Hirsch Edelmann
Encyclopedia
Hirsch Edelmann was a Russia
n Jewish author and editor.
Born in Swislocz, Russia, he was the son of a rabbinical
scholar, and received a good Talmudical education, which he later supplemented by acquainting himself thoroughly with ancient and modern Hebrew literature
. In 1839 Edelmann published his first work, "Haggahot u-Bi'urim," notes and commentaries to the "Me'irat 'Enayim" of Nathanson and Etlinger, Wilna, 1839. Five years later he published "'Alim le-Mibḥan," specimens or extracts from his work on difficult passages of the Haggadah in the Talmudim and Midrashim, with an appendix, "Megillat Sefer," on Purim and the Megillah, Danzig, 1844. The following year he published in Königsberg
(where, as at Danzig, he had charge of a printing establishment) two critical editions of the Haggadah for Passover
, with introductions, annotations, etc. The same year he published, also in Königsberg, the "Siddur Hegyon Leb," which is commonly known as "Landshuth's Prayer-Book." To this work Edelmann also contributed glossaries, emendations, and notes.
Edelmann spent about ten years in England
, and was one of the first competent scholars to examine the manuscripts and rare printed books of the Oppenheim collection in the Bodleian Library
, Oxford, and to give the outside world some knowledge of their contents. In this work he was assisted by Leopold Dukes
; and they jointly edited and published "Ginze Oxford" (with an English translation by M. H. Bresslau, London, 1851).
To this period of Edelmann's activity belong also:
Edelmann also brought out a valuable critical new edition of Estori ha-Farḥi's "Kaftor u-Feraḥ," Berlin, 1851, and wrote "Gedullat Sha'ul," a biography of Rabbi Saul Wahl
, the alleged one-day King of Poland, with an appendix, "Nir le-Dawid ule-Zar'o," the genealogy of Denis M. Samuel of London, a descendant of that rabbi, London, 1854.
In 1852 Edelmann settled in Berlin
. For three months before his death he was in the insane department of the Charité hospital of that city.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Jewish author and editor.
Born in Swislocz, Russia, he was the son of a rabbinical
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
scholar, and received a good Talmudical education, which he later supplemented by acquainting himself thoroughly with ancient and modern Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews...
. In 1839 Edelmann published his first work, "Haggahot u-Bi'urim," notes and commentaries to the "Me'irat 'Enayim" of Nathanson and Etlinger, Wilna, 1839. Five years later he published "'Alim le-Mibḥan," specimens or extracts from his work on difficult passages of the Haggadah in the Talmudim and Midrashim, with an appendix, "Megillat Sefer," on Purim and the Megillah, Danzig, 1844. The following year he published in Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
(where, as at Danzig, he had charge of a printing establishment) two critical editions of the Haggadah for Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
, with introductions, annotations, etc. The same year he published, also in Königsberg, the "Siddur Hegyon Leb," which is commonly known as "Landshuth's Prayer-Book." To this work Edelmann also contributed glossaries, emendations, and notes.
Edelmann spent about ten years in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and was one of the first competent scholars to examine the manuscripts and rare printed books of the Oppenheim collection in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, Oxford, and to give the outside world some knowledge of their contents. In this work he was assisted by Leopold Dukes
Leopold Dukes
Leopold Dukes was a Hungarian critic of Jewish literature.-Biography:Dukes spent about 20 years in England, and from his researches in the Bodleian library and the British Museum Dukes was able to complete the work of Leopold Zunz...
; and they jointly edited and published "Ginze Oxford" (with an English translation by M. H. Bresslau, London, 1851).
To this period of Edelmann's activity belong also:
- "Derek Ṭobim," ethical wills of Judah ibn Tibbon and MaimonidesMaimonidesMoses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
, also ancient Arabic and Greek proverbs rendered into Hebrew, with English translation by Bresslau, London, 1852 - "Dibre Ḥefeẓ," extracts from various unprinted works, London, 1853
- "Tehillah la-Yesharim," poem by Moses Ḥayyim Luzzatto from an Oxford manuscript, with preface by Edelmann, London, 1854
- "Ḥemdah Genuzah," unedited manuscripts by early rabbinical authorities, with a literary-historical introduction, Königsberg, 1856.
Edelmann also brought out a valuable critical new edition of Estori ha-Farḥi's "Kaftor u-Feraḥ," Berlin, 1851, and wrote "Gedullat Sha'ul," a biography of Rabbi Saul Wahl
Saul Wahl
Saul Wahl was a wealthy and politically influential Polish Jew. According to legend, he was king of Poland for a single day, August 18, 1587...
, the alleged one-day King of Poland, with an appendix, "Nir le-Dawid ule-Zar'o," the genealogy of Denis M. Samuel of London, a descendant of that rabbi, London, 1854.
In 1852 Edelmann settled in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. For three months before his death he was in the insane department of the Charité hospital of that city.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- William ZeitlinWilliam ZeitlinWilliam Zeitlin was a Russian scholar and bibliographer born at Homel, government of Moghilef, about the middle of the 19th century...
, Bibl. Post-Mendels. s.v.; - Allg. Zeit. des Jud. 1858, No. 51;
- Julius FürstJulius FürstJulius Fürst , was a Jewish German orientalist.Fürst was a distinguished scholar of Semitic languages and literature...
, Bibl. Jud. i. 222.