A Book of Jewish Thoughts for Jewish Soldiers & Sailors: Selected and Arranged – by Rabbi J. H. Hertz, Chief Rabbi of Great Britain. Published by Eyre & Spottiswoode, Ltd., London, 1917 – third edition, including many passages not found in previous editions. A pocket-sized booklet of Jewish prayer and thought, specially printed for Jewish sailors and soldiers serving in the British Army during World War I.
A pocket-sized booklet for the Hebrew soldier, rich in content and encompassing the life of the Jew. In the introduction, Chief Rabbi Hertz dedicates the book “to my fellow Jews in active service” and writes:
I send you this little book of Jewish thoughts, and hope that it may reach every Jewish sailor and soldier in His Majesty’s service. It brings to you the eternal message of our sacred faith; memories of Jewish loyalty and martyrdom in the service of G-d and humanity throughout the ages; as well as reflections on the deeper issues of this world conflict, as seen through the eyes of Judaism. Furthermore, on every sacred occasion of the Jewish year, you will find in it an echo of some characteristic note of the festival, to remind you of Israel’s eternity and His Law… My prayers and the prayers of all the House of Israel are with you: may your going out and coming in be in peace…”.
The booklet is composed of five chapters: The Jewish Warrior – includes verses of Jewish heroism and passages on the Jews’ love for England and their contribution to the Kingdom; Men of the Book – on the secret of the Jewish people’s eternity throughout the ages; The Voice of Prayer – excerpts from the daily and holiday prayer books, as well as moral and contemplative passages related to all Jewish festivals; The Voice of Wisdom – Jewish ethics, the value of human life as expressed by Jewish sages through the generations, including excerpts from the wisdom of Solomon, Maimonides, the Zohar, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, and also quotations from Theodor Herzl, Max Nordau, and others on the Zionist movement and its aims (“The Zionist movement is today the greatest popular movement the Jewish people has ever known” – from the words of Lucien Wolf); and a sources index. The second edition of the booklet also included a chapter on the “Testimony of the Nations, ” in which Rabbi Hertz brought quotes from non-Jewish authors in praise of the Jewish people. In the present edition, he chose to omit this chapter.
180 pp. 13 cm. Original cover. Light creases on some pages. Very good condition.
