Einführung in die jüdische Literatur und Kultur

1. Einführung in die jüdischeLiteratur und Kultur TreffenIX 24.06.11

2. Black Death (1347-1350) “In the matter of this plague the Jews throughout the world were reviled and accused in all lands of having caused it through the poison which they are said to have put in the water and the wells…that is what they were accused of and for this reason the Jews were burnt all the way from the Mediterranean into Germany, but none in Avignon for the pope protected them there…

3. Black Death (1347-1350) “On Saturday-that was St. Valentine´s Day-they burnt the Jews on a wooden platform in their cemetary. There were about two thousand people of them…And everything that was owed the Jews was cancelled and the Jews had to surrender all pledges and notes that they had taken for debts. The council, however, took the cash that the Jews possessed and divided it among the working men proportionally. The money was indeed the thing that killed the Jews. If they had been poor and if the feudal lords had not been in debt to them, they would not have been burnt.” (aus der Chronik von Jacob von Königshofen, 1346-1420)

4. Judah der Fromme (c. 1140-1217) “Was heißtFrömmigkeit? TäglichsichübenimEnthalten von dem, wozuLeidenschaft und böserTrieb den Menschen leiten, wieVerleumden, leeresGeschwätz, Lügen, Angaffen der Frauen, Neuigkeitenumhertragen, Umherschlendern. Man schwörenicht, damit man den NamenGottesnichtunnützausspreche; man zeigesich in allenDingenwiderstandskräftig, in deneneineLeidenschaft den Menschen niederzukämpfensucht. Allein in demKampfgegensiewird der Mensch leichterliegen, wennernicht von Kindheit auf gewöhntwird; darumerziehe man seine Kinder von klein auf, um sie stark zumachengegen die Versuchungen, die das Lebenmitsichbringt; wozu das Kind in der Jugendangehaltenworden, davonwirdesim Alter nichtlassen. Ja, eswirdihmgeradezuschwerwerden, den Wegzuverlassen, auf den ihn die Erziehung in der Kindheitgewiesen hat. EswürdedemManne, der der Tora, die man ihngelehrt, der Pflichtübung, zu der man ihnangehalten, plötzlich den Rückenkehrensollte, geradezu den Todbedeuten; würdendoch die Menschen sagen, alles, was erbishergetan, seinurTrug und Heucheleigewesen.” (ausSefer Hasidim, das Buch der Fromme, um 1300)

5. Eleazar ben Judah of Worms (c. 1165-c. 1230) “The root of love is to love the Lord. The soul is full of love, bound with the bonds of love in great joy. This joy chases away from his heart all bodily pleasure and worldly delight. The powerful joy of love seizes his heart so that at all times he thinks: How can I do the will of God? The pleasures of his children and the company of his wife are as nothing in comparison with the love of God. Imagine a young man who has not been with a woman for a very long time. He longs for her, his heart burns for her. Imagine his great love and desire when he cohabits with her and how when his sperm shoots like an arrow he has so much pleasure. All this is as nothing compared with his desire to do the will of God, to bring merit to others, to sanctify himsef, to sacrifice his life in his love just as Phinehas sacrificed himself to slay Zimri (Numbers 25,1-9), and like Abraham who said: ‘I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread nor a shoelatchet’ (Gen. 14,22-3), like Elisha who refused to take anything from Naaman (2 Kings 5,16). The love of Heaven in his heart is like the flame attached to the coal. He does not gaze at women, he does not engage in frivolous talk, but he concerns himself only to toil to do the will of God and he sings songs in order to become filled with joy in the love of God.” (aus: SodeiRazaya, “Secrets of Secrets”)

6. Barcelona Disputation (1263) “not that the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ—which because of its certitude cannot be placed in dispute—be put in the center of attention with the Jews as uncertain, but that the truth of that faith be made manifest by destroying the Jews´ errors and in order to shake the confidence of these many Jews.”