Abraham ibn Ezra: A Medieval Philosopher and Poet’s Words for Today
Lecture by Irene Lancaster
Given online by the Jewish Study Center on December 17, 2023
Abstract: Abraham ibn Ezra lived from 1089-1164. He was born in Tudela, Navarra, a tiny Spanish Muslim enclave surrounded by a Christian kingdom. He travelled widely in Spain and north Africa, and then in 1139 left for the Ashkenazi north, travelling through Italy, Provence, northern France and England, where, he was killed at age 75 in a Crusader pogrom.
He left behind a legacy of poetry, humor, original biblical scholarship in Hebrew, works on grammar, scientific oeuvres and more meditational works, all of which are imbued with his philosophy.
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His famous commentary on the Torah was written in Lucca in northern Italy, and then rewritten in Rouen in northern France. He set out a surprisingly modern approach to handling the biblical text, while criticizing many of his predecessors, including Gaonism, Karaites, Christians and midrashists.
There is a great deal of folklore about ibn Ezra, most of which is fiction. However, he did say: “I shall be no respecter of persons when I explore the Torah text, but shall thoroughly, and to the best of my ability, seek the grammatical form of every word.”
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For ibn Ezra, “grammar” was not what we mean by it today.
Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic and Hebrew scholar.
Click hereto learn more about the Jewish Study Center.
Top Image: A scene of Ibn Ezra practicing Astrology with an Arabic manuscripts being held by the men that flank him to either side. Wikimedia Commons
Abraham ibn Ezra: A Medieval Philosopher and Poet’s Words for Today
Lecture by Irene Lancaster
Given online by the Jewish Study Center on December 17, 2023
Abstract: Abraham ibn Ezra lived from 1089-1164. He was born in Tudela, Navarra, a tiny Spanish Muslim enclave surrounded by a Christian kingdom. He travelled widely in Spain and north Africa, and then in 1139 left for the Ashkenazi north, travelling through Italy, Provence, northern France and England, where, he was killed at age 75 in a Crusader pogrom.
He left behind a legacy of poetry, humor, original biblical scholarship in Hebrew, works on grammar, scientific oeuvres and more meditational works, all of which are imbued with his philosophy.
His famous commentary on the Torah was written in Lucca in northern Italy, and then rewritten in Rouen in northern France. He set out a surprisingly modern approach to handling the biblical text, while criticizing many of his predecessors, including Gaonism, Karaites, Christians and midrashists.
There is a great deal of folklore about ibn Ezra, most of which is fiction. However, he did say: “I shall be no respecter of persons when I explore the Torah text, but shall thoroughly, and to the best of my ability, seek the grammatical form of every word.”
For ibn Ezra, “grammar” was not what we mean by it today.
Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic and Hebrew scholar.
Click here to learn more about the Jewish Study Center.
Top Image: A scene of Ibn Ezra practicing Astrology with an Arabic manuscripts being held by the men that flank him to either side. Wikimedia Commons
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