Knowledge (XXG)

Shimshon ben Mordechai of Slonim

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600: 632: 407: 616: 580: 400:"Blessed is your logic, and it will bear forth more blessing, for in your book you have refuted the claims our enemies level against us, saying ‘where is your wisdom and your learning in the eyes of the nations?’ Jacob will not be ashamed, for the land will be filled with knowledge, as the waters cover the sea." 431:. As he writes in his journal, all of the inns were full, so he was forced to spend the night with a rabbi who also kept a hardware store. He goes on to describe the rabbi's home and that he had two bookcases with "not fewer than 250 or 300 Vols.". Bentham also talked about how the rabbi possessed a copy of 450:
Sometime in the late 1780s, after Bentham's visit, a fire started in the thatch roof of Shimshon's house. It eventually consumed everything in his house including all of his books and manuscripts. He became stricken with grief. It is said that after the fire, "Shimshon eulogized his loss in the
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All of Shimshon's books and his own manuscripts were destroyed in the aforementioned fire. This unfortunately has limited many historians from being able to determine his role in Jewish history. In his family's tradition he was known as "a scholar and
310:"As soon as I arrived at the place, I went to the chief rabbi, told him my desire, and begged him earnestly for assistance... He promised to lend me some old German books. The most important among these were an old work on Optics, and Sturm's Physics." 599: 402:
Shimshon referred to the Jews being thought of as uneducated and ignorant. His intentions were to bring science and mathematics into the Jewish people's everyday lives, so they could be recognized as more intelligent and civilized people.
631: 238:, and Greek, as well as the sciences. After returning from Hamburg around 17 or 18 years of age (1751-1753), he was ordained as a rabbi. In the following years, he was rabbi in the small towns of 316:). These books inspired Maimon to find "a key to all secrets of nature" and look down upon others who did not know what he knew. This connection was identified by historian 398:
To conclude his writing, Shimshon related it all back to Schick's wish to educate Jews on the sciences. His words followed the same theme that Schick wrote,
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Shimshon had a small library in his house of around 250 to 300 books that he had collected on his journeys to Hamburg and other cities. Figures such as the
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in the town of Königsberg. By that point, Shimshon was very sick and tired. He only spent time there for several years until his death in May 1794.
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Little is known about Shimshon's early life. He was born in Lithuania, sometime between 1734 and 1736. Sometime at an early age he left for
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A Touch of Grace: Studies in Ashkenazi Culture, Woman's History, and the Languages of the Jews Presented to Chava Turniansky
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came to Slonim to borrow books from his library. Among Shimshon's prized possessions was the unpublished work by the rabbi
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as well as a manuscript on astronomy which contained a diagram that was the rabbi's own work. Historians such as
351: 586: 512: 290: 360:, Sefer Oklidus. Shimshon agreed and wrote part of the introduction to the book. Several other rabbis such as 347: 566:, the vice chairman of the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale who laid groundwork for the observance of 215: 1136: 410:
Approbation by Shimshon ben Mordechai of Slonim in Sefer Oklidus (Euclid's Elements Hebrew Translation).
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have logically assumed that this was the same rabbi who lent Solomon Maimon books nine years earlier.
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Sepharad in Ashkenaz: Medieval Knowledge and Eighteenth-Century Enlightened Jewish Discourse
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had in history. Shimshon made the assumption that Euclid lived in Greece right around when
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Rabbi Baruch ben Jacob Schick, Baruch Schick of Shklov (1744–1808) one of the pioneers of
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Bartal, Israel (2013). "Jeremy Bentham and Samson of Slonim: Two Book Lovers' Story".
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to visit the library in search of books on science and medicine. According to Maimon,
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In around 1765, Shimshon was arranged to be married to Basha, the niece of
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Chronicles and Commentaries: More Explorations of Jewish Life and Learning
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and is thought to have been descended from Shimshon Loew ben Bezalel, the
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Seductive Science and the Emergence of the Secular Jewish Intellectual
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The Debate Over Secular Studies Among the Disciples of the Vilna Gaon
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The Faith of the Mithnagdim: Rabbinic Responses to Hasidic Rapture.
93:, scientist, astronomer, philosopher, mathematician, and theologian 405: 326: 235: 1110: 1022: 511:. Some of his most famous rabbinical descendants were the Rabbis 395:. Next, he gave a lengthy summary of the contents of the book.. 479:, and the chokhmot." Shimshon was also remembered for bringing 1117:
https://people.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/130607_Euclid.html
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The Autobiography of Solomon Maimon: The Complete Translation
1049:"Jacob Reingold Is Dead at 83; Leader in Caring for Elderly" 350:(1744-1808) journeyed to Slonim to ask Shimshon to write an 1001:. United States: University of Penn Press. pp. 24–25. 899:. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. p. 129. 984:פאר הדור: פרקים ממסכת חייו ויצירתו של אברהם־ישעיהו קרליץ 725:
Menachem Mendel Frankfurter (1742–1823) founder of the
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In 1791, after the fire, he left town for a spot as an
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https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/slonim/Ledger.html
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Polish-Lithuanian rabbi and theologian (c.1734–1794)
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Jerusalem: Shazar. pp. 215, 221–226. 757:Kalman Lichtenstein (born 1899) author of 680:Rabbi Aryeh Leib ben Mordechai Epstein of 379:Firstly, he talked about the proper place 20: 503:Shimshon's descendants mostly settled in 376:contributed to the introduction as well. 188:Shimshon (Samson) ben Mordechai of Slonim 732:Eliezer Segal (1950–) Canadian professor 354:to the first ever Hebrew translation of 342:In 1778, upon the recommendation of the 1095:Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 137. 780: 572: 250:Marriage and life in Slonim (1765–1788) 124:Movement, Approbation of Sefer Oklidus 25:Rabbi Shimshon ben Mordechai of Slonim 1113:Family tree of Shimshon's descendants 1086:Italian Jewry in the Renaissance Era. 530:Other descendants include politician 7: 951: 949: 908: 906: 865: 863: 792: 790: 788: 786: 784: 338:Meeting with Baruch Schick of Shklov 451:synagogue and cried bitter tears." 258:. They married on 26 October 1765. 641:State Representative) (1901-1958) 560:Massachusetts State Representative 218:'s brother, through his grandson, 14: 659:Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, 552:Long Island Jewish Medical Center 735:Rabbi Ephraim ben Shlomo Zalman 630: 614: 598: 578: 261:In 1769, Shimshon got a seat in 1132:18th-century Jewish theologians 623:Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky 525:Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky 1152:18th-century Lithuanian rabbis 1111:http://www.karelitzfamily.com/ 1047:Pace, Eric (5 February 1999). 986:. University of Michigan: נצח. 656:(1753–1800) German philosopher 1: 852:Fuenn, Samuel Joseph (1881). 797:Lichtenstein, Kalman (1961). 694:Rabbi Yitzhak ben Aryeh Leib 427:, when he spent the night in 812:Shuchat, B. Raphael (1998). 198:, and was influenced by the 874:. Edita. pp. 300–301. 1173: 747:. Great-grandson of Rabbi 493:Moses ben Isaac Judah Lima 220:Samson ben Pesah Ostropoli 770:(1946–) Israeli professor 764:(Memorial book of Slonim) 568:National Grandparents Day 550:and founding chairman of 542:, real estate developer, 1084:Zinberg, Israel (1988), 999:The Jewish Enlightenment 827:Maimon, Solomon (2019). 587:Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz 513:Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz 291:Joseph Solomon Delmedigo 997:Feiner, Shmuel (2011). 895:Feiner, Shmuel (2002). 546:, Dr. Samuel Karelitz, 446:Final years (1788-1794) 348:Baruch Schick of Shklov 276: 109:18th century philosophy 1157:People of the Haskalah 1027:www.karelitzfamily.com 982:Cohen, Shlomo (1966). 663:(1720–1797) leader of 415:Jeremy Bentham's visit 411: 334: 314:Johann Christoph Sturm 300:Salomon Maimon's visit 1091:Nadler, Allan (1997) 1088:Ktav Pub Inc. p. 174. 870:Zwiep, Irene (2008). 570:in the United States. 414: 409: 330: 299: 743:rabbi and author of 538:, the mathematician 295:Bosmat Bat Shelomoh. 652:Shlomo ben Joshua, 637:Clarence Karelitz ( 536:Jean Hanff Korelitz 487:as well as being a 318:Samuel Joseph Fuenn 1147:People from Slonim 1053:The New York Times 917:. Quid Pro Books. 854:Safah le-Ne'emanim 749:Aryeh Leib Epstein 700:Aryeh Leib Epstein 686:Aryeh Leib Epstein 647:Notable associates 412: 335: 322:Safah le-Ne'emanim 277:Shimshon's library 256:Aryeh Leib Epstein 589:(1878-1953) (The 556:Clarence Karelitz 434:Euclid's Elements 357:Euclid's Elements 234:to study German, 216:Maharal of Prague 185: 184: 98:Years active 56:(aged 59–60) 1164: 1072: 1071: 1069: 1067: 1044: 1038: 1037: 1035: 1033: 1019: 1013: 1012: 994: 988: 987: 979: 973: 972: 970: 968: 962:On the Main Line 953: 944: 943: 935: 929: 928: 910: 901: 900: 892: 886: 885: 867: 858: 857: 849: 843: 842: 824: 818: 817: 809: 803: 802: 794: 634: 618: 602: 582: 362:Saul Loewenstamm 74:Samson of Slonim 71:Other names 55: 42:Poland–Lithuania 21: 1172: 1171: 1167: 1166: 1165: 1163: 1162: 1161: 1122: 1121: 1102: 1081: 1079:Further reading 1076: 1075: 1065: 1063: 1046: 1045: 1041: 1031: 1029: 1021: 1020: 1016: 1009: 996: 995: 991: 981: 980: 976: 966: 964: 955: 954: 947: 937: 936: 932: 925: 912: 911: 904: 894: 893: 889: 882: 869: 868: 861: 851: 850: 846: 839: 826: 825: 821: 811: 810: 806: 796: 795: 782: 777: 709: 649: 642: 635: 626: 619: 610: 607:Nissim Karelitz 603: 594: 583: 540:Leonard Carlitz 532:Frank N. Newman 521:Nissim Karelitz 515:(author of the 501: 464: 448: 417: 391:were living in 340: 302: 279: 252: 228: 66: 57: 53: 44: 35: 26: 19: 12: 11: 5: 1170: 1168: 1160: 1159: 1154: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1134: 1124: 1123: 1120: 1119: 1114: 1108: 1101: 1100:External links 1098: 1097: 1096: 1089: 1080: 1077: 1074: 1073: 1039: 1014: 1008:978-0812221725 1007: 989: 974: 945: 930: 923: 902: 887: 881:978-9069844824 880: 859: 844: 838:978-0691163857 837: 819: 804: 799:Pinkas Slonim 779: 778: 776: 773: 772: 771: 765: 755: 745:Gevurot ha-Ari 733: 730: 723: 720: 713:Getzel Kressel 708: 705: 704: 703: 692: 678: 671: 657: 654:Solomon Maimon 648: 645: 644: 643: 636: 629: 627: 620: 613: 611: 604: 597: 595: 584: 577: 575: 564:Jacob Reingold 500: 497: 463: 460: 447: 444: 421:Jeremy Bentham 416: 413: 366:Solomon Shalem 339: 336: 332:Solomon Maimon 301: 298: 287:Salomon Maimon 278: 275: 251: 248: 227: 224: 183: 182: 179: 175: 174: 171: 167: 166: 163: 159: 158: 155: 151: 150: 144: 140: 139: 130: 126: 125: 115: 114:Known for 111: 110: 107: 103: 102: 99: 95: 94: 80: 76: 75: 72: 68: 67: 58: 50: 46: 45: 36: 32: 28: 27: 24: 17: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1169: 1158: 1155: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1145: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1129: 1127: 1118: 1115: 1112: 1109: 1107: 1104: 1103: 1099: 1094: 1090: 1087: 1083: 1082: 1078: 1062: 1058: 1054: 1050: 1043: 1040: 1028: 1024: 1018: 1015: 1010: 1004: 1000: 993: 990: 985: 978: 975: 963: 959: 952: 950: 946: 941: 934: 931: 926: 924:9781610278232 920: 916: 909: 907: 903: 898: 891: 888: 883: 877: 873: 866: 864: 860: 855: 848: 845: 840: 834: 830: 823: 820: 815: 808: 805: 800: 793: 791: 789: 787: 785: 781: 774: 769: 768:Israel Bartal 766: 763: 762: 756: 754: 750: 746: 742: 738: 734: 731: 728: 724: 721: 718: 714: 711: 710: 706: 702:of Königsberg 701: 697: 693: 691: 687: 683: 679: 676: 672: 670: 666: 662: 658: 655: 651: 650: 646: 640: 639:Massachusetts 633: 628: 624: 617: 612: 608: 601: 596: 592: 588: 581: 576: 573: 571: 569: 565: 561: 557: 553: 549: 545: 541: 537: 533: 528: 526: 522: 518: 514: 510: 506: 498: 496: 494: 490: 486: 482: 478: 474: 470: 461: 459: 457: 452: 445: 443: 441: 440:Israel Bartal 437: 435: 430: 426: 422: 408: 404: 401: 396: 394: 390: 386: 382: 377: 375: 371: 367: 363: 359: 358: 353: 349: 345: 337: 333: 329: 325: 323: 319: 315: 311: 307: 297: 296: 292: 288: 284: 274: 272: 268: 264: 259: 257: 249: 247: 245: 241: 237: 233: 225: 223: 221: 217: 213: 209: 205: 202:. 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Retrieved 961: 939: 933: 914: 896: 890: 871: 853: 847: 828: 822: 813: 807: 798: 758: 744: 727:Talmud Torah 715:(1911–1986) 690:Or ha-Shanim 689: 590: 548:pediatrician 544:Gary Barnett 529: 516: 502: 465: 453: 449: 432: 418: 399: 397: 378: 355: 341: 321: 320:in his book 309: 303: 294: 280: 260: 253: 229: 187: 186: 54:(1794-05-13) 34:1734 or 1736 15: 1142:1794 deaths 967:29 November 609:(1926-2019) 499:Descendants 456:Av Beit Din 352:approbation 267:Av Beit Din 204:Av Beit Din 83:Chief Rabbi 52:13 May 1794 1126:Categories 775:References 753:Königsberg 729:in Hamburg 682:Königsberg 677:and author 661:Vilna Gaon 591:Chazon Ish 517:Chazon Ish 344:Vilna Gaon 283:Vilna Gaon 212:Königsberg 200:Vilna Gaon 120:Movement, 91:Königsberg 60:Königsberg 1066:22 August 1061:0362-4331 1032:17 August 665:Mitnagdim 534:, author 509:Karelichy 469:Kabbalist 374:Amsterdam 370:The Hague 196:Misnagdim 173:Mordechai 137:Misnagdim 122:Misnagdim 101:1769–1794 38:Lithuania 856:. Vilna. 707:See also 675:Haskalah 669:Haskalah 489:Mitnaged 481:Haskalah 477:esoteric 475:and the 473:exoteric 385:Mordecai 312:(likely 306:Nyasvizh 271:Haskalah 244:Krāslava 240:Kolyshki 194:and the 192:Haskalah 181:Karelitz 162:Children 143:Opponent 133:Haskalah 129:Movement 118:Haskalah 759:Pinkas 737:Epstein 717:Israeli 696:Epstein 625:(1928-) 554:(LIJ), 425:Krichev 324:(1881). 232:Hamburg 147:Hasidic 64:Prussia 1059:  1005:  921:  878:  835:  761:Slonim 719:author 621:Rabbi 605:Rabbi 585:Rabbi 562:, and 523:, and 505:Kosava 485:Slonim 462:Legacy 429:Slonim 393:Persia 389:Esther 381:Euclid 265:as an 263:Slonim 208:Slonim 178:Family 170:Father 154:Spouse 87:Slonim 741:Vilna 368:from 236:Latin 157:Basha 1068:2020 1057:ISSN 1034:2020 1003:ISBN 969:2019 919:ISBN 876:ISBN 833:ISBN 667:and 558:, a 387:and 372:and 364:and 285:and 242:and 210:and 149:Jews 89:and 49:Died 31:Born 751:of 739:of 519:), 483:to 206:of 106:Era 85:of 1128:: 1055:. 1051:. 1025:. 960:. 948:^ 905:^ 862:^ 783:^ 684:, 527:. 495:. 346:, 293:, 222:. 135:, 62:, 40:, 1070:. 1036:. 1011:. 971:. 927:. 884:. 841:. 593:) 436:,

Index

Lithuania
Poland–Lithuania
Königsberg
Prussia
Chief Rabbi
Slonim
Königsberg
Haskalah
Misnagdim
Haskalah
Misnagdim
Hasidic
Haskalah
Misnagdim
Vilna Gaon
Av Beit Din
Slonim
Königsberg
Maharal of Prague
Samson ben Pesah Ostropoli
Hamburg
Latin
Kolyshki
Krāslava
Aryeh Leib Epstein
Slonim
Av Beit Din
Haskalah
Vilna Gaon
Salomon Maimon

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