Commentators:R. David Kimchi (Radak)/0

R. David Kimchi (Radak)

This page is a stub.
Please contact us if you would like to assist in its development.

Radak

Name	R. David Kimchi, Radak ר' דוד קמחי, רד"ק
Dates	c. 1160 - c. 1235
Location	Narbonne, Provence
Works	Commentaries on Bereshit, Nevi'im, Tehillim, Mishlei, and Divrei HaYamim, Sefer HaMikhlol and Sefer HaShorashim
Exegetical Characteristics
Influenced by	R. Yosef Kimchi, R. Moshe Kimchi, Ibn Ezra, Rambam, Ibn Janach, Ibn Chiyyug
Impacted on	Ramban, Meiri

Background

Life

• Name
  
  • Hebrew name – רבי דוד קמחי, acronym רד"ק
  • _ name – Rabbi David Kimhi, acronym Radak
• Dates – c.1160 -- c.1235
• Location – Provence
• Education – Bible, rabbinics, philosophy, science, philology
• Occupation – teacher of rabbinic texts to youths
• Family – son of R. Joseph Kimhi, brother of R. Moses Kimhi
• Teachers – brother R. Moses Kimhi
• Contemporaries – most notably R. Samuel ibn Tibbon of Provence, purveyor of Maimonides' Arabic works
• Students – 
• Time period – 
• World outlook – 

Works

• Biblical commentaries – Genesis, Former Prophets, Latter Prophets, Psalms, Proverbs, Chronicles, Sefer Mikhlol on biblical grammar, biblical lexicon Sefer HaShorashim
• Rabbinics – 
  • Talmudic novellae – 
  • Halakhic codes – 
  • Responses to the works of others – 
  • Responsa – 
• Jewish thought – letters in defense of Maimonides
• Misattributed works – most notably Et Sofer on Masorah

Torah Commentary

Characteristics

• Verse by verse / Topical – verse by verse with periodic topical asides
• Genre – explanatory commentary with partial emphasis on grammar and lexicography; periodic discussion of matters relating to philosophy, science, theology, and ethics
• Structure – 
• Language – Hebrew
• Peshat and derash – primary emphasis on peshat, including rabbinic interpretations that accord with peshat principles or otherwise seen as authoritative, and inclusion of some homiletic midrash "for lovers of derash"

Methods

• – 

Themes

• – 

Textual Issues

• Manuscripts – five extant manuscripts of commentary on Genesis; varying numbers of manuscripts of other works
• Printings – first printings in 15th and 16th centuries, chiefly in early Rabbinic Bibles; current best editions chiefly in Bar-Ilan's Haketer Mikra'ot Gedolot
• Textual layers – several works reflect stages of revision by the author

Sources

Significant Influences

• Earlier Sources – chiefly Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, R. Abraham Ibn Ezra, R. Jonah Ibn Janah, R. Joseph Kimhi, Maimonides
• Teachers – R. Moses Kimhi
• Foils – 

Occasional Usage

Possible Relationship

Impact

Later exegetes

Shorashim became standard biblical lexicon for centuries; commentaries on Prophets and Writings likewise became standard, heavily influencing commentators such as Abarbanel and forming the basis of others such as Metzudat David

Supercommentaries

Editions of various commentaries available with limited annotation; more expansive supercommentary available on Chronicles