Meir Friedmann
Encyclopedia
Meir Friedmann (July 10, 1831, at Kraszna
, district of Kashau
(Košice Region), Kingdom of Hungary
, Austrian Empire
– 1908, at Vienna
, Austria-Hungary
) was an Austrian-Hungarian Jewish
scholar. His editions of the Midrash
are the standard texts. His chief editions were the Sifre
(1864), the Mekhilta
(1870), Pesiqta Rabbathi (1880). At the time of his death he was editing the Sifra
. Friedmann, while inspired with regard for tradition, dealt with the Rabbinic texts with modern scientific methods, and rendered conspicuous service to the critical investigation of the Midrash and to the history of early homilies.
at Ungvar, Carpathian Ruthenia
region (now part of Ukraine
) where he was attracted to Chasidism and Cabala
. At the age of sixteen, he was led by the "Bi'ur" of Moses Mendelssohn
to the study of the Bible
, and became deeply interested in Hebrew poetry
, especially in Wessely's "Shire Tife'ret". At twenty, while living at Miskolc
, where he earned his livelihood by giving Talmud
instruction, he took up secular studies. In 1858 he entered the University of Vienna
. In 1864, when the Vienna bet ha-midrash was founded, he was chosen as teacher of the Bible and Midrash. Later he was hired as a professor
in the Israelitisch-Theologische Lehranstalt. Among his students there was Solomon Schechter
.
nical style, are models of precision and are of great value.
Kružná
Kružná is a village and municipality in the Rožňava District in the Košice Region of middle-eastern Slovakia.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 300 metres and covers an area of 6.908 km².It has a population of about 525 people.-Culture:...
, district of Kashau
Košice Region
The Košice Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions. It consists of 11 districts .-Geography:It is located in the southern part of eastern Slovakia and covers an area of 6,752 km²...
(Košice Region), Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
– 1908, at Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
) was an Austrian-Hungarian Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
scholar. His editions of the Midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
are the standard texts. His chief editions were the Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
(1864), the Mekhilta
Mekhilta
This article refers to the Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael. There is a separate article on the Mekhilta de-Rabbi ShimonMekhilta or Mekilta is a halakic midrash to the Book of Exodus...
(1870), Pesiqta Rabbathi (1880). At the time of his death he was editing the Sifra
Sifra
Sifra is the Halakic midrash to Leviticus. It is frequently quoted in the Talmud, and the study of it followed that of the Mishnah, as appears from Tanḥuma, quoted in Or Zarua, i. 7b. Like Leviticus itself, the midrash is occasionally called "Torat Kohanim" , and in two passages also "Sifra debe...
. Friedmann, while inspired with regard for tradition, dealt with the Rabbinic texts with modern scientific methods, and rendered conspicuous service to the critical investigation of the Midrash and to the history of early homilies.
Biography
In 1844, at the age of 13, he entered the yeshivaYeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
at Ungvar, Carpathian Ruthenia
Carpathian Ruthenia
Carpathian Ruthenia is a region in Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast , with smaller parts in easternmost Slovakia , Poland's Lemkovyna and Romanian Maramureş.It is...
region (now part of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) where he was attracted to Chasidism and Cabala
Cabala
Cabala may refer to one of several systems of Mysticism:* Kabbalah, the religious mystical system of Judaism...
. At the age of sixteen, he was led by the "Bi'ur" of Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn was a German Jewish philosopher to whose ideas the renaissance of European Jews, Haskalah is indebted...
to the study of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, and became deeply interested in Hebrew poetry
Hebrew poetry
Hebrew poetry is poetry written in the Hebrew language. It encompasses such things as:* Biblical poetry, the poetry found in the poetic books of the Hebrew Bible* Piyyut, religious Jewish liturgical poetry in Hebrew or Aramaic...
, especially in Wessely's "Shire Tife'ret". At twenty, while living at Miskolc
Miskolc
Miskolc is a city in northeastern Hungary, mainly with heavy industrial background. With a population close to 170,000 Miskolc is the fourth largest city of Hungary It is also the county capital of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and the regional centre of Northern Hungary.- Geography :Miskolc is located...
, where he earned his livelihood by giving Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
instruction, he took up secular studies. In 1858 he entered the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
. In 1864, when the Vienna bet ha-midrash was founded, he was chosen as teacher of the Bible and Midrash. Later he was hired as a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in the Israelitisch-Theologische Lehranstalt. Among his students there was Solomon Schechter
Solomon Schechter
Solomon Schechter was a Moldavian-born Romanian and English rabbi, academic scholar, and educator, most famous for his roles as founder and President of the United Synagogue of America, President of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and architect of the American Conservative Jewish...
.
Works
Friedmann has devoted himself chiefly to the editing of old Midrashim, to which he has added critical notes and valuable introductions. These notes, written in classical rabbiRabbi
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...
nical style, are models of precision and are of great value.
- Friedmann has published the following works in Hebrew:
- The Sifre, Vienna, 1864
- The Mekilta, ib. 1870
- Eshet Chayil, a commentary on ProverbsBook of ProverbsThe Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
, ib. 1878 - The Pesikta RabbatiPesikta RabbatiPesikta Rabbati or P'sqita Rabbita is a collection of Aggadic Midrash on the Pentateuchal and prophetic lessons, the special Sabbaths, etc. It was composed around 845 CE and probably called "rabbati" to distinguish it from the earlier Pesiḳta.In common with the latter it has five entire...
, ib. 1880 - Ha-Tziyyon, a rational interpretation of 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...
, ib. 1882 - Dabar 'al Odot ha-Talmud, on the question whether the Talmud can be accurately translated, ib. 1885
- Masseket Makkot, a critical edition of the Talmudical treatise MakkotMakkotMakkot is a book of the Mishnah and Talmud. It is the fifth volume of the book of Nezikin. Makkot deals primarily with laws of Jewish courts and the punishments which they may administer, and may be regarded as a continuation of tractate Sanhedrin, of which it originally formed part.Included in...
, with a commentary, ib. 1888 - Sefer Shofetim, notes to JudgesBook of JudgesThe Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
, ib. 1891 - Me'ir 'Ayin, a commentary on the Passover Haggadah, ib. 1895
- Tanna debe Eliyahu, ib. 1900
- Friedmann's GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
publications are: - Worte der Erinnerung an Isaac Noa Mannheimer, ib. 1873
- Die Juden ein Ackerbautreibender Stamm, ib. 1878
- T. G. Stern, Gedenkrede, ib. 1883
- Zerubabel, German explanation of IsaiahIsaiahIsaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
, ib. 1890 - "Worte zur Feier des 100 Jahrigen Geburtstages des Seligen Predigers Isaac Noa Mannheimer", 1893
- "OnkelosOnkelosOnkelos is the name of a famous convert to Judaism in Tannaic times . He is considered to be the author of the famous Targum Onkelos .-Onkelos in the Talmud:...
und 'Akylos," ib. 1896
- From 1881 to 1886 Friedmann published, together with Isaac Hirsh Weiss, the monthly Bet Talmud, devoted to rabbinical studies. To this periodical Friedmann contributed, under the signature "Ish Shalom", many valuable essays, of which the most noteworthy are on the arrangement of the Pentateuch and on SamuelSamuelSamuel is a leader of ancient Israel in the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. He is also known as a prophet and is mentioned in the Qur'an....
.