Lazarus Bendavid

Lazarus Bendavid (18 October 1762, in Berlin – 28 March 1832, in Berlin) was a German mathematician and philosopher known for his exposition of Kantian philosophy.

Bendavid was a Jewish Kantian philosopher. After his graduation from the University of Berlin he lectured for some years on the philosophy of Kant in Vienna. His lectures being discouraged by the Austrian government during a general purge of foreigners, Bendavid returned to Berlin, where he found government employment and continued to lecture and write.

Ben David was critical of Jewish messianism and, comparing kabbalah with Jewish rationalism, argued that the concept of the messiah was an imaginary human invention.