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The following is from page 128 of Hermann Schwab's book The History of
Orthodox Jewry in Germany. This translation of the original German book
appeared in 1950. Hermann Schwab was an uncle of Rav Shimon
Schwab.<br><br>
<font size=3>The process of spiritual healing which Hirsch set going
amongst German Jewry might be described as a renewal of the 'Naase
venishma' position at Sinai -'all that the Lord hath spoken we will do' -
first the deed and then profound study. In the course of several
generations this spiritual life would rise up anew. <br><br>
And that, indeed, is what actually happened. At about the period we have
now reached in our narrative, a movement began to make itself felt within
German Orthodoxy which sprang up from the very devotion to Judaism the
" homecomers " had so ardently longed to see there: the urge of
the young men to learn at the Yeshivas of the East. First singly, but
later in ever increasing numbers, they left the temperate atmosphere of
their homes to settle down in completely new surroundings. Rarely has the
process of transplantation been accomplished so rapidly and with such
success. The young men from Frankfort and Berlin, from Hamburg and
Leipzig easily settled down in their new environment. They studied the
Talmud. The Houses of Learning at Slobodka and Telsh, at Mir and
Baranovich became dear to them. States could rise and vanish outside in
the world-they heard only the voice of the Torah and they spent year upon
year content to do so. The picture of home became blurred.
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>In
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>comparing and weighing up the
past and present, the scale holding their childhood's inheritance became
lighter. Some began to doubt its value, others declared that it was not
genuine and tried to forget it; a few grew hostile to it. Who can judge
which path leads nearer to a life suffused with Torah in all its
aspects-religious, social, human. Hirsch's teachings and example had
illumined the childhood of these new Talmud scholars. In questioning or
rejecting Hirsch's interpretation of "Yafe Talmud Torah im derekh
eretz," they forgot that for the best </font>part of a century this
interpretation had served as a guide to thousands and had saved three
generations for Judaism. [53]<br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>[53] About twenty years ago, the
author paid a visit to an important personality in Lodz and was surprised
to hear that the little son of his host was called
"Samson Raphael ". "No wonder you
are surprised," said Mr.
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>A. </font>G. Fridenson.
who wore a "Kaftan" and Khassidic silk cap. "During the
child's brisrrrilo <font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>I
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>was asked whether there were
no great men in Poland from whom to choose a name, to which
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>I
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>replied that
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>I
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>could only regret that there
had been no Samson Raphael Hirsch in Poland fifty years previously and
that </font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>I
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>wished to honour his memory
in my son". <br>
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