Q: The Life and Works of Rabbi Jacob Emden - 

Rabbi Dr.  Jacob J. Schacter - Intro:

A:

• Doctorate at Harvard

• Initially focused on Cultural Transference

• Hired to translate Megilat Sefer of Rabbi Emden

• Mesmerized by Rabbi Jacob Emden

• Completed thesis and have written extensively

• Hebrew translation of Megilat Sefer to be published

Q: Rabbi Jacob Emden – Early Influences?

A: 

• Father was most influential, bar none

• Even though not always there for him

• Father’s fight against Sabbatean heresy decisive

Q: Why did Rabbi Jacob Emden write an autobiography?

A:

• Autobiography is a critical source

• Determining what’s accurate & what’s not

• Unusual for Torah luminaries to compose autobiographies

• Emden’s was an autobiography of defense

• A polemic to argue his case against Sabbatean movements

• For Emden it was a fight for the future of the Jewish People

• The writing justifies his actions

Q: What books did Jacob Emden write?

A:

• Rabbi Emden had no formal Yeshiva training

• Was an autodidact

• Scope of published scholarly work is outstanding

• Jaw dropping number of works

• Bible, Mishna, Talmud, Siddur, Responsa and more

Q: What was the impact of Shabtai Tzvi on World Jewry?

A:

• Nathan of Gaza announces Shabtai Tzvi as messiah

• Spread to almost all of world Jewry

• Antecedents: Chelmicki Massacres, Lurianic Kabbalah

• Jews worldwide sold assets to go to Land of Israel

• Sultan arrests Shabtai Tzvi

• Shabtai Tzvi converts to Islam

• Depression & disbelief across world Jewry

• Small remnant justifies conversion – Sabbatean Movement

Q: Origins of the Emden/Eybeshutz Controversy?

A:

• Rabbi Yonatan Eyebeschutz: Prague to Metz

• Chosen as Chief Rabbi of "Three Communities": Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek

• Wrote amulets for the sick & needy

• Pneumonic interpretation spells out Shabtai Tzvi

• Book appeared to contain Sabbatean ideas

• Already in 1725 faced trouble

• Rabbi Emden announces “this writer” is a Sabbatean

Q: How significant was Emden’s printing press?

A:​

• Very significant

• Permission given by Danish King

• It fanned the flames

• Exacerbated the whole situation

• Controversy spread, everyone involved

Q: Emden/Eybeshutz Controversy – Why did Reconciliation Fail?

A:

• Ezekiel Landau was a young Rabbi at the time

• Not yet Chief Rabbi of Prague

• Rabbi Emden would only accept absolute capitulation

• Swearing on Torah would not be enough

• Jacob Emden went after Ezekiel Landau

Q: Jacob Emden – Why does Psychological Historical Analysis Fail?

A:

• How do you really know psychological issues?

• Approach is suspect, hard to determine

• Mortimer J Cohen  Emden biography

• Cohen book attacked by Gershom Scholem & Salo Baron

Q: Emden/Eybeshutz Controversy –Viewed in Hindsight?

A:

• Rabbi Yonatan Eybshutz dies in 1766

• Buried in Rabbinical Section – Altona

• Rabbi Jacob Emden passed on in 1776

• The two Rabbis buried in same row per Rabbi Ezekiel Landau 

• Both considered as Torah giants by traditional Jews