David ben Naphtali Frankel

Biography

Born in Berlin, for a time he was rabbi of Dessau. He became chief rabbi of Berlin in 1742. Frankel exercised a great influence as teacher over Moses Mendelssohn, who followed him to the Prussian capital. It was Frankel who introduced Mendelssohn to Maimonides' Moreh Nevuchim, and it was he, too, who befriended his poor disciple, procuring for him free lodging and a few days' board every week in the house of Hayyim Bamberger. His grandson was Jonah Frankel, the German Jewish businessman, banker and philanthropist.

As a Talmudist, Frankel was almost the first to devote himself to a study of the Jerusalem Talmud, which had been largely neglected.

Writings

He gave a great impetus to the study of this work by his Korban ha-Edah, "The Communal Sacrifice" a commentary in three parts (part 1, on the order Mo'ed, Dessau, 1743; part 2, on Nashim, Berlin, 1757 (see http://www.hebrewbooks.org/49590); part 3, on Nezikin, ibid 1760). His additional notes on the Jerusalem Talmud and on Maimonides were published, together with the preceding work, under the title Shirei Korban (Dessau, 1743). Amid the turmoil of the Seven Years' War, he delivered „Eine Danck-Predigt wegen des wichtigen und wundervollen Siegs : welchen Sr. Konigl. Maj. in Preussen am 5ten December, 1757, uber die, der Anzahl nach ihm weit uberlegene, gesamte oesterreichische Armee in Schlesien, preisswurdig erfochten“. Gehalten am Sabbath den 10ten desselben Monats in der Juden Schule zu Berlin, von David Hirschel Franckel, Ober Rabbi [“A Thanksgiving Sermon, for the Important and Astonishing Victory Obtain’d on the 5th of December, 1757, by the Glorious King of Prussia, over the United and Far Superior Forces of the Austrians in Silesia.” Preach’d on the Sabbath of the 10th of the Said Month, at the Synagogue of the Jews in Berlin, by David Hirschel Franckel, Arch-Rabbi].