Nahalat tsevi · 1931-09-01 · Heft 11-12 (September 1931) · p. Seite 368

366 The Meaning of S. R. Hirsch for America. In every generation there were great Jevvs who attempted to synthesjize their religion with ׳prevailing cultures. We, who have seen the supersedure of many physical and metaphysical theories, cannot see clearly their incompatability with our. religion. But Contemporary Jews feit their oonflict poignantly. Then, as now, secularism made inroads into Jewish hömes. And with the advent of every new scientific theory, with every ״scientific revolution“, Jewish Gedolim prepared to face the danger. No matter hbw entrenched the Torah was, there was always the impending danger of a!sudden inundation of ״advanced thought“ havocking the Jewish hbme. - S. R. Hirsch ז*ל may also be included among the synthesizers. But in his writings we detect a new tone. We hear no more the plaintive tone of the abject apologist. We do!not find the servile attitude resulting from frustrated attempts to harmonize the discordant. We hear no׳ more the painful tone of torturing doubt, the constant oscillation between belief and disbelief. We hear only the vigorous note of absolute conviction. Hirsch finds no need to justify his faith; h'e offers no excuses for it. To him it remains unquestioned. Contradictions do not exist for him1. He feels no friction and finds no need for conciliation. Science and Judaistn are to him: not two diametrically opposed, irreconciliable lines. They are rather two lines complementary and supplementary to each other. For to him Torah is as tangible a fact as nature. He recognizes two divine revelations : the physical, in -the universe, and the spiritual in the Torahl Both are undeniable and immutable. 1 This revolutionary eonception of the uniqueness of Torah is the leitmotif of his entire System. Contradictions could only exist if Torah were in the same category with other beliefs, if it were Jewish ״theology“, ״religion“ or , ,-form of worship.“ But Torah has nothing in common with; other beliefs. It äs äs unique, as inoomparable as Q-d, its Maker. Torah' is a way, a law of life. We cannot designate special places or appoint certain tunes as the ßpheres of influence of the Torah'. It must posisess all of life. Life in all its manifbld Imanifestations jnust be tfansformed by it; every action, thought and feeling mttsf be prompted by and patterned after its ideals. Torah must be