Parisian Sanhedrim. The year 1789, which marked an entirely new epoch in the history of Europe, was not without influence on the history and condition of the Jews. The contest between tradition and revo- lution, between the ancient order of things and the new lights, concerning the Jews and their position in society, began with that year in France. Two years before the Academy of Metz had convened an assembly to consider the best means of making the Jews happier and more useful to society at large. One of the prize essays on that occasion was written by the abbe Gregoire (q. v.) : Essai sur la regeiieration morale, physique, et politique des Juifs (Metz, 1789), and another by Salkind Hor- witz, afterwards librarian of the Royal Library at Paris — Ajwlogie des Juifs (ibid. 1789). The revolution which occurred a little while later triumphantly decided the question, and through the influence of Mirabeau and Rabaut St. I^tiennc, the National Assembly, in 1791, ad- mitted the Jews of France to equal rights with other citizens. During the supremacy of Napoleon the con- dition of the Jews in France remained on the same footing as during the Reign of Terror. He only showed severity towards the Jewish population in the provinces of the Rhine, where they had long been in ill repute on account of their usury. Thus in 1808 he issued an im- perial edict, imposing on every Jewish creditor who would go to law against a debtor the obligation to pro- cure a certificate of good conduct, attested by the local authorities, declaring that the said creditor was not in the practice of taking usury or pursuing any disgrace- ful traffic. Two years prior to this edict, in 180(j, Na- poleon conceived the idea of turning the pecNiliar tal- ents of his Jewish subjects to his own advantage. " He had doubtless discovered that their skill as financiers was unrivalled ; that their coinmercial correspondence and intercourse throughout Europe was more rapid and trusty than any other; that the secret ramifications of their trade in various countries gave them a great advantage over all their rivals in the world of traffic ; and he purposed to convert them into devoted auxilia- ries by more favorable measures and more ostentatious protection." As a preliminary step, he astonished Eu- rope by sinnmoning a meeting of the Grand Sanhedrim, to which deputies consisting of the most eminent and learned rabbins were to be sent, not only from France, but from all those adjacent coimtries over which the influence of Napoleon extended. It was on July 28, 1806 (by a mistake, upon the Sabbath-day), that this Sanhedrim began to sit, and nominated as president Abraham Furlado, a distinguished Portuguese of Bor- deaux. The assembly consisted of a hundred and ten members, and among these were such men of distinction as Goudchaux, Crcmieux, Cerf-Beer, Cologna, Rodri- gues, Avigdor, anil others. This assembly being con- stituted by order of the emperor, three imperial com- missioners — jMole, Portalis, and Pasquier — presented themselves during the sitting with twelve questions, to
PARISIAN SANHEDRIM
685
PARITY
answer which was to be the first and principal occupa- tion of tlie Sanhedrim. The questions were as follows :
1. Is j)olyg;iniy allowed by the Jewish law?
2. Is divorce recognised and permitted among them?
3. Are Jews allowed, by their regulations, to intermarry with Christians?
4. Wcjuld the Jews in France regard the French people as slr^iiigers or as brethren ?
5. In wliat lelation would the Jews stand towards the Freiicli, according to the Jewish law?
G. Dii those Jews who are born in France consider it their native land? and are they bound to obey the law and cusciims of the country?
7. Who are the electors of the rabbins?
8. What legal powers do the rabbins possess ?
'.K Are the election and authority of the rabbiua ground- ed on law, or merely on custom ?
10. Are the Jews forbidden to engage in any business?
11. Is usury to their brethren prohibited by the law?
12. Is it lawful or unlawful to practice usury with stran- gers?
To these twelve searching inquiries the Sanhedrim, af- ter due and careful deliberation, sent the following an- swers :
1. Polygamy is unlawful, being declared such by the synod of rabbins held at Worms in 1030.
2. Divorce is allowed by the Jewish law for various causes; but ou this subject the Jews cheerfully obey the decisions of the civil laws of the land iu whicli they may happen to reside.
3. Intermarriages with Christians are not forbidden ; but as difl'erences and disputes often arise as to the cer- emony of marriage and the education of children, such unions are generally regarded as inexpedient.
•1. The Jens in France recognise the French people, in the fullest sense, as their brethren.
5. The relation of the Jew to the Frenchman is the same as the relation of the Jew to the Jew, the only distinc- tion between them being that of religion.
0. The Jews, eveu while they weie oppressed by the French monarchs, regarded France as their country. "How much more readily will they do so after they have been admitted to equal rights.
7. There is no definite and uniform rule in reference to the election of rabbins. They are usually chosen by the heads of each family in the community.