Shimon Hakham
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Shimon Hakham was a Bukharian rabbi residing in Jerusalem who promoted literacy by translating Hebrew religious books into Bukhori.
Rabbi Hakham was born into a religious family and is the great-grandson of Rabbi Yosef Maimon
, who led a religious revival among Bukharian Jews. Taking a great interest in literature, Hakham spoke his native Bukhori, Persian
, Hebrew, and Arabic. In 1870, he opened the "Talmid Hakham' yeshiva in Bukhara, where religious law was promoted.
At that time Bukharian Jews were getting only a general education, which mostly consisted of religious laws, reading, writing and some math. Even though studying religion took most of the time, many Bukhairan Jews did not speak fluent Hebrew. Only a few books were written in Persian
and many of them were old and incomplete.
Shimon Hakham decided to change this situation by translating religious books into Bukharian language. But since there was no printing in Bukhara at that time, he went to Jerusalem to print his books. In 1892 Shimon Hakham was one of the organizers of Jerusalem’s Bukharian Quarter(Heb: Sh'hunat HaBucharim), where Bukharian synagogues, schools and printing were opened.
After coming back to Bukhara, where he distributed his books, Shimon again went to Jerusalem and spent there his remaining years. The period from 1900 until Shimon’s death in 1910 was one of the best in Bukharian literature. Shimon Haham rewrote the whole Torah in the Bukharian language. He also wrote and translated the following books: Likudei dinim (1900), Dreams and their meaning (1901), Yosef and Zuleiha (1902), The Passover Haggadah (1904), and Meghilat Ester (1905). Among his secular translations was the novel Ahavat Zion (Kissaii Amnun va Tomor)by Avraham Mapu.
During his life Shimon Hakham wrote and translated into Bukharian more than 50 books. Many of his books and translations are still popular among Bukharian Jews. He died in 1910 and is buried on the Mount of Olives
in Jerusalem.
In 1986, the Hebrew Union College
published an English study and translation of Hakham's Musa-Nama, edited by Herbert. H. Paper. This work is Bukhori for "Book of Moses." In 1991, he was honored with a postage stamp
issued by the state of Israel.
Rabbi Hakham was born into a religious family and is the great-grandson of Rabbi Yosef Maimon
Yosef Maimon
Rabbi Yosef ben Moshe Mammon Maravi is the spiritual leader credited with helping strengthen religious observance and introducing the Sephardic liturgy to the Bukharian Jewish community. The title Maaravi signifies his North African ancestry...
, who led a religious revival among Bukharian Jews. Taking a great interest in literature, Hakham spoke his native Bukhori, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Hebrew, and Arabic. In 1870, he opened the "Talmid Hakham' yeshiva in Bukhara, where religious law was promoted.
At that time Bukharian Jews were getting only a general education, which mostly consisted of religious laws, reading, writing and some math. Even though studying religion took most of the time, many Bukhairan Jews did not speak fluent Hebrew. Only a few books were written in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and many of them were old and incomplete.
Shimon Hakham decided to change this situation by translating religious books into Bukharian language. But since there was no printing in Bukhara at that time, he went to Jerusalem to print his books. In 1892 Shimon Hakham was one of the organizers of Jerusalem’s Bukharian Quarter(Heb: Sh'hunat HaBucharim), where Bukharian synagogues, schools and printing were opened.
After coming back to Bukhara, where he distributed his books, Shimon again went to Jerusalem and spent there his remaining years. The period from 1900 until Shimon’s death in 1910 was one of the best in Bukharian literature. Shimon Haham rewrote the whole Torah in the Bukharian language. He also wrote and translated the following books: Likudei dinim (1900), Dreams and their meaning (1901), Yosef and Zuleiha (1902), The Passover Haggadah (1904), and Meghilat Ester (1905). Among his secular translations was the novel Ahavat Zion (Kissaii Amnun va Tomor)by Avraham Mapu.
During his life Shimon Hakham wrote and translated into Bukharian more than 50 books. Many of his books and translations are still popular among Bukharian Jews. He died in 1910 and is buried on the Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge in East Jerusalem with three peaks running from north to south. The highest, at-Tur, rises to 818 meters . It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes...
in Jerusalem.
In 1986, the Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
published an English study and translation of Hakham's Musa-Nama, edited by Herbert. H. Paper. This work is Bukhori for "Book of Moses." In 1991, he was honored with a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
issued by the state of Israel.