Moses Mendelssohn Jewish History Lecture by Dr. Henry Abramson

This is a video of a lecture on Moses Mendelssohn, a hugely influential thinker in 18th-century Germany. An unusually gifted intellect, he became the primary spokesperson for the emancipation of Jews in the 18th century, and his cause was championed by many non-Jewish liberals of the era. Heralded as the founder of the Reform movement even though Mendelssohn himself maintained an observant lifestyle, his activity spawned a wholesale abandonment of traditional Judaism. Within a century of his death, his strategy of acculturation to the modern era was widely accepted by most Jewish thinkers in western Europe, but not a single one of Mendelssohn's descendants remained Jewish.

[@SiAnSh]

Kant did not dislike Mendelssohn. He marvelled Mendelssohns Philosophy, writing him many letters proving that. Just saying. Awesome talk, you have a new sub. :)

[@bingeltube]

Recommendable, but Mendelsohn probably deserved more coverage and more depth

[@markjacobi3537]

Dr Henry - quick question please: Isn't there a Chassidic tradition dating back to The Saintly Baal Shem Tov TZL where he warns future generations about the dangers of assimilation posed by Mendelsohn? Keep your lecturers coming with kind regards from Melbourne Australia

[@yudimandel]

I'm amazed at how much information you can cram into 50 miutes.

[@markjacobi3537]

YasherKoach Dr Henry! I enjoyed listening from Down Under in Melbourne Australia! From memory I think I remember hearing that there is a Tradition that The Holy Baal SHem Tov or his Students to be especially wary of some of the motivations of Mendelssohn. Please also compare this to the similar negative attitude of the Chasam Sofer TZL ZYA to Mendelssohn and his followers. Moreover when he wrote his translation "The Biur" didn't he mistranslate on purpose some words?

[@abbyedery7077]

Moses Mendelssohn really made such an impact on society. Everyone can look at his life and learn something because of all of his tribulations he had in his life and the legacy he left behind as a person, as a Jew.

[@akejukenedith9974]

Thanks alot for sharing your greats ideas. Please i would like to listen to your comprehensive lecture on the connection between Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and the Jews and can one link the inspiration of Lessing to Reformation ideas of Luther against the Jews?

[@simcha1780]

Despite its tragic consequences, emancipation of the Jews appeared to be a necessary move on the part of the Jewish leadership because with the way the world is modernizing, it doesn't seem very possible for the Jews to survive in such an isolated environment. While it is detrimental to Torah values to immerse oneself so much in secular society, a lack of representation, could strongly negatively affect the Jews as well (because they would have no say at all in their future). The difficulty one faces is finding the balance between living in the modern secular world, and maintaining Jewish traditions. While Mendelssohn himself was able to strike a balance, his movement appeared to have snowballed beyond control leading to his followers leaving the path of traditional Judaism.

[@michaelhebert7338]

thank you

[@jpsouzamatos]

Which language learning methods did Mendelssohn used?

[@ccjcolombia]

I listened carefully to your presentation on Mendelssohn. ¿Why did you not mentioned ZIONISM as one of his legacies? Greetings from Colombia

[@boliussa]

According to the late rabbi dr marvin antelman, moses mendellesohn was a sabbatean , as a sabbatean he believed in righteous through sin and hence was secular / non orthodox for that reason. His smicha, which he saw in NY public library, has sabbatean references. Rabbi antelman has written some books, one called Bchor Satan, on jonathan eibeschutz, which i've heard may have moses mendellsohn's smicha published in hebrew. And 2 other books To eliminate the opiate vol 1 and vol 2. One of those I think has moses mendellsohn's smicha in english or parts of it. And one of the people mentione don the smicha is jonathan eibeschutz(who rabbi antelman insists was a sabbatean, and that jacob emden was right about eibeschutz.. I suppose the smicha evidence would prove it if you can find it).

[@boliussa]

***** is it a tough one to find moses mendellesohn's smicha?

[@akejukenedith9974]

Thanks alot for sharing your greats ideas. Please i would like to listen to your comprehensive lecture on the connection between Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and the Jews and can one link the inspiration of Lessing to Reformation ideas of Luther against the Jews?