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Bahya ben Joseph

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

fourteenth century a Jewish community had been established; and as the seat of the rabbinate for all the Jews of the principality of Bayreuth, it must iiave had some importance, considering the smallness of the place. The cemetery adjoining the synagogue was used by the Jews of the surrounding district extending over many miles it contains many tombstones, some of which are said to date from the beginning of the fifteenth century. number of court Jews at Baiersdorf became " barnossen " (presidents) of the entire Jewish community in the principality and in 1728 Moses Goldschmid, court agent, was appointed rabbi of the province by the margrave. The best known of all the court Jews living there was Samson (ben Judali Sclke) of Baiersdorf. He was a great " shtadlan " (official head of the Jewish community) and benefactor, and in 1712 erected a stately synagogue entirely at his own expense. The synagogue possesses valuable old candelabra and hangings. The Jewish hospital is mentioned as early as 1530. Samson's son-in-law, Moses Hameln, rabbi at Baiersdorf, has been immortalized through the memoirs of his mother, Gliickel von Hameln, which memoirs, by Moses' directions, were copied from the original manuscript. Among the notable personages of Baiersdorf in the second half of the eighteenth century were David Disbeck, author of " Pardes David " and rabbi there and in Metz; his son Simon, and grandson Moses, both scholars Noah Hirsch Berlin, and W. Cohn. Berlin was rabbi of the principality and had his residence at Baiersdorf, but later was called to Mayence and Hamburg. Cohn was the last district rabbi of

Bailly, Jean-Sylvaiu

Jew Philipp Ernst suit, the issue of

Christfels,

which

is

and engaged in a law-

not known.

Bibliography Haenle, Gesch. der Juden im Ehemaliaen Furstenthum Ansbach, p. 80 Memoiren der Gliickel von Hameln, ed. Kaufmann, pp. 253, 255, 270, 290; Ziemlich, Einl Bllchcr-Confiseation zu FUrth, in Kaufmann-Gedenk:



buch, 1901.

A. Fe.

G.



A





Baiersdorf.

Though the community has inherited a consideranumber of institutions, it is now in a state of

ble

decay. In 1834 there were about 100 families, aggregating about 400 souls but the emigration of the younger element to the United States (among others, the founders of the well-known banking-house of Seligman in New York, the Lehmayer and Lohman families), and the removal of the more prosper;

ous members of the community to larger cities, gradually reduced the number to less than a dozen See Bayreuth. Bibliography: Lang, Neuere Gesch. des Fttrstenthums Bayreuth, 1798; Huck, Gesch. von Baiersdorf, 1834; Hubsch, Gesch. von Baiersdorf, 1862; Archiv fiir Gesch. und Alterthumskunde von Oberfranken, iii., No. 1, 1845 Memoir en der Glttcltel von Hameln, ed. Kaufmann, 1896. A. E. d. families.

BAIERSDORF, SAMSON BEN MANASSE: Court Jew of the margrave Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth died in 1712. He was highly esteemed at the court of the margrave, at the same time using his influence for the good of his coreligionIt was chiefly through his influence that they ists. were allowed to stay in the land in peace. In 1700, for a short time his position at the court was shaken by a hostile counselor of the margrave, but it was soon reestablished. In the same year he gave his daughter in marriage to a son of Gliickel Hameln, Moses Hameln, who became later on rabbi at Baiers;

dorf and to whom is owing the preservation of the valuable memoirs of Gliickel. In 1714 Baiersdorf was calumniated by the baptized

BAIGNETJX-LES-JTJIFS

Capital of a canton, arrondissement of Chatillon-sur-Seine, Cote d'-Or, France. As the name indicates, there were Jewish inhabitants in this place during the Middle Ages. secret inquiry was made between 1306 and 1308 into the debts due to the Jews. century later Jews were still in the community. Bibliography Inventaire Sommaire des Archives Beparte:

A

A



mentales: Cote d'Or,

ii.

4032, iv. 414.

D.

I.

BAIL

L.

In English and American law, the obligation of sureties in a sum named, that the person under arrest in a civil or criminal cause will, if set at large, deliver himself up to stand trial and submit

judgment. Such obligation is unknown to JewThere could not be Bail in civil causes, for there was no arrest for debt. In criminal, at least in capital, cases it was the duty of the court to hold the accused " in ward " till his guilt or innocence, and the mode of punishment, should be ascertained. The Talmud (Sanh. 78J) draws this rule from the case of the blasphemer (Lev. xxiv. 12) and of him who gathered sticks on the Sabbath (Num. xv. 34). And as trials were very prompt and speedy whether the punishment was death or stripes the hardship of imprisonment without Bail, if the prisoner proved to

ish law.

—

—

was not great. The Talmud (Sanh. 78b) applies the law of imprisonment to one that has beaten or wounded another so sorely as to confine him to his house (Ex. xxi. 18, It comments on the words, " If he rise again 19). and walk upon his staff, then he that smote him shall be quit," thus: "This can not mean that the innocent,

smiter shall be free from the death penalty for this but is, of course, not having killed anybody; But the that, then, he shall be freed from custody. old halakic Midrash Mekilta (Mishpatim vi.) says on You would think that the smiter might this verse furnish sureties and then go at large but no, we are taught here that he is imprisoned till the wounded man is healed. In fact, to take Bail while

he



'



'

the stricken man may die of his wound, and his smiter thus incur the guilt of blood, would, in spirit and effect, violate the law, Ye shall take no ransom for the life of a manslayer (Num. xxxv. 31); moreover, as a rich man can readily give Bail and the poor man can not. the release of the prisoner on Bail would run counter to that other oft-repeated rule of " the Torah, 'One law there shall be to you.' '

'

,i.

sr.

BAILLY, JEAN-SYLVAIN:

L. N. D.

Astronomer and

publicist; born in Paris Sept. 15, 1736; guillotined Nov. 12, 1793. He was elected a member of the

Academie des Sciences in 1763 and of the Academie Francaise in 1784. In 1789 he was elected by the citizens of Paris deputy to the States General. He was chosen president of that body on June 3 of the same year. In the following month he was Ranged on the side of elected mayor of Paris.