3rd of Shvat–yahrzeit of great-grandfather Rav Yona Cohn

 This coming Wednesday is the 89th yahrzeit of great-grandfather Rav Yona Cohn.

Rav Yona was born in Altona to Chacham Binyamin and his wife Miriam (Marianne), a talmid of the RabbinerSeminar in Berlin he wrote a dissertation on the לחם הפנים. Later he translated and wrote a German commentary on סדר קדשים. From both of these I assume that as a Cohen he felt especially responsible for learning הלכות that were relevant for כהנים. His brother Dayan Yaakov Cohn הי״ד זצ״ל, reported that a great influence on them was that as children they learned with their uncle Rav Yekev Cohn who was a talmid of Chasam Sofer and with Rav Munk who was a talmid of Rav Akiva Eiger. So they were really connected to the tradition of an earlier generation of גדולי התורה.

My mother recalled visiting when he was already elderly and frail and going with him to shul on Shabbos and being struck by how dertmined he was to walk the long way around and not to go on a shopping street, where many of the stores were owned by Jews and open on Shabbos. My friend and neighbor Reb Eli Kon who died a few months ago, was born and raised in Wroclaw (Breslau) in the Gerer shtiebel which is still standing–he told me that many of the Polish Jews who came from frum homes gave up on Shabbos when they had stores in Breslau.

Great-grandfather was originally rov in Wreschen, now Września in Poland, then it was close to the border with Russia/Poland and was a fairly large Jewish community (https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/15029-wreschen) The Malbim was the Rov there earlier and wrote his ארצות החיים while he was there. My grandmother Leah was born during the period in Wreschen.

Later he became the Rov in Rawicz (Rawitsch) and he wrote and published a history of the community which had been there since the early 1600s. Rabbi Avrohom Eiger, eldest son of Rav Akiva Eger who prepared his writings for publication, lived in Ravicz. Rav Yona would probably have stayed there, but after WW1 it became part of Poland, and Poland did not pay rabbonim official government salaries and also required learning the language. So he moved to became Dayan in Wroclaw/Breslau around 1920. As you can see from the illustrations below, he had official hours to receive the שאלות of the city, and was also responsible for supervising kashrus.

זכותו יגן בעד צאצאיו זכרונו לחיי עולם הבא

Hesped with a Dvar Torah

 Now I can see the complete article about Rabbi Dr. Cohn. Here's the full translation:

Kleines Feuilleton

In Memory of Rabbi Dr. Cohn in Breslau.

The highest honor one can give to the dead consists in letting the lips of those at rest speak. So in honor of the recently deceased Rabbi Dr. John Cohn in Breslau, who is known through his valuable work on the German translation and commentary of the Mishnah (Parts V and VI, Berlin and Wiesbaden), I wish to recall in grateful remembrance a forty-year true friendship and connection to share with my family an interpretation of a Mishnah passage that he gave me during our last meeting. His explanation, as he told me, is new and might, I believe, be of interest due to its general content.

Since this information is already a year and a half old, and its reproduction comes through someone whose life's work is not in the rabbinical field, the responsibility for its wording falls to the writer of these lines. In the final Mishnah in Peah it says: "Whoever actually would have needed to take (charity) and does not take it, will not die of old age without having supported others with what is his. For it is written: Blessed is the man who trusts in God, and God will be his support [Jeremiah 17:7]. Likewise it is with the judge who judges with truth."

One asks: How does the judge fit into this Mishnah passage? The answer is: The person in poor circumstances who renounces gifts may only do this based on certain prerequisites: He must first correctly assess the situation and the circumstances surrounding him, secondly he must have confidence in his own strength and personality, and thirdly he must rely on the blessing of the Most High. That he has acted reasonably will later be confirmed by the help of the Almighty. The righteous judge also needs three conditions for his judgment: meaningful examination of the facts, belief in his own judgment capability, and finally trust that he will be guided correctly by the Most High in his decision. A judgment rendered on this basis provides the judge with a good conscience as reward, and he is called a companion of God. This is the connection between the judge and the distressed person who rightly believes he must not accept human help. The Mishnah further compares a judge who takes bribes with one who deceives others by pretending to have a disability in order to partake of their charity.

A. L.

This article is from "Der Israelit" (The Israelite), as indicated in the header of the page. You can see "Der Israelit" printed at the top of the newspaper page, along with "Nr. 7 Seite 5" (No. 7 Page 5) and the date February 15, 1934 ("15. Februar 1934").

"Der Israelit" was a German-Jewish newspaper that served the Orthodox Jewish community in Germany during this period. It reported on matters relevant to observant Jews and, as we can see from this memorial piece, included remembrances of important religious figures like Rabbi Dr. John Cohn.

לתולדות הרב יונה כהן

 See email with this subject - it's a copy from the Rawitch book

Recha Fink article

 From a manuscript found among the papers of Mrs. Recha Fink, née Cohn, see A.

"My mother, Jenny Goldstein, was the oldest Daughter of Johanna and Sigmund Goldstein At the age of 18 she married mine Father, Rabbi Dr. John Cohn. Your bridal picture hangs in my room, she was a beauty, large, bright eyes, a delicate figurine In the dressy costume of yesteryear with the tight waist and a long, thick braid to far above the hips.

My father's father was a Moroccan Jew. On the journey from Morocco to Spain his ship sank, he swam on a beam in  the sea and was rescued from the sea by an English steamer and came via England, Holland to Altona as Dayan at the local Sephardic community, married an Altonärin, Marianne Stern.

My father was the eldest of 9 siblings, attended school and high school in Al­tona and then studied in Berlin at the rabbinical seminary and the university. After completing his studies, his ­father died and he took up his post for a short time until the ­younger brother Jakob received his rabbinical qualification and was able to take over the post. My father then received a call to Wreschen, Prov. Posen, and there my mother married.  They were certainly very happy days there  in Wreschen, where they found a number of young couples ­in the community, young lawyers, merchants, ­etc., with whom they had been friends throughout their lives. There her­4 children were born. The eldest Ella, then a son, Benno, another daughter, Recha (that's me) and another son, Walter. I have no memory of Wreschen, because I was barely 3 years old when my father took office in Rawitsch.

Rawitsch was a much larger, thriving community. We first lived in the community center, which stood next to the beautiful, new synagogue.  In Rawitsch 3 more children were born: Cilly, Ilse and Erna. When  my youngest sister Erna was born, my mother died. I was 11 years old at the time, but I remember exactly how much our lives were changed by this event. My father  was by no means an unworldly scholar, he was a great talmudist, but he was a lovable,­skillful companion. He arranged ­our dilettant performances in the Lite­raturverein, wrote the occasional poems  and texts to the  couplets and liked to play a skat in the circle of friends. But the death  of his dearly beloved wife was such a heavy blow for him that he lost much of his zest for life and joie de vivre.

After a year he married an older girl, Rosa Itzkowski, her father had  a printing press in Berlin and she had worked in the company, had a good Jewish knowledge and - was a good-hearted wife and us a good stepmother.

We lived in a beautiful house on the promenade, the house stood on the road, was completely overgrown with wine and from both sides  and behind stretched a large garden with fruit trees, lilac bushes and a tent­square. What happy youth days  we spent there, our housewas the meeting point of our friends, we also had some pensioners, boys from the area, who attended high school in Rawitsch.

My father had his study after the street with a terrace that led into the garden . His study was up to the ceiling.

He sat at his desk studying the Talmud, but mostly he walked around his room and took notes on his sermons­or his books at his standing desk. The room was covered in cigar smoke, because my father's cigar never ran out. This study had a  great charm for everyone, I remember a young, elegant woman who had only been married in Rawitsch for a short time, she came to us with her husband in the evening  for a tea visit, my father came to us for a cozy chat. Before the guests left, the young woman was ­allowed to enter my father's study room just  to be able to take the south of that room home with her­.

We had good schools in Rawitsch. After finishing high school,  my sister Ella went to the teacher training college in Breslau and then worked as a teacher in Berlin and Frankfurt. In 1912 she married Dr. A. Blau from Hamburg. They had 3 children. The eldest lives in New York, is a Talmud teacher, ­married, has 3 children. The daughter lives in London, is married to Emil Marmorstein, has 6 children. The youngest died in Holland in the Hit_erzeit.

My brother Benno passed his Abitur in Ra-witsch, studied economics in Berlin, then worked in business in Breslau and I'amburg, most recently as an employee of the Upper­Silesian wood industry in Cadca. After the occupation ofCzechoslovakia,  it was transported first to Berlin and then to the East­.

I married in 1919, the merchant­Ernst Fink from Hamburg. We emigrated to Israel in 1933 with 6 children. My husband died here in 1948, and we  lost our youngest child to polio in our first year here. The other 5 children all live here in hrael and are married.

Walter was a volunteer in the First World War­, was seriously wounded and one leg was  amputated. Worked in the brass factory and in Berlin as  a merchant, married Edith Schwersenski, a childhood friend from Same near Rawitsch, had a­son, lived last in Teschan, was deported by the Nazis.

Ciliy married Paul Pinkus, metal merchant in Berlin, had 2 children, Heinz and Ilse. Heinz  married in Cardiff, 2 children, Ilse married in Israel, 2 children­. Cilly was divorced and, like him, married to Joachim Koppel, who died in 1949. Lives a:s widow in London.

Erna was a senior teacher in Liegnitz, after 1933 in Leipzig at the Carlebach School. In 1935 he married Rabbi William Schlesinger from St. Gallen and went with him to Buenos Aires to join the­Jewish community. She has one daughter. Erna died in 1958.

After the First World War, Rawitsch became Polish; the community dissolved, many Jews moved to Breslau, and thanks to their influence, my father was given a post as Dayan in Breslau  . He also had a large number of friends in Breslau. He died  in 1934 in Breslau, his wife Rosa followed him Cri year :perpetrator to death."

November 1975.

Israelitisches Familienblatt 5 (1902) 35 (28.8.1902) - Ptira of Jenny

Br. Rawitsch. Unsere Gemeinde ist in tief trauer verfezt  worden. Am 15. d Mis. verstarb in der Bluthe ihrer

Jahre die Gattin unseres hochverehrten Rabbiners, Herrn Dr. John Cohn, Frau Jenny Cohn geb. Goldstein. 

Unsere Gemeinde beklagt und beweint mit dem tieftrauernden Gatten

den hieben unmündigen Kindern, den Eltern und Geschwistern

den Tod dieser prächtigen, von allen Kreisen gleich geliebten und geehrten Frau, die Überall, wo sie erschien, Licht und Liebe verbreitete und an allen traurigen und freubigen Ereignissen innerhalb der Gemeinde siets den innigsten und aufrichtigsten Antheil

nahm. -- Die am 17. d. Mts. erfolgte Beerdigung bewies am besten, welch großer Liebe sich die Entschlafene erfreute und wie allgemein die Trauer um ihren frühen Heimgang ist. Nicht einer aus der Gemeinde fehste, um seinem Schmerze Ausdruck zu geben und auch ben zahlreichen Andersgläubigen sah man es

deutlich an, daß nicht Neugierde oder ber freie Sonntag, sondern die aufrichtigste Trauer sie an der Feier der Beerdigung theilnehmen ließ. 

Die Lehrer-Kollegien des Königl. Gymnasiums und

des Königl. Schullehrer-Seminars, der Direktor und die Deamten der Königl. Strafanstalt, an welcher Herr Dr. Cohn als Seelorger wirkt, Magistrat, Stadverorbnete und eine große Anzahl von Männern und Frauen aus der Bürgerschaft, sie Alle wetteiferten mit den Mitgliedern der Gemeinde, um den Hinterbliebenen ihr Beileib zu bezeugen. Im Trauerhause gab der Rabbiner

unserer Nachbargemeinde Bojanowo Herr Dr. Theodor, mit berebten Worten dem Schmerze Ausbruck, auf dem Friedhofe widmeten die Herren Dr. Kopfftein aus Deuthen Oberschl, der Heimath der Entschlafenen, und Dr. Margolies aus Florenz esterer in Vertretung seines mit der Familie Goldstein eng gefreundeten, aber durch Amisgeschäfte behinderten Schwiegervaters, Herrn Rabbiner Dr. Rosenthal in Breslau — tief 

empfundene Worte des Nachrufes, welche alle Anwesenden zu Thränen rührten. Als aber zum Schlusse der tiefgebeugte Gatte selbst das Wort ergriff, um Abschieb zu nehmen von der theuren Gattin, an deren Seite er sechszehn Jahre in glücklichster Ehe gelebt, da war des Schluchzens und Klagens kein Ende. Da war keiner unter den nach vielen Hunderten zählenden Menge, welcher die Trauer und den Schmerz im innersten Herzen nicht mitempfand. 

Groß und unausfallbar ist die Lücke, welche der lüde gerissen und schwer werden die Armen den Verlust empfinden, jenen die Wohlthäterin genommen ward. Aber fortleben wird nie Verklärte in unserer Mitte und wie die trauernde Familie ihrer nicht vergessen wird, so ist ihr auch in der Gemeinde ein dauerndes und dankbares undenken gesichert.

Br. Rawitsch. Our community is in deep mourning. On the 15th d Mis. passed away in the blood of her

years the wife of our revered Rabbi, Dr. John Cohn, Mrs. Jenny Cohn née Goldstein. 

Our congregation mourns and mourns with the deeply grieving spouse

the seven minor children, the parents and brothers and sisters

the death of this splendid woman, equally loved and honored by all circles, who spread light and love wherever she appeared and always took the most intimate and sincere part in all sad and joyful events within the community.

in all sad and joyful events within the community. -- The funeral, which took place on the 17th of this month, proved best of all how much love the deceased enjoyed and how general the mourning for her early departure is. Not a single member of the congregation was absent to express his grief, and even the numerous people of other faiths clearly showed that it was not

that it was not curiosity or the Sunday off, but the most sincere grief that made them participate in the celebration of the funeral. 

The teachers' colleges of the Royal Grammar School and the of the Royal School Teachers' Seminary, the director and the deputies of the Royal Penitentiary, where Dr. Cohn works as a pastor, the magistrate, the city councilors and a large number of men and women from the citizenry, all competed with the members of the community to testify to the bereaved. In the house of mourning the rabbi

In the house of mourning, the rabbi of our neighboring community Bojanowo, Dr. Theodor, expressed the grief with moving words; in the cemetery, Dr. Kopfftein from Deuthen Oberschl, the home of the deceased, and Dr. Margolies from Florence esterer, representing his father-in-law, who was a close friend of the Goldstein family, but who was hindered by business, Rabbi Dr. Rosenthal in Breslau, dedicated deeply felt words of obituary. 

Rosenthal in Breslau - deeply felt words of obituary, which moved all present to tears. But when at the end the deeply bowed husband himself took the floor to bid farewell to his dear wife, at whose side he had lived for sixteen years in the happiest of marriages, there was no end to the sobs and lamentations. There was no one among the crowd, which numbered in the hundreds, who did not feel the grief and pain in his innermost heart. 

The gap, which the deceased has torn, is large and unavoidable, and the poor will feel the loss, from whom the benefactress has been taken, with great difficulty. But the never transfigured will live on in our midst, and just as the grieving family will not forget her, so her lasting and grateful memory in the community is assured.

https://sammlungen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/cm/periodical/pageview/11308605

Der Israelit 75 (1934) Heft 5 (1.2.1934)

 Personalien. Rabb. Dr. John Cohn זצ"ל 

Breslau, 30. Jan. 

Schon wieder ist das deutsche thoratreue Juden-tum von einem schweren Schlage betroffen worden, insbesondere die Gemeinde, in der der Heimgegan-gene seine letzten Jahre verbracht hat. 

Rabb. Dr. John Cohn ist am 3. Schwat, kurz vor Beendigung seines 75. Lebensjahres, nach langer Krankheit heimgegangen. Mit ihm ging ein Lamdon alten Schlages, wie sie die heutige Generation in Deutschland in dieser eigentümlichen Prägung wenig aufweist, von dannen. 

Der altehrwürdigen Gemeinde Altona entstammend, wohin sein Vater als junger Mann aus Marokko eingewandert war — er wurde dort Klausrabbiner — genoß der Verewigte seine erste Ausbildung bei den jüdischen Geistesgrößen dieser Gemeinde. 

Bis in sein spätestes Alter hinein be-trachtete er es als besonderes Glück, noch als Knabe zu Füßen des berühmten Altonaer Raws, R. Jokew Ettlinger — des Oruch l'Neir — gesessen zu haben. 

Nach Absolvierung des Gymnasiums zog er mit 17 Jahren an das Berliner Rabbinerseminar und wurde dort einer der Lieblingsschüler von R. Esriel Hildesheimer. 

Der Tod seines Vaters verhinderte die Vollendung seiner Studien in Berlin und rief ihn nach Altona zurück. Dort erhielt er von dem dama-ligen Oberrabbiner Dr. Löb, den er schwärmerisch verehrte, seine erste Hatoro, welcher später diejenige von R. Esriel Hildesheimer folgte. 

Von Altona wurde er auf seinen ersten Rabbinatsposten nach Wreschen berufen, von dort auf nach Rawitsch, wo er mehrere Jahrzehnte bis zum' Kriegsende als das allverehrte Oberhaupt seiner Gemeinde wirkte. Darüber hinaus wurde er bald einer der bekanntesten geistigen Füh-rer des thoratreuen Judentums, wenger durch sein Auftreten in der Oeffentlichkeit, als durch seine Wirksamkeit im internen Kreise der deutschen Rab-bonim und seine wissenschaftliche Tätigkeit. 

Am meisten bekant ist er wohl durch seinen Anteil an der deutschen Mischna-Uebersetzung und Erklärung geworden. Er war der Kommentator der Ordnung „Kodoschim" und führte später die von dem unvergeß-lichen Rektor des Berliner Seminars begonnene Ord-nung „Taharaus" zu Ende. Seine Kommentare zei-gen sich ebenso, wie durCh leichte Verständlichkeit durch eine gründliche wissenschaftliche Grundlage und Durcharbeitung der Quellen aus. Sie fanden auch in der wissenschaftlichen Welt allgemeine Aner-kennung.

Noch in der letzten Zeit hatte er zwei andere größere wissenschaftliche Arbeiten auf dem Gebiet der Methodik des Talmuds vollendet, die hoffentlich recht bald der Oeffentlichkeit zugängig gemacht werden. 

Ebenso groß wie als Wissenschaftler war er als Mensch. Als er nach Auflösung der Rawitscher Ge-meinde als Dajon nach Breslau berufen wurde, be-gann für ihn eine neue Tätigkeit auf dem Gebiet der praktischen Hut jüdischer Treue, indem er das Kasch-rus-Wesen unserer Gemeinde um- und ausgestaltete. Daneben war er an allen Einrichtungen, die dem thoratreuen Judentum dienten, führend beteiligt, sei es die Mittelstandsküche, die jüdische Schule, die Machsike-Thora. Bis vor einigen Jahren war er auch der Vorsitzende der Breslauer Ortsgruppe der Agu-das Jisroel, deren begeisterter Anhänger er von der Gründung an gewesen ist. Im Verbande der traditio-nell-gesetzestreuen Rabbiner Deutschlands, dessen Vorstand er angehörte, fiel wohl in letzten Jahren keine Entscheidung, bei der er nicht mitgewirkt hatte. Seine Persönlichkeit, in der die Würde des Talmid Chochom mit dessen Schlichtheit und Freundlichkeit gegen Jedermann gepaart war, zog alle in den Bann, die mit ihm in Berührung gekommen waren. Sein Haus war der Sammelpunkt geworden für diejeni-gen, die Lehre und Belehrung aus dem Munde dieses wahren Talmid Chochom suchten. 

Die Beisetzung fand am Montag, den 5. Schwat in der Ehrenreihe des Breslauer Lohefriedhofes unter grgroßer Beteiligung statt. Rabb. Dr. Hoffmann gab der tiefen Trauer Ausdruck, die der Heimgang dieses Mannes in Breslau hervorgerufen hat. Rabb. Dr. Auerbach, Berlin sprach im Namen des Rabbiner-Seminars, sowie im Auftrage der Vereinigung traditionell - gesetzestreuer Rabbiner Deutschlands. Im Trauerhause wurden während der Schiwoh Hespedim abgehalten, bei denen Rabb. Dr. Binetter im Namen der Agudas Jisroel-Ortsgruppe und zwei Schüler für den Kreis der verwaisten Talmidim und Freunde Dankes- und Erinnerungsworte darbrachten. 

Mögen seine Verdienste seinen Kindern und sei-ner ihm gleichgesinnten Gattin, die es verstanden hatte, ihm das rechtde Milieu für sein Wirken und Tun zu bereiten, beistehen. 

ת.נ.צ.ב.ה

Personalities. Rabb. Dr. John Cohn זצ "ל 

Breslau, Jan. 30. 

Once again German Torah observant Jewry has been struck by a severe blow, especially the community in which the deceased spent his last years. 

Rabb. Dr. John Cohn went home on 3 Shvat, shortly before the end of his 75th year, after a long illness. With him, a Lamdon of the old type, such as the present generation in Germany has little of in this peculiar character, departed. 

Coming from the venerable community of Altona, where his father had immigrated from Morocco as a young man - he became a Klaus rabbi there - the immortalized man enjoyed his first education with the Jewish intellectuals of this community. 

Until his late age he considered it a special luck to have sat as a boy at the feet of the famous Altona rav, R. Jokew Ettlinger - the Oruch l'Neir. 

After graduating from high school, he moved to the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary at the age of 17, where he became one of the favorite students of R. Esriel Hildesheimer. 

The death of his father prevented him from completing his studies in Berlin and called him back to Altona. There he received his first Hatoro from the then Chief Rabbi Dr. Löb, whom he adored rapturously, which was later followed by that of R. Esriel Hildesheimer. 

From Altona he was appointed to his first rabbinate post in Wreschen, and from there to Rawitsch, where he served as the revered head of his community for several decades until the end of the war. In addition, he soon became one of the best-known spiritual leaders of Torah faithful Jewry, less through his public appearance than through his effectiveness in the internal circles of the German Rabbonim and his scientific activity. 

He is probably best known for his contribution to the German translation and explanation of the Mishnah. He was the commentator of the order "Kodoshim" and later completed the order "Taharaus" begun by the unforgettable rector of the Berlin seminary. His commentaries, as well as his ease of understanding, are characterized by a thorough scientific basis and elaboration of the sources. They found general recognition also in the scientific world.

Even in recent times he had completed two other major scientific works in the field of the methodology of the Talmud, which will hopefully be made available to the public quite soon.

As great as he was as a scientist, he was also great as a human being. When, after the dissolution of the Rawitsch community, he was called to Breslau as a Dayan, a new activity began for him in the area of the practical guardianship of Jewish loyalty, in that he reorganized and developed the kashrus system of our community. In addition, he played a leading role in all the institutions that served Torah-loyal Judaism, be it the middle-class kitchen, the Jewish school, the Machsike Torah. Until a few years ago, he was also the chairman of the Wroclaw chapter of Agudas Yisroel, of which he had been an enthusiastic supporter from its founding. In the association of the traditional law-abiding rabbis of Germany, of whose board he was a member, there was probably no decision in recent years in which he did not participate. His personality, in which the dignity of the Talmid Chochom was paired with his simplicity and friendliness towards everyone, captivated everyone who came into contact with him. His house had become the gathering place for those who sought teaching and instruction from the mouth of this true Talmid Chochom. 

The funeral took place on Monday, the 5th of Shvat in the honorary row of the Wroclaw Lohe Cemetery with great participation. Rabb. Dr. Hoffmann expressed the deep sorrow that the passing of this man has caused in Wroclaw. Rabb. Dr. Auerbach, Berlin spoke in the name of the Rabbinical Seminary, as well as on behalf of the Association of Traditional - Law-abiding Rabbis of Germany. Hespedim were held in the house of mourning during the shiva, at which Rabb. Dr. Binetter on behalf of the Agudas Yisroel local group and two students for the circle of orphaned talmidim and friends offered words of thanks and remembrance. 

May his merits be of assistance to his children and his like-minded wife, who knew how to prepare the right environment for his work and activities. 

ת.נ.צ.ב.ה

https://sammlungen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/cm/periodical/pageview/2537971

Der Israelit 75 (1934) Heft 7 (15.2.1934)

 Kleines Feuilleton.

Zur Erinnerung an Rabbiner

Dr. Cohn in Breslau.

Die höchste Ehrung, die man Toten zuteil wer den lassen kann, besteht darin, daß man die Lippen der Schlafenden reden läbt. 

So will ich zu Ehren des soeben in Breslau verstorbenen Rabbiner Dr. John Cohn, der weiteren Kreisen durch seine wertvolle Mitarbeit an der deutschen Uebersetzung und Kommentierung der Mischna (Teile V und VI, Berlin und Wiesbaden) bekannt ist, in dankbarer Erinnerung an viereigjährige treue Freundschaft und Verbundenheit mit meiner Familie eine Deutung einer Mischna stelle mitteilen, die er mir bei unserem letzten Beisammensein gab. Seine Erklärung ist, wie er mir sagte, neu und dürfte, wie ich glaube, wegen ihres allgemeinen Inhalts nicht ohne lnteresse sein. Da die Mitteilung schon anderthalb Jahre zurückliegt und ihre Wiedergabe durch jemand geschieht, dessen Lebensarbeit sich nicht auf rabbinischem Gebiet abspielte, fällt dem Schreiber dieser Zeilen die Ver antwortung für ihre Fassung zu.

"Wer eigentlich (Wohltätigkeitsspenden) zu nehmen notwendig hätte und sie nicht

nimmt, stirbt nicht, ohne andere im Alter mit dem

Seinigen unterstützt zu haben. Denn es steht geschrieben: Gesegnet ist der Mann, der auf G'tt verraut, und G'tt wird seine Stütze sein (Jeremia 17, 7).Ebenso ist es bei dem Richter, der mit Wahrheit sein Urteil fällt." 

Man fragt sich: Wie kommt der Richter in diese Mischna stelle? Die Antwort ist:

Der in schlechten Verhältnissen Befindliche, der auf Gaben verzichtet, darf dies nur auf Grund dreier Voraussetzungen tun: 

Er muß erstens die Sachlage und die ihn umgebenden Verhältnisse richtig beurteilen, er muß zweitens Zutrauen zu seiner eigenen Kraft und Persönlichkeit besitzen und er muß dritens auf den Segen des Höchsten hoffen. 

Daß er vernünftig gehandelt hat, wird ihm später durch die Hilte des Allmächtigen bestätigt. Auch der gerechte Richter braucht für sein Urteil drei Vorbedingun gen:

Verständnisvolle Prütung der Sachlage. Glaube

an die eigene Urteilsfähigkeit und schließlich G'tt-vertrtrauen, daß er von dem Höchsten in seiner Entscheidung richtig geleitet werden wird. 

Ein auf dieer Grundlage gefällter Urteilsspruch verschaftt den Richter als Lohn ein gutes Gewissen, und er wird

Genosse G'ttes genannt. 

Dies ist der Zusammenhang zwischen dem Richter und dem Bedrängten, der mit Recht glaubt, menschliche Hille nicht in Anspruch nehmen zu müssen. 

Die Mischna vergleicht noch weiter einen Richter, der Bestechung nimmt, mit demenigen, der anderen Menschen ein Gebrechen vortäuscht, um ihrer Wohltätigkeit teilhaltig zu werden.

A.L.

***

Small feature.

In memory of Rabbi Dr. Cohn in Breslau.

The highest honor that can be paid to the dead is to let the lips of the sleeping speak. 

Thus, in honor of Rabbi Dr. John Cohn, who has just died in Breslau and who is known to wider circles for his valuable contribution to the German translation and commentary of the Mishnah (Parts V and VI, Berlin and Wiesbaden), I would like to share with you, in grateful memory of four decades of loyal friendship and closeness to my family, an interpretation of a Mishnah passage that he gave me at our last get-together. His explanation, as he told me, is new and, I believe, should not be without interest because of its general content. Since the communication dates back to a year and a half ago, and its reproduction is done by someone whose life's work did not take place in the rabbinical field, the responsibility for its version falls to the writer of these lines.

In the final Mishna in Peah it states: 

"Whoever should have needed to take (charitable donations) and does not take them

does not die without having supported others in their old age with his with his own. For it is written: Blessed is the man who trusts in G'd, and G'd will be his support (Jeremiah 17:7). Likewise it is with the judge who passes his sentence with truth." 

One wonders: how does the judge get into this Mishnah passage? The answer is:

The one in bad circumstances who renounces gifts may do so only on the basis of three conditions: 

First, he must correctly judge the situation and the circumstances surrounding him; second, he must have confidence in his own strength and personality; and third, he must hope for the blessing of the Most High. 

That he has acted reasonably will be confirmed to him later by the help of the Almighty. Also, the just judge needs three preconditions for his judgment:

Understanding of the situation. Faith in his own ability to judge, and finally trust in G'd that he will be correctly guided in his decision by the Most High. 

A judgment made on this basis gives the judge a good conscience as a reward, and he is called a comrade of God.

This is the connection between the judge and the afflicted, who rightly believes that he does not need to claim human help. 

The Mishnah further compares a judge who takes a bribe with one who feigns infirmity to others in order to partake of their charity.

https://sammlungen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/cm/periodical/pageview/2537996