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Intellectual and Spiritual Trends in Medieval Jewish Culture

Explore the dynamic interplay of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic influences in medieval Jewish culture, from prominent figures like Moses Maimonides to the challenges and opportunities faced by Jews across different regions. Delve into the intellectual discourse, linguistic developments, and mystical traditions that shaped the medieval Jewish world. Witness the impact of pivotal historical events such as expulsions, migrations, and the emergence of new centers of Jewish life.

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Intellectual and Spiritual Trends in Medieval Jewish Culture

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  1. History 282 Medieval Intellectual & Spiritual Trends

  2. Two Worlds • Babylonian via North Africa to Spain • Palestinian via Italy to Central Europe and later to the East • Overlap

  3. Jewish & Outside Cultures • Islamic world • High cultural level in the cities • Elements of openness under the impact of philosophy • Language is shared; cultural competition • Moses ibn Ezra in southern Spain (d. 1138?)

  4. Jewish & Outside Cultures (2) • Christian world • General level is lower until 12th/13th century • Culture is clerical • Language is Latin

  5. Jews and the Outside • Both opportunity and challenge • Translation • Role as intermediary

  6. Islamic world • Polemic against Christianity and Islam force Jews towards “rationalism” • Access to Arabic translations of Greek philosophical classics • Saadia 882–942: • First autonomous system since Philo • Sefer Emunot ve-Deot (Beliefs & Opinions) • Both reason and faith are in text • Commandments: intellectual and authoritarian

  7. Grammar and Language • Importance of grammar • Menahem ibn Saruk • Dunash ibn Labrat • Jewish poetry • Piyut and secular (Samuel ibn Naghrela) • Moses ibn Ezra (theoretical treatis) • Judah ha-Levi (1086–1145) • Makama (Judah al-Harizi) (1165-1234)

  8. The Mirror • Into my eyes he lovingly looked, My arms about his neck were twined, And in the mirror of my eyes, What but his image did he find? • Upon my dark-hued eyes he pressed His lips with breath of passion rare. The rogue! 'Twas not my eyes he kissed; He kissed his picture mirrored there. • Judah ha-levi

  9. My Heart is in the East • My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west. How can I find savor in food? How shall it be sweet to me? How shall I render my vows and my bonds, while yet Zion lieth beneath the fetter of Edom, and I in Arab chains? • A light thing would it seem to me to leave all the good things of Spain - Seeing how precious in mine eyes to behold the dust of the desolate sanctuary.

  10. Al-Harizi • Maqama • Competition with Al-Hariri (Mahbarot Iti’el) leads to independent production (Takhkemoni)

  11. Moses Maimonides • 1135-1204 • Cordoba, Spain to Fostat, Egypt • Systematization of Halakha • Mishneh Torah (significance of the title) • Systematization of halakha • Integration of intellectualist elements • Moreh Nevukhim (Guide to the Perplexed) • Audience • Challenge to Isolationist Thinking • Parable of the Palace

  12. Ashkenazi Europe • Definition • Transfer of culture via Italy • Kalonymids • Development of Learning • RaSHI (Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac) 1040-1105 • Parshandata; cumulative • Teacher in a book

  13. Tosafists • Jacob b. Meir (Rabenu Tam) c. 1100-1171 • System of jurisprudence

  14. Hasidut Ashkenaz • Mystical traditions • Small number of families (elitist) • Emphasis on morality

  15. Exegesis • Drash vs Pshat blurred • Literary approach • Rationalist vs non-Rationalist is a question of aims

  16. Abraham Ibn Ezra • I. Truth is the center; commentary is the circumference • II. Truth is the center and they imagine they’re there (Karaites) • III. Path of darkness (mystical; non-rational) • IV. Near the Center; Midrash taken literally • V. grammar-based; rational; traditional

  17. Nahmanides • Polemic relation with Rashi and Ibn Ezra • Adds kabbala

  18. Isaac Abravanel • Intellectual investigation is serious business; dangerous • Aristotelian justification for messianic speculation

  19. Zohar • Moses de Leon • Rejects the literal

  20. Collapse of the Medieval • Challenges from the outside • World created by invasions and rigidly split by religious affiliation will be disrupted by invasion (Berbers into Spain 11th & 12th cen.; Christian crusaders from late 11th cent. In Spain and the East) [as well as Mongols; Turks; etc.] • Demographic pressures; migrations; as well as natural growth; Black Death

  21. Collapse of the Medieval • Challenges from Within • Urban growth challenges Jews’ place • Shift to moneylending • Religious Reform -- institutional and doctrinal

  22. Expulsions • Migration patterns to the north and east • Accelerated by expulsions; England 1290; France 1304+; Spain 1492 • Forced conversions -- S. Italy, Aragon, Castille, Portugal • Social-economic and religious factors; greater emphasis on homogeneity

  23. Invention of New Centers • Poland • Ottoman Turkey (fall of Istanbul 1453; Salonika 1478) • Opens the way to Land of Israel • Safed • New larger, multi-ethnic communities; new forms of organization

  24. Conversos • Mass conversions in Spain from 1391 • Purity of blood 1455 Toledo • Inquisition 1478 • State, not Papal • Portuguese 1536 • Irrelevant to Jews • Problem for Spain

  25. Returning Jews • Are they Jewish? • Requirement ot convert • Bring new ideas and relativist approach • Amsterdam: Orobio di Castro, Uriel d’Acosta, Benedict Spinoza, • Venice: Samuel Aboab • Boundaries are tenuous; concepts are mixed (e.g. circumcision and baptism)

  26. Messianic Reaction • Ottoman success seems to point to messianic era • Religious excitement in Safed (Smicha) • New forms of Kabbalistic thought • Isaac Luria (ARI)

  27. Sabbetai Zevi • Greatest messianic movement in Jewish history • Informed by kabbalistic ideology; redemption through sin (Scholem) • Zevi’s conversion 1666 & its aftermath • Survival groups • Question kehila authority? • Did this lead to modernity? Tune in…

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