Isaac Abraham Euchel
Encyclopedia
Isaac Abraham Euchel was a Hebrew
author and founder of the "Haskalah
-movement".
He was born in Copenhagen
on October 17, 1756. After his bar mitzvah he was sent, as a young prodigy, to Berlin
, where he studied the Talmud
with his uncle, Rabbi Masos Rintel, from 1769-73. Then he went to Frankfurt-on-Main, where he worked as a private teacher ("Hofmeister") for a rich Jewish family. In 1776 he went to Hannover where he studied the "chochmot", the worldly sciences, with the then over ninety year old Raphael Levi Hannover
(1685-1779), who had been a student and assistant of Gottfried Leibniz
in his youth and had published general mathematical and Jewish religious writings. In 1778 Euchel changed to Königsberg
, where he studied Oriental languages, education and philosophy at the University of Königsberg
- the latter under Immanuel Kant
. Whether, as some say, he acquired a fine Hebrew style from Moses Mendelssohn
and Naphtali Wessely, or was self-taught - he became one of the foremost hebraists of his time. Kant thought of appointing him in May 1787 as professor of Oriental languages at the University, where he was dean of the faculty of philosophy, but after some weeks came to the conclusion that Euchel was unfit after all, as "it is hardly possible for a Jewish teacher of the Hebrew language to abstain from the rabbinic expositions to which he has been accustomed from his youth."
In early 1782 Euchel founded, with other young scholars, in Königsberg, the "Chevrat Dorshei Leshon Ever", the "Society of the Friends of Hebrew Literature", and became one of the editors of the periodical "Ha-Meassef" (1783), the organ of the Biurists
, where he published regularly. Of special importance, both to the Jews of his time and as source-material for present-day scholars, was his biography of Moses Mendelssohn, which appeared first in installements in 1788. He did not only do valuable factual research but used it to introduce Mendelssohn's philosophy and ideas (published mainly in German) to the Hebrew-reading public. For some time Euchel was bookkeeper in the establishment of Meyer Warburg in Berlin. In 1792 he founded, with other young scholars, like Joseph Mendelssohn
, E. Wolfssohn, and N. Oppenheimer, the "Gesellschaft der Freunde" in Berlin, a society of mainly young Jews who wanted to think outside the bounds of strict orthodoxy.
Euchel's' chief works are: "Gebete der Deutsch-Polnischen, Juden" (translated from the Hebrew, with notes, Ratisbon, 1786-88; Vienna, 1790-98); "Die Sprüche Salomos" (translated from Hebrew, with Hebrew commentary, Berlin, 1789-98; Offenbach, 1805-08); "Ist nach Jüdischen Gesetzen das Uebernachten der Todten Wirklich Verboten?" (Breslau, 1797-98); "Mose Maimuni's 'More Nebuchim,' mit einem Kommentar von Mose Narboni und einem Kommentar von S. Maimon" (Berlin, 1791; Sulzbach, 1829). The most brilliant example of Euchel's Hebrew style is found in his biography of Moses Mendelssohn, entitled "Toledot Rambeman: Lebensgeschichte Mos. Mendelssohns, mit Excerpten aus seinem 'Jerusalem'" (In bookform: Berlin, 1789; Vienna, 1804).
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
author and founder of the "Haskalah
Haskalah
Haskalah , the Jewish Enlightenment, was a movement among European Jews in the 18th–19th centuries that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history...
-movement".
He was born in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on October 17, 1756. After his bar mitzvah he was sent, as a young prodigy, to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where he studied the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
with his uncle, Rabbi Masos Rintel, from 1769-73. Then he went to Frankfurt-on-Main, where he worked as a private teacher ("Hofmeister") for a rich Jewish family. In 1776 he went to Hannover where he studied the "chochmot", the worldly sciences, with the then over ninety year old Raphael Levi Hannover
Raphael Levi Hannover
Raphael Levi Hannover was a German mathematician and astronomer. The son of Jacob Joseph, Hannover was born at Weikersheim, Franconia in 1685. He was educated at the Jewish school of Hanover and at the yeshivah of Frankfort-on-the-Main, and became bookkeeper in the house of Oppenheimer of Hanover...
(1685-1779), who had been a student and assistant of Gottfried Leibniz
Gottfried Leibniz
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was a German philosopher and mathematician. He wrote in different languages, primarily in Latin , French and German ....
in his youth and had published general mathematical and Jewish religious writings. In 1778 Euchel changed to Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
, where he studied Oriental languages, education and philosophy at the University of Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
- the latter under Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
. Whether, as some say, he acquired a fine Hebrew style from Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn was a German Jewish philosopher to whose ideas the renaissance of European Jews, Haskalah is indebted...
and Naphtali Wessely, or was self-taught - he became one of the foremost hebraists of his time. Kant thought of appointing him in May 1787 as professor of Oriental languages at the University, where he was dean of the faculty of philosophy, but after some weeks came to the conclusion that Euchel was unfit after all, as "it is hardly possible for a Jewish teacher of the Hebrew language to abstain from the rabbinic expositions to which he has been accustomed from his youth."
In early 1782 Euchel founded, with other young scholars, in Königsberg, the "Chevrat Dorshei Leshon Ever", the "Society of the Friends of Hebrew Literature", and became one of the editors of the periodical "Ha-Meassef" (1783), the organ of the Biurists
Biurists
The Biurists were a class of Jewish Biblical exegetes, of the school of Moses Mendelssohn. The Biurists laid the foundation of a critical historical study of the Bible among the modern Jews....
, where he published regularly. Of special importance, both to the Jews of his time and as source-material for present-day scholars, was his biography of Moses Mendelssohn, which appeared first in installements in 1788. He did not only do valuable factual research but used it to introduce Mendelssohn's philosophy and ideas (published mainly in German) to the Hebrew-reading public. For some time Euchel was bookkeeper in the establishment of Meyer Warburg in Berlin. In 1792 he founded, with other young scholars, like Joseph Mendelssohn
Joseph Mendelssohn
Joseph Mendelssohn was a German Jewish banker.He was the oldest son of the influential philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. In 1795, he founded his own banking house. In 1804, his younger brother Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the father of the composer Felix Mendelssohn, joined the company. The bank...
, E. Wolfssohn, and N. Oppenheimer, the "Gesellschaft der Freunde" in Berlin, a society of mainly young Jews who wanted to think outside the bounds of strict orthodoxy.
Euchel's' chief works are: "Gebete der Deutsch-Polnischen, Juden" (translated from the Hebrew, with notes, Ratisbon, 1786-88; Vienna, 1790-98); "Die Sprüche Salomos" (translated from Hebrew, with Hebrew commentary, Berlin, 1789-98; Offenbach, 1805-08); "Ist nach Jüdischen Gesetzen das Uebernachten der Todten Wirklich Verboten?" (Breslau, 1797-98); "Mose Maimuni's 'More Nebuchim,' mit einem Kommentar von Mose Narboni und einem Kommentar von S. Maimon" (Berlin, 1791; Sulzbach, 1829). The most brilliant example of Euchel's Hebrew style is found in his biography of Moses Mendelssohn, entitled "Toledot Rambeman: Lebensgeschichte Mos. Mendelssohns, mit Excerpten aus seinem 'Jerusalem'" (In bookform: Berlin, 1789; Vienna, 1804).