the first three of which contain religious rules of conduct regarding the various meals, while the fourth chapter treats of the banquet of the righteous in the world to come.
ters,
A
fourth work of Bahya, edited by M. Homburg under the title of " Soba' Semahot " (Fulness of Joy), as being a commentary on Job, is, according to B. Bernstein, in " Magazin fur die Wissenschaft des Judenthums," xviii. 41, nothing but a compilation of the two last-mentioned works of Bahya. A fifth work written by Bahya under the title of " Hoshen ha-Mishpat " (Breastplate of Judgment), to which reference is once made in his commentary as a book in which he dwelt at greater length on the nature and the degrees of prophecy, has been lost.
Another cabalistic-exegetical work by Bahya under the title " Sefer ha-Emuna weha-Bittahon " (Book on Belief and Trust), edited first in a collection, " Arze Lebanon," Venice, 1601, only the first chapter of which justifies the title, while the following twentyfive chapters treat of the name of God, prayer, the benedictions at meals, the Patriarchs and the Twelve Tribes, has also been erroneously ascribed by the copyists to Moses ben Nahman (see Perles,"Monatsvii. 93; Steinschneider, "Cat. Bodl." col. 1964; Jellinek,"Beitrage z. Kabbala," i. 40 et acq.), but has
sch."
been shown by Reifmann("Ha-Maggid,"1861,p. 222) and Bernstein (I.e. 34) to have all the characteristics of Bahya's method and style, and appears to be older than his commentary. Bahya's works possess especial value both for the student of Jewish literature, owing to the author's copious and extensive quotations from Midrashic and exegetical works which have since been lost, and for the student of modern languages on account of the frequent use of words from the vernacular (Arabic, Spanish, and French)
They also contain in explanation of Biblical terms. interesting material for the study of the social life as well as for the history of the Cabala, the demon ology and eschatology of the Jews in Spain, as Bernstein in his instructive article
(I.e.)
has shown.
Bibliography: Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. pp. 777-780; Winter and Wiinsche. Die Jtidixehe Literatur, ii. 331, 43:3-434 B. Bernstein, in Magazin fllr die Wixsenscliaft des Judenthums,
Bahya ben Asher Bahya ben Joseph.
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
447
xviii. (1891), pp. 37-47, 85-115, 16.5-196.
K.
P.
B.-K
BAHYA BEN JOSEPH IBN PAKUDA known as Behay and Bah.ie): Dayyan and philosopher; flourished at Saragossa, Spain, in the He was the aufirst half of the eleventh century. thor of the first Jewish system of ethics, written in Arabic in 1040 under the title " Al Hidayah ila Faraidi al-Kulub " (Guide to the Duties of the Heart), and translated into Hebrew by Judah ibn Tibbon in the years 1161-80 under the title "Hobot ha-Lebabot" Of his life (Instruction in the Duties of the Heart). nothing is known except that he bore the title of dayyan or judge at the rabbinical court. In com(also
posing the work toward the close of his life, Bahya in the introduction, to supply a great need in Jewish literature, neither the Talmudists nor the philosophical writers having theretofore made any attempt to bring the ethical teachings Bahya found, on the one of Judaism into a system. desired, as he says
hand, the majority of the rabbis paying attention only to the outward observance of the Law, " the
"
duties to be performed by the parts of the body (" hobot ha-ebarim"), without regard to the ideas and sentiments embodied in the 613 laws of Moses, " the duties of the heart " (" hobot ha-leb ") and, on the other hand, the people at large disregarding all duties
incumbent upon them, whether outward observances or moral obligations. Even the stuSystem of dent of the Law was often prompted Ethics. only by selfish and worldly motives.
Bahya
therefore felt impelled to
make
an attempt to present the Jewish faith as being essentially a great spiritual truth founded on Reason, Revelation (the written Law), and Tradition, all stress being at the same time laid on the willingness, and the joyful readiness of the God-loving heart to perform life's duties. An original thinker of high rank, thoroughly familiar with the entire philosophical and scientific Arabic literature, as well as with the rabbinical and philosophical writings of the Jews (of which he gives a valuable synopsis in the introduction), Bahya combined in a rare degree great depth of emotion, a vivid poetic imagination, the power of eloquence, and beauty of diction with a penetrating intellect; and he was therefore well fitted to write a work the main object of which was not to argue about and defend the doctrines of Judaism, but to appeal to the sentiments and to stir and elevate the hearts of the people. He was also broad-minded enough to quote frequently the works of non-Jewish moral phiThe " Hobot losophers, which he used as a pattern. ha-Lebabot " was intended to be, and it deservedly became, a popular book among the Jews throughout the world, and parts of it were recited for devotional purposes during the Penitential Days, as is the penitential hymn "Bareki Nafshi," composed by Bahya, which, embodied in the Roman ritual, has found a place also in Einhorn's and Jastrow's liturgies for the Day of Atonement. From the style of his writings and the frequent and apt illustrations he uses, it appears more than probable that Bahya was a preacher of rich expewhile his great personality a soul full of rience the utmost piety coupled with touching humility and a spirit of tolerance shines through every line. Though he quotes Saadia's works frequently, he belongs not to the rationalistic school of the Motazi-
—
—
lites
whom
Saadia follows, but, like his somewhat
younger contemporary, Solomon ibn Gabirol (10211070), is an adherent of Neoplatonic mysticism, often closely imitating the method of the Arabian encyclopedists
known as "the
Brothers of Purity, "as has
shown by Kaufmann, "Die Theologie des Bachya ibn Pakuda," pp. 202-204. Strangely inbeen
Bahya's Neo-
clined to contemplative mysticism and asceticism, Bahya had nevertheless the
common sense to eliminate from his platonism. system every element that might obscure the pure doctrine of Jewish monotheism, or might interfere with the sound, practical teachings of the Mosaic and rabbinical law. He wanted to present a religious system at once lofty and pure and in full accord with reason. The many points of contact that Bahya has with Ibn Gabirol and Gazzali (1059-1111) have led Rosin and Bri'ill to assume that Bahya borrowed largely from
