BELINSON, MOSES ELIEZER (or BEILINSON):

Russian publisher and scholar; born at Odessa about 1835. He devoted himself chiefly to the study of the genealogy of old Russian Jewish families, to one of which he belongs. He wrote on this subject two works, "Megillat Yuḥasin" (Scroll of Genealogy), and "Yalḳuṭ Mishpaḥot" (Collection of Families), published at Odessa, 1892-94. These works, although of no great literary value, contain interesting contributions to the history of Jewish families in Russia.

In 1865 Belinson edited "'Ale Hadas" (Myrtle Leaves), a periodical containing literary and scientific articles by the most eminent Russian scholars of the day, and issued a second edition of the "Sefer Elam" and "Ma'yan Gannin" of Salomon Joseph del Medigo, with notes and a biography of the author. Two other periodicals, "Yagdil Torah" (Magnifying the Law), and "Mekilta de Rabbanan" (The Rabbis' Study), dealing with questions concerning the Halakah and the exposition of the Talmud, were edited by Belinson (Odessa, 1871-81 and 1886-87); but, as in the case of the "'Ale Hadas," only a few numbers appeared. He published also (Odessa, 1898) "Shelome Emune Yisrael" (The Perfectly Righteous Men of Israel), a collection of letters on literary subjects.

Belinson contributed to many Russian and Hebrew periodicals, and was very active in disseminating the Neo-Hebrew literature through his printing-office, from which were issued numerous works of the Russan "maskilim."

Bibliography:
  • Voskhod, 1893, No. 50;
  • Zeit. für Hebr. Bibl. iii. 100;
  • Zeitlin, Bibl. Hebraica, p. 19.
H. R. I. Br.
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