Early English Jewish literature
Encyclopedia
English Jewish Literature:
(This page is part of the History of the Jews in England
)
, Judah Sir Leon of Paris, Yom Tov of Joigny
, and Jacob of Orleans
. A whole school of grammarians appears to have existed among them, including Moses ben Yom-ob, Moses ben Isaac
, and Samuel ha-Nadan of Bristol. Berechiah ha-Nakdan
produced in England his Fox Fables, one of the most remarkable literary productions of the Middle Ages.
, Berechiah de Nicole
, Aaron of Canterbury
, and Elias of London
, are known, together with Jacob ben Judah of London
, author of a work on the ritual, Etz Chaim, and Meïr of Norwich, a liturgical poet. Throughout they were a branch of the French Jewry, speaking French and writing French glosses, and almost up to the eve of the expulsion they wrote French in ordinary correspondence.
(This page is part of the History of the Jews in England
History of the Jews in England
The history of the Jews in England goes back to the reign of William I. The first written record of Jewish settlement in England dates from 1070, although Jews may have lived there since Roman times...
)
Effects of restrictions
The increasing degradation of the political status of the Jews in the thirteenth century is paralleled by the scantiness of their literary output as compared with that of the twelfth. In the earlier century they were visited by such eminent authorities as Abraham ibn EzraAbraham ibn Ezra
Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra was born at Tudela, Navarre in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra....
, Judah Sir Leon of Paris, Yom Tov of Joigny
Yom Tov of Joigny
Yom Tov of Joigny, also denoted of York was a French-born rabbi and liturgical poet of the medieval era who lived in York, and died in the massacre of the Jews of York in 1190...
, and Jacob of Orleans
Jacob of Orléans
Jacob of Orléans was a noted Jewish scholar, considered by many to be one of the most learned men of his age. Jacob was a tosafist in Orléans, France, who studied under Rabbenu Tam. He remained in Orléans until at least 1171, leaving at a later date to go to London, most likely to become a teacher...
. A whole school of grammarians appears to have existed among them, including Moses ben Yom-ob, Moses ben Isaac
Moses ben Issac ha-Nessiah
Moses ben Isaac ha-Nessiah of London was an English grammarian and lexicographer of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. His mother probably was a Jewess named Comitissa of Cambridge....
, and Samuel ha-Nadan of Bristol. Berechiah ha-Nakdan
Berechiah ha-Nakdan
Berechiah ben Natronai ha-Nakdan, , commonly known as Berachya, was a Jewish exegete, ethical writer, grammarian, translator, poet, and philosopher...
produced in England his Fox Fables, one of the most remarkable literary productions of the Middle Ages.
Some early works of the 13th century
In the thirteenth century, however, only a few authorities, like Moses of LondonMoses of London
Moses of London, , was a thirteenth century English grammarian, halakhist and Jewish scholar in London. His Darkhe ha-Nikkud veha-Neginah is a treatise on Hebrew punctuation and accentuation....
, Berechiah de Nicole
Berechiah de Nicole
Berechiah de Nicole also known as Benedict fil Mosse, , was a thirteenth century English Tosafist who lived at Lincoln. He was of the well-known Hagin family, and son of Rabbi Moses ben Yom-Tov of London...
, Aaron of Canterbury
Aaron of Canterbury
Aaron of Canterbury was an English rabbi and halakhic exegete, mentioned in Minhat Yehudah by Judah ben Eliezer on Deuteronomy xxvi.2, in association with Rashi and Rabbi Jacob of Orleans, and thus, seemingly, of the twelfth century...
, and Elias of London
Elias of London
Elias of London also known as Elijah ben Moses or Elias le Evesque, was Presbyter Judaeorum in thirteenth-century England. He succeeded Aaron of York, represented London at the so-called "Jewish Parliament" at Worcester in 1240, and in 1249 was allowed to have Abraham fil Aaron as his assistant...
, are known, together with Jacob ben Judah of London
Jacob ben Judah of London
Jacob ben Judah Hazzan was a thirteenth century Jewish legal codifier based in London, England. His grandfather was one Jacob he-Aruk...
, author of a work on the ritual, Etz Chaim, and Meïr of Norwich, a liturgical poet. Throughout they were a branch of the French Jewry, speaking French and writing French glosses, and almost up to the eve of the expulsion they wrote French in ordinary correspondence.
See also
- History of the Jews in EnglandHistory of the Jews in EnglandThe history of the Jews in England goes back to the reign of William I. The first written record of Jewish settlement in England dates from 1070, although Jews may have lived there since Roman times...
- History of the Jews in England--Jews came to England with the Normans
- History of the Jews in England--The Expulsion
- History of the Jews in England--Maranos in England
- History of the Jews in England--Menasseh Ben Israel's Mission
- History of the Jews in England--The Jew Bill of 1753
- History of the Jews in England--Other Influences on the Jewish Standing in the Community
- History of the Jews in England--The Struggle for Emancipation
- History of the Jews in ScotlandHistory of the Jews in ScotlandThe earliest date at which Jews arrived in Scotland is not known. It is possible that some arrived, or at least visited, as a result of the Roman Empire's conquest of southern Great Britain, but there is no direct evidence for this...