Nathan Adler
Nathan Adler was a prominent German kabbalist and rosh yeshiva in Frankfurt. A deeply revered yet controversial figure, he mentored several of the era's most influential rabbis, most notably the Chatam Sofer. While Adler's unique practices led to significant institutional opposition and repeated threats or decrees of excommunication, his standing and reputation were formally restored by the Frankfurt community just prior to his death. His tombstone bears the rare honorific HaNesher HaGadol, a title reflecting both a play on his surname and his ultimate recognition as a preeminent spiritual authority.
Biography
He was born in Frankfurt on December 16, 1741. As a precocious child he won the admiration of Rabbi Chaim Joseph David Azulai, who, in 1752, came to Frankfurt to solicit contributions for the poor of the Jewish communities in Eretz Yisrael. Adler attended the rabbinical school of Rabbi Jacob Joshua Falk, author of Penei Yehoshua, who was at that time the Oberrabbiner of Frankfurt, but his principal teacher was Rabbi David Tevele Schiff, later to become the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom. In 1761, he established a yeshivah himself, in which several prominent rabbis received their early training, notable among whom were Abraham Auerbach, Abraham Bing, rabbi in Würzburg, Sekl Loeb Wormser, and especially Moses Sofer, rabbi in Presburg.Nathan Adler was heavily involved in the study of the Kabbala, and adopted the liturgical system of Isaac Luria, assembling about himself a select community of kabbalistic adepts. He was one of the first Ashkenazim to adopt the Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrew, and gave hospitality to a Sephardi scholar for several months to ensure that he learnt that pronunciation accurately. He prayed according to the Sephardic ritual, pronounced the priestly blessing every day, and in other ways approached the school of the Hasidim, who had at that time provoked the strongest censures on the part of the Talmudists of the old school. His followers claimed that he had performed miracles, and turned visionaries themselves, frightening many persons with predictions of misfortunes which would befall them. Finally, the rabbis and congregational leaders intervened in 1779 and prohibited, under penalty of excommunication, the assemblies in Nathan Adler's house.
Rabbi Nathan, however, paid no attention to these orders. He even excommunicated a man who had disregarded his orders, although this was contrary to the laws of the congregation. His doors remained open day and night and he declared all his possessions to be common property, that thus he might prevent the punishment of those who might carry away by mistake anything with them. Moreover, he commanded Moses Sofer, who had quarreled with his father, never to speak to his parent again. When the same disciple reported to him that he had gone through the whole Talmud, he advised him to celebrate that event by a fast of three days.
In spite of the continued conflict with the congregational authorities, the fame of Rabbi Nathan's piety and scholarship grew, and in 1782 he was elected rabbi of Boskowitz in Moravia. But his excessive and mystical piety having made enemies for him, he was forced to leave his congregation, and in 1785 returned to Frankfurt. As he still persisted in his former ways, the threat of excommunication was renewed in 1789, an act that remained a source of tension until the final year of his life. However, as his health declined in 1800, the communal stance shifted from opposition to veneration. Shortly before his death on September 17, 1800, the communal leadership moved to formally reconcile with him and restore his public standing. His wife, Rachel, daughter of Feist Cohen of Giessen, survived him. He left no children, though Nathan Marcus Adler, Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, may have been named after him.
His mysticism seems to have been the reason for his avoidance of literary publications. The kabbalists claimed that real esoteric theology should never be published, but should only be orally transmitted to worthy disciples. In his copy of the Mishnah he wrote brief marginal notes, mostly cross-references. Some of them were collected and explained ingeniously by B. H. Auerbach under the title Mishnat Rabbi Natan. One responsum is found among those of Moses Sofer on Yoreh De'ah, 261.
Death and Restoration of Standing
Shortly before his death, the Frankfurt Jewish community enacted a significant public reversal of their previous censures. The communal leadership and the Beit Din —which held sole jurisdiction over the excommunication process—moved to formally restore Adler's standing. The communal ledger was amended just prior to Adler's passing to nullify any standing decrees or threats of excommunication. This was a formal restoration of his reputation, and also from a halachic standpoint, would ensure that he would not be buried with any restrictions typically imposed on those under a communal ban.In a final gesture of reconciliation, the Beit Din and communal directors orchestrated his interment in a prime location in the Frankfurt Jewish cemetery, immediately adjacent to the past Oberrabbiner, Chief Rabbi Jacob Joshua Falk.
The "Great Eagle" Honorific
The epithet inscribed on his tombstone, HaNesher HaGadol, is a rare tribute in Jewish tradition. While it is a direct linguistic play on his surname, it carries two deeper layers of meaning:- Recognition as a Gadol: The term Gadol serves as a formal recognition of a scholar as a preeminent authority of the highest caliber—a leader whose halachic and spiritual standing is absolute.
- Allusion to Maimonides: The specific phrase HaNesher HaGadol is traditionally reserved almost exclusively for Maimonides. For the Frankfurt rabbinate to approve this specific honorific for Adler is viewed by scholars as a profound act of public redress and a testament to his perceived sanctity.
Reevaluating the Portrayal of Rabbi Nathan Adler: Addressing Potential Biases and Misinterpretations in the Jewish Encyclopedia Account
While Deutsch’s article on Adler in The Jewish Encyclopedia provides some factual details about Nathan Adler’s life, both Deutsch and Isidore Singer, the publication’s editor-in-chief, appear to have added a negative spin that reflects their own ideological biases. Deutsch was a professor of Jewish history at Hebrew Union College, a leading Reform institution, and Singer was a controversial liberal Jew opposed to Orthodox Judaism. Their perspectives are rooted in a Reform worldview that often depicts Orthodox figures and practices in a critical light; consequently, their account adopts a framing consistent with these ideological leanings. Their article portrays Adler in a way that can be easily misunderstood if one lacks the necessary cultural and religious context.
For example, Singer writes that Adler "paid no attention" to rabbinical orders, which could imply obstinance or disrespect. However, within the Orthodox community, Adler’s refusal to heed certain directives can be understood as a sign of his steadfastness and dedication to what he believed was for the greater good—namely, preserving traditional Judaism by infusing it with Kabbalah for the purpose of empowering traditional Jews to resist the influence of Enlightenment philosophies that threatened to dissolve sacred tradition. Adler’s actions would be viewed today by Orthodox Jews as having been motivated by a sense of spiritual urgency, not stubbornness or hubris.
Furthermore, Singer’s description that Adler "commanded Moses Sofer, who had quarrelled with his father, never to speak to his parent again" can be easily misunderstood as portraying Adler as a manipulative or cult-like figure trying to pit child against parent. In reality, Adler adopted Moses Sofer after Sofer’s father had physically abused him, and this act of guardianship was an act of protection. It is also recorded that Sofer’s mother supported this decision. Even Sofer’s father, a zealot who had beaten his son for the ostensible chutzpah of formulating a creative Talmudic argument against his grandfather’s exegesis,, eventually recognised his error and accepted Adler’s guardianship. It is also significant that Moses Sofer grew to become the foundational figure credited with establishing what is now known as Orthodox Judaism. Sofer’s teachings and leadership laid the groundwork for Orthodox tradition in the modern era, and his mentorship by Adler was instrumental in shaping his development as a leading rabbi and scholar. Though the strained relationship between Sofer and his father persisted, there is no evidence to suggest any malicious intent on Adler’s part; rather, he acted out of concern for the boy’s safety and future.
Additionally, Singer’s account that Adler advised his disciple to fast for three days after completing the Talmud may give an impression of sinister behaviour to readers unfamiliar with traditional Jewish customs. However, in the context of traditional Jewish piety, such fasting and ascetic acts were seen as legitimate expressions of spiritual elevation and devotion, often practiced by revered scholars and mystics. For those familiar with Halakha, Ashkenazi Hasidim, and Kabbalah, these ideas could be considered normative in context, and reflect a lofty spiritual discipline, not anything sinister.
The narrative by Deutsch and Singer could be seen by Orthodox Jews as heavily influenced by their own reformist, liberal ideological biases. A more nuanced understanding would recognise Adler as a deeply devout, committed spiritual leader who acted out of sincere concern for the preservation of authentic Jewish tradition and spirituality, albeit often in opposition to the prevailing authorities of his time.
The negative portrayal of Adler as a defiant or fringe figure is ultimately contradicted by the community's own final actions. The decision to restore his standing while he was still alive, to bury him in a place of highest honor, and to bestow the title of 'The Great Eagle'—an honorific synonymous with the greatest sages in history—demonstrates that the contemporary authorities of Frankfurt ultimately recognized his non-conformity as an expression of spiritual greatness rather than a breach of tradition.