Talk:Isaac Steinberg

Vandalism already

User:Technajunky tagged the article for "speedy deletion. The given reason is: This article or other page provides no meaningful content or history, and/or the text is unsalvageably incoherent. It is patent nonsense (CSD G1)" while at the same time changing WP Jewish history to WP Islam. Other than wikistalking and petty vandalism, I cannot explain such behavior. ←Humus sapiens ^ну? 10:06, 25 December 2006 (UTC)

Religious Faith

Regarding Steinberg's piety, I can confirm that the statement corresponds to his son's verbal descriptions of his father, but I'm not convinced that any other source is available.68.72.80.245 21:45, 25 January 2007 (UTC)

Thank you for the response, but given their famous intolerance to all religions, I seriously doubt the Bolsheviks would allow (let alone designate him a Narkom!) "an openly-observant Orthodox Jew" in their midst. Imagine: "Comrade Narkom, are you coming to the subbotnik tomorrow?" - "Sorry comrades, I observe Shabbat." (Yes I know the first subbotnik was in 1919). Still, he would be considered an enemy in the atmosphere of the Russian Civil War. This is an extraordinary claim and as such it needs an extraordinary evidence. Meanwhile, I am removing it. ←Humus sapiens ^ну? 22:51, 25 January 2007 (UTC)

Actually, the were two observant Jews in Soviet Coalition government (I don't remember, who was the second one, but I can find out). Steinberg was in the Coalition Government, from December 1917 to March 1918. For the first 6 months or so after the revolution, the Bolsheviks tolerated religion and allowed the left Esers to participate in the government. Steinberg did come on Shabbos to the party meetings, but he asked his non-Jewish secretary to carry his portfolio to the building, and refused to write or otherwise violate Shabbos. I have heard it from Moshe Goncharok (a reliable Israeli historian, who specializes in Jewish anarchism and early Soviet history), from a number of contemporary Yiddish writers, and from Mordkhe Shaechter's family, who were very close to Steinberg. If it's not enough, I'l try to find more sources. Laplandian 18:05, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Steinberg originally believed, that Bolsheviks are planning to create a free, more or less anarchist society. After his departure (or rather expulsion) from the government, he soon became a very active anti-Bolshevik, and in 1923 had to flee Russia. During his work as a Narkom, he was nothing but trouble for the government. For example, he refused to support death penalty and freed a number of political prisoners without a government permission (quite accordingly to his idea of "destroying the state from within"). Nevertheless, exactly during the first 2-3 years of the Civil War, the Bolsheviks had to tolerate some of their opponents, e.g. Makhno. Many Esers, regardless of religion, were later murdered by the Bolsheviks, but for the very first few months, they somehow managed to cooperate. Laplandian 18:05, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Regarding his traditional religious education and observance, look, for example, לעקסיקאָן פֿון ייִדישע שרײַבערס . ser:Laplandian|Laplandian]] 18:05, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

*[1]: He was a wonderful speaker with charisma and deep humanity in whom the often contradictory ideologies of socialist revolutionary and pious Jew dwelt harmoniously. Dr. Steinberg demonstrated that there are select individuals who can, as essayist and educator Avrom Golomb put it, be faithful "to the religious, traditional mode of Jewishness and [...] to secular culture. Laplandian 18:11, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Probably, you can find more about his religious observance as a Narkom in his book "זכרונות פֿון אַ פֿאָלקס־קאָמיסאַר" . Laplandian 18:18, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

OK, I admit that I know less than you do about that short-lived coalition govt. If you could provide sources (see WP:RS, WP:V, WP:CITE) , I won't object reinstating this fascinating story. Cheers. ←Humus sapiens ^ну? 20:39, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Unfortunately, most books on Steinberg (and by Steinberg) are hard to find today. For now, I found in Google [2] and [3]. Unfortunately, both articles do not seem to be reliable. When I find something better, I'll let you know. Laplandian 22:56, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Коган рассказывал мне о Штейнберге, комиссаре юстиции: старозаветный, набожный еврей, не ест трефного, свято чтит субботу... (Иван Бунин, "Окаянные дни") Laplandian 22:56, 12 February 2007 (UTC)