What is the after effects of a Grand Sanhedrin surviving in the Jewish world if Napoleon wins?

[vulpesvelox]

In a timeline where Napoleon wins the Napoleonic Wars (the means to do so can be anything from him winning the invasion of Russia somehow, him avoiding his great ulcers that lead to his demise, etc.) In any situation where Napoleon wins, what happens to the Grand Sanhedrin project in the wider Jewish world? How would the Grand Sanhedrin be perceived? Would there be an earlier and more rabidly pro-French Reform movement? Or would Jews ignore the rulings of the Grand Sanhedrin and the Grand Sanhedrin collapse into irrelevancy?

 

[jacob ningen]

In a timeline where Napoleon wins the Napoleonic Wars (the means to do so can be anything from him winning the invasion of Russia somehow, him avoiding his great ulcers that lead to his demise, etc.) In any situation where Napoleon wins, what happens to the Grand Sanhedrin project in the wider Jewish world? How would the Grand Sanhedrin be perceived? Would there be an earlier and more rabidly pro-French Reform movement? Or would Jews ignore the rulings of the Grand Sanhedrin and the Grand Sanhedrin collapse into irrelevancy?

The Grand Sanhedrin was basically an early attempt at Reform and Haskalah so yes to being an earlier Reform. One thing is emancipation happens quicker due to the Grand Sanhedrin basically being a rubber stamp of Napoleon according to Telushkin and Aronow. Chabad would be anti Grand Sanhedrin on principle being anti-Napoleonic and pro-czarist. Which actually might change history as Chabad would probably be less influential as the anti-French pro-czarist theories of Shlomo Zalman would probably drive a wedge between the non-Orthodox and Chabad. Also how would the Sanhedrin last after Napoleon dies. Because a lot of Jews would convert after the Grand Sanhedrin and if the next regime rolls back the Code Napoleon then the zionist movement would still form. Political Zionism(as opposed to mere individual aliyah) formed as a reaction to the failure of Emancipation. If the Grand Sanhedrin lasts long enough, maybe it will butterfly Herder Marr and Thiers and thus prevent a cynicism towards assimilation. They lost a lot of legitimacy IOTL via continually saying X but by the principle of din dmalkuta din not X.(which is a valid jewish priniciple besides Pkuach Nefesh it translates as judgment of the kingdom is judgement or when in rome more idiomatically) but this leads to the accusation of Non-Stop the hamilton song towards Aaron burr.

 

[jacob ningen]

The Grand Sanhedrin was stuck in a three way rock and a hard place. One if it gave answers Napoleon didnt like he'd dissolve it. 2 If it just gives answers he wants no one will take it seriously as it will be seen as a puppet. and 3. Times when actual jurisprudence at the time went contrary to French law and trying to save face by denying actual rulings. So it was kind of doomed from the start. It would suffer the same legitimacy issues any court subservient to a regime would have. PS if this were political id make reference to the paradox of judicial power ie courts only pick fights they know they can win because if they choose a case they dont have public backing on they run into the Jackson legitimacy problem but if they only pick cases the executive wants they will seen as nothing but toadies and no one will follow their rulings. And in a fourth way, it needed every Palestinian rabbi according to the Rambam to be a valid Sanhedrin.

 

[jacob ningen]

The Grand Sanhedrin was basically an early attempt at Reform and Haskalah so yes to being an earlier Reform. One thing is emancipation happens quicker due to the Grand Sanhedrin basically being a rubber stamp of Napoleon according to Telushkin and Aronow. Chabad would be anti Grand Sanhedrin on principle being anti-Napoleonic and pro-czarist. Which actually might change history as Chabad would probably be less influential as the anti-French pro-czarist theories of Shlomo Zalman would probably drive a wedge between the non-Orthodox and Chabad. Also how would the Sanhedrin last after Napoleon dies. Because a lot of Jews would convert after the Grand Sanhedrin and if the next regime rolls back the Code Napoleon then the zionist movement would still form. Political Zionism(as opposed to mere individual aliyah) formed as a reaction to the failure of Emancipation. If the Grand Sanhedrin lasts long enough, maybe it will butterfly Herder Marr and Thiers and thus prevent a cynicism towards assimilation.

Now that i think about it being arrested after the Vilna Gaon died for his actions in Palestine helped Chabad. One he was seen as not a mere syncophant of the czar and two the Czar was impressed by his response and let him go.