In 1952, a Yiddish translation of the Talmud, tractate “Baba Kama” by Rabbi Shmuel Hubner appeared.
Nine yeears later his translation of “Baba Metzia” was published. These editions proved to be ‘best sellers’ and thousands of copies have been sold. They contain in addition to the translation, the Hebrew text of the Talud — fully vocalized and punctuated.
Hubner’s translation has accompanied many thousands in their first steps in the learning of Talmud – both young students and adults. Few, however, know the dramatic story of the translation.
Rabbi Hubner accomplished it while in hiding in Nazi-occupied Europe!
A native of Galicia, Hubner studied in his youth under Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz, Rabbi of Bohorotshany, who was a well known rabbinic authority.
Later he resided in Berlin until the rise of Nazism in 1933 when he emigrated to Vienna. After the occupation of Austria, he was imprisoned for some time. Shortly before the outbreak of World War Two, he succeeded in escaping to Belgium.
In May, 1940 the German army overran that country. They immediately bupon the persecution of the Jewish community. In the spring of 1942, they began to deport Jews to labor camps.” In the summer of the same year, after the Jews realized the true destination of the “Labor transports” and refused to surrender voluntarily for deportation, the Germans began to carry out house to house searches for the remaining Jews.
Hubner and his wife went into hiding. Their four month old son, Ehud was placed through the Belgium Red Cross into the care of a non-Jewish family. The parents found refuge with a Belgian barber. Months went by. Their situation became desperate. As the Germans intensified their searched, Hubner wondered how much longer the barber would be able to shelter them!
It was then that Rabbi Hubner met with Nesanel Lefkowitz.
Who was this man? He was one of the richest Jews in pre-war Belgium. After the occupation of the country he was able to salvage a considerable part of the fortune which he used to help support fellow-Jews. When the designs of the Germans to exterminate the Jews became apparent, he engaged with the help of the Belgian underground, in forging Aryan identity cards which were to save many Jews from deportation.
Lefkowitz was a man deeply dedicated to Judaism and Jewish culture. For many years he lived with the idea of having the Talmud translated into Yiddish. Even when was Belgium was occupied and the Jewish community was being exterminated he could not divorce himself from the idea.
While the Germans were combing the streets of Brussels to deport Jews, Lefkowitz was looking for a Jew to whom he could entrust with the task of translating the Talmud into Yiddish!
One day, Lefkowitz was told by Rabbi B. Rottenberg, director of the Jewish Old People’s Home in Brussels that he knew of a man who could undertake the translation: Rabbi Hubner the great Talmudist and linguist: “This is the man you are looking for,” Rabbi Rottenberg, who now lives in Chicago told Lefkowitz.
It took Lefkowitz some time to locate Hubner. At last the two men met. At Lefkowitz’s request Hubner prepared some drafts of a Yiddish translation of the Talmud. Lefkowitz was pleased with the work and the two made an agreement.
Lefkowitz undertook to support Hubner and his wife in their hideout. he also promised to procure for them false papers which would be of help in the event of their being discovered by the Germans. Hubner in return pledged to embark upon the monumental talks of translating the Talmud.
Though short of reference books, he immediately set to work. He would translate about eight pages a week. From time to time he would meet with Lefkowitz in a hideout and report on the progress of the work. By September, 1944, when Belgium was liberated, Hubner had translated the tractates of “Brachot”, “Baba Metzia” and part of “Baba Kama.”
After the liberation, Lefkowitz returned to his business. He was also active in the Zionist movement and assisted very greatly in the reconstitution of Belgian Jewish communal life. Yet with all of his preoccupation, he did not forget his pet project. He urged Rabbi Hubner to continue working on the translation. By 1947, when Hubner emigrated to the United States, he had translated the tractate of Shabbat” and Bava Bathra” and completed “Bava Kama.
Lefkowitz thought of printing the translations as soon as possible, but in the immediate post-war years no suitable Hebrew press was available in Europe. Thus the first volume of the translation did not appear until 1952.
After his arrival in the United States, Rabbi Hubner first served as rabbi of Congregation Ein Yaakov in Brooklyn. Later he became rabbi of Congregation Linas Hazedek.
Though relatively unknown at the time of his arrival, Rabbi Hubner soon attained fame as a brilliant Talmudist. His public discourses and classes in Talmud had been a delight to Talmidei Chachamim and his contributions to scholarly periodicals in this county and in Israel have spread his name far beyond the confines of New York City.
He is also a regular contributor to the rabbinical periodical “Hadarom” where he publishes responsa on modern Halachic problems. His studies, which excel both by their great and deep knowledge and fine composition and Hebrew style, have been most favorably received in rabbinic circles and have been widely commented on.
When we visited with Rabbi Hubner at his home in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn, he informed us that his translation of the tractate “Brachot” had just come off the press in Brussels and would soon be available in the United States.
Rabbi Hubner is married to the former Julia Ettinger. They have one son, Rabbi Ehud Hubner and two granddaughters.
The Jewish Press, Friday, March 8, 1968