Isaac Abravanel

ꕤ Isaac Ben Judah Abravanel { Hebrew:  Yishaq Abrabanel } 1437 - 1508 Obelisk honouring Isaac Abravanel Jewish Cemetery Padua, Italy - source: sephardim Minister of Finance of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. Skilled in finance, philosopher, writer of critical explanation or analysis of religious texts (ie exegete (fm exegesis)  {fm Gk 'to interpret'}),[data.bnf.fr]. Don Isaac Abravanel scholar, Bible commentator & philosopher Spanish Golden Age {father was treasurer of Portugal} used influence - to help others Isaac Abravanel succeeded father in services of king Portugal / king succeeded by Don Joao II, starts lopping heads >fled to Toledo Spain Isaac Abravanel = wrote his commentaries on Joshua, Judges & Samuel. = Summoned by King Spain to take over state treasury. Torquemada = head of Inquisition in Spain Abarvanel = treasurer to king & queen (2 yrs  before  expulsion of  Jews from Spain) Spain = decree of expulsion of all Jews from Spain,    except those who would give up their religion.    Isaac Abravanel appeals decree. Spain 9th of Av, 5252 {= July 30, 1492 } Isaac Abravanel & co-religionists exiled from Spain, settling:  in Naples. Looks like the Christian calendar is 3,760 years out of whack. Naples later captured by King Charles of France King Alfonso II later flees to Sicily. Abravanel accompanies him. On death of exiled King Alfonso II (Naples), Abravanel  goes to island of Corfu. Wealth lost to French conquerors. Poverty. Isaac Abravanel moved back to Naples & later to Venice. = statesman for Venetian Republic. = died 5269 (1509). Isaac Abravanel source:   http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/111855/jewish/Don-Isaac-Abravanel-The-Abarbanel.htm Abravanel wrote  re: *exegesis (critical explanation religious text) *philosophy *apologetics (defending position, religious) Abravanel philosophy re sciences & relation  to Jewish religion & traditions defended Jewish idea of the coming of the Messiah Isaac Abravanel made works accessible to all /not just writing for scholars of time believed Torah =  hidden meaning Preceding Jewish philosophers --> denounced by Abravanel as infidels re liberal standpoint in religio-philosophical questions. Jewish philosophers:  eg -  Albalag, Palquera, Gersonides, Narboni & others. Isaac Abravanel = opponent of philosophy =  understanding of religion "based on God’s revelation in Jewish history". Isaac Abravanel misconception that Abravanel agreed with Maimonidean views / mostly not. Isaac Abravanel "Rosh Amanah" =  Judaism  nothing in common w/  human science =  teachings of Torah are revelations from God Isaac Abravanel "Rosh Amanah"(The Pinnacle of Faith) = as teachings of Torah revelations from God = all of equal value Isaac Abravanel sympathy for expelled Spanish Jews = champion &  strengthen their Messianic belief Isaac Abravanel = in opposition to & ALL later rabbinical tradition,  counts Daniel among prophets (like Christians do). Isaac Abravanel remainder of (counting Daniel as prophet) work =  exhaustive & caustic criticism of the Christian exposition source 2 - Isaac Abravanel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Abravanel Further reading: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/631-abravanel-abarbanel http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/1492-jews-spain1.asp data.bnf.fr COMMENT Encountered this guy today.  What an interesting and productive life he's lived. Philosophy is beyond me and religion's not my thing, so I don't think I'll read any of his works.  But he's interesting per se and interesting because of the influence he has had on the thinking of others. Got onto some site that was supposed to be Rabbi Kahane's - or so it appears - but I discovered he's been deceased for years.  Kahane's interesting in his own way - very unusual character and founder of the Jewish Defence League (I think it was). The right wing religious mindset and rationale is intriguing. Learnt that men (or maybe just rabbis?) are not to hear women sing - that's the law.  And the religious law is everything. WORKS OF ISAAC ABRAVANEL (01) "'Aṭeret Zeḳenim" (Crown of the Ancients), Sabbionetta, 1557 (02) "Yeshu'ot Meshiḥo" (The Salvation of His Anointed), Karlsruhe, 1828 (03) "Maamar Kaẓer" (Short Treatise), Venice, 1574 (04) "Ma'yene ha-Yeshu'ah" (Sources of Salvation), Ferrara, 1551         also at Naples, no date, possibly ed. princeps (05) "Mashmi'a Yeshu'ah" (Proclaiming Salvation), Salonica, 1526 (06) "Mif'alot Elohim" (Works of God), Venice, 1592 (07) "Mirkebet ha-Mishneh" (Second Chariot), Sabbionetta, 1551 (08) "Naḥlat Abot" (The Paternal Inheritance), Constantinople, 1505 (09) "Perush" (Commentary) on the Pentateuch, Venice, 1579 (10) "Perush" on the Earlier Prophets, Pesaro, 1511 (doubtful) (11) "Perush" on the Later Prophets, Pesaro, 1520 (?) (12) "Perush" on Maimonides' "Moreh Nebukim," Karlsruhe, 1831 (13) "Rosh Amanah" (The Pinnacle of Faith), Amsterdam, 1505 (14) "Shamayim Ḥadoshim" (The New Heavens), Rödelheim, 1828 (15) "Ẓurot ha-Yesodot" (Forms of the Elements), Sabbionetta, 1557 (16) "Teshubot" (Responsa),addressed to Saul ha-Kohen of Candia, Venice, 1574. Source - Jewish Encyclopedia -------------------- Searched for 'Naḥlat Abot' Got onto data.bnf.fr hoping to find a translation of one of Abravanel's books. Looks like this is just a catalogue of what is available at a given institution. It was still exciting to scroll down a list of works and letters originally / first produced over 500 years ago.