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after signifying Ills Majesty ' s approbation of their answers , and referring to tfas revolution , which menaced to swallow up religious thrones and empires , hwt the evils inflicted by which had been repaired by one man , proceeds to observe , that the Tews , overwhelmed by the contempt of nations , and often the objects of the avarice of sovereigns , have not hitherto been treated with justice ; and then states the following proposition on the part of his Imperial Majesty : — cc it is the wLh of his Majesty , that there should remain no excuse to those
who will not become citizens . He insures to yeu the free exercise of your rcKe ; £ on , and the full enjoyment of your political rights ; but , in return for the auotist protection which he grants you , foe *" exact : s a religious guarantee for the entire observance of the principles announced in your answers This Assembly , as it is at present constituted , cannot alone offer this to him . Its answers
must be converted into decisions by another Assembly of a still more imposing a . nd relig ious form , that they may be placed by the side of the Talmud , and thus acquire in the eyes of the Jews of every country , and of every age , the greatest possible authority . This is the an y mo ^ of c nf ming to the greatness * & generosit / of his Majesty ' s
view , and of causing to be felt by all tho e who proiess your religion , the happy influence of this memorable epoch . «« The number of commentators on your law have doubtless altered its pur ' . ty ; and the diversity of their opinions has created doubts in the minds of many of those who read them . It would
therefore , be rendering an important service to the generality of Jews to fix their belief on the matters which have already been submitted to you . In orckr that the history of Israel may speak of an Assembly invested with an authority capable of producing the results which we expect , there must be a Grand Sanhedrim . It is a Grand Sanhedrim .
¦ which his Majesty proposes to convoke . This Assemb . y , which fell from the Temple , will thus re-appear to enlighten every where the people whom it go-Terns . It will thus restore the true spirit of your law , and give an explanation calculated to put jin end to all erroneous interpretation . It will call upon the Jewish people to love and defend the
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country which they inhabit , and wift teach them that all the sentiments which attach them to their ancient country are due , where , for the first time since the ruin of their nation , they can elevate i : heir voice . ' * The speech then goes on to propose , that , according to ancient lisage , the Grand Sanhedrim shall consist of 66 members , exclusive of the Presidents ; two-thirds to be Rabbins , includingthose present , the other third to be chosen by the Assembly by secret scrutiny ; that the present Assembly is to continue as long as the Grand Sanhedrim shall remain assembled ; and that
a Committee of nine members should be appointed to arrange the subjects for discussion in the Sanhedrim . Lastly * the Assembly is requested to announce the convocation of the Sankedrim to all the Synagogues in Europe . The President of the Assembly , M . Furtado , in his answer , after paying *
compliments to the Emperor , lamenting the falling state of the Jews , anet expressing surprize that no Prince had until now taken any steps to ameliorate their condition , proceeds to observe on the inconveniencies arising from the division of each religion into different sects , and that each ought to present to
the Sovereign a responsibility and the means of superintendance , for which purposes there should be persons appointed to study its principles and preserve its purity , of which there should be the depositaries and the guardians . He then states , that the explanation of the dogmas of the Jewish religion , given
by the Assembly , had proved , that there was nothing either in its princi ples or its practice which could justify the exclusion of the Jews from the enjoyment of the civil and political rights oi Frenchmen . He concludes by expressing great approbation of the proposition for convoking the Grand Sanhedrim .
The fo ' lowing resolutions were im * mediately adopted : — - u That the Committee of the Assem * bly should wait upon the Commissioner * of his Imperial and Royal Majesty , to in treat them to carry to the foot of tho throne , the homage of its profound graititude , and of its entire and respectful devotion .
" That there shall be addressed by the Assembly a Proclamation to all the Synagogues of the prencjb empire , of tbf
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5 52 Paliiico ^ Retigious Intelligence .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1806, page 552, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1729/page/48/
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