Monumental- .$ ttikh of Me- Decafogue
Israeli Pediatrkian
Dr. Solomon Goldman's Posthumous at Einstein College
SAM FIDLER, 1660 Baylis,
died Nov. 30. He leaves his
wife, Betty; three sons, Louis,
Jack and Carl; two daughters,
Mrs. Samuel Smith and Mrs.
Joseph Sinder; two brothers,
one sister, and nine grandchil-
dren.
Work on 'The Ten Commandments'
Several books have appeared
on the subjects of the Deca-
logue and Moses. Most of them
were inspired by the Cecil De
Mille film "The
Ten Command-
ments." But the
greatest of
them all, the
only natural
one, is the post-
humous work
of one of the
greatest schol-
ars of our time,
D r. Solomon
Goldman' s Dr. Goldman
"T he Ten Commandments,"
which has just been published
by the University of . Chicago
Press (5730 Ellis Ave., Chica-
go 3'7). I
Dr: Goldman's boOk is part of
a vast library on the Bible. The
present work was to have1/4 been
part of the third of 13 Volumes
of commentaries. It was -selected
as "the most appropriate one,"
from the notes he left-behind, -by
his literary executors: The edi-
tor of this volume, the eminent
author and novelist, Maurice
Samuel, explains in • a foreword
that while "it- constitutes • the
closing section of his third vol-
ume, the last he lived to
pare, it is, nevertheless, a self-
contained book; for he seems to
have conceived this section as
a dramatic unit, the central
episode in the vast panOrama
of sacred hiStory, toward which
converge and from which di-
verge the purpose and meaning
of the whole."
Samuel's foreword has spe-
•cial meaning, in the explana-
tory notes on the value of Dr.
Goldman's last work. A quote
from Samuel's essay: "The
Ten Commandments are not
`merely' the core of a moral
code, designed for all man-
kind. They are not "merely'
;in enunciation of principles
conveyed to the human intel-
ligence in a phraseology the
compactness and compulsion
of which Goldman analyzes
with great skill. They are also
the crucial initial episode in
the making of -a people out
of a rabble of slaves; that is to
say, they are to the phenome-
non of civilized peoplehood
what Genesis is to the phe-
nomenon of the world order."
Aspects of Higher Criticism,
touched upon by Dr. Goldman,
will surely draw the interest of
scholars of all faiths to this im-
portant work. Again we quote
froth_ Samuel's foreword:
"Goldman applied his own
evolutionary theory to the
growth of these schools of critic-
ism. 'Someone has well said that
Hegel begat Vatke, Vatke. begat
Wellhausen, and Wellhausen be-
gat Delitzsch. It may now be
added that Delitzsch begat Die
Grosse Tauschung, Die Grosse
Tauschung begat Fort mit dein
Alten Testament and all of
them had no little share in the
composition of Mein Kampf.'
This is the deeply sincere utter-
ance of a man who was steeped
in biblical scholarship and, at
the same time, alert to all the
intellectual and political cur-
rents of his day."
The student of the Bible
recognizes immediately, in
Goldman's evaluations, the
truth of Samuel's' evaluation
—that: "The moving quality
of his utterances on the Ten
Commandments can be better
appreciated when one under-
stands that he was concerned
not only with documents but
with living forces and with
the human passions which are
part of them."
Dr. Goldman's book, which is
enriched by an impressive bibli-
ography, deals with the text
and general commentary --"The
Giving of the Law," "The Ten
Commandments" and a chapter
"Let Not God Speak. to Us,"
tracing the-account of What hail
pened on Sinai; and a second
portion, "Textual CoMinentary "
treated again under similar
chapter headings as in the first.
There is an intriguing account
of a divergence in God's refer-
ences to Himself in the Com-
mandments. Only • in the first
two does He speak in the first
person; in the others he refers
to Himself in the third person.
Dr. Goldman mentions the belief
of many scholars that "at Sinai
the Israelites heard from the
Deity only the first two com-
mandments. It is true that these
scholars support their views
homiletically and • say nothing
respecting the difference in per-
son. But it is obvious that it was
something more cogent than the
desire to make homilies that im-
pelled them to put themselves
at variance with their scholars."
"All the same," Dr. Goldman
wrote, "ibn Ezra followed the
pentateuchal text and stated
without any reservation that,
just as God wrote all the Ten
Commandments; so He also
spoke them in the hearing of all
the people."
Dr. Goldman was a student
of and an authority on Maimoni-
des. On the subject of the com-
mandments and of Moses, He
pointed out: •
"Maimonides appears to be
saying the following: first, with
respect to Revelation, Moses. and
the Israelites were not in the
same class. He experienced what
they did not, and he heard what
they did not. In a word, God
spoke to him alone and not to
the people. This having been
the case, namely, the command-
ments having been addressed to
Moses alone, they were phrased
in the first person. Second, the
people heard only a mighty
sound and not distinct words.
Third, in this sound or voice the
people perceived only the first
two commandments, as some of
the Sages taught. Fourth, the
first two comma.ndments teach
the existence of God and. His
unity, principles arrived at by
means of reason. Now in things
that can be reasoned out, the
grophet has no advantage over
any other person, as Moses had
none in this instance over the
Israelites. The rest of the com-
mandments, being of an ethical
and authoritative character, do
not contain truths perceived by
the intellect. Here the prophet
Moses was decidedly at an ad-
vantage. The truths were re-
vealed to him, and he in turn
explained them to the. people."
The revolutionary character of
the Decalogue, the value of the
Sabbath, the repeated admoni:
tion of "ye shall not covet," and
the other great merits of laws
handed down to mankind, are
analyzed with an =paralleled
keenness in this great book.
Moses' leadership, his genius as
the Jewish lawgiver, "the char-
acteristic structure of the He-
brew sentence," and many more
elements enter into Dr. Gold-
man's able discussions.
-
Hebrew scholars will be in-
trigued, in this connection, by
this statement: : "Hebrew
clauses, even where they • are
not strictly parallel, are in-
terdependent without being
dependent on each other.
When they are joined 'togeth-
er, their thoughts interpene-
trate and coalesce. But they
do so by means of a pendulum
rhythm as structure, so that
they can be separated, each
retaining its thought unim-
paired."
In the .main, Dr. Goldinan's
"The Ten _Commandments" is
a textbook for scholars. It. is.
steeped in research. It reveals
the vast knowledge of the great
author and scholar who, in his
lifetime, inspired multitudes.
But laymen,too, will find great
value in it
"The Ten Commandments"
truly is one of the monuments
to the creative life of a great
rabbis whOse memory is blessed
by hii si ruficant.literary Works.
Obituaries
Dr. SHIMOI' ELAZAR
BERMAN, one of Israel's fore-
most pediatricians, has been
named visiting professor of
pediatrics at Albert Einstein
College of Medicine of Yesh-
iva University, New York. Dr.
Berman, director of pediatrics
of the Hebrew University-
Hadassah Medical School in
Jerusalem, was educated at
the University of Illinois. He
went to Israel in 1929.
ADL 'Date Book' Banned
by Miami County Board
The Board of Education of
Dade County, Miami, Fla., voted
4-1 to ban a school memo and
date book published and made
available by the . Anti-Defama-
ticin League of Bnai Brith to
teachers throughout the coun-
try.
The date book is designed to
help schools and teachers who
desire to include human rela-
tions subject matter in their
curricula. It contains listings of
the important holidays of the
major faiths, national legal hial-
idayS— arid other historic dates
and quotations from the prov-
erbs of many - nations, great
philoSophers and great historical
figures. •
More than -150,000 date books
have been distributed annually
during the past four years to
school. systems throughout the .
country.
In Memoriam.
In cherished memory of our
beloved sister, Henrietta Niman,
who passed away on Dec. 9,
1955.
Sadly missed by her sisters
and brother.
* * *
In devoted memory of my
dear wife, Henrietta Niman,
who passed away on Dec. 9,
1955.
Sadly missed and always re-
membered by her husband,
Harry Niman.
, CARD OF THANKS
The family of the late
Sally Ann Tucker
Acknowledges with grate-
ful appreciation the many
kind expressions of sym-
pathy extended by relatives
and friends during the fam-
ily's recent bereavement.
CARD OF THANKS
IDA RUBIN, 3375 Colling-
Wood, died Dec. 1. She leaves
her husband, Max; one son, Mil-
ton M.; one daughter, Mrs. Ed-
ward Burg; one sister, and three
grandchildren.
* ' * a
RAPHAEL BLUME R, 9649
Petosky, died Dec. 2. He leaves
his wife, Sarah; two sons, Na-
than and Dr. Abraham, and four
grindchildren.
* * *
IDA KARDEN, 18932 Pen-
nington, died Dec. 2. She leaves
her husband, Julius; two sons,
George and Ralph; one daugh-
ter, Mrs. Bernard Wenst; two
brothers, two sisters, and six
grandchildren.
* * *
IRVING WASSERMAN, 2990
Doris, died Dec. 3. He leaves
hiswife,. Sadie; two sons, Dr.
Harold and Donald; two broth-
ers, five sisters, and two grand-
children.
* * *
BERNICE STELLA
SPRINGER, 20521 Lesure, died
Nov: 29. She leaves her hus-
band, George; a daughter, Tra-
eye Allyson; her father, Ben-
jamin Cohen; and her mother,
Mrs. Charles Chasmer.
*
* *
LOUIS TENDLER, 18660 Sus-
sex, died Nov. 28. Survived by
his wife, Mollie; two daughters,
Roseanna and Judith; one broth-
er and two sisters.
*
* *
a
DAVID G. MORRIS, 18647
Monica, died Nov. 27. He leaves
his wife, Celia; two daughters,
Lea and Rae; and two
• brothers.
* *
ARMIN HARTMAN, 18661
Snowden, died Nov. 28. He'
leaves his wife, Frances; a
daughter, Mary Catherine,
.three brOthers and a sister.
* *
*
ABRAHAM LISKE R, 1&672
Griggs, died Dec. 4. He leaves
his wife, Anna; son, Leo;, and
two daughters, Mrs. William
Bjorkman and Mrs. D. Cotkin,
both of New York.
*
*
MORRIS ALPERIN, 11501
Petoskey, died Dec. 2. Survived
by three daughters, Mrs. Aaron
Sandweiss, Mrs. Harold Kaplan
and Mrs. Albert Simon; eight
grandchildren and a great
grandchild.
• * *
JOSEPH ROSENBERG, 17655
Manderson,, died Dec. 2.. Sur-
vived by his wife, Caroline; a
son, - Milton J. Ross; two daugh-
ters, Mrs: Jack Starkstein and
Mrs. Irving Raskin; two broth-
ers, three sisters and two grand-
children.
* * *
MARTIN BERGE R, 1164'
Louis, Windsor,' died Nov. 6.
He leaves his wife, Helen; a
son, Paul; a daughter, Mrs. Hy
Eisenberg, of Detroit, a sister,. a:
brother and six grandchildren.
Monument
'Unveilings
(Unveiling . announcements may
be inserted by mailing or by calling
The Jewish News office, VE 8-9364.
Written announcements /mist - be
accompanied by the name and
address of the person making the .
insertion. There is a standard
charge of $2.00 for an unveiling
notice, me a s u r i n g an inch in
depth;)
HARRY GILDENHORN, 16816
LaSalle Blvd., died Nov. 29.
Survived by his wife, Olga; one
The:
of the late Anna:
daughter, Mrs. Samuel J. Rhodes, Epstein family
annoyances the unveiling.
and one brother.
of a _monument in her memory .
* * *
at 1 .p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at
HARRY BRATT, 3766 Elm- Machpelah Cemetery. Rabbi
hurst, died Nov. 30. Survived Flan will officiate. Relatives
by his wife, Ida; two sons, Sam- and friends are asked to attend.
uel and Wallace; one daughter,
* *
• •
Bella Dinah.
The family of the late Ida
* • . •
Schatten announces the unveil-
SIMMA BELINSKY, 19636 ing of a monument in her mem-
Stoepel, died Dec. 1. Survived ory at 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 9,
by two sons, Meyer and Abra- at Clover Hill Park Cemetery.'
ham; two daughters, Mrs. Cecil Rabbi. Syme will officiate. Rel-
Rosen and Mrs. Ben Magid; atives' and friends_ are. asked AO._
eight grandchildren, and nine attend.
• *. *
great-grandchildren.
.
The family of the late Isialore
* * *
CLARA DORA TRAVIS, 9979 Klein announces the unveiling
Yellowstone, died Dec. 2. Sur- of a monument in his memory
vived by a son, Jack; two at 11:30 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 9, at -
daughters, Mrs. Joseph Abram- Chesed shel Emes Cemetery.
son and Mrs. Label Greenberg; Rabbi Prero will officiate. Rel-
a brother, eight grandchildren atives and friends are asked to
and three great grandchildren. attend.
.
*
* *
When your Daemon is in
LOUIS ARDEN, 3310 Clem-
ents, died Nov. 27. He leaves charge, do not try to think
his wife, Florence; a son, Ber- consciously. Drift, wait, and
nard; two -brothers and a sis- obey.—Kipling.
ter.
JOSEPH KOHN, 4317 Sturte-
vant, died Nov. 29. He leaves
his wife, Mayme; two sells,
Gerald and Gilbert; and a
brother.
«
*
•
AUGUSTA DAMSKEY, 11022
Flamingo, Livonia, died Nov.
27. She leaves five brothers,
Sanford, Ben, Harry, Phillip
and E. I. Finkeistine; and three
sisters, Mrs. Rose Perlis, Mrs.
Priscilla Reid and Mrs. Jennie
Polansky.
. -
Manual Urbach & Son
7729 TWELFTH ST.
TY. 6-7192
.
The family of the late
Roslyn Malkes
Her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
William Malkes, her sisters,
Betty Malkes, Mrs. Samuel
Raick and Mrs. Julius Chase;
and her brothers, Louis,
Jack and Samuel Malkes,
acknowledge with grateful
appreciation the many kind
expressions of sympathy ex-
tended by relatives and
Mends during the family's
recent bereavement.
If death ,occurs away from home just. phone
Us and we will. make all arrangements
for transfer to Detroit.
The Ira Kaufman Chapel
Director of Funerals
9419 Dexter
TYler 4-8020