Talk:Ignatz Lichtenstein

Several issues
Jmabel | Talk 20:09, 27 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 1) In the circumstances, I'd expect to see a specific citation for him having ever been an Orthodox rabbi.
 * 2) "Sabbath sermon", where Sabbath is a link to the Christian sabbath, makes no sense here. Shabbas? Or what? and is this cited? Sermons were not, to the best of my knowledge, normal in 19th century Hungarian Orthodox Jewish practice.
 * 3) An awful lot of this article is extended quotation. This is not Wikiquote.
 * On point 1:
 * As quoted in an article in the LCJE journal, "Rabbi Isaac Lichtenstein was among the most well known Jewish believers in Jesus (JBJs) in the late 19th century through the very beginning of the 20th century. In the Jewish missions circles of the time, he is equal or perhaps second only to Joseph Rabinowitz in notoriety. Practically any history of JBJs which has appeared in recent times makes reference to him and his work. David Baron states “What Joseph Rabinovich [sic] was to the Jews of Russia, that, and even more, Rabbi Lichtenstein was to the more cultured Jews of Austria, Hungary, Germany, etc.” That he was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and his unwillingness to be baptized had much to do with his fame. Baron said of his writings “…Rabbi Lichtenstein… produce[d] [a] remarkable series of pamphlets… [of] great importance and value…” This is the first time that most of the writings of this Orthodox Hungarian rabbi have appeared together in print. In this introduction, I provide a brief biographical sketch of Lichtenstein". (http://www.lcje.net/bulletins/2003/71/71_03.html) You can reach Jorge Quinonez at jorgequinonez"at"yahoo.com for more verifiable information on Lichtenstein.


 * On point 2: Check out this article for sermons on the Sabbath, and the book Your Voice Like a Ram's Horn: Themes and Texts in Traditional Jewish Preaching by Marc Saperstein.
 * Also note : "'There are two widespread customs observed on this Sabbath: The rabbi delivers a major discourse, second in importance only to the one addressing his congregation during the High Holiday sermon, and the first-half of the haggadah (Passover liturgy) is recited in the afternoon, almost like a practice session before the seder, reliving of the Exodus re-created every year during Passover.."
 * Also note that in Eastern Europe sermons were quite appropriate at different times . Note the time at which Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchov lived and that sermons were quite common. You may find more information at . However, I will make the change of the link from the Christian to the Jewish Sabbath.


 * On point 3: I could not find any policy of guideline frowning upon the use of quotations, especially those that are relevant to the article. In fact the Manual of Style shows how to make proper quotations. Both of these quotes verify in his own words his beliefs and views on Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, and have a form of liturgy to them, which also verifies certain traditons and halacha. Jamie Guinn 21:22, 27 November 2006 (UTC)

This article SHOULD NOT be deleted!
Note the following in the deletion policy: "Articles and text which are capable of meeting these should usually be remedied by editing, but content which fails inclusion criteria for Wikipedia, is incapable of verification with reputable sources, or is in breach of copyright policy, is usually deleted." I do not believe this article meets the criteria for deletion, maybe editing, but not deletion. Jamie Guinn 21:29, 27 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I certainly agree that the article is not a deletion candidate. Much of the answer you gave me on point 1 belongs more explicitly in the article.


 * Using quotations is fine, having an article that is mostly a string of quotations is not. My apologies that I can't think exactly where this guideline is written, but I assure you it exists; I'm sure that if you've browsed around Wikipedia at all, you've seen how rarely an article takes that form. - Jmabel | Talk 05:47, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Calling him a Christian
I would like to object in calling him a Christian, as I do not believe he viewed himself as such, but as a Jew who also believed in Jesus. If I must I will find documentation proving such. Jamie Guinn 21:59, 27 November 2006 (UTC)
 * I second this, as the 1894 source explicitly says he was not baptized, and implies this was because he did not want to stop being a Jew. While some American Protestant groups will define a person as a Christian even without a baptism, it's unclear a Hungarian Jew would know that or be influenced by that, or that any Hungarian Christians at the turn of the century shared such a view. It's not impossible that Lichtenstein had a change of heart after 1894, but that's pure speculation on our part. -- Kendrick7talk 23:15, 29 November 2006 (UTC)
 * A Jew who believes in Jesus is a Christian. In any case, whatever he is, a Jew he is not. You want to call him a horse-loving Marsian, fine. I don't care. The guy is dead and rotting away, thank G-d. I couldn't care less what you call him. Anything but 'Jew'. By accepting Jesus, he rejected and abandoned Judaism. Please carefully study this: http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation09.html.
 * And just to clarify, regarding the sources he brings: the Rambam (Maimonides), who is a major legislater for Sephardic Jews and important theologian for Ashkenazi Jews as well. The Rema, Rabbi Moshe Isserles, is the writer of the Shulchan Aruch for Ashkenazi Jews. (Clarification: when Ashkenazi Jews say "Shulchan Aruch", they mean SA+Rema.) The Rema decided Halacha for us. We cannot change his decisions. No rabbi can. One who does so is no longer a rabbi but is a heretic who has denied the basic principles of Judaism. And last, he mentions the Satmar Rov, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, also a very major halachic decisor. --Daniel575 | (talk) 08:42, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
 * "A Jew he is not." That's quite revisionistic. There have been sectarian disputes in Judaism for quite some time. There is a conversion bill before the Rabbinate right now in 2010. Still a hot topic, not quite as dogmatic as you would claim. If only you knew and believed all of the Tanakh, or even the Torah, more than nth derivative rabbi interpretations, you might know your own messiah. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.27.72.128 (talk) 21:43, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

Move to Ignatz
This is clearly his name from the earliest sources; Isaac seems to be a misnomer due to a reverse initialization of his pen name, I. Lichtenstein. Thoughts? -- Kendrick7talk 03:05, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
 * I think this should be put on hold until after the AfD, as it may be moot. -- Avi 03:07, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Terribly unoptimistic of you Avi! Besides, guidelines encourage working on an article while it's in AfD. Especially since two sources have been found since then, both freely available on Google books. I'm a little on the lazy side for this effort though. -- Kendrick7talk 03:17, 30 November 2006 (UTC)


 * The AfD is getting to be a bit of a mess and I'm lazy, could you point me to what the books? Thanks, JoshuaZ 03:22, 30 November 2006 (UTC)


 * If this works, follow the first link. It looks like Google has recently updated that website; you might still need to enter page 507 manually. The other book is here; Ignatz is mentioned on page 118. I think these are both public domain and that you don't need a google login. -- Kendrick7talk 03:35, 30 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Ok, thanks. So the first one I had already looked at. The second one seems like a trivial source demonstrating existence but not much else (this is actually really too bad, from the unreliable sources we have it looks to me like he had an interesting life story). JoshuaZ 03:38, 30 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I still don't understand your reasoning that Albert Benjamin Simpson's magazine isn't a WP:RS; it was in publication for 23 years (1880-1903) . Do have anything to back up your belief that it publlished fake news articles? But, as for the second source, the Jewish scholar who wrote it seems convinced of not only of his existance, but that he also printed pro-Christian tracts, which jives with all the other sources. -- Kendrick7talk 06:17, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Well, the issue is that the Simpson source takes its sourcing from a source of unknown reliablity (I have little knowledge of the Simpson magazine anyways but have slight tendencies to suspect a lack of reliablity given Simpson's obvious bias in such matters). As to the second one, so we now have two data points: 1) he existed 2) he wrote tracts. This is not enough for an article. But let's not bring the AfD discussion over here (I suspect that it will end in a no consensus anyways).JoshuaZ 06:22, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
 * The Gospel in All Lands seems famous enough to earn a mention at Timeline of Christian missions. Sure it is reprinting information from a magazine we know little about, but I imagine this was pretty common before the days of the Associated Press. I can't find the London Christian World online, though it is cited as a reliable source by other books published in the 1890s, the breadth of which seem to suggest they had stringers throughout Europe. But not much else is showing up online. Maybe one of these Messianic Jews will do the footwork. -- Kendrick7talk 06:59, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
 * The London Christian World seems to have been the first to publish The World's Economic Crisis and the Way of Escape by a certain John Maynard Keynes, though of course that was in 1932. But, hah, take that Economic Times of India!

-- Kendrick7talk 07:09, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

I went ahead and moved the article to the correct name. -- Kendrick7talk 20:46, 30 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I'm a little surprised, because all online sources we have give his name as either just I. or as Isaac. Even the few sources aware of "Ignatz" seem to prefer Isaac (for example this one). Google and Amazon both are in favor of Isaac, too. And the Scrolls mentioning "Ignatz Lichtenstein" in a single line only quote "a pamphlet, issued by some missionary society". So in effect we have precisely one source about him, plus those quoting the original, most of them unreliable even concerning his first name? --Huon 23:59, 30 November 2006 (UTC)


 * All the sources discovered so far published before 1942 have "Ignatz Lichtenstein", By 1942, Lev Gillet seems to be only familiar with his written work, so uses only the pen name "I. Lichtenstein". It's unclear why the less reliable sources (from the past decade?) decided the name was Isaac, especially as the picture at Image:Lich72d.JPG is the same as the one from the 1894 source.


 * The text in Scrolls, originally printed in 1913, goes on a full paragraph, by the way, and as it is in the public domain I will reproduce it here for your edification. "Some time ago the present cheif rabbi of London referred to the fact that three reform rabbis had converted to Christianity. He prefered not to give the exact number, because he probably had reason to fear the exact memory of those who remembered a previous statement of his that he could fill a book with the names of the disciples of Isaac M. Wise who has become converts to Christianity. The force of the argument was now to be a different one. It never had happened in Israel before &mdash; so his 'Very Reverence' said &mdash; that a rabbi had become a convert to Christianity. I happen to be in possession of a pamplet, issued by some missionary society, containing the biography of one Ignatz Lichtenstein, who was a rabbi in Tapio Szele, Hungary, and had written pamplets advocating conversion to Christianity while still officiating as a rabbi. The statement was declared by somebody who had reason to hide himself behind the cover of anonymity, an invention. My pamplet, a very insignificant production, rehashing the usual missionary cant, becomes important in addition to my quotations from various Jewish papers, representing all shades of religious views. In the course of my investigation I came across the fact that this Ignatz Lichtenstein was confounded with a Jehiel Lichtenstein, a former 'Wunderrabbi' of Besarabia, who was in the service of the missionary institute of Leipsic, where he died in 1912. We already had two rabbis to refute a statement made by a man upon whose office the world has a right to look as an authority. While it is really no significance whether a Jew trained in Orthox environment and possessing rabbinical knowledge does officiate as a rabbi or not, it certainly added force to my arguments that a rabbi, Lewin Fraenkel, a nephew fo Chief Rabbi Solomon Herschel of London, having been previously rabbi in Dubienka, and Land-rabbiner of Silesia, became a convert to Roman Catholicism. The man was never of any consequence, but his case becomes an irrefutable argument against the malicious statement that liberal Judaism means a step towards apostacy." -- Kendrick7talk 02:08, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

Moving quotes section here
This section needs to be backed up by a WP:RS, not just couple of websites.

Quotes
Near his death he said: Dear Jewish brethren, I have been young, and now am old. I have attained the age of 80 years, which the Psalmist speaks of as the utmost period of human life on earth. When others of my age are reaping with joy the fruit of their labours, I am alone, almost forsaken, because I have lifted up my voice in warning, '0 Israel, turn to the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take these words and turn thee to the Lord thy God.' 'Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way.'

"I, an honoured Rabbi for the space of 40 years, am now, in my old age, treated by my friends as one possessed by an evil spirit, and by my enemies as an outcast. I am become a butt of mockers who point the finger at me. But while I live I win stand on my watchtower, though I may stand there all alone. I will listen to the words of God, and look for the time when He will return to Zion in mercy, and Israel shall fill the world with his joyous cry, 'Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest''"

During an address at a conference on Jewish missions in 1895: Almighty Heavenly Father, Eheyeh asher Eheyeh, Sovereign Ruler of past, present and future; we bless You for our past, and thank You, that in Your inscrutable wisdom, You have chosen us out of all peoples of the earth, to give us knowledge of the truth, and to make us witnesses of Your Covenant of everlasting life. Our present is dark, gloomy and desolate; but we trust Your word, O Father, that to all eternity You will not forsake Your people Israel, and we hasten forward full of hope to a glorious future, for You have sent Your heralds in the Name of Your beloved Son, Yeshua the Messiah, to comfort the mourning Daughter of Zion.

Turn us again to Yourself, O Eternal, renew our days as in the former years.

Amen.

Need integration into article
Notes from the deletion review, for future reference.

Works by Ignatz cataloged at Harvard:

User:Marcika's translation from the Hungarian:
 * The 1929 Zsido Lexikon (Jewish Encyclopedia) article says the following about him:
 * "In the 1890s the village [of Tápiószele] became known nationwide because of a remarkable incident. Ignác Liechtenstein, the rabbi of the village, published a pamphlet called Judentum und Christentum [german: Jewry and Christianity] with the motto "those for whom the Jewish creed is too difficult, should seek their rapture in the arms of Jesus". The pamphlet's publication caused great consternation across the country and demands for the removal of the rabbi. He also had supporters, which laid the ground for a massive conflict. In the end the rabbi stepped down voluntarily following the public indignation. The rabbi's seat remained empty until 1923."

-- Kendrick7talk 19:58, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

In answer to "Original Research"
The list of Ignatz Lichtenstein's work, comes from an introduction to an Anthology to his work as the citation indicates. A similar list, from the same author, appears here: http://messianicart.com/davar/articles/isaaclichtenstein.htm. Further, I'm posting what works I am able to get my hands on to Wikimedia Commons. I've already posted two of his works:
 * Der Talmud auf der Anklagebank durch einen begeisterten Verehrer des Judenthums
 * Die Liebe und die Befehrung

Neither of the two works have been translated into English.

With respect to Jehiel Zevi Lichtenstein, it is correct that he and Ignatz where frequently confused. However, Ignatz works where all in German, though many of them where translated by the wife of David Baron. Jechel, by contrast only wrote his works in Hebrew. In fact, I have Jechil's commentary on the New Testement if anyone is interested. &mdash;Wikijeff 01:09, 10 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Works for me. -- Kendrick7talk 01:33, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

Mistakenly referred to as Isaac?
I've read the discussion above; but I am not so sure about this. I am quite certain that Ignatz (in its various spellings) was considered the standard equivalent of Isaac/Yitzchak (compare Mordechai > Mark/Max, Chaim > Joachim, etc.), and the JewishGen given names database seems to confirm this (search "Ign*").

הסרפד (Hasirpad) [formerly Ratz...bo] 03:01, 24 December 2012 (UTC)

More sources
I've noticed that a major concern about the article's veracity in all the previous discussions was the reliability of the sources. I've now found a contemporary Orthodox source, which is theoretically free from the allegations of bias in this case, and adds balance to the case:
 * (Passing mention in his brother's entry.)

(Credit: ivelt.com)

Perhaps I will eventually add the information to the article.

הסרפד (Hasirpad) [formerly Ratz...bo] 03:59, 24 December 2012 (UTC)
 * This source also gives more information about his family: it describes his brother, Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Lichtenstein of Nagykata.
 * הסרפד (Hasirpad) [formerly Ratz...bo] 04:44, 24 December 2012 (UTC)

Date of death
I've fixed the date of death per the source I added: a contemporary Jewish missionary magazine published in January 1909 which mentions Lichtenstein as having died on Friday, the 16th of October—obviously 1908. In addition, October 26, 1908, was a Friday, while October 16, 1909, was a Saturday. I left the same reasoning in a comment there to prevent hasty reversion.

Upon searching the web, I notice that most Messianic sites indeed write that he died in 1908, though many have 1909 (perhaps after Wikipedia?).

הסרפד (Hasirpad) [formerly Ratz...bo] 04:43, 24 December 2012 (UTC)