Works
Rubin is one of the most prolific of Neo-Hebrew writers and one of the most enthusiastic and persistent champions of haskalah. Most of his literary labors are directed against superstitious customs and beliefs: but his method is unique among writers of his class; for he neither ridicules such customs and beliefs, nor does he preach against them, but proceeds in a quasi-scientific manner to adduce proof that similar superstitions prevailed or are still prevailing among those who have attained to only a very low plane of culture. He objectively describes, or rather compiles descriptions of, superstitious practises, and sometimes only alludes, as if incidentally (mostly in footnotes), to the equivalent follies among fanatical Jews.
He published about twenty-five works with this object in view, two of which, the "Ma'aseTa'atuyim" (Vienna, 1887) and the "Yesod Mistere ha-'Akkum we-Sod Ḥokmat ha-Ḳabbalah" (ib. 1888), have appeared in German translations also, the first as "Geschichte des Aberglaubens" (transl. by I. Stern, Leipsic, 1888) and the second as "Heidenthum und Kabbala" (Vienna, 1892). A bibliography of his works and of the more important of his many articles in periodicals will be found in William Zeitlin, "Bibl. Post-Mendels." s.v.
Rubin was an ardent admirer of the system and personality of Spinoza; and wrote much to prove the close relation between Spinozism and Judaism. Among his earliest literary productions are a compendium of Spinoza's writings, entitled "Moreh Nebukim he-Ḳadash" (Vienna, 1856-57), and "Teshubah Niẓẓaḥat" (Lemberg, 1859), a refutation of S. D. Luzzatto's attacks on Spinoza. Rubin's essay in German, Spinoza und Maimonides, ein Psychologisch-Philosophisches Antitheton, won for the author the title of doctor of philosophy from the University of Göttingen. Later in life Rubin returned to his favorite philosopher and brought out "Ḥeḳer Eloah 'im Torat ha-Adam," a Hebrew translation of Spinoza's "Ethics," with notes and an introduction. This is Rubin's most important contribution to Neo-Hebrew literature.
Among his later works are "Yalḳuṭ Shelomoh" (Cracow, 1896), consisting of ten essays, and "Segulot ha-Ẓemaḥim, we-Ototam" (German title, "Symbolik der Pflanzen"; ib. 1898).
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