David Oppenheim (rabbi)
David ben Abraham Oppenheimer (* June 1664 in Worms, † September 12, 1736 in Prague) was chief rabbi of Prague, chief rabbi of Moravia and Bohemia and a Jewish scribe.
Life
David Oppenheimer came in Worms, the son of a wealthy man to the world. In his youth he was a pupil of Rabbi Gershon Ulif in Metz, whose literary estate he published. Since 1686 he was a rabbi and was elected in 1690 with 26 years as a rabbi of Moravia. 1702 he was appointed chief rabbi of Prague. By imperial decree in 1718, he was elevated to the chief rabbi of Moravia and Bohemia.
He was too well read and wrote various works, interpretations of the Bible, commentaries on the Talmud and legal opinions. He had a special significance as a bibliophile and patron of Jewish literature. He knew almost all of the numerous works of the 18th century in this area with recommendatory pressure permits and supported their authors at the cost of printing.
With his great wealth he laid out a comprehensive library, which grew into the largest collection of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and printed in Bohemia soon. For this purpose he used the business connections that entertained the large Oppenheimer commercial building in Vienna, sent from many buyers, paid for books that he did not yet possess the highest prices and will even owners who refused to sell him their books, with the spell threatened.
Fearing censorship in Austria, which was searching non- Christian after all, he had the library bring to Hanover, where his father lived, the hoping actuator Cohen. After the death of Oppenheimer wanted to 7,000 books and 1,000 manuscripts sell for a profit, but the purchase price of 60,000 thalers deterred all merchants, so that they remained packed in boxes until 1826. It was not until 1829 they were sold for 9,000 dollars to the library of Oxford, where they still are as part of the Bodleian Library.
His grave is in the old Jewish cemetery in Prague / Josefstadt between Klaus and the Old-New Synagogue. His grave stone was restored in 1978.