IFEbETROVEWISII HRONICL -

THE ONLY JEWISH NEWSPAPER PRINTED IN MICHIGAN

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1924

VOL.. XVI. NO. 18

Rosh Hashonah G reetings

Jehuda Halevi As Religious Thinker

ly

By Dr. Julius Guttindun

Section Two

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Rosh Hashonah Greetings

5685-1924

MINN EMEIMMEME MONNEIrm

5 685

1924

power to create it real connection be.'
If I speak of Jehuda Hillevi as a th world, a knowledge of God, of his
tweet man and God. What is the
religious thinker, it is of one whose relation to the world, of the human
essence of this real connection be.
motive was mot only religion but one soul, freedom of the will, and all
tween 'min and God? On this point,
who was irradiated by religious feel- these things. And it must be as pos-
too, Jchuda Ilalevi is in contradictive'
ing from the depth of his religious sible to arrive at the same results by to the general philosophic view of
soul. Jehuda Hillevi is a religious way of philosophy as by way of Re-
his time. I will only mention one
For Any Occasion
, philosopher, not only in that he deals ligion.
Jehuda Hillevi differs from the idea from which his whole viewpoint
with religion 555 a certain problem of
may be seen. In medieval philosophy
',billet', but he deals with religion be- other philosophers. He is not it seep- we find a certain conception of prop- I,
59 HANCOCK AVENUE WEST
cause he is in the depth of his soul a tie, but he is critical of metaphysics. heey. 'They say that prophecy in the
2730 Elmwood, Cor. Charlevoix
religious personality, because, religion Ile tries to show that a real meta-
physical system is not possible. Ile religious sense is not an isolated fact, I
Melrose 3954
Melrose 0369
goes to the deepest roots of his being. criticises very sharply the metaphysi-
but is a special phenomenonof a I
a certain extent all our medieval cal philosophy of his time, and found
more general fact. All higher knowl-
philosophy is a religious philosophy out with a very keen eye the weak
edge is an expression of prophecy.'
in that sense. All our great medieval points of this philosophy. Ile reaches 'the thinker receives a truth from
Phones:
this result, that only Divine Revela-
thinkers are not only thinkers about tion can give us the real and full higher spirit. All philosophic knowl-
religion, but in some ways try to give truth about God and about these edge is based on the connection be- I
GLENDALE 3158 - - GLENDALE 2406
an apologia for religion. But Jehuda problems of religion. The difference tween the lower and the higher
worlds, and so we can call it Revela-
Ilalevi over and above this general between him and the other philoso- tion. But in this relation the main
phers is more a difference as to the
position has a special place in mill- value of metaphysics than on the activity is in the human mind. If the
et al Jewish philosophy. Ile not only science of Religion. Both agree in human mind develops its potentiality
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helieves in religion, as do all our their view of Religion. Religion is it is able to come into contact with
WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY
the higher world, and then the effects
great ;philosophers, but expresses re- revealed truth. In this respect Je- that result from this contact come.
TO WISH OUR MANY FRIENDS
ligious feeling with an immediate huda Ilalevi says nothing different into existence. And so prophecy is
W
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he
newer as do no other of our great from other philosophers. When
AND PATRONS A HAPPY AND
only another, if higher, form of this
thinkers. Ile is the great poet and tries to show the truth of Revelation general revelation. Every prophet is!,
PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR
the great philosopher, but he is both he goes the same way as his prede- a philosopher, but not every philoso-
from the same root of his soul. There cessors. He asks, in what way can pher is a prophet. Jehuda Halevi'
from
is a great difference between him and we prove that Revelation is true? says religious Revelation has nothing
he same stamp—Solo- Revelation is a fact of history, and
other men oft
to do with this general so.called rev-
mon Gebirol, for example. In the as such can only be proved on his- elation. Its revelation is not an act'
latter's philosophical work, the Mikor torical lines. Dave we any clear his- of the intellect, but is only possible.
('hayim ("The Source of Life"), he toric proof of the fact of Revela- through the will of God. Only Cod
never suggests that a net IS speak- tion? That question he tries to an- can create this connection between
Cad.
7660
514 Randolph St.
ing on a philosophic subject. Tho swer. Ile goes the same way about Rini and the human soul. Not then
VICTOR Y. LIM, Manager.
it as did Saadiah and many others
ytikor Chayim is a work of the most before him. It is not my task to go intellect is the organ of this connec-
abstrac t dialects, and is couched in
lion,
but
there
is
a
special
organ,
a,
Open 11 A. M. to 2 A. M.
the most scholastic style; there is no into the details of this proof. Their Divine part of the human soul, and'
clue to this scholastic thinker being interest is not a religious one, but only this part of the human soul is
at the same time a poet of the deepest lies in other directions. The prob- the organ of the connection between ,
Sunday Dinner Table 'd Hote 12 to 9 P. M.
religious feeling. Jehuda Ilalevi is lem is not exclusively a Jewish one, man and God. And Jehuda lialeviI
the same in his philosophical work as as all the other religions claim to be makes a third point which is very in-
Noon Lunch, 50c, 11 A. M. to 2 P. M.
based
on
a
revelation
and
found
ther
in his poetry. The same religious
teresting. Ile says that not all man-
Evening Dinner Table d' Hote 5 P. M. to 8 P. M., 90c.
feeling pervades both his philosophy claim to truth on history. Accord- kind has this organ. Only the peo-
ing
to
Jehuda
Ilalevi
the
Jewish
re-
and his poetry. In some ways that
ligion is in the best position to estab- ple of Israel has this faculty, and it ;
Our Best Wishes for
I may prove a source of danger and lish its claims to historic truth. It is must be developed. Religion is not a,
impair the impartiality and objectiv-
matter of activity of mind; it is not
A Happy and Prosperous New Year
ity with which the philosopher deals based on the fact of the Revelation the same as intellect. Intellect be-
Special arrangements can be made to accommodate
with his subject. But on the other on Mount Sinai. This was unlike the longs to the active part of the soul..
hand, from a purely scientific point revelation, for instance, of Mohnmet Religion is given to the mind. It I
either large or small Parties.
of view, originality of religious feel- before a few pupils, but took place means nut only to receive knowledge,
Spend a quiet hour after the theater or Chop Suey orders delivered
ing may also be a great advantage. before a whole people, before the but to live the whole life under the
No man can properly deal with music whole nation of Israel, and it is im- influence of God, in the light of God.
to any part of the city. Telephone your order.
without having musical feeling. In possible that there could be any forg- These ideas are very modern. The
the same way no man can really be a ery, or that such a tradition could difference between religion and in-
be
invented.
Had
anyone
made
such
Phone Glendale 1953
3921 Woodward Ave.
philosopher of religion without hav-
tellect and ethics—that is the main
LOUIS E. FISKE, Secy,Treas,
HARRY J. MARKS, Pres.
ing religious experience. And it is a an invention, he would never have problem of modern religious philoso-
great pity that today there are so been listened to. Thus the truth of phy. Jehuda lialevi's importance lies
many religious philosophers who are, Religion is based not on philosophic in his opposition to the Aristotelean
so to speak, unmusical about religion. reasons, but on historical reasons, on view. The Arintoteleans sought to
Jehuda Ilalevi indeed made this re- history, not philosophy. In that way derive prophecy from the general life
West 2903
2503-2507 Twenty-fourth St.
ligious experience fertile for his Jehuda Halevi tries to show how of the human intellect. To Jehuda v.
I scientific work. His scientific import- philosophy is independent of Re- Ilalevi the religious life belongs to a
ance in the history of Jewish philoso- ligion. lie is not the first to adopt different sphere from the intellectual
phy lies really in this point—that he this method, but he is the one who life and the ethical life. It is a form
appreciated the meaning of religion attaches most importance to the idea. of life by itself. And on this point
We must pass from the problem of
more clearly and better than anyone
the modern analysis of religion is in
before hini. It k well known that in the truth of religion to another. thorough agreement with Jehuda Ha-
this respect Jehuda ifalevi differs. What is religious life? Here we levi. Religious belief is a thing
from most of our religious philoso- I touch upon the deep originality of which man cannot give himself. In-
phers in that he makes religion inde- Jehuda Halevi. here again he is in tellectual belief can be found out by
pendent of philosophy. What does opposition to the majority of the logic. Religious belief cannot be ac-
that mean? We have first to ask Arab and Jewish philosophers of his quired by logical processes. It is an
ourselves what is the basis of the time. As I have said, our Jewish immediate form of truth. Real re-
truths of religion. And what is the philosophers are rationalists, and not ligion means an internal connection
relation of the truths of religion to only in that they believe it is possible of the soul with God. In this COM
the truths of science. This is a great to find out the truth of religious be- ception of the emotional side of re-
problem still in our day for the phil- lief by rationalistic methods; they ligion Jehuda Ilalevi anticipated mod-
osophy of religion. And, indeed, are rationalists in another sense. ern thought. The religious laws are
there has been a continual develop- They believe that philosophic specu- to develop this faculty of the soul.
ment from the Middle Ages to our lation is the way to reach God. The Israel can only develop this special
religious life in its real meaning gift under the influence of the Divine
own time in dealing with it.
'The way in which the Middle Ages means communion with Gout. That is Law and to its full power only in a
conceived this problem is quite dif- the highest aim of nein. Jehuda Ila- special climate. That explains why
ferent from what it is envisaged to- levi says that even if it were possible there were no prophets in the dias-
day. When we speak about religion to have a real philosophic knowledge pora. Jehuda Ilalevi was a Jew not
we do not think of a special religion, of Cod there would still be a great only in his religious feelings, but in
but of Religion in its broad funda- difference between religion and phil- his love fur the nation of Israel, and
mentals, in its relation to the scien- osophy. For the philosopher all ob- in his explanation of the religion he I
tific view of the world. Religion is jects of his knowledge are of equal tried to give a place tin the people of I
conceived as representing a certain importance. For the purposes of Israel. Only the Jewish people on
GUARANTEED PURE AND FRESH, DELICIOUS
be-
view of the world, and this religious knowledge there is no difference
object of the soil of the Holy Land have the
view is compared to the scientific tween God and any other
power of developing this higher fac-
enquiry. The truth in itself—that is
Demand Them of Your Grocer,
view of the world. That was not the the aim of knowledge. If you have ulty. This is also a modern problem.
method of the Middle Ages. We
If you take only the general ideas of
place religion on the one side and no knowledge of God, it means from Judaism it becomes only a certain
science on the other. To the Middle the philosophical point of view that form of rationalistic universal re-
Ages the problem was the relation you are merely lacking in one im- ligion, and the special elements of
between Revelation and Reason. Rev- portant point of knowledge. In the Jewish life disappear. A place must
elation is one way of finding the same way you might know nothing be found for the Jewish people. Je-
truth; Reason is the other way. All about the sun or the earth. God is huda Ilalevi thus had a religious
•
Metro.. 6491
6475 Grstiot Ave.
the medieval thinkers say that Rev- only an object of knowledge from a theory of race. Disraeli, in his "Tan-
elation and Reason cannot be in any scientific point of view. For the re- cred," adumbrated the same idea.
ligious
man
to
know
nothing
of
Cod,
contradiction because both have their
This particularist view is not defin-
source in God. Revelation comes however, does not mean only a lack itive. It must be remembered that it
from God and human reason comes of knowledge in a logical sense. is put forward in the Kuzari, where
from God, so there must be a har- Without connection with God his arguments are set out for the conver.
mony between both. This general whole life would lose its value. What sion of a people to Judaism. The
view is common to Aryan, Jewish, Jehuda Ilalevi says is very fine and faculty is general, but in the case of
very important. On this point he has other peoples it is lower in degree.
Christian and Moslem thinkers.
this general view can have very dif- a very clear-cut definition of t et•s- In the Messianic age all the other,
sense
of science and knowledge. peoples will attain to the same de-
I
ferent meanings. One interpretation
declares that in case of contradiction Science is absolutely objective; it has gree. Jehuda llalevi feels the great-
no
personal
connection with its ob- ness of Israel to whom he assigns spe-
Reason must be adapted to Revela-
tion. From the same principle very ject. It knows no difference of value cial powers; but in the Messianic
between
its
objects. For Religion, Kingdom of God the whole of man-
different consequences can be de-
. rived. On the other hand, it might God is not merely an object of knowl- kind will reach the same degree of
edge.
If
we
treat Religion merely religious life which is now only given
be asserted that no contradiction is
possible between true Reason and as a science we introduce into science to Israel, and so the Messianic idea
the Divine Revelation, What has to elements which are foreign to its es- is the point at which Jehuda Ilalevi
be secured is true knowledge of ulti- sence. What does Religion mean blends his particularist and his uni-
mate metaphysical problems. Is such when it talks about knowing God and versalist conceptions.
knowledge possible? The majority living with God? For life with God
of our Jewish philosophers are ra- is Religion.
MAY THE COMING YEAR BE FILLED
On this point Jehuda Ilalevi pres-
tionalists. They say that the reason
f
- - -
of man is capable of acquiring a ents his thoughts in a manner that ---
WITH
HEALTH. CONTENTMENT AND
A happy
knowledge of all the phenomena of may seem strange, but on examina-
tion we find that they are very mod- and Prosperous New Year
PROSPERITY
FOR YOU ALL.
ern and important thoughts. To live
with God is the longing of all man-
ii.
0mvivim.vocwov
1
wo..000.0,8
kind. All the new religions are based
on this desire. In all these religions
A Happy and Prosperous
we sense the desire, but not the real-
ity, the longing, but not the fulfil-
New Year to You All.
ment. Only one religion has not only
•
Fi
the desire, but also the reality, not
From
only the longing, but the fulfilment.
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It is the Divine religion, that religion
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power of man alone to come into con-
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nection with God. Only God can
Correctly Fitted.
GI
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this religion which is not a human
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invention, not a human creation, but
is a Divine institution, only this re-
ligion has the power to give a man
connection with God. Thu Divine
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religion is the Jewish religion, and
mvogoomtworpogsvogsvog only this Jewish religion has the

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