Jonah Hayyim Gurland
Encyclopedia
Jonah Hayyim Gurland was a Russian and Hebrew writer born at Kleck, government of Minsk
. At the age of 10, Gurland entered the rabbinical school of Wilna, from which he graduated as rabbi
in 1860. He then went to St. Petersburg, and was admitted to attend the lectures of the philological faculty, devoting himself to the study of Semitic languages
under the direction of Daniel Chwolson.
During his stay at the university Gurland translated the fables of Lokman
into Russian
and published a dissertation on the influence of Arabian philosophy on Moses Maimonides, a subject proposed by the faculty. For his treatment of this, Gurland received a gold medal. In 1864, on obtaining his first degree ("candidatus") from the university, Gurland devoted three years to the study of the Firkovich collection of Karaite manuscripts in the Russian Imperial Library. The result of this study was the publication, in Russian, of a work on the life of Mordecai Comtino
and his contemporaries. For this, Gurland was awarded the degree of "magister". Gurland was then charged with the cataloging of the Hebrew books of the Imperial Library.
In 1869 he went to Yekaterinoslav, where he was appointed examining magistrate in one of the precincts. In 1873 Gurland was appointed inspector of the normal colleges for teachers at Jitomir, a position which he held for seven years. The government conferred upon him two orders and the title of "college councilor". In 1880, as a consequence of illness, Gurland went to Germany
, where he sojourned for three years. On his return, he settled at Odessa
, and founded there a classic and scientific college of eight classes, with a curriculum including Jewish history
and Hebrew literature
. In 1888 Gurland was elected government rabbi of Odessa. He died there on March 14, 1890.
His brother, Jacob Gurland, rabbi of Poltava
, is the author of Kebod ha-Bayit, on the rabbinical school of Wilna, 1858.
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. At the age of 10, Gurland entered the rabbinical school of Wilna, from which he graduated as rabbi
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...
in 1860. He then went to St. Petersburg, and was admitted to attend the lectures of the philological faculty, devoting himself to the study of Semitic languages
Semitic languages
The Semitic languages are a group of related languages whose living representatives are spoken by more than 270 million people across much of the Middle East, North Africa and the Horn of Africa...
under the direction of Daniel Chwolson.
During his stay at the university Gurland translated the fables of Lokman
Lokman
Lokman is a Turkish given name for males. People named Lokman include:* Lokman Polat, Turkish writer* Lokman Khan Sherwani, Indian politician* Lokman Yusof, Malaysian politician...
into Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and published a dissertation on the influence of Arabian philosophy on Moses Maimonides, a subject proposed by the faculty. For his treatment of this, Gurland received a gold medal. In 1864, on obtaining his first degree ("candidatus") from the university, Gurland devoted three years to the study of the Firkovich collection of Karaite manuscripts in the Russian Imperial Library. The result of this study was the publication, in Russian, of a work on the life of Mordecai Comtino
Mordecai Comtino
Mordecai ben Eliezer Comtino was a Turkish Jewish Talmudist and scientist.The earliest date attached to any of his writings is 1425...
and his contemporaries. For this, Gurland was awarded the degree of "magister". Gurland was then charged with the cataloging of the Hebrew books of the Imperial Library.
In 1869 he went to Yekaterinoslav, where he was appointed examining magistrate in one of the precincts. In 1873 Gurland was appointed inspector of the normal colleges for teachers at Jitomir, a position which he held for seven years. The government conferred upon him two orders and the title of "college councilor". In 1880, as a consequence of illness, Gurland went to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where he sojourned for three years. On his return, he settled at Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, and founded there a classic and scientific college of eight classes, with a curriculum including Jewish history
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
and 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 1888 Gurland was elected government rabbi of Odessa. He died there on March 14, 1890.
Works
Gurland was the author of the following works:- O Vliyanii Filosofii Musulmanskoi Religii na Filosofiyu Religii Moiseya Maimonida, St. Petersburg, 1863.
- Ma'amar ha-Tammuz, Chwolson's explanation of the term "Tammuz" as it is used by the prophet EzekielEzekielEzekiel , "God will strengthen" , is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Ezekiel is acknowledged as a Hebrew prophet...
, translated from German into Hebrew, Lyck, 1864. - Ginze Yisrael be-Sankt Petersburg, on the Karaite manuscripts of the Imperial Library of St. Petersburg. The work is divided into four parts, containing the following subjects:
- A description of voyages to PalestinePalestinePalestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
made by three Karaites of the CrimeaCrimeaCrimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
in the 17th century and 18th century, published at Lyck, 1865 - A description of the manuscripts of the Imperial Library dealing with mathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, astronomyAstronomyAstronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, and astrologyAstrologyAstrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
, published in Russian and German, St. Petersburg, 1866 - Extracts from the writings of Mordecai ComtinoMordecai ComtinoMordecai ben Eliezer Comtino was a Turkish Jewish Talmudist and scientist.The earliest date attached to any of his writings is 1425...
, Caleb AfendopoloCaleb AfendopoloCaleb Afendopolo was a Jewish polyhistor. He was the brother of Samuel ha-Ramati, ḥakam of the Karaite congregations in Constantinople and of Judah Bali, brother-in-law and disciple of Elijah Bashyatzi.According to a notice found in a Paris manuscript, he supported himself by giving...
, and Abraham Bali, published as an appendix to Gurland's dissertation Novyye Materially dlya Istorii Yevreiskoi Literatury XV Stolyetiya. M. Kumatiano, Yevo Zhizn, Sochineniya i Sootechestvenniki, St. Petersburg, 1866 - Penine ha-Meliẓot, a collection of sentences, proverbs, and maxims of divers sages, ib. 1867
- Tif'eret le-Mosheh, Gloire à Moïse, in honor of Moses MontefioreMoses MontefioreSir Moses Haim Montefiore, 1st Baronet, Kt was one of the most famous British Jews of the 19th century. Montefiore was a financier, banker, philanthropist and Sheriff of London...
, St. Petersburg, 1867. - Luaḥ Yisrael, a Jewish almanac in Russian and Hebrew, published first (only Russian) at Kiev, 1877; secondly, at Warsaw, 1878; thirdly, at St. Petersburg, 1879; fourthly, ib. 1880.
- Luaḥ Yeshurun, Hebrew and Russian calendar for the year 1884, St. Petersburg, 1883.
- Le-Ḳorot ha-Gezerot be-Yisrael, a collection of memoirs, documents, and elegies on the persecutions of the Jews in Poland in 1648, with historical annotations, published in Oẓar ha-Sifrut, 1887-89.
- Tif'eret le-Mosheh, Gloire à Moïse, in honor of Moses Montefiore
His brother, Jacob Gurland, rabbi of Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
, is the author of Kebod ha-Bayit, on the rabbinical school of Wilna, 1858.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Sokolov, Sefer Zikkaron, pp. 133 et seq.;
- William ZeitlinWilliam ZeitlinWilliam Zeitlin was a Russian scholar and bibliographer born at Homel, government of Moghilef, about the middle of the 19th century...
, Bibliotheca Hebraica Post-Mendelssohniana p. 131.