krakow, † September 18, 1764 in Altona ) was a Talmudist and Kabbalist who was best known for his many years of discussion with Rabbi Jacob Emden.

Life and work

Eybeschuetz was a child prodigy and studied in Poland, Moravia and Prague. After the death of his father, who had officiated as rabbi in Eibenschütz, he continued his studies in Vienna and Prossnitz further Samson Wertheimer. He married the daughter of the president of court of Boleslawiec, leaving after a few years of traveling in Prague down. Here he was in contact with leading Christian circles and discussed with them on religious subjects. With the help of Cardinal Hasse farmer, he received permission to print the Talmud, in which all jobs have been cut in contradiction to Christian principles. This aroused the ire of David Oppenheim and the rabbi of Frankfurt am Main, which could revoke the license to print. In Prague Eybeschuetz enjoyed high reputation and was a 1725 to the Prague rabbis who excommunicated the followers of Shabbtai Zvi. After the death of David Oppenheim 1736, he was appointed dayan ( judge) of Prague. 1741, he was rabbi in Metz in 1750 and moved to Altona, where he became rabbi of the three communities of Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek. In Metz and Altona he had many disciples and was considered a great preacher.

In Altona, however, relaxing to Eybeschuetz a fierce controversy that accompanied him to his death, said Rabbi Jacob Emden was his most important opponent. Mostly it was a matter of suspected leanings of Eybeschuetz to the Sabbatianism, the doctrine of Shabbtai Zvi. In Jewish communities of the Netherlands to Poland, the conflict became the talk of the day. While most German rabbis were against Eybeschuetz, he found support in Polish and Moravian rabbis. After an unsuccessful attempt at mediation by the Prague Rabbi Ezekiel Landau, both sides appealed to the authorities in Hamburg and Friedrich V. king of Denmark - as the ruler of Altona - with a request for a judicial settlement. The Danish king arose Eybeschuetz ' page and prescribed elections, in which Eybeschuetz was confirmed in his office. The literary polemics, however, was continued, with even Christian scholars pitched Eybeschuetz ' page. After his re-election Eybeschuetz refused to appear before a rabbinical commission with representatives from Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Metz. 1753 the matter was brought before the Council of the four countries, which precipitated a decision in his favor. 1760 broke the hassle out again, when Eybschütz younger son Wolf spent as Sabbatian Prophet and other Sabbatian followers were identified among the students of Eybeschuetz ' yeshiva, so that the yeshiva was closed. During the visit of Moses Mendelssohn in Hamburg in 1761 Eybeschuetz treated him with great respect and published a letter to him. Eybeschuetz died in Altona and is at the local Jewish cemetery buried.

Eybeschuetz was not only considered one of the greatest preachers of his time, but also as one of the greatest Talmudic scholars. In the area of ​​Halacha thirty of his works have been published. They contain comments on various treatises of the Talmud and works of Maimonides '. He was also regarded as important Kabbalist, but only one of his books about the Kabbalah, Shem Olam ("Name of the world " or "Eternal Name") was printed in 1891.

As of 1751, some amulets Eybeschuetz in Metz and Altona were opened, the so-called Amulet dispute developed. Jacob Emden deciphered the amulets and found Sabbatian formulas. Eybeschuetz denied, however, that the amulets have any logical meaning and said that they are composed exclusively of " holy name ." With regard to the relationship of Eybschütz to Sabbatianism There are three different opinions: 1) he had never been Shabbateans, and related suspicions were unfounded; 2) he had been in his youth and had Shabbateans 1725 aborted his relationship with the group after the Aussprechung of the ban; 3) he was since his studies in Prossnitz and Prague until the end of his life a hidden trailer of Sabbatianism ( " crypto Shabbateans " ) have been. The latter opinion is held among others by Heinrich Graetz and Gershom Scholem.