C—O" s SE

WALTER JACOB

were strange to the proponents of Reform who sought a simpler more direct approach which emphasized the older sources both biblical and rabbinic and decried the needless complications brought by the scholars of the previous centuries. The volume as expected elicited an Orthodox response as well as some Reform reaction, but little more. In fact, even some of the traditionalists chose other weapons for their response and decided to write in German on such matters as the organ controversy and changes in the liturgy.’ In the next century and a half until Hitler put an end to Central European Reform Judaism, halakhah generally and responsa specifically were not used as a vehicle of Liberal Jewish expression. In part this was due to the more conservative character of Liberal Judaism on the continent. Its rabbi referred to the Shulhan Arukh and its commentaries when asked a question and if changes seemed in order like those in the liturgy, personal practices, etc., they were made and then defended as necessary in the various journals available to the exponents of Liberal Judaism. Among such periodicals were Geiger's Zeitschrift , and Frankel’s Monatsschrift, in the nineteenth century, as well as various annuals and more popular weeklies and monthlies then and to the twentieth century. At times lengthy and involved discussions of historic sources were used while on other occasions the authors argued entirely on the grounds of modern philosophy and logic.

Perhaps another reason for the lack of liberal responsa in central Europe lay within the structure of the communities. All were recognized by the government, state supported and governed by a council which included all factions in the community. This meant that extremism was generally avoided; despite clashes, care was taken to prevent a major break. The Central European Jewish communities were overwhelmingly composed of Liberal Jews who comprised three-quarters of the Jewish population in the Western lands. We should also remember that by the middle of the nineteenth century there was little need to defend themselves against Orthodox opponents who now existed mainly outside

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