Chapter 1

essays. Graetz is cited in the English translation published by the Jewish Publication Society of America. The figures in brackets refer to the edition published in London. The American and the English editions of S. Schechter's "Studies in Judaism" are similarly referred to.

Of one thing I am confident. No presentation of the facts, however bald and inadequate it be, can obscure the truth that this little book deals with a great and an inspiring literature. It is possible to question whether the books of great Jews always belonged to the great books of the world. There may have been, and there were, greater legalists than Rashi, greater poets than Jehuda Halevi, greater philosophers than Maimonides, greater moralists than Bachya. But there has been no greater literature than that which these and numerous other Jews represent.

Rabbinism was a sequel to the Bible, and if like all sequels it was unequal to its original, it nevertheless shared its greatness. The works of all Jews up to the modern period were the sequel to this sequel. Through them all may be detected the unifying principle that literature in its truest sense includes life itself; that intellect is the handmaid to conscience; and that the best books are those which best teach men how to live. This underlying unity gave more harmony to Jewish literature than is possessed by many literatures more distinctively national. The maxim, "Righteousness delivers from death," applies to books as well as to men. A literature whose consistent theme is Righteousness is immortal. On the very day on which Jerusalem fell, this theory of the interconnection between literature and life became the fixed principle of Jewish thought, and it ceased to hold undisputed sway only in the age of Mendelssohn. It was in the "Vineyard" of Jamnia that the theory received its firm foundation. A starting-point for this volume will therefore be sought in the meeting-place in which the Rabbis, exiled from the Holy City, found a new fatherland in the Book of books.

CONTENTS

PAGE PREFACE 5

CHAPTER

I THE "VINEYARD" AT JAMNIA 19

Schools at Jamnia, Lydda, Usha, and Sepphoris.--The Tannaim compile the Mishnah.--Jochanan, Akiba, Meir, Judah.--Aquila.

II FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS AND THE JEWISH SIBYL 33

III THE TALMUD 43

The Amoraim compile the Palestinian Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud.--Representative Amoraim:

I (220-280) Palestine--Jochanan, Simon, Joshua, Simlai; Babylonia--Rab and Samuel. II (280-320) Palestine--Ami, Assi, Abbahu, Chiya; Babylonia--Huna and Zeira. III (320-380) Babylonia--Rabba, Abayi, Rava. IV (380-430) Babylonia--Ashi (first compilation of the Babylonian Talmud). V and VI (430-500) Babylonia--Rabina (completion of the Babylonian Talmud).

IV THE MIDRASH AND ITS POETRY 55

Mechilta, Sifra, Sifre, Pesikta, Tanchuma, Midrash Rabbah, Yalkut.--Proverbs.--Parables.--Fables.

V THE LETTERS OF THE GAONIM 68

Representative Gaonim: Achai, Amram, Zemach, Saadiah, Sherira, Samuel, Hai.

VI THE KARAITIC LITERATURE 75

Anan, Nahavendi, Abul-Faraj, Salman, Sahal, al-Bazir, Hassan, Japhet, Kirkisani, Judah Hadassi, Isaac Troki.

VII THE NEW-HEBREW PIYUT 83

Kalirian and Spanish Piyutim (Poems).--Jannai.--Kalir.

VIII SAADIAH OF FAYUM 91

Translation of the Bible into Arabic.--Foundation of a Jewish Philosophy of Religion.

IX DAWN OF THE SPANISH ERA 99

Chasdai Ibn Shaprut.--Menachem and Dunash, Chayuj and Janach.--Samuel the Nagid.

X THE SPANISH-JEWISH POETS (I) 107

Solomon Ibn Gebirol.--"The Royal Crown."--Moses Ibn Ezra.--Abraham Ibn Ezra.--The Biblical Commentaries of Ibn Ezra and the Kimchis.

XI RASHI AND ALFASSI 119

Nathan of Rome.--Alfassi.--Rashi.--Rashbam.

XII THE SPANISH-JEWISH POETS (II) 126

Jehuda Halevi.--Charizi.

XIII MOSES MAIMONIDES 134

Maimon, Rambam--R. Moses, the son of Maimon, Maimonides.--His Yad Hachazaka and Moreh Nebuchim.--Gersonides.--Crescas.--Albo.

XIV THE DIFFUSION OF SCIENCE 144

Provençal Translators.--The Ibn Tibbons.--Italian Translators.--Jacob Anatoli.--Kalonymos.--Scientific Literature.

XV THE DIFFUSION OF FOLK-TALES 153

Barlaam and Joshaphat.--The Fables of Bidpai.--Abraham Ibn Chisdai.--Berachya ha-Nakdan.--Joseph Zabara.

XVI MOSES NACHMANIDES 160

French and Spanish Talmudists.--The Tossafists, Asher of Speyer, Tam, Isaac of Dompaire, Baruch of Ratisbon, Perez of Corbeil.--Nachmanides' Commentary on the Pentateuch.--Public controversies between Jews and Christians.

XVII THE ZOHAR AND LATER MYSTICISM 169

Kabbala.--The Bahir.--Abulafia.--Moses of Leon.--The Zohar.--Isaac Lurya.--Isaiah Hurwitz.--Christian Kabbalists.--The Chassidim.

XVIII ITALIAN JEWISH POETRY 178

Immanuel and Dante.--The Machberoth.--Judah Romano.--Kalonymos.--The Eben Bochan.--Moses Rieti.--Messer Leon.

XIX ETHICAL LITERATURE 189

Bachya Ibn Pekuda.--Choboth ha-Lebaboth.--Sefer ha-Chassidim.--Rokeach.--Yedaiah Bedaressi's Bechinath Olam.--Isaac Aboab's Menorath ha-Maor.--Ibn Chabib's "Eye of Jacob."--Zevaoth, or Ethical Wills.--Joseph Ibn Caspi.--Solomon Alami.

XX TRAVELLERS' TALES 200

Eldad the Danite.--Benjamin of Tudela.--Petachiah of Ratisbon.--Esthori Parchi.--Abraham Farissol.--David Reubeni and Molcho.--Antonio de Montesinos and Manasseh ben Israel.--Tobiah Cohen.--Wessely.

XXI HISTORIANS AND CHRONICLERS 211

Order of the Tannaim and Amoraim.--Achimaaz.--Abraham Ibn Daud.--Josippon.--Historical Elegies, or Selichoth.--Memorial Books.--Abraham Zacuto.--Elijah Kapsali.--Usque.--Ibn Verga.--Joseph Cohen.--David Gans.--Gedaliah Ibn Yachya.--Azariah di Rossi.

XXII ISAAC ABARBANEL 225

Abarbanel's Philosophy and Biblical Commentaries.--Elias Levita.--Zeëna u-Reëna.--Moses Alshech.--The Biur.

XXIII THE SHULCHAN ARUCH 232

Asheri's Arba Turim.--Chiddushim and Teshuboth.--Solomon ben Adereth.--Meir of Rothenburg.--Sheshet and Duran.--Moses and Judah Minz.--Jacob Weil, Israel Isserlein, Maharil.--David Abi Zimra.--Joseph Karo.--Jair Bacharach.--Chacham Zevi.--Jacob Emden.--Ezekiel Landau.

XXIV AMSTERDAM IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 243

Manasseh ben Israel.--Baruch Spinoza.--The Drama in Hebrew.--Moses Zacut, Joseph Felix Penso, Moses Chayim Luzzatto.

XXV MOSES MENDELSSOHN 253

Mendelssohn's German Translation of the Bible.--Phædo.--Jerusalem.--Lessing's Nathan the Wise.

INDEX 263

CHAPTERS ON JEWISH LITERATURE