Israel Meyer Japhet
Encyclopedia
Israel Meyer Japhet was a teacher, choir director, and grammarian. He was choir director at the Realschule (Adass Jeschurun) in Frankfurt am Main under Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
, and composed music for synagogue use, many pieces of which are still in use today.
, Germany. His parents were Meyer Japhet (1782–1866) and Deborah Weinberg (1783–1843).
At age 17, he attained his first position as a choral director and religious teacher in Wolfhagen
. Subsequently he held a similar position in Gudenberg
, where he came into contact with Rabbi Mordechai Wetzlar. Wetzlar had a strong influence on Japhet's development and outlook.
From 1852-1892, he was choir director and religious instructor for the Orthodox
congregation in Frankfurt am Main.
For his works on grammar he used new methods of teaching in his textbooks.
In Germany, the Reform movement in Judaism
was having a great effect on synagogue music. Composers such as Solomon Sulzer and Louis Lewandowski
, wanting to emulate the use of music in churches, incorporated organs and mixed choirs into the liturgy of the Reform, and developed an elaborate compositional style. (Orthodox halakha
forbids the use of womens' voices and the use of musical instruments on the Shabbat
.) Japhet introduced choral singing as well, since he agreed that the use of a choir provided a revitalization of synagogue prayer. In keeping within halakha, his choirs consisted solely of men and boys. Aside from halakhic issues, Japhet felt that instruments and elaborate compositions could not compare with the feelings inspired by simple melodies and music. He felt that tunes used by previous generations can be a source of great inspiration, and retained many known liturgical tunes. His liturgical musical compositions were favored because of their simplicity (making them easy to sing), and because so many were based on existing synagogue tunes that were like folk songs. When he published his musical compositions, Shire Jeschurun, the introduction had commendations from noted composers such as Ignaz Lachner
, Giacomo Meyerbeer
, Louis Spohr
, and others.
Japhet died in Frankfurt am Main.
Samson Raphael Hirsch
Samson Raphael Hirsch was a German rabbi best known as the intellectual founder of the Torah im Derech Eretz school of contemporary Orthodox Judaism...
, and composed music for synagogue use, many pieces of which are still in use today.
Biography and career
Israel Meyer Japhet was born in KasselKassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Germany. His parents were Meyer Japhet (1782–1866) and Deborah Weinberg (1783–1843).
At age 17, he attained his first position as a choral director and religious teacher in Wolfhagen
Wolfhagen
Wolfhagen is a town in the district of Kassel, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 12 km southeast of Bad Arolsen, and 23 km west of Kassel on the German Framework Road.-External links:*...
. Subsequently he held a similar position in Gudenberg
Gudenberg
Gudenberg is a mountain of Hesse, Germany....
, where he came into contact with Rabbi Mordechai Wetzlar. Wetzlar had a strong influence on Japhet's development and outlook.
From 1852-1892, he was choir director and religious instructor for the Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
congregation in Frankfurt am Main.
For his works on grammar he used new methods of teaching in his textbooks.
In Germany, the Reform movement in Judaism
Reform movement in Judaism
The Reform movement in Judaism, originally named Reformed Society of Israelites, for Promoting true Principles of Judaism, according to its Purity and Spirit, is a historic and on-going religious and social movement that originated simultaneously in the early nineteenth century in the United States...
was having a great effect on synagogue music. Composers such as Solomon Sulzer and Louis Lewandowski
Louis Lewandowski
Louis Lewandowski was a German composer of synagogal music.Lewandowski was born at Wreschen, province of Posen, Prussia . At the age of twelve he went to Berlin to study piano and voice, and became solo soprano in the synagogue. Afterward he studied for three years under A. B...
, wanting to emulate the use of music in churches, incorporated organs and mixed choirs into the liturgy of the Reform, and developed an elaborate compositional style. (Orthodox halakha
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
forbids the use of womens' voices and the use of musical instruments on the Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
.) Japhet introduced choral singing as well, since he agreed that the use of a choir provided a revitalization of synagogue prayer. In keeping within halakha, his choirs consisted solely of men and boys. Aside from halakhic issues, Japhet felt that instruments and elaborate compositions could not compare with the feelings inspired by simple melodies and music. He felt that tunes used by previous generations can be a source of great inspiration, and retained many known liturgical tunes. His liturgical musical compositions were favored because of their simplicity (making them easy to sing), and because so many were based on existing synagogue tunes that were like folk songs. When he published his musical compositions, Shire Jeschurun, the introduction had commendations from noted composers such as Ignaz Lachner
Ignaz Lachner
Ignaz Lachner , was a German composer and conductor.Ignaz Lachner was born into a musical family at Rain am Lech. He was the second of the three famous Lachner brothers. Lachner's brothers Franz and Vinzenz, were also composers...
, Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
, Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Born Ludewig Spohr, he is usually known by the French form of his name. Described by Dorothy Mayer as "The Forgotten Master", Spohr was once as famous as Beethoven. As a violinist, his virtuoso playing was admired by Queen Victoria...
, and others.
Japhet died in Frankfurt am Main.
Family
Japhet married Katherine Therese Seckel (1822–1899) and had 2 children, Mathilde (1852–1931) and Samuel (1858–1954). Mathilde married Hermann Schwab (1851–1919), who would edit several later editions of Japhet’s publications.Publications
Nearly all of Japhet's publications were reprinted in later editions (some with revisions) through the 1920s. Listed below are dates of first publication.- Pi Ollalim: Hebraische Lesefibel. Kassel : T. Fischer, 1839.
- Worte der Wahrheit, oder: Der Thalmud und seine Feinde. Eine Erwiderung auf das von dem Rechtskandidaten F. Eisenberg, unter dem Titel: Dr. Frankel, der Thalmud und die Israëliten, in die Rheinische Zeitung, vom 8. Januar d.J. eingerückte Inserat. Cassel : M.S. Messner [1843?]
- Schire Jeschurun : Gottesdienstliche Gesänge : Eingeführt in die Synagoge der israelitischen Religionsgesellschaft zu Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt a.M. : Kauffmann
- Erste Sammlung [1st part]: 1856
- Zweite Sammlung [2nd part]: 1864. (1st and 2nd parts reprinted together several times through the 20th century)
- Tefilot Yeshurun : meturgamot Ashkenazit milah be-milah... = Izraʼeliṭishez gebeṭbukh, mit ṿorṭlikhʻer iberzeṭtsung. Frankfurt am Main : Isaak Kauffman, 1857
- Einladugsschrift zu der ...Prüfung der Unterrichts-Anstalt. Frankfurt a.M. : Druckerei von F. Wörner, 1864.
- Über den deutschen Sprachunterricht. Frankfurt a.M., Unterrichts-Anstalt d. Israelit. Religions-Gesellschaft, Schulprogr., 1864
- Metek Sefatayim: Hebräische Sprachlehre mit praktischen Aufgaben; nebst einem Vorkursus und Vokabularium. Frankfurt am Main : Kauffmann, 1868. (10 edition revised by Hermann Schwab, 1921)
- Hebraische Sprachlehre : mit praktischen Aufgaben zum Gebrauche beim Unterrichte in der hebräischen Sprache. Frankfurt am M. : J. Kauffmann, 1878. (4th ed.)
- Ha-Hagadah le-lel Shimurim = Haggadah für Pesach. Frankfurt am Main : J. Kauffmann, 1884. (Revised by Hermann Schwab, 1925).
- Moreh HaKoreh: Die Accente der heiligen Schrift : mit Anschluss der Bücher emet. Frankfurt a.M. : J. Kauffmann, 1896.