Salomon, Gotthold

Salomon, Gotthold, a German rabbi, was born at Sandersleben, in the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau, Nov. 1, 1784. Up to his sixteenth year he was educated in Talmudic lore and literature, according to the custom of that time. After this he acquired the rudiments of the German language, especially through the efforts of the chaplain Bobbe, who not only allowed him to come to his school, but also gave him private lessons. He then went to Dessau, to attend the lectures at the Jewish college, employing, however, all his spare time in acquainting himself with German literature. In 1802 he became tutor of German and Hebrew at the Franz school, and afterwards he was intrusted with the religious instruction. In 1806 he delivered his maiden speech, which was very highly spoken of by Christians who heard him. Salomon never lost sight of his intention to become a preacher; and in this he was encouraged by his Christian friends, who not only supplied him with the sermons of Zollikofer and Reinhardt, but even corrected his compositions in accordance with the rules of homiletics. In 1815 he went to Berlin, where he delivered his first discourse in Jacobsohn's Temple. He now became known to his coreligionists; and when, in 1818, the Temple of the Reformed party at Hamburg was dedicated, Salomon was elected assistant preacher. In the year 1844 he dedicated the "New Temple," and attended the assemblies of the rabbins at Brunswick, Frankfort, and Breslau. In the year 1857 he retired from his duties, and died Nov. 17, 1862. Of his numerous publications we mention: Auswahl von Predigten (Dessau. 1818): — Predigten (Hamburg, 1819-29): — Moses, in 21 sermons (ibid. 1835): — David, as Man, Israelite, and King, 26 sermons (ibid. 1837): — Elias, the Champion of Light and Truth, in 19 sermons (ibid. 1840): — Der Berg des Herrnn, 17 sermons on the Decalogue (ibid. 1846): — באוֹרי ם, comments upon Haggai and Zechariah (Dessau, 1805): — The Pentateuch, according to the Masoretic text, with a German translation and short glosses (Krotoschin, 1848-49, 5 vols.). Some of his sermons were also translated into English by Miss A.M. Goldsmid (London, 1839). See Furst, Bibl. Jud. 3, 226 sq.; Kayserling, Bibliothek judischer Kanzelredner, 1, 142-277; Jost, Gesch. d. Judenth. u. s. Secten, 3, 365, 371; Gratz, Gesch. d. Juden, 11, 416 sq.; Ph. Philippson, Biographische Skizzen (Leips. 1866, 3 pts.); Geiger, in the Zeitschrift fur judische Theologie, 2, 127 sq.; 3, 91-102; Unsere Zeit, 7, 396; Steinschneider, Hebr. Bibliographie, 6, 17; L. Philippson, Predigt- und Schul-Magazin, 2, 253- 269. (B.P.)