R. Yosef Bekhor Shor – Intellectual Profile This page is a stub.
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This topic has not yet undergone editorial review Background1 Life Name – Hebrew name – ר' יוסף בכור שור2 _ name – Dates – Middle to late 12th century3 Location – Northern France4 Education and Occupation – No more than a skeletal history of R"Y Bekhor Shor’s life can be constructed from the sources that currently exist.5 Lived in the 12th century Northern French Tosafist milieu, and was a disciple of Rabbenu Tam.6 He was a Halakhist/Talmudist whose novellae are included in Tosafot, as well as a Bible commentator. From his writings it can be deduced that he knew Latin and was familiar with Christian biblical exegesis.7 He also was a paytan (author of liturgical poems)8 9 His prominent position within the Tosafist world is attested by frequent use of his commentaries by later Tosafist compendia.10 Family – R"Y Bekhor Shor cites his father once in his commentary,11 12 Teachers – R. Yaakov Tam13 Contemporaries – Rashbam , R. Eliezer of Beaugency 14 R. Avraham Ibn Ezra 15 Students – Time period – – World outlook – Works Biblical commentaries – Torah,16 17 Rabbinics – Talmudic novellae – R"Y Bekhor Shor is cited a number of times in Tosafot on the Talmud18 Halakhic codes – Responses to the works of others – Responsa – Conducted Halakhic correspondence with R. Tam.19 Jewish thought – Other works – Piyuttim20 Misattributed works – Characteristics Verse by verse / Topical – Genre – Structure – Language – Peshat and derash – Methods Themes Textual Issues Manuscripts – All editions have been based on a sole extant manuscript – Munich 52. Printings – Published in 1994 by Mosad HaRav Kook as: פירושי רבי יוסף בכור שור על התורה (Ed. Y. Nevo), and recently included in Mikraot Gedolot HaKeter published by Bar Ilan University.21 Textual layers – Sources Significant Influences Earlier Sources – RashiTeachers – His father – cited only once in Vayikra 23:16. The Sefer HaGan Shemot 27:18 records an additional interpretation which R"Y Bekhor Shor transmitted in the name of his father. R. Tam – R. Eliezer of Mainz / Beaugency – cited only once in a gloss on Vayikra 22:25.22 Foils – Occasional Usage Menachem b. Saruq – cited only once in Shemot 14:20. R. Chayyug - cited only once in Devarim 11:26. R. Avraham b. Hiyya – cited once in Devarim 28:63.23 R. Yosef Kara – cited nine times: Bereshit 4:23-24, 34:25, 49:9, Shemot 4:11, 20:1, Devarim 14:1, 28:68, 32:17, 33:1. Rashbam – cited five24 25 Ibn Ezra – cited only twice in the glosses to the commentary on Bereshit 49:4, Shemot 24:11. and another time in the name of R"Y Bekhor Shor in Sefer HaGan Bereshit 2:23. R. Shelomo Parchon – cited only once in the gloss to the commentary on Bereshit 33:6. R. Ovadiah b. Shemuel HaSefaradi26 27 28 R. Yitzchak HaGer – cited twice (both of which are glosses): Shemot 3:13,29 R. Karshava – cited only once in Bereshit 44:10. R. Tuv Elem – cited only once in a gloss to Vayikra 20:14. R. Berechya – cited only once in a gloss to Vayikra 19:19. Possible Relationship Impact 1 Background literature on R"Y Bekhor Shor includes: S. Poznanski's introduction, "מבוא על חכמי צרפת מפרשי המקרא", to his edition of פירוש על יחזקאל ותרי עשר לרבי אליעזר מבלגנצי (Warsaw, 1914): 55-75. E. E. Urbach, Ba'alei HaTosafot (Jerusalem, 1968; hereafter: Urbach, Ba’alei HaTosafot). Y. Nevo in his introduction to פירושי רבי יוסף בכור שור על התורה (Jerusalem, 1994). Y. Priel, “רבנו יוסף בכור שור: מעמדו בעולם הפרשנות ותהליך החשיפה המחודש של פירושו,” Oreshet 1 (2010, hereafter: Priel, R. Yosef). 2 The appellation "בכור שור" is a reference to Yosef's blessing in Devarim 33:17. It has been definitively established (see already Poznanski) that R. Yosef Bekhor Shor is the same person as R. Yosef of Orleans. This conclusion is based on: Citations in Rabbinic literature of the same position in the names of both R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and R. Yosef of Orleans. Citations in later Tosafist compilations of interpretations found in R. Yosef Bekhor Shor's Torah commentary (MS Munich 52) in the names of both R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and R. Yosef of Orleans. 3 While there is no direct evidence as to when Bekhor Shor was born or died, we know that he wrote a question to R. Tam (d. 1171) as a young man, which would indicate his birth could not have been much later than 1150.4 More specifically Orleans, assuming Bekhor Shor is R. Yosef of Orleans.5 There exists a lone medieval report of a historical incident involving Bekhor Shor (see Urbach, Ba’alei HaTosafot: 135). In this account, Bekhor Shor is confronted by a devoted convert to Christianity, and he succeeds in refuting Christianity based on Yeshayahu 52:13 and immediately bringing about the apostate’s repentance.6 See Urbach ibid.: 137-139 for a discussion of the correspondence between the two.7 See Urbach ibid.: 135. In his commentary, he confronts contemporary Christians – and Jews – who allegorize the commandments, defending traditional Jewish practice and belief. See for example Bekhor Shor to Devarim 10:9 and Vayikra 17:13.9 Urbach (ibid.: 137-138) discusses a Halakhic question sent by R. Yosef of Orleans and another scholar to R. Tam that is presented in the form of a novella-like dialogue between two litigants. Urbach has this to say about it: "אין לנו מימי הביניים דוגמאות רבות של פרוזה חיה וגמישה כזו, שחוט של חן משוך עליה".10 Though the commentaries often appear uncredited. Such compendia include Da’at Zekeinim, Hadar Zekeinim, and Chizkuni. He is cited less frequently in Moshav Zekeinim, Pa’aneach Raza, and Minchat Yehudah. See Y.H. Nisan, Medieval Ashkenazi Bible Interpretation: A Textual Analysis of Rabbi Joseph Bekhor Shor's Torah Commentary (McGill University MA thesis, 1997, hereafter: Nisan, Analysis): 103-118, for an in-depth analysis of this issue.11 In his commentary to Vayikra 23:16. He does not mention his father’s name, but it seems to have been Yitzchak, see note above in the Name section.12 See Urbach, ibid.: 140-141.13 See Urbach, Ba’alei HaTosafot: 132-139 regarding Halakhic correspondences between Bekhor Shor and R. Tam.14 A Northern French peshat exegete.15 The relationship between Ibn Ezra and Bekhor Shor is a matter of scholarly debate. Ibn Ezra is mentioned twice in Bekhor Shor’s commentary (Bereshit 49:4, Shemot 24:11), but both instances are introduced with the note “haggah”, apparently indicating that it was added by a copyist.16 Bekhor Shor’s commentary belongs to the Northern French peshat school, which included commentators such as Rashi, R. Yosef Kara, Rashbam, and R. Eliezer of Beaugency, the latter two being older contemporaries of Bekhor Shor. A tendency to focus on psychological issues within the Torah’s narrative (see Y. Nevo, "The Exegetical Method of R. Joseph Bekhor Shor” (Leiden, 1987): 40-46). Displays a marked interest in realia (see Y. Nevo, "קווי פרשנות אופייניים לר' יוסף בכור שור", Sinai 103 (1988): 56-58). Urbach (Ba’alei HaTosafot: 134) observes that Bekhor Shor’s commentary excels in its sensitivity to the Torah’s narrative style (see above, Occupation, regarding Bekhor Shor’s literary sense). Bekhor Shor is further distinct from other Northern French commentators in his efforts to avoid any anthropomorphism, to explain miracles in a naturalistic manner, to provide rationalistic reasons for the commandments, and to defend the actions of the Patriarchs against criticism (ibid.). It is striking that the first three of these tendencies are hallmarks of the approach of Rambam (who lived at roughly the same time as Bekhor Shor in Egypt) and other Sephardic medieval rationalist interpreters. Urbach (ibid: 134-135) theorizes that what led Bekhor Shor in this direction, more than any potential influence of Sephardic commentators, was his need to counter the claims of local Christian critics and Jewish heretics (some of whom apparently allegorized the Torah’s mitzvot). Accordingly, Bekhor Shor criticizes certain comments of Rashbam that play into the hands of those who allegorize the mitzvot. See Bekhor Shor to Devarim 10:9, and Urbach, ibid.:135. 17 Only fragments of this commentary have been preserved. They were published in: Z. Kahn, "Le Livere de Joseph le Zalateur", REJ 3 (1881): 5, and M. Liber, "Bibliographie", REJ 58 (1909): 309-311. See also the note above in Dates.18 For a list of citations see Urbach, Ibid.: 132, note 2.19 See See Urbach, ibid.: 132-139.20 Four of Bekhor Shor’s selichot, and one “Akedah” were published in A.M. Haberman "פיוטי ר' יוסף ב"ר יצחק מאורליינש", Tarbiz 9 (1938): 323-342. And a piyyut with an acrostic spelling יוסף בכור שור is extant in manuscript.21 For other editions, see Priel, R. Yosef: 116-117.22 MS Munich 52 reads: "ומהר"ר אליעזר ממגנצא שמעתי". However, "מגנצא" may be a corruption of Beaugency, as the interpretation appears in the commentary of R. Eliezer of Beaugency on Yeshayahu 52:14 and Malakhi 1:14.23 It is possible that also the citation in Shemot 1:22 of "וראיתי בדברי החכם צח" refers to him, as it is similar to the other citation.24 Two of these might be later additions or הגהות (possibly by R"Y Bekhor himself – see discussion above): Bereshit 36:12 and Shemot 6:13.25 The text of this case was deciphered incorrectly in numerous editions.26 R. Yosef Bekhor Shor always refers to him as simply R. Ovadiah. However, in the parallel citations (which come from R"Y Bekhor Shor) in Sefer HaGan Bereshit 38:14 and Shemot 15:26, he is called R. Ovadiah HaSefaradi, and in Hadar Zekenim Shemot 15:26 he is referred to as R. Ovadiah b. R. Shemuel.27 Three of these might be later additions or הגהות (possibly by R"Y Bekhor himself – see discussion above): Bereshit 39:2, Shemot 4:11, 15:26.28 In addition to the citations by R"Y Bekhor Shor, he is also cited by Sefer HaGan Bereshit 38:14. [Posnanski, מבוא על חכמי צרפת מפרשי המקרא, p. LIX, n.2, casts some doubt on the authenticity of this citation.]29 This gloss is reconstructed from Sefer HaGan and is signed: "מיסוד הרב בכור שור בשם ר' יצחק הגר". 