Lamden
Encyclopedia
Lamdan is a late Hebrew
expression for a man who is well informed in rabbinical literature, although not a scholar in the technical sense of the term ("talmid hakham"); it does not seem to have been used before the 18th century. Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen
(1670-1749) decided that rabbinical scholars were exempt from paying tax
es even though scholars then were not scholars in the proper sense of the word, "for the law does not make a difference between lamdan and lamdan" (Resp. "Keneset Yechezkel," Choshen Mishpat, No. 95, p. 118a, Altona, 1732). Jacob Emden ("Megillat Sefer," p. 21, Warsaw, 1896) speaks of Baer Kohen (Berent Salomon), the founder of the Klaus in Hamburg
, as having been somewhat of a scholar ("ketzat lamdan," the equivalent of the Judeo-German
"ein stückel lamden"). Authorities of the sixteenth century, when they have to speak of the difference between a scholar in the technical sense of the word and a well-informed man, do not use the term "lamdan," but say "tzurba me-rabbanan" (see Joshua Falk ha-Kohen in "Sefer Me'irat 'Enayim," Choshen Mishpat, 15, 4; Shabbethai ha-Kohen, ib. 1, 19, and Yoreh De'ah, 244, 11).
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
expression for a man who is well informed in rabbinical literature, although not a scholar in the technical sense of the term ("talmid hakham"); it does not seem to have been used before the 18th century. Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen
Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen
Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen ben Abraham was a Polish-German rabbi.At first rabbi at Kėdainiai , he was called to Altona in 1714...
(1670-1749) decided that rabbinical scholars were exempt from paying tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es even though scholars then were not scholars in the proper sense of the word, "for the law does not make a difference between lamdan and lamdan" (Resp. "Keneset Yechezkel," Choshen Mishpat, No. 95, p. 118a, Altona, 1732). Jacob Emden ("Megillat Sefer," p. 21, Warsaw, 1896) speaks of Baer Kohen (Berent Salomon), the founder of the Klaus in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, as having been somewhat of a scholar ("ketzat lamdan," the equivalent of the Judeo-German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
"ein stückel lamden"). Authorities of the sixteenth century, when they have to speak of the difference between a scholar in the technical sense of the word and a well-informed man, do not use the term "lamdan," but say "tzurba me-rabbanan" (see Joshua Falk ha-Kohen in "Sefer Me'irat 'Enayim," Choshen Mishpat, 15, 4; Shabbethai ha-Kohen, ib. 1, 19, and Yoreh De'ah, 244, 11).