Bacharach, Jair Bacher, Wilhelm
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
position for scarcely two years, dying at the ago of 64.
Of his numerous manuscript works he could edit only his responsa, which he called "Haw wot Yair" in memory of his grandmother, Eva Bacharach. The book was published in 1699 through the assistance of the wealthy court-Jew, Samson YVertheimer of Vienna, to whom Bacharach was related by marriage. His wife dying not long after him, and his two sons, Samson and Samuel, leaving Worms for different localities, his manuscripts became scattered. Bacharach was in many ways an original thinker, and his works show a certain scientific and independent spirit. Thus in one instance he says, " Even if the Tosafists and other authorities disagree with my opinion, what of it? The spirit of God made me as it made them" ("Hawwot Yair, " No. 155). He wrote a scholarly treatise on the meaning of oral tradition (ib. No. 192), while such subjects were as a rule foreign to the rabbis of his age. lie advocated the establishment of schools and the introduction of pedagogical methods (ib. No. 123), and strongly condemned the methods of Pilpdl, and the uncouth manners customary in the rabbinical disputations of his age (ib. No. 152). He Opposed studied astronomy and wrote some esto says upon it from the point of view of Cabala. rabbinical literature, but feeling the inadequacy of his knowledge of the obscure subject, he burned all his manuscripts on the subject, gave up the study altogether, and advised one of his friends to leave it alone (ib. No. 219). He occupies a similarly irresolute position in regard to " Who can deny, " he says, the study of the Cabala. " that this science is the greatest and highest of all mental attainments, and that one keeping aloof from it altogether is as one who would keep aloof from his life and from all the glories promised to those who devote themselves to the Cabala. But in our age, and especially outside of Palestine, there is more merit in keeping away from Cabala than in studying it, for we have enough to do if we devote ourselves to the legal part of rabbinical literature " (ib. No. Otherwise, however, he was as rigidly ortho210). dox as any of the rabbis of his time. He would not permit a man to cross the river on the Sabbath to attend the services (ib. No. 112); he Rigidly demanded severe punishment for one Orthodox, who had drunk wine that was not kosher (ib. No. 140) and was indignant at the conduct of a man who had, in his will, expressed the desire that his daughter should recite the Kaddish because he had no son for Bacharach contended if such a departure from tradition were countenanced, every one would interpret the Law according to his own opinion (ib. No. 222).
—
Bibliography D. Kaufmann, R. Jair Hayyim Bacharach inul Seine Ahnen, Treves,1894. On his descendants: Eiseu:
Da'at JZedoshim, pp. 213 et sec/., St. Petersburg,1897-98 Kaufmann, in Monatsschrift, 1899, pp. 39 etseq.
staclt,
BACHARACH, Prague
in the
Bibliography
Shcm
MICHAEL:
ii.
Dayyan
in
second half of the eighteenth century.
Eisenstadt, Da'at. lia-Gedol.im he-Hadash,
Schriften, L. G.
D.
L. G.
Kedoshim, p. 224 Walden, i. 90; Low, Gemmmelte
263. I.
BER.
420
BACHARACH, MOSES SAMSON: Samuel and Eva Bacharach; born
Son of
died at Worms A pril 19, 1670. After the death of his father his mother took him to Prague, where he was educated by his maternal uncle, Hayyim ha-Kohbn. In 1627 he married Dobrusch, a daughter of Isaac ben Phoebus, of Ungarisch-Brod, Moravia, wdiere he lived supported
by
his
in 1607;
wealthy father-in-law.
The
Thirty Years' war brought about the ruin of his father-in-law's business, and Samson was compelled to accept a rabbinical position in GOding, Moravia, in 1629. In 1635 he became rabbi of Leipnik, Moravia, and remained there until the capture of the city by the Swedish army in 1643 scattered the congregation and forced him to return to Prague. Here he was made preacher, but during the siege of the city in 1648 found himself compelled to retreat to Returning after the war, he the country for safety. remained in Prague until 1650, when he was called to the rabbinate of Worms, which position he occupied up to the time of his death. After the death of his wife in 1662 he married Peige, the widow of Moses ha-Kohen Nerol, rabbi of Metz, who died in 1666. He left one son, Jair Hayyim (see Jair H a yy> Bacharach), and four daughters. Of his literary works there exist a number of responsa published in his son's "H u t ha-Shani," Frankfort, 1679; and also some religious poems. His commentary on R. Asher's Halakot is lost.
m
Bibliography 23 et
sec/.;
Kaufmann, Bacharach und Seine Ahnen, pp. Da'at Kedoshim, pp. 218 etseq. D.
Eisenstadt- Wiener,
L. G.
BACHER, EDUARD:
Austrian jurisconsult
and journalist; born at Pastelberg March 17, 1846. Graduating from the University of Vienna, he engaged in practise as an advocate, in which career he displayed such marked ability that some years later the Reichsrath appointed him its chief stenographer. In 1872 Bacher entered the employ of the " Neue Preie Presse " as a parliamentary reporter, and on
May 1,
1879, he
His leading
much
became the chief editor of the paper. on internal politics have been
articles
appreciated, not in Austria only, but through-
out Europe. Bibliography:
Eisenberp;,
Das
Griatific
Wicn,
p.
15; Adolph
Kohut, Berllhmte Tsraelitische Miinurr midFraiien.p.lSB. s.
I.
BACHER, JULIUS
Br.
German playwright and
born in Ragnit, eastern Prussia, Aug. 8, studied medicine in KOnigsberg, and settled there as a physician in 1837; but after ten years he abandoned his medical career to devote himself exclusively to literature. His first production in this field was a drama, "Karl des XII. Erste Liebe." Then the political events of 1848 interrupted his literary activity, but he resumed it eight years later by publishing a novel, "Sophie Charlotte, die Philosophische Konigin, " 3 vols. Its favorable reception by the public encouraged him to pursue literature, and he published successively: "Die Brautschau Friedrich des Grossen," 1857, a drama; and "Friedrich I. Letzte Tage," 1858, a romance in 3 vols. In 1859 his " Charakterbild aus dem Leben" was performed at the Royal Berlin Theater. Bacher thereupon settled in Berlin, whence he traveled to Switzerland and France. Upon his return to Berlin novelist 1810.
He
