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Giants of Judaism n three exiles from Spain
BY: HERB GEDULD Contributing Writer
Jews lived on the Iberian Peninsula for almost 1,500 years until their expulsion in 1492.
Hundreds of Jewish settlers resided there in early Roman times, and tens of thousands of Jews came to Spain and Portugal after the destruction of Jerusalem. Jewish life in Iberia was an alternating mixture of prolonged periods of acceptance and persecution. When the Muslims conquered most of Spain in the 8th century, Jews were permitted to enjoy a rich spiritual and material life, which became known as “The Golden Age” in Spain.
During their sojourn in Spain, Jews produced dozens of notable figures who became giants of Jewish thought, philosophy and theology. They were Bible commentators and poets, as well as diplomats and financiers to Spanish and Portuguese royalty. Many of these Jews produced their most profound commentaries as self-imposed or, more often, enforced exiles.
Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508), often referred to as “The Abravanel,” was one of the most prolific biblical commentators. He was born in Lisbon and received a broad education embracing both traditional Judaism and classical Renaissance literature. He wrote his first philosophical work, Ateret Zekenim (The Crown of the Elders), by age 20 and by 25 was giving discourses in the synagogue.
The Abravanel, following in his father’s footsteps, engaged successfully in both commerce and state finances. After the death of his father, he was appointed treasurer to King Alfonso V of Portugal, a post he held until the king’s death in 1481. He was then forced to flee to Spain and entered the service of Ferdinand and Isabella. Unable to reverse the edict of expulsion of the Jews from Spain, he led the Jews into exile and settled in Naples, Italy.
The Abravanel wrote commentaries on the earlier prophets, avot, the Passover haggadah and on Maimonides’s Guide to the Perplexed, as well as many philosophical works and treatises expressing his hopes for Messianic redemption. He regretted he had wasted his time in the service of earthly rulers.
Judah Halevi (1075-1141) spent most of his life in Spain, where he was successful both in commerce and as a physician. Halevi wrote 800 known poems, including piyutim (religious poems) and kinot (lamentations), both for Eretz Israel and for personal friends who died. His most famous work, written in Arabic, is Sefer HaKuzari (The Book of the Khazars), which describes the conversations between the king of the Khazars (a Russian tribe) and Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scholars who tried to convince the king of the legitimacy of their faiths. Based on their arguments, the king and many of his people converted to Judaism.
Judah Halevi’s Kuzari, a major work in Jewish religious literature, is based in historic fact. The Khazar kingdom existed in the Caucasus-Volga region of southern Russia for over 200 years (approx. 700 to 940 C.E.), and many scholars believe the Khazars had great influence on Russian Jewry.
At the time of the first Crusade, Judah Halevi, like many Jews of his time, felt the redemption was at hand. Then at age 60, he left his family and journeyed to Eretz Israel. He died in Egypt in 1141, although popular legend has it he was killed by an Arab horseman in sight of his beloved Jerusalem.
Moses ben Nachman Gerondi (1194-1270), better known by the acronym Reb Moshe Ben Nachman or Nachmanides, was a leading Bible commentator, Talmudic scholar, and leader of the Spanish Jewish community. He studied in yeshivot in both southern France and Spain under leading scholars of his day. He was greatly respected by his fellow Jews and referred to by them simply as “the rabbi.” He is perhaps best known for his four-day disputation on the relative truths of Judaism and Christianity; it took place in Barcelona in 1263 between himself and Pablo Christiani, a convert to Christianity. Nachmanides distinguished himself and was even awarded a prize by his patron, King James I of Aragon, before whom the disputation took place. The Dominican leaders of Spain who were also present at the disputation, became his avid enemies and with the help of Pope Clement IV, forced him into exile.
At age 63, Nachmanides left for Israel and spent the last three years of his life reviving the Jewish communities of Acre and Jerusalem, establishing synagogues there which have been preserved to this day. Nachmanides wrote extensively as a biblical commentator and his halachic literary works have become classics. He also wrote articles on kabbalah and came to be regarded as an expert on the subject.
His grave in Israel has never been identified, and his writings stand as his memorial.
Hundreds of Jewish settlers resided there in early Roman times, and tens of thousands of Jews came to Spain and Portugal after the destruction of Jerusalem. Jewish life in Iberia was an alternating mixture of prolonged periods of acceptance and persecution. When the Muslims conquered most of Spain in the 8th century, Jews were permitted to enjoy a rich spiritual and material life, which became known as “The Golden Age” in Spain.
During their sojourn in Spain, Jews produced dozens of notable figures who became giants of Jewish thought, philosophy and theology. They were Bible commentators and poets, as well as diplomats and financiers to Spanish and Portuguese royalty. Many of these Jews produced their most profound commentaries as self-imposed or, more often, enforced exiles.
Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508), often referred to as “The Abravanel,” was one of the most prolific biblical commentators. He was born in Lisbon and received a broad education embracing both traditional Judaism and classical Renaissance literature. He wrote his first philosophical work, Ateret Zekenim (The Crown of the Elders), by age 20 and by 25 was giving discourses in the synagogue.
The Abravanel, following in his father’s footsteps, engaged successfully in both commerce and state finances. After the death of his father, he was appointed treasurer to King Alfonso V of Portugal, a post he held until the king’s death in 1481. He was then forced to flee to Spain and entered the service of Ferdinand and Isabella. Unable to reverse the edict of expulsion of the Jews from Spain, he led the Jews into exile and settled in Naples, Italy.
The Abravanel wrote commentaries on the earlier prophets, avot, the Passover haggadah and on Maimonides’s Guide to the Perplexed, as well as many philosophical works and treatises expressing his hopes for Messianic redemption. He regretted he had wasted his time in the service of earthly rulers.
Judah Halevi (1075-1141) spent most of his life in Spain, where he was successful both in commerce and as a physician. Halevi wrote 800 known poems, including piyutim (religious poems) and kinot (lamentations), both for Eretz Israel and for personal friends who died. His most famous work, written in Arabic, is Sefer HaKuzari (The Book of the Khazars), which describes the conversations between the king of the Khazars (a Russian tribe) and Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scholars who tried to convince the king of the legitimacy of their faiths. Based on their arguments, the king and many of his people converted to Judaism.
Judah Halevi’s Kuzari, a major work in Jewish religious literature, is based in historic fact. The Khazar kingdom existed in the Caucasus-Volga region of southern Russia for over 200 years (approx. 700 to 940 C.E.), and many scholars believe the Khazars had great influence on Russian Jewry.
At the time of the first Crusade, Judah Halevi, like many Jews of his time, felt the redemption was at hand. Then at age 60, he left his family and journeyed to Eretz Israel. He died in Egypt in 1141, although popular legend has it he was killed by an Arab horseman in sight of his beloved Jerusalem.
Moses ben Nachman Gerondi (1194-1270), better known by the acronym Reb Moshe Ben Nachman or Nachmanides, was a leading Bible commentator, Talmudic scholar, and leader of the Spanish Jewish community. He studied in yeshivot in both southern France and Spain under leading scholars of his day. He was greatly respected by his fellow Jews and referred to by them simply as “the rabbi.” He is perhaps best known for his four-day disputation on the relative truths of Judaism and Christianity; it took place in Barcelona in 1263 between himself and Pablo Christiani, a convert to Christianity. Nachmanides distinguished himself and was even awarded a prize by his patron, King James I of Aragon, before whom the disputation took place. The Dominican leaders of Spain who were also present at the disputation, became his avid enemies and with the help of Pope Clement IV, forced him into exile.
At age 63, Nachmanides left for Israel and spent the last three years of his life reviving the Jewish communities of Acre and Jerusalem, establishing synagogues there which have been preserved to this day. Nachmanides wrote extensively as a biblical commentator and his halachic literary works have become classics. He also wrote articles on kabbalah and came to be regarded as an expert on the subject.
His grave in Israel has never been identified, and his writings stand as his memorial.
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