Levin, Joshua Höschel Ben Elijah Zeeb

Lithuanian Talmudist and author; born at Wilna July 22, 1818; died at Paris Nov. 15, 1883. After studying Talmud and rabbinics under Elijah Kalischer, Levin settled in Volozhin, where he lectured on Talmud and wrote several works. In 1871 he was called to the rabbinate of Praga, near Warsaw. Toward the end of his life Levin went to Paris with the intention of proceeding thence to the Holy Land; but at the request of Israel Salant he remained in the French capital and became preacher for the Russo-Polish community there.

Levin was the author of many works, of which the following have been published at Wilna: "Haggahot," notes on the Midrash Rabbah; "'Aliyyot Eliyahu" (1856), a biography of Elijah Wilna; "Ma'yene Yehoshua'," a commentary on Pirḳe Abot, printed in the "Ruaḥ Ḥayyim" of Ḥayyim Volozhin (1859); "Ẓiyyun Yehoshua'" (1859), a complete concordance to both Talmuds; "Tosefot Sheni le-Ẓiyyon," glosses to the Mishnah; "Peleṭat Soferim" (1863), novellæ and essays; "Dabar be-'Itto" (1878), discussions and explanations on halakic matters.

Bibliography:

  * Univ. Isr. xxxix. 156;
  * Ha-Meliẓ, 1883, col. 1423;
  * Ha-Asif, i., section 1, p. 141.



S. S. M. Sel.