Beth Midoth [ethics and philosophy].

MARGOLIOUTH, YEHUDAH LEIB.

Dyhernfurth

1778

First Edition. With section “Musarei HaPhilosophiyim” [moral instructions of the philosophers]

Vinograd, Dyhernfurth 224 (erroneous collation); Weiner 1336.

Although a renowned Talmudist (author of Korban Reishith on Tractate Rosh Hashanah and responsa Peri Tevuah) Margoliouth (1747-1818) is considered by many as one of precursors of Haskalah in Eastern Europe. As is evident from the present work (later expanded into his Tal Oroth, Frankfurt o/der Oder, 1811), he was well familiar with medieval philosophy, along with contemporary Haskalah literature. Nonetheless, despite Margoliouth’s enlightened views, the orthodox Rabbi in him criticized Mendelssohn’s work “Jerusalem” (see his Atzei Eden) and was ultimately disillusioned by the radical direction of the Haskalah movement as a whole.