Dr. Arthur (Dov) Hyman who died last summer in Jerusalem at the venerable age of 91, was both a well known medical authority and a prominent Judaic scholar.
His father, Rabbi Aaron Hyman, was the author of Toledot Tannaim VeAmoraim, a biographical dictionary of the sages of the Talmud; Otzar Divrei Hakhamim UFitgameihem( the first edition was called Beit Vaad LaHakhamim) an anthology of sayings from Talmud, Midrashic and rabbinic literature, alphabetically arranged and Torah HaKetuvah VehaMessurah, a reference book of the Scriptural passages quoted in Talmudic, Midrashic and early rabbinic literature. All these books have become indispensable aids to rabbis and scholars.
A native of London, Arthur Hyman attended the local Etz Chaim Yeshiva which his father helped found. However, he received his main Torah schooling from his father at home. He studied medicine and opened a private practice in London. In 1939 he moved to the United States, establishing himself in New York, he specialized in the treatment of skin diseases. He was a great authority in this field and fellow physicians from far and near turned to him for advice and help He also taught dermatology at New York University. And the end of 1971, he settled in Jerusalem, where until his death, he was associated with the Shaare Zedek Hospital. He contributed more than 50 studies and articles to various medical publications.
Most of his free time was devoted to the study of Torah and Judaic subjects.
In 1936 his father published in Tel Aviv the firat part on Torah – of his monumental Torah HaKetuvah VeHamessurah. He died a short time after the appearance of the volume. His son, Arthur prepared for print the mansucripts of the second and third part — on Neviim and Kethuvim – adding references of his own. The two volumes appeared in 1938 and 1939, respectively.
Dr. Hyman wrote many years later – in the biography of his father- that by preparing for print volumes 2 and 3 of Torah HaKetuvah VeHamessurah he had the zekhut of repaying his father a little for what he had done for him throughout his life. (His father’s biography was published in S. Federbusch’s Hochmat Yisrael BeMa’arav Europa, 1963, and in a new edition of Toledot Tannaim VeAmoraim, 1964).
In 1979 Dr. Hyman published a revised and enlarged edition of Torah HaKetuvah VehaMessueah. In this introduction he discusses works similar in some respects to that of his father, which were composed throughout the ages
In 1985 he published a supplementary volume (Sefer HaHashlamot) to Torah HaKetuvah VeHamessurah.
Dr. Hyman’s own magnum opus Mekorot Yalkut Shimoni (The Sources of the Yalkut Shimoni) on which he worked for many years and which reflects his extraordinarily wide erudition was published by Mossad HaRav Kook in 1965-1974. In preparing the two volume work which indicates the sources of all sayings quoted in the Yalkut and includes parallels, notes, as well as very useful indices, Dr. Hyman made use of the first edition of the Yalkut (Salonica 1521-1526) and of manuscripts. In the introduction Dr. Hyman shows that the compiler of the Yalkut made use of Rashi.
In 1973 Mossad HaRav Kook started the publications of a critical edition of the entire Yalkut Shimoni. The edition features notes and source references by Dr. Hyman. The publishers stress in their preface that the sources have been indicated “with exemplary erudition by the learned physician and meticulous scholar, R. Dr. Dov Hyman.”
Dr. Hyman was a bibliophile and collector of books. His library included a large collection of rabbinical journals. He was also in possession of interesting historic documents, some of which he described in articles in various periodicals. He contributed to Torah journals in the U.S. and in Israel.
He also wrote, at the request of Rabbi Menachem M. Kasher’s family, an essay about the latter’s life and writings. It was printed at the beginning of the 40th volume of Torah Shelema.
I knew Dr. Hyman for more than 40 years. I visited him at his home, both in New York and in Jerusalem. In Jerusalem I also used to meet him at prayers in Hekhal Shlomo, where true to his character, he chose to sit in the last row.
Rabbis and scholars called on him to discuss with him matters relating to their research or to consult his library. They benefitted from his wise counsel and wide knowledge. His help is acknowledged with gratitude by various authors.
Yehe Zikhro Barukh
The Jewish Press, October 31, 1997