Moses Mendelssohn

Moses Mendelssohn was a German-Jewish philosopher and theologian who played a significant role in the development of the Haskalah, or Jewish Enlightenment, in the 18th and 19th centuries. He was also an influential figure in the German idealism movement and the history of modern philosophy. Mendelssohn was born in Dessau, a small town in the principality of Anhalt-Dessau, to a poor Jewish family. His father was a Torah scribe and his mother was a descendant of prominent rabbis. Mendelssohn received a traditional Jewish education from his father and the local rabbi, David Fränkel, who introduced him to the philosophy of Maimonides. At the age of 14, he followed Fränkel to Berlin, where he continued his studies at a Jewish seminary. He also taught himself German, Latin, French, and English, and became acquainted with the works of John Locke, Gottfried Leibniz, Christian Wolff, and other Enlightenment thinkers. In Berlin, Mendelssohn met and befriended Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, a prominent German writer and philosopher. Lessing encouraged Mendelssohn to pursue his intellectual interests and helped him publish his first philosophical work, Philosophical Conversations (1755), which dealt with topics such as free will, morality, and natural law. Mendelssohn also wrote essays on aesthetics, metaphysics, logic, and religion, and engaged in public debates with other philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and Johann Georg Hamann. He became known as the "German Socrates" for his rational approach to philosophy and his defense of religious tolerance. Mendelssohn's most famous work is Jerusalem (1783), a treatise on the relationship between Judaism and political authority. In this work, Mendelssohn argued that Judaism is not a revealed religion based on divine authority, but a rational religion based on natural law and moral autonomy. He also advocated for the civil rights of Jews and other religious minorities in Prussia and Europe, and opposed any form of coercion or persecution in matters of faith. He claimed that the state should only regulate the external actions of its citizens, while leaving their internal beliefs and convictions free. Mendelssohn was also a pioneer of Jewish cultural revival and modernization. He translated the Hebrew Bible into German with Hebrew characters, making it accessible to a wider audience of Jews who were not fluent in Hebrew. He also wrote commentaries on the Bible and other Jewish texts, such as the Mishnah and the Guide for the Perplexed. He supported the education of Jewish women and children, and encouraged Jews to learn secular subjects such as science, history, and literature. He founded several Jewish schools and societies in Berlin and elsewhere, and inspired many followers and disciples who continued his legacy. Mendelssohn died in Berlin on January 4th 1786 after suffering a stroke. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Schönhauser Allee. His grave is still visited by admirers today. He was survived by his wife Fromet Gugenheim, whom he married in 1762, and six children: Joseph, Abraham, Nathan, Brendel, Recha, and Henriette. His descendants include the composers Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, the chemist Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy, and the bankers of the Mendelssohn & Co. firm.