Editing Samuel Holdheim (section)

== Attitude toward government ==
Holdheim's purpose was to bring about a change in this state of affairs. In the preface to his ''Gottesdienstliche Vorträge'' (Frankfurt (Oder), 1839) he appealed both to the government to accord the modern rabbinate the dignity due to it, and to the congregations to cease regarding the rabbi as an expert in Jewish [[casuistry]] mainly charged with the duty of answering ''she'elot'' (ritual questions) and inquiries concerning dietary laws. He insisted upon the recognition of the rabbi as preacher and teacher, who at the same time gives attention to the practical requirements of his office as the expert in Talmudical law.

While in Frankfurt, Holdheim scrupulously decided every question according to the [[halakha]]. In his pulpit discourses belonging to this period the intention is plain to steer clear of mere rationalistic moralizing, on the one hand, and dry legalizing and unscientific speculation (in the style of the old ''derashah''), on the other. Holdheim thus deserves to be remembered as one of the pioneers in the field of modern Jewish [[homiletics]], who showed what use should be made of the ''[[Midrashim]]'' and other Jewish writings. He also repeatedly took pains to arouse his congregation to help carry out [[Abraham Geiger]]'s and [[Ludwig Philippson]]'s project of founding a Jewish theological faculty. Judaism even then had ceased for Holdheim to be an end unto itself. He had begun to view it as a force in the larger life of humanity.