LEBENSOHN, Abraham Bar (pseud. ADAM), Russian Hebrew poet and grammarian: b. Vilna, Russia, about 1789; d. there, 19 Nov. 1878. He was educated as a Talmudist, became interested in Hebrew gram mar at 11, and at 13, in accordance with the prevailing custom, he was married. He lived with his wife's people the ensuing eight years, engaged in teaching and pursuing his studies. He conducted a brokerage business for about 15 years, and spent the remainder of his life in teaching. In 1848-64 he was on the teach ing staff of the Vilna Rabbinical School. He early established a reputation as a Hebrew poet and his first volume of verse 'Shire Sefat Kodesh' (1842) was received with enthusiasm as marking an epoch in Neo-Hebrew literature. His was the first work of the new literature to rank with similar literature in western Europe and he achieved a high reputation in the centres of Hebrew learning. He was a rabbinical scholar of note and through his liberal tendencies became known as a leader of the new Judaism. He prepared an article on
the condition of the Jews in Russia for presentation to Sir Moses Montefiore on his visit to Russia in 1846 in which he charged the Jews with responsibility for their own troubles, blaming their general ignorance, their lack of skill as artisans, juvenile marriages, the ignorance of the rabbis and teachers, and ex travagance for their condition. His remedy was that of governmental intervention. He collaborated with Benjacob in the preparation of a 17-volume edition of the Bible with a translation into German (1848-53). A second volume of his • •ems was published in 1856 and the third in 1:•'. He was author of a com mentary on Benshew's 'Hebrew Grammar' (1874); an allegorical drama 'Truth and Faith' (1867) ; 'Poems in the Sacred Tongue,) a complete edition of his verse (3 vols., 1895.