Judaica Librarianship
Volume 11 Issue 1–2 67-75
1-1-2003 Some Notable Bibliographers I Have Known Jacob Kabakoff Lehman College of City University
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Recommended Citation Kabakoff, Jacob. 2003. "Some Notable Bibliographers I Have Known." Judaica Librarianship 11: 67-75. doi:10.14263/2330-2976.1126. Some Notable Bibliographers I Have Known* Jacob Kabakoff Lehman College of City University New York, NY
Excerpts from the Introduction by degree in 1958. Dr. Kabakoff is also a as Editor for almost 20 years, from 1977 to Zachary M. Baker graduate of Yeshiva University and its 1996. Having been a contributor to the Teachers’ Institute. He holds honorary Jewish Book Annual throughout Dr. Since 1996, Judaica librarians have had degrees from the JTSA (1972) and Kabakoff’s tenure, I can personally testify the honor of hearing one of their distin- Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of to the close attention that he paid to all of guished colleagues speak at a plenary Religion (1988). the articles and bibliographies that were gathering of the Association of Jewish published there under his editorial supervi- Libraries. Jacob Kabakoff is now the fourth The Festschrift Migvan [Spectrum]: Stud- sion, and to the thoroughness with which Feinstein Lecturer, succeeding Herbert ies in Hebrew Literature in Honor of Jacob he proofread these contributions. Zafren, Menahem Schmelzer, and Dina Kabakoff, edited by Stanley Nash (Lod: Abramowicz. It is a special honor for me to Habermann Institute for Literary Stanley Nash has written: “[Jacob] introduce Professor Jacob Kabakoff as the Research, 1988), includes a selected bibli- Kabakoff is one of the principal 1999 Myer and Rosaline Feinstein Lectur- ography of Dr. Kabakoff’s own writings. As researchers in the field of American er. The Feinstein Lecture is a program of of 1988, these numbered six books, four Hebrew literature .... Many of those who the Council of Archives and Research pamphlets, and no fewer than 221 articles devoted themselves to the neglected sub- Libraries in Jewish Studies and is spon- - in Hebrew, Yiddish and English. Among ject of Hebrew literary creativity in America sored by the National Foundation for Jew- his books are: Master of Hope: Selected received assistance and encouragement ish Culture’s Jewish Endowment for the Writings of Naphtali Herz Imber (Cranbury, from him. Often our friend Kabakoff would Arts and Humanities.... NJ: Associated University Presses, 1985), contact those working in this arena, either and the Hebrew volumes Pioneers of by letter or by telephone, bringing to their Jacob Kabakoff is an American Hebraist American Hebrew Literature (Tel-Aviv: attention new materials, a remote archive, par excellence and a well-rounded Judaic Yavneh; Cleveland: Cleveland College of or an obscure manuscript known only to scholar. Literary and bio-bibliographical Jewish Studies Press, 1967), Stalwarts ‘initiates’” (Migvan, introduction, p. 9). We studies have been hallmarks of his long and Seekers: Essays on American are grateful to Jacob Kabakoff for his gen- and productive scholarly career. Jacob Hebrew Literature and Culture (Jerusalem: erosity in sharing with us a modest quo- Kabakoff himself is an important link to a Rubin Mass, 1978), Naphtali Herz Imber: tient of his vast storehouse of knowledge, generation of Hebrew bibliographers that “Ba’al ha-Tikvah” (Lod: Habermann Insti- in this latest in the ongoing series of Fein- has passed from the scene in recent tute for Literary Research, 1991). Dr. stein Lectures. years, and his lecture constitutes a rich Kabakoff has been a regular and devoted contribution to our knowledge of Judaica contributor to Ha-Do’ar - he served as edi- bibliography and Hebrew letters. tor of the Sefer ha-Do’ar (1982), published on that eminent American Hebrew jour- Until his retirement, Jacob Kabakoff nal’s 60th anniversary - and has also writ- Zachary M. Baker is the Reinhard Family served as Professor of Hebrew and Jew- ten for the Congress Weekly/ Curator of Judaica and Hebrew Collec- ish Studies at Lehman College of the City Biweekly/Monthly, Jewish Social Studies, tions at Stanford University, and is the University of New York; before that, he was Judaism, and The Reconstructionist. President of the Council of Archives and Dean of the Cleveland College of Jewish Research Libraries in Jewish Studies Studies. A graduate of The Jewish Theo- To many Judaica librarians, Dr. Kabakoff’s (CARLJS). logical Seminary of America, he was name is associated above all with the awarded the Doctor of Hebrew Letters Jewish Book Annual, which he ably served
*Originally presented at the 34th Annual Convention of the Association of Jewish Libraries, Boca Raton, June 21, 1999. Originally published as a pamphlet (New Yo rk: National Foundation for Jewish Cul- ture/Council of Archives and Research Libraries in Jewish Studies), 2000. (NFJC Lecture Series no. 4).
Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 67 Lecture by Our first bibliographer, Abraham Meir was engaged, so that they offer an insight Jacob Kabakoff Habermann, was born in Zurawno, Gali- into his activities during this period. Haber- cia, in 1901. He received a traditional edu- mann did not fail to favor me with his many Opinions are divided regarding the field of cation, but like many other young men of warmly-inscribed books and reprints as bibliography. For some it is characterized his generation in Galicia he left his home- they appeared. by the Hebrew phrase hokhmat shearim, town for Germany in order to obtain a uni- which may be loosely translated as the skill versity education. He was about 18 years I often benefited from Habermann’s courte- or expertise of dealing with title pages. of age when he moved to Wurzburg. For sies in connection with my research on Those who would invoke this phrase would some months he worked for his uncle who American Hebrew literature. For my mono- seem to imply that the bibliographer’s was in the wine business. However, he graph on the writings of the satirist Gerson knowledge encompasses only the exter- soon abandoned the business world to Rosenzweig he made available to me a nals of the books and does not necessarily continue with his studies. At the age of 21 rare four-page parody that Rosenzweig presuppose a familiarity with their contents. he took up residence in Zwickau where he had published in New York in 1893. On obtained a position as a teacher. another occasion he wrote me that his Others, however, view the bibliographer’s library had acquired a number of issues of skill as having to do with far more than title It was in Zwickau that Habermann met ha-Zofeh ba-Aretz ha-Hadasha, the first pages. The basic meaning of the word Salman Schocken, whose department- American Hebrew weekly, which appeared shaar is gate. When we use the phrase store concern was based there. This meet- in the 1870’s. When I informed him that hokhmat shearim we refer to that skill ing was to have a far-reaching influence on some of these issues were unavailable in which opens the gates to the vast realm of Habermann’s career. Schocken had the United States, he took the trouble to Jewish learning. Bibliography then is already become known as a collector of microfilm them for me. Among the items he viewed from this vantage point as the key Hebrew books and manuscripts. His library was kind enough to send me were rare to the treasures of the past and to the writ- grew when he acquired the collection of printed items by Judah David Eisenstein ings of the scholars and bookmen who Moses Marx; it was then that Schocken and Ephraim Deinard. have mined these treasures. invited Habermann to catalog his books. At first Habermann divided his time between While still in Germany, Habermann began It is my purpose today to deal with four mornings at the library and afternoons at to publish the fruits of his research in the leading bibliographers – two from Israel the school. He acquired his expertise first- history of Hebrew printing and in the field and two who did their work here — and to hand within the confines of the library, and of piyyut and medieval Hebrew poetry. share with you some recollections of their was instrumental in aiding Schocken make Among his early publications were such personalities and activities over many valuable acquisitions of rare books and items as The Soncino Family as Printers years. To each of these notable figures we manuscripts. Among these were manu- (Hebrew, 1933) and Hebrew Women as can apply the phrase be-hokhma poteah scripts of medieval Hebrew poetry, a field Printers, Typesetters and Supporters of shearim. As used in our Maariv service it in which Habermann was to become a pro- Writers (Hebrew, 1933). He devoted him- applies to the Almighty Himself who with ductive worker at the Schocken Institute self to the publishing of Hebrew texts, par- wisdom opens the gates of heaven. In our For Hebrew Poetry, which was established ticularly from the medieval period. In many case it is meant to apply to a few excep- in Berlin in 1930. In his lifework Haber- instances he provided pertinent bibliogra- tional and unique individuals who utilized mann was undoubtedly influenced by his phies. He was diligent in making available their God-given skill to enable us to enter mentor Schocken who took him under his from manuscripts poems and piyyutim, the portals of many fields and branches of wing and employed him as a librarian in which he contributed to scores of volumes learning that might not otherwise have Berlin. When the Schocken Library was and periodicals. For some time he also been readily revealed to us. transferred to Jerusalem, Habermann conducted a weekly feature in the literary “made aliyah” and continued in his post. He section of Ha’aretz that he devoted to this remained in charge of the Library for a branch of our literature. period of over four decades until 1967. We cannot hope to enumerate even a part I first met Habermann as a result of a tele- of Habermann’s extensive writings. In phone conversation that we had in 1950 retirement he began to issue a series of when I had gone to Jerusalem to take a eight volumes in which he collected some position as a member of the editorial staff of his essays and studies. Fortunately, of the Encyclopedia Hebraica.I spent available is a detailed bibliography of his some two years in Jerusalem and from books and edited poems, as well as arti- time to time I would call Habermann to ver- cles and reviews. The bibliography ify bibliographical data. Habermann appeared in the A.M. Habermann Jubilee inquired as to my family origins and I told Volume (Hebrew, 1977), published in him that I was American-born. He admitted Jerusalem on the occasion of his 75th that on the basis of my name and my fluent birthday. Habermann continued his work Hebrew he had thought that I stemmed until his dying day; he passed away while from an Oriental background. At any rate, reading the proofs of his latest volume. The he invited me to his home, and thus began main areas of his writing included a friendship that lasted through the years medieval literature, history of the Hebrew down to his passing in 1981 when he was book and Hebrew printing, and studies on close to his 80th birthday. After my return the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls and to the United States in 1952 we kept up a Haskalah literature. His essays covered a regular correspondence. His letters enu- wide variety of topics in Jewish studies. merated the literary projects in which he
68 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 In 1967 I invited Habermann to offer a that came from their presses. Habermann at being a resident of Jerusalem, and series of lectures on piyyut at the Cleve- had begun work also on the press of the stressed his growing attachment to the city. land College of Jewish Studies as part of Christian Venetian printer Giovanni de Once, after I had paid him a visit when he our teacher-in-service program. He had Gara. He was unable to complete this was recovering from an operation, he been serving for some years as professor effort and it was published posthumously insisted on accompanying me to the taxi of medieval Hebrew literature at the Tel and edited with notes and additions by station. I tried to discourage him from tak- Aviv University and taught as well at the Yizhak Yudlov of the Hebrew University ing the walk but his response was “It is a Graduate Library School of the Hebrew Library staff. mitzvah to walk in Jerusalem.” After his University. During his visit to Cleveland he death, his widow Bilha decided to present also took part in a conference on the Holo- Habermann followed a time-honored cus- his extensive library, consisting of some caust and lectured on the reaction to per- tom of sending unique greetings to friends 30,000 items, to the city of Lod, which secution in the piyyut, a subject to which in form of unpublished verses found in undertook to provide a building for what he had devoted some of his works. When manuscript. On the occasion of the Bar became known as the Habermann Institute S.Y. Agnon received the Nobel Prize, a Mitzvah of my youngest son, he sent two for Literary Research. The Institute has community-wide celebration was planned epigrams by Isaac Cohen Belinfante, an kept Habermann’s name alive through a to mark the event in Cleveland. Because of eighteenth century poet and preacher, who series of publications, including a few Habermann’s closeness to Agnon, I asked served as the hakham of the Portuguese posthumous ones by Habermann himself. him whether he could prevail upon Agnon synagogue Etz Hayyim in Amsterdam. He One of the activities of the Institute is the to send us a taped message. Agnon was showered such thoughtful gifts upon his sponsorship of a museum with a program besieged by many requests but he could many friends and acquaintances. He was of ongoing exhibits and one of its major not turn down this one, for Habermann had also the author of a number of miniature interests is research into the modes of been among the proofreaders of his col- books and collector’s items. As a connois- Jewish life of the Oriental Jews and partic- lected works. He was also the compiler of seur of books he always had the book ularly of the communities in North Africa. the first bibliography of Agnon’s early writ- lovers and bibliophiles in mind. Two of his The director is Dr. Zvi Malachi, of the facul- ings, which the author had published under publications are especially geared to them. ty of Tel Aviv University, who served as the his family name Czaczkes. In 1964 the Museum of Printing Art in editor both of the Festschrift Shai le- Safed and the National Union of Printing Heman, published on the occasion of We have already made mention of Haber- Workers in Israel issued his book Shaarei Habermann’s 75th birthday, and the mann’s early bibliographical study of the Sefarim Ivrim (Title Pages of Hebrew memorial volume Yad le-Heman, which Soncino family of printers. This publication, Books), containing reproductions of 123 contains in addition to literary studies a which was dedicated to Schocken offers, in decorated title pages. The custom of hav- section devoted to appreciations of Haber- addition to an introduction, detailed anno- ing such pages was introduced in the six- mann’s life’s work. tated listings of the items printed by Sonci- teenth century by Gershon Soncino and its no family members arranged according to use is traced down to the publications of various cities. The study was followed by the displaced refugees in Europe. The * * * monographs on Hebrew printing presses in same sponsors joined with Massada Pub- Tarnopol, Corfu and Safed, on the printers lishing to issue his Tavei Sefer Yehudiim Abraham Conat, Hayyim Shahor, Hayyim (Jewish Bookplates, 1972), which offers a Helitz and others. He traced the printing collection of facsimiles of manuscript and history of such popular works as Mishlei engraved ex-libris from the collection of Shualim (Fox Fables, 1946) and Ben ha- Avrom Weiss at the Museum of Printing Art Melekh veha-Nazir (The Prince and the at Safed. Some 165 samples are present- Nazir, 1951). His interest in Hasidism led ed, together with introductions in Hebrew him to compile a comprehensive bibliogra- and English and commentary. phy of some 300 items of Habad literature, which he contributed to a Festschrift in There is still another side to Habermann’s honor of Schocken’s 70th birthday. creativity, which is represented by his pen- name, Heman ha-Yerushalmi. In the Bible, Habermann’s research on Hebrew print- Heman is said to have been the head of ing served as the basis for his volume ha- the singers during the days of King David. Sefer ha-Ivri be-Hitpathuto (The History He is also mentioned as one of the wise of the Hebrew Book, 1968). Subtitled men of old. In addition, this is the name of “From Marks to Letters; From Scroll to the narrator in Judah Al-Harizi’s celebrated Book,” it offers a survey of the subject work the Tahkemoni. Under his pen-name against the background of the general his- of Heman ha-Yerushalmi, Habermann tory of printing and serves as a useful published some original maqamot, a liter- guide to the field. ary form that was cultivated by Al-Harizi and that is written in rhymed prose. In Habermann projected the preparation of a addition, he authored under his pen-name comprehensive series of books on the his- various folkloristic collections dealing with tory of Hebrew printing in Italy. He complet- such themes as redemption and ed two volumes, one on the printer Daniel Jerusalem. Bomberg and another on the printer Cor- A second bibliographer with whom I had nelio Adel Kind and his son Daniel. Both In his correspondence Habermann close contact over the years was Getzel books contain descriptions of the books referred again and again to his satisfaction Kressel.I first met Kressel in 1949 when
Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 69 he came to New York at the invitation of the (Social Sciences,1939; 1948) which cov- Hebrew literature. In a number of inter- Zionist Archive and Library, which was in ered materials that were available in views which Kressel gave over the years existence at that time. I invited him to pre- Hebrew. Similar functional bibliographies he decried the fact that no other literary pare a biographical sketch of the poet were his Eretz Yisrael ve-Toledoteha workers were ready to bring the Lexicon up “Shin” Shalom for a Hebrew brochure we (Palestine and Its History, 1943) and Mada to date. He stated that budgetary con- were preparing for publication in connec- ha-Mikra (Biblical Studies, 1953). straints had forced him to omit many tion with the forthcoming visit of the poet entries and that he was ready to make his that year. We maintained our relationship In his memoir Kressel outlined his views on material available to anyone who would for well over three decades, both through the aims and purpose of bibliography. He undertake the task. correspondence and mutual visits. Kressel valued of course the kind of specialized continued to send me his varied books as bibliography that was cultivated by the Kressel’s name is associated with the bio- they appeared. He often enclosed also JNUL quarterly Kiryat Sefer, but he bibliographical institute Genazim which he copies of articles that he had published in stressed also the value of practical guides helped found in 1951 under the auspices the press. to various fields that would meet contem- of the Hebrew Writers’ Association in porary needs. He felt that Hebrew bibliog- Israel. It was novelist Asher Barash who Kressel’s numerous contributions to such raphy should deal not only with Jewish had urged Kressel and Dov Sadan to set fields as the history of Zionism and the subject matter but also with general areas up such a depository where the manu- Yishuv and modern Hebrew literature and of interest. His bibliographies, which were scripts and letters of Hebrew writers could the press, would be difficult to trace and devoted to the Histadrut and its activities, be stored and where a record could be record were it not for the fact that he decid- exemplify this approach. kept of their writings. Kressel served as the ed to prepare his own bibliography. It was first director of Genazim (1951-1960) and published by the Habermann Institute for Another field in which Kressel pioneered helped guide its development. He also edit- Jewish Research shortly before his death was indexing, an activity in which he was ed the first number of the volume in 1986 and in time for his 75th birthday. helped by his wife Isa. Together they pre- Genazim (1961), which was devoted to the Encompassing the years 1925-1985, it lists pared indexes for the Histadrut publications publication of documentary materials from more than 100 items that cover his original Kuntres (1946) and ha-Ahdut (1961). its holdings, including memoirs and autobi- books and pamphlets as well as the books Their most ambitious project was the index ographies, as well as correspondence by a he edited. Together with his contributions to to fifty years of Hapoel Hatzair (1968), whole series of authors. the press, journals, encyclopedias and col- which not only presented alphabetical list- lective volumes, the total number of items ings but also a wide variety of subject An indication of Kressel’s lifelong preoccu- reaches 3,284. A special listing of the peri- headings, thus enhancing its use. Because pation with the Hebrew press is his odicals and volumes in which he participat- of the complications in printing this album- detailed listing of newspapers and periodi- ed contains 250 titles, a sum seldom sized, double-columned book the volume cals, which he prepared for the index vol- equaled by others. took some 14 years to set up and print. ume of the Encyclopaedia Judaica. The listing records not only the dates and fre- As an introduction to his bibliography Kres- Kressel viewed as his most important con- quency of publication but offers also a brief sel penned a memoir in which he related tribution to the field of bibliography his two- characterization of each item. Similarly, he how he entered upon his literary career. He volume Lexicon ha-Sifrut ha-Ivrit ba-Dorot contributed an extended survey article on was born in the town of Zablotow, Eastern ha-Aharonim (Cyclopedia of Modern the Hebrew press to vol. 6 of the Ency- Galicia, in 1911 and, with the death of his Hebrew Literature), published in 1965- clopaedia Hebraica. Kressel devoted stud- father, was orphaned at the age of four. His 1967. This work, which earned for its com- ies to various publications and their editors. brother, who was active in Zionist work and piler the prestigious Bialik Prize, represents He republished Yehuda vi-Yrushalayim, the his sister who “made aliyah,” served as role a remarkable accomplishment, for it covers Palestine newspaper edited by Yoel Moshe models. From his earliest years he read 3,100 authors beginning with the end of Salomon, together with an introduction. voraciously everything he could get a hold the eighteenth century. Of these, more The writings of Israel Dov Frumkin, editor of and he kept up his romance with the than 250 entries deal with American of Havazelet, and of Yehiel Brill, editor of printed Hebrew word throughout his life. Hebrew authors and scholars. Kressel ha-Levanon, were also ably edited by him. After settling in Palestine in 1930 he often complained that he had to tackle his His summary volume Toledot ha-Itonut ha- became an agricultural worker in Petah project single-handedly, whereas in other Ivrit be-Eretz Yisrael (History of the Hebrew Tikvah, where he remained for some eight countries it would probably have been car- Press in Eretz Yisrael) appeared in 1964. years. Kressel considered his first major ried out by a suitable staff of workers and His useful Guide to the Hebrew Press, literary effort to be his article on Leopold with foundation support. The work is the published in 1979, is not limited to Pales- Zunz, which he submitted to the literary fruit of more than thirty years of assiduous tine and Israel but offers a general intro- section of Davar in 1936 on the occasion collecting of books and pamphlets and of duction as well as information on more of the 50th anniversary of the scholar’s newspaper accounts dealing with person- than thirty items. It serves also as a lexicon death. The literary editor of the newspaper alities. In addition, questionnaires were of the Hebrew serials that are available in was then Dov Sadan, who was impressed sent to authors in order to augment the microfiche. by the expertise exhibited by the author available information. The aim of the work and continued to publish his articles. It is to present basic biographical data about In his articles and studies Kressel covered was through Sadan that Kressel met Berl each writer and to list his major works. a wide range of subjects. He accounted for Katznelson, the then editor of Davar who Whenever warranted, brief bibliographies this spread by stating that he found that recognized the young writer’s potential and of further references to books and mono- many of the areas included in Jewish stud- urged him to undertake various literary pro- graphs are provided. Because of its author- ies were interlinked. He became a one- jects. Among his early bibliographical itativeness the Lexicon became the man information bureau and received efforts was a guide to Madaei ha-Hevrah standard handbook in the field of modern countless queries about literary and Zionist
70 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 matters. Among the many fields he dealt originally issued in 1889. He republished it * * * with were the history of the Yishuv and the with additions in 1980 under the title Lexi- Zionist movement. He devoted mono- con shel Sofrei Yisrael ba-Meah ha- graphs to the leading personalities of the Kodemet (Lexicon of Hebrew Writers of Yishuv and Zionism. Moses Hess, David the Previous Century). His Otzar Sifrut ha- Gordon, editor of Hamagid, Zvi Hirsh Humor, ha-Satira ve-ha-Karikatura (Trea- Kalisher, Yehuda Alkalay, and Yehiel Michel sury of Humor, Satire, and Caricature Pines are among the figures he dealt with Publications, 1984) contains a bibliography and whose writings he collected and pre- of the collection of Yaakov Zidkoni of over sented to the reader. He issued the col- 700 items of this genre. Included are a lected writings of Shimon Menahem Lazar, selection of facsimiles of rare publications, editor of ha-Mitzpeh. He also issued the an introduction by Dov Sadan and two writings of Abraham Moshe Lunz and appendices by E.R. Malachi. Nahum Sokolow and provided introductory monographs on them. One of the last matters that Kressel touched upon in the memoir to his bibliog- Kressel served as the division editor of the raphy was the fate of his collection. After Encyclopaedia Judaica for Zionism and completing work on his Lexicon and his the history of the Yishuv and contributed many encyclopedia entries he sought to hundreds of entries not only to this ency- find a suitable place where the collection clopedia but also to the Encyclopedia of could be maintained. Kressel’s home was Zionism and Israel and other reference in Holon, where I was privileged to see the works. Seldom did he leave an anniversary materials with which he worked. He told date unnoticed and among the literary fig- me that in order to house his collection he ures to whom he devoted many articles found it necessary to add a second story to were Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, Dov Sadan , his house. Zalman Shazar and Naphtali Herz Imber. Eliezer Refael Malachi, our third notable Kressel’s collection consisted of an exten- bibliographer, has been ranked by many Kressel had fond memories of his early sive library of thousands of books and as the greatest Hebrew bibliographer of years in Petah Tikvah, and he devoted a pamphlets, a catalog file of bibliographical recent times. Like Kressel, he enriched monograph and various studies to the his- references, a massive trove of thousands both our knowledge of the history of the tory and development of this “Mother of of newspaper clippings dealing with per- Yishuv and the Hebrew press. Because of Settlements.” On the basis of his research sonalities and literary matters. He spent his significant contributions he soon he published the volume Potehe ha-Tikvah several years in seeking a permanent became the acknowledged master in (Planters of Hope, 1976) in which he home for his material, but to no avail. One these fields. In quantity alone he was our traced the early efforts to break away from of his stipulations was that the collection be most productive Hebrew bibliographer. the halukah system that was followed in maintained and augmented. Finally, the One has only to consult S. Shunami’s Bib- Jerusalem. He intended to bring his Oxford Centre For Postgraduate Hebrew liography of Jewish Bibliographies to see account down to the founding of Petah Tik- Studies agreed to house the collection on the amazing record he compiled. vah itself but was able to complete only six its grounds in Yarnton. A barn was renovat- chapters (1852-1863), in which he ed for this purpose and place was made Malachi prided himself on the fact that he described the struggle between the philan- for both the library and the archival materi- seldom missed a day of writing, and the thropic and the productivization approach- als. The library consisted of 25,000 vol- number of his articles and studies can be es in the old Yishuv. The volume was umes and the archive comprised about measured in the thousands. While writing brought to the press by the author’s widow 300,000 newspaper clippings on personali- mainly in Hebrew, his oeuvre included a in 1992. ties, Jewish settlements, the State of Israel wealth of material in Yiddish as well. and the Jewish press. In addition, some For the bibliophile and booklover Kressel 3,000 pamphlets and many letters were I first met Malachi in 1936 at the office of was sure to provide some choice items. In included. Both the library and the archive the Histadrut Ivrit, the National Organiza- 1975 the Museum of Printing Art in Safed are described in detail in a pamphlet tion For Hebrew Culture, which together issued his Sitrei Sefer ve-Sofer, whose issued by the Oxford Centre in 1981 and with the Hebrew weekly Hadoar, was English title reads “On Hebrew and Jewish reprinted in vol. 40 of the Jewish Book housed in the quarters of the Zionist Booklore.” Readers interested in bibliogra- Annual under the title “The Kressel Collec- Organization of America. When the His- phy will find enlightening Kressel’s surveys tion.” According to prior agreement, Kres- tadrut Hanoar Haivri, the Hebrew Youth of pioneering efforts in the field and his sel continued for some time to add to the Organization, was organized I became essays on leading figures like Steinschnei- library and to update its archival materials. active in its work and often would come to der, Ben Yaakov, Freimann, Yaari and other the office on Fridays. A coffee shop was giants of booklore down to the modern It was Dov Sadan who once characterized located on the same floor and it was here period. Kressel was responsible also for Kressel as a maskil rabbim, as one who that members of the Hadoar staff and the reissue of rare items, such as brought enlightenment and information to a other visiting writers would congregate. Mendelssohn’s introduction to the wide public. His books and bibliographical Those of us who were interested in Humash, Or la-Netiva, and Ben Ze’ev’s articles and researches did much to Hebrew writing and who contemplated the introduction to the Bible, Mavo el Mikra enhance our knowledge of Jewish studies publication of the magazine Niv for young Kodesh. A more recent work was his new and to keep us abreast of new develop- writers often had occasion to benefit from edition of Sefer Zikkaron le-Sofrei Yisrael, ments in the field. our discussions with Malachi.
Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 71 While Malachi was a member of the edito- bibliography of the writings of Mendele wrote a series of articles on editors, rial staff of Hadoar and served also as its Mokher Sefarim, which remains a model including Yehuda Leib Kantor of the daily proofreader, he spent most of his time in to this day. ha-Yom, for whom he had a special the libraries of New York. On my visits to regard, and Ahad Ha’am, editor of ha- the Jewish room of the New York Public Because of his phenomenal memory and Shiloah. In another series he described a Library or the reading room of the library his gift of total recall Malachi was able number of “firsts” among the periodicals— of the Jewish Theological Seminary I during his career to compile the bibliogra- - the first to deal with satire, linguistics, would find him poring over books and phies of a whole roster of authors and pedagogy and bibliography. periodicals. From time to time he would scholars, including such major figures as leave to go out for a “smoke” and would Bialik, Tchernichowsky, Dubnow and During his many decades of activity in then exchange some remarks. Malachi Sokolow, among many others. He was America, Malachi paid special attention to had done much spadework in the field of invited to prepare an extensive Sokolow the American Hebrew press and on a the American Hebrew press and literature bibliography that was to comprise 7,000 number of occasions offered accounts of and from time to time he would send me items, including writings in Hebrew, Yid- its development. He dealt with the first comments and corrections on my work. dish and other languages. The bibliogra- periodical ha-Zofeh ba-Aretz ha-Hadasha phy was intended for a commemorative and devoted a monograph to Aharon When Malachi reached his 80th birthday I volume on Sokolow that was being spon- Yehuda Leib Horowitz, one of its leading published an appreciation of his work in sored by the World Zionist Organization. contributors. He followed the work of Wolf Hadoar. That he remained a soft-spoken Regrettably, the editor could include only Schur, editor of the weekly ha-Pisgah and and unassuming person can be seen the introductory part. In 1929 Malachi supporter of Hibbat Zion and of Herzl. He from the letter of thanks he sent me. His published a plea in Bitzaron asking that presented a portrait of Gerson Rosen- letter dated 4 Sivan, 5735 (May 14, 1975), the bulk of the bibliography be preserved zweig, the talented satirist who edited the reads as follows in translation: and transferred to Jerusalem together weekly ha-Ivri and the satiric monthly ha- with Sokolow’s papers. In compiling his Devorah, His greatest contribution was his Please accept my heartfelt thanks for bibliographies Malachi paid special atten- work for Hadoar, where he faithfully pub- your fine article about me in Hadoar. An tion to the writings of his fellow American lished his many studies and researches. anniversary is an anniversary and I have Hebrew writers. Among these were two He described the singular role of Mena- no choice but to accept your bounty. For bibliographies that appeared in book form hem Ribalow, the weekly’s longtime edi- myself I don’t think my reaching 80 is an and were devoted to Chaim Tchernowitz tor, and listed his writings in a special historic occasion which has to be and Hillel Bavli respectively. bibliography. The bibliography was marked publicly. It is true that I have appended to Ribalow’s last book, Me’O- made some contributions to Hebrew and Malachi’s expertise on the history of the lam le-Olam (From World to World, 1955). Yiddish literature, as you indicated in press encompassed journals and news- your article. But in the last analysis I am papers that had appeared in Palestine, Regrettably, most of Malachi’s articles neither Isaac Hirsch Weiss nor Yehuda Europe and the United States. In many remain scattered in periodicals and col- Behak and I do not measure up to many instances he reconstructed historical lective volumes. Malachi himself collected who are of lesser importance than them. accounts on the basis of rare publications. some of his essays on Hebrew authors in We have already referred to his pioneer- a slim volume entitled Massot u’Reshu- ing survey of the Palestine press. He con- mot (Essays and Jottings, 1937). He dealt Malachi was born in Jerusalem in 1895 tinued to mine it and devoted several with modern Hebrew literature from the and made his debut at the age of 15 as articles to ha-Levanon, the earliest news- Haskalah on and explored such themes the author of an historical survey of the paper, which underwent many changes of as the early writings of Bialik and the Palestine press which was published in venue. Ha-Levanon was transferred by its Hebrew writings of Shalom Aleikhem. A.M. Luncz’s Luah Eretz-Yisrael (Pales- editor to Paris and Mainz and finally found Among his other publications was a criti- tine Miscellany). He arrived in America in a haven in London. He devoted articles to cal edition of the letters of David Frishman 1912 and remained in the United States Yoel Moshe Salomon’s contribution to (1927) and Iggerot Sofrim (1932), a col- during the war years. He returned to both printing and the periodical Yehuda lection of letters by other writers, accom- Palestine in 1919 but three years later vi-Yrushalayim. A special study dealt with panied by introductions and notes. He took up permanent residence in New Havazelet and its editor Israel Dov was also the author of a collection of his- Yo rk. In a sense he may be said never to Frumkin. The central role of Yehiel Michel torical sketches entitled Tsilelei Dorot have left Jerusalem, for his contacts with Pines in bridging the old and the new was (Shadowy Generations, 1940), which the leading figures of Jerusalem life highlighted. drew upon various martyrological chap- remained vivid in his memory. He devoted ters in Jewish history. Previously, he had numerous articles to the institutions and Without reference to the European press brought together his series of articles activities of the old Yishuv, which he had Malachi could not have dealt adequately published in the Yiddish press in a volume come to know first-hand. with life in Palestine, which received much entitled Mekubolim in Erets Yisroel (Kab- coverage there. Among the periodicals he balists in Palestine, 1929), which dealt Already in 1913 Malachi became a con- analyzed were ha-Melitz, ha-Zefirah, and with the leading figures in the mystical tributor of the newly established monthly ha-Yom, and he pointed out the character- movement. Hatoren and he revealed his expertise as istics of each. He indicated that Alexan- a bibliographer in his pioneering historical der Zederbaum, editor of ha-Melitz, had Malachi exhibited his versatility in his survey of the American Hebrew press, introduced the editorial. He marked the choice of authors and scholars to whom which he traced from its beginnings in the centennial of the publication of ha-Zefirah, he devoted bibliographies. He amazed his 1870s. When Yitzhak Dov Berkowitz which was edited first by Hayyim Zelig readers by his ability to prepare biblio- became editor of Hatoren he encouraged Slonimsky and then by Sokolow. He graphical surveys that covered a variety of Malachi and published his well-annotated
72 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 subject matter. In 1955 there was pub- In the first part of his letter Malachi listed lished his Otzar ha-Lexicographia ha-Ivrit his bibliographies of individuals beginning (Treasury of Hebrew Lexicography), which with Bialik and including such additional appeared as an appendix to the American names as A.A. Kabak, A. Zeitlin, S.A. edition of Mandelkorn’s Concordance to Horodetzky, B.N. Silkiner, S. Maximon, the Bible. Here he offered detailed N.Touroff, and J.N. Simchoni. He also descriptions of all the biblical concor- made reference to a number of sources dances and dictionaries that had been on Frishman, whose writings he had dealt published in Hebrew and other lan- with. Another listing of more than 40 arti- guages. Other examples of his thematic cles and studies on Palestine and Zionism approach are his Hebrew monograph on included articles on subjects from ”The Kishinev Pogroms in the Mirror of “Jerusalem Jews Under the Protection of Yiddish and Hebrew Poetry,” published in America” to “Napoleon’s Zionist Declara- vol. 3 of Al Admat Bessarabia, ed. G.Kres- tion.” Most useful is the list Malachi pro- sel, 1964, and his bibliography of vided of the newspapers and periodicals “Hebrew Educational Literature in Ameri- to which he had contributed up to 1949. ca” (Jubilee Volume of the Hebrew Teach- They range from the European ha-Zefirah ers Ass’n., ed.. Zvi Scharfstein, 1944), to the modern Israeli newspapers which covers references from the 1870s Haaretz and Davar and to many American down to the early 1940s. An example of a publications. An additional list of 18 Yid- monograph written on the basis of isolat- dish publications begins with Unser ed details buried in the press is his “Histo- Leben, published in Odessa, and included ry of the Hebrew Movement in America” the New York dailies Der Tog and Der (Hagut Ivrit ba-Amerika, vol.3, 1974), Forverts. which traces Hebrew activities from the founding of the first society in 1880 down Among Malachi’s papers I found refer- through the 1890s. ences to many additional Yiddish periodi- Isaac Rivkind, our fourth bibliographer, cals and publications in which he was had a varied career as a Hebrew-Yiddish Malachi contributed regularly on Palestine represented. These include such publica- author and cultural historian. In his article subjects to the yearbooks of the Histadrut tions as Zukunft, Freie Arbeiter Shtimme, “Variants in Old Hebrew Books,” which he B’nei Eretz-Yisrael ba-Amerika, the orga- Yiddishe Kultur, Yivo Bletter, etc. These contributed to the Alexander Marx Jubilee nization of American Jews of Palestinian sources offer a gold mine of information Volume in 1950, he described how he origin. In 1950 he edited the organiza- on such subjects as Judah Leib Gordon came to become the Hebraic librarian of tion’s volume Yisrael in honor of the as a Yiddish Poet, a Bibliography of the the Jewish Theological Seminary library. establishment of the Jewish State. His Yiddish Press in Eretz-Yisrael, and the When he began to work there in the sum- central role in the area of Palestine Early Writings of Morris Winchevsky. mer of 1923 he was assigned the task of research was recognized when the Insti- Finally, there is a brief listing of contribu- examining the Hebraica of the Elkan N. tute of Zionist Research of Tel-Aviv Uni- tions to periodicals in Russian. Adler collection, which had recently been versity saw fit to republish twenty-three of acquired by the library. At the outset it was his studies in the volume Perakim be- These are but a few examples of the his task to determine which rare books Toledot ha-Yishuv ha-Yashan (Chapters in wealth of material that awaits the were unduplicated. With regard to any the History of the Old Yishuv. These stud- researcher. It is to be hoped that the Ben duplicates it was necessary to compare ies cover a period of more than a century, Zvi Institute will continue to direct scholars the copies for any changes or discrepan- from the aliyah in 1810 of the Gaon of and students to this treasure trove of cies. Rivkind described the thrill of han- Vilna’s disciples to the strivings of the new knowledge and information. dling these volumes, and how he was settlement movement. intrigued to discover many interesting * * * variants in copies of incunabula and other Following Malachi’s death in 1980 his old books. papers, containing his collection of letters and documents, were transferred to the Rivkind confessed that he was then still a archive of the Ben Zvi Institute in novice in bibliography but that in the Jerusalem. Some years ago, I had occa- course of his work he acquired the exper- sion to examine some of these papers, tise that earned him his reputation. He which were then still in a state of disorga- had begun to publish his unique findings nization. I chanced upon the draft of a let- regarding the variants in rare Hebrew ter sent in 1949 to Simon Halkin, who had books in 1925, two years after becoming then been appointed Professor of Hebrew a librarian. After twenty-five years of asso- Literature at the Hebrew University. ciation with Alexander Marx, the head of Apparently Halkin had asked Malachi to the Jewish Theological Seminary library, furnish him with a list of his bibliographies he was led to share his findings about and articles, which he wanted to have for forty additional books. the guidance of his students. Although I had long been aware of Malachi’s produc- That Rivkind was able to achieve his posi- tivity I was still amazed at what his letter tion in the world of books is understand- revealed. able in the light of his rich background. He was born in Lodz in 1895 to a family
Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 73 steeped in Jewish tradition and learning. in the Jewish Theological Seminary the festive meal are among the subjects He was the product of years of study in library. The volume consists of Rivkind’s that are authoritatively dealt with. The sec- the yeshivot of Volozhin and Ponevezh. bibliography compiled by Mordecai ond part of the volume presents a com- Already in his student years he became Kosover and Abraham G. Duker, together prehensive annotated bibliography of 468 an active Zionist and was among the with appreciations of his work. We are items which cover halakhic literature and leaders of the Mizrahi youth movement. In presented with a detailed listing of responsa, speech collections, poetry and 1920 he was sent to America on behalf of Rivkind’s writings, arranged by category. piyyut, as well as other types of literature. the Mizrahi movement. The compilers did well to provide, where available, information concerning reviews A fascinating and little-explored area of In a Hebrew essay that Rivkind published and reactions to Rivkind’s published work. Jewish life was illuminated by Rivkind in his on librarianship he underscored the The bibliograhy covers Rivkind’s output Yiddish work Der Kamf Kegn Azartshpiln importance of the profession on the Jew- through 1949. A supplement which bay Yidn (The Fight Versus Gambling ish scene. He compared it to teaching. appeared in Hadoar in 1965, on the occa- Among Jews, 1946). In this work he under- The library was like the school and the sion of Rivkind’s 70th birthday, updated took the ambitious task of producing what librarian was akin to the teacher who his publications through that year. he called in his subtitle “A Study of Five transmitted knowledge. Both teaching and Centuries of Yiddish Poetry and Cultural librarianship were sacred tasks. In a From the arrangement of the bibliography History.” He uncovered many games and review of the volume Studies in Jewish one can see how diverse were Rivkind’s ditties that had to do with games of chance Bibliography in Memory of Abraham interests. It is organized according to the and revealed that the life of our forebears Solomon Freidus (1929), he dwelled fur- following sections: Cultural History and had also a lighter side. He drew attention ther on the subject of librarianship. It was Folklore; Booklore; Studies in Old Yiddish; as well to the strong words of condemna- not a matter of talent and expertise alone. Essays and Criticism; Personalities; Eretz tion regarding the widespread practice of It also involved idealism and dedication. Israel; Publicist, Historical and Various card playing, which are found in the works To serve others was the true calling of the Writings; In the Tents of Torah; Holidays of mussar and ethical admonition. librarian. and Festivals; and Miscellaneous. A spe- cial section lists more than 80 scholarly Rivkind considered his major work to be In his own work Rivkind exemplified his works in which the authors expressed his lexicological volume Yidish Gelt in ideal of the librarian. He soon became a their appreciation to Rivkind for his guid- Lebensshteyger Kultur-Geshichte un source for students and scholars who ance and assistance. Folklor (Jewish Money in Folkways, Cul- turned to him with their queries. As a stu- tural History and Folklore, 1939). He dent of the Jewish Theological Seminary I As in the case of our other bibliographers offered numerous insights into the ways would often receive permission to enter we cannot hope to deal with but a few that money was used to enhance Jewish the stacks in the old library tower. I recall examples of his writing. Some of Rivkind’s life and which by inference gave the lie to meeting Rivkind during one of these visits earliest contributions had to do with the the charge that Jews were “money mad.” to the stacks. He beckoned to me and history of Hebrew printing. He continued Parenthetically, I might add that I wonder said “You see this wall of books. They are to publish his findings on variants in old whether Rivkind’s many years of subsis- all North African prints. Many do not real- Hebrew books in such journals as Kiryat tence on a librarian’s salary caused him to ize how much creativity is represented Sefer and Studies in Bibliography and concentrate on the subject of money. here.” Some years later, when I had Booklore. His keen eye enabled him to begun my research on American Hebrew discover important variations in pagina- In his introductory chapters to the volume literature, I consulted Rivkind in his office. tion, decorative title pages, and the like. Rivkind described how money was used He encouraged me in my efforts and Rivkind was especially intent upon high- to carry out various religious and cultural made available to me a catalog drawer lighting the literary accomplishments of functions. Hundreds of detailed alphabeti- listing the early American Hebrew prints Eastern European Jewry. This motivation cal entries are listed and explicated in in the library. On another occasion he can be said to account for his lifelong order to demonstrate how special terms made available to me a sheaf of unpub- interest in Jewish folklore and the field of were created for these functions that lished letters by Hebrew writers, which I Old Yiddish. He was convinced that Old embraced the life-cycle and daily regimen used to good advantage. I had still other Yiddish texts and philology could be valu- of the Jew. The entire gamut of Jewish lit- opportunities to meet Rivkind at the end able keys to an understanding of the rich erature and folklore is explored in order to of the 1940s when I resided in Flatbush. cultural life of Eastern European Jewry. determine the origin and the popular Rivkind was among the leading spirits of usage of these terms. Typical entries the Hebrew speaking minyan that I The Bar Mitzvah of his son, coupled with include shadkhones gelt (the matchmak- attended and that met at the Yeshivah of an abiding interest in Jewish cultural his- er’s fee); rebbe gelt (tuition); dire gelt Flatbush. He was a gifted speaker and he tory, led Rivkind to deal with the back- (rent); Khanike gelt (Hanukkah money often had words of disdain for those in the ground and beginnings of the gift); and oysleyz gelt (ransom). To give Jewish community he deemed guilty of time-honored ceremony. The first part of but one example of how Rivkind treats sham and fakery. his volume Le-Ot u’le-Zikkaron (For a such terms let us look at the detailed Sign and a Reminder, 1942) consists of entry on shadkhones gelt to which four An indication of the esteem in which seven chapters that are devoted to vari- double-columned pages are devoted. We Rivkind was held as a librarian-scholar ous aspects of the custom. Rivkind traced find here quotations from the responsa, can be had from the volume Minha le-Yit- its origins to as far back as Geonic times rabbinic takkanot or enactments, and his- shaq (An Offering to Isaac, 1949) which in the eighth century, and reviewed the toric sources. Rivkind then goes on to sur- was published by the then existing Jewish manner of its observance in various com- vey modern writings on the subject and Librarians Association in honor of his munities the world over. The synagogue draws upon such varied works as Judge completion of a quarter century of service ceremony, the Bar Mitzvah speech, and Shneur Zalman’s Heshin’s Tears and
74 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 11 No. 1-2 Winter 2002 - Spring 2003 Laughter in an Israel Courtroom, and folklore themes, he produced authori- In the introduction to his bibliography of Druyanow’s collection of humor, the Spi- tative work. His 36 years of service as a the writings of the historian Saul M. Gins- vak-Yehoash Yiddish dictionary and oth- librarian were distinguished for the exam- burg, Rivkind wrote that every bibliogra- ers. Among the representatives of Yiddish ple he gave of devotion to and love of the phy of a scholar is in a certain sense also and Hebrew writing are Israel Ochsenfeld, book. the biography of that person. One reflects Eliakum Zunzer, Shalom Aleikhem and the other. He added further: Every man of Bialik. In a moving essay entitled Dos Geveyn the spirit may declare: my work is my life; fun Seforim (The Weeping Books), which my life is my work. Rivkind skillfully showed how material he penned in 1956, Rivkind related that on concerns were transformed into spiritual the way to synagogue one Sabbath morn- The four bibliographers we have dis- concepts and erected a lexicological ing he was shocked to find that a pile of cussed eminently qualify to be considered memorial to the Jewish way of life as seforim had been placed at the curb for among these men of the spirit. We can do practiced particularly in Eastern Europe. removal as trash. Apparently, the family no better than to follow in their footsteps. He effectively demonstrated how a Yid- had no longer any use for these sacred dish dictionary based on cultural founda- volumes that probably belonged to their tions could be constructed. deceased father. Despite the fact that this sacrilege had occurred on the Sabbath, Rivkind’s extensive use of source materi- Rivkind hastened to take the necessary als and documents gave scholarly weight steps to assure that the volumes were Dr. Jacob Kabakoff is the Professor Emer- to his studies and articles. Whether he saved. Throughout his productive life itus of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at dealt with the history of printing, the vari- Rivkind was ever the guardian of the book. Lehman College of City University of New ants of rare Hebrew books, or historical Yo r k .
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