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



Rabbi Abraham ben Meir ibn Ezra was one of the outstanding personalities produced by medieval Andalusian Jewry.  He has been described as a Polymath.1[  He was a noted poet,2 mathematician, astrologer, grammarian, and philosopher. According to Leon Weinberger, Ibn Ezra  “was one of the best known and admired Jewish figures in the West. His Pisan Tables in astronomy were the authoritative guides for Roger Bacon…, Nicolas of Cusa…, and Pico della Pirandola…, and he was remembered for his pioneering efforts in introducing the mathematics of the Arabs to the Europeans." However, above all he was one of the greatest Bible commentators of all time.  He was born in 1092 C.E.  In Tudela, Spain, and died in 1164.3[3] His place of death is unknown.
 

 
[3]According to a statement found in several codices, Ibn Ezra (henceforth I.E.) died on a Monday, on the first day of 1 Adar  4927 (January 23, 1167) at the age of seventy-five.  If this date is accepted, then I.E. was born in 1092.  See M. Friedlander, ed. and trans., The Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah (London, 1873), p. Xxvii n. 54.  However, H. Graetz believes that I.E. was born between 1088 and 1089.  See H. Graetz, Divre Yeme Yisra'el, ed. and trans., S. P. Rabinowitz, Vol. 4, p. 212 (Warsaw, 1916).  Also see J.L.  Fleisher, Be-ezu Shanah Met Rabbenu Avraham ibn Ezra. pp. 5-16, in R. Avraham ibn Ezra, Kovetz Ma’amarim Al Toledatav Vi-Yetzirotav (Tzion. Tel Aviv, 1970).

Life

  • Name – 
    • Hebrew name – Avraham ben Meir ibn Ezra4
    • _ name – 
  • Dates – 1092-11675
  • 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, Talmud6, Midrash, Grammar, Philosophy, Mathematics, Astronomy, Astrology,7 and Poetry. 
  • Occupation – Poet,8 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.9  He later returned to Judaism. A heartrending lament by Ibn Ezra10 reveals that Isaac predeceased his father.11
  • Teachers – 
  • Contemporaries –   R. Yehuda Ha-Levi,12 Rabbi Moshe ibn Ezra,13 Rabbi Joseph ibn Tzadik,14  Rashbam,15 R. Tam.16
  • 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.”17
     
    "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. " 18...
  • In addition, the first (1095) and second  crusades.(1150)  took place during his lifetime........................................................................................................




  • World outlook –  
  • According to I.E. man’s rational soul separates a human being from the rest of the animal kingdom. The soul is a tabula rasa when first placed in the body. It is put there in order to be developed. If a human being develops his rational soul, then it acquires eternal life. The commandments of the Torah keep the body and the mind pure, so that  the soul can fulfill its destiny.
  • "The soul is destined to return to God the glorious who gave her. She was placed in the body to be shown the Lord’s work, to study the works of her Master and to observe His commandments."
  • "Man’s soul is unique. When it is first placed in the body… it is like a tablet set before a scribe. When God’s writing is inscribed upon this tablet…then the soul clings to God both while it is yet in man and later after it leaves the human body."

    "It is only when a person knows the sciences and the secret of God’s
    Throne and the “Chariot” and knows God, his soul cleaves to
    God while he is yet alive and continues clinging to God after it
    leaves his body". (See H. Norman Strickman,The Secret of the Torah; A Translation of Ibn Ezra's Yesod Mora Ve-Sod Ha-Torah New Jersey, 1995, p. 148-149. Yesod Mora: 10:2).
  • Ibn Ezra was...well versed in the philological, scientific and philosophical studies cultivated by Arabs and Jews in his native land. " (I. Husik, A History of Medieval Jewish Philosophy, New York 1916, p. 187.)
  • Ibn Ezra was a Neo-Platonists (ibid. p.184).Julius Guttmann referred to him as “the last in the line of Jewish Neoplatonists”.

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 the Pentateuch; Chumash Mechokekei  Yehudah, R. Yehudah Leib ben R. Yitzchak Krinsky, reprint, N.Y. 1975.
  • 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  influenced Maimonides.19 Ibn Ezra also impacted e on the Chasidei Ashkenaz.20
  • 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,21 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.22 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.23 Aggadic interpretations which are not in keeping with the literal meaning of the text do not have to be taken at face value.24 Ibn Ezra  employs philosophy,25 numerology26 and astrology27 to explain biblical  texts.

Methods

  • – 

Themes

  • God is incorporeal.
  • God is the All.
  • 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 (892-942 C.E.) R. Judah ibn Chayyuj; R. Jonah ibn Janach; R Menahchem ben Saruk; Dunash ben Labrat (920-990 C.E.)
  • 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.28 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