He was born at Forscheim near Bamberg. It is stated that he was born a Jew, became converted to Roman Catholicism, then became a Calvinist, and lastly joined the Lutheran Church. He became professor of Oriental languages at Königsberg.[2]
Rittangel visited the Netherlands and England in 1641–2. He taught Hebrew in Amsterdam, where he dressed like a rabbi, but others found him hard to place.[3] He obtained a Hebrew manuscript of the Sefer Yezirah through the Mennonite merchant Gerebrand Anslo, for translation into Latin.[4] He was in London in late 1641, meeting Comenius and John Dury.[5] His English contacts were interested in his direct knowledge of the Karaites,[6] and the Samuel Hartlib papers contain an account by Rittangel of them. Johann Moriaen of the Hartlib Circle saw to the publication of the Yezirah translation in Amsterdam in 1642.[4] Rittangel's knowledge of the Karaites was reported to be from a visit in 1641 to a community at Trakai, according to Mordecai ben Nissan.[7]
Rittangel issued a number of translations of Hebrew works:[2]
of the Sefer Yezira, as Liber Jezirah qui Abrahamo Patriarchae adscribitur, 1642;
of the Passover Haggadah, 1644, published also in his Libra Veritatis (Franeker, 1698); and
one of the earliest translations of Jewish prayers, under the title Hochfeyerliche Sollennitaeten, Gebethe und Collecten Anstatt der Opfer, Nebst Andern Ceremonien so von der Jüdischen Kirchen am Ersten Neuen-Jahrs-Tag Gebetet und Abgehandelt Werden Müssen, Königsberg, 1652.
His posthumous work Bilibra Veritatis was written to substantiate the claim that the Targums prove the doctrine of the Trinity. This is also the subject of his Veritas Religionis Christianæ (Franeker, 1699).[2]
References
John T. Young (1998). Faith, Medical Alchemy and Natural Philosophy: Johann Moriaen, Reformed Intelligencer, and the Hartlib Circle. Ashgate. ISBN1-84014-282-0.; Ch. 2 online at the Newton Project.
^Yôsēf Qaplan (2000). An Alternative Path to Modernity: The Sephardi Diaspora in Western Europe. BRILL. pp. 255–6. ISBN978-90-04-11742-6. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
^D.J. Lasker, 'Karaism and Christian Hebraism: a New Document', Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 59 no. 4 (Winter 2006), pp. 1089-1116.
^Johannes Van Den Berg; Jan De Bruijn (1999). Religious Currents and Cross-Currents: Essays on Early Modern Protestantism and the Protestant Enlightenment. BRILL. p. 48. ISBN978-90-04-11474-6. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
johann, stephan, rittangel, latin, rittangelius, 1606, 1652, german, controversial, writer, christian, hebraist, contents, life, works, references, notes, external, linkslife, edithe, born, forscheim, near, bamberg, stated, that, born, became, converted, roman. Johann Stephan Rittangel Latin Rittangelius 1606 1652 1 was a German controversial writer and Christian Hebraist Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 References 4 Notes 5 External linksLife EditHe was born at Forscheim near Bamberg It is stated that he was born a Jew became converted to Roman Catholicism then became a Calvinist and lastly joined the Lutheran Church He became professor of Oriental languages at Konigsberg 2 Rittangel visited the Netherlands and England in 1641 2 He taught Hebrew in Amsterdam where he dressed like a rabbi but others found him hard to place 3 He obtained a Hebrew manuscript of the Sefer Yezirah through the Mennonite merchant Gerebrand Anslo for translation into Latin 4 He was in London in late 1641 meeting Comenius and John Dury 5 His English contacts were interested in his direct knowledge of the Karaites 6 and the Samuel Hartlib papers contain an account by Rittangel of them Johann Moriaen of the Hartlib Circle saw to the publication of the Yezirah translation in Amsterdam in 1642 4 Rittangel s knowledge of the Karaites was reported to be from a visit in 1641 to a community at Trakai according to Mordecai ben Nissan 7 Rittangel died at Konigsberg in 1652 2 Works EditRittangel issued a number of translations of Hebrew works 2 of the Sefer Yezira as Liber Jezirah qui Abrahamo Patriarchae adscribitur 1642 of the Passover Haggadah 1644 published also in his Libra Veritatis Franeker 1698 and one of the earliest translations of Jewish prayers under the title Hochfeyerliche Sollennitaeten Gebethe und Collecten Anstatt der Opfer Nebst Andern Ceremonien so von der Judischen Kirchen am Ersten Neuen Jahrs Tag Gebetet und Abgehandelt Werden Mussen Konigsberg 1652 His posthumous work Bilibra Veritatis was written to substantiate the claim that the Targums prove the doctrine of the Trinity This is also the subject of his Veritas Religionis Christianae Franeker 1699 2 References EditJohn T Young 1998 Faith Medical Alchemy and Natural Philosophy Johann Moriaen Reformed Intelligencer and the Hartlib Circle Ashgate ISBN 1 84014 282 0 Ch 2 online at the Newton Project Notes Edit Young p 44 a b c d Jewish Encyclopedia Rittangel Johann Stephanus Martin Mulsow Richard Henry Popkin 2004 Secret conversions to Judaism in early modern Europe BRILL p 34 ISBN 978 90 04 12883 5 Retrieved 11 March 2013 a b Young p 45 Yosef Qaplan 2000 An Alternative Path to Modernity The Sephardi Diaspora in Western Europe BRILL pp 255 6 ISBN 978 90 04 11742 6 Retrieved 11 March 2013 D J Lasker Karaism and Christian Hebraism a New Document Renaissance Quarterly Vol 59 no 4 Winter 2006 pp 1089 1116 Johannes Van Den Berg Jan De Bruijn 1999 Religious Currents and Cross Currents Essays on Early Modern Protestantism and the Protestant Enlightenment BRILL p 48 ISBN 978 90 04 11474 6 Retrieved 11 March 2013 External links EditOnline Books page WorldCat page WorldCat page CERL page EMLO pageAttribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Singer Isidore et al eds 1901 1906 The Jewish Encyclopedia New York Funk amp Wagnalls a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a Missing or empty title help Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Johann Stephan Rittangel amp oldid 1001804735, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
