▪ 1 The Eighth Principle Jacobs Controversy in England Continues and more "synagogue-like" than the new one, to a private real estate man. He, in return, sold it to the Jacobs congregation without profit. And so the Jacobs folowers are now the possessors of a syngogal building which used to belong to the United Synagogue with whom they are in conflict. By S. J. GOLDSMITH JTA London Correspondent (Copyright, 1964, JTA, Inc.) LONDON—In the ordinary way, a new book by Dr. Louis Jacobs would have been a matter of in- terest only to students of theology, comparative religion and related subjects; the wider public, Jewish and non-Jewish, would probably never have known about the ap- pearance of such a book. This is not to detract from the importance of Dr. Jacobs as a scholar and mentor. However, Rabbi Jacobs' new book has come out just at the controversary over the Chief Rab- bi's refusal to sanction him as a minister of a London synogogue was getting its second wind. Much has been written already ' about the argument between Dr. Israel Brodie and Dr. Jacobs, both on the theological level and on the communal level. To bring the story up to date, Dr. Jacobs' followers, now an independent Orthodox con- gregation, recently acquired a ready-made syngogue building. It is a curious story. A large and wealthy London congrega- tion built for itself a new syna- gogue with a hall and school- rooms and all the usual modern amenities. They sold the old building, still in very good shape There followed an outcry at the United Synagogue Council meet- ing, but there was nothing they could do, and some Council mem- bers were told that their excessive zeal bordered on vulgarity. And so the controversy goes on. A ser- mon by Dr. Jacobs fans it. Then a sermon by one of the followers of Dr. Bodie — who remains silent after his single speech on the sub- ject—adds tinder to the flames. Against this background, the new book by Dr. Jacobs, "Prin- ciples of the Jewish Faith" (Val- lentine Mitchell), was almost a sensation. There appeared the usual garbled versions and silly reviews in the popular press. But there is also the serious argument. Dr. Jacobs examines the Jewish f a i t h by subjecting each of Maimonides' Thirteen Principles to a close scrutiny. He takes them one by one, renders the Hebrew text into English, or uses a ready- YOUNG ISRAEL OF NORTHWEST DETROIT 17376 WYOMING AVENUE . INVITES FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS for HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES IN ITS ATTRACTIVE, AIR-CONDITIONED SYNAGOGUE TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW EVENINGS, 7:00 TO 9:00 P.M. 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However, Rabbi Jacobs has never accepted the adage Jews must not inquire into what is hid- den from us, and so this argument has no validity for him. It will be remembered that Dr. Brodie's position is that the Torah is Revelation. Moses re- ceived it from God on Mount Sinai. The authority of the Torah is binding upon Jews as a Divine command. It is, therefore, totally irrelevant to look for reasons for the Thirteen Principles of our faith, which derive from the Torah. Dr. Jacobs, on the other hand, has said many times that a modern Jew would want to know what is meant by Torah from Heaven. Of course, he says, it is divenely inspired, but there is a human element hi Revela- tion. In the light of this conflict of ideas, it is the treatment of the Eighth Principle of Maimonides by Dr. Jacobs which is of great in- terest. To remind readers who might have forgotten, the Eighth Principle says (in the Ani Maamin, which is, if one may put it this way, the utility formula for daily use after the morning prayer): "I believe with perfect faith that the Law now in our possession is the same that was given to Moses our Teacher, Alav Hashalom." No wonder Dr. Jacobs says that none of the Thirteen Principles presents so many difficulties as the Eighth. Presumably it presents difficulties to him and to those people who think like him. Dr. Brodie and his followers—I mean those who are capable of following him intellectually as w ell as "synagogally"—seem to have no difficulty at all about it. Once you accept Revelation, the issue is settled. Roman Catholic gynecolog- ists have no difficulty at all in ac- cepting Immaculate Conception ... The very fact that Dr. Jacobs is having difficulty with Principle Eight seems to justify Dr. Bro- die's postion. For Dr. Brodie's point of view is that, if a man has such difficulties, he is ob- viously not an Orthodox rabbi in the traditional sense, though he may be a very good man — as Dr. Jacobs is—and even an Orthodox Jew according to his own lights. What are Dr. Jacob's dif- ficulties? He writes: "It is im- possible for most Jews properly acquainted with the facts to to accept Maimonides' Eighth Principle in the form given to it by the great medieval thinker. There is, of course, no a priori reason why God could not have revealed Himself to man, and the modern believer will refuse to challenge the believe that He did so. The problem becomes acute only when the question of the content of Revelation is considered. 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Such Jews believe that the Torah is a Divine Text con- taining sublime mysteries beyond human grasp. To such Jews, one must add, any attempt to doubt and to look for "contradictions" is very • sus- picious. I must leave it at that. THE HIGH HOLIDAY PRAYER BOOK THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, August '7, 1964 14 HILLEL DAY SCHOOL -I the Pentateuch was dictated by word and letter by God to Moses." This, says Dr. Jacobs, presup- poses the infallability of the Pen- tateuch, but modern scholarship and science make it impossible. Here is the question of the age of our earth, which does not tally with Genesis. In short, Dr. Jacobs, comes to the conclusion that there is a Divine as well as human element i nthe Pentateuch. This is but one example. He dwells on other difficulties, too. He even finds support for his position in some passages of the Talmud. Zo- har, etc. There is a Passuk for ev- erything, as we all know. Dr. Jacobs himselfs adds that For Information Call from 9-4p.m. - 548-8224 c