Commentators:R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)/0
R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)
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Name | R. Levi b. Gershom, Gersonides ר' לוי בן גרשום, רלב"ג |
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Dates | 1288-1344 |
Location | Provence |
Influenced by | Ibn Ezra, Rambam |
Works | Biblical commentaries, Milchamot Hashem, math, astronomy |
Exegetical Characteristics | Rationalist, philosophical |
Impacted on | Ran, 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: