Solomon Rubin
Encyclopedia
Solomon Rubin was a Neo-Hebrew author from Galicia.
, but, being attracted by Haskalah
and modern learning, he entered upon a business career which lasted about five years. This proving unsuccessful, he went to Lemberg
, where he studied bookkeeping at a technical institute, and also acquired a knowledge of German, French and Italian. After serving two years in the Austrian army he attempted to establish himself in Lemberg as a teacher; but persecution due to his liberal views made his position untenable, and he went to Romania
, at that time a very favorable field for active and enterprising Galician Jews. He secured a good position in a commercial establishment in Galaţi
, which enabled him to devote his evenings to his favorite studies.
In 1859 Rubin returned to Galicia and became principal of a school for Jewish boys in Bolechow
. He went to Russia in 1863, where he was engaged as a private tutor in a wealthy Jewish family of Ostrog
, Volhynia
, with which he went to Vienna in 1865. There he met Peter Smolenskin, who was then in despair owing to the difficulty of continuing the publication of Ha-Shaḥar. Rubin promised him to write a complete work for that publication every year; and he kept his promise even after his personal relations with Smolenskin had become somewhat strained.
The years 1870 and 1871 were spent by Rubin as a private tutor in Naples, Italy, and from 1873 to 1878 he lived in the same capacity in the household of Jacob Poliakov in Taganrog
, Russia. He then returned to Vienna, whence in 1895 he removed to Kraków
.
He published about twenty-five works with this object in view, two of which, the "Ma'aseTa'atuyim" (Vienna, 1887) and the "Yesod Mistere ha-'Akkum we-Sod Ḥokmat ha-Ḳabbalah" (ib. 1888), have appeared in German translations also, the first as "Geschichte des Aberglaubens" (transl. by I. Stern, Leipsic, 1888) and the second as "Heidenthum und Kabbala" (Vienna, 1892). A bibliography of his works and of the more important of his many articles in periodicals will be found in William Zeitlin
, "Bibl. Post-Mendels." s.v.
Rubin was an ardent admirer of the system and personality of Spinoza; and wrote much to prove the close relation between Spinozism and Judaism
. Among his earliest literary productions are a compendium of Spinoza's writings, entitled "Moreh Nebukim he-Ḳadash" (Vienna, 1856-57), and "Teshubah Niẓẓaḥat" (Lemberg, 1859), a refutation of S. D. Luzzatto's attacks on Spinoza. Rubin's essay in German, Spinoza und Maimonides, ein Psychologisch-Philosophisches Antitheton, won for the author the title of doctor of philosophy from the University of Göttingen. Later in life Rubin returned to his favorite philosopher and brought out "Ḥeḳer Eloah 'im Torat ha-Adam," a Hebrew translation of Spinoza's "Ethics," with notes and an introduction. This is Rubin's most important contribution to Neo-Hebrew literature.
Among his later works are "Yalḳuṭ Shelomoh" (Cracow, 1896), consisting of ten essays, and "Segulot ha-Ẓemaḥim, we-Ototam" (German title, "Symbolik der Pflanzen"; ib. 1898).
Life
He was educated for the rabbinateRabbinate
The term rabbinate may refer to the office of a rabbi or rabbis as a group:*Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the supreme Jewish religious governing body in the state of Israel...
, but, being attracted by Haskalah
Haskalah
Haskalah , the Jewish Enlightenment, was a movement among European Jews in the 18th–19th centuries that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history...
and modern learning, he entered upon a business career which lasted about five years. This proving unsuccessful, he went to Lemberg
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, where he studied bookkeeping at a technical institute, and also acquired a knowledge of German, French and Italian. After serving two years in the Austrian army he attempted to establish himself in Lemberg as a teacher; but persecution due to his liberal views made his position untenable, and he went to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, at that time a very favorable field for active and enterprising Galician Jews. He secured a good position in a commercial establishment in Galaţi
Galati
Galați is a city and municipality in Romania, the capital of Galați County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, in the close vicinity of Brăila, Galați is the largest port and sea port on the Danube River and the second largest Romanian port....
, which enabled him to devote his evenings to his favorite studies.
In 1859 Rubin returned to Galicia and became principal of a school for Jewish boys in Bolechow
Bolechów
Bolechów is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Oława, within Oława County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany....
. He went to Russia in 1863, where he was engaged as a private tutor in a wealthy Jewish family of Ostrog
Ostrog
Ostrog may refer to:* Ostrog, Slovenia, a settlement in Šentjernej municipality in Slovenia* Ostrog monastery, a Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery in Montenegro* Ostroh, a historic town in Ukraine* Ostrog, a Russian term for a small fortress...
, Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
, with which he went to Vienna in 1865. There he met Peter Smolenskin, who was then in despair owing to the difficulty of continuing the publication of Ha-Shaḥar. Rubin promised him to write a complete work for that publication every year; and he kept his promise even after his personal relations with Smolenskin had become somewhat strained.
The years 1870 and 1871 were spent by Rubin as a private tutor in Naples, Italy, and from 1873 to 1878 he lived in the same capacity in the household of Jacob Poliakov in Taganrog
Taganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
, Russia. He then returned to Vienna, whence in 1895 he removed to Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
.
Works
Rubin is one of the most prolific of Neo-Hebrew writers and one of the most enthusiastic and persistent champions of haskalah. Most of his literary labors are directed against superstitious customs and beliefs: but his method is unique among writers of his class; for he neither ridicules such customs and beliefs, nor does he preach against them, but proceeds in a quasi-scientific manner to adduce proof that similar superstitions prevailed or are still prevailing among those who have attained to only a very low plane of culture. He objectively describes, or rather compiles descriptions of, superstitious practises, and sometimes only alludes, as if incidentally (mostly in footnotes), to the equivalent follies among fanatical Jews.He published about twenty-five works with this object in view, two of which, the "Ma'aseTa'atuyim" (Vienna, 1887) and the "Yesod Mistere ha-'Akkum we-Sod Ḥokmat ha-Ḳabbalah" (ib. 1888), have appeared in German translations also, the first as "Geschichte des Aberglaubens" (transl. by I. Stern, Leipsic, 1888) and the second as "Heidenthum und Kabbala" (Vienna, 1892). A bibliography of his works and of the more important of his many articles in periodicals will be found in William Zeitlin
William Zeitlin
William Zeitlin was a Russian scholar and bibliographer born at Homel, government of Moghilef, about the middle of the 19th century...
, "Bibl. Post-Mendels." s.v.
Rubin was an ardent admirer of the system and personality of Spinoza; and wrote much to prove the close relation between Spinozism and Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. Among his earliest literary productions are a compendium of Spinoza's writings, entitled "Moreh Nebukim he-Ḳadash" (Vienna, 1856-57), and "Teshubah Niẓẓaḥat" (Lemberg, 1859), a refutation of S. D. Luzzatto's attacks on Spinoza. Rubin's essay in German, Spinoza und Maimonides, ein Psychologisch-Philosophisches Antitheton, won for the author the title of doctor of philosophy from the University of Göttingen. Later in life Rubin returned to his favorite philosopher and brought out "Ḥeḳer Eloah 'im Torat ha-Adam," a Hebrew translation of Spinoza's "Ethics," with notes and an introduction. This is Rubin's most important contribution to Neo-Hebrew literature.
Among his later works are "Yalḳuṭ Shelomoh" (Cracow, 1896), consisting of ten essays, and "Segulot ha-Ẓemaḥim, we-Ototam" (German title, "Symbolik der Pflanzen"; ib. 1898).