Simon Lasch

Simon Lasch (born September 30, 1796 in Lichtenstadt , Kingdom of Bohemia , † August 21, 1868 in Prague , Austria-Hungary ) was a Bohemian - Austrian Talmudist and rabbi .

life and career

Simon Lasch was born on September 30, 1796 in the city of Lichtenstadt in northwest Bohemia. Because of his erudition, he became a foundation rabbi, which enabled him to devote himself entirely to the study of Jewish teaching and teaching. In the course of his life Lasch commented on the entire Talmud, although only his commentaries on the six Mischna orders were printed. The introductions to the six separate prints contain parts from Lasch's numerous sermons. They show the gifted synagogue orator as one of the last representatives of the old Prague rabbinical tradition. However, he already clearly recognized the different current trends and their attraction. That is why he increasingly tried to bring out the old Jewish values, such as the periodically recurring Sabbath rest against the incessant unrest of the new era. Lasch died in Prague on August 21, 1868 at the age of 71.

The name Lasch is a Hebrew abbreviation of his place of birth. Thus he is also known under the name Simon Lichtenstadt or Simeon ben Jehuda. Other well-known names are Shimon ben Yehudah Likḥtenṣtaḍt, Simeon ben Jehuda Lőb Liechtenstadt, Simon ben Juda Lash, Shimon ben Yehudah Lash or Shimon ben Yehudah Lesh. His written estate is now in the State Jewish Museum in Prague .

literature

• Lax, Simon. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 5, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1972, p. 30.
• Susanne Blumesberger, Michael Doppelhofer, Gabriele Mauthe: Handbook of Austrian authors of Jewish origin from the 18th to the 20th century . Volume 2: J-R. Edited by the Austrian National Library. Saur, Munich 2002, ISBN 3-598-11545-8 , p. 787.