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<h1>R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)</h1>
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<h1>R. Levi b. Gershon (Ralbag, Gersonides)</h1>
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<category>Life
 
<category>Life
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>R. Levi b. Gershom</strong> was born in 1288 and died in 1344.  He lived in Provence and came from a family of Torah scholars.<fn>Some claim that he was the grandson of Ramban, but this is debated.</fn>  In addition to being a Torah scholar, he was also a known philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer.<fn>One of the craters of the moon, Rabbi Levi, is named after Ralbag.</fn></p>
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<p><strong>R. Levi b. Gershom</strong> was born in 1288 and died in 1344.  He lived in Provence and came from a family of Torah scholars.<fn>Some claim that he was the grandson of Ramban, but this is debated.</fn>  In addition to being a Torah scholar, he was also a known philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer.<fn>One of the craters of the moon, Rabbi Levi, is named after Ralbag.</fn></p>
 
</category>
 
</category>
−
 
 
<category>Influenced by
 
<category>Influenced by
 
<subcategory>Major Influences
 
<subcategory>Major Influences
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Ibn Ezra – Ibn Ezra is quoted many times.  In Bereshit 2:3 Ralbag thanks Ibn Ezra and the Rambam for explaining the creation of the world, and he says that although their opinions were wrong, they guided him to the right track.</li>
 
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<li>Rambam – the Rambam had the greatest influence of any figure on Ralbag.  Ralbag cites him many times, usually in the philosophical portions of the commentary.</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
−
 
 
<subcategory>Citations
 
<subcategory>Citations
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Onkelos – </li>
 
−
<li>Rasag – </li>
 
−
<li>R. Hai Gaon – </li>
 
−
<li>R. Yona Ibn Janach – </li>
 
−
<li>Rashi – Shemot 18:21</li>
 
−
<li>Ralbag's grandfather, R. Levi HaCohen – Shemot 34:9(M).</li>
 
−
<li>Ralbag's father, R. Gershom – Bereshit 24:2, 40:14-15, 42:9, and 44:10(M).</li>
 
−
<li>Greek Philosophers – Bereshit 1:28 <i>shoresh</i> 3 (Plato)</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
−
 
 
<subcategory>Unattributed Influences
 
<subcategory>Unattributed Influences
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Raavad – In Bereshit 48:4-5 and Bemidbar 26:54-55 there appears to be direct influence of the Raavad (cited in <i>Shitah Mekubetzet</i> Bava Batra 117b.)</li>
 
−
<li>Ramban – Ralbag never cites Ramban explicitly, although he sometimes explains exactly like Ramban, and sometimes seems to be reacting against him.  Some have suggested<fn>Freiman and Berner in Mahanaim 4 (1992), p. 231.</fn> that Ralbag didn't like Ramban since his exegeses was too mystical, but that he didn't want to confront him explicitly.</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
 
</category>
 
</category>
−
 
 
<category>Works
 
<category>Works
 
<p>Ralbag wrote commentaries on Torah, Nevi'im Rishonim, and most of Ketuvim.  These commentaries were completed between 1325 and 1338.<fn>Some of the commentaries contain a colophon which gives the dates of their completion.
 
<p>Ralbag wrote commentaries on Torah, Nevi'im Rishonim, and most of Ketuvim.  These commentaries were completed between 1325 and 1338.<fn>Some of the commentaries contain a colophon which gives the dates of their completion.
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In addition, he wrote a philosophy work called Milchamot Hashem and astronomy charts called Luchot HaTekhunah.  He also invented Jacob's Staff, a tool for measuring distances between celestial objects.  In the field of mathematics, he wrote Ma'aseh Choshev (first edition 1321, second edition 1322), commentary on Euclid (early 1320s), De Sinibus, Chordis, et Arcubus,<fn>On Sines, Chords, and Arcs, part of Milchamot Hashem, 1342.  This work was dedicated to the Pope, who was living in Avignon at that time.</fn> De Numeris Harmonicis,<fn>The Harmony of Numbers, 1343.  The work was commissioned by Phillip de Vitry, Bishop of Meaux.  It was immediately translated from Hebrew into Latin, but the former is now lost.</fn> and others.  Ralbag writes in his introduction to Torah that he planned to write a Sefer Hamitzvot and a commentary on the Talmud,<fn>The commentary was to have lists of the Mitzvot which relate to each tractate, and a list of lessons or Toalot on the stories in the Talmud.</fn> but it is unknown whether he ever began these projects.</p>
 
In addition, he wrote a philosophy work called Milchamot Hashem and astronomy charts called Luchot HaTekhunah.  He also invented Jacob's Staff, a tool for measuring distances between celestial objects.  In the field of mathematics, he wrote Ma'aseh Choshev (first edition 1321, second edition 1322), commentary on Euclid (early 1320s), De Sinibus, Chordis, et Arcubus,<fn>On Sines, Chords, and Arcs, part of Milchamot Hashem, 1342.  This work was dedicated to the Pope, who was living in Avignon at that time.</fn> De Numeris Harmonicis,<fn>The Harmony of Numbers, 1343.  The work was commissioned by Phillip de Vitry, Bishop of Meaux.  It was immediately translated from Hebrew into Latin, but the former is now lost.</fn> and others.  Ralbag writes in his introduction to Torah that he planned to write a Sefer Hamitzvot and a commentary on the Talmud,<fn>The commentary was to have lists of the Mitzvot which relate to each tractate, and a list of lessons or Toalot on the stories in the Talmud.</fn> but it is unknown whether he ever began these projects.</p>
 
</category>
 
</category>
−
 
 
<category>Characteristics
 
<category>Characteristics
 
<subcategory>Structure
 
<subcategory>Structure
 
<p>Ralbag's commentaries on Bereshit, Shemot, Iyyov, and Kohelet follow a tripartite structure, in which he employs three modes of exegesis in interpreting each unit:<fn>Ralbag describes this division in his introduction to Iyyov.</fn></p>
 
<p>Ralbag's commentaries on Bereshit, Shemot, Iyyov, and Kohelet follow a tripartite structure, in which he employs three modes of exegesis in interpreting each unit:<fn>Ralbag describes this division in his introduction to Iyyov.</fn></p>
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Lexical definitions (<i>Biur HaMilot</i>).</li>
 
−
<li>Explanations of the storyline (<i>Biur Divrei HaParashah</i>).</li>
 
−
<li>Lessons derived from the story (<i>Toalot</i>).  The <i>Toalot</i> are of three types:  philosophical messages (<i>deiot</i>), morals (<i>middot</i>), and commandments (<i>mitzvot</i>).  The <i>Toalot</i> dealing with the commandments contain <i>shorashim</i> (roots), which present the details of the mitzvah.</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
 
<p>Most of Ralbag's other commentaries also contain <i>Toalot</i>,<fn>Only the commentary on Vayikra divides the <i>Toalot</i> into <i>Shorashim</i>.</fn> but they combine the lexical definitions and the explanations of the storyline into one section.<fn>Shir HaShirim is exceptional in that the commentary is not separated into sections.  Most of these commentaries were written later, and it is possible that Ralbag intended to redo these commentaries later.  See the end of his commentary to Bemidbar, where Ralbag writes that he finished it very quickly and without any books, and that he hopes to revise it in the future.</fn></p>
 
<p>Most of Ralbag's other commentaries also contain <i>Toalot</i>,<fn>Only the commentary on Vayikra divides the <i>Toalot</i> into <i>Shorashim</i>.</fn> but they combine the lexical definitions and the explanations of the storyline into one section.<fn>Shir HaShirim is exceptional in that the commentary is not separated into sections.  Most of these commentaries were written later, and it is possible that Ralbag intended to redo these commentaries later.  See the end of his commentary to Bemidbar, where Ralbag writes that he finished it very quickly and without any books, and that he hopes to revise it in the future.</fn></p>
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
−
 
 
<subcategory>Rationalist
 
<subcategory>Rationalist
−
 
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
−
 
 
<subcategory>Use of Science and Realia
 
<subcategory>Use of Science and Realia
−
 
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
−
 
 
<subcategory>Halakhah
 
<subcategory>Halakhah
−
 
 
</subcategory>
 
</subcategory>
 
</category>
 
</category>
−
 
 
<category>Impacted on
 
<category>Impacted on
 
<p>Ralbag's works met with a mixed reception.  Some admired his commentary and works, while others boycotted them and called his <i>Milchamot Hashem</i> (Battles of Hashem) <i>Milchamot im Hashem</i> (Battles with Hashem).<fn></fn>  Ralbag's positions had an influence on several subsequent commentators from Christian Spain:</p>
 
<p>Ralbag's works met with a mixed reception.  Some admired his commentary and works, while others boycotted them and called his <i>Milchamot Hashem</i> (Battles of Hashem) <i>Milchamot im Hashem</i> (Battles with Hashem).<fn></fn>  Ralbag's positions had an influence on several subsequent commentators from Christian Spain:</p>
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Ran – </li>
 
−
<li>Akeidat Yitzhak – </li>
 
−
<li>Abarbanel – </li>
 
−
</ul>
 
−
</category>
 
−
 
−
 
−
<!--
 
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<h1>Ralbag – Intellectual Profile</h1>
 
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<infobox class="Parshan">
 
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<title>Ralbag</title>
 
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<row>
 
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<label>Name</label>
 
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<content>
 
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<div>R. Levi b. Gershom,  Gersonides</div>
 
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<div dir="rtl">ר' לוי בן גרשום, רלב"ג</div>
 
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</content>
 
−
</row>
 
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<row>
 
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<label>Dates</label>
 
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<content>1288-1344</content>
 
−
</row>
 
−
<row>
 
−
<label>Location</label>
 
−
<content>Provence</content>
 
−
</row>
 
−
<row>
 
−
<label>Influenced by</label>
 
−
<content>Ibn Ezra, Rambam</content>
 
−
</row>
 
−
<row>
 
−
<label>Works</label>
 
−
<content>Biblical commentaries, Milchamot Hashem, math, astronomy</content>
 
−
</row>
 
−
<row>
 
−
<label>Exegetical Characteristics</label><content>Rationalist, philosophical</content>
 
−
</row>
 
−
<row>
 
−
<label>Impacted on</label>
 
−
<content>Ran, Akeidat Yitzchak, Abarbanel</content>
 
−
</row>
 
−
</infobox>
 
−
 
−
<h2>Life</h2>
 
−
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>R. Levi b. Gershom</strong> was born in 1288 and died in 1344.  He lived in Provence and came from a family of Torah scholars.<fn>Some claim that he was the grandson of Ramban, but this is debated.</fn>  In addition to being a Torah scholar, he was also a known philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer.<fn>One of the craters of the moon, Rabbi Levi, is named after Ralbag.</fn></p>
 
−
 
−
<h2>Influenced by</h2>
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<category>Major Influences
 
−
<point>Ibn Ezra – Ibn Ezra is quoted many times.  In Bereshit 2:3(P) Ralbag thanks Ibn Ezra and the Rambam for explaining the creation of the world, and he says that although their opinions were wrong, they guided him to the right track.</point>
 
−
<point>Rambam – the Rambam had the greatest influence of any figure on Ralbag.  Ralbag cites him many times, usually in the philosophical portions of the commentary.</point>
 
−
</category>
 
−
<category>Citations
 
−
<point>Onkelos – </point>
 
−
<point>Rasag – </point>
 
−
<point>R. Hai Gaon – </point>
 
−
<point>R. Yona Ibn Janach – </point>
 
−
<point>Rashi – Shemot 18:21</point>
 
−
<point>Ralbag's grandfather, R. Levi HaCohen – Shemot 34:9(M).</point>
 
−
<point>Ralbag's father, R. Gershom – Bereshit 24:2, 40:14-15, 42:9, and 44:10(M).</point>
 
−
<point>Greek Philosophers – Bereshit 1:28 <i>shoresh</i> 3 (Plato)</point>
 
−
</category>
 
−
 
−
<category>Unattributed Influences
 
−
<point>Raavad – In Bereshit 48:4-5 and Bemidbar 26:54-55 there appears to be direct influence of the Raavad (cited in <i>Shitah Mekubetzet</i> Bava Batra 117b.)</point>
 
−
<point>Ramban – Ralbag never cites Ramban explicitly, although he sometimes explains exactly like Ramban, and sometimes seems to be reacting against him.  Some have suggested<fn>Freiman and Berner in Mahanaim 4 (1992), p. 231.</fn> that Ralbag didn't like Ramban since his exegeses was too mystical, but that he didn't want to confront him explicitly.</point>
 
 
</category>
 
</category>
−
</ul>
 
−
 
−
<h2>Works</h2>
 
−
<p style="text-align:justify;">Ralbag wrote commentaries on Torah, Nevi'im Rishonim, and most of Ketuvim.  These commentaries were completed between 1325 and 1338.<fn>Some of the commentaries contain a colophon which gives the dates of their completion.
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Shir HaShirim – end of Tammuz 5085 (July 1325)</li>
 
−
<li>Iyyov – 23 Tevet 5086 (December 30, 1325).  This date, however, fell out on Shabbat.</li>
 
−
<li>Parashat Bereshit – end of Av 5088 (August 1328)</li>
 
−
<li>Kohelet – 9 Marcheshvan 5089 (October 13, 1328)</li>
 
−
<li>Rut – 1 Nissan 5089 (March 2, 1329)</li>
 
−
<li>Sefer Bereshit – 14 Marcheshvan 5090 (October 8, 1329)</li>
 
−
<li>Shemot – 1 Elul 5090 (August 17, 1330)</li>
 
−
<li>Vayikra – the end of the manuscript is missing, but parashot Tzav and Shimini were completed in the end of Marcheshvan and 16 Kislev 5093 respectivly (November and December 5, 1332).  However, the latter falls out on Shabbat.</li>
 
−
<li>Shofetim – possibly 26 Tishrei 5097 (October 2, 1336).  [The manuscript reads 26 Tishrei 5197 (October 6, 1436).  This date either contains an extra letter <i>kuf</i> (and is thus off by 100 years) or is the date the copyist completed his work.</li>
 
−
<li>Bemidbar – 23 Tevet 5098 (December 16, 1337)</li>
 
−
<li>Devarim – 23 Shevat 5098 (January 14, 1338)</li>
 
−
<li>Shemuel – 1 Adar I 5098 (January 22, 1338)</li>
 
−
<li>Daniel – Adar II 5098 (February – March 1338)</li>
 
−
<li>Ezra-Nechemyah – Adar II 5098 (February – March 1338)</li>
 
−
<li>Divrei HaYamim – 2 Nissan 5098 (March 23, 1338)</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
−
The following books don't have a colophon:  Yehoshua, Melakhim, Mishlei, and Esther.</fn>
 
−
In addition, he wrote a philosophy work called Milchamot Hashem and astronomy charts called Luchot HaTekhunah.  He also invented Jacob's Staff, a tool for measuring distances between celestial objects.  In the field of mathematics, he wrote Ma'aseh Choshev (first edition 1321, second edition 1322), commentary on Euclid (early 1320s), De Sinibus, Chordis, et Arcubus,<fn>On Sines, Chords, and Arcs, part of Milchamot Hashem, 1342.  This work was dedicated to the Pope, who was living in Avignon at that time.</fn> De Numeris Harmonicis,<fn>The Harmony of Numbers, 1343.  The work was commissioned by Phillip de Vitry, Bishop of Meaux.  It was immediately translated from Hebrew into Latin, but the former is now lost.</fn> and others.  Ralbag writes in his introduction to Torah that he planned to write a Sefer Hamitzvot and a commentary on the Talmud,<fn>The commentary was to have lists of the Mitzvot which relate to each tractate, and a list of lessons or Toalot on the stories in the Talmud.</fn> but it is unknown whether he ever began these projects.</p>
 
−
 
−
<h2>Characteristics</h2>
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<category>Structure
 
−
<p>Ralbag's commentaries on Bereshit, Shemot, Iyyov, and Kohelet follow a tripartite structure, in which he employs three modes of exegesis in interpreting each unit:<fn>Ralbag describes this division in his introduction to Iyyov.</fn></p>
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Lexical definitions (<i>Biur HaMilot</i>).</li>
 
−
<li>Explanations of the storyline (<i>Biur Divrei HaParashah</i>).</li>
 
−
<li>Lessons derived from the story (<i>Toalot</i>).  The <i>Toalot</i> are of three types:  philosophical messages (<i>deiot</i>), morals (<i>middot</i>), and commandments (<i>mitzvot</i>).  The <i>Toalot</i> dealing with the commandments contain <i>shorashim</i> (roots), which present the details of the mitzvah.</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
−
<p>Most of Ralbag's other commentaries also contain <i>Toalot</i>,<fn>Only the commentary on Vayikra divides the <i>Toalot</i> into <i>Shorashim</i>.</fn> but they combine the lexical definitions and the explanations of the storyline into one section.<fn>Shir HaShirim is exceptional in that the commentary is not separated into sections.  Most of these commentaries were written later, and it is possible that Ralbag intended to redo these commentaries later.  See the end of his commentary to Bemidbar, where Ralbag writes that he finished it very quickly and without any books, and that he hopes to revise it in the future.</fn></p>
 
−
</category>
 
−
 
−
<category>Rationalist</category>
 
−
 
−
<category>Use of Science and Realia</category>
 
−
 
−
<category>Halakhah</category>
 
−
</ul>
 
−
 
−
<h2>Impacted on</h2>
 
−
<p>Ralbag's works met with a mixed reception.  Some admired his commentary and works, while others boycotted them and called his <i>Milchamot Hashem</i> (Battles of Hashem) <i>Milchamot im Hashem</i> (Battles with Hashem).<fn></fn>  Ralbag's positions had an influence on several subsequent commentators from Christian Spain:</p>
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Ran – </li>
 
−
<li>Akeidat Yitzhak – </li>
 
−
<li>Abarbanel – </li>
 
−
</ul>
 
−
-->
 
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Version as of 23:47, 3 January 2015

R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)

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Ralbag
Name
R. Levi b. Gershom, Gersonides
ר' לוי בן גרשום, רלב"ג
Dates1288-1344
LocationProvence
Influenced byIbn Ezra, Rambam
WorksBiblical commentaries, Milchamot Hashem, math, astronomy
Exegetical CharacteristicsRationalist, philosophical
Impacted onRan, Akeidat Yitzchak, Abarbanel

Life

R. Levi b. Gershom was born in 1288 and died in 1344. He lived in Provence and came from a family of Torah scholars.1 In addition to being a Torah scholar, he was also a known philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer.2

Influenced by

Major Influences

Citations

Unattributed Influences

Works

Ralbag wrote commentaries on Torah, Nevi'im Rishonim, and most of Ketuvim. These commentaries were completed between 1325 and 1338.3 In addition, he wrote a philosophy work called Milchamot Hashem and astronomy charts called Luchot HaTekhunah. He also invented Jacob's Staff, a tool for measuring distances between celestial objects. In the field of mathematics, he wrote Ma'aseh Choshev (first edition 1321, second edition 1322), commentary on Euclid (early 1320s), De Sinibus, Chordis, et Arcubus,4 De Numeris Harmonicis,5 and others. Ralbag writes in his introduction to Torah that he planned to write a Sefer Hamitzvot and a commentary on the Talmud,6 but it is unknown whether he ever began these projects.

Characteristics

Structure

Ralbag's commentaries on Bereshit, Shemot, Iyyov, and Kohelet follow a tripartite structure, in which he employs three modes of exegesis in interpreting each unit:7

Most of Ralbag's other commentaries also contain Toalot,8 but they combine the lexical definitions and the explanations of the storyline into one section.9

Rationalist

Use of Science and Realia

Halakhah

Impacted on

Ralbag's works met with a mixed reception. Some admired his commentary and works, while others boycotted them and called his Milchamot Hashem (Battles of Hashem) Milchamot im Hashem (Battles with Hashem).10 Ralbag's positions had an influence on several subsequent commentators from Christian Spain:

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