connection with the Ibu Tibbons, Anatolio was introduced to the iihiloso|)hy of -Mainionides. the study of whieli was such a frnat revelation to him that he, in after days, referred to it as the beiriiiiiinir of his intelligent and true coinpreheiision of the Scriptures, while he frequently alluded to ]l)n Tilihon as one of the two masters who had instriieled and inspired him. His esteem for .Mainionides knew no lK)Unds: he placed him ne.t to the Prophets, and with -Maimonides' critics and ilelnictors he exhibited little patieme. He accordingly interprets the Hible
and the Ha.iigadah in a truly Mainionistic siiirit, rationalizing the nnraclesand investing every possible l)as:iage in the ancient literature with ])bilosoi)hic and alleiroric significance. As an allcgorist who {ould read into the ancient documents the particular I)hilosopliical idiosyncrasies of his day, Anatolio ileseres a i>lace beside other allegoric and ]ihilosophindeed, he may ical commentators, from Philo down be regarded as a iiionecr in the application of the Maimonistic manner to purposes of popidar instruction. This work he began while still in his native land, on occasions of private and jiublic festivities, such as weddings and other assemblies. Afterward he delivered Sabbath-afterno<iii sermons, in which
he advocated
tin-
allegoric
and
philo-
Opposed by sophic method of .Scriptural exegesis. Anti-Mai- This evokecl the o]i|)osition of the monists.
antiMaimonisis. whose niunber was large in scnilhern France; and jiroba-
bly Anatolio's departure for Sicily was hastened by the antagonism he encountered. Hut even at Naples Anatolio's views aroused the fipjiosilion of his
Orthodox
coreli,i;ionists. This treatment, together with several other unpleasant exi>eriences at the royal court, seems to have caused liim to entertain thoughts of suicide. H<- soon, however, recovered
and wrote, for the benetit of his two sons, his "Malmad ha-Talmidim." a name which, involving a play on words, was intended to be both a "Teacher of the Disciples " and a "(Joad to the Students." The ".Malniad." which was (iimpleted when its author was
Anathoth
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
663
tiftv-live years old.
but was
first
pub-
lished by the ^lekize Nirdamim Society at Lyck in the year lHO(i. is reallv nothing but a volume of sermons, by which the author intended to stinudate study and to dispel intellectual blindness. As a curious specimen of his method, it may be mentioned that he regards the three stories of Noah's ark as symbolic of the thrc-e sciences mathematics, physics,
As such, the work is of some im portancc in the history of Jewish cidture. Anatolio's ethiial adinoidtions anil spiritual meditations havi' value as portraying both the circumstances of the age and thecharacterirf the reforms aimed at by him. Anatolio is ipiite plain spoken in the manner in which he states and defends his views, as well as in liis criticisms of contemporary failings. For inalanee, he d<H'S not hesitate' to reproach the nibbis of his day for their giiienil neglect not only of the thorough study, but even of the ohliMoral .i:atorv perusal, of the liible. charging Fervor. them with a preference for Talinudic dialectics. He, likewise, deplores the contemponiry dei;enerai'v in the home life and the religious practises of his people, a circumstance which he Ihiidvs due largely to the imitation of surrounding nuumers. Scientific investigation he insists upiin us an absolute ne<cssity for the Inn' roiaprehension of leliirion. despite hi' fact that his contemporaries regarded all the hours wlii<h he was aieuslomed to spend with his father in law. Samuel ibn Tibbon. in malliiinatical and philosophic study as nii-ie waste of time. ami metaphysics.
I
Anatolio
The "Malmad " is divided into brief chapters, according to the weekly Scriptural portions. In it Anatolio manifests a wide aciiuaiutance not only with the classic Jewish e.xcgetes. but also with Plato, Aristotle, Averroes. and the Vulgate, as well as with a large number of Chri.stian inThe stitutions, some ot which he ventures
"Malmad."
to criticize, such as celibacy and monastic castigation, as well as certain heretics (compare lUii, ilXn, ll.w); and lie repeatedly appeals to his readers fora broader cultivation of the classic languages and the ])rofane branches of learning, lie indignantly repudiates the fanatical view of somecoreli.gionistslhatall non-Jews have no souls a belief reciprocated by the Gentiles of the time. To Anatolio all men are, in truth, formed in the image of God. though the Jews stand under a particular oliligation to further the true cognition of God simply by reason of their election "the Greeks had chosen wisdom as their pursuit; the Romans, power; and the Jews, religiousness" (/.c. 1()3A). If, however, a non-Jew devotes himself to serious search after divine truth, his merit is so much the more signal; and whatever suggestion he may have to oiler, no Jew dares refuse with levity. An example of such intellectual catholicity was .set by Anatolio himself; for. in the course of his "Malmad." he not only cites incidentally allegoric suggestions made to him by Frederick II., but several times Gi'idemann has counted .seventeen he offers the excgetic remarks of a certain Christian savantof whose association he s|ieaksinost reverently, and whom, furthermore, he names as Anatolio his second master besides Samuel ibn
—
—
—
—
and Michael Tibbou.
This Christian savant was
identitied by Senior Sachs as Michael Scot, who, like Anatolio, devoted himself to scientific work at the court of Frederick. (Jraetz even goes to the length of re.garding Anatolio as identical with the Jew .Viidrcas. who. according to Roger Haeon. assisted >Iiehael Scot iu his philosophi(' translations from the Arabic, seeing that
Scot.
Andreas might be a corruption of Anatolio. But Steinschneider wi'A not admit the possibility of this conjecture, while Renan scarcely strengthens it by regarding "Andreas" as a po.ssible northern corruption of " Kn Diiran." which, he says, may have been the Provencal surname of Anatolio. since Anatolio. in reality, was but the name of his greatgrandfather. Anatolio's example of broad-minded study of Christian literature and intercourse with Christian scholars fouml many fidlowers, as. for example, Jloses ben Solomon of Salerno; and his work was an important factor in bringing the Jews of Italy into close contact with their Christian fellow students.
The
"
Malmad." owing
came, despite
its
to its
deep ethical
vein, be-
Maimonistic heresies, a very pop-
idar book.
It is
rather as a translator
Anatolio that Anatolio deserves a distin,!:uished a Tranala- pla<e in the scientific realm; for it is tor.
opened
to
and Michael Scot who together, under the inlluence of Frederick II., the western world the treasure-house of lie
. atidio, in fact, was the first to lianslale the commentaries of .VvernHS into Hebrew, thus opening a new era in the history of .ristolelian philosophy. Prior to translating .Vverroes' commentaries. Anatolio had occupieil himself with the translation of astronomical treatises liy the
Andiic learning,
man
others; but at the instance of turned his attention to logic and the speculative works, nalizing and reccuitmcnding tlio
same writer and friends
In-
