His chief claim to fame, however, was for his commentary on the bible. This paper studies gersonides use of the astrology prevalent in his day, namely, horoscopic astrology. Abraham ibn ezra stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Abraham ibn ezra was born in toledo, spain in 1089. The beginning of wisdom is a one of the most important of the basic medieval texts of astrology.
He was one of the most distinguished jewish biblical commentators and philosophers of the middle ages. It is taken to mean the book of the upright and is the title of a work that is cited in the bible. Ibn ezra excelled in philosophy, astronomyastrology, mathematics, poetry, linguistics, and exegesis. He was one of the most distinguished jewish biblical commentators and. The commentary of abraham ibn ezra on the pentateuch. Advocates of this interpretation note that the substance of leviticus 17. Dealing with arabic, castilian, and jewish poetry, the work is an important spanish literary history.
A translation of abraham ibn ezra s sefer yesod mora vesod hatorah abraham ibn ezra, h. He wrote in hebrew on a variety of subjects and is perhaps. Abraham ben meir ibn ezra was considered a distinguished writer of the middle ages, examining poetry, linguistics, philosophy, and hebrew scripture. According to the most recent scholarship, he was born in either 1091 or 1092.
You can also read more about the friends of the sep society. Media in category abraham ibn ezra the following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. The anglican version of the book of the prophet isaiah amended according to the commentary of ibn ezra. What sense does it make, then, to claim that the torah is allowing a concession to satyrworship on the. Tradition maintains that ibn ezra married judah halevis daughter after three of his children died and one son converted to islam, ibn ezra became a. Abu iaq avraham ben meir ibn ezra 10891164, known simply as ibn ezra, was born in tudela, spain. He lived in the muslim portion of spain, and received a traditional spanish jewish education, studying torah as well as philosophy. Abraham ben meir ibn ezra, was born in tudela, spain c. There he passed the first five decades of his life, apparently eking out his living as a poet. Rabbi abraham ben meir ibn ezra usually called simply ibn ezra, a true giant of the spirit, was perhaps not such a great poet as rabbi judah halevi, but as a man of torah scholarship, art and secular knowledge, he surpassed all his contemporaries, and his influence upon learning and writing in italy, southern france and england was greater than that of any other jewish figure. Abraham ben meir ibn ezra, poet, grammarian, traveller, neoplatonic philosopher, and astronomer, best known as a biblical exegete whose commentaries. Ibn ezra was educated in the spanish approach, the guiding principle of which was that in order to reach the ultimate truth, it is incumbent upon a person to be familiar with and understand all areas of human knowledge. Translations all of these books also contain commentary and biography carmi, t.
Ibn ezra excelled in philosophy, astronomyastrology, mathematics. Ibn ezra was born in tudela, spain, but spent most of his life wandering from one country to another, always restless, always seeking knowledge, writing his books, teaching students, and always in great poverty, depending on peoples patronage. Rabbi abraham ben meir ibn ezra was born in tudela, navarre in 1089, and died c. Publication date 1877 topics ibn ezra, abraham ben meir, 10921167, bible. In his youth, he studied all the branches of knowledge that arabic and jewish gifted and well to do youngsters could master, and was mainly known as a poet. He has played an important role in the fields of biblical exegesis, poetry, grammar, astronomy, astrology, mathematics, and natural sciences. At the time, the town was under the muslim rule of the emirs of zaragoza. He argues that the word le hattot always means to pervert, and thus. However, abraham ibn ezra notes in his commentary on the song of songs that some say this stone is the color of the sky bloch 123 a coincidence that suggests, but cannot confirm, that the compilers of the general estoria relied at least in part on jewish sources in carrying the vulgate text of the song of songs over into castilian. Title this original title for ibn ezra s commentary on the torah is rarely used. The two commentaries of abraham ibn ezra on the book of. Abraham and astrology abrahams writings on astrology comprise about a dozen short books, covering natal, electional, horary, medical, and mundane astrology. Quotes tagged as abrahamibnezra showing 11 of 1 one notorious apikoros named hiwa albalkhi, writing in ninthcentury persia, offered two hundred awkward questions to the faithful.
However, when he later moved to cordoba, he claimed it to be his place of birth. The two commentaries of abraham ibn ezra on the book of esther. Rabbi abraham ben meir ibn ezra 10891164, from tudela, spain, was one of the alltime greatest in the following categories of intellectual. Tradition maintains that ibn ezra married judah halevis daughter after three of his children died and one son converted to islam, ibn ezra became a wanderer. Perhaps with the availability of his books in pdf form, free on the internet, more people will begin to reexamine his contribution to our jewish heritage and grow in their knowledge and respect of this great sage.
Astronomy and astrology in the works of abraham ibn ezra. A translation of abraham ibn ezras sefer yesod mora vesod hatorah. Rabbi abraham ben meir ibn ezra also known as ibn ezra, or abenezra 1092 or 10931167, was one of the most distinguished jewish men of letters and writers of the middle ages he was born at toledo, left his native land of spain before 1140 and led until his death a life of restless wandering, which took him to north africa, egypt, italy rome, lucca, mantua,verona, southern france. A second approach to solving the ibn ezra code draws a diametrically opposite conclusion.
The golden age of spain produced some magnificent jewish scholars. Rabbi abraham ben meir ibn ezra was born and educated in the golden age of muslim. Abraham ben meir ibn ezra, born 109293, tudela, emirate of saragossadied 1167, calahorra, spain, poet, grammarian, traveller, neoplatonic philosopher, and astronomer, best known as a biblical exegete whose commentaries contributed to the golden age of spanish judaism as a young man, he lived in muslim spain. His wide travels and extensive studies afforded him a unique intellectual perspective, and his commentaries remain wellrespected. It is an etrog of course but when did it become that, and where do etrogim come from. Abraham ibn ezras introductions to astrology a parallel. Rabbi abraham ibn ezra, poet, philosopher, and mathematician, was one of the outstanding personalities produced by medieval jewry. Essays on the writings of abraham ibn ezra by friedlander, m. Ibn ezras philosophical legacy consists in the main of the following, rather. Abraham ibn ezra was always a commentary studied by the learned scholars and because of that reason his greatness is not apparent to us. He was one of the most distinguished jewish men of letters and writers of the middle ages. In sum, it appears that ibn ezra, much like saadiahthe jewish thinker. Hebrew text, edited according to manuscripts, and a glossary.
Deuteronomy volume 5 of the commentary of abraham ibn ezra on the pentateuch, jay f. Ultimately, most scholars agree that his place of birth was tudela. Abraham ibn ezra, the peripatetic spanishjewish scholar and poet, produced two commentaries to several biblical books, among them the book of esther. Pdf gersonides astrology and abraham ibn ezra shlomo. The six essays in this book explore ibn ezras multifaceted work and intellectual legacy.
It served as the backbone to an extensive and quite complete textbook of astrology by ibn ezra which. Essays on the writings of abraham ibn ezra internet archive. From the hebrew text found in yalkut avraham ibn ezra the ibn ezra reader, with commentary by israel levin. He was born in granada about 1055 1060, and died after 18. His explanations of scripture have been printed in all major editions of the hebrew bible, and influenced other luminaries, such as maimonides, rabbi david kimchi, nahmanides, ralbag, abrarvanel. Title this original title for ibn ezras commentary on the torah is rarely used. Abraham ibn ezrapoet, philosopher, grammarian, and biblical exeget 10891164 was born in tudela, spain, where he lived until he left in 1140 to wander to other lands. He drew upon himself the usual thunderous cursesmay his name be forgotten, may his bones be worn to nothingalong with detailed refutations and. Religion and science in abraham ibn ezras sefer haolam. He lived in the muslim portion of spain, and received a traditional spanish jewish education, studying torah as well as.
This pdf version matches the latest version of this entry. Ibn ezras commentary on the pentateuch by abraham meir. Abraham ben meir ibn ezra spanishjewish scholar britannica. Ibn ezra was likely born in or around 1093 in tudela, at that time within the northern reaches of muslim spain. Abraham ibn ezra was born in tudela, one of the oldest and most important jewish communities in the presentday spanish province of navarre.
Offering translation and exposition on ibn ezras work, theologian and jewish historian m. He fled from spain in 1140 b ecause of the almohad religious persecutions and travel ed to. Ibn ezra himself oncein an acrosticnames toledo as his native place monatsschrift, xlii. The first, the summa and by far the longest of his astrological works, the target of the most crossreferences from the rest of that. A translation of abraham ibn ezra s sefer yesod mora vesod hatorah. In one of his personal poems he ironically says that at his nativity the stars changes their natural. The present volume offers a critical edition of the hebrew texts, accompanied by english translation and commentary of reshit. A translation of abraham ibn ezras sefer yesod mora vesod hatorah abraham ibn ezra, h. Translated approximately 1984 by philip culbertson, under the guidance of rabbi. In his youth, he studied all the branches of knowledge that arabic and jewish gifted and well to do youngsters could master, and. The main purpose of the present paper is to show that for gersonides, abraham ibn ezra s astrology was a central source and point of reference on. Abraham ibn ezras commentary on the first book of psalms.