The Haskalah: Jewish Enlightenment and Its Impact
Haskalah: The Jewish Enlightenment
The Enlightenment and its Diffusion
During the era of absolutism, many individuals experienced shifts in their legal and social standing, leading them to explore new pursuits. Beginning in the 17th century, this gave rise to a new social class known as the ‘new bourgeoisie’. This class deviated from traditional societal norms in their economic activities and behaviors, enjoying greater freedom in their professions and embracing a meritocratic system where the most qualified thrived. Church prohibitions were increasingly disregarded, with emphasis placed on economic activities that generated income and profit.
The Enlightenment emphasized the liberation of individuals from a self-imposed state of immaturity, encouraging independent thought and challenging reliance on established authorities.
This movement spread throughout Europe between the late 17th and 18th centuries, aiming to dispel the remnants of ‘obscurantism’ from the Middle Ages.
The Renaissance, spurred by major discoveries like the New World, paved the way for the Enlightenment’s renewed critique of the past and fostered an optimistic view of human potential through reason.
Changes Brought About by the Enlightenment
Social Changes
- Abolition of the death penalty
- Increased acceptance of prostitution
- Greater social mobility
- Popularity of drinks and duels
- Preference for pleasurable living over asceticism
- Growing importance of fashion
Religious Changes
- Religion became natural, rational, universal, and free.
- Natural: Admiration for man, his perfection, and order.
- Rational: Truth and certainty accessible through reason.
- Universal and free: Acceptance without imposition.
Economic Changes
- Birth of liberalism (second half of the 18th century) as a response to mercantilism, with Adam Smith as its key figure.
- Promotion of general prosperity by allowing individuals to pursue their own advantage.
- Limited state intervention to prevent injustice, improve education, protect public health, and support essential businesses.
Political Changes
- Locke’s philosophy: Liberty and common agreement as the foundation of society, with recognition of natural rights and the right to resist unjust states.
- Voltaire’s perspective: Governance by natural laws, with reason and experience revealing the true nature of the universe and society.
Moses Mendelssohn and His Generation
The spread of Enlightenment ideas led to the formation of a spiritual elite, primarily composed of individuals who had prospered under the absolutist regime.
The belief in equality sparked interest in diverse cultures and religions. Hebrew language and literature, along with the New Testament, were taught in Central and Eastern European universities. This led to increased interest in Judaism and fostered cultural and personal connections between Christian and Jewish intellectuals, exemplified by the German Enlightenment figure Lessing and Moses Mendelssohn, a leader of the Jewish Enlightenment. They collaborated to promote a free, secular, and democratic society.
Moses Mendelssohn, born in Dessau, Germany in 1729, received Hebrew instruction from his father. At 14, he moved to Berlin, continuing his Jewish studies and pursuing other intellectual interests. His philosophical writings earned him the title “Jewish Socrates.” From 1770 onward, he dedicated himself to defending the Jewish cause.
Literary Salons
The maskilim, proponents of the Jewish Enlightenment, established ‘literary salons’. These gatherings of artists and philosophers provided a forum for exploring new works, discussing important issues, and experiencing new music. Jewish participation in these salons expanded, often organized and promoted by women from banking and merchant families.
Principles of the Haskalah
- Faith in reason and its potential to advance the sciences.
- Importance of science in addressing human dilemmas and improving social and economic conditions.
- Religious tolerance and respect for individual choice.
- Separation of church and state.
- Judaism as a philosophical religion, emphasizing aesthetics and humanism.
- Active engagement in society rather than passive messianic waiting.
- Rejection of traditional religious orthodoxy while acknowledging the Talmud’s authority, with a preference for the Tanakh.
- Focus on core subjects in education, with religious studies relegated to later years.
- Deism: Belief in a universal God shared by all religions.
- Enlightenment as the antithesis of obscurantism, marked by technological advancements.