Michael Levi Rodkinson
Encyclopedia
Michael Levi Rodkinson was an American-Jewish publisher, known for being the first to translate the Babylonian Talmud to English
.
Born with the surname
"Frumkin", Michael Levi was the son of Alexander Sender Frumkin and half brother of Israel Dov Bär Frumkin, the editor of The Havatzeleth newspaper in Jerusalem, Arieh Tzvi Hirsch Frumkin and Guishe Frumkin-Navon. Michael Levi was named after his grandfather, Aaron ha-Levi ben Moses of Staroselye
, a prominent rabbi of the Chabad
movement, who created his own Hasidic group in Usha and then in Starosjle. Michael therefore grew up in a Hasidic Chabad
atmosphere.
He changed his name to Rodkinson for unknown reasons, maybe after his mother's name "Rada". He lived in Germany
for a period of time where he published some of his books, then moved to the United States
and settled in New York
, where he worked as a publisher. Among his works is an uncompleted translation of the Babylonian Talmud to English. The translation was harshly reviewed, eliciting the derision of talmudists such as Kaufmann Kohler
, who labeled Rodkinson a "sham scholar" for the many apparently misinformed or naive translations of common talmudical terms.
Rodkinson collected many stories from his childhood amongst the Hassidim, and compiled these into books that he later published. These were among the first books to tell stories in Hebrew and Yiddish. (Until then, Hebrew and Yiddish books were mostly explanations of the Jewish law.)
Rodkinson married three times; one of his children was Max Rodkinson, a famous actor of the Yiddish theater in New York. Max changed his name to "Rudolph Marks" because his father did not want him to use the "Rodkinson" name as a Yiddish actor. After a few years of acting he left the stage and became a lawyer, taking back his original name.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Born with the surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
"Frumkin", Michael Levi was the son of Alexander Sender Frumkin and half brother of Israel Dov Bär Frumkin, the editor of The Havatzeleth newspaper in Jerusalem, Arieh Tzvi Hirsch Frumkin and Guishe Frumkin-Navon. Michael Levi was named after his grandfather, Aaron ha-Levi ben Moses of Staroselye
Staroselye
Staroselye is a village on Karelian Isthmus, in Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast, located at the head of Zagorsky gulf, Lake Glubokoye....
, a prominent rabbi of the Chabad
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
movement, who created his own Hasidic group in Usha and then in Starosjle. Michael therefore grew up in a Hasidic Chabad
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
atmosphere.
He changed his name to Rodkinson for unknown reasons, maybe after his mother's name "Rada". He lived in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for a period of time where he published some of his books, then moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and settled in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he worked as a publisher. Among his works is an uncompleted translation of the Babylonian Talmud to English. The translation was harshly reviewed, eliciting the derision of talmudists such as Kaufmann Kohler
Kaufmann Kohler
Kaufmann Kohler was a German-born U.S. reform rabbi and theologian.-Life and work:Kaufmann Kohler was born into a family of rabbis...
, who labeled Rodkinson a "sham scholar" for the many apparently misinformed or naive translations of common talmudical terms.
Rodkinson collected many stories from his childhood amongst the Hassidim, and compiled these into books that he later published. These were among the first books to tell stories in Hebrew and Yiddish. (Until then, Hebrew and Yiddish books were mostly explanations of the Jewish law.)
Rodkinson married three times; one of his children was Max Rodkinson, a famous actor of the Yiddish theater in New York. Max changed his name to "Rudolph Marks" because his father did not want him to use the "Rodkinson" name as a Yiddish actor. After a few years of acting he left the stage and became a lawyer, taking back his original name.
External links
- The Babylonian Talmud Translated by Michael L. Rodkinson from the Internet Sacred Text ArchiveInternet Sacred Text ArchiveThe Internet Sacred Text Archive is a website dedicated to the preservation of electronic public domain texts, specifically those with significant cultural value...
. Accessed 2007-08-03.