Abraham Abba Rakowski

Abraham Abba Rakowski (Hebrew: אברהם אבא ראַקאָװסקי, romanized: Avraham Aba Rakovski; November or December 1854 – 1921) was a Galician Hebrew writer, journalist, and translator.

Abraham Abba Rakowski
Born	November or December 1854[1] Mariampol, Austrian Galicia
Died	1921 (aged 66–67)
Pen name	Abravanel[1] La-saifa vela-safra[2]
Language	Hebrew
Relatives	Veniamin Dymshits (grandson)[3] Menachem Savidor (grandson)[4] Puah Rakovsky (niece)[5]

Biography

Rakowski was born in Mariampol, Austrian Galicia, the son of Rabbi Azriel Arye Leib Rakowski of Plotzk.^[6] He studied Talmud under his father, and was educated privately in Hebrew and modern languages.^[1] From 1872 onward he was a frequent contributor to Hebrew journals, especially Ha-Tzfira.^[7]

Among Rakowski's publications were Nidḥe Israel (Warsaw, 1875), a translation of Philippson's novel on the Marranos; Ḥoter mi-geza Ishai (Warsaw, 1880), a translation of Disraeli's romance The Wondrous Tale of Alroy; Ha-nekamah (Warsaw, 1883), a historical narrative; and Masekhet shetarot (1894), a Talmudic parody. He also published numerous works in Naḥum Sokolow's yearly journal Ha-Asif, including Nispe belo mishpat, a historical novel; Leil hitkadesh ḥag ha-Pesaḥ, a story of the Prague ghetto; Ta'alumot ha-mikroskop, a humorous story; Dibrei ḥakhamim, a collection of pithy sayings and citations from world literature; Min ha-metzar, a translation of a story by Auerbach on the Prague ghetto; Ha-kesef, a history of the development of money and of its influence upon culture, political economy, and commerce; Devar Eloheinu yakum le-olam, an epitome of the history of Semitic nations during the Biblical ages; Zaken ve-yeled, a translation from the Polish of Okanski; and Al admat nekhar, a translation of Orzeszkowa's Mirtala.^[8]

By 1895 Rakowski had become a prosperous merchant at Zambrov, Russian Poland.^[7]

Bibliography

• Philippson, Ludwig (1875). Nidḥe Israel; o, ha-Anusim bi-Sefarad. Warsaw: Defus R. Yitzḥak Goldman.
• Disraeli, Benjamin (1880–1885). Ḥoter mi-geza Ishai; o, David Alroy [The Wondrous Tale of Alroy]. Warsaw.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Ha-nekamah. Warsaw: Defus R. Ḥayyim Kelter. 1883.
• "Nispe belo mishpat / Leil hitkadesh ḥag ha-Pesaḥ / Ta'alumot ha-mikroskop / Dibrei ḥakhamim / Min ha-metzar". Ha-Asif. 1 (3). Warsaw: Defus R. Yitzḥak Goldman: 1–48. 1884.
• "Ha-kesef". Ha-Asif. 2. Warsaw: Defus R. Yitzḥak Goldman: 742–749. 1885.
• "Devar Eloheinu yakum le-olam". Ha-Asif. 3. Warsaw: Defus R. Yitzḥak Goldman: 359–390. 1886.
• "Zaken ve-yeled". Ha-Asif. 3. Warsaw: Defus R. Yitzḥak Goldman: 658–660. 1886.
• Orzeszkowa, Eliza (1893). "Al admat nekhar". Ha-Asif. 6 (4). Warsaw: Defus Halter ve-Aizenshtadt: 1–135.
• Masekhet shetarot [The Tractate of Bills]. Warsaw: Hotza'at Sh. B. Shvartzberg. 1894.