Chapter I: CALL heaven and earth to witness that whether it be Jew or heathen,

man or woman, free or bondman――only according to their acts does the Divine spirit rest upon them.

MIDRASH.

* * * * *

SALVATION is attained not by subscription to metaphysical dogmas, but solely by love of God that fulfils itself in action. This is a cardinal truth in Judaism.

CHASDAI CRESCAS, 1410.

II

YOUR question, why I do not try to make converts, has, I must say, somewhat surprised me. The duty to proselytize springs clearly from the idea that outside a certain belief there is no salvation. I, as a Jew, am not bound to accept that dogma, because, according to the teachings of the Rabbis, _the righteous of all nations shall have part in the rewards of the future world_. Your motive, therefore, is foreign to me; nay, as a Jew, I am not allowed publicly to attack any religion which is sound in its moral teachings.

MOSES MENDELSSOHN, 1770.
_To a non-Jewish correspondent._

* * * * *