Samuel Ibn Nagrela
Samuel ibn Nagrela ( Hebrew Arabic is a rabbi Andalusian XI century ( Merida 993 - Granada 1055 or 1056).
Regarded by some as an early medieval rabbinic authorities Biographical Elements Born in Merida , he spent his childhood and youth in Cordoba. His father, a native of Merida, gives him a complete education and provides the best masters of the time: he studied rabbinical literature under the tutelage of Moshe ben Hanoch , Hebrew and Hebrew grammar with the founder of Hebrew philology Scientific, Judah ben David Hayyuj , he also teaches Arabic, Latin and Berber masters from non-Jews. In the context of civil war in al-Andalus and the conquest of Cordoba by the Berber chief Suleiman in 1013, he must with his family and many other Jews, to flee Cordoba delivered to sack and pillage. The young Samuel settled in the port of Malaga , where he started a small business, studying the Talmud and Hebrew texts in his spare time. He frequented the circles of scholars and Arab scholars, was introduced to philosophy, Arabic rhetoric and mathematics. Samuel well mastered Arabic calligraphy, so that a confidential slave of the vizier Abu al-Qasim ibn al-'Arifi often entrusted him the task of writing his letters. When some of them fall into the hands of the vizier, the latter, struck by the elegance of the writing and language, asks to meet the author. Samuel brought to the palace, became the private secretary of the vizier, who soon discovers the talent shown by Samuel in politics, and in fact de facto counselor. In 1027, the vizier, dying, confesses to the king Zirid Habbous that its success is mainly due to his Jewish secretary. Habbous, which does not seem to be open to the prejudices of race, student Ibn Nagrela dignity of vizier. In 1037 , two parties are in the succession disputes following the death of Habbous. The youngest son, Balkin, enjoys the confidence of the majority of the nobles Berber, and some influential Jews whose Migash ibn Joseph , Isaac de Leon and Nehemia Ashkofa, while Samuel is the head of a smaller group, supports Badis , the eldest son. Against all odds, it Badis who was proclaimed king in October 1307, as Balkin has agreed to resign in his favor. The authority then Samuel grew up match at almost exactly that of Badis, as the new king is more interested in the pursuit of pleasure, not business of the kingdom of Granada. In 1038, command of the army of Granada is entrusted to Samuel, who keeps it until his death. He starts each year wage war at the head of his troops against the neighboring kingdom of Seville and its allies. In epic poems, he sings his victories in these military campaigns. The Jewish community of Granada, which he is the rabbi principal, gave him the title of nagid (prince). Samuel seeks not only to improve the plight of the Jews of Granada, but also that of other Jewish communities, through its diplomatic relations. Very active in the spread of science, he spends considerable sums to maintain schools and Talmudic academies , and to make copies of books he donated to poor students. One of the beneficiaries of his largesse is the poet and philosopher Solomon ibn Gabirol , who had been banished from Zaragoza. It also corresponds with the leaders of his time, particularly Hai Gaon and Rabbeinu Nissim of Kairouan. Moshe ibn Ezra wrote in his Kitab al-Muaarah , that "at the time of Solomon, the kingdom of science was high his baseness, and the star of knowledge shone again. God had given him a great spirit that reached the spheres and touched the heavens, so that he can love the knowledge and those who pursued her, and he can glorify the religion and its followers. " Samuel is appreciated not only by his coreligionists, but also among the Mohammedans, forging friendships and making steadfast allies. An Arab poet, Muntafil, will write up in the verses where he sings the praises of Samuel as a result of their friendship, he came secretly to worship the God who prescribed the Sabbath. Thus, despite the maneuvers of Muslim fanatics, the popularity of Samuel is such that it remains vizier until his death, his son Joseph ibn Nagrela , succeeded him as vizier and Naggid. Of the many writings of Samuel in the field, only two responsible , inserted in Pe'er ha-Dor (Amsterdam, 1765), and Mevo haTalmud (Constantinople, 1510) were published. The Mevo HaTalmud (Introduction to the Talmud ) was frequently reprinted and is since 1754, in editions of classical Babylonian Talmud , at the end of Berakhot Treaty. Another book of its kind, entitled Hilkata Gibbarwa, including Talmudic decision, is quoted by the Me'ir in his commentary on Pirke Avot , by Bezalel Ashkenazi in his Shiah Meoubbeet on TB Ketubot 36b, and others. Samuel wrote some twenty books on Hebrew grammar, which have not been preserved. It is, for the most polemical epistles, the first being shaved it al-Rifq ("Epistle of the Companions"), to Yona ibn Jannah which critical and comprehensive conceptions of Judah ben David Hayyuj , the founder of the scientific study of Hebrew philology. In fact, Samuel considers the work of his master perfect and untouchable, and does not show any originality in the matter. After the argument, he wrote the Kitab al-Istighna ("Book of Wealth"), a dictionary of biblical Hebrew that can be viewed through the scope, the systematic, the richness and accuracy of its references, as the apex of Hebrew lexicography . However, it has been largely lost. Samuel ibn Nagrela is particularly known for his poetic production, which has also, in part disappeared. He has written two books, Ben Qohelet (Son of Ecclesiastes) and Ben Mishler (Son of Proverbs), each of the "son" is modeled after the "father" and the first contains philosophical meditations, and the second of aphorisms and maxims. Only a portion of it was preserved. Other poems were collected in diwan , part of which still exists in manuscript . The diwan of Samuel ha-Naggid has been edited, but not in its entirety by Abraham Harkavy . Some of his verses are quoted by Moses ibn Ezra, and his poem on the pen is quoted by Judah ibn Tibbon , in a letter to his son Samuel. he also wrote a poem in seven languages at King's abbus. His compositions are distinguished by their high moral and philosophical aspects close in some of the poetic style of Quevedo , author of the lighthouse- Spanish Golden Age. The Arab influence is felt in the style and themes. However, the style is so cold, it is a proverb: "Cold as the snow on Mount Hermon and as the poems of Samuel HaLevi . " Early years
The political rise
It remains, despite his high position, a curious student, whose piety, modesty and manners affable win the sympathy even of those who can not accept that a Jew has succeeded in such a position. The nagid
Works
Talmud and Halakha
It is divided into two parts: the first contains a list of holders of tradition, since the men of the Great Assembly to Hanoch Ben Moshe , the master of Samuel, the second proposes a methodology of the Talmud.
It was translated by the Emperor Constantine in Latin under the title Clavis Talmudic, Full Option, and Loca Dialectica Rhetorica Priscorum Judaeorum (Leyden, 1633). Linguistics
Poetry
References
Source
Notes
External Links
Bibliography
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