translated in lllB (?) by Plato of Tivoli, under the title " Liber Enibiidoniin" (see IJonconipagni in "Atti dell' Aceadeniia dei Lincei." IH.jl, iv. 275; "Hebr. Bibl." vii, K4: "Senipeiim," 18.JS, p. 34; it was edited by Sleiiisehneider in the "Publications of the Mekize Nirdaniiin." IH!),"), vol. xi). (3) inUT} miV (" Form of the Earth "), an astrononneal work on the fonnalioii of the heavens and the earth, whieh was to have been followed by a second part on the course of the stars (see Xo. 4). A portion was translated into Latin by Sebastian Mlinster and by E. (). Sehreekenfnehs. It appears also that complete translations into Latin and French were made (Steinsehneider," Abraham Jiidieus." 12). MS. 20o3 in the Hodleian Library at O.xford contains a copy with aconunenlary, apparently by Hay-
YIM LiSKKK. (4) CaSUn niS^nO pacn ("Calculation of the Courses of llie Stars"), the seciuel to the preceding work, which is foinil sometimes in manuscripts with the notes of Aliraliain ibn E/ra (MS. 37 of Leyilen, according to the catalogue of Steinsehneider, p. 147; MS. 203 of Rome, "Bibl. Casanatense," according to the catalogue of Sacerdote).
nimi) or N<L"3n nim^ (" Tables " or " Tables of Prince"), astmiioinical tables, called also "Tablesof AlBattani," because the author followed the Arabic astronomer of that name (see B.vtt.kxi). Several manuscripts of this work contain notes by Abraham ibn Ezra; and this fact has occasioned some confusion l)etween the "Tables" of these two (5)
the
authors.
lED ("Book
of Intercalation"). This London, by Filipowski. It is the oldest Hebrew work treating of the calculalioi! of the calendar (see C.i.ESUA]{). (7) C'Bjn |Vjn ("Meditation of the Soul"), an ethical work upon a rationalistic religions basis. It was published in IHtW by Freimami, with a biography of the author (by the editor), a list of his works, and a learned introducti<in by Rapoport. (t>)
"liajjn
work was
piililislieil
in ls.")l,in
(S) n^JOn rhiD ("ScroU of the Revealer"), a controversial work, in defense of the theory that the Messiah would appear in the year oils (13.")8;
MS. Munich. (9)
Abraham ^ajryim Abraham bar Hiyya ha-Nasi
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
100
An
W.
rhtiCn 11D).
apologetic epistle addres.sed to Judah
lien
Barzilai al Harzeloiu.
As has already been stated, Abraham bar I.Iiyya numberof scholars in their translations of
assisted a
works. But there is still a great deal of doubt as to the particutions. lais. A numberof Jewish translators named Abraham existed during the twelfth century; and it is not always possible to identify the one in r|iiestion. It isoidy jiossible. therefore, to give the titles of the works thus translated, without touching upon the (piestion of authorship, or in(|uiring into the language of the originals, as follows: (10) "Dellorarum Eli'elioiiibus," the well known treatise of All bin Ahmad al Imrani. (It) "Capitida C'eulilotjuiuni," astrological aphorisms. (12) . commentary of Ahmad ibn Yusuf on tlie "('entiloi|uium." attributed lo I'lnlcmv. (13) "I»e Astrolal)io" of Rinlolph d'e Bruges. (14) " Libc-r Augmenti et Diminiuionis," a treatise on nialheinaties; a manuscript in the BibliotheijUe Nationale of I'aris (7377 A). .seientitie
Transla-
.5X5.
T,--i,
.594.
972: idem. Cat. nf
JlliU.'^hcn Itttiyiousphiliutiiphcn vor Mttiiituid. ch.
iv.
G.
As a Moral Philosopher or (as
Rapoport
in his
S.
Abraham b. Hiyya introduction to the "Hegyon
ha-Xefesh." ]). 63, suggests) Hayya, so as to rime with Zakkaya, was a pioneer in his field of work. In the preface to his book, "Zurat ha Are? " he modestly stales that, because none of the .scientilic works such as e.xist in Arabic was accessible to his brethren in France, he felt called ui)on to compose books which, though containing no research of his own, woidd help to popularize knowledge among Hebrew readers. His Hebrew terminology, therefore, occasionally lacks the clearness and precision of later wiiters and translators. Not only as mathemat iciaii and astronomer, but also as moral pliilosopher, the author of the jirofoundly religious work, "Hegyon ha Nefesh" (Meditation o"f the Soul) deserves special notice. In this held of jihilosophy he had also pioneer work As Moral to do; for, as is shown by Guttmann Philoso- (".Monat.ssehrift." 1000, p. 19o).in refupher. lation of Kaufmann's assumption that
the "Hegyon ha Xefesh " was originally written in Arabic ("" Z. D. M. (}." .... 304 " Die Spureii Al Batlajusis," p. 2S, and Bacher," Die Bibele.xegese der Jiidischen Ri'ligionsphilosophen des 3Iit;
telalters," p. H2),
with the
Abraham
dillieiilties
b. Hiyya had to wrestle of a language not yet adapted
lo iihilosdpliic terminology. Whether composed especially for the Days of Repentance, as Rapoport (iliid.)
and Rosin ("Ethik des .Maimoiudes,"
]).
I.'))
think, or not, the object of the wijrk was a practical, rather than a theoretical, one. It was to be a homily in four ehsipteis on re])entanee based on the Haftarot of the Day of Atonement and Sabbath Shiibah. In it, with the fervor of a holy preacher, he exhorts the reader to lead a life of purity and devotion. At the same time he does not hesitate to borrow ideas from non .lewish philosophers; and he |iays homage to the ancient sjiges of the heathen world who. without knowledge of the Torah, arrived at certain fundamental truths r<'gar<ling the beginning of things, though in an inii>erfect way, because both the end and the divine source of wisdom remained hidden to them ("Hegyon," pp. 1, 2). In his o|)inion tlie nonJew may attain tons high a degree of godliness as the .lew ("Hegyon," p. 8(0. Abraham b. lliyya's jihilosophical .system is like that of Ciabirol and of the siiithor of "Torot haXefesh" ( Retlections on the Soul), ed. Broyde, Xeoplalonic as Plotiinis has slated it; Matter, 180(i being void of all reality, rei|uires form to give it existence. Xow the union of these two by the will of God. which brings them from a slaleof potentiality into one of actuality, is creation, time itself being simultaiKonsly produced with the created things. Both matter and form eonsist of twd dilTerenl elements. There is pure and there is impure matter. So also there is form too sublime lo mingle with matter, such as that of the angelie or llii' upper world; and form whieh, being receptive and hollow, is susThe upper world, ceptible to nuxlure with inatler while gazing upon the lower and radiating its hiirlier light, causes the inixlure of matter willi reci|itive form, the t'lhii irn/Ki/iii anil out of pnre matter the celestial boilies. lUid out of impure matter the four eliiiients. were evolvid. But while the lirst formed iiitoan inseparable combination and the ini.-
—
iuiii.ioon.ienv: sii'lnwliiieliliT, .lf>rii/i>iiii ./ik/hk". In y.rilHilnifl fl)r Maltiiiiintih iiiiil I'liiiKih, IM'. xll. I if ».<;.; Iiliiii. .Itini/mm iliii Hsni. Ilild. ls.sii. xxv. Illl. li'i; lileiii. //, ).i mill. vIl. W; Idem, Ihlir. filing, iip. .VC, .W.. .«i, nci. Mi.
Hihr. Manuyrriiiln in the
4,f Liuikn, p. 148 Wolf, BiliUiithfitt Hihrita, 1. 51. IUp<*iH>rt. prefacr to Htininn lui-yriH<h : Boncompuinii, in Atli ilrlV Aiciiihiniii 'hi IJiiKi. Isist, p. at,",; Wneplie, Mrnuiiyf kio- In l'yu/i<m(unh <hs 1'tiitfns^ p. SO; K' r< in Jit nitil. vll.77: (ielffnr, Moslnh In n Mnimim,p.~0 (irnss. (.alliti .Iu<liii<a.v.^'M: Bacher. lih llilirl,re(iese (ler
Lihraiii
iv. Ttil
