THE JEWISH NEWS

Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951

Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

ALAN HITSKY
News Editor

Business Manager

HEIDI PRESS
Associate News Editor

DREW LIEBERWITZ

Advertising Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections

This Sabbath, the 23rd day of Teuet, 5740, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exodus 1:1-6:1. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23.

Candle lighting, Friday, Jan. II, 5:03 p.m.

VOL. LXXVI, No. 19

Page Four

Friday, January 11, 1980

==.?

RANSOMING THE CAPTIVES

In times of stress, when human values are being tested, when the evils that threaten life and conscience
are at stake, there is always a turning to the ethical standards of our rabbis, the sages who interpreted the
basic principles of mankind's aspirations to the highest goals for humanity.
At a time when barbarians have resorted to the torturing of humans by holding them captive in defiance
of every principle of common decency that links individuals and nations to respect for human beings, there is
need to re-examine the principles which motivate the Jewish legacies regarding the ransoming of captives.
Through the ages, when Jews were the targets of oppressors, of persecutors, there has arisen the need to
raise funds to redeem fellow Jews who were held captives, for whom ransom was demanded.
Rabbi Philip Birnbaum, in his scholarly "Book of Jewish Concepts," which was issued some years ago by
the Hebrew Publishing Co. and remains to this day among the most important interpretive works on Jewish
laws and traditions, gave an important definition of "Ransom of Captives." This is the complete text of his
definition:-

The ransoming of captives is considered to be one of the most sacred
obligations of a Jewish community. In Jewish law, it is placed above the
important duty of feeding and clothing the poor. Special collections were made
for extraordinary communal expenses, such as the support of orphan children
and fitting out a poverty-stricken girl with clothing and a dowry (hakhnasath
kallah), but particularly for the ransom of captives. The Jewish people of
ancient and medieval times were frequently subjected to capture by enemies
who extorted ransoms from the communities.

In the 17th Century, the Jewish community of Venice organized a society
for redeeming the captives (hevrath pidyon shevuyim), for the liberation of
Jews incarcerated by pirates. Many other communities, following the example
of Venice, appointed special parrzasim (communal wardens) to collect funds
for the purpose of ransoming the captives. The community was obliged to pay
ransom for any of its members who sold himself into slavery or was taken
captive for debts he owed. It was not obliged to pay all that was demanded for
the ransom of a scholar.

According to a tannaitic statement, if a man and his father and his teacher
were incarcerated, he takes precedence over his teacher in procuring ransom,
while his teacher takes precedence over his father; that is, he must procure the
ransom of his teacher before that of his father; but his mother takes precedence
over all of them. A scholar takes precedence over a king, for if a scholar dies
there is none to replace him, while all are eligible for kingship (Horayoth 13a).

The Talmud relates that when Rabbi Joshua ben Hananya visited Rome,
he was told that a handsome-looking boy with curly locks was in prison. He
stationed himself at the doorway of the pri'son . . and said: "I will not budge
from here until I ransom him, whatever price may be demanded." He ransomed
him at a high figure, and it did not take long before the young man eventually
became a great teacher in Israel, namely: Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha (Gittin
58a).

In the tannaitic period it had been found necessary to enact a law against
paying too high a ransom for Jewish captives, lest kidnaping might become a
lucrative trade. The Mishna therefore states: "Captives should not be ran-
somed for more than their value, as a precaution for the general good" (Gittin
4:6). The price might not exceed the value of the captive if sold as a slave. The
talmudic sages % forbade the assistance in their attempts to escape, for fear that
the treatment of captives in general would be made more cruel.

When emperor Rudolph demanded a large sum from the Jews for Rabbi
Meir of Rothenburg, who had been siezed and committed to prison in 1284, and
the Jews were ready to pay any sum the emperor demanded, Rabbi Meir,
known as the Maharam, refused to be ransomed. He spent the last seven years
of his life in prison, revising his literary works. When he died, the emperor
refused to surrender Rabbi Meir's body for 14 years until a large sum was paid
for its redemption.

It will be noted that, taken into account here, are the problems relating to blackmail, kidnaping,
oppressive demands, vicious tactics.
Also to be noted here is the element of refusal to submit to threats of violence. There is the rejection of
blackmail as well as the element of compassion when people's lives are at stake, when captives must be
rescued.
Here is a code of principles that beckons for understanding, for acceptance, for application, especially in a
time like the present.
It is all-too-difficult to expect the high codes of decency to be applied in critical times, and there are times
when it is too much to expect for the ideal of civilization to be accepted and applied. This is proven by the
inhumanities in Iran. It is no wonder that the basic Jewish concepts, like the one on the ransoming of captives
presented here from the writings of Dr. Birnbaum, need constant repetition and re-emphasis.

Ceremonial Art, Religions
Themes in Kanof Volume

A veritable treasure is offered art lovers, all who are interested in
ceremonial objects and students of religious themes, in a single and
most impressive volume that adds immensely to the art products of
the Harry N. Abrams publishing house.
"Jewish Ceremonial Art and Religious Observance" by Abram
Kanof is a work that merits the highest commendations.
The hundreds of photographs, in multicolored reproductions as
well as black and white, are in themselves an accumulation that will
enchant the reader and will inspire art lovers and students. Every
conceivable ceremonial art object is in this collection. An entire his-
tory of ceremonialism is reproduced here.
Then there is the second portion of the title of the book —
Religious observances — which points to the text as a valuable
guide for those studying the religious themes accompanying the art
works, the manner of observance, the history and devotion to prayers.
What makes this such an impelling work? It emerges as a labor of
love. The author is a physician who has made the collection of cere-
monial objects the great hobby in his life. The result is evident in the
collected 270 photographs, in the 25 remarkably well selected full
color pictures, each of which could be framed into an art work.
This volume could not have been produced if Dr. Kanof were not
imbued with the Jewish spirit, with the traditions that stimulate his
activities. Therein lies the effectiveness of the text as a supplement to
the art, the definitive work on religious observances, the manner in
which these factors merge in an exceptionally noteworthy art book.
Dr. Kanof definitely attains a goal of making his ceremonial art
book a combination of interest linking home and synagogue with the
museum insofar as art is concerned, yet there is the influence of each
in its own way that makes this a great work for art lovers, those who
treasure ceremonial objects, the collective interest in perpetuating
the genius of religious artistry.
Dr. Kanof has gathered his material from individuals, museums
and synagogues throughout the world and his interest in the Jewish
Museum of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America is especially
noteworthy. It is there that he and his wife, Dr. Frances Pascher, to
whom the book is dedicated, had set up the Tobe Pascher Workshop. It
is understandable, therefore, why Dr. Louis Finkelstein, former
Jewish Theological Seminary chancellor, should have written the
preface to this book in which he pays honor to the authoritative
manner in which Dr. Kanof has gathered the material for a great art
book. Dr. Finkelstein wrote in his foreword:
"Judaism is a way of life that is dedicated to the transformation of
every action into a means of communion with God. It is thus that the
Jewish law not only extends to every conceivable facet of the relation-
ship of man to man, and man with his environment. It is in the
Sabbath, the festivals, and the occasions of special joy or sadness,
however, that the communion with God is most tangible. The
enhancement of the symbolism of these occasions by the artists and
craftsmen throughout the ages has produced a truly significant heri-
tage of Jewish ceremonial art and historical objects.
Dr. Abram Kanof brings to this book about Jewish ceremony and
ceremonial art a knowledgeability and devotion made even more
remarkable by the fact that he combines his avocation in this area
with the rigorous demands of a medical career. His interest and
capability in the field of Jewish art have been matched by his generos-
ity."
Hallmarks of the Jewish home, the ceremonial objects for the
holidays such as the Torah cover and the Menora, Havdala set, Seder
plate, the Hagada, spice box, the Mezuza, the wine cup, the scores of
objects and the ceremonials associated with them, are fully covered
and authoritatively defined, making the Kanof book a notable contri-
bution to the imperishable Jewish library shelf.