Commentators:R. Avraham ibn Ezra/0

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Ibn Ezra – Intellectual Profile

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Ibn Ezra
Name
R. Avraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra
ר' אברהם בן מאיר אבן עזרא, ראב"ע
Dates1092 – 1167
LocationAndalusia / Italy / Provence / France / England
WorksCommentaries on Torah and part of Nakh, math, science, and grammar works.
Exegetical Characteristics
Influenced byR. Saadia Gaon, R. Yonah ibn Janach, R. Yehudah Hayuj
Impacted onMost Jewish Bible commentators. His though  great impact on Chasidei  Ashkenzaz

Background

Life

  • Name – 
    • Hebrew name – Avraham ben Meir ibn Ezra1
    • _ name – 
  • Dates – 1092-11672
  • Location – Spain, Italy,France, Provence, England. Some maintain that  Ibn Ezra  visited  Egypt, Israel, Babylonia and India. However, there is no real evidence to back up these assertions.
  • Education – Bible, Talmud3, Midrash, Grammar, Philosophy,4 Mathematics, Astronomy, Astrology,5 and Poetry. 
  • Occupation – Poet,6 teacher, and Bible commentator
  • Family – Son Isaac – Isaac was a poet of note who spent most of his life in the Near East; Isaac is reported to have converted to Islam while in Babylonia.7  He later returned to Judaism. A heartrending lament by Ibn Ezra8 reveals that Isaac predeceased his father.9
  • Teachers – 
  • Contemporaries –   R. Yehuda Ha-Levi,10 Rabbi Moshe ibn Ezra,11 Rabbi Joseph ibn Tzadik,12  Rashbam,13 R. Tam.14
  • Students – 
  • Time period –  Almohades invasion of  Moslem Spain ( 1147).
  • The Alomohades  gave the Jews the choice of conversion to Islam, emigration or death.
  • Ibn Ezra wrote  an elegy lamenting the destruction of the Jewish communities in Spain by the Almohades.  It is a unique poem, for it is the only “clear cut example of a poetical Jewish reaction to an outbreak of Islamic persecution.”15
     
    "O woe! Misfortune from heaven has fallen upon Sefarad [Spain];
    My eyes, my eyes flow with tears.
    ...................................................
    "The Exile dwelt there blamelessly in safety
    Without interruption for a thousand and seventy years.
    But the day came when her people were banished and she became like a widow. " 16...
  • The first (1095) and second(1250
    )crusades.....................................................................................................




  • World outlook – 

Works

  • Biblical commentaries –  Commentary on the Pentateuch, Short Commentary; Long commentary on Exodus, Edited by Asher Weiser. Mosad Ha-Rav Kook 1976.
  • Commentary on the Pentateuch, Torat Chaim. Mosad Ha-Rav Kook, 1986 
  • Commentary on Isaiah. Mikra'ot Gedolot; Ibn Ezra on Isaiah, Ed. and translated by Michael Friedlander.
  • The Minor Prophets, Mikra'ot Gedolot
  • Job, Mikraot Gedolot.
  • Song of Songs. Mikra'ot Gedolot.
  • Ecclesiastes. Mikra'ot Gedolot.
  •  Daniel. Mikra'ot Gedollot
     Psalms.Mikra'ot Gedolot.
  • .  The Five Scrolls. Mikra’ot Gedollot
  • Rabbinics – 
    • Talmudic novellae – No such works.
    • Halakhic codes – No such works
    • Responses to the works of others – No such works.
    • Responsa –  No such work.
  • Jewish thought – There are many parallels between the teachings of Ibn Ezra and those of Maimonides (1138–1204). A  strong case can be made that the works of Ibn Ezra greatly influenced Maimonides.17Had great influence on Chasidei Ashkenaz.18
  • Misattributed works –  Commentary to Proverbs.

Torah Commentary

Characteristics

  • Verse by verse / Topical – Basically a verse by verse commentary. However, there are many exceptions. His commentary contains long essays on philosophical issues, on God's name,19 on the Priestly Garments, on the Ten Commandments, the Golden Calf and other themes. The essays are occasionally introduced with the words Abraham the Authors says, or the Words of Abraham.
  • Genre – 
  • Structure
  • Peshat and derash –  Emphasis on Peshat.20 Rabbinic interpretations  are to be accepted  with regards to halakhic practice even in cases where they do not appear to be in keeping with the literal meaning of the text.21 Aggadic interpretations which are not in keeping with the literal meaning of the text do not have to be taken at face value.22 Ibn Ezra  employs philosophy,23 numerology24 and astrology25 to explain biblical  texts.

Methods

  • – 

Themes

  • God is incorporeal.
  • Purpose of man is to know God, obey His laws, and cling to God.
  • Defend Rabbinic Judaism from attacks by Karaites. 

Textual Issues

  • Manuscripts – 
  • Printings – 
  • Textual layers – 

Sources

Significant Influences

  • Earlier Sources – R. Saadiah Gaon; R. Judah ibn Chayuj; R. Jonah ibn Janach; R Menahchem ben Saruk; Dunash ben Labrat
  • Teachers – 
  • Foils – 

Occasional Usage

Possible Relationship.


  • According to Ezra Fleischer, evidence from the Cairo Geneza reveals that Ibn Ezra's son Isaac,  married Judah Ha-Levi's daughter.26 However, it should be noted that in all his references to Judah Ha-levi in his commentaries, Ibn Ezra never mentions this.

Impact

Later exegetes

Supercommentaries