Selected Religious Poems of Solomon ibn Gabirol (JPS Library of Jewish Classics) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0827600607 ISBN 13: 9780827600607

Publisher: University of North Carolina Press, 1974

Synopsis

Solomon ibn Gabirol (b. 1021, d. ca. 1058) was a Jewish Neoplatonist philosopher and poet who lived in Spain during the Islamic period. His devotional poetry, featured here, is considered among the best post-canon, and portions of his poetic works have been incorporated into the Jewish liturgy. However, only two extensive works of his have survived, a collection of his poems, translated here, and a philosophical treatise, the Fountain of Life, which, ironically, was thought to be the work of a Christian until the mid-19th century.

Of some interest here is the extensive discussion of the structure of the cosmos in the extended poem 'The Royal Crown,' which includes a section which describes each of the celestial spheres in turn. He gives specific astronomical facts which were state of the art in the 11th century. He states that the outer planets, the sun and stars are much larger than the earth (although the specific numbers he gives are a bit too small!). The Royal Crown additionally provides a poetic abstract of the philosophical theories found in the Fountain of Life. Also apparent are references to Kabbalistic concepts, or perhaps Gabirol influenced later Kabbalists. But the focus of these poems is Gabirol's intense relationship with God, which pervades every aspect of his writing. Interwoven are themes of the anticipation of the Messiah, the sorrow of the diaspora, and the meaning of life. Indeed, at one point (# 37) he laments that his only prayer is for God to explain "life's interpretation." " (Quote from sacred-texts

About this title

About the Author

About the Author:

"Solomon ibn Gvirol, also Solomon ben Judah was an Andalucian Hebrew poet and Jewish philosopher. He was born in Malaga about 1021; died about 1058 in Valencia.

Little is known of Gabirol's life. His parents died while he was a child. At seventeen years of age he became the friend and protege of Jekuthiel Hassan. Upon the assassination of the latter as the result of a political conspiracy, Gabirol composed an elegy of more than 200 verses. The death of Hai Gaon also called forth a similar poem. When barely twenty Gabirol wrote "Anak," a versified Hebrew grammar, alphabetical and acrostic, consisting of 400 verses divided into ten parts. Of this grammar, ninety-five lines have been preserved by Solomon Parhon. In these Gabirol reproaches his townsmen with their neglect of the Hebrew language.

Gabirol's residence in Saragossa was embittered by strife. He thought of leaving Spain, but remained and wandered about. He gained another friend and patron in the person of Samuel ibn Nagdela, whose praises he sang. Later an estrangement arose between them, and Nagdela became for a time the butt of Gabirol's bitterest irony. All testimonies agree that Gabirol was comparatively young at the time of his death, which followed years of wandering. The year of his death was probably 1058 or 1059." (Quote from wikipedia.org)

Edition details

• Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
• Publication date: 1974
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0827600607
• ISBN 13: 9780827600607
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 248
• Editor: Israel Davidson