Abraham ben Nathan
Encyclopedia
Abraham ben Nathan Ha-Yarhi (Hebrew: אברהם בן נתן הירחי) was a Provençal rabbi and scholar born in the second half of the twelfth century, probably at Lunel
, Languedoc
, where he also received his education. It is for this reason that he is sometimes also called "Ha-Yarḥi" ("of Lunel") since the Hebrew "yareaḥ" is the equivalent of the French "lune", or moon in English.
In Lunel, Abraham may have studied under RABaD III (Abraham ben David of Posquières), but his regular rabbinical studies, were pursued at Dampierre
, in northern France
, at the academy of R. Isaac ben Samuel
, called R. Isaac ha-Zaḳen. Abraham subsequently left his birthplace, and, after much traveling, finally settled in Toledo
in 1204, where his learning quickly gained for him the favor of the rich and learned Joseph ibn Shushan and that of his sons, Solomon and Isaac. To these patrons he dedicated his work Ha-Manhig (The Guide), or as the author called it, Manhig 'Olam, which he began in 1204 and completed some years later. In its present form the book consists of two distinct portions, the first of which comprises a collection of responsa, compiled from his numerous written and oral decisions, some of the former of which still bear the usual epistolary conclusion: "Shalom! A. B. N." (Greeting! Abraham ben Nathan). The second part contains extracts from the halakic works of Alfasi, Isaac ibn Giat, and Isaac ben Abba Mari
, a relative of Abraham's.
The Manhig did not exert any important influence on halakic literature and is only occasionally mentioned by rabbis of the Middle Ages
. However, it must be considered as of some importance in the history of Jewish literature
, for it contains numerous literal quotations from the two Talmud
s and most of the halakic and haggadic
Midrashim
, as well as from certain collections of the Haggadot which have been wholly lost; so that the Manhig contributes considerably to the textual criticism of all of those works. It gives interesting and instructive details concerning special synagogical usages, personally observed by the author in northern France
, southwestern Germany
, Burgundy, Champagne
, Provence
, England
, and Spain
, and for which there is no other source of information. Thus, he tells us that it was the custom in France for children to bring their Christian
nurses to the courtyard of the synagogue on Purim
, where their parents and relatives loaded them with gifts (p. 43a, ed. Berlin). He relates also that this custom was strongly objected to by many, because the Jewish poor were losers thereby, and Rashi
is said especially to have denounced it.
Abraham is said also to have written a work entitled Maḥaziḳ ha-Bedeḳ, upon the ritual for slaughtering animals for food, mention of which, however, is made by but one writer in 1467. Renan was mistaken in saying that this work is mentioned in Ha-Manhig (p. 1b; Renan, Les Rabbins Français, p. 747), for the words "sifri maḥaziḳ ha-bedeḳ" refer, as may be seen from page 2b, line 6, to the HaManhig, which was designed to counteract any schism in matters of ritual. Zacuto, in Yuḥasin (ed. Filipowski, p. 221), who is followed by Conforte, in his Ḳore ha-Dorot (ed. Berlin, 19b), ascribes, without giving his authority, a certain book entitled Maḥaziḳ ha-Bedeḳ to Abraham ben Nathan. But Reifmann's assertion that RABN was the author of a work entitled Bet Zebul (Habitation) is wholly unwarranted; for these two words, occurring in the introduction to Ha-Manhig (p. 1, l. 6), refer to the Ha-Manhig itself, as is evident from the passage on page 2, line 6. RABN wrote also a commentary on the tractate Kallah
, which is extant in fragmentary form only; specimens of it were given in the Hebrew weekly Ha-Maggid (1865, pp. 149, 150, 157, 158).
During his long stay in Spain, Abraham learned Arabic sufficiently to translate into Hebrew a responsum by Saadia
, which is to be found in the Ha-Manhig (ed. Berlin, p. 95). His responsa were also published in Wertheimer's Ginze Yerushalayim, 1896.
Lunel
Lunel is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. Lunel is located east of Montpellier and southwest of Nîmes .-History:The ancient Roman site of Ambrussum is located nearby. The troubadour Folquet de Lunel was from Lunel....
, Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
, where he also received his education. It is for this reason that he is sometimes also called "Ha-Yarḥi" ("of Lunel") since the Hebrew "yareaḥ" is the equivalent of the French "lune", or moon in English.
In Lunel, Abraham may have studied under RABaD III (Abraham ben David of Posquières), but his regular rabbinical studies, were pursued at Dampierre
Dampierre, Aube
Dampierre is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France.-Population:...
, in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, at the academy of R. Isaac ben Samuel
Isaac ben Samuel
Isaac ben Samuel the Elder, also known as the Ri ha-Zaken, was a French tosafist and Biblical commentator. He flourished at Ramerupt and Dampierre, France in the twelfth century.- Biography :On his father's side Isaac was a grandson of R...
, called R. Isaac ha-Zaḳen. Abraham subsequently left his birthplace, and, after much traveling, finally settled in Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
in 1204, where his learning quickly gained for him the favor of the rich and learned Joseph ibn Shushan and that of his sons, Solomon and Isaac. To these patrons he dedicated his work Ha-Manhig (The Guide), or as the author called it, Manhig 'Olam, which he began in 1204 and completed some years later. In its present form the book consists of two distinct portions, the first of which comprises a collection of responsa, compiled from his numerous written and oral decisions, some of the former of which still bear the usual epistolary conclusion: "Shalom! A. B. N." (Greeting! Abraham ben Nathan). The second part contains extracts from the halakic works of Alfasi, Isaac ibn Giat, and Isaac ben Abba Mari
Isaac ben Abba Mari
Isaac ben Abba Mari was a Provençal rabbi, son of Abba Mari, and author of Ittur Soferim.- References :*Shlomo Pereira, ....
, a relative of Abraham's.
The Manhig did not exert any important influence on halakic literature and is only occasionally mentioned by rabbis of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. However, it must be considered as of some importance in the history of Jewish literature
Jewish literature
Jewish Literature refers to works written by Jews on Jewish themes, literary works of various themes written in Jewish languages, or literary works in other languages written by Jewish writers. Ancient Jewish literature includes Biblical literature and rabbinic literature...
, for it contains numerous literal quotations from the two Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
s and most of the halakic and haggadic
Aggadah
Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...
Midrashim
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
, as well as from certain collections of the Haggadot which have been wholly lost; so that the Manhig contributes considerably to the textual criticism of all of those works. It gives interesting and instructive details concerning special synagogical usages, personally observed by the author in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, southwestern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Burgundy, Champagne
Champagne (province)
The Champagne wine region is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name...
, Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and for which there is no other source of information. Thus, he tells us that it was the custom in France for children to bring their Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
nurses to the courtyard of the synagogue on Purim
Purim
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther .Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th...
, where their parents and relatives loaded them with gifts (p. 43a, ed. Berlin). He relates also that this custom was strongly objected to by many, because the Jewish poor were losers thereby, and Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
is said especially to have denounced it.
Abraham is said also to have written a work entitled Maḥaziḳ ha-Bedeḳ, upon the ritual for slaughtering animals for food, mention of which, however, is made by but one writer in 1467. Renan was mistaken in saying that this work is mentioned in Ha-Manhig (p. 1b; Renan, Les Rabbins Français, p. 747), for the words "sifri maḥaziḳ ha-bedeḳ" refer, as may be seen from page 2b, line 6, to the HaManhig, which was designed to counteract any schism in matters of ritual. Zacuto, in Yuḥasin (ed. Filipowski, p. 221), who is followed by Conforte, in his Ḳore ha-Dorot (ed. Berlin, 19b), ascribes, without giving his authority, a certain book entitled Maḥaziḳ ha-Bedeḳ to Abraham ben Nathan. But Reifmann's assertion that RABN was the author of a work entitled Bet Zebul (Habitation) is wholly unwarranted; for these two words, occurring in the introduction to Ha-Manhig (p. 1, l. 6), refer to the Ha-Manhig itself, as is evident from the passage on page 2, line 6. RABN wrote also a commentary on the tractate Kallah
Minor tractate
The minor tractates are essays from the Tannaitic period or later dealing with topics about which no formal tractate exists in the Mishnah. They may thus be contrasted to the Tosefta, whose tractates parallel those of the Mishnah...
, which is extant in fragmentary form only; specimens of it were given in the Hebrew weekly Ha-Maggid (1865, pp. 149, 150, 157, 158).
During his long stay in Spain, Abraham learned Arabic sufficiently to translate into Hebrew a responsum by Saadia
Saadia
Saadia is a Jewish name and Arabic name. it can refer to several people:*Saadia Gaon - Ninth century rabbi, philosopher, and exegete of the Geonic period.*Saadia Afzaal - Pakistani journalist and television news anchor....
, which is to be found in the Ha-Manhig (ed. Berlin, p. 95). His responsa were also published in Wertheimer's Ginze Yerushalayim, 1896.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- David ConforteDavid ConforteDavid Conforte was a Hebrew literary historian born in Salonica, author of the literary chronicle known by the title Ḳore ha-Dorot.-Biography:...
, Ḳore ha-Dorot, pp. 19b, 20; - Ernest RenanErnest RenanErnest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
, Les Rabbins Français, pp. 521, 747; - David CasselDavid CasselDavid Cassel was a German historian and Jewish theologian.-Life:Cassel was born in Gross-Glogau, a city in Prussian Silesia with a large Jewish community. He graduated from its gymnasium....
, in the Zunz-Jubelschrift, pp. 122-137; - Henri Gross, Gallia Judaica, p. 283;
- Reifmann, in Magazin f. d. Wissensch. d. Jud. v. 60-67.