Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ. Bernstein Aaron

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СКАЧАТЬ that such marriage was legal, but suggested that the King might take another wife conjointly with the first. Later, he reviewed his opinion by pointing to the object of levirate marriage, and contending that as no children had been the result of the union, the King must have married his brother's widow without the intention of continuing his brother's line, and consequently the marriage was illegitimate and invalid. We have here the picture of a man whose mind as a Jew was trained in rabbinic quibbles, and as a Romanist had learned to hold the doctrine of intention.

      Raimuch (Remoch) Astruc, physician of Fraga, in the fourteenth century. As an orthodox Jew he visited Benveniste ibn Laki, of Saragossa, and other prominent Jews; but in 1391 he embraced Christianity, taking the name of Francisco Dias Corni, and endeavoured to convert his former Jewish friends, among them, En Shealticel Bonfos (Gräetz viii. 85).

      Ratisbonne Alphonsi Marie, born at Strassburg in 1812, and died at Jerusalem, 1884. After taking his degree in law he visited Rome, when probably he met his brother, who won him for the Church. After passing through the novitiate of the Society of Jesus, he joined the Order of Notre Dame de Sion. He then went to Jerusalem, founded the Order of the Sisters of Sion there, had a school for Jewish children, and officiated there as a priest until his death. He was the author of "Elevations sur les Litanies de la Sainte Vierge."

      Ratisbonne, Marie Thédor, brother of the former, born at Strassburg, 1802; died at Paris, 1884, was also a lawyer before his conversion. He became successively, Professor in the Petit Seminaire, Assistant Rector of the Cathedral of Strassburg, and Superior-General of the Order of Notre Dame de Sion, founded by him in thanksgiving for the conversion of his brother. Among other works, he published, "Essai sur l'Education Morale" (Strassburg, 1828). "Histoire de Saint Bernard," 2 vols. (ib. 1841). "Le Manuel de la Mère Chrétienne" (ib. 186). "Questions Juives" (1868). "Miettes Evangeliques" (ib. 1872). "Reponse aux Questions d'un Israélite de Notre Temps" (ib. 1878).

      Ricius Augustinus, Jewish convert to Christianity and astronomer of the fifteenth century. He was a disciple of R. Abraham Zacuto, and wrote a work on the motion of the eighth sphere, a Latin translation of which appeared in Paris, 1521. He quotes Ibn Ezra, Abraham ben Hiyya, and other Jewish authors, and mentions the epoch 1477.

      Riccio Paulo, or Paulus Riccius, was born in Germany, and flourished in the first half of the sixteenth century. After his conversion to Christianity he became Professor of Philosophy in the University of Pavia, subsequently he was physician to Maximilian I. He was a friend of Erasmus, and held a controversy with Eck on astronomical subjects. He sought the spiritual welfare of his Jewish brethren, and imparted to Christians much information about Jewish literature. His best known book is his "De Posta Lucis R. Josephi Gecatilia" (Augsburg, 1616), which is a free translation of a part of the Kabbalistic work of "Sha'a re Orah," by Joseph Gikatila. Jerome Riccio (Hieronymes Riccius), Paulo's son, sent a copy of the work to Reuchlin, who utilized it in the composition of his "De Arte Cabbalistica." Riccio relates that he was ordered by the Emperor Maximilian to prepare a Latin translation of the Talmud. All that has come down of it are the translations of the tractates of "Berakhoth, Sanhedrin, and Makkoth" (Augsburg, 1519), which are the earliest Latin renderings of the "Mishnah" known to bibliographers. The most important of his works is "De Cælisti Agricultura," a large religio-philosophical work in four parts, dedicated to the Emperor Charles and to his brother Ferdinand (Augsburg, 1541, 2nd ed. Basel, 1597). His "Opuscula Varia," which contains a treatise on the 613 commandments, a religio-philosophical and controversial work, aiming to demonstrate to the Jews the truths of Christianity, and an introduction to the Kabbalah, followed by a compilation of its rules and dogmas, went through four editions (Pavia 1510, Augsburg 1515, 1541, and Basel 1597). Riccio wrote about ten other works, all in Latin, on various religious, philosophical and Kabbalistic subjects, which appeared in Augsburg in 1546, and were reprinted in Basel in 1599.

      Rittangel, Johann Stephanus, controversial writer, born at Forsheim, near Bamberg; died at Königsberg in 1652. He first became a Roman Catholic, but when he found out the serious errors of the Roman Catholic Church he became a Protestant. He was professor of Oriental languages at Königsberg, and issued a number of translations of Hebrew works: one of the "Sefer Yezirah" (1642); one of the "Passover Haggadah" (1644); he published also his "Libra Vertatis" (Fraenker, 1698); and one of the earliest translations of Jewish prayers, under the title, "Hochfeyerliche Solentäten, Gebete und Collecten Anstalt der Opfer, nebst andern Ceremonien so von der Jüdischen Kirchen am Ersten Neuen-Jahrstag Gebet und Abendgebet werden müssen" (Königsberg, 1653). His posthumous work, "Biblia Veritatis" was written to substantiate the claim that the Targums prove the doctrine of the Trinity. This is also the subject of his "Veritatis Religionis Christianæ."

      Rosenthal, David Augustus, German physician and author, born at Neisse, Silesia, 1812; died at Breslau, 1575. In 1851 he embraced Roman Catholicism and set about to improve the tone of the Catholic press and the condition of the Catholics of Silesia. In 1862 he edited the poetical works of the Roman Catholic mystic, Angelus Silesius, better known as Johan Scheffler. Between 1869 and 1872, he published his "Convertetenbilder aus dem neinzehnten Jahrhundert" (4 vols., Schaffhausen), or biographical sketches of Jews and Protestants who had embraced the Roman Catholic faith during the nineteenth century. This was arranged according to countries. A supplement of the entire work is found in the last volume. The "Convertetenbilder," which went through several editions, is a very important contribution to the history of the Church in the nineteenth century, and supplements de le Roi's work, "Geschichte der Evangelischen Juden Mission," which treats only of the Jews who have joined the Protestant Church.

      Santangel (Sancto Angelos) Luis (Azorias) De, a convert and learned jurist of Calatayad, Spain, died before 1459. He was converted by the sermons of Vincent Ferrer (probably in 1412, when that missionary was most active) and was made magistrate of the capital of Aragon. One of his grandsons took part in the discovery of America by lending 17,000 ducats towards the expenses without interest.

      Sixtus Sinensis, born at Sienna in 1520; died in 1569. After embracing Christianity he joined the Franciscan Order. By the order of Paul IV., Sixtus and another convert travelled about the Papal States preaching in the synagogues. He was more favourable to the Zohar than to the Talmud. Besides homilies and mathematical writings, Sixtus was the author of the "Bibliotheca Sancta" (Venice, 1566), a Latin work in eight books, treating of the divisions and authority of the Bible. It contains an alphabetical index and an alphabetical list of the rabbinical interpreters of the Bible.

      Ugolino Blaisio, an Italian Jewish convert, born about 1700. He is known for his "Thesaurus Antiquitatum" (34 vols., Venice, 1744-69). In this work he reprinted most of the seventeenth century treatises on Jewish antiquities by Bochart, Bonfrère, Buxtrof, Carpzov, Cellarius, Clavering, Deyling, Goodwin, Hottinger, Huet, Lowth, Opitz, Pfeiffer, Prideaux, Reland, Rhenferd, Saubertius, Selden, Sigonius, Spencer, Trigland, Van Til, Wagenseil, and Witsius, besides some from fresh contributors, and translating much himself from the "Midrashim." He also himself translated the treatises Menahoth, and Zebahim (vol. xxi.) Pesahim, Shekalim, Yoma, Succa, Rosh-Hashanah, Tamid, Megilah, Hagigah, Bezah, Moed Katon, Ma'aseroth, Maaser Sheni, Hallah, Orlah, and Bikkurim (vols, xvii. – xix.), besides a part of Maimonides' "Yad-Hazakah," and of Abraham Portaleone's "Shilte ha Gibborim."

      Veil, Ludwig Karl de, a native of Metz, whose father and grandfather were rabbis, the latter an author of Hebrew books, embraced the Roman Catholic faith at the age of 17, when he was a teacher of Hebrew in 1655. It is said that Louis XIII., King of France, compelled him to be baptized in Compiègne. At all events, the King and the Queen were his sponsors. He is also called Compiègne, after the town. He became afterwards ordinary Royal professor of Oriental languages in the Sorbonne, Paris. Wagenseil, who made his acquaintance in Paris, praises him for his modesty as well as for his learning and talents. Ludwig de Veil translated the first eight tracts of the "Yad-Hazakah" of Maimonides into Latin, adding notes thereto (Paris, 1662-78); also "Sefer Hakorbanoth," with Abrabanel's introduction to Leviticus (London, 1683). A separate edition of this introduction appeared under the title "Hakdamat Abravenl El Sefer Wayikra" (Amsterdam, 1701).

      Veit, Johann Emanuel was born СКАЧАТЬ