Perski, Joel Dov Baer
PERSKI, JOEL DOV BAER
PERSKI, JOEL DOV BAER (1816–1871), Hebrew author and translator. Perski, who was born in Volozhin, made major contributions to the field of translation into Hebrew. One is Kevod Melakhim (Koenigsberg, 1851–53), a translation of Telemaque by Fénelon with Perski's own notes. The work probably interested him on account of its didactic content, since Telemachus is aided in his travels by the wise comments and interpretations of Minerva, who in the form of a mentor gives him lessons on the proper conduct of life and especially on the duties of a king and the principles of sound government. Another work is Ḥayyei Asaf (1858) on the life of Aesop, including morally instructive incidents from his life. The work concludes with the translations of some 35 of Aesop's fables. Perski also wrote a commentary, Heikhal Ra'anan and Shemen Ra'anan, on the Yalkut Shimoni on Genesis (1864); and Battei Kehunnah, a commentary on the Midrash Rabbah to Genesis and Exodus (1871). He died in Vilna.
bibliography:
Yahadut Lita, 3 (1967), 177.