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'''Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Ḥen''' was a Spanish Jewish physician, philosopher, translator, and Hebraist. He flourished about the end of the thirteenth century. He was born either at [[Barcelona]], or at [[Toledo]]. He is sometimes confused with with [[Zerahiah ben Isaac ha-Levi Saladin]], also a translator.
'''Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Ḥen''', also called '''Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Gracian''' or '''Serachja ben Isaac Ben Shealtiel Halevi'''<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/jewishliteratur00steigoog|quote=philosophy.|title=Jewish Literature from the Eighth to the Eighteenth Century: With an Introduction on Talmud and Midrash|last=Steinschneider|first=Moritz|last2=Spottiswoode|first2=William|date=1857|publisher=Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans & Roberts|language=en}}</ref> ([[floruit|fl.]] 1270-1290s) was a Spanish Jewish physician, philosopher, translator, and Hebraist. He flourished about the end of the thirteenth century. He was born either at [[Barcelona]], or at [[Toledo, Spain|Toledo]]. He is sometimes confused with [[Zerahiah ben Isaac ha-Levi Saladin]], also a translator.


==Life==
==Life==
Zerahiah went to Rome about 1277, and wrote all his works there before 1290. In writing to the physician [[Hillel of Verona]], he makes the point that while commenting upon the difficult passages of the ''[[Moreh]]'', he followed the criticisms of [[Naḥmanides]]. It may be inferred from his commentary to the ''[[Book of Job]]'' that Arabic was his native language.
Zerahiah went to Rome about 1277, and wrote all his works there before 1290. In writing to the physician [[Hillel of Verona]], he makes the point that while commenting upon the difficult passages of the ''[[Moreh]]'', he followed the criticisms of [[Naḥmanides]]. It may be inferred from his commentary to the [[Book of Job]] that Arabic was his native language.


==Works==
==Works==
⚫
He wrote a philosophical commentary to the [[Book of Proverbs]], finished November 28, 1288; another to Job,<ref>Available online [https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=7569&st=&pgnum=278 at HebrewBooks.org].</ref> in which he derives many words from the Arabic. Both commentaries were published by Schwarz: the former in "[[Ha-Shaḥar]]" (ii. 65-80, 105-112, 169-176, 209-240, 281-288, 300-314) under the title of "Imre Da'at"; the latter in his "Tiḳwat Enosh" (Berlin, 1868). He wrote also a commentary on difficult, passages of the ''Moreh'' of [[Maimonides]], comparing the work with that of [[Aristotle]].


In his writings such as on the [[Book of Job]] Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Ḥen was one of the Talmudic scholars to identify metaphors following Maimonides.<ref>Robert Eisen [Associate Professor of Religious Studies, George Washington University] ''The Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy'' (2004), p. 120: "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the imagination."</ref>
⚫
He wrote a philosophical commentary to the ''[[Book of Proverbs]]'', finished November 28, 1288; another to Job, in which he derives many words from the Arabic. Both commentaries were published by Schwarz: the former in "Ha-Shaḥar" (ii. 65-80, 105-112, 169-176, 209-240, 281-288, 300-314) under the title of "Imre Da'at"; the latter in his "Tiḳwat Enosh" (Berlin, 1868). He wrote also a commentary on difficult, passages of the ''Moreh'' of [[Maimonides]], comparing the work with that of [[Aristotle]].


Zerahiah was a prolific translator from Arabic into Hebrew of philosophical and medical works. Among his translations are the following:
Zerahiah was a prolific translator from Arabic into Hebrew of philosophical and medical works. Among his translations are the following:
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*"De Cœlo et Mundo" under the title of "Ha-Shamayim weha-'Olam";
*"De Cœlo et Mundo" under the title of "Ha-Shamayim weha-'Olam";
*"De Anima" under the title of "Sefer ha-Nefesh";
*"De Anima" under the title of "Sefer ha-Nefesh";
*"De Causis" under the title of "Ha-Bi'ur ha-Ṭob ha-Gamur";
*"[[Liber de Causis]]" under the title of "Ha-Bi'ur ha-Ṭob ha-Gamur";
*[[Averroes]]'s Middle Commentaries to Aristotle's "Physics," "Metaphysics," and "De Cœlo et Mundo," and the commentary of Themistius to the last-named work;
*[[Averroes]]'s Middle Commentaries to Aristotle's "Physics," "Metaphysics," and "De Cœlo et Mundo," and the commentary of Themistius to the last-named work;
*The first two books of Avicenna's "Canon";
*The first two books of Avicenna's "Canon";
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Zerahiah's translations were mostly made for [[Shabbethai ben Solomon]] in 1284.
Zerahiah's translations were mostly made for [[Shabbethai ben Solomon]] in 1284.


== References of Jewish Encyclopedia ==
==References==
{{JewishEncyclopedia|title=GRACIAN, Zerahiah Ben Isaac Ben Shealtiel (Ḥen)|author1=Richard Gottheil|author2= M. Seligsohn|volume6|page=93}}
⚫
* [[Moritz Steinschneider]], ''[[Hebr. Uebers.]]'' pp. 111-114, 125, 146, 160, 262, 295, 652, 764, 765;
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography listed in Jewish Encyclopedia ==
⚫
* [[Moritz Steinschneider]], ''[[Hebr. Uebers.]]'' pp.&nbsp;111–114, 125, 146, 160, 262, 295, 652, 764, 765;
** ''[[idem]]'', ''[[Hebr. Bibl.]]'' iv. 125, viii. 89, x. 50, xi. 42, 91, 136, xii. 43, 47, xvi. 86;
** ''[[idem]]'', ''[[Hebr. Bibl.]]'' iv. 125, viii. 89, x. 50, xi. 42, 91, 136, xii. 43, 47, xvi. 86;
* [[Leopold Zunz]], ''[[G. S.]]'' iii. 269;
* [[Leopold Zunz]], ''[[G. S.]]'' iii. 269;
Line 32: Line 37:
* [[Samuel David Luzzatto]], ''[[Oẓar Neḥmad]]'', ii. 229-245, iii. 109-111;
* [[Samuel David Luzzatto]], ''[[Oẓar Neḥmad]]'', ii. 229-245, iii. 109-111;
* [[Abraham Geiger]], in Jüd. Zeit. vii. 149;
* [[Abraham Geiger]], in Jüd. Zeit. vii. 149;
* [[Carmoly]], ''[[Revue Orientale]]'', i. 443-445;
* [[Eliakim Carmoly|Carmoly]], ''[[Revue Orientale]]'', i. 443-445;
* [[Michael]], ''[[Or ha-Ḥayyim]]'', p. 370;
* [[Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim]] (Heimann Joseph Michael), p.&nbsp;370;
* [[Fuenn]], ''[[Keneset Yisrael]]'', pp. 337, 338
* [[Samuel Joseph Fuenn|Fuenn]], ''[[Keneset Yisrael]]'', pp.&nbsp;337, 338

⚫
==External links==
⚫
* [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=405&letter=G ''Jewish Encyclopedia'' (1901−1906), "G". Online version by the Kopelman Foundation]



{{authority control}}
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==External link==
⚫
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=405&letter=G]
{{JewishEncyclopedia}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Hen, Zerahiah ben Shealtiel}}
⚫
[[Category:13th century people]]
[[Category:Spanish Jews]]
[[Category:Medieval Jewish physicians of Spain]]
[[Category:Spanish physicians]]
[[Category:Arabic–Hebrew translators]]
[[Category:Medieval Jewish philosophers]]
[[Category:Medieval Hebraists]]
[[Category:13th-century Catalan Jews]]
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[[Category:13th-century Catalan people]]

Latest revision as of 06:08, 6 March 2024

Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Ḥen, also called Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Gracian or Serachja ben Isaac Ben Shealtiel Halevi[1] (fl. 1270-1290s) was a Spanish Jewish physician, philosopher, translator, and Hebraist. He flourished about the end of the thirteenth century. He was born either at Barcelona, or at Toledo. He is sometimes confused with Zerahiah ben Isaac ha-Levi Saladin, also a translator.

Life

[edit]

Zerahiah went to Rome about 1277, and wrote all his works there before 1290. In writing to the physician Hillel of Verona, he makes the point that while commenting upon the difficult passages of the Moreh, he followed the criticisms of Naḥmanides. It may be inferred from his commentary to the Book of Job that Arabic was his native language.

Works

[edit]

He wrote a philosophical commentary to the Book of Proverbs, finished November 28, 1288; another to Job,[2] in which he derives many words from the Arabic. Both commentaries were published by Schwarz: the former in "Ha-Shaḥar" (ii. 65-80, 105-112, 169-176, 209-240, 281-288, 300-314) under the title of "Imre Da'at"; the latter in his "Tiḳwat Enosh" (Berlin, 1868). He wrote also a commentary on difficult, passages of the Moreh of Maimonides, comparing the work with that of Aristotle.

In his writings such as on the Book of Job Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Ḥen was one of the Talmudic scholars to identify metaphors following Maimonides.[3]

Zerahiah was a prolific translator from Arabic into Hebrew of philosophical and medical works. Among his translations are the following:

  • Aristotle's "Physics" under the Hebrew title "Sefer ha-Ṭeba'";
  • "Metaphysics" under the title of "Mah she-Aḥar ha-Teba'";
  • "De Cœlo et Mundo" under the title of "Ha-Shamayim weha-'Olam";
  • "De Anima" under the title of "Sefer ha-Nefesh";
  • "Liber de Causis" under the title of "Ha-Bi'ur ha-Ṭob ha-Gamur";
  • Averroes's Middle Commentaries to Aristotle's "Physics," "Metaphysics," and "De Cœlo et Mundo," and the commentary of Themistius to the last-named work;
  • The first two books of Avicenna's "Canon";
  • Al-Farabi's "Risalah fl Mahiyyat al-Nafs" (Treatise on the Substance of the Soul), the Hebrew title of which is "Ma'mar be-Mahut ha-Nefesh" (published by Edelmann in his "Ḥemdah Genuzah," Königsberg, 1856);
  • A medical work of Galen under the title of "Sefer he-Ḥola'im weha-Miḳrim" (The Book of Diseases and Accidents), from the Arabic of Ḥunain ibn Isḥaḳ;
  • Three chapters of Galen's Καταγενή, with the same title in Hebrew characters;
  • Maimonides's treatise on sexual intercourse ("Fial-Jima'");
  • The "Aphorisms" of Maimonides ("Fuṣul Musa"), terminated at Rome in 1277.

Zerahiah's translations were mostly made for Shabbethai ben Solomon in 1284.

References

[edit]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Richard Gottheil; M. Seligsohn (1901–1906). "GRACIAN, Zerahiah Ben Isaac Ben Shealtiel (Ḥen)". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 93.

  1. ^ Steinschneider, Moritz; Spottiswoode, William (1857). Jewish Literature from the Eighth to the Eighteenth Century: With an Introduction on Talmud and Midrash. Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans & Roberts. philosophy.
  2. ^ Available online at HebrewBooks.org.
  3. ^ Robert Eisen [Associate Professor of Religious Studies, George Washington University] The Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy (2004), p. 120: "Moreover, Zerahfiiah gives us insight into the parallel between the Garden of Eden story and the Job story alluded to ... both Satan and Job's wife are metaphors for the evil inclination, a motif Zerahfiiah seems to identify with the imagination."

Bibliography listed in Jewish Encyclopedia

[edit]
[edit]


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