An Important letter from Hyam Nathan to Isaiah Isaacs, New York: May 4th, 1791

This letter is the only source for information about Rabbi Ben-Joseph and his visit. Based upon its contents we may ascertain that the Rabbi visited New York in the spring of 1791. The Rabbi was doubtless an emissary from the Land of Israel, one of many sent to Jewish communities around the world to help raise funds on behalf of their impoverished coreligionists in the Holy Land. Visiting emissaries were frequently asked to address the congregations they visited and the sermon recorded in this letter was likely delivered on the Sabbath before Passover of that year, when the text upon which it is based (Malachi 3:6) would have been read in New York’s only synagogue, Congregation Shearith Israel. 

We are also informed by the author of the letter, Hyam Nathan (1743-1824) that the Rabbi intended on visiting Richmond, Virginia in the near future, the site of the newly established Congregation Beth Shalome. To that end, the letter was mailed to Isaiah Isaacs (1747-1806), one of the founders of that community. Little else is known about this emissary or his visit to the United States but it is clear that in his sermon,  Rabbi Ben- Joseph was not above reproving his audience, at one point stating bluntly (pp. 2-3): “My brethren, I find since I arrived in America, that you pay but little attention to our holy religion and that many of you think a man who [has] got a little religion must either be a fool or a madman.” 

A mere handful of emissaries are known to have visited British Colonial America in the 1760s and 70s. It has long been assumed by scholars, however, that following the celebrated visit of Haim Isaac Karigal in 1773, and a much lower key visit in 1775 by one Samuel Cohen, no further emissaries from the Holy Land arrived on American shores until 1823—a hiatus of nearly half a century—deterred by the dangers inherent in travel during the American and French Revolutions, the Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812.

The visit of Rabbi Ben-Joseph is unrecorded by Abraham Ya'ari, the recognized authority on emissaries from the Holy Land. Likewise, his visit was unknown to David de Sola Pool in his seminal essay, "Early Relations between Palestine and American Jewry," nor is it recorded in any other source.

LINEAR TRANSCRIPTION OF LETTER FROM HYAM NATHAN TO ISAIAH ISAACS WITH ORIGINAL ORTHOGRAPHY:

New York, May 4^th, 1791^______

Mr. Isaacs –

            D^r. Sir

                         I have taking the liberty of transmitting to you – as I 
have been inform^d that you are the parnass of the Snoga at— 
Richmond, a Derosh, which was deliver^d here, by Rabba—
Eleazer ben Joseph – from Jerusalem, translated from his book 
you will find it well worthy your perusal. he intends to 
go to your place in a short time and he is well worthy 
your notice, I am Dear Sir your Humb Svt.

                                                                    Hyam Nathan

 For I am the Lord. I change not. therefore ye Sons of Jacob are 
not Consume^d. Malachi 3^d Capu^t-v-6^{th____________________}

Brethren
I shall endeavor to expatiate on the foremention^d
words – therefore think it proper to divide them in three 
parts, and hope from the conclusion, which I shall 
endeavor to draw from them, to convince you all of 
of the divine Legation of Moses, and of several other 
prophets. first, I [am] convince[d] my brethren, that there is 
not a man among you, but what believes there is 
a God, merciful and powerful, the creator of all 
things – cloathing the beast with hair – the bird 
with feather and fishes with scales— but man 
who is born naked – his hands cannot handle 
his feet, cannot walk, his tongue cannot 
speak, nor his eyes cannot see aright, simple 
his thoughts and vain his actions, therefore to 
God, must men turn their eyes for help 
and protection, when they come to years of maturity

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Secondly. The decress of the almighty must stand – therefore 
the promises made to us by the hands of Moses and 
several other prophets cannot be changed or done away 
with before they are fulfill^d. Those promises we ^have no reason 
to doubt because the prophesies which accompany them are 
strong proffs of the reality of them and a man ^may as well renounce 
his senses as to deny what he observes in the world at this day 
these prophesies has been prophesied three thousand years ago— 
and what is matter of faith in some measure with other 
nations are real matters of fact with us, we being living 
witnesses of these very prophesies –observe a few of them 

            and thou shalt be remove^d into all the kingdoms 
of the earth and the Lord shall scatter thee among all 
people of the Earth, from one end even to the other. but though 
we should be so disperse^d yet we should not be totally 
destroy^d but subsist a distinct people. neither will I abhor them 
to destroy them utterly and to brake my covenant with 
them and among these nations thou shalt find no 
Ease. they shall become an astonishment a proverb and by 
word among all nations. We should not be numbered with 
the nations of the earth and we should remain without 
a king a priest or altar for many days –it is almost unnecessary 
for me, my brethren to make any observations on these prophesies 
they ^are so evident that man cannot deny them – our brethren 
are to be found in all kingdoms of the earth. our nations 
has been banish^d from city to city from country to country 
recall^d and banish^d again. We have been for these seventeen ^hundred
years pass^d without a king priest or altar—for my part my 
brethren I cannot say how these things affect you – myself 
they amase and causes me to exclaim Lord thou has certainly 
revealed thyself to man – my brethren I find since I arrived 
in America, that you pay but little attention to our holy 
religion and that many of you think a man who is got

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a little religion must either be a fool or a madman. be not 
deceived but repent before it is too late. –––––––

thirdly – believe me, my brethren that we should ^long ago been consume^d
and rooted of the face of the earth had it not been for the 
immutability of the divine laws. The rage of many has been let 
loose against us, and nothing but the power of god could preserve 
us a visible distinct people at this day – therefore if these are solemn 
truths can we not with the greatest confidence hope, since 
we find so many of the prophesies already fulfilled? That they will 
all be so – attend to the promises.

             Fear not Jacob my Servant saith the Lord. for I am with thee
for I will make a full end of all the nations wither I have 
driven thee, but will not make a full end of thee.

            I will bring you from all the countries where
you are scatter^d to your own land where you shall be
my people and I will be your god in truth and
in Righteousness.

You will observe my brethren that it is not for your
righteousness that the almighty will fulfill these prophesies –
but for the promises he made to our forefathers. for we
are really at this day, what the prophet Isaiah says our nation
was in his day, that the ox knoweth his owner the ass his
masters crib. but Isreal do not know, my people do not
consider, a sinful nation a seed of evildoers, a people
Lading with iniquity. therefore I hope that this Derosh
may ^have some effect on you all and that you will consider
yourselves as mortal men, here today and gone tomorrow
and that the action of this life, you will be oblig^d to
give account of in another world and that the
Righteous man is rewarded according to his Righteousness
and ^the wicked man according to his wickedness—praise the
Sovereign Lord of all. Ascribe greatness to him that has
form^d the world by extending the heavens and Laying the
foundation of the earth & revealing himself to Man/ Amen

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then my brethren let me recommend to you all to unite with 
heart and hand in order to support our holy religion so that 
we may offer up our prayer to almighty god with Reverence
and that we creatures ought to have for our maker.

ADDRESSED TO:

Mr Isaiah Isaacs

Richmond