Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ. Bernstein Aaron
before the Throne of Thy Majesty, that Thy will and pleasure should be accomplished in this faith. It is also known unto Thee that just when I am in the synagogue or in the houses of study, and even in the highest festivals when I am engaged in prayer, the desire of acknowledging the Christian faith inflames my heart and mind to the utmost. I cannot do otherwise. I must leave my bed in the middle of the night, and with bitter tears which Thou wilt not disdain, beseech Thee, that on the ground of Thy thirteen attributes, Thou mayest deliver me from these inward vexations. Yet they become stronger and more vehement every day, so that I am powerless to overcome them, and in weariness repine. No sooner does one thought leave me than another arises; the one whispers this, the other that. I am dumb and without advice. Thou knowest also that, after I made an excursion and returned home, I felt a little easier, but these thoughts took hold of me more mightily, making me anxious with fear and dread, and giving me not a moment's rest either day or night. They pursue me while dreaming or awake, on all my ways, so that life is a misery to me. Therefore, O Lord, Thou God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who art enthroned over the Cherubim, hear me! O Lord, hearken unto me! Here I am, here I am! Behold, in fasting and in prayer I supplicate Thy lovingkindness and grace, that Thou mayest graciously incline to me from Thy throne of glory and grant my request. O, my God, teach me to pray humbly and acceptably. Give me a new and pure heart, and renew my spirit, that I may be enabled to understand the inward emotions and to perceive the truth. Save me from this tribulation, and lead me in the right way. If it is determined before the Throne of Thy Majesty that I should accept the Christian faith, because it is good, holy, and acceptable to Thee; O, so may it please Thee that I should walk about in peace, and not depart from Thy way and will. All things come from Thee, and Thou hast dominion over all, and Thou enlightenest the eyes of those who love Thee, and Thou accomplishest that which is in accordance with Thy counsel. When after this month is passed, these spiritual emotions do not cease, then I will in truth acknowledge that Thou alone from Thy dwelling place in heaven hast wrought this restlessness in me, in order to lead me to my soul's salvation. So take hold of me with Thy right hand, bring my soul near to redemption, and save me from mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Praised be Thou, O Lord. Teach me Thy statutes. Praised be Thou who hearest prayer. Amen."
Ferrus, Peter, a Jewish convert to Christianity, lived in Spain in the fifteenth century. He was a poet of ability, but lacked discretion as well as charity in his poems with regard to the Jews.
Franchi, Guglielmo Dei, born in Rome, died there about 1660. After having embraced Christianity he joined the monastic order of Vallombrosa, and devoted himself to the dissemination of knowledge of Hebrew among Christians. In 1596 he published, at Rome, a Hebrew alphabet ("Alphabeticum Hebraicum"), giving the rules for the reading of Hebrew, and three years later a short Hebrew grammar. (Bergamo, 1599.)
Gonzalo, Garcia De Santa Maria, son of Paul of Burgos, was baptized with his father in 1379, when he was eleven years old. He was appointed archdeacon of Briviesca in 1412, and then successively Bishop of Astorga, of Placentia, and of Siguenza. Besides his ecclesiastical and historical studies, he made himself familiar with Jewish literature, and was one of the most learned men of his time in Spain. He was present at the Council of Basel as a delegate from Aragon.
Forti, Hortensius (Johanan Hazak), Jewish convert to Christianity, lived in the sixteenth century, born at Gorima, and settled at Prague, under Maximilian II. He wrote "Dikduk Leshon Kodesh," a Hebrew grammar, Prague, 1565-66, and "De Mystica Literarum Significatione," in which he expatiates on the different ways of writing the Holy Name. The latter work was published by Kircher in his "Oedipus Aegptytiacus ii."
Heydeck, Don Juan, was before his conversion to Christianity a rabbi in Germany, and afterwards professor of Oriental languages at the University of Madrid. In 1792 he published a work in three vols. entitled, "Defense de la religion Christiana," in which he reputed the errors and attacks of Voltaire and Rousseau. This work next to the Bible was the means of convincing Dr. Cappadose and Da Costa of the truth of the Gospel. In 1807 Napoleon convoked a great Jewish Sanhedrin, when some of the delegate rabbis were exuberant in their flattery of him as if he had been the Messiah. Thus the Italian Rabbi Segri, in an oration in honour of Napoleon's birthday said: "Truly a supernatural genius appeared upon earth, invested with greatness and infinite fame." Et ecce cum nubibus cœli quasi Filius hominis veniebat et dedit ei potestatem et honorem et regnum (Dan. vii. 13). R. David Zinsheimer, of Strassburg, applied to him in a sermon, Isa. xlii. 1, 4, 6. Another Italian rabbi opened the sitting with a speech in which this passage occurs in reference to Napoleon. Le genie createur, qui parmi les mortels est le mieux formée à l'image de Dieu, en suit les traces sublime. It was then that Heydeck wrote to them, "If the Son of Man shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John viii. 36.) (See "Christen und Juden," by Dr. A. Fürst, p. 202. See also the "Missionary Journal" of Dr. Joseph Wolf, 1824, containing a letter of Heydeck to a friend of Wolf in England, in which he expresses great interest in Wolf's journey to Jerusalem, and asks his correspondent to tell him that it is his wish that he may become like Joseph in Egypt, a deliverer of his brethren according to the flesh.)
Henekstein, Alfred Freiherr Von, born at Ober Dobling, Austria, 1810, died in Vienna, 1882. He was the son of the banker Joseph Von Henekstein, and embraced Christianity in 1828. Joining the army in the same year, he was gradually promoted, until in 1869 he was appointed Chief of the General Staff. As such he acted under Benedek in the Austro-Prussian war, when the Austrian army, through the blunders of commanding officers, was defeated, and he and his superior were arrested to appear before a court-martial. After some time the court was dismissed without having given judgment. Leaving the army, Henekstein passed the rest of his life in retirement in Vienna.
Hess, Ernst Friedrich, lived in the sixteenth century. He was the author of a controversial book entitled, "Neue Juden-geissel," cited as "Flagellum Judæorum." (Fritzlar, 1589.) (Strack, "Sind die Juden Verbrecher," p. 7.)
Ibn Vives, Juan, grandson of one of the richest Jews of Valencia, was the author of a book entitled, "Veritate Fidei Christianæ." It is asserted in the "Jewish Encyclopædia" that he did this in self-defence, because he was condemned in 1510 for Judaizing, but no proof is given.
Iolante, a converted Jewess, married Dam Luis, brother of Henry, King of Portugal, in the sixteenth century.
Isaac Johann Levita, born in Germany 1515, died at Cologne, 1577. At first he was a rabbi at Wetzler, he was baptized as a Protestant in 1546, but joined the Roman Catholic Church, and was appointed professor of Hebrew at Cologne, which office he held until his death. He wrote a Hebrew grammar in 1556. He also edited Maimonides' work on astrology, and Moses ibn Tibbon's commentary on Aristotle's physics (Cologne, 1555).
Johannes Hispalensis, flourished between 1135 and 1153. He was a native of Toledo, and hence also was called J. (David) Toletanus. He was one of the earliest translators from the Arabic. He translated chiefly astrological and astronomical, but likewise some philosophical, and a few medical, works, such as "Fons Vitæ," and "Epitome Totius Astrologæ."
Johannes Pauli, born about 1455, died at Thann, 1530. He became a distinguished preacher of the Franciscan Order at Oppenheim and Strassburg, at which latter place he took notes of Geiler's Sermons, which he edited at Schlettstadt, 1517. He is known chiefly, however, for his collection of jests under the title, "Schimpf und Ernst" (Thann, 1519). Some of his stories were taken over into the "Hundred Merry Tales" used by Shakespeare.
John, of Capua, an Italian Jewish convert in the thirteenth century. He translated Rabbi Joel's Hebrew version of "Kallilah wa Dimnah," from Arabic into Latin, under the title, "Discetorium Vitæ Humane," and his translation was the source from which that work became so widely spread in almost all European tongues.
Joshua Halorki was born in Spain in the latter part of the fourteenth century, at Lorca, in Murcia. He early distinguished himself as a subtle Talmudist and skilful physician. He was a Jew of the straitest sect. His scrupulous search for arguments against Christianity was over-ruled to his discovering that Christianity was founded on the Rock of Ages, against which the very gates of hell could not prevail. Dr. Joshua de Lorca then confessed, publicly, that in assaying to convict the Hebrew Christian, Solomon Halevi, of heresy, he proved himself to be ignorant of the spirit, and an unbeliever in the letter, of Moses