A Soulful Journey

The young Rosenzweig once asked Hermann Cohen to assess the world of Leopold Zunz.  He retorted bitingly: "Zunz could have been a great historian, but he ended up as an antiquarian."

In 1914 during a talk, Hermann Cohen turned to Franz Rosenzweig, whom he reproached for being too tolerant of Zionism: “Die kerle wollen glucklich sein” “Those fellows want to be happy.”   -Gershom Scholem Is being happy really such a bad thing?

“ There are two kinds of rabbi: the one who is wiling to kill every Judgment (din) for a Jew and the other who is wiling to kill every Jew for every judgment.”   -Hermann Cohen What Cohen refers to regarding “judgment” is mitzvah.   He reckons that either mitzvot are important to preserve at any cost.   Our commitment to God is worth any price.   Others say that the mitzvot are subservient to human need.   Which is correct?   Sometimes both?   One or the other?   Neither?