Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 19, scan section 18

of which were printed, viz. : " The Form of the Earth " (T'urath Hoaretz), "The Book of Leap-Years" (Sepher Haibur), of the third, only the latter part, treating of mathematics, optics, and astronomy was printed. Next to him is Jehudah b. Barzilar, author of the book " Hoetim" (The Times). We have reached to the three great poets, who enjoy a world-wide renown, Moses b. Ezra, Abraham b. Meir Ebn Ezra, 48 THE HISTORY OP THE TALMUD. and Jehudah Halevi, all of whom were bearers of the banner of the Talmud, and contributed to diiTusing its ideas and morals among the nation. We think it, however, superfluous to ex- patiate on them, as they are well-known to every cultured per- son, and, as many books have been written about them at dif- ferent epochs, we cannot refrain, however, from giving briefly their biographies, as far as they bear on no subject of this work. The dates of the birth and death of the first of these, Moses b. Ezra, are unknown to us : it is known only to us that he lived later than ben Gabirol. His opinions in his poems and other works vacillate. He composed ritual poems and lamenta- tions, which have a place in the prayer-books of the Spanish Jews; also the "Arugath Habossem" (Bed of Spices), on theological philosophy, and the "Sepher Hassichoth V'hazi- chronoth" (Book of Discourses and Reminiscences), about the poems of ben Gabirol and his character. The second, Abraham Ebn Ezra, was one of the most won- derful phenomena of his age. His commentaries on the Bible, his poems and ritual poems, are known to everyone; but the contemporary scholars found it impossible to know his real opinions, nor can modem scholars fathom them. The third, Jehudah Halevi, the father of poets, before whom none lived equal to him, and who knows whether after him any one like him will live. Besides inspiring with a very exalted national spirit every reader of his poems and lamentations, he powerfully defended the Talmud in his book the "Chosar," where the eloquent defender of the Talmud is represented by the disputant arguing with the King of the Chosars, and which to the present time is a shining example of compositions of this kind. (A lengthy account the reader can find in the works of Karpeles.) After them is distinguished Abraham b. David Halevi (Ebn Daud) who died as a martyr (1180). He defended the Tal- mud in his book "Emuna Rama" (Exalted Faith) and in his great work "Hakabala" (The Tradition), in which he power- fully argues against all the deniers of tradition, and shows them in the wrong; supporting his logical arguments by his- torical facts, proving the continuance of tradition from the time of Moses to that time. In his polemics against the Kara- ites, he is so irritated that he styles them "dumb dogs." JEHUDAH HALEVI, ABRAHAM B. DAVID. 49 With Moses b. Maiman, the Spaniard, called by all "Mai- monides" or "Rambam" (i 135-1204), the Spanish period concludes. With him died the mental activity in Spain, after having flourished there for three centuries. About this great man we have nothing to add to what the historians who have preceded us have written about his life, and disputed about his opinions. (The reader desiring minute information is referred to the Life of the Rambam, "Taldoth Horambam," by I. H. Weiss, and also Karpeles' work.) But we do not think it superfluous to remark on two points, viz.: i. That the opin- ions of Maimonides are found to differ in the three different periods of his life : thus, in his commentary on the Mishnayoth, they are not the same as in his work " Yad Hachazaka," nor are they similar to that of his last work, "More Nebuchim," which he wrote in the evening of his life. For in all of them we see a development of his ideas according to the increase of his studies and knowledge ; it is not true as some affirm that there is no change in his opinions. We have made it evident, long ago, in our book " Phylacterien-Ritus," that his decisions in his "Yad Hachazaka" or "Mishna Torah," do not accord with those in his commentary on the Mishnayoth ; and, it is needless to say, that his statements in the " More" are at vari- ance with things said in all his former works. And in truth, this is the case with all great thinkers, that they can not re- main at a stand still from their youth to their old age, and to this we may apply [Job, xxxii. 7]. "Multitude of years shall make wisdom known." 2, That Maimonides has omitted all references in the Talmud which treats of witchcraft, demons, interpretation of dreams, etc., not only because they were considered by him as vain superstitions and follies, for this reason alone he would not have ventured to omit them, in spite of the Talmud, for he left all that is foimd in the Talmud of Halakhas and moral Hagadas, even with which he himself could not agree ; but his motive was, that, in his opinion, they had originally not been found in the Talmud, and that only the later men inserted them, according to their own ideas, for whatever purpose it might have been. (I. H. Weiss has insinuated this long ago, and it seems that the probability tends that way.) So also, about the apology advanced by many for the words 50 THE HISTORY OF THE TALMUD. of Maimonides at the head of his work "Mishna Torah," that he had chosen this title, because if a man first read the Penta- teuch, and then this work, he will know the entire Oral Law, and need read no intermediate book— that by these words he did not mean that his work should be a substitute for the Talmud, etc., etc. ; we do not think this apology needful, even if he meant this. For as Maimonides had observed that much had been superadded to the Talmud, also things opposed to his general opinions — no wonder if he wished to prevent those who could not distinguish between the good and the evil, from reading the spurious passages, to which they would attach as great importance as to the Talmud itself. After he had sifted it, and arranged all that is found in that sea, the Talmud, in fourteen volumes, of his " Mishna Torah," there is no pre-emp- tion or oddity in these words, whereby he merely sought the real good of the students. To enumerate in detail all his books, writings, epistles, polemics and apologies, we think superfluous here ; as all bio- graphical and critical facts have already been given in detail in the above-mentioned works. We will only remark, that after all the great things which Maimonides had done and accom- plished, he did not attain his object. As the study of the Talmud did not cease in any of the colleges, and, on the con- trary, they who desired to criticize Maimonides, brought the rabbis to study yet more profoimdly and attentively the Tal- mud, and to add new commentaries, decisions of Halakhas, etc., etc. CHAPTER XI. THE SCHOLARS OF GERMANY AND OF NORTHERN FRANCE, AND