Salomon Mandelkern
Encyclopedia
Salomon Mandelkern was a Ukrainian Jewish poet and author.
He was educated as a Talmud
ist. After his father's death he went to Dubno
(he was then fourteen), where he continued his Talmudical studies. He became associated with the Ḥasidim
in that community and with their "rabbi," Mendel of Kotzk, with whose son David he spent some time studying Jewish philosophy and Cabala
.
Later he became identified with the Haskalah
movement. After his marriage he went to Wilna, entered its rabbinical school, and graduated as a rabbi.
Mandelkern subsequently studied Oriental languages at St. Petersburg University, where he was awarded a gold medal for an essay on the parallel passages of the Bible. In 1873 he became assistant rabbi at Odessa
, where he was the first to deliver sermons in Russian, and where he studied law at the university. The degree of Ph.D. was conferred upon him by the University of Jena.
About 1880 he settled in Leipzig
and occupied himself with literary work and with teaching. In 1900 he visited the United States; he returned to Leipzig in 1901, and was visiting Vienna when he suddenly became ill and died in the Jewish hospital of that city.
, followed by "Bat Sheba'," an epic poem, "Ezra ha-Sofer," a novel (transl. from the German by Ludwig Philippson
), and a satirical work entitled "Ḥiẓẓim Shenunim" (all published in Wilna).
Other works of his are:
He published also: "Bogdan Chmelnitzki," in Russian, a translation of Hanover's "Yewen Meẓulah" (St. Petersburg, 1878; Leipsic, 1883); a Russian edition of Lessing
's fables (ib. 1885); and "Tamar," a novel in German (ib. 1885; really a translation of Mapu
's "Ahabat Ẓiyyon," without any mention of Mapu as the author). Sermons by him in Russian, and Russian and German translations of his Hebrew songs and articles, have appeared in various periodicals; and most Hebrew journals and year-books published within the last thirty years (especially "Ha-Shaḥar," "Ha-Asif") contain articles, poems, and epigrams by him.
Mandelkern's greatest work is the "Hekal haḲodesh," or "Veteris Testamenti Concordantiæ," a Hebrew-Latin concordance
of the Hebrew and Chaldaic words found in the Bible (Leipsic, 1896), which almost superseded all similar works of that nature. An abridged edition of this monumental work appeared under the title "Tabnit Hekal" (ib. 1897; for the various criticisms which were made of Mandelkern in connection with the two editions of the concordance, and for lists of errata, see Bernhard Stade
's "Zeitschrift," xviii. 165, 348; xix. 187-191, 350; xxii. 320; xxiii. 94, 352; xxiv. 146; etc.).
In his last years Mandelkern was engaged in the composition of a Talmudic and Midrashic concordance, part of which, probably, was left in manuscript.
He was educated as a 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....
ist. After his father's death he went to Dubno
Dubno
Dubno is a city located on the Ikva River in the Rivne Oblast of western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of Dubno Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
(he was then fourteen), where he continued his Talmudical studies. He became associated with the Ḥasidim
Hasidim
Hasidim/Chasidim is the plural of Hasid , meaning "pious". The honorific "Hasid" was frequently used as a term of exceptional respect in the Talmudic and early medieval periods. In classic Rabbinic literature it differs from "Tzadik"-"righteous", by instead denoting one who goes beyond the legal...
in that community and with their "rabbi," Mendel of Kotzk, with whose son David he spent some time studying Jewish philosophy and Cabala
Cabala
Cabala may refer to one of several systems of Mysticism:* Kabbalah, the religious mystical system of Judaism...
.
Later he became identified with the Haskalah
Haskalah
Haskalah , the Jewish Enlightenment, was a movement among European Jews in the 18th–19th centuries that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history...
movement. After his marriage he went to Wilna, entered its rabbinical school, and graduated as a rabbi.
Mandelkern subsequently studied Oriental languages at St. Petersburg University, where he was awarded a gold medal for an essay on the parallel passages of the Bible. In 1873 he became assistant rabbi 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,...
, where he was the first to deliver sermons in Russian, and where he studied law at the university. The degree of Ph.D. was conferred upon him by the University of Jena.
About 1880 he settled in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and occupied himself with literary work and with teaching. In 1900 he visited the United States; he returned to Leipzig in 1901, and was visiting Vienna when he suddenly became ill and died in the Jewish hospital of that city.
Works
Mandelkern was a prolific writer in several languages, especially in Hebrew, in which he produced poetical works of considerable merit. His literary career began in 1886 with "Teru'at Melek Rab," an ode to Alexander II of RussiaAlexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
, followed by "Bat Sheba'," an epic poem, "Ezra ha-Sofer," a novel (transl. from the German by Ludwig Philippson
Ludwig Philippson
Ludwig Philippson was a German rabbi and author, the son of Moses Philippson.He was educated at the gymanasium of Halle and at the University of Berlin, and maintained himself by tutoring and by doing literary work...
), and a satirical work entitled "Ḥiẓẓim Shenunim" (all published in Wilna).
Other works of his are:
- "Dibre Yeme Russiya," a history of Russia (Warsaw, 1875; written for the Society for the Promotion of Culture Among Russian Jews; for this work he was presented by the czar with a ring set with brilliants)
- "Shire Sefat 'Eber," Hebrew poems (2 vols., Leipsic, 1882 and 1889)
- and "Shire Yeshurun," a translation of Byron's "Hebrew Melodies" (ib. 1890).
He published also: "Bogdan Chmelnitzki," in Russian, a translation of Hanover's "Yewen Meẓulah" (St. Petersburg, 1878; Leipsic, 1883); a Russian edition of Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist, and art critic, and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature...
's fables (ib. 1885); and "Tamar," a novel in German (ib. 1885; really a translation of Mapu
Abraham Mapu
Abraham Mapu was a Lithuanian-born Hebrew novelist of the Haskalah movement. His novels later served as a basis for the Zionist movement.-Biography:...
's "Ahabat Ẓiyyon," without any mention of Mapu as the author). Sermons by him in Russian, and Russian and German translations of his Hebrew songs and articles, have appeared in various periodicals; and most Hebrew journals and year-books published within the last thirty years (especially "Ha-Shaḥar," "Ha-Asif") contain articles, poems, and epigrams by him.
Mandelkern's greatest work is the "Hekal haḲodesh," or "Veteris Testamenti Concordantiæ," a Hebrew-Latin concordance
Concordance
Concordance can mean:* Concordance , a list of words used in a body of work, with their immediate contexts* Concordance , the presence of the same trait in both members of a pair of twins...
of the Hebrew and Chaldaic words found in the Bible (Leipsic, 1896), which almost superseded all similar works of that nature. An abridged edition of this monumental work appeared under the title "Tabnit Hekal" (ib. 1897; for the various criticisms which were made of Mandelkern in connection with the two editions of the concordance, and for lists of errata, see Bernhard Stade
Bernhard Stade
Bernhard Stade was a German Protestant theologian, born at Arnstadt, in Thuringia.He studied at Leipzig and Berlin, and in course of time became professor ordinarius at Giessen...
's "Zeitschrift," xviii. 165, 348; xix. 187-191, 350; xxii. 320; xxiii. 94, 352; xxiv. 146; etc.).
In his last years Mandelkern was engaged in the composition of a Talmudic and Midrashic concordance, part of which, probably, was left in manuscript.