A forgotten variety of religious Zionism: the thought of Shmuel Alexandrov

Abstract

Shmuel Alexandrov (1865–1941) is a fascinating yet neglected thinker. This article explores his understanding of the connection between religion and nationalism through an analysis of his vision of cultural revolution and his interpretation of Aḥad Ha̔am’s ideas. It illustrates Alexandrov’s vision of annulling the Halakha, hermeneutical foundations of this abrogation, and the means he proposed to achieve it. This vision of cultural change rests upon several theological assumptions, mainly on an evolutionary process from the notion of a transcendental God who rewards and punishes to that of an immanent God identified with the inner authenticity of the individual and the nation. It is also based on a messianic aspiration to redeem the Torah and religious faith from mundane and anthropomorphic conceptions of divinity. To bring about this shift in religious consciousness, Alexandrov proposed to establish a national institution in Jerusalem tasked with reinterpreting Jewish tradition and thereby transforming Jewish culture.