Reuvein Margolies

Reuvein Margolies, ראובן מרגליות (b. 1889 – 1971) authored over 55 books on Jewish topics. He possessed a photographic memory, and was well versed in all aspects of both the written (Bible, Oral Torah (Talmud and its commentaries) and Kabbalah (Zohar etc.). He established the Rambam library, and received the Israel Prize in 1957 for his work on Rabbinical literature.

Writings

Margolies wrote on a wide range of subjects; His works were meant for both scholars and laymen alike. All of his writings are in Hebrew.

He wrote on the formation of the Mishna and the Talmud displaying originality in thought, and a wide range of knowledge.

He further wrote on the Kabbalah. Such works include "The Rambam and the Zohar" demonstrating correlations between Maimonides Mishna Torah and the Zohar; "Nitzotzei Zohar" demonstrating correlations between the Tannatic and Amoraic works (such as the Talmud and Medrashim) and the Zohar.

He was also involved in a controversy with Gershon Scholem over the Rabbi Jacob Emden/Rabbi Jonathan Eybeshuetz controversy. Margulies produced a pamphlet defending R. Eybeshuetz and in response Scholem produced his own disagreeing with Marguleis's conclusions.

He wrote a number of scholarly biographies of major Jewish personalities such as the Maharsha, the Ohr Ha-Chaim Hakodosh, the Noam Elimelech, the Ramban, and R' Yechiel of Paris including valuable annotation clarifying ideas in their works. The biographies focus primarily on their methods of scholarship and not on their personalities. First printed in Poland, they were never reprinted.

He wrote several works concerning the development of a legal system in the newly formed Jewish State (Kavei Ohr, Tal Tichye).

According to Dr. Yitzchok Raphael, his writing is in a terse style designed to concentrate a maximum amount of information in a minimum of space.

Bibliography

* "Toldot Adam" (Lemberg 1912) on R. Shmuel Edels
* "Yesod HaMishna V'Arikachto" (Lemberg, 1933) on the creation of the Mishna
* "Sefer Hassidim" with his notes (multiple printings)
* "Tolodot Rabenu Hayyim ben Atar" (Lemberg, 1925), biography on the Ohr Hayyim includes the notes of R. Meir Dan Plotzki (Kli Hemdah)
* "Ohr Meir (Lemberg", 1926), biography of R. Meir from Perlmishiya
* "Margenuta d'Reb Meir" (Lemberg, 1926), sayings of the above R. Meir
* "Shealot u'Teshuvot min HaShamyim", R. Margulies's extensive notes on the teshuvot as well as a comprehensive introduction discussing Torah lo' Bashmyim and other related topics (multiple printings)
* "Vikuach Rabbanu Yehiel m'Paris" (Lemberg, 1928), with biography of R. Yehiel
* "Toldot Rabbenu Avrohom Mimoni", biography of Rambam's son, (multiple printings)
* "Shem Olam", to reveal the anonymous people in hazal (multiple printings)
* "Nefesh Hayyia",notes on Shulchan Orakh multiple printings
* "Hagadah shel Pesach" (Tel Aviv, 1937)
* "Shichot Chakhamim"
* "Zohar" with his extensive notes (multiple printings)
* "Sibah hisnaguto" discussing R. Emden/R. Eybeschitz controversy, Tel Aviv 1941
* "Malechi Elyon" on angels in Hazel (multiple printings)
* "Ollalot" various articles (multiple printings)
* "Margolios HaYam" on Sanhedrin (multiple printings)
* "HaMikrah v'Hamesorah" multiple printings
* "Mekharim b'Darkei haTalmud v'Hidosov" multiple printings
* "Likheker Shaimot v'Kinuyim b'Talmud"
* "Shaarei Zohar" notes on the Talmud directing one to the relevant passages in Zohar.
* "Peninim U'Margoliyot" A posthumously published collection of essays.

There is also a memorial volume edited by Dr. Yitchak Raphael and published by Mossad R' Kook

External links

*Several of his works are available on [http://www.hebrewbooks.org| Hebrew Books]
* [http://seforim.blogspot.com/2006/05/r-reuven-margulies-i.html| Bibliography]
* [http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4317/1402/1600/R_Margulies.jpg| Photo]

(Translated from Hebrew Wikipedia, with additions based on the author's own works)