MORTKHE SUKHOSTAVER

MORTKHE SUKHOSTAVER (1790-1880)

            He was born in Bród (Brody), eastern Galicia.  He was one of the pioneers of the Jewish Enlightenment movement, an authority as well on medieval Jewish philosophy—he published in 1829 an introduction to the Rambam’s More nevukhim (Guide of the perplexed).  He was a teacher of history and medieval philosophy in the rabbinical school in Zhitomir.  In 1829 he translated into Yiddish Krylov’s fable “Soviet myshei” (The council of the mice) as “Der voyler eytse-geber” (The mischievous advisor), which was published posthumously in Yudisher folksblat (Jewish people’s newspaper) by his friend, B. Gotlober.

Source: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 2, with a bibliography.