Editing Samson Raphael Hirsch (section)

==Career==
[[Image:Samson_Raphael_Hirsch_(ZR002).jpg|thumb|200px|Hirsch in Oldenburg (1830-1841). The wig instead of a hat has been seen as an attempt to satisfy both Jewish religious requirements and secular fashion.<ref>{{cite book | last=Aschheim | first=Steven E. | title=Brothers and strangers: The east European Jew in German and German Jewish consciousness, 1800-1923 | publisher=University of Wisconsin Press | date=1982 | isbn=978-0-299-09113-2 | oclc=179582739 | page=10 |postscript=none}}; {{cite book | last=Rubens | first=Alfred | title=A history of Jewish costume | publisher=Owen | publication-place=London | date=1973 | isbn=0-297-76593-0 | oclc=1047367 |page=161}}</ref>]]
[[Image:SamsonHirsch1.jpg|thumb|200px|An 1868 illustration.<ref name=Klugman/>]]
[[File:Samson-raphael-hirsch-schule_frankfurt_hesse_germany.jpg|thumb|200px|The Frankfurt school  Hirsch founded as "Realschule und Lyzeum der Israelitischen Religionsgesellschaft" in 1853 was renamed [[:de:Samson-Raphael-Hirsch-Schule|Samson-Raphael-Hirsch-Schule]] in 1928.]]
[[File:Samson-raphael-hirsch-schule commemorative plaque2001 frankfurt hesse germany.JPG|thumb|200px|Plaque discussing the school's forced closure in 1939; its last part reads: "The school conveyed traditional Jewish values, together with a secular education. It was a model for Modern Orthodox schools."]]
[[File:HirschBamberger.jpg|thumb|A column in the Vienna-based newspaper [https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/neuzeit-die ''Die Neuzeit''] concerning ''Austritt'', as described aside.]]
[[File:Samson Raphael Hirsch And Wife Grave Frankfurt.jpeg|thumb|200px|Tombstones of Hirsch and his wife Johanna]]

=== Oldenburg ===
In 1830, Hirsch was elected [[chief rabbi]] (''Landesrabbiner'') of the [[Grand Duchy of Oldenburg|Principality of Oldenburg]]. During this period, he wrote his ''Neunzehn Briefe über Judenthum,'' (''Nineteen Letters on Judaism'') which were published under the pseudonym of "Ben Usiel" (or "Uziel"), at Altona in 1836. This work made a profound impression in German Jewish circles because it was "something new — a brilliant, intellectual presentation of [[Orthodox Judaism]] in classic German, and a fearless, uncompromising defense of all its institutions and ordinances".<ref name=Klugman/>

One of the young intellectuals strongly influenced by the "Nineteen Letters" was [[Heinrich Graetz]]. Following a personal letter that Graetz wrote to Hirsch, Hirsch offered Graetz to host him at his own house for the continuation of his studies. Graetz then lived at Hirsch's house in Oldenburg from 1837 to 1840, as a pupil, companion, and amanuensis.<ref>Shmuel Ettinger and Marcus Pyka, "Graetz, Heinrich," ''Encyclopaedia Judaica'', Encyclopedia.com. 9 Sep. 2021</ref>"
Hirsch's major works are discussed in further detail [[#Works|below]].

In 1838, Hirsch published, "as a necessary concomitant" of the ''Letters'', his ''Horeb, oder Versuche über Jissroel's Pflichten in der Zerstreuung'', as a text-book on Judaism for educated Jewish youth. He had written ''Horeb'' first, but his publishers doubted that a work defending traditional Judaism would find a market in those times with reform in vogue.<ref name=Klugman/>

In 1839, he published ''Erste Mittheilungen aus Naphtali's Briefwechsel'', a polemical essay against the [[Reform Judaism|reforms in Judaism]] proposed by Geiger and the contributors to the latter's ''Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift für jüdische Theologie'' (such as [[Michael Creizenach]]); and in 1844, he published ''Zweite Mittheilungen aus einem Briefwechsel über die Neueste Jüdische Literatur'', also polemical in tendency and attacking [[Samuel Holdheim|Holdheim's]] ''Die Autonomie der Rabbinen'' (1843).<ref name=Klugman/>

=== Emden ===
Hirsch remained in Oldenburg until 1841 when he was elected chief rabbi of the Hanoverian districts of [[Aurich]] and [[Osnabrück]], with his residence in [[Emden]]. During this five-year post, he was taken up almost completely by communal work and had little time for writing. He did, however, found a secondary school with a curriculum featuring both [[Judaism|Jewish studies]] and a secular program, for the first time employing his motto ''[[Torah im Derech Eretz]]'' ("The Torah is maximalized in partnership with worldly involvement").<ref name=Klugman/>

In 1843, Hirsch applied for the post of [[Chief Rabbi]] of the [[British Empire]]. Out of 13 candidates, mostly from Germany, he reached the shortlist of four: [[Nathan Marcus Adler]], Hirsch Hirschfeld, [[Benjamin Hirsch Auerbach]], and Hirsch.<ref name=Klugman/> Adler won the position on December 1, 1844. With 135 communities having one vote each, Adler received 121 votes, Hirschfeld 12, and Hirsch 2.<ref name="Rosenberg">{{cite news |author=Rosenberg, Stephen Gabriel | title= Samson Raphael Hirsch: The British connection |url=http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Guest-Column-Samson-Raphael-Hirsch-The-British-connection |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=2008-06-12 | access-date=2018-04-19}}</ref>

=== Nikolsburg ===
In 1846, Hirsch was called to the rabbinate of [[Mikulov|Nikolsburg]] in [[Moravia]], and in 1847, he became chief rabbi of [[Moravia]] and Austrian Silesia. In Austria, he spent five years in the re-organization of the Jewish congregations and the instruction of numerous disciples; he was also, in his official capacity as chief rabbi, a member of the Moravian ''[[Landtag]]'', where he campaigned for more civil rights for Jews in Moravia.<ref name=Klugman/>

In Moravia, Hirsch had a difficult time, on the one side receiving criticism from the Reform-minded, and on the other side from a deeply traditional [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] element, which found some of his reforms too radical. Hirsch placed a much stronger emphasis on a deep study of the entire [[Hebrew Bible]], rather than just the [[Torah]] and selected Bible readings, in addition to [[Talmud]], as had been the custom of religious Jews up until then.<ref name=Klugman/>

=== Frankfurt am Main ===
In 1851, he accepted a call as rabbi of an Orthodox separatist group in [[Frankfurt am Main]], a part of the Jewish community of which had otherwise largely accepted classical Reform Judaism. This group, known as the "Israelite Religious Society" ("Israelitische Religions-Gesellschaft", or IRG), became, under his administration, a great congregation, numbering about 500 families. Hirsch remained rabbi of this congregation for the rest of his life.<ref name=Klugman/>

Hirsch organized the ''Realschule'' and the ''Bürgerschule'', in which thorough Jewish training was provided, along with those aspects of secular training deemed true according to the [[Torah]] (''[[Torah im Derech Eretz]]''). He also founded and edited the monthly magazine ''Jeschurun'' (1855–1870; new series, 1882 et seq); most of the pages of the Jeschurun were filled by himself.<ref name=Klugman/>
During this period he produced his commentaries on [[Chumash (Judaism)|''Chumash'']] (Pentateuch), ''Tehillim'' (Psalms) and ''[[siddur]]'' (prayer book).

====''Austritt''====
In 1876, [[Edward Lasker (politician)|Edward Lasker]] (a Jewish parliamentarian in the [[Prussian Landtag]]) introduced the "Secession Bill" (''Austrittsgesetz''), which would enable Jews to secede from a religious congregation without having to relinquish their religious status. The law was passed on July 28, 1876. Despite the new legislation, a conflict arose whether "''Austritt''" (secession) was required by [[halakha|Jewish law]]. Hirsch held this was mandatory, even though it involved a court appearance and visible disapproval of the Reform-dominated "Main Community" (''Grossgemeinde''). His contemporary [[Seligman Baer Bamberger|Isaac Dov (Seligman Baer) Bamberger]], [[Rabbi]] of [[Würzburg]], argued that as long as the ''Grossgemeinde'' made appropriate arrangements for the Orthodox element, secession was unnecessary. The schism caused a terrible rift and many hurt feelings, and its aftershocks could be felt until the ultimate destruction of the Frankfurt community by the Nazis.<ref name=Klugman/>

=== Final years ===
During the final years of his life, Hirsch put his efforts in the founding of the "''Freie Vereinigung für die Interessen des Orthodoxen Judentums''", an association of independent Jewish communities. During the 30 years after his death, this organization would be used as a model for the formation of the international Orthodox [[Agudat Yisrael|Agudas Yisrael]] movement. Hirsch had a great love for the [[Land of Israel]], which is apparent from his writings, but was opposed to the proto-[[Zionism|Zionist]] activities of [[Zvi Hirsch Kalischer]].<ref name=Klugman/>  He opposed any movement to wrest political independence for the Land of Israel before the Messianic Era.<ref name=":0" /> In later works, he makes it clear that Jewish sovereignty is dependent only on Divine Providence.<ref name=":1" />

From reports of his family members, it seems likely that Hirsch contracted [[malaria]] while in Emden, which continued to plague him during the rest of life with febrile episodes.<ref name=Klugman/>

Hirsch died in 1888 in [[Frankfurt am Main]], and is buried there.<ref name=Klugman/>

Hirsch's son [[:de:Mendel Hirsch|Mendel Hirsch]] {{in lang|de}} (1833–1900) was a scholar and writer; his granddaughter [[Rahel Hirsch]] (1870–1953) became the first female professor of medicine in [[Prussia]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | author=Lindner, Petra | title=Rahel Hirsch | encyclopedia=Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia | date=1 March 2009 | publisher=Jewish Women's Archive | access-date=December 5, 2011 | url=http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/hirsch-rahel}}</ref>