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Löw, Leopold : Ha-Mafteah: Praktische Einleitung in Die Heilige Schrift Und Geschichte Der Schriftauslegung: Ein Lehrbuch Für Die Reifere Jugend, Ein Handbuch Für Gebildete

Gross-Kanischa; J. Markbreiter, 1855

Clothbound. 8vo. IX, 355 pages. 21 cm. Only Edition. In German and Hebrew. Title roughly translates as: “Practical Introduction to the Scripture and History of the Interpretation of Scripture: a Textbook for Mature Youth, a Manual for the Educated. ” Leopold Low (1811-1875) was a Hungarian Rabbi, committed to Jewish emancipation (he was arrested and imprisoned for two months owing to his part in the 1848 revolution) , and influential in the letters of Hungarian reform: “Löw brought his thorough knowledge of history, theology, and esthetics to bear upon the reform of the ritual in agreement with modern views. He was the foremost preacher of Hungary, especially in the vernacular, and was invited to participate in nearly all the patriotic celebrations and synagogal dedications. His Hungarian sermons (1870) formed the first Jewish collection of the kind issued in that language. Löw combined the careful, logical arrangement of the Christian sermon with a clever analysis of complicated haggadic sentences. His studies, beginning with the history of the Halakah, subsequently included the entire Jewish archeology of post-Talmudic time. He endeavored to determine the development of Jewish life and law as it appears in the halakic literature, and to disprove, in the interest of Judaism, the view that Judaism remained stationary in its manners and customs down to the beginning of the Reformation in Germany. His most important archeological studies and responsa were written for the purpose of proving the development of various institutions and of showing the influence, in many cases, of foreign customs. Löw was a leading authority both from a scientific point of view and in questions of practical theology. The absolute (1850-66) as well as the constitutional government (1867) of Austria and especially that of Hungary were guided by the replies he gave to their questions in matters referring to the organization of the Jewish ritual and schools. Jewish education throughout Hungary owes much to him. Down to his death he was the leader of the progressive Hungarian Jews, especially after the general congress—which was convened against his advice and in which he did not take part—had resulted in a schism among the Jews of Hungary instead of the union that had been anticipated. Aside from his works on the Halakah, Löw left only one other larger work, "Ha-Maftea?" (1855) , a history (in German) of exegesis among the Jews: this is still authoritative. After the emancipation, when he gave up the editorship of "Ben Chananja, " he devoted himself to larger archeological monographs, of which the following were published: "Die Graphischen Requisiten" (1870-71) and "Die Lebensalter in der Jüdischen Literatur" (1875) . Fragments of a third volume, "Der Synagogale Ritus, " were published posthumously (1884) . His smaller works have appeared in five volumes (Szegedin, 1889-1900) , the last of which contains a complete bibliography of his works. “ (From the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia) Subjects: Bible. O. T. -- Criticism, interpretation, etc. -- History. Bible -- Hermeneutics. OCLC lists 23 copies worldwide. Backstrip torn, covers worn, edges bumped. Binding shaken. Pages lightly foxed throughout, edges bumped, but pages clean and crisp. Last 60 pages upper right corner folded over. Good condition. (GER-36-27)

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