Emanuel Oscar Menahem Deutsch (1829 – 28 October 1873) was a GermanJewish scholar of Semitic studies, the Talmud and Middle Eastern studies.
He was born in Neisse,Prussian Silesia (nowNysa, Poland). His education was begun by an uncle, to whose inspiration he owed his interest in Oriental languages and literature.[1] On reaching his sixteenth year, he began his studies at theUniversity of Berlin, paying special attention totheology and theTalmud. He also mastered theEnglish language and studiedEnglish literature.[2]
In 1855 Deutsch was appointed assistant in the library of theBritish Museum. He worked intensely on the Talmud and contributed no less than 190 papers toChambers'Encyclopaedia,[2] as well as essays on the Targum and the Samaritan Pentateuch for Smith'sDictionary of the Bible, essays forJohn Kitto's Biblical dictionary, and articles in periodicals. The monument of his official work in the British Museum is to be found in thePhoenician Inscriptions, edited byWilliam Sandys Wright Vaux, to whom Deutsch rendered assistance.[1]
In October 1867 his article on The Talmud, published in theQuarterly Review, made him known, creating a great interest in the Talmud in Britain, including admirers such asGeorge Eliot.[3] The article was translated into French, German, Russian, Swedish, Dutch and Danish, and reprinted by the American Jewish Publication Society, Special Series No. 3 (Philadelphia, 1897). Deutsch was an important influence[4] onGeorge Eliot's Jewish characters and their ideas in her last novelDaniel Deronda.
From 1869 to 1870, Deutsch was a special correspondent forThe Times during theEcumenical Council at the Vatican and wrote letters on its deliberations.
He died atAlexandria on 12 May 1873. A collection,Literary Remains, edited by Lady Strangford, was published in 1874, consisting of nineteen papers on such subjects as "The Talmud," "Islam," "Semitic Culture," "Egypt," "Ancient and Modern," "Semitic Languages," "The Targums," "The Samaritan Pentateuch," and "Arabic Poetry."[2]
 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(February 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Deutsch, Immanuel Oscar Menahem".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 119.