ho wrote the introduction to the by-laws of the constituent synagogues, and practically founded its visitation committee. This office he retained till his death. OwiDg to Asher's intimate relations with the Rothschilds, in his capacity of medical attendant, unofficial almoner, and personal friend, his advice was generally followed by them in communal matters. He was connected with a large number of intion
Asher,
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
181
stitutions in the
Lon-
In
company with Samuel Montagu he under-
America, and Russia. After the visit to Palestine he wrote a report on the condition
" Die Wichtigsten 3 vols. Regeln der Englischen Syntax " " Entertaining Library for the Young, with Explanatory Notes and Complete Vocabularies," etc., 2 vols. "Ueber den Unterricht in denNeueren Sprachen " "Die Grund" Die Kunst zu zlige der Verfassung Engiands " Lesen " " Selihot, with a new English Translation " " Budinger's Way of Faith, or the Abridged Bible, translated from the German; Buckle's "Essays,"
lish Conversation, " etc.
of affairs in Jerusalem, which effected much
,
good. His sympathetic Dr. Asher Asher. nature attracted to him young men ability of the rising genmost of the of eration, and upon them he exerted great influence. Asher wrote much for the Jewish press, chiefly under the pen-name "Aliquis." The only book he published was "The Jewish Rite of Circumcision," London, 1873. Bibliography Jewish Chronicle, Jan. 11, 1889 E. Lynn Lin;
Christopher Kirkland,
vol.
111.,
eh. 4 (description of Dr.
life).
J.
ASHER, DAVID
estine,
home
" Athenaeum," "Academy," and "Jewish Chronicle." For the last he translated Dr. Dollinger's "Address on the History of the Jews of Europe. Asher distinguished himself as an interpreter of the philosophy of Schopenhauer and as an ardent champion of his own coreligionists, energetically combating anti-Semitic attacks. The more important of his numerous works and articles, original and translated, are: "Outlines of the Jewish Religion " " England's Dichter und Prosaiker der Neuzeit " "A Manual on the Study of Modern Languages in General, and of the English Language in Particular," with a preface by Dean French " Offenes Sendschreiben an Arthur Schopenhauer " " Arthur Schopenhauer als Interpret des Gothe'schen Faust"; " Der Religiose Glaube; eine " Arthur Schopenhauer Psychologische Studie " Neues von Ihm und iiber Ihn " " Das Endergebniss der Schopenhaeur'schen Philosophie"; "Exercises on the Habitual Mistakes of Germans in Eng;
took, in Jewish interests, journeys to Pales-
Asher's
German
educationist and philosophical writer born at Dresden Dec. 8, 1818 He received his early died in Leipsic Dec. 2, 1890. education at the Jewish school of his native city, and subsequently entered the gymnasium there, being one As his of the first jews admitted to the institution. mother was unable to support him, his stay there was Asher then learned the trade of carving and short. gilding, thereby supporting himself as a journeyman artisan during his travels to various cities of Germany and Austria. On the invitation of a wealthy relative he went to London, where he learned Eng:
'
'
" Contributions to the Histranslated into German tory of the Development of the Human Race," by Lazarus Geiger, translated from the German " Das Naturgesetz in der Geisterwelt," by Henry Drum;
mond, translated into German. Bibliography
Jew. Chron. Dec.
5,
1890, p. 8
—subsequently becoming as— and at the same time assidu-
a private school
sistant teacher there
ously studied philosophy, philology, Hebrew, and modern languages. Later, Asher held various offices in the Jewish congregation and was tutor to the children of the chief rabbi of England. Upon his return to Germany he obtained the degree of doctor Settling in of philosophy at the Berlin University. Leipsic, he soon acquired reputation as an English instructor, having among his pupils many persons For seven years he held the post of of high rank. English master at the Commercial School; and for eight years that of examiner of candidates for higher He was also a member of schools at the university. the
Academy
official sic.
for
interpreter to the
A linguist of the
literary
work
in Berlin, and Courts of Leip-
Modern Languages, Royal
first
Law
order,
of varied character,
he was engaged in and diligently con-
tributed to most of the leading German journals, as well as to the English periodicals the "Times,"
Dec.
12, 1890,
p. 9.
B. B.
lish at
David
may be regarded as one
ton,
Abraham b.
don community, and of its organizers.
Asher
J.
ASHER BEN DAVID A son of Abraham ben
of Posquieres flourished about the middle of the thirteenth century. He was a pupil of his uncle, Isaac the Blind, and one of the earliest cabalistic
David
He was the author of fllTO J"' CITS or writers. |ipn (Explanations on the Thirteen Attributes of God
Ex. xxxiv.
6, 7),
and Tirpn
D (Explanation
The relaof the Tetragrammaton and the Sefirot). tion of these two works to each other, however, can not be definitely stated, since only a small part has been printed, in " OzarNehmad," iv. 37, and " HebraProbably he tried ische Bibliographie," xii. 80, 113. to justify the number (ten) of the Setirot as seemingly not in harmony with the thirteen attributes of God assumed in the Talmud. He identifies, on the one hand, the ten Sefirot with the ten spheres of the philosophers, and, on the other, explains the thirteen attributes of God as derivations of the three midnVlTJ or D'Dm, p, IDn dle Sefirot: rnKsn, (love, justice, mercy), which he designates as n)3K
mm
(fundamental principles). Asher was taught by his father, whom he calls a learned man and he had verbal intercourse with Jacob ben Samuel of Anduze, with Meir ben Simon, and with Abraham ben Isaac of Carcassonne.
Bibliography: Heh. Bibl. xii. 80 et w. Gross, Gallia Judaica, p. 450; Bloch, Entwiekeluna der Kahhala, etc., p 42 [Michael (Or ha-Ham/im, No. 536) doubts whether he was the son of Abraham b. David of Posquieres.]
K.
P B -
-
