The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-08-10
CYClOPEDlA OF TAlMuD.

~ AVID ROSENFEI.D Is his name.
though. like Dickens Captain Buns
- by with head such as he Is pos
sessed of. 1t doesn't really make much diff
ference what kind OF q name he goes by.
he came to Chicago few days ago from
the town Of Minsk, In southwestern RUS
STA. on his way to Seattle, In the state of
Washington. with two daughters.
Mr.. Rosenfeld has been famous all over
Europe for the last twenty years for the
possession Of a marvellous memory and his
perfect knowledge of the Talmud. Prince
Bismarck ana Gladstone, both Of whom
Vnew him well, wrote their estimate Of him
ID scientific journals Of England and Ger
MANY. and famous phrenologists of the old
world have gone into raptures over the
wonderful development OF his frontal bone.
1t may be said In passing that this por-
ton of his head Is of such abnormal
growth that Mr.. Rosenfeld could hang his
hat on it If he desired to do so.
rNA -
He gave an exhibition Of his powers yes
ttrday in the Ghetto in the presence of
several prominent Jewish rabbis and citi-
zens who have known him by reputation
for several years and succeeded In astound-
ing everybody who watched him. They
brought out the thirty-six volumes of the
Talmud. opened ...e pages at random and
stuck pins deep into the paper. Without
faltering ior a moment or making SIN
gle error he called off the word that would
l,eenth or any other page called for be-
low where 1t had been inserted.
They took the books and read on three
words of sentences selected at random. He
not only concluded every sentence SO start
ed but went on to give the rest of the con-
text quoting "a the commentaries In the
margin and explaining the meaning OF the
text.
lie was shown the bottom line of page
( and immediately called off ale number that
~ rNf NhA 90
first word of --e Talnud appearing on that
page and also the first word OF the mar
ginal notes. Every conceivable test OF this
character was made and successfully met,
and after it was all over the scholar was
taken out to see the sights.
Resented is 50 years Old little shabbily
dressed man. stoop- shouidered. flat-nosed.
and with a reddish gray beard almost COW
ering his lace. He cannot spe., word OF
Enc ish seems amused at the sensation his
wonderful memory creates. al., SLOWS his
contempt for u.pslay in the character of
the cio...es he wears. He was born III
Minsk and before he was years GA was
placed under t.-e care of the famous kaobi
Berlin who started him on his Talmudlcai
studies Up to the time he was 40 years Old
! i've lived moved and breathed in this atmo-
sphere placing his studies above every
thing else and inlmurins himself IN the
wisdom of the wonderful work that he
gradually came to know by ,heaft from be-
:,inring to end.
For the LAST ten years he mas Oeen aiter-
! nate'y travelling In European countries. de-
| ifyerirss lectures the Taamud. and teach
| ing something of its meaning to students
| in his own home town, earning In this way
| the equivalent Of a little under So a week In
| American money.
! Eight years ago q young man left Minsk
4 for America. and when he reached mere
J, settled in Seattle. where he soon estab-
/ tished a clothing business He was a
I likely" fellow. and had for years kept
! company with Rosenfed's eldest daughter.
The mother, a boys' matchmaker. "schad-
| chem in the language OF the Cine. 40.
watched his1career in tn efar-on country
with intereAf and a few months ago was
! so successful in pointing out IS duty 70
1 his old friends .at home that he offered
! himself in marriage to the girl.
I That Is why Fam here now. Rosenfeid
said yesterday with a sad shake OF the
1 heads Somebody had to come with the
/ KINDER SO I was dragged from my books.
! law sends the tickets for the rest OF the
Journey
| Altar The reaches Seattle and sees the
! coup,e made man and wife Rosenfeld will
make his way back to the middle OF RuS-
STA and his Talmud classes. He had a
whirl round the circle yesterday that took
! mis- breath away. He went to a vaudeville
| performance that he insisted on calling an
opera, viewed the city from the top OF the
/ Masonic Temple. trave.ed several miles Or
/ the elevated roads. used telephone FOL
! the first time In his life. and finished up al
! a soda fountain where he nearly drove the
expert mixer into mysteries by asking hin
| in Yiddish if the ice cream was Kosher. =
! Chicago Record-Heraid.