Search Scripture well : Karaite exegetes and the origins of the Jewish Bible commentary in the Islamic East / by Daniel Frank.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Frank, Daniel.

Series:

Etudes sur le judaisme medieval ; t. 29.

Etudes sur le judaisme medieval, 0169-815X ; t. 29

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Karaites--Palestine.

Karaites.

Karaites--Iraq.

Karaite manuscripts.

Bible. Old Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc., Jewish--History--To 1500.

Bible.

Japheth ben Ali, ha-Levi, active 10th century.

Japheth ben Ali.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (393 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The Jewish Bible commentary was created in the Islamic East during the tenth century by scholars seeking a rational, systematic approach to Scripture. Among its earliest champions were the Karaites, scripturalists who denied rabbinic authority. Seeking to restore Judaism to its biblical roots, they wrote numerous commentaries in Judeo-Arabic. Through the investigation of key topics, this book traces the contours of early Karaite biblical exegesis. Subjects covered include: halakhic indeterminacy; dream interpretation; the Song of Songs as salvation history; Psalms exegesis as liturgical commentary; and inter-religious polemics. The exegetes discussed include Ya'qub al-Qirqisani, Salmon b. Yeruhim, Sahl b. Masliah, and above all, Japheth b. Eli. Extensive selections from unpublished manuscripts are presented in English translation and the original Judeo-Arabic.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Preface

Chapter One: "Search Scripture Well"

Chapter Two: Unclean Birds and Tassels: Indeterminacy and Halakhic Exegesis

Appendix: Japheth b. Eli on Deuteronomy 14:11-20 (= Text 2.2)

Appendix: Japheth b. Eli on Deuteronomy 33:4 (= Text 2.4)

Chapter Three: Interpreting Dreams and Scriptures

Appendix: Japheth b. Eli on Genesis 40:12-13 (= Text 3.4) Sahl b. Masliah on Genesis 41:15-16 (= Text 3.8)

Appendix: Sahl b. Masliah on Genesis 41:5-7 (= Text 3.10)

Chapter Four: "The Voice of the Turtledove": Interpreting the Song of Songs

Chapter Five: The Shoshannim and Their Liturgy: Exegesis, Prayer, and Communal Identity

Chapter Six: A Prophet Like Moses: Exegesis As Religious Polemic

Epilogue: On the Origins of the Jewish Bible Commentary in the Islamic East

Judeo-Arabic Texts

Abbreviations

Bibliography

Indices

Manuscripts Cited

Biblical Verses

Rabbinic Sources

General Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [321]-350) and indexes.

ISBN:

1-280-91527-7

9786610915279

90-474-0556-0

1-4294-0815-4

OCLC:

191936534

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789047405566 DOI