Israel and Humanity - Foreword by Dr. Alfred Levy, Chief Rabbi of France
FOREWORD
By posting, thirteen years after his death, the masterpiece of the learned Rabbi Elijah Benamozegh Israel and humanity, the son of the author and his worthy successor, Dr. Samuel Colombo, reverently honoring his memory and pride themselves greatly themselves.
They can begin to posterity to appreciate the incomparable erudition, the breadth of vision, the outstanding qualities of heart and mind of the minister of God whose life was devoted to the study and exhibition of our holy doctrines.
They then travel to Israel a real service by publishing a work designed to show all that is broad, generous, sublime in his ideal of love for God, justice, dedication and a spirit of brotherhood and harmony with humanity.
Chosen by God to fulfill a mission here on earth mainly religious, that spread around the world the concept of monotheism, Israel would find in Judaism the elements of this universal religion dedicated to mankind and who, in messianic times, will together under its broad umbrella, all the nations of the world.
Up one God the Creator and Father of all men, young one family of brothers who confuse whole [1] in the adoration of her divine Father, this is the Jewish conception of choice , the one for which Israel, the firstborn of the Lord, this people-priest, has struggled and suffered so much, this is a dream that continues to this and to achieve which he had to retain its individuality. It does not require that all people convert to Judaism and observe all the commandments, but they arrive at a conception of God, while the adoring their way.
Is to develop this idea Benamozegh Elijah spent the treasures of his prodigious erudition. Drawing its arguments to the biblical sources, Talmudic and Kabbalistic even he attended the universal thought of Judaism in which he conceived the idea of God, humanity and its ultimate end, as in Jewish law regarding the Mosaic law in what regards the laws Noachides for the Gentile.
In this monument to the glory of Judaism. we know what we should most admire or work that requires power or wealth of documentation he reveals. This increases the merit of this voluminous work is the honesty with which the author addresses all the questions and answers in advance to all the objections which he states that his book may lead, not a problem that does it raises and seeks to solve. Israel, and we know the writer infinitely grateful, out of this study, absolutely free of any hint of selfishness, personal interest. He desires only the good of humanity, it aspires only one goal: the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. May he continue his work so bravely faithful to the Mosaic system, preserving its traditions and practicing until the day when the much desired, in the phrase that ends all his offices, God will be One and His name One. This is the last wish of the author to whom we join the bottom of our heart.
Let's say, in conclusion, that the author found in one of his disciples, Aime Pallière (Loëtmol) an admirer of his ideas he made his own for most and which he managed to [2] to give a literary turn, the author, while he was abroad, who desired that his book was read in all countries, he appeared in our language. Many thanks to him and worthy publishers of this work.
July 23, 1913.
ALFRED LEVY
Grand Rabbi of France
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