10 Facts About Nathan Adler

Nathan Adler was a German kabbalist and Rosh yeshiva.

Nathan Adler was responsible for training several prominent rabbis of the era.

Nathan Adler devoted himself to the study of the Kabbala, and adopted the liturgical system of Isaac Luria, assembling about himself a select community of kabbalistic adepts.

Nathan Adler was one of the first Ashkenazim to adopt the Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrew, and gave hospitality to a Sephardi scholar for several months to ensure that he learnt that pronunciation accurately.

Nathan Adler prayed according to the Sepharadic ritual, pronounced the priestly blessing every day, and in other ways approached the school of the Hasidim, who had at that time provoked the strongest censures on the part of the Talmudists of the old school.

Nathan Adler's followers claimed that he had performed miracles, and turned visionaries themselves, frightening many persons with predictions of misfortunes which would befall them.

Nathan Adler even excommunicated a man who had disregarded his orders, although this was contrary to the laws of the congregation.

Nathan Adler's doors remained open day and night, and he declared all his possessions to be common property, that thus he might prevent the punishment of those who might carry away by mistake anything with them.

Nathan Adler left no children, though Nathan Marcus Adler, Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, was named after him.

Nathan Adler's mysticism seems to have been the cause of his repugnance to literary publications.