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THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Arabic Literature of the Jews

by M. Peritz, Breslau, 1882; the whole edwith French translation, by M. Bloch, Paris, 1888). Lastly, he used Arabic for numerous responsa and the autographs of a few of these arc fortunately still in existence (Margoliouth, "Responsa of Maimonides in the Original Arabic," in "Jew. Quart. Rev." xi. 553; Simonsen, "Arabic Responsa," ib. xii. 134-137; "Hebr. Bibl." xix. His son Abraham, though not inheriting his 113). father's genius, possessed much Talmudic learning, and endeavored to supplement the latter's writings by a work wherein religious observance was discussed in a semi-philosophical manner (" Kitab alKifayah"). In a correspondence with David b. Hisdai of Bagdad ("Maase Nissim," edited by B.

54

lation,

Sabbath before Purim, and a legendary paraphrase

ited,

Besides of Abot, v. 9 (nrQK> "W, Leghorn, 1846). the last-named, the whole of the Pirke Abot (3311 nmy, ed. Joseph Shabbethai Farhi, Leghorn, 1849) lias in many prayer-books its Arabic version side by



Goldberg, Paris, 1867), he defends the theories of his There also exists a collection of Arabic responsa by him under the title " Megillat Setarim " (MS. Monteflore [Halberstam] p. 56). Among the fragments brought from the Genizah in Egypt, there are a host of smaller Arabic essays and letters on matters of Halakah. Ritual commentaries in Arabic are attached to many prayer-books now in use in Asiatic and African communities. Samuel b. Jam' wrote on the slaughter of animals ("Karmel," iii. 215; Geiger's " Jiid. Zeit." 1862). A volume on the laws to be observed by women was published by father.

,

Jacob

Ankawa

(Algiers, 1855),

who

translated the

"Sefer Dat Yehudit " (published Leghorn, 1827) from Spanish into Arabic. The employment of Arabic for li7. Liturgy turgical purposes commenced with the translation of such portions of the Bible as held a place in public worship. It has been stated above that Saadia supplemented his prayer-book with an Arabic text containing ritual regulations a practise imitated in the Yemen prayer-books, the oldest of which date from the fifteenth century (" Hcbr. Bibl." xxi. 54; "Cat. Berlin," i. 69, 117-130; W. H. Greenburg, "The

—

Haggadah According

Yemen, " London, Hebrew was adhered to, Arabic began to encroach upon the piyyutim in the sixteenth century, and was subsequently very largely employed. Some of these piyyutim enjoy great popularity, as, for example, the Habdalah "Song of Elijah" (Hirschfeld, "Journal Royal Asi1896).

Although

to the Rite of

in the prayer itself

atic Society," 1891, pp. 293-310), the tale of Hannah (idem, " Jewish-Arabic Liturgies," in "Jew. Quart. Rev." vi. 119-135, vii. 418-427), other "kinot," the Arabic verThe prayer-books printed sion of Bar Yohai, etc. for use in Oriental and African communities have

Ritual.

many

Arabic piyyutim appended; and a survey of this neglected field of Jewish literature would well reward the labor bestowed on it, because it offers interesting linguistic problems besides. special feature of these prayer-books is the (vulgar) Arabic version of the Aramaic Targums of some portions of the Pentateuch, such as the blessing of Jacob, the Song of Moses, and the Decalogue also prominent Haftarot, as that of the last day of Passover and the Ninth Day of Ab finally, of the Five

A





(idem, "Arab. Chrestom." pp. 1-6). Favorite subjects for translation are Ibn Gabirol's" Azharot," Judah ha-Levi's famous piyyut, -pD3 <D (Alexandria, 1879), for the Scrolls,

and the Megillat Antiochus

with the original. The Passover Haggadah has often been edited with Arabic translation and comKaraite prayer-books show similar feamentaries. tures. Arabic directions are already to be found in side

Fadhil's (Isaiah Cohen b. Uzziyahu) "Siddur" (see above, par. 2), not to speak of later compilations. Isaac b. Solomon gave an Arabic version of "Ten Articles of Creed" (mp" JUS, Eupatoria, 1840). 1

8.

Philosophy and Theology



The employ-

of Arabic for philosophical discussion grew out of conditions that differed from those which Jews affected most of the preceding branches. would probably never have written on philosophy, had they not been impelled to do so by the Arabs, whose works formed their sole sources of

ment

information on this subject. These latter provided them with a terminology, for which the Hebrew

language offered no facilities and their influence is so apparent that the Hebrew translations from Arabic, as well as works written originally in Hebrew, bear a thoroughly Arabic stamp. All Jewish philosophical works that were epoch-making are written in Arabic, and most of them are evidently meant for

Arab readers also. Although not exactly the oldest philosophical author, Saadia was the first to form his ideas on Jewish theology into a system. He was therefore the father His method is that of the of Jewish philosophy. philosophers known as Motathan Saadia was Abu Ya'akub Ishak b. Sulaiman (Isaac Israeli the elder, died about 950), physician to Abu Muhammed 'Ubaid Allah al-Mahdi in Kairwan. He was Develop- the author of a " Book of Definitions " probably the oldest of its kind ment of Jewish preserved in a Hebrew version only Thought, (ed. H. Hirschfeld, pp. 233, 234; Steinschneider, "Festschrift," pp. 131-141). The first period also includes Bahya b. Josef b. Pakodah (lived in Spain 1040), the author of " Duties of the Heart " and " Reflections of the Soul. " His contemporary, Solomon b. Gabirol, was the first to introduce Neoplatonic ideas into Jewish philosophy. His Arabic works are "The Source of Life," "Improvement of Morals," and the ethical treatise " Choice of Pearls " (Munk, " Melanges de Philosophic Juive et Arabe," Paris, 1859). Judah ha-Levi (1140) treats Jewish theology from quite a different point of view. In his famous " Kitab Alkhazari (ed. H. Hirschfeld, with the revised Hebrew version, Leipsic, 1887) he discards the method of the Kaltai as well as Aristotelianism in general, and takes his stand on tradition. He also vigorously attacks the doctrines of the Karaites. Joseph b. class of zilites.

Mohammedan Somewhat

earlier

—

Zaddik of Cordova (died

1149), in his

"Microcosm,"

discussed ideas fostered by Ibn Gabirol. Abraham ibn Daud (died 1180) paved the way toward absolute Aristotelianism in his "Emunah Ramah."

Jewish philosophy reached its apogee in Moses Maimonides. Maimun (the father) himself was the author of the " Letter of Consolation " (ed. L. M.