MANASSEH BEN-ISRAEL
Manasseh as a Jewish _Rabbi_ and as a _Hebrew_ writer――His
activity as a publisher and corrector of _Hebrew_ books――The
Bible editions, the Psalms and the _Mishnah_――Manasseh’s
connection with _Safed_ in Palestine――_Enseña a Pecadores_
――The influence of _Rabbi_ Isaiah _ben_ Abraham Horwitz
――Solomon _de_ Oliveyra――Manasseh’s _De Termino Vitae_――The
Influence of _Don_ Isaac Abrabanel――The Lost Ten Tribes and
the_Marranos_.
THE literature concerning Manasseh, which is chiefly in English, but
partly also in Dutch, German, _Hebrew_ and Spanish, is very rich in
detail and affords an accurate and thorough insight into Manasseh’s
intellectual relationship to contemporary Christian scholars and
statesmen, and extensive information as to his writings in defence
of Judaism, his missions, _etc._ The Jewish Historical Society of
England has played a prominent part in the researches on the subject
by arranging lectures and publishing excellent papers, and the ground
has been covered on the whole very thoroughly. There is, however,
one point which has not yet been sufficiently elucidated, _viz._,
Manasseh’s attitude as a Jewish _Rabbi_ and as a _Hebrew_ writer.
His literary communications with Christian divines, his apologetic
writings in Spanish and Latin, and his Spanish translations present
after all only one view of his individuality and activity, the view
seen by the outside world. If, however, we wish to describe Manasseh
in his private, inner life, and to understand his particular views and
methods, we have to leave the apologist and the polyglot translator
and to discover the author when he writes for his nation in the
national language. Here, and only here, we discover the Jewish scholar
in his originality.
In this connection we meet Manasseh as publisher or corrector
(proof reader) of his three partial and complete Bible editions:
(1) _Chamisha Chumshé Thora_, Amsterdam, 1631; (2) _Sefer T’hillim_
(Psalterium Hebraicum ex recens. Manasseh, _etc._), Amsterdam, 1634;
(3) _Esrim V’arba_ (Biblia Hebraica), Amsterdam, 1639.
These books were edited by Manasseh with great care and fine judgment.
Heer J. M. Hillesum, the scholarly librarian of the Bibliotheca
Rosenthaliana (Universiteits――Bibliotheek, Amsterdam), supposes that
the first _Hebrew_ book printed in Amsterdam¹ was the “Daily Prayers”
according to the Spanish rite dated January, 1627, and edited by
Manasseh.² Whatever view may be taken of this assumption, it is,
at all events, certain that Manasseh was one of the pioneers of
Amsterdam _Hebrew_ printing, which will for ever have a distinguished
place in the annals of _Hebrew_ publications. He not only displayed
artistic taste worthy of the friend of Rembrandt in creating the first
specimens of beautiful _Hebrew_ books, but by the precision of his
corrections he proved himself an excellent _Hebrew_ grammarian. It
must be borne in mind that _Hebrew_ grammarians among the _Rabbis_
of his time were seldom met with, and found only among scholars of a
somewhat progressive type.
¹ Het eerste te Amsterdam gedrukte Hebreeuwsche Boek.
Verbeterde overdruk uit maanblad “_Achawah_” van 1 Februari
_en_ 1 Maart 1910 (No. 185 _en_ 186) by Heer J. M. Hillesum.
² סדר תפלות כמנהג קהל קדש ספרד ... נדפס עתה במצות הגבירים אפרים בואינו ואברהם צרפתי
באמשטילרדאם בבית מנשה בן ישראל שנת וישכן ישראל בטח
(_16mo._ 1 _l._ + 360 _pp._ (paginated, 2‒361) + 1 _l._
[Bodleian.])
The only other copy known is in the library of Elkan N.
Adler.
He showed his competence also in the _Mishnah_, three volumes,
Amsterdam, 5404, corrected with great care by Manasseh Ben-Israel,
Teacher of the Law and Preacher, and published by Eliahu Aboab.¹
In this edition we see mere corrector’s work. As we gather from the
preface, manuscripts of the _Mishnah_ were brought from “the town
which is full of Scholars and writers, _Safed_ in the Land of _Israel_,
may God rebuild it soon!”
¹ יעקב ספיר איש ירושלים is inscribed on the preliminary leaves of the
British Museum copy. He was known as _Eben Sappir_, _Rabbi_,
Author and Traveller. Born in Russia 1822 and died in
_Jerusalem_ 1886.
In the course of our inquiry we shall show that Manasseh was in close
touch with the Holy Land; here attention is called only to the fact
that in this editorial work Manasseh was actuated by a desire to
compare the various manuscripts. These _Mishnaioth_ are a wonderful
pocket edition, containing the text without any commentary, and
evidently destined for repetition. _Talmud_ students will find here
a good many instructive variants.
Another book edited by Manasseh, though it is merely a translation,
throws some light on the tendencies of the time and on Manasseh’s
Jewish connections. This is the _Libro Yntitulado Enseña a
Pecadores_.¹ (Appendix ix). This little book contains, in addition
to a translation of a prayer composed by _Rabbi_ Isaac (1534‒1572)
_ben_ Solomon [Ashkenazi] Luria, a translation of a section of
_Rabbi_ Isaiah (1555‒1630) _ben_ Abraham Horwitz’s _Sepher Shné Luchot
Ha’brith_ ... Amsterdam ... 5409. The author’s name has come down
to posterity by the initials of his great work “S. L. H.”² with
the attribute _Hakadosh_.³ He was _Rabbi_ in Frankfort-on-the-Main,
Prague, Posen, and Cracow, and then went to the Holy Land, where
he was called מרא דארץ ישראל⁴ His _Shné Luchot Ha’brith_ is a work of
admirable erudition in the _Agadah_ (Legend, Saga) of the _Talmud_,
as well as in homiletics and _Cabbalah_. _Rabbi_ Isaiah Horwitz was a
religiously inspired Zionist. His enthusiasm in expounding the glory
of the Holy Land (_Shné Luchot Ha’brith_, _p._ 275, sermon to _Lech
L’cha_, and _p._ 389, sermon to _Va’etchanan_) was almost unique in
the literature of that time. He combined moreover a rare religious
ecstasy and _Cabbalistic_ visions with progressive ideas on education,
in which he recommended a systematic method, contrary to the customs
of that time――a tendency also found in Manasseh. _Rabbi_ Isaiah lived
to an advanced age, and his activities came to an end in the Holy
Land. His manuscript was brought to Amsterdam and published there,
with additions by his son David, who was also a distinguished scholar.
This book seems to have impressed Manasseh so much that he published
a translation of a part of it, containing prayers and contemplations
for repentant sinners, evidently for _Marranos_, for whom a great
many prayer-books and religious tracts were published at that time in
Spanish and Portuguese.
¹ Instruction for Sinners.
² Pronounced “_Shloh_.”
³ The Saint.
⁴ Lord of the Land of _Israel_.
This book, while proving the fact of Manasseh’s connection with a
great Palestinian authority, shows also that he was in touch with
the _Hebrew_ poet and grammarian, _Haham Ribi_ Solomon¹ _de_ David
_de_ Israel _d_’Oliveyra, the author of _Sharshot Gabluth_――_Ayeleth
Ahabim_, which were both published in Amsterdam in the year 5425
[1665], and many other books and treatises on _Hebrew_ poetry. He
is considered to be one of the precursors of the revival of modern
_Hebrew_ literature in Holland, and wrote poems and compositions of
a didactic character. In the course of our inquiry we shall discover
that Manasseh himself had a great predilection for _Hebrew_ poetry.
Embodied in the _Enseña a Pecadores_ is a “Confession of Penitence”
composed by _Haham d_’Oliveyra in _Hebrew_ וידוי כפרה and Portuguese
[_♦Viduy Penetencial_], which includes a prayer for the rebuilding of
the “Holy City,” using the Biblical phrase:――תבנה חומות ירושלים _Fabricarás
murallas de Yerusalaim_.
¹ _Ob._ 23 May, 1708, at Amsterdam.
♦ “Vidvy” replaced with “Viduy”
Another work of Manasseh in Latin, _De Termino Vitae_, Amsterdam,
1639 (Appendix x), was written with the object of answering a question
which was addressed by his friend the Christian scholar Jan _van_
Beverwijck [Johannes Beverovicius] (1594‒1647) to various divines
and scholars, and is, consequently, apologetic in character. But
two passages throw some light on Manasseh’s views as to the Land of
_Israel_ and Messianism. In one of them he emphasizes the fact that
the Jews frequently collect alms for those who live in the Holy Land;¹
and in the other he says that “if anyone desires to know all the
controversies of the Jews concerning the explanation of _Daniel’s_
(_fl._ 3389 _a.m._) Prophecies, he may read Abrabanel’s Treatise,
which the learned Johannes Buxtorf II. (1599‒1664) has translated into
Latin.”² In this way he identifies himself with the ideas expounded
by Abrabanel in his _Mayy’neh Hayeshuah_, which showed that Abrabanel
was not only Messianistic in the usual sense, but was firmly convinced
that the end of the Captivity might be expected in the near future.
¹ “_Hinc etiam in Synagogis Hebraeorum ... vel eorum qui
terram sanctum incolunt...._” (De Termino Vitae, _p._ 103).
² _Ibid._, _p._ 184.
Manasseh was a _Hebrew_ grammarian concerned with the correctness of
ancient sacred texts, and an editor of keen discrimination. In his
scholarly work he kept in close touch with the scholars of _Safed_;
he was moreover influenced by the religious Zionistic enthusiasm
of _Rabbi_ Isaiah Horwitz. In his Messianic hopes he was a disciple
of Abrabanel, and he highly appreciated the modern though religious
_Hebrew_ poetry of his time, which poetry he introduced in his
devotional book as a _Viduy_, concluding with an apotheosis of _Zion_
and _Jerusalem_.
Regarded from the point of view of these ideas, Manasseh of the
“_Conciliador_” appears to us in his proper light. Broad-minded,
highly accomplished, interested in all the discoveries of his time――an
important period for discoveries――he sincerely believed in Montezinos’
report concerning his distant brethren, while, on the other hand, his
great devotion to Palestine and his belief in Abrabanel’s predictions
made the question of the Lost Ten Tribes for him not one of curiosity
but one of vital importance for the national salvation. _Judah
and Israel_ are to return――where, then, is _Israel_? Is the Return
thinkable so long as _Israel_ is lost? All the legends concerning the
_Sambatyon_ and the various reports of Eldad _ben_ Mahli Ha’dani (_fl._
9th century) concerning the tribe of Dan and the “Sons of Moses” who
live somewhere as an independent, strong nation, were essentially the
reflex of a powerful national aspiration. The descendants of _Judah_,
_Benjamin_ and half of the tribe of _Manasseh_ felt themselves too
weak, too humiliated and too few in number to achieve the great
work of Restoration, but believing as they did in the impossibility
of the disappearance of the ancient nation, they were sure that
the descendants of _Israel_, uniting with and absorbed by other
nations though they might be at present, would one day be awakened
to consciousness as to their origin and join _Judah_ in repopulating
the ♦Holy Land. This is the reason why they were so fascinated by the
reports respecting the Lost Ten Tribes. Is it to be wondered at that
_Marranos_ were particularly ready to believe in this miracle? Were
they not themselves like one of the Lost Ten Tribes in that, after
all the tortures of the Inquisition, and after having apparently been
ultimately denationalized, converted and absorbed, they had reasserted
themselves and were now awakening to a new Jewish revival? Considering
that these aspirations happened to coincide with the hope for the
Restoration and the rediscovery of the Lost Ten Tribes, in which
reformed Christianity, and especially the Puritans, believed, we
can fully realize the popularity which Manasseh’s ideas had gained
in these circles, and we can quite understand how they led to the
readmission of the Jews to England.
♦ “Loly” replaced with “Holy”