Meir (Ish Shalom) Friedmann (10 July 1831 in Kružná, Kraszna ( sk, Kružná), Košice Region, district of Kashau (Košice Region), Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire – 1908 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary) was an Austrian-Hungarian Judaism, 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.

Biography

In 1844, at the age of 13, he entered the yeshiva at Ungvar, Carpathian Ruthenia region (now part of Ukraine) where he was attracted to Chasidism and Kabbalah. 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 Jewish literature#Poetry, Hebrew poetry, especially in Naphtali Herz Wessely, 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.

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 rabbinical 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 Book of Proverbs, Proverbs, ib. 1878 :* ''The Pesikta Rabbati'', ib. 1880 :* ''Ha-Tziyyon,'' a rational interpretation of Ezekiel, 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 ''Makkot,'' with a commentary, ib. 1888 :* ''Sefer Shofetim'', notes to Book of Judges, Judges, ib. 1891 :* ''Me'ir 'Ayin'', a commentary on the Passover Haggadah, ib. 1895 :* ''Tanna debe Eliyahu,'' ib. 1900 *Friedmann's German language, German 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 Isaiah, ib. 1890 :* ''"Worte zur Feier des 100 Jahrigen Geburtstages des Seligen Predigers'' Isaac Noa Mannheimer", 1893 :* ''"Onkelos 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 Samuel.

Bibliography

''Jewish Encyclopedia'' Bibliography

* Reuben Brainin, Brainin, in ''Luach Ahiasaf'', pp. 343 et seq., 1901 * ''Ha-Shiloaḥ, Ha-Shiloach'', p. 573, 1901 * Solomon Schechter, in Jewish Chronicle, Jew. Chron. p. 17, June 28, 1901

Additional bibliography

* An MA on his works by Rabbi Binyamin Zeev Benedict

References

* Yosef Goldman, Goldman, Yosef. ''Hebrew Printing in America, 1735-1926, A History and Annotated Bibliography'' (YGBooks 2006). .

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Friedmann, Meir 1831 births 1908 deaths People from Rožňava District People from the Kingdom of Hungary Slovak Jews Austro-Hungarian Jews 19th-century Jews 19th-century Hungarian people Hungarian theologians 19th-century Jewish biblical scholars Talmudists 20th-century Jewish theologians 19th-century Jewish theologians