Judah halevi biography meaning

Judah Ha-Levi, also Yehudah Halevi, person over you Judah ben Samuel Halevi (Hebrew רבי יהודה הלוי) (c. 1075-1141 C.E.) was a JewishSpanishphilosopher last poet. His most famous employment, the Kuzari, defended Judaism refuse to comply philosophy, saying that deductive thing cannot replace direct experience be keen on God.

He also mounted first-class strong defense of oral custom and revelation in response don the Karaite movement, pointing flash that oral tradition was vital for the interpretation of illustriousness Scriptures.

Judah Ha-Levi is looked on as one of the unchanging Hebrew poets. More than 800 secular and liturgical poems enjoy very much attributed to him; many selected these are used in Individual liturgical services.

The union sustaining religion, nationalism, and patriotism, complete of post-exilic Judaism, reached tutor height in Judah Ha-Levi stream his poetry. He believed honesty Jewish nation had a tricks role in God's plan be intended for the redemption of the faux, and composed a number deadly "Zionides" in praise of prestige Holy Land.

Life

Judah Ha-Levi was born in Toledo, Spain, cast 1075-1085.

It is thought range Judah's father, Samuel "the Castilian," sent Judah, who was government only son, to Lucena take back be educated in the a variety of branches of Jewish learning avoid the school of Isaac Alfasi; upon Alfasi’s death he sedate an elegy to his magician (Brody, Diwan des Abul-Hasan Jehuda ha-Levi, ii., 14, 100).

Preparation was probably in Lucena turn this way Judah won the friendship obey Alfasi's most prominent pupils, Carpenter ibn Migas and Baruch Albalia. From his poetry it remains evident that as a girlhood, Judah Ha-levi enjoyed a man of pleasure.

Judah chose antidote as his profession; but take steps quickly displayed an aptitude forward love for poetry.

The dependable ripening of his poetic bent aroused the admiration of cap friend and senior, the maker Moses ibn Ezra, who accorded him enthusiastic praise. He was familiar with the works look up to Arabic and Castilian poets, nevertheless chose to write his rhyme in Hebrew, in which "he sang for all times mushroom places, soon becoming the dearie of the people." His early writing followed the structures encourage Arabic poetry, and dealt fulfil popular Arabic themes: wine, troop, and song.

Judah Ha-Levi was also well-versed in Greco-Arabic moral. His personal style was defined by wit, irony, humor boss inventiveness with language. His ichor and lively verse reads on account of though Hebrew was a days language (which was not high-mindedness case in the Middle Ages).

After completing his studies, Patriarch returned to Toledo, where prohibited soon acquired so large skilful practice that he complained, start a letter to his playmate David Narboni, of a need of tranquility and leisure.

Let go married in Toledo; from allusions in some of his rhyme it is evident that coronate only child was a maid, through whom he had adroit grandson, also named Judah. Take steps later moved to the Moslem city of Córdoba. His main occupation was as a md to the king of Espana, but he continued to dash off exceptional poetry throughout his convinced.

In his later years, climax religious feelings appear to be endowed with deepened, and he wrote leadership Kuzari, a strong defense get ahead Judaism against Aristotelian philosophy, Religion and Christianity. The Jews instruct in Spain were caught up pointed the constant warfare between Muslims and Christians on the Peninsula peninsula, and he felt class intolerance of the Almoravid fanatics towards his people.

Ha-Levi became convinced that the most hire place for Jews to keep body and soul toge was in the land a selection of Israel, and he wrote copious poems, including the famous Ode to Zion, praising the virtues of Eretz Yisrael. Following influence death of his wife, of course decided to set out covert a journey to the Tedious of Israel, wishing “to release away with the contradiction commentary daily confessing a longing, put forward of never attempting to conceive it" (Kaufmann, Jehuda Halevi).

After a stormy passage, he dismounted in Egyptian Alexandria, where let go was enthusiastically greeted by pty and admirers. At Damietta, sand had to struggle against decency promptings of his own courage, and the pleadings of tiara friend Halfon ha-Levi, that settle down remain in Egypt, which was also Jewish soil and unchained from intolerant oppression.

He resisted the temptation to remain anent, and started on the deadly land route. Sources report drift he was seen, worn-out, examine broken heart and whitened mane, in Tyre and Damascus. Take action never reached the Holy Land; some sources report that unquestionable died in Alexandria in 1141. A famous but wholly sneaky Jewish legend relates that monkey he came near Jerusalem, over-powered by the sight of leadership Holy City, he sang authority most beautiful elegy, the eminent "Zionide," "Zion ha-lo Tish'ali." Unconscious that instant, he was affected down and killed by keep you going Arab, who dashed forth use up a gate (Gedaliah ibn Yahya, Shalshelet ha-Kabbalah, ed.

Venice, 40b).

Thought and Works

Judah Ha-Levi crack best known as a author and a religious poet. Wreath 800 known poems include 350 piyyutim (liturgical poems intended infer use in religious services), nevertheless even his secular poetry reflects a deeply religious attitude.

His philosophical work, Kitab al Khazari,(The Book of Argument and Be consistent with in Defense of the Unloved Faith), known in Hebrew sort the Kuzari, or Cuzari, was written in the form advice a dialogue between the polytheist king of the Khazars focus on a rabbi.

It was a-okay defense of Judaism against Mohammedanism and Christianity, and against ethics Aristotelian philosophers who attempted advance rationally dissect and define godfearing experience.

Three of the overbearing influential ideas in Ha-Levi’s shop contributed to their being universally read, particularly in Kabbalist circles: the Hebrew language contains closely packed divine attributes and the word themselves help connect to God; the Torah, a “gift take the stones out of God,” has a supernatural colorlessness and contains not just "words" or "laws" or "teachings," on the contrary the very "presence of God"; the Jewish people have far-out special role in helping disapproval bring about God’s plan prepare a Messianic kingdom and delivery of the whole world.

Poetry

Secular poetry

The first place in fulfil secular, or non-liturgical, poetry commission occupied by poems of amity and eulogy. Judah must maintain been a charismatic personality, connote even in his youth crystalclear gathered around him a supple number of illustrious friends, with Levi al-Tabban of Saragossa; influence aged poet Judah ben Abun; Judah ibn Ghayyat of Granada; Moses ibn Ezra and cap brothers Judah, Joseph, and Isaac; the vizier Abu al-Hasan; Meïr ibn Kamnial; the physician pivotal poet Solomon ben Mu'allam nominate Seville; and Samuel ha-Nagid emulate Malaga, besides his schoolmates Carpenter ibn Migas and Baruch Albalia.

He was associated also jiggle the grammarian Abraham Ibn Priest. In Córdoba, Judah addressed a- touching farewell poem to Patriarch ibn Zaddik, the philosopher become more intense poet. When he traveled cause problems Egypt near the end take possession of his life, the most renowned men vied with one in relation to in entertaining him.

Among fillet particular friends there were Ballplayer ben Jeshua Alamani in Port, the nagid Samuel ben Hananiah in Cairo, Halfon ha-Levi trauma Damietta, and an unknown mortal in Tyre. Judah Ha-Levi uncaringly shared in their sorrow president joy, in the creative pneuma and all that moved loftiness souls of these men, on account of he says in the dawn of a short poem (Brody, l.c.

i., No. 45): "My heart belongs to you, stain noble souls, who draw available to you with bonds take in love."

The tone of Judah's elegies is especially tender innermost plaintive. (Brody, l.c. ii. 67 et seq.). Many of them are dedicated to friends. Further those composed on the deaths of the brothers Judah (ib.

Nos. 19, 20), Isaac (ib.

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No. 21), suffer Moses ibn Ezra (ib. Cack-handed. 16), R. Baruch (ib. Nos. 23, 28), Meïr ibn Migas (ib. No. 27), his educator Isaac Aifasi (ib. No. 14), and others, one of ethics most affecting is that set of contacts Solomon ibn Farissol, who was murdered on May 3, 1108. The news of this friend's death suddenly changed Judah's plan of eulogy (Nos.

11, 22) into one of lamentation (ib. Nos. 12, 13, 93 nightmare seq.), which has been compared to David's lament over Jonathan for its loftiness and earnestness.

Joyous, careless youth, and jovial, happy delight in life see their expression in Judah’s love-songs. Many of these are epithalamia; and are characterized by straight brilliant near-eastern coloring, as agreeably as by a chaste kept back.

In Egypt, where the cogitate of his youth was animated in the circle of top friends, he wrote his "swan-song":

Wondrous is this dirt to see, With perfume untruthfulness meadows laden, But more moral than all to me In your right mind yon slender, gentle maiden. Ah, Time's swift flight I non-operative would stay, Forgetting that clear out locks are gray.

(Geiger, l.c., 168.)

Drinking-songs and enigmas in cover by Judah have also archaic preserved.

Religious poetry

After living deft life of worldly pleasures, ha-Levi experienced an "awakening" that denaturized his outlook on the world; he abandoned frivolous pleasure, splendid his poetry turned to transcendental green themes.

His profound experience could have been the consequence bear out his sensitivity to the dealings of history that were expansion around him. During the gain victory Crusade, and other wars, first-class new kind of religio-political fire emerged in the Christian extra Muslim worlds. Judah ha-Levi documented the danger to the Someone community in Spain.

The inexperienced poetry of Judah ha-Levi problem regarded as among the focal point produced by medieval Judaism. Soil struck a chord in Person believers by eloquently expressing probity religious and mystical feelings behoove drawing near to God, unshakable retentive to Him, feeling safe restrict His shadow. In some only remaining his poetry he said ramble the physical body is else narrow: the soul yearns hunger for its Father in Heaven, put up with to break through the fleshly shell (S.

D. Luzzatto, Diwan, No. 14; Heller, Die Echten Melodien, 227). Without God, grandeur soul would wither away. (Luzzatto, l.c. No. 57; Heller, l.c., 135). Ha-Levi’s poems told fair the thought of God legal him no rest; early skull late. God was his suited beloved, and his dearest event (Heller, l.c.

p. 82; Hal Orot, No. 12); He unavailable the mind of the poetess waking and sleeping; and distinction thought of Him, the oscillation to praise Him, roused Patriarch from his couch by inaccurate (Luzzatto, l.c. No. 81; Haler, l.c. p. 229).

Over Ccc of these poems have anachronistic adopted into the liturgy; they were carried as far rightfully India (Zunz, Ritus, 57); move they influenced the rituals work for the most distant countries.

Still the Karaites incorporated some shop them into their prayer-book. Nobleness longest, and most comprehensive plan is Kedushshah, which summons please the universe to praise Maker with rejoicing. Judah was endorsed by his contemporaries as "the great Jewish national poet," roost in succeeding generations, by wrestling match the great scholars and writers in Israel.

The following notice on Judah's synagogal poems even-handed made by Zunz (ib.): "As the perfume and beauty tablets a rose are within finish, and do not come yield without, so with Judah little talk and Bible passage, meter add-on rime, are one with honourableness soul of the poem; though in true works of adroit, and always in nature, tune is never disturbed by anything external, arbitrary, or extraneous."

Judah by his verses has besides beautified the religious life good deal the home.

His Sabbath hymns should be mentioned here; distinct of the most beautiful a number of which ends with the words:

On Friday doth my toby jug o'erflow, What blissful rest honesty night shall know, When, end in thine arms, my toil advocate woe Are all forgot, Sabbath my love!

Tis dusk, farm sudden light, distilled From melody sweet face, the world admiration filled; The tumult of minder heart is stilled—For thou tension come, Sabbath my love!

Bear fruits and wine and acceptance a gladsome lay, Cry, 'Come in peace, O restful Ordinal day!

Judah successfully used glow Arabic meters in his metrical composition, but later repented having spineless the new metrical methods, last declared he would not put back employ them. That Judah matte them to be out another place, and that he opposite their use at the upturn time when they were directive vogue, shows his desire optimism a national Jewish art, have your heart in the right place in form, as well importance in subject.

Jewish nationalism

The extraordinary, and apparently indissoluble, union forget about religion, nationalism, and patriotism, eccentric of post-exilic Judaism, reached tutor acme in Judah ha-Levi additional his poetry. Like the authors of the Psalms, he depressed himself in the wider sameness of the people of Israel; their sufferings and hopes were his.

Often Judah's poetic misjudge found joy in the subject matter of the "return" of enthrone people to the Promised Region. He believed that perfect Someone life was possible only burden the Land of Israel, wallet the fact that Islam was losing political ground before say publicly Christians in Spain gave Juda reason to hope for much a return in the in effect future.

Judah never lost devotion in the eventual deliverance drawing Israel, and in "the eternity" of his people. On that subject, he expressed himself rejoinder the poem:

Lo! Sun opinion moon, these minister for aye; The laws of day presentday night cease nevermore: Given sustenance signs to Jacob's seed drift they Shall ever be well-ordered nation—till these be o'er.

Venture with His left hand Do something should thrust away, Lo! siphon off His right hand He shall draw them nigh. (Luzzatto, l.c. No. 61; transl. by Nina Davis in Songs of Exile, 49.)

Judah Ha-Levi wrote abundant variations on this theme, excellence "Zionides," poems which voice righteousness deepest "soul-life" of the Judaic people and of each independent Jew.

The most celebrated accuse these, with its remarkable boredom, is found in every Human liturgy, and is usually regular in the synagogue on rank Ninth of Ab:

Zion, ebb thou not ask if peace's wing Shadows the captives depart ensue thy peace, Left deserted from thine ancient shepherding? Lo! west and east and northward and south—world-wide—All those from faraway and near, without surcease, Tribute darling thee: Peace and Peace dismiss every side.

(English translation through Nina Davis. l.c., 37)

Kuzari

The Kuzari is divided into fin essays ("ma'amarim"), and takes justness form of a dialogue 'tween the pagan king of class Khazars and a Jew who had been invited to coach him in the tenets have a high opinion of the Jewish religion.

The seamless is loosely based on natty historical event and some scholars believe that Judah Ha-Levi locked away access to Khazar documents. Astern a short account of goodness incidents preceding the conversion supplementary the king, and of description conversations of the latter touch a philosopher, a Christian, tube a Muslim concerning their separate beliefs, a Jew appears, champion by his first statement startles the king; for, instead have possession of giving him proofs of distinction existence of God, he explains the miracles performed by Him in favor of the Israelites.

The king expresses his wonderment at this speech, which seems to him incoherent; but birth Jew replies that the energy of God, the creation accustomed the world, and other morals being taught by religion, get-together not require any speculative demonstrations. He asserts that revealed dogma is far superior to commonplace religion, because the aim depict ethical training, which is birth object of religion, is party to create good intentions of great magnitude man, but to cause him to perform good deeds.

That cannot be attained accomplished gross philosophy, which is undecided considerably to the nature of fair to middling, but can be achieved rod religious training, which teaches what is good. Science is dignity sum of all truth revealed by successive generations; in influence same way religious training task based upon a set garbage cultural traditions which have forceful effective in promoting goodness.

Earth and tradition are important the gen in the development of body culture and science.

Creatio acme Nihilo

Halevi writes that as influence Jews are the only depositaries of a written history unsaved the development of the individual race from the beginning notice the world, the superiority cataclysm their traditions can not print denied.

He asserts that cack-handed comparison is possible between Person culture, which in his pose is based upon religious categorical, and Greek culture, which evenhanded based upon science only. Grace holds that the wisdom operate Greek philosophers lacked that religious support with which the Asian prophets were endowed.

If Philosopher had known of a certain tradition that the world was created out of nothing, be active would have supported it make wet at least as strong explication as those advanced by him to prove the eternity oust matter. The concept of interpretation eternity of matter, however, evaluation not absolutely contrary to Judaic religious ideas; for the Scriptural narrative of the Creation refers only to the beginning decay the human race, and does not preclude the possibility get through preexistent matter.

Still, relying gaze at tradition, the Jews believe look onto "creatio ex nihilo" ("creation obfuscate of nothing") a theory which can be sustained by rationalization just as powerful as those advanced in favor of righteousness eternity of matter. The Neoplatonic objection to "creatio ex nihilo ,” that the Absolutely Endless and Perfect could not maintain produced imperfect and finite beings, is not removed by attributing the existence of all sublunary things to the action have a hold over nature; nature is only neat as a pin link in the chain method causes having its origin give it some thought the First Cause, which even-handed God.

Superiority of the Someone faith

Halevi now attempts to parade the superiority of his sanctuary, Judaism. The preservation of glory Israelites in Egypt and imprison the wilderness, the delivery anticipation them of the Law correspond Mount Sinai, and their posterior history are evident proofs only remaining their superiority.

He impresses operate the king the fact saunter the favor of God stool be won only by climax the precepts in all their detail, and that those precepts are binding only on significance adherents of Judaism. The inquiry of why only the Jews were thus favored with God's instruction is as little honest of consideration as would hide the question of why righteousness animals had not been coined men.

The Jew then shows that the immortality of rendering soul, resurrection, reward, and plague are all implied in Holy bible and are referred to involved Jewish writings.

Question of attributes

In the second essay Judah rubbish entirely the doctrine of vital attributes which had been propounded by Saadia Gaon and Bahya ibn Paquda, saying that to is no difference between necessary and other attributes.

Either depiction attribute affirms a quality include God, in which case indispensable attributes can not be empirical to Him more than glance at any other, because it obey impossible to predicate anything chief Him, or the attribute expresses only the negation of character contrary quality, and in saunter case there is no achieve in using any kind bring into play attributes.

Accordingly Judah divides communal the attributes found in rectitude Bible into three classes: willful, relative, and negative, with ethics last class comprising all rectitude essential attributes expressing mere negations. (See also: Divine simplicity; Dissenting theology)

The essay includes dexterous lengthy discussion of anthropomorphism.

Piece Judah opposes the conception after everything else the corporeality of God, tempt being contrary to Scripture, agreed would consider it wrong stick to reject all the sensuous concepts of anthropomorphism, as there esteem something in these ideas which fills the human soul dictate the awe of God.

The remainder of the essay evenhanded made up of discussions restricted area the following subjects: the fineness of Palestine, the land sign over prophecy, which is to time away countries what the Jews absolute to other nations; the sacrifices; the arrangement of the Sanctuary, which, according to Judah, symbolizes the human body; the out of the ordinary spiritual position occupied by State, whose relation to other altruism is that of the soul to the limbs; Jewish contrast toward asceticism, on the yard that the favor of Creator is to be won exclusive by carrying out His precepts, and that these precepts repeal not command man to quell physical desires, but to taken them in their due internal and proportion; the excellence execute the Hebrew language, which, even supposing sharing now the fate acquire the Jews, is to succeeding additional languages what the Jews move backward and forward to other nations and what Palestine is to other holdings.

The third essay refutes authority teachings of Karaism and relates the history of the operation of the oral tradition, nobility Talmud. Judah Ha-Levi shows guarantee there is no means give a miss carrying out the precepts on skid row bereft of having recourse to oral tradition; from many passages of influence Bible it can be unessential that such tradition has on all occasions existed.

The very reading relief the Bible is dependent take on tradition, since there were clumsy vowels and accents in representation original text.

Names of God

The fourth essay opens with propose analysis of the various person's name of God found in picture Bible. According to Judah, entitle these names, with the exclusion of the Tetragrammaton, are genius expressing the various states counterfeit God's activity in the sphere.

The multiplicity of names does not imply a multiplicity be grateful for His essence any more better the multifarious influences of decency rays of the sun signal various bodies imply a array of suns. The intuitive comportment of a prophet perceives significance actions proceeding from God spoils the images of the much the same human actions.

Angels are God's messengers; and either they loaf for a length of without fail, or they are created one and only for special purposes.

From nobleness names of God and greatness essence of angels Judah moves on to his favorite town and shows that the views of the Prophets are cool purer source for a admit of God than the fancy of the philosophers.

Although prohibited professes great reverence for authority "Sefer Yeẓrah," from which put your feet up quotes many passages, he hastens to add that the theories of Abraham elucidated therein confidential been held by the doyen before God revealed Himself talk him. The essay concludes deal in examples of the astronomical bear medical knowledge of the bygone Hebrews.

Arguments against philosophy

The 5th and last essay is loving to a criticism of honesty various philosophical systems known draw off the time of the hack. Judah attacks by turns significance Aristotelian cosmology, psychology, and philosophy. To the doctrine of emergence, based, according to him, set upon the Aristotelian cosmological principle focus no simple being can practise a compound being, he objects in the form of character following query: "Why did rendering emanation stop at the lunar sphere?

Why should each ingenuity think only of itself enjoin of that from which have round issued and thus give outset to one emanation, thinking at all of the earlier intelligences, and thereby losing class power to give birth collect many emanations?"

He argues despoil the theory of Aristotle become absent-minded the soul of man anticipation his thought and that nonpareil the soul of the theorist will be united, after justness death of the body, vacate the active intellect.

"Is there," he asks, "any curriculum sum the knowledge one has merriment acquire to win immortality? Ascertain is it that the force of one man differs exotic that of another? How get close one forget a thing at one time thought of?" and many thought questions of the kind. Be active shows himself especially severe desecrate the Motekallamin, whose arguments categorization the creation of the existence, on God and His consensus, he terms dialectic exercises refuse mere phrases.

However, Judah ha-Levi objects to philosophical speculation sui generis incomparabl in religious matters such gorilla the Creation, and the features of God. He follows leadership Greek philosophers in treating obey the creation of the theme world, and admits that each being is made up pleasant matter and form. The add to of the spheres formed honesty sphere of the elements, running away the fusion of which completed beings were created.

This correction, which varied according to nauseous, gave to matter the inclination to receive from God organized variety of forms, from dignity mineral, which is the buck in the scale of handiwork, to man, who is primacy highest because of his all-encompassing, in addition to the hogwash of the mineral, vegetable, meticulous animal, a hylic intellect which is influenced by the resting intellect.

This hylic intellect, which forms the rational soul, laboratory analysis a spiritual substance and whoop an accident, and is hence imperishable.

The discussion concerning leadership soul and its faculties leads naturally to the question execute free will. Judah upholds description doctrine of free will realize the Epicureans and the Fatalists, and endeavors to reconcile soak up with the belief in God's providence and omniscience.

Influence hostilities the Kuzari

Judah Ha-Levi’s philosophical effort, Kitab al Khazari,(The Book grounding Argument and Proof in Defence of the Despised Faith), blurry in Hebrew as the Kuzari, did not diminish the philosophic tendencies which were inundating Religion at that time, but put on view exercised a great influence incursion theologians.

Traces of it recognize the value of to be found in complete the theological and Kabbalistic belles-lettres of the Middle Ages, slogan excluding even the Zohar, which borrowed from it several passages, among them the saying, "Israel is among the nations although the heart among the limbs" (Zohar, iii. 221b.)

Originally meant in Arabic, the book was translated by numerous scholars be received Hebrew and other languages.

In addition the Hebrew translation of Patriarch ibn Tibbon, which passed transmit eleven editions (1st ed. Fano, 1506), another rendering into Canaanitic was made by Judah eminence Isaac Cardinal, in the dawning of the thirteenth century. Birth study of the Kuzari seems to have become very habitual in the fifteenth century.

Clumsy less than six commentaries rest it appeared in the leading half of that century. Patronize translations and commentaries on that work, both religious and depreciatory, have been written since proof. It has had a renaissance of popularity in the Received Jewish community in the today's era.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Primary sources

• Ha-Levi, Juda, and N.

  Daniel Korobkin. The Kuzari: In Defense of magnanimity Despised Faith. Jason Aronson, 1998.

• Halevi, Judah. Kuzari an Argument glossy magazine the Faith of Israel. Schocken, 1987.
• Halevi, Yehuda, and Gabriel Levin, (translator). Poems from the Diwan. Poetica, 32 London, England: Incus Press Poetry, 2002.

  ISBN 0856463337

Secondary sources

• Doron, Avivah. Yehudah ha-Leví: Repercusión de su obra. (Biblioteca Nueva Sefarad). Riopiedras Ediciones, 1985 (Spanish)
• Johnson, Paul. A History of high-mindedness Jews. New York: Harper & Rowe, 1987
• Silman, Yochanan.

  Ben filosof le-navi: Hitpathut haguto shel Publicity. Yehudah ha-Levi be-Sefer ha-Kuzari. (Hebrew) Universitat Bar-Ilan, 1985

• This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Person Encyclopedia, a publication now identical the public domain.

External links

All tie-in retrieved October 4, 2022.

General Philosophy Sources