The Jewish religion — Reading Companion

A Work of Transmission, Not Originality

The preface explicitly states that the author “does not claim much originality.” Instead, Friedländer aims to pass on religious principles he received from his parents and from the great teachers of Israel. He quotes the Mishnah (Aboth v. 25) urging readers to “turn it, and turn it over again,” though he modestly hopes that what is in the book will be found useful. The work’s origin is tied to a specific patron: Jacob A. Franklin, whose trust fund financed the printing. This context suggests the book was conceived as a practical guide for Jewish readers, not as a scholarly innovation.

Structuring Belief: Faith, Confidence, and Resignation

The excerpt from the body of the work presents a clear, numbered structure. Under the heading “Faith and Confidence in God,” Friedländer defines God as “All-kind, All-wise, and All-powerful” and argues that because God knows what is good, we can entrust ourselves to Him. He supports each point with biblical verses: “Into his hand I commend my spirit” from the Daily Prayers, and Psalms such as “The Lord is my shepherd.” A subsequent section on “Resignation to the Will of God” teaches contentment with one’s lot, citing the Mishnah Berachoth that one must bless God in evil as in good fortune. The progression from faith to resignation is methodical and practical.

Duties Expressed in Speech and Action

Friedländer extends the discussion to outward expression. He notes that while God knows our thoughts, we still address Him in words, just as we speak to parents or children even when they already know our feelings. He acknowledges “an immeasurable difference between the Divine Being and earthly creatures” but insists that verbal prayer is a natural human impulse. The text then moves to duties toward God in speech, implying a comprehensive system of Pflichtenlehre (doctrine of duties). This attention to both inner disposition and outer practice characterizes the work’s pedagogical approach.

A Guide for the Seeking Reader

The excerpts reveal a book designed for readers who want a systematic presentation of Jewish religious principles. Friedländer addresses “his brethren, especially his disciples,” and hopes the work will be “an incentive to many to learn and teach, to heed and do.” The second edition preface notes that no changes were needed in the body, suggesting the author considered the content stable. Readers approaching the text should expect a structured exposition of beliefs and duties, supported by biblical and rabbinic citations, with an emphasis on practical application rather than abstract theology.

Friedländer’s work is best read as a companion to the sources he cites—Scripture and post-biblical literature. The excerpts show a consistent method: define a principle, support it with verses, and connect it to daily life. Readers who engage with the biblical passages he quotes will gain the most from this volume. The book’s origin as a trust-funded project underscores its purpose as a service to the Jewish community, not a personal statement.

Holding Friedländer’s little volume, I was struck by how calmly he maps duty—toward God, toward neighbor—as if faith were a quiet room with known corners. That same unhurried architecture surfaced in The Books of the New Testament — Story, Setting & Ideas, where early writings feel less like pronouncements and more like patient letters home. Both left me thinking about how we arrange our beliefs, almost without noticing.