Abraham Jacob Paperna
Encyclopedia
Abraham Jacob Paperna was a Russian Jewish educator and author.
He received a fair education, including the study of the Bible with Moses Mendelssohn
's translation, Hebrew grammar, Talmud
, and secular literature. In 1863 he entered the rabbinical school of Zhitomir, where he studied until 1865; he was then transferred to the rabbinical school of Wilna, from which he graduated in 1867.
In 1868 he was appointed teacher at the government Jewish school at Zakroczym
, government of Warsaw
; and in 1870 he became principal of the government Jewish school of Plotzk, government of Suwałki. He was also instructor in the Jewish religion at the gymnasium in the latter town.
Paperna was intimately connected with the Russian Haskalah
movement in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, and contributed various books and articles to Russian as well as to Hebrew literature. His first Hebrew poem, "Emet we-Emunah", appeared in "Ha-Karmel" in 1863; Paperna was a steady contributor to that periodical as well as to "Ha-Meliẓ." Critical articles by him, entitled "Ḳanḳan Ḥadash Male Yashan" (in "Ha-Karmel", 1867, and printed separately, Wilna, 1868), attracted wide attention in the circles of the Maskilim. In these articles Paperna, influenced probably by the Russian critic Dmitry Pisarev, adopted modern realistic methods of criticism. He exposed the worthlessness of the pseudo-classicism in Hebrew literature, and the absurdity of the "guess-philology", in the commentaries on the Bible and the Talmud. He also ridiculed the presumption of some of the young Maskilim, who from a desire for fame attempted to write books in Hebrew on botany, astronomy, and the other exact sciences, with which they were entirely unfamiliar.
A curious essay on the drama entitled "Ha-Drama bi-Kelal we-ha-'Ibrit bi-Peraṭ" appeared as a supplement to "Ha-Meliẓ", 1868. It called forth harsh criticism from Abraham Dob Bär Lebensohn
in his pamphlet "Tokaḥti la-Beḳarim", written under the pseudonym "S. Friedman" (Paperna had attacked Lebensohn's "Emet we-Emunah"), and from Joshua Steinberg
("'En Mishpaṭ"). In 1869 Paperna published an article on the Russification of the Jews, entitled "K Yevreiskomu Voprosu v Vislyanskom Kraye" (in "Den", No. 13).
He now devoted himself to educational matters, and published:
Among his articles on education may be mentioned "O Khederakh Voobshche", etc. (Plotzk, 1884), on the chadorim
. Memoirs ("Zikronot") by Paperna on the rabbinical school of Zhitomir and its professors appeared in Sokolov's "Sefer ha-Shanah", 1900, p. 60.
He received a fair education, including the study of the Bible with Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn was a German Jewish philosopher to whose ideas the renaissance of European Jews, Haskalah is indebted...
's translation, Hebrew grammar, Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, and secular literature. In 1863 he entered the rabbinical school of Zhitomir, where he studied until 1865; he was then transferred to the rabbinical school of Wilna, from which he graduated in 1867.
In 1868 he was appointed teacher at the government Jewish school at Zakroczym
Zakroczym
Zakroczym is a small town in the Masovian Voivodeship, Poland. It is located at around . The Vistula River flows through the town....
, government of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
; and in 1870 he became principal of the government Jewish school of Plotzk, government of Suwałki. He was also instructor in the Jewish religion at the gymnasium in the latter town.
Paperna was intimately connected with the Russian 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...
movement in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, and contributed various books and articles to Russian as well as to Hebrew literature. His first Hebrew poem, "Emet we-Emunah", appeared in "Ha-Karmel" in 1863; Paperna was a steady contributor to that periodical as well as to "Ha-Meliẓ." Critical articles by him, entitled "Ḳanḳan Ḥadash Male Yashan" (in "Ha-Karmel", 1867, and printed separately, Wilna, 1868), attracted wide attention in the circles of the Maskilim. In these articles Paperna, influenced probably by the Russian critic Dmitry Pisarev, adopted modern realistic methods of criticism. He exposed the worthlessness of the pseudo-classicism in Hebrew literature, and the absurdity of the "guess-philology", in the commentaries on the Bible and the Talmud. He also ridiculed the presumption of some of the young Maskilim, who from a desire for fame attempted to write books in Hebrew on botany, astronomy, and the other exact sciences, with which they were entirely unfamiliar.
A curious essay on the drama entitled "Ha-Drama bi-Kelal we-ha-'Ibrit bi-Peraṭ" appeared as a supplement to "Ha-Meliẓ", 1868. It called forth harsh criticism from Abraham Dob Bär Lebensohn
Abraham Dob Bär Lebensohn
Abraham Dob Bär Lebensohn was a Russian Hebraist, poet, and grammarian.-Life:...
in his pamphlet "Tokaḥti la-Beḳarim", written under the pseudonym "S. Friedman" (Paperna had attacked Lebensohn's "Emet we-Emunah"), and from Joshua Steinberg
Joshua Steinberg
Joshua Steinberg was a Russian Jewish writer and educator.-Life:He graduated from the Wilna rabbinical school, and then for a short time occupied the position of rabbi at Białystok, being called to Wilna in 1861 to fill a similar position...
("'En Mishpaṭ"). In 1869 Paperna published an article on the Russification of the Jews, entitled "K Yevreiskomu Voprosu v Vislyanskom Kraye" (in "Den", No. 13).
He now devoted himself to educational matters, and published:
- "Mesillat ha-Limmud" (Warsaw, 1871), a Hebrew grammar in Russian
- "Kratkaya Grammatika Russkavo Yazyka" (ib. 1874)
- "More Sefat Russiya" (ib. 1876; 3d ed., 1884), Ollendorff's method for the study of the Russian language by Hebrews
- "Samoychitel Russkavo Yazyka: Meruẓ Iggerot" (ib. 1874; 3d ed., 1884), a Hebrew-Russian letter-writer.
Among his articles on education may be mentioned "O Khederakh Voobshche", etc. (Plotzk, 1884), on the chadorim
Cheder
A Cheder is a traditional elementary school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language.-History:...
. Memoirs ("Zikronot") by Paperna on the rabbinical school of Zhitomir and its professors appeared in Sokolov's "Sefer ha-Shanah", 1900, p. 60.