Joachim (Ḥayyim) Oppenheim, also known as Joachim Heinrich Oppenheim (29 September 1832 – 27 April 1891), was a Czech

rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

and author.

Biography

He was born at

Ivančice Ivančice (; ) is a town in Brno-Country District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 9,900 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument zone ...

Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...

. After receiving his first instruction from his father, Bernhard Oppenheim, rabbi of Ivančice, he went to

Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...

, where he attended the gymnasium (1849-1853), and then entered the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

, continuing his

Talmudic The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewi ...

studies under Rabbi

Lazar Horowitz Lazar Horowitz, or Eleazar HaLevi Ish Horowitz, Eleasar ben David Josua Hoeschel Horowitz, aka El'azar Hurwitz (1803/1804, Floß, Upper Palatinate - June 11, 1868, Vöslau) was an Orthodox Rabbi who led the Jewish community of Vienna during t ...

. Having graduated in 1857, he succeeded his brother David, as rabbi of

Jemnice Jemnice (; ) is a town in Třebíč District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 4,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument zones, urban m ...

in 1858, and his father as rabbi of Ivančice in 1860. In 1868, he was called to serve as rabbi of

Toruń Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...

. He held this last rabbinate until his death on 27 April 1891, in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

, where he had undergone a surgical operation. Of Oppenheim's independent publications, only two

sermons A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. E ...

are known, entitled "''Das Tal-Gebet''" (Vienna, 1862); but he was a frequent contributor to Jewish scientific magazines, writing by preference in

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

. Oppenheim contributed to

Zecharias Frankel Zecharias Frankel (30 September 1801 – 13 February 1875) was a Bohemian-German rabbi and a historian who studied the historical development of Judaism. He was born in Prague and died in Breslau. He was the founder and the most eminent member o ...

's "''

Monatsschrift für die Geschichte und Wissenschaft des Judenthums ''Monatsschrift für die Geschichte und Wissenschaft des Judenthums'' ("Monthly magazine for the history and science of Judaism", abbreviated to ''MGWJ'') was a monthly journal devoted to the Science of Judaism. It was founded by Zecharias Frankel ...

''", S. Sonneschein's "''Homiletische Monatsschrift''", Joseph Isaac Kobak's "''Jeschurun''", "'' Ha-Maggid''", "''

Ha-Karmel ''HaKarmel'' () was a Hebrew periodical, edited and published by Samuel Joseph Fuenn in Vilna from 1860 to 1880. It was one of the important forces of the Haskalah movement in the Russian Empire. History ''HaKarmel'' was founded by Samuel Joseph ...

''", "''

Ha-Shaḥar ''Ha-Shaḥar'' () was a Hebrew language, Hebrew-language monthly periodical, published and edited at Vienna by Peretz Smolenskin from 1868 to 1884. The journal contained scientific articles, essays, biographies, and literature, as well as genera ...

''", "''Bet Talmud''", and to various Hebrew year-books. His history of the compilation of the

Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; , from the verb ''šānā'', "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the Oral Torah. Having been collected in the 3rd century CE, it is ...

, "''Toledot ha-Mishnah''", published originally in the second volume of the "''Bet Talmud''", was published separately in

Presburg Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...

, 1882. Oppenheim was married to Helene Oppenheim (1839-1929). Their son, Berthold Oppenheim, was the rabbi of

Olomouc Olomouc (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants, making it the Statutory city (Czech Republic), sixth largest city in the country. It is the administrative centre of the Olomouc Region. Located on the Morava (rive ...

.
''Jewish Encyclopedia'' bibliography: *

Sokolow As a surname, Sokolow may refer to: * Nahum Sokolow (1859-1936), Jewish Hebrew language writer and Zionist leader * Americans: ** Anna Sokolow (1910 – 2000), dancer and choreographer ** Tobi Sokolow (born 1942), bridge player ** Fred Sokolow ...

, ''Sefer Zikkaron'', pp. 126-127, Warsaw, 1889; *idem, ''

Ha-Asif ''Ha-Asif'' () was a Hebrew language, Hebrew-language yearly journal, published in Warsaw by Nahum Sokolow, Naḥum Sokolow. Its first volume appeared in 1884; it continued to appear regularly every year until 1889, when the fifth volume came out ...

'', vi. 126-27.

Biography

References

Further reading