Historical Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, which Caused Intense Controversy: the Berachot Tractate with ...

Historical Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, which Caused Intense Controversy: the Berachot Tractate with Ashkenazic Translation and Commentary by Efrayim Moshe Finner – Berlin, 1842 – The Copy of the Artist Hermann Struck
At the beginning of the book, the stamp of the Zionist activist, the well-known artist, Hermann Struck and a handwritten dedication by his friend who gave him the book in 1929.

Before us is an attempt to translate the Talmud into German as continuation to Moshe Mendelson's enterprise to interpret the Torah. Mendelson's goal was double: to translate the Torah into German and add commentary which is based on the literal meaning of the verses. Actually, Mendelson only started the project and his students completed it on the additional books of the bible. Already during this first work on the Torah, heaven and earth moved: translating the Torah into German, the language of the Enlightenment, immediately raised the comparison of translating the Torah into Greek. No less was the fear of commentary based only on the literal meaning of the verses.
Dr. Finner wanted to continue the project and apply it to the Talmud as well. His intention was also double: to translate to German and to interpret according to the literal meaning. The commentary demonstrates Finner's studying ability. He uses various previous commentary although he does not hesitate to offer his own original interpretation if he believes it to be closer to the literal meaning.
The author dedicated about ten years to this project. His plan was to publish a German translation of the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud in twenty eight volumes.
Here too, heaven and earth moved. At first, he received the approval of the greatest rabbis; but, when they understood his intentions, they withdrew their approvals.
Amazingly, Finner succeeded in receiving the agreement of one of the greatest opponents of the Enlightenment – the Chatam Sofer. The tale goes that this happened when he visited the Chatam Sofer and told him about the translation which, according to what he said, was the joint effort of many Rabbis who were knowledgeable and proficient in German. Their intention was to show the gentiles the great treasure of the Sages. The Chatam Sofer was delighted. His approval of the project shocked many Rabbis and they wrote to him to tell him about the mistake he had made. The Chatam Sofer hastened to write a public letter in which he withdrew his approval and attacked the book. Eventually, the Chatam Sofer's attack succeeded and Finner did not continue to work on the rest of the tractates.
The author reached kings, ministers and emperors. At the head of the tractate, he printed the greeting letters that he had received from the Russian emperor, the King of Prussia, the King of Belgium and more.
The author dedicated this volume to Nikolai the First, the Russian emperor.
From his close surroundings, the author had not succeeded in receiving approval. The volume is decorated with the agreements of several German rabbis and agreements from afar, from the greatest Sephardic rabbis, but not with the agreements of the rabbis of the Lithuania and Poland.
About this affair, see the essay of Rabbi Y. Goldhaber, "Yerushatenu", 3, 2009, pp. 210-233.
An extremely important and rare item!

367 pp. 44cm.
Condition: Good. Detached front and back bindings.