MENDELSSOHN, MOSES, also called Ram ban (rnzni), from the initials of ?t.= p R. Moses b. Menachem Mendal and Moses Dessau, was born Sept. 6, 1729. His early life was spent amid circumstances of extreme penury, ap proaching at times to the verge of destitution ; but in spite of these he prosecuted with dauntless per severance his literary and philosophical studies, first at Dessau and afterwards at Berlin. At length, however, a Jewish merchant employed him (I750) to educate his children. Being thus relieved from want, he devoted himself more than ever to the acquisition of learning, and, though only one-and twenty, began publishing a weekly periodical in Hebrew, entitled -An n5rip, fl Collection of Ethics. The philosophical works which he now published spread his fame over Europe, and secured for him the friendship of eminent literary men, who were constantly corresponding with him about philosophical, religious, and Biblical subjects, and who solicited his aid in literary enterprises. From the very starting of the Biblio thek der schonen Wissenschaften he was a contri butor to it, and published in it (1756) the masterly analysis of Lowth's Lectures on Hebrew Poetry [LowTH]. His contributions to Biblical litera ture are as follows :—(t.) A Commentary on Ec clesiastes, written in Hebrew, Berlin 1769 ; ibid. 178S. It was translated into German by Rabe, the translator of the Mishna, Auspach 1771 ; and into English by Theodore Preston, London 1845. (2.) A German translation of the Pentateuch, made by himself, with a grammatical and exegetical com mentary in Hebrew, contributed by several Jewish literati—viz., the commentary on Genesis by Dubno [DusNo], with the exception of that on ch. i.
Z vi. 8, which is by Mendelssohn himself, Berlin 1780 ; the commentary on Exodus by Mendels• sohn himself, who used the fragments of Dubno, Berlin 1781 ; the commentary on Leviticus prin cipally by Wessely, Berlin 1782 ; the commen tary on Numbers by Jaroslaw, Berlin 1783 ; and the commentary on Deuteronomy by Homberg, except a few chapters at the beginning and end, Berlin 1783. This important work is entitled 1tp n&"r1 rnz4n1, The Book of the Paths of Peace, and is preceded by an elaborate and most valuable introduction written in Hebrew, called 11N rp+riA A Light to the Path, in which Mendels sohn discusses various topics connected with Bibli cal exegesis and literature. This was published
separately before the completion of the commen tary (December 1782), and now accompanies the translation and commentary. It is given in a German translation with his translation of the Pentateuch in his Collected Works, vol. vii., Leip zig 1845, p. IS, ff. ; and in English in The Hebrew Review, edited by Breslau, London 1860. (3.) A German translation of the Psalms, Berlin 1783 ; ibid., 1788 ; and in his Collected Works, vol. vi., p. 127, ff. where are also his annota tions on divers Psalms. (4.) A German trans lation of the Song of Solomon, published three years after his death, Berlin 1789, also given in his Collected Works, vol. vi., p. 369, ff. (5.) A logi cal and philosophical treatise on the Hebrew language, entitled :rim ro9, The Tongue of Gold, Berlin 1782 ; and (6.) der Yuden, or Ritual Laws of the Jews, Berlin 1778, which he published at the request of the Government, and which is essential to the understanding of the Jewish rites, manners, and customs. It is con tained in vol. vi. of his works. Mendelssohn died January 4, 1786. The influence which this famous philosopher and Hebraist exercised over the Jewish nation is incalculable. He effected a reformation in Judaism, and founded in Berlin that new school of Hebrew literature and Biblical exegesis which has now produced so many and such distinguished Jewish literati, not only in Germany, but through out Europe. No wonder that the Jews express their gratitude to him, and reverence for him in the saying num: ?p nvn iz run from Moses (the lawgiver) to Moses (Maimonides) and Moses (Mendelssohn), no one hath arisen like Moses,' alluding to Dent. xxxiv. to ; comp. Dr. Mendelssohn's edition of Mendelssohn's forks, 7 vols., Leipzig 1843-T845 ; Jost, Gesehiehte des 7udenthunts, iii. 293, ff. ; Kayserling, Moses Men delssohn, Sein Leben and seine Werke, Leipzig 1S62.—C. D. G.