a kernel of the truth, when we recall that among Maimon's
intimate friends was the rabbi of Kletzk, Lithuania; that in the humble
dwelling of his father there were works on historical, astronomical, and
philosophical subjects; that the chief rabbi of a neighboring town,
Rabbi Samson of Slonim, who, according to Fuenn, "had in his youth lived
for a while in Germany, learned the German language there, and made
himself acquainted in some measure with the sciences," continued his
study of the sciences, and soon collected a fair library of German
books.[42] Saadia, Bahya, Halevi, Ibn Ezra, Crescas, Bedersi, Levi ben
Gerson (whom Goldenthal calls the Hebrew Kant), Albo, Abarbanel, and
others whose works deserve a high place in the history of Jewish
philosophy, were on the whole fairly represented in the libraries, and
diligently studied in the numerous yeshibot and batte midrashim.

Thus the enlightenment which dawned upon France, Germany, and England
cast a glow even on the Slavonic Jews, despite the Chinese wall of
disabilities that hemmed them in. Unfortunately, this only helped to
render them dissatisfied with their wretched lot, without affording them
the means of ameliorating it. While the Jews in Western Europe profited
and were encouraged by the example of their Christian neighbors; while,
in addition to their innate thirst for learning, they had everywhere
else political and civil preferments to look forward to, in Russo-Poland
not only were such outside stimuli absent, but the Slavonic Jews had to
struggle against obstacles and hindrances at every step. No such heaven
on earth could be dreamed of there. The country was still in a most
barbarous state. Those who wished to perfect themselves in any of the
sciences had to leave home and all and go to a foreign land, and had to
study, as they were bidden to study the Talmud, "lishmah," that is, for
its own sake. This is the distinguishing feature between the German and
Slavonic Maskilim during the eighteenth century. The cry of the former
was, "Become learned, lest the nations say we are not civilized and deny
us the wealth, respect, and especially the equality we covet!" The
latter were humbly seeking after the truth, either because they could
better elucidate the Talmud, or because, as they held, it was _their_
truth, of which the nations had deprived them during their long
exile.[43] They were unlike their German brethren in another respect.
Almost all of them were "