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Bidding Information
Lot #    11266
Auction End Date    8/16/2005 12:02:00 PM (mm/dd/yyyy)
          
Title Information
Title (English)    Mosedei Hokhmah
Title (Hebrew)    מוסדי חכמה
Author    [Mathematics] Hayyim Selig Slonimski
City    Vilna/Grodno
Publisher    Menahem Mann and Simhah Zimel ben Menahem Mann
Publication Date    1834
          
Collection Information
Independent Item    This listing is an independent item not part of any collection
          
Description Information
Physical
Description		    Only edition. [20], 78 pp., 225:180 mm., light age staining, wide margins. A good copy loose in later cloth boards.
          
Detailed
Description		    On the principles of mathematics (algebra) by Hayyim Selig Slonimski. Among the subjects mentioned on the title page are the principles of arithmetic, calculation, algebra, and the measurement of triangles and spheres. Approbations are from R. Abraham bar Joseph Zakheim, R. Aryeh Leib Katzenellenbogen of Brisk, R. Abraham Avli ben Abraham Solomon of Vilna, R. Eliakim Goetzel Meir, and R. Yeruham Altshuler. There is a three column list of subscribers followed by a table of contents. The text is divided into chapters and further subdivided into sections, based on mathematical principle and subjects. Arithmetic and mathematical subjects are illustrated by numerous formulas. Hayyim Selig Slonimski (Hazas, 1810–1904) was a popular author, scientist, and inventor. He founded Ha-Zefirah, a Hebrew newspaper devoted mainly to popular science articles written by himself and a team of collaborators, adherents of the Haskalah. His initial acquaintance with science was derived from old Hebrew books, but later he also read scientific literature in German. Among Slonimski’s other works are Kokhva de-Shavit and Toledot ha-Shamayim, both on astronomy, the latter causing controversy, because it claims that there are errors in the Hebrew calendar. He also wrote Yesodei ha-Ibbur, on calculation. Slonimski coined new Hebrew terminology where necessary. Some of his mathematical and astronomical interpretations of obscure passages in the Mishnah found their way into editions of the Mishnah printed in Zhitomir. Slonimski was also an inventor, for example, a calculating machine, for which he was awarded a prize by the Russian Academy of Sciences (1844). Slonimski invented a method of simulataneous transmitting messages on a single wire, the electric telegraph (1859, 12 years before Stirnes and 15 years before Edison), but did not patent it (New York Herald Tribune, 23 August 1952 contains an article about the invention; qv, Krasnaya Zvezda, 19 Aug. 1952). Unlike other maskilim, Slonimski, due to his conservatism in religious matters and moderate outlook, was popular with all segments of the Jewish population.
          
Paragraph 2    כולל כל חכמת הלמודיות הזכה >ריינע מאטהעמאטיק<... יסודות מלאכת המספר, ושלימות חשבון הכללי, חכמת האלגעברא הפשוטה, והנשגבה חכמת המדידה, וחכמת המשולשים, מדידת הגופים, ומשולשים הכדוריים, חכמת המדידה הנשגבה, עם דרכי הנתוח משעורים בעלי בלי תכלית >אנאליזיס אונענדליכע גרעססען<... וזה אשר יצא ראשונה על חכמת האלגעברא הפשוטה והנשגבה... מאתי חיים זעליג בן יעקב...

הסכמות:ר'אברהם ב"ר יוסף זאקהיים, ווילנא; ר' אריה ליב קאצנעלינבוגין, בריסק, ו תמוז תקצ"ג; ר' אברהם אבלי ב"ר אברהם שלמה [פאסוואלער], ווילנא, יד אדר- א תקצ"ד; ר' אליקום געציל מאיר [פאדראבינעק], שוויסלאץ, ו תשרי תקצ"ד; ר' ירוחם אלטשולר, באדקי, כ טבת תקצ"ד.

          
Reference
Description		    EJ; JE; Waxman III p. 331; Zinberg XI pp. 179-82; http://mathforum.org/epigone/historia_matematica/graysoykan/3E30AFA7.1000308@earthlink.net; CD-EPI 0154269
        
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Listing Classification
Period
19th Century:    Checked
  
Location
Russia-Poland:    Checked
  
Subject
Other:    Math
  
Characteristic
First Editions:    Checked
Language:    Hebrew
  
Manuscript Type
  
Kind of Judaica