Theologian, historian, philosopher. It is important to note - polyglot. The magnificent orator and polemicist Leonid Aleksandrovich Matsikh lived a short and bright life. More precisely, he left at the peak of his multifaceted creativity and educational activities. Interesting and instructive materials were left to descendants and those living today.
When a person appears in this world, no one can predict the route he will take through life. According to current traditions and prerequisites, Leonid Aleksandrovich Matsikh had to study to be a doctor. However, fate decreed in its own way.
Thorny path of knowledge
Leonid, like any Soviet boy, could choose for himself any kind of activity, any specialty. My father, a medical practitioner, was highly respected by colleagues and patients. From a young age, the child absorbed the vibes of kindness and responsibility. Love and care was a familiar atmosphere in the house. However, the surrounding reality was both more complicated and harsh. There is no reason to call the teenager Matsikh a mama's son. He grew up and matured in an environment where the weak are oppressed and humiliated. The boy was three years old when the family moved from the capital of Ukraine to the city of Zaporozhye. To a city where metallurgy and mechanical engineering still shape the agenda.
When it came time to get an education, Leonid decided to study French at a local teacher training institute. The choice was made quite independently. It's no secret that talent in a person often "wakes up" in an unexpected way. Interesting work reveals the potential of the individual. The student Matsikh learned foreign languages easily. French, English - natural and understandable. But Hebrew and Aramaic - for what? As later life showed, these ancient languages became the basis for unique research. Creativity and hard work have been integrated into a single vector. Thanks to this symbiosis, the old manuscripts of the forgotten sages have turned into understandable and topical texts.
Wits scientist
Almost all contemporaries who knew Leonid Alexandrovich closely note his easy disposition and the broadest erudition. The famous theologian and educator has not at all lost accessibility and democracy in dealing with people of any rank. He knew perfectly well how modern man lives and what trials our civilization went through. Students and listeners of higher educational institutions of the USA, Israel, Latvia and, of course, Russia spoke with enthusiasm about his lectures and seminars. The theologian Matsikh watched with sincere interest the rituals of the shaman on Olkhon Island and the religious mysteries of the local residents in Brazil. On the most serious and delicate topics, he knew how to speak easily and naturally, with light humor and irony.
Within the framework of formal criteria, Leonid Matsikh's career is assessed very modestly. PhD in Philology and Theology. However, his fame as an educator and connoisseur of biblical texts "rolls over" in all thematic ratings. The biography of the scientist is simple, like the parables of Solomon. Personal life - in full view of friends and ill-wishers. A wife named Vera created all the necessary and possible conditions for the fruitful work of a loved one and an enthusiastic researcher. In turn, Leonid, as a husband and a decent person, tried with all his might to protect the family hearth. People of this kind at all times become and remain a role model for the younger generation.
