💬 “A Parable Against Persecution,” a pseudepigraphal text written by Benjamin Franklin (1755)

Written by future founding father Benjamin Franklin in 1755, “A Parable Against Persecution,” also known as “the 51st Chapter [of Genesis],” is an example of what is often called ‘pseudo-biblicism,’ a trend from the 1740s to the mid-19th century of writing modern events in the already-archaic style of the King James Bible. More strictly, “A Parable Against Persecution” is an example of pseudepigrapha in that it is meant to be read as part of the book of Genesis, telling a story of Abraham facing a non-coreligionist, acting rashly, and learning a lesson about religious tolerance. Already in 1755 we can see Franklin’s radically liberal religious views.

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Tags:

18th century C.E., 56th century A.M., the Enlightenment, Hebrew translation, interfaith tolerance, liberty, pseudepigrapha, tolerance and intolerance, tolerance of difference

Contributor(s):

Benjamin Franklin and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)

Prayer at the Opening of a Masonic Lodge by Jewish Freemasons (before 1756)

This undated 18th century prayer (before 1756) by an unknown author for “the opening of [a] lodge, etc., and used by Jewish Freemasons” was published in “Old Forms of Lodge Prayers,” The Hebrew Leader (31 December 1889), p. 4. (The Hebrew Leader regularly included news of interest to Jewish member of masonic fraternities.) The provenance of the prayer is offered in the lede: “Appended to a copy of the Constitutions of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of F. and A. Masons, published in 1801, by Bro. D. Longworth, at the Shakespeare Gallery, New York City (kindly loaned to us by R.W. Henry C. Banks), we find a number of forms which at the present day appear unique. These forms are spoken of as having been in use for a long period during the last century; and from them we extract two or three Prayers, one or the other of which it was customary to repeat, according to the religious faith of the members of the lodge’ which had assembled. We give them for the benefit of our readers.” The source for the prayer in its re-printed form is a 1756 work, Ahiman Rezon: or, a help to a brother; shewing the excellency of secrecy, … Together with Solomon’s temple an oratorio, as it was performed for the benefit of free-masons by Laurence Dermott (1756).

Categories:

Congregation & Community

Tags:

18th century C.E., 56th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Freemasons

Contributor(s):

Unknown and Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

💬 Haftarot from Jeremiah for the First Two of the Three Weeks of Mourning with their Spanish translations from a compilation by Rabbi Isaac Lopez (Jamaica, ca. 1843)

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the common practice among Western Sephardim was to read some or all of the aftarót recited in the three weeks before the fast of Aḇ with a verse-by-verse “Ladino” (in this case meaning standard Early Modern Spanish, not Judezmo) translation. According to Joseph Jesurun Pinto (ḥazzan of Shearith Israel in New York from 1759 to 1766), it was customary in Amsterdam for only the final of the three aftarót, the aftará of Shabbat Ḥazon, to be recited with this Spanish targum, while in London it was customary for all three to be recited. This practice fell out of common usage in the past few centuries, although the Western Sephardic community of Bayonne preserved it up until the Shoah. But to this day a unique cantillation system is used in most Western Sephardic communities for the three aftarót before the fast.

Categories:

Tishah b'Av Readings

Tags:

19th century C.E., 56th century A.M., Haftarah supplement, Jamaica, nine days, Shabbatot of Admonition, Spanish-Portuguese, Spanish Translation, Three Weeks of Mourning, Western Sefaradim, Y'mei Bein haMitsrim

Contributor(s):

Isaac Lopez, Yeshayahu ben Amōts and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)