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124 Berlin, 22 September 1783 Best Friend! [. . .] We are not of the same opinion regarding the necessity of ritual laws. Even if their significance as a kind of script or sign language were to lose their usefulness , their necessity as a unifying bond would not come to an end. And, in my opinion, this union itself will have to be preserved by the plan of providence as long as polytheism, anthropomorphism, and religious usurpation dominate the world. As long as these tormentors of reason are unified, must [not] genuine theists also allow some kind of connection to develop among themselves if these tormentors are not to trample everything underfoot? And what should this connection consist of? Principles and opinions? Articles of faith, symbols, and formulas keep reason in chains. Therefore, [through] actions, that is, ceremonies. Our efforts should actually be bent only on abolishing the prevailing abuse and imbuing the ceremonies with real, genuine significance, once again making legible and intelligible the script that has become unintelligible through hypocrisy and priestly cunning. But we should obstinately oppose the Jesuitical trickery161 that, with every appearance of friendliness, asks for union and, at bottom, only intends to tempt us to cross over to the other side. People approach us with false steps, raise their feet up high, and yet remain in the same place. This is the unifying system of wolves who earnestly wish to be united with sheep, in order that they might gladly transform the sheep and lamb into wolf flesh. There is too little space for me to explain myself more fully, but I think that you will understand me. If we give a hearing to this temptation (may providence preserve us against it!), then within fifty years everything will revert to barbarism. [. . .] Moses Mendelssohn 10 | From Letter to Naphtali Herz Homberg 161. [See note 97.] ...

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