The sun., 1901-08-11
KNOWS THE TALMUD by HEART.
And That Doesn't Begin TO Express HIS
Familiarity With tho % Volumes.
From the Chicago Record II 'rdic


David Rosenfeld Ia his name. though,
like Dickens's Captain Bunsby. with a head
such as he Is possessed OF. It doesn't really
make much difference what Kind Of a name
he goes by. lie came to Chicago a few days
ago from the town OF Minsk. In southwestern
Russia. on his way 70 Seattle. In the state OF
Washington. with his 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 Tamud. Prince Bis
marck and Gladstone. both OF whom knew him
well. wrote their estimate OF him in scientific
journals OF England and Germany, and
famous phrenologis Of the Old World have
gone into raptures over the wonderful de-
velopment OF his frontal bone. 1t may be
said in passing thnt this portion Of his head
Is Of such abnormal growth that MIR. Rosen-
field could hang his hat on IL II he desired TO.
He gave an exhibition OF his powers yes
terday In the Ghetto In the presence OF several
prominent Jewish rabbis and citizens who
have known him by reputation for several
years. and succeeded in astounding everybody
who watched him. They brought out the
thirty-siI volumes Of the Talmud. opened
pages at random and stuck pins deep into
the paper. without faltering for a second
or max Ing gle error he called on the word
that would be found pierced by pin at the
tenth, ffteenth or any other page called for
below wh"r" y had b"an Inserted.
They took tho books and read on three
words OF sentences selected az random. He
not only concluded every sentence 20 started
but went on TO give the rest Of the context
quoting all the commentaries In tho margin
and cIplaini ns the meaning ol the text
lie. was shown the, bottom line Of page
an" amid b iound at The ton S 'o OF ,hs psse tbs
first word OF the Talmud appearing on that
page and also the first word Of the marginal
notes. Every conceivable test OF this char
acter was made and successfully met and
after II was all over the scholar was taken out
to see the sights.
Rosenfeld is so years old. a little shabbily
dressed man, stoop-shouldered. fat-nosed
and with reddish gray beard almost covering
his face He cannot speak word OF Engli,
seems amused at the sensation his wonderful
memory creates, and shows his contempt for
display Iq the character Of the clothes he
wears He wps born U Mlnsk. and before hs
the famous Rabbi Berlin. who started him on
his Talmudlcql studies, Up 70 the time he
was 40 years old he lived, moved and breathed
in this atmo .phere. placing his studies above
everything else and imWuriny himself In the
wisdom Of the wonderful work that he grad
ually came to know by heart from begin
For the last ten years he has been alter
nately travelling In European countries. dellv-
erins lectures on the Talnud, and teaching
something Of it, meaning to students In his
own home town, earning, In this way the
equivalent of little under - a week In
Eight years ago young man left Mlnsk
for America, and when he reached here
settled In Seattle. where he soon established
clothing business. IL was II likely" fel-
low and had for years kept company with
Rosenfeld's oldest daughter The mother
n born matchmaker. n 'schadchen" In the
language of the Ghetto. watched his career
in the far-of country with interest. and a
few months ago was so successful In pointing
out his duty to his old friends at home that
he offered himself in marriage to the girl
That IL why I'm here now" Rosenfeld
said yesterday with a sad shake OF the head
somebody had to come with the kinder
80 | was dragged from my books / am
waiting here now TIL the son-in-law sends
the tickets for the rest OF the journey "
After be reaches Seattle and sees the couple
made man and wife Rosenield will mako his
way back to the middle Of Russia and his
Talmud classes lie had whirl around the
circle Yesterday that took bis breath away.
He went to n vaudeville performance that he
insisted on calling an opera, viewed the CITY
from the top Of tho Masonic Temple, travelled
several miles on the elevated roads, used
telephone for the hrst time In his wife, and
finished up at soda fountain. where he
nearly drove the expert mixer into Mysteries
bv asking him in Yiddish II the Ice cream
4 h.,