Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Medieval Judaism'

Nos estudos sobre as cidades islâmicas, poucos são os que tratam dos edifícios que pertencem a outros grupos confessionais que não o dos muçulmanos, no sentido de analisá-los como agentes na evolução da configuração urbana das cidades que estiveram sob governo islâmico. Os estudos existentes sobre esses edifícios seguem sempre uma orientação em analisá-los dentro de seus próprios elementos, ou seja, um edifício cristão ou judaico dentro do seu próprio contexto que é o de servir a sua própria comunidade confessional. A tese mostra que a sinagoga é um elemento que também constrói e participa da dinâmica da cidade, e seu estudo auxilia tanto na compreensão da urbe árabe-islâmica, como também no entendimento da dinâmica da sociedade entre os séculos X-XIII. Ao analisar a Sinagoga de Ben Ezrá localizada no Cairo portanto no contexto da cidade islâmica e não apenas sob seus aspectos estéticos ou estilísticos, busca entender como o edifício dialoga com a cidade no sentido da construção de suas territorialidades. E também, no sentido inverso: como a cidade e um tipo de linguagem islâmica dialogam com o edifício judaico. A grande extensão geográfica conquistada pelo Islã produziu uma multiplicidade de formas e empréstimos e, ao mesmo tempo, devido à facilidade de ir e vir das pessoas e as novas conquistas, forjou-se uma certa unificação na linguagem. As trocas e as assimilações não só foram e são inevitáveis, como fazem parte das relações e convívio entre os grupos em qualquer momento. A Sinagoga de Ben Ezrá foi desde a sua fundação, um elemento organizador do espaço urbano ao seu redor, organizador da distribuição dos habitantes ligados à comunidade judaica, não apenas da comunidade rabínica da palestina mas das outras comunidades judaicas babilônica e caraíta, entre os séculos X ao XIII. E desempenhou um papel de articulador de multiterritorialidades. Esta análise vem ampliar o conhecimento acerca desse edifício, e principalmente, das relações entre as comunidades judaica, islâmica e cristã entre a conquista fatímida do Egito (969 E.C.) e o fim da dinastia aiúbida (1254 E.C.)
In studies of Islamic cities, there are few that deal with buildings that belong to other faith groups other than Muslims, in the sense of analyzing them as agents in the evolution of the urban configuration of the cities that were under Islamic government. The existing studies about these buildings always follows the line of analyzing them inside their own elements, in other words, a Christian or Jewish building within their own context, which is to serve its own confessional community. The thesis shows that the synagogue is an element that also builds and participates in the dynamics of the city, and its study helps both in the comprehension of the Arab-Islamic metropolis, but also in understanding the dynamics of society between the X-XIII centuries. By analyzing the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, located just in the context of the Islamic city, not only in its aesthetics or stylistic aspects, aims to understand how the building dialogues with the city in the sense of the construction of its territorialities. And also, in reverse: how the city and a kind of Islamic language dialogue with the Jewish building. The big geographic extension conquered by the Islam produced a multiplicity of forms and loans and, at the same time, due to the facility of coming and going of the people and the new conquests forged a certain unification in the language. The exchanges and the assimilations not only were and are inevitable, as they are part of the relations and living together among the groups at any time. The Ben Ezrá Synagogue was since its foundation, an organizing element of the urban space around, organizer of the distribution of the inhabitants linked to the jewish community not only the rabbinic of Palestine but for others jewish communities babylonic and Karaite, between the X-XIII centuries. And it played a role of articulator of multiterritorialities. This analysis comes to enlarge the knowledge about this building, and mainly, of the relations among the communities Judaic, Islamic and Christian - between the Fatimid conquest of the Egypt (969 e.C.) and the end of the Ayyubid dynasty (1254 E.C)

A atividade massorética surgiu aproximadamente no século VII na Babilônia e chegou ao seu auge por volta do século X, com os trabalhos dos massoretas de Tiberíades, Israel, principalmente com o último massoreta da família Ben Asher, Aarão ben Moisés ben Asher. A tradição tiberiense do ramo Ben Asher, entre outras tradições, nunca conheceu uma forma absolutamente uniforme e fixa que não pudesse apresentar algum tipo de divergência ou contradição, seja na vocalização ou na acentuação. A Massorá também apresentava suas próprias diferenças e contradições. Esta pesquisa pretende analisar notas massoréticas divergentes da Masora Parva nos dez capítulos do livro de Isaías em três textos de tradição Ben Asher: o Códice de Alepo A, o Códice de Leningrado B19a (L) e a Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS). Os dois primeiros são os principais manuscritos massoréticos que seguem a tradição Ben Asher e os mais relacionados entre si e além disso, são frutos da atividade massorética ocorrida nos séculos X e XI. A BHS, a principal edição crítica do texto bíblico hebraico surgida no século XX, é baseada no texto e na Massorá de um dos manuscritos Ben Asher, o Códice L. Ao analisar as diferenças nas notas mencionadas, este estudo pretende discutir a razão das divergências das notas massoréticas e os métodos de composição de tais notas por parte dos dois massoretas responsáveis por cada um dos dois manuscritos mencinados, o Códice A e o Códice L. Será analisada também a forma de composição empregada na Massorá da BHS cujo editor, Gérard E. Weil, teve como objetivo fazer um comentário massorético menos contraditório e mais detalhado. O método adotado por Weil é analisado tendo em vista a prática empregada pelos massoretas por volta dos séculos X e XI.
The masoretic activity appeared in circa VII century in Babylon and its pinnacle was in circa X century, with the works of Tiberias masoretes in Israel, especially with the last of the Ben Asher family, Aaron ben Moses ben Asher. The Tiberian masoretic tradition of the Ben Asher branch, amongst other traditions, never had an exact and uniform pattern that would avoid divergence and contradiction both in the vocalization and the marking with accents. The Masorah itself shows its differences and contratitions. This work aims at analysing divergent masoretic notes from Masora Parva in the first ten chapters of the book of Isaiah in three texts of Ben Asher tradition, namely Alepo Codex A, Leningrad Codex B19a (L) and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS). The first two texts are the most correlated and the main masoretic manuscripts that follow Ben Asher tradition. Furthermore, they are the outcome of the masoretic activity that took place in the X and XI centuries. BHS, the most important critical edition of the Hebrew biblical texts dates from XX century and is based in the text and in the Masorah of one of Ben Asher manuscripts, the Codex L. Analysing the differences in the above-mentioned sources, this work intends to discuss the reasons of the divergences and contraditions in the masoretic notes and the methods of composition of the notes used by two of the main masoretes in charge of the Codex A and the Codex L. The composition of the Masorah of BHS whose editor, Gérard E. Weil, aimed at making a more detailed and less contradictory masoretic commentary will also be analysed. The method adopted by Weil is analysed focusing on the practice of the masoretes in circa X and XI centuries.

La present investigació se centra en els practicants de medicina jueus de la Barcelona del segle XIV. Aquests, físics i cirurgians en la seva majoria, van haver de fer front a un context social que anà canviant al llarg del segle, cada vegada més medicalitzat i amb una nova legislació. Degut a que estudis anteriors havien idealitzat la figura del metge jueu, s’ha fet una molt necessària revisió de la bibliografia i un nou anàlisi de la documentació ja coneguda (a més d’afegir-ne de desconeguda). De la mateixa manera, s’ha volgut comprovar i ampliar la informació que tenim sobre el Call jueu de Barcelona, per tal de comptar amb un context ben definit on emmarcar els nostres objectes d’estudi. Una de les principals tasques ha estat la de recopilar un llistat dels principals practicants d’aquest període, constatant que el seu nombre era relativament inferior al que s’havia dit fins ara. Gràcies a la dita recopilació, s’han pogut analitzar les diferències entre les diferents professions mèdiques, els canvis dins d’aquestes al llarg del segle, i les diferències entre classes socials i gènere. També s’ha analitzat tot allò que conformava a un metge jueu, des de la seva formació, fins la influència de la religió, passant pels diferents esdeveniments històrics que l’afectaren, com per exemple la Pesta Negra. D’aquesta manera, s’ha buscat entendre aquests metges com personatges funcionant dins d’una societat complexa i no al marge d’aquesta. La creació de noves lleis que regulaven l’exercici de la medicina va ser el punt d’inflexió d’aquests practicants. Degut a la nova legislació, i per tal de legitimitzar la seva pràctica, van haver de passar examinacions per aconseguir permís per exercir. Aquestes llicències mèdiques, que podien ser reials, episcopals o municipals, ens donen una informació molt valuosa sobre aquests practicants. Dins del Call trobem també altres formes assistencials, relacionades indirectament amb la medicina, com són l’Almoina i l’hospital jueus. Tot i les poques evidències documentals, s’ha pogut constatar la seva existència i l’àmplia xarxa de propietats amb la que es finançaven. Finalment, s’ha volgut aportar les transcripcions de documentació llatina que fins ara romania inèdita, i que ajuden a recuperar part del llegat dels jueus medievals catalans.
The present dissertation is focused in the Jewish Medical practitioners of the city of Barcelona in the 14th century. These practitioners had to face a changing social context with a new legislation that medicalized the 14ht-century society. Previous studies had idealized these practitioners and it was necessary to review thoroughly both the bibliography and the sources. Thanks to this research we were able to make new statistics of our subjects of study, corroborating an inferior number than it was expected. Moreover, we could analyze the different patterns of the profession along the century, focusing in things such as social status or gender. The creation of medical licensing was a turning point for the practitioners that were forced to be examined if they were to continue practicing. The analysis of these licenses provide us with important information of their context and the obstacles they had to overcome. Another main subject of this dissertation is the Jewish hospital and the assistance in the Jewish quarter. Although it has been proven difficult to supply documentary evidence, we have been able to confirm its existence and their assistance mechanisms. Additionally, we have provided an updated list of all those physicians, surgeons, apothecaries and midwives that were active in the city along the century. Transcriptions of unpublished documents relevant to the research are also provided.

It should be noted that comparative religion to a large extent still remains an under developed field in Western academia even to this day. We find that today there are a great number of works and esteemed writers who have written a great deal on the respective faiths in quite detail. However, by the same virtue, we find that works, journals and indeed articles on the facets of comparative religion are in short supply and it can be said that demand for such treatises/discussions exceeds supply in the world of academia. My reasons for conducting a study of the main facets of the Abrahamic faiths stems from a desire to encourage and bring advances in the field of comparative religion. I believe studies in comparative religion have the ability to stimulate discussion and advance research with the main aim of fostering dialogue and mutual respect between the faiths. It is essential that the children of tomorrow see a bright future where mutual respect, tolerance and understanding is the order of the day rather than witnessing an environment dominated by suspicion, conflict and contempt based on misunderstandings. This thesis is unique in many ways more than one that will come apparent in due course. Firstly, this work marks a first from the point of view in which the main tenets of faith found in the Old, New Testament and the Qur'an are explored in extensive detail with the aim of highlighting similarities and indeed differences that in the main centre upon doctrinal issues. Recent modern scholarship has tended to discuss and criticise doctrinal points with little emphasis being placed on comparative elements. Secondly, if one conducts a literature review of works on the Abrahamic faiths, it is not surprising to find writers and commentators have solely concentrated on doctrines pertaining on solely one faith. It seems many in the academic world have shied away from conducting a comparative study of the doctrines found in the Abrahamic faiths. At this point, I shall make it clear that I have deliberately chosen to ignore faiths, such as Hinduism and Sikh ism not through ignorance, but primarily due to constraints placed by the thesis, as well as the fact that these great faiths do not share a common denominator witnessed in the form of Abraham, who undoubtedly is the father of the three monotheistic faiths namely, Judaism, Christianity, and last but not least Islam. One might at this point be inclined to ask why conduct such a study involving medieval and modern concepts of creation within a scriptural context. I am of the view that such a study was required for a number of reasons that I shall outline in due course. Recent modern scholarship in the last fifty years has tended to focus upon the medieval concepts of creation and emanation in Judeo-Christian and Islamic philosophy and theology and as a result we find a plethora of treatises and works devoted to the above subjects. For example, writers such as Herbert Davison and Harry Austyn Wolfson as well as other academics devoted a great deal of time and energy in giving us access to knowledge about theology and philosophy that was previously only available to those who had a mastery of the Greek and Arabic language. Despite this significant contribution made by the aforementioned scholars, we find that the heirs to Wolfson and Davison have not emerged in the world of Western academia that are prepared to explore the new relationship between religion and modern science in the 21st century. As a consequence, a research gap has emerged that is crying out to be filled and currently we have a situation where little attention and focus has been placed on the works of modern scholars exploring the relationship between modern science and the theological interpretations concerning the existence of God and humankind for that matter. Part one of the thesis compares the main tenets of faith found in the three scriptures mentioned earlier. The scriptures repeatedly refer to the themes of monotheism, stories of the prophets and eschatology, as well as the purpose and significance of creation. The Qur'anic scripture discusses the above themes throughout the 114 chapters. The Old Testament and New Testament also refer to the above themes. Part two of the thesis takes a detailed look at the concept of creation in the Abrahamic faiths with particular emphasis being placed on its evolution from the medieval period to the present day. It should be noted that the Old Testament devotes a single chapter to the subject of creation widely known as the Book of Genesis, but the Qur'an does not do so with the exception that there are several references in various verses throughout the scripture that pay attention to this subject. The New Testament again like the Qur'an does not provide a detailed discussion concerning the merits of creation.

The subject of this thesis is Jewish conversion to Christianity in medieval England. The majority of the material covered dates between 1066 and c.1290. The overall argument of the thesis contends that converts to Christianity in England remained essentially Jews. Following a discussion of the relevant secondary literature, which examines the existing discussion of converts and conversion, the principal arguments contained in the chapters of the thesis include the assertion that the increasing restrictiveness of the laws and rules regulating the Jewish community in England created a push factor towards conversion, and that converts to Christianity inhabited a legal grey area, neither under the jurisdiction of the Exchequer of the Jews, nor completely outside of it. Numerous questions are asked (and answered) about the variety of convert experience, in order to argue that there was a distinction between leaving Judaism and joining Christianity. Two convert biographies are presented. The first shows how the liminality that was a part of the conversion process affected the post-conversion life of a convert, and the second shows how a convert might successfully integrate into Christian society. The analysis of converts and conversion focusses on answering a number of questions. These relate to, among other things, pre-conversion relationships with royal family members, the reaction to corrody requests for converts, motives for conversion, forced or coerced conversions, the idea that a convert could be neither Christian nor Jew, converts re-joining Judaism, converts who carried the names of royal functionaries, the domus conversorum, convert instruction, and converting minors. The appendix to the thesis contains a complete catalogue of Jewish converts in medieval England. Among other things noted therein are inter-convert relationships, and extant source material. Each convert also has a biography.

This thesis focuses on two issues among the many comprising the broad subject of the relationship between Jews and non-Jews according to Jewish law. The issues are: (1) the prohibition against selling real estate in the land of Israel to non-Jews; and (2) the prohibition against intermarriage.
The prohibition against selling real estate in the land of Israel to non-Jews is based upon a Rabbinic interpretation of the phrase "lo Tehanem" from Deut. 7:2. In the period of the "Rishonim" (from Maimonides till Radbaz) the general view was that this prohibition was still in force and applied to contemporary non-Jews. From the beginning of the modern era, however, this prohibition, as a result of the new reality facing the struggling Jewish settlement in the land of Israel, became problematic.
The prohibition against intermarriage underwent a reverse development. During the Talmudic period most of the Rabbis, guided by the context of the Biblical text, argued that the Biblical prohibition only concerned the "Seven Nations" who used to live in Canaan at the time of the conquest and the settlement. But at the beginning of the modern era a rabbinic consensus gradually emerged that this Biblical prohibition related not only to the "Seven Nations" or "Ancient Pagans", but to all non-Jews at all times. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This thesis aims to provide a critique of the conclusions of Gershom Scholem regarding the potential for ‘Gnostic’-Kabbalistic filiation, and to establish whether, in light of the available evidence, Scholem’s arguments (which have yet, to my mind, to be sufficiently challenged) can be reasonably supported. I strive to offer an arguably clearer definition of the relevant taxonomic terms than is often presented in scholarly analyses of this question, whilst also arguing for the applicability to this debate of certain pertinent methodological approaches drawn from the wider school of comparative mythology. As such, I also attempt to establish a clear methodology for judging the probability of the genetic descent of one ‘system’ from another, viz. that perhaps the most logical method for assessing potential similarities between different ‘systems’ is to assume in the first instance that all correspondences identified are essentially coincidental, dismissing this assumption only if one can identify a high level of exactness in these comparisons (such as would render pure coincidence relatively improbable) and/or establish a secure chain of transmission between two sources, a chain which renders the transmission of ideas not only possible but indeed probable. Applying this methodology to certain potential routes by which second century ‘Gnostic’ thought might have been transmitted to the origin point of the medieval Kabbalah, I attempt both to demonstrate the wider applicability of such a methodology beyond the narrow question of ‘Gnostic’-Kabbalistic relationships, and to illustrate the serious difficulties with advancing any of these potential routes as a reliable source for the transmission of ‘Gnostic’ ideas to the Kabbalah. Rather, I argue that it may be more logically defensible, in the absence of clear source evidence, to ascribe such correspondences as are located purely to coincidence, albeit a coincidence perhaps somewhat tempered by certain observations regarding the relative ubiquity of certain concepts and modes of thought.

El patrimoni medieval jueu català, inexistent en el currículum escolar, és una assignatura pendent a les escoles del país, i a la didàctica del patrimoni. Proposem en aquesta recerca un model didàctic per a la seva transmissió entre l’alumnat de primària. Els manuscrits il·luminats són uns mitjans idonis per la transmissió del patrimoni intangible del període en el qual han estat concebuts, com intentem demostrar amb l’exemple dels Beatus de Girona i la cultura mossàrab. I en aquest sentit, disposem d’unes fonts primàries úniques que podrien ser emprades per la didàctica del patrimoni tangible i intangible hebreu català: la col·lecció de manuscrits il·luminats jueus dissenyats per la celebració de la pasqua hebrea, confeccionats en terres catalanes, els quals són un clar exemple per una banda de la vocació didàctica dels manuscrits il·luminats, com també de les possibilitats que ofereix el seu ús per al coneixement d’una cultura i d’una època. L’avantatge afegit de l’ús de les haggadot catalanes per la didàctica de la història hebrea-catalana és que ens venen a omplir el buit documental i arqueològic provocat per la destrucció i la fragmentació del patrimoni jueu a la nostra terra, a través d’un cicle visual que ens aporta una panoràmica única dels calls catalans. No obstant topem amb greus dificultats alhora d’emprar aquest llegat a l’aula de primària. El desconeixement del patrimoni jueu català i de la cultura jueva en general i la ignorància general en cultura religiosa dóna una imatge inintel·ligible d’aquest patrimoni. I per altra banda, cal destacar les dificultats de treballar amb fonts primàries: ni la llengua hebrea, ni el llenguatge ni l’escriptura medievals no són comprensibles per al públic escolar actual, fet que provocaria la necessitat de crear una edició adaptada de les haggadot de Pessah. I finalment la iconografia antiga genera una incomprensió total entre el públic escolar: les imatges també han de ser explicades i adaptades. Així doncs, després d’analitzar el potencial didàctic del cicle visual dels manuscrits il·luminats a partir del Beatus de Girona, establim les bases teòriques d’un model per a la transmissió del patrimoni jueu català: explorem les estratègies d’ensenyament de les ciències socials, i investiguem el conte i la imatge com a eines didàctiques que estaran a la base del nostre projecte. Iniciem la confecció del model didàctic amb una anàlisi prèvia de les haggadot catalanes, centrada en la transmissió del patrimoni medieval jueu català, que ens marca assenyala els diferents temes que hauran de sortir en el nostre projecte, com la seva articulació visual. Seguidament posem les bases del nou model basat en la didàctica de la imatge i del conte, delimitant-ne els objectius i determinant-ne els continguts, per finalment passar a la seva descripció textual i visual. Finalment experimentem el model creat i l’avaluem mitjançant tècniques grupals de grups de discussió o focus group. Gràcies als resultat dels diferents grups de discussió han estat validat els objectius de la recerca, mentre s’han aportat indicacions molt valuoses per tal de millorar el model creat: s’ha evidenciat de que el model, tot i essent adequat als propòsits que s’han marcat, ha de ser ampliat i completat per tal d’augmentar-ne l’abast i proporcionar eines per al seu treball a l’aula Gràcies a la nostra recerca podem afirmar finalment que el patrimoni medieval jueu català contribueix a posar en valor la diversitat cultural de la ciutat, i que la seva inclusió a l’aula de primària és una ocasió única per conèixer el passat de la ciutat, i per realitzar una pedagogia intensiva de la diversitat i del dret a la diferència, fet que fa que el nostre model pugui anar més enllà de la didàctica del patrimoni per establir-se com a eina per al creixement de l’alumnat en sentit crític i en valors ètics.
Medieval Hebrew-Catalan Heritage, not represented in school curricula, is a pending issue in our schools and in heritage education. We set forth in this study a teaching model for its transmission among Elementary School pupils, based on the collection of Medieval Hebrew-Catalan illuminated manuscripts. Illuminated manuscripts are key elements for intangible assets transmission from the period in which they were conceived, as we pretend to have demonstrated through the example of Gerona Beatus and Mozarabic culture. In this respect, we have at our disposal unique primary sources that could be used for Hebrew- Catalan tangible and intangible heritage teaching: the made in Catalonia collection of illuminated manuscripts designed to Jew Passover celebration, which are an example of the educational vocation of illuminated manuscripts, as well as of the opportunity of its use for understanding a culture and a special period. An added advantage in using the Catalan Haggadot for Hebrew-Catalan history teaching is the possibility to fill the gap in archaeological rests and documentation caused by the destruction and fragmentation of the Jewish Heritage in our territories, providing us a visual view of Catalan medieval ghettos. We run however into serious difficulties while using this legacy in Elementary School. Ignorance about Catalan Jewish heritage and about general Jewish culture, as shared unawareness about general religious principles as well, gives a confusing image of Catalan Jewish heritage. And secondly, the difficulties of working with primary sources should be noted. Neither the Hebrew language nor the medieval writing are understandable by today’s common elementary pupils, which should provoke the need for an adapted edition of the Haggadot of Pessah. But moreover, ancient iconography generates a total lack of understanding among elementary students as well: old images must be explained and adapted. For these reasons, in our research, after analyzing the educational possibilities of the illuminations of the Gerona Beatus, we establish the bases to didactic model conceived to Catalan Jewish heritage transmission. In this sense, we explore social sciences teaching strategies, and we also investigate tales and images as educational tools, understanding them as the basis of our project. In order to develop our teaching model, we start with a preliminary analysis of the Catalan Haggadot, focused on transmission of Jewish Catalan Medieval heritage, which sets the guidelines of the different issues that have to be represented in our project, as well of its visual features. We lay the foundations of a new educational model based on a tale and on images, defining its main target and determining its contents, and we eventually report its visual and textual description. We finally proceed to the experimentation on the educational model and its assessment, conducted by means of focus group. Thanks to the results of different discussion groups, the research’s targets have been validated, while valuable indications have been provided to improve the created model: it has been shown that the model, despite being suitable for the purposes that have been defined, must be completed and extended to increase its scope and to provide tools for classroom work. Through our research we can eventually conclude that Catalan Jewish heritage helps to highlight the city cultural diversity, and we can note its inclusion in elementary classroom as an unique opportunity to discover the past of the city, and to perform an intensive teaching of diversity and the right to difference, which should make our model going beyond the teaching of heritage to establish itself as a tool for the growth of students in critical and ethical values.

This thesis investigates whether beliefs acquired by way of prophecy are safe. By ‘prophecy’ I have in mind the presentation of the prophetic method as found in the Guide of the Perplexed, which was Moses Maimonides’ philosophical masterpiece. And by ‘safe’ I have in mind the work by Timothy Williamson on the safety condition for knowledge. Both authors have proven to be dominant forces on these respective topics. The significance of this investigation derives from the centrality of prophecy to the three monotheistic religions. My main goal in this thesis is to identify those safety risks associated with the prophetic method. In this manner I aim to undermine any presumption in favor of prophetic beliefs as a whole being safe. Importantly, this general conclusion does not entail of a specific prophetic belief p that p is unsafe. Additionally, the scope of these results is restricted to the model of prophecy found in the Guide. The thesis begins with a critical elucidation of Williamson’s extensive work on the safety condition for knowledge. Particular attention is paid to those issues related to method individuation and Williamson’s cumulative conception of bases. Matters concerning these two topics inform the reading of Maimonides on prophecy found in the second chapter. In particular, I argue that Maimonides should be read as defending a cumulative conception of prophecy. As I emphasize several times during the chapter, the epistemology of prophecy cannot be reduced to the epistemology of testimony since prophecy for Maimonides does not involve the transfer of a proposition from God to the prophet. The third chapter is devoted to identifying those elements of the prophetic method that involve room for error. I argue that while all belief-forming methods in a fallibilist epistemology contain room for error, some are riskier than others. Prophecy should be considered one of the riskier sort. The fourth and final chapter shifts attention to non-standard semantics for ‘knows,’ David Lewis’s in particular. I argue that the interaction between such semantics and the laws governing prophecy in Jewish law is problematic. In particular, I demonstrate that such semantics destabilize the prophetic phenomenon. As such, we must either choose invariantism and gain stability, or choose non-standard semantics for ‘knows’ and live with this lack of stability.

This research project explores an area which had been touched only tangentially, being a comparative analysis of the idea and interpretations of friendship which emerge from the three vernacular collections attributed to the supervision of King Alfonso X of Castile (1252-1284): namely the Marian songs Cantigas de Santa María, the law code known as the Siete Partidas and the chronicle Estoria de España. These sources have been examined by adopting a thematic approach which has highlighted the existence of categories such as spiritual, religious and political friendships, as well as other forms of amicable relationships, including those between representatives of different religious, ethnic and social groups. Additionally, this study demonstrates that there was a conscious adoption of a specific lexicon of amicitia which contributed to reinforce either the opposition or the coincidence between friendship, companionship and counsellorship. Despite the undeniable inheritance of both classical eastern and western traditions, the works of the ‘Learned’ King present a peculiar idea of friendship which was deeply affected by contemporary historical contingencies and by the political and cultural projects of a sovereign who wanted to be regarded as a friend of his people, without denying, however, the unbridgeable gap which existed between different social groups. Interestingly, even if the Alfonsine works display a complicated range of relationships which envisage clear differences, they still outline a perfectly-balanced system within which the general and untouchable rules of friendship predominated, although in some cases certain variants were allowed in order to adapt such general requirements to contemporary social and political situations.

This dissertation explores the close literary, thematic and linguistic relationships between The Hebrew Chronicles of the First Crusade and the later pietistic text Sefer Hasidim. Despite a long-standing tendency to view the Jewish martyrdom of 1096 and the development of German pietism (Hasidut Ashkenaz) as unrelated. upon closer scrutiny, we find strong ties between the two texts. Sefer Hasidim, the most well-known pietistic text, contains dozens of martyrological stories and references that share similar language, themes and contexts as the crusade chronicles. Indeed, rather than standing alone, and unrelated to the first crusade literature, we find tales of martyrdom that closely resemble those in the first crusade narratives. Sefer Hasidim also contains numerous statements that indicate the primacy of martyrdom within the hierarchy of the pietistic belief system, while other martyrological references function as prooftext for the traditional pietistic themes distilled by Ivan Marcus and Haym Soloveitchik. The extent to which martyrological themes are integrated into the belief system articulated in Sefer Hasidim indicates that the martyrdom of the First Crusade should be viewed as formative to the development of Hasidut Ashkenaz. A close reading of Sefer Hasidim conclusively demonstrates this premise. Moreover, a similar analysis of the crusade chronicles reveals a wide range of martyrological tales described in quintessential pietistic terms; expressions of the will of God, the fear of God. and the pietistic preference for life in the hereafter, are found throughout the martyrological text.

When reading these two diverse texts side by side, we find substantive elements of a common world view spanning the period of the first crusade through the appearance of Sefer Hasidim. This allows us to understand each text through a new lens; the crusade chronicles now appear to be an early articulation of pietistic thought, while the later pietistic text now reads in part as a martyrological document of great significance.

This thesis looks at a number of Jakob Wassermann’s novels and the ways in which society is depicted in them. Seen as a whole, Wassermann’s oeuvre can therefore be understood as an attempt to portray (mostly) German society at different historical stages. The periods in question are Biedermeier Germany, the Wilhelmine era, the years of the Great War and finally the Weimar Republic, the depiction of all of which reveal Wassermann as a fierce critic of his time. In addition to this interest in society, this thesis will examine Wassermann’s concern with various outsider figures which complement his portrayals of society. The outsider figures Wassermann seems to be mostly interested in are the Jew, the woman, the child and the homosexual man. However, Wassermann is not just interested in these outsiders on their own but also draws extensive parallels between the various forms of exclusion they experience in a society dominated by the Gentile man or, as in the case of the child, by the adult. These parallels have proven to be revelatory and have led to new insights into Wassermann’s works. The dynamic of the outsider vs. society is, however, in many ways no longer applicable to those novels written during and after the Great War. Instead Wassermann now combines his interest in the figure of the outsider with an interest in the depiction of character. At the same time character becomes a mirror not only for the society Wassermann portrays in his writing but also for the society he lived in. This makes for an altogether more complex but also more intriguing structure of his later writing. This thesis will examine how all these different elements when combined offer new ways of looking at Wassermann’s writing.

Ibn Jumay''s (d. c. 594/1198) commentary on the Canon of Medicine by Ibn Sīnā (d. 428/1037) occupies an important place in the history of medicine for it is the first Canon commentary written by a physician and thus stands at the start of a tradition extending over 500 years. In addition, it is a so-far neglected source for our understanding of mediaeval Islamic medicine. The present thesis analyses the commentary with the aims of (1) determining the methods by which the court physician composed his treatise and (2) understanding why Ibn Jumay' undertook to prepare a commentary on one of the most thorough medical compendia of the middle ages. Chapter One presents the biography of Ibn Jumay', reveals that his religion had little impact on his writings and surveys his library which played a pivotal role in the composition of the commentary. Chapter Two investigates Ibn Jumay''s methodology in the entire commentary; it reveals that with his philological and source-critical methods Ibn Jumay' wanted to establish an authoritative reading of the Canon and to demonstrate the high degree of his erudition. Chapter Three focuses on selected passages in the commentary in form of three case studies. Ibn Jumay''s comments on anatomy/dissection, assorted materia medica and headaches demonstrate the court physician’s reverence for ancient authorities and his quest to revive and refine their teachings. Chapter Four contextualises Ibn Jumay''s methods and agenda by comparing them to those of other relevant scholars of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The thesis concludes by arguing that Ibn Jumay''s commentary was part of his revival of the art of medicine and his attempt to gain power in the medical tradition by attaching his name to one of the greatest scholars of his time — the ra'īs Ibn Sīnā.

Propomos uma leitura da Corte Imperial, obra portuguesa anônima de polêmica religiosa, escrita no século XV. Os judeus ali são apresentados como feios, demasiadamente falantes, sendo desqualificados e reduzidos ao silêncio. A obra coincide com a promulgação de leis anti-semitas em Portugal e com o fim da convivência inter-religiosa na Península Ibérica. A Corte Imperial segue as regras da retórica clássica para convencer seus leitores das verdades cristãs, com argumentos baseados na razão, nas Santas Escrituras, em várias obras teológicas e nas características morais e físicas dos participantes no debate, pois conforme a estética moral, o belo, o bem e a verdade são atributos divinos.
Propose a reading of the Corte Imperial, anonymous portuguese work’s religious controversy, writing in the 15th century. The jews in its, are introducing as ugly, too much talkatives, being disqualifies and reducing to silence.The book coincide with the promulgate of anti-Jews laws in Portugal and with the end of the familiarity inter-religious in the Iberian Peninsula. The Corte Imperial follow the retorical classic rules for convince its reader of the christian trues, with arguments based in the reason, Holly Scriptures, several theologics works, moral and physics characteristics of debate’s participants, as, according to moral esthetic, the beautiful, well and true were divinal attributes.

This dissertation offers a social history of the Jews of Candia, Venetian Crete's capital, by investigating how these Jews related to their colonial sovereign, their Latin and Greek Christian neighbors, and their diverse co-religionists in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Latin ducal court records, Hebrew communal ordinances, and notarial materials reveal the unique circumstances of Venetian colonial rule on Crete, including the formalized social hierarchy dividing Latin and Greek Christians, ready access to the Venetian justice system, and Venetian accommodation of pre-colonial legal precedents. Together, these elements enabled and encouraged Jews--individuals and community alike--to invest deeply in the institutions of colonial society. Their investment fostered sustained, meaningful interactions with the Latin and Greeks populations. It even shaped the ways in which Jews engaged with one another, particularly as they brought their quotidian and intracommunal disputes before Venice's secular judiciaries. Though contemporary religious authorities frowned upon litigating against co-religionists in secular courts, people from across the spectrum of Candiote Jewry, from community leaders to unhappily married women, sought Venetian judicial intervention at times.
History

Exterieur n'en est pas moins le complement necessaire de ce tout organique que repre sont envisages d'un double point de vue: histoire du livre juif decore et histoire s'il peut rien nous apprendre d'essentiel sur les developpements stylistiques du par la creation d'images, que par les significations. .
Ant the intimate relation between the elements of the decoration and the physical. .

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Este estudo discute as influências dos massacres antijudaicos durante a Primeira Cruzada (1096) no processo de transformação cultural e religiosa das comunidades ashkenazim das principais cidades germânicas do Vale do Reno, no Sacro Império Romano-Germânico, a saber: Mogúncia, Colônia, Espira, Vormácia, Tréveris, Metz e Ratisbona. Tais eventos representaram um marco para o judaísmo, pois implicaram em grandes consequências na interpretação ashkenazi sobre os preceitos fundamentais da religião. O auge dessa confluência cultural entre cristãos e judeus deu-se a partir do momento em que os discursos religiosos de ambos se imbricaram, originando uma nova concepção da prática religiosa judaica do suicídio ritual, nomeadamente, o Kidush HaShem. De modo a melhor elucidar o objetivo principal, o texto discute o legado dessa convergência cultural entre as tradições judaica e cristã e suas implicações para o judaísmo medieval, assim como para o próprio cristianismo que, naquele momento, ainda lutava por afirmação dentro da lógica de poder na sociedade medieval. Uma possível consequência dessa convergência cultural para o cristianismo era um processo de inversão, ou seja, os setores clericais da Igreja, contando com a adesão popular, poderiam ter desenvolvido, a partir do martírio judaico, a noção de crime ritual, e, posteriormente, dos libelos de sangue, isto é, acusações voltadas contra os judeus que apareceram de maneira sistemática entre o século XII e XIII, momento das Cruzadas, mas que transpõem este recorte temporal e tem, em um processo de longa duração, seus últimos casos documentados na Rússia czarista, já no final do século XIX. De modo a desenvolver e comprovar as hipóteses aventadas, são examinados, como documentação, um conjunto de crônicas hebraicas, escritas aproximadamente entre o final do século XI e a metade do XII, por três diferentes autores rabi Salomão bar Sansão, rabi Eliezer bar Nathan, e o Anônimo de Mogúncia , e uma plêiade de textos latinos, de clérigos que narraram ou comentaram os massacres da primeira Cruzada, ou que relataram, posteriormente, os crimes rituais. Como exemplos, citam-se duas crônicas escritas contemporâneas aos massacres de 1096, de autoria dos monges Bernoldo de Constança e Frutolfo de Michelsberg, e outra escrita entre os anos de 1125 e 1150 pelo cônego e cronista medieval Alberto de Aquisgrão. A partir do exame dessas documentações primárias, à luz da Análise do Discurso proposta pela escola russo-francesa, também chamada de base enunciativa, este estudo realiza uma abordagem sociocultural das representações observáveis nas diversas construções narrativas sobre os eventos e enfatiza o conflito discursivo dentro das esferas que compunham o clero no que concerne à questão judaica. Diante das análises empreendidas, este texto dissertativo conclui que o conflito discursivo parece surgir no entorno da circularidade das ideias em duas esferas: primeiro, nos dois segmentos clericais que defendiam ou contrariavam a violência contra judeus e batismos forçados, representadas respectivamente por setores da baixa e alta hierarquias clericais, e, em segunda instância, na influência religiosa e cultural mútua, bem como na demarcação das identidades e alteridades próprias das relações entre o judaísmo e o cristianismo no Medievo Central.

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás - FAPEG
I perceive the Judaeo-Christian tradition as more comprehensive than it is treated in the biblical canon. This work aims to unfold paths undertaken by some Judaeo-Christian myths, that is, mythical structures, which corroborated the construction of new myths, such as those of Percival’s sister and Solomon’s wife – characters of A demanda do Santo Graal (1995), Portuguese translation from the 15th century, copy of a French sample from the 18th century. In this trajectory, it is essential to consider, besides the biblical scripture, some apocryphal manuscripts which lend literary elements of feminine prominence and humility to the matter of Britain. This character, for example, was scarcely referred in the Portuguese Demand; therefore it is essential that La queste del Saint Graal (1923), present in Vulgata, be consulted for the purpose of studying the narrative of Solomon’s wife. Thus, according to the Judaeo-Christian tradition one can attest that the elements borrowed from it, still echo in discourses, which sometimes vilify and sometimes defend women, making them exemplary and heroic feminine figures, despite carrying the heavy burden of anti feminine tradition. Such misogynous burden is noticed in the narratives that aim at legitimating the Grail’s hero lineage, taking the Hebrew kings from the biblical tradition as ancestors. It is from this androcentric nucleus that heroic feminine narratives will emerge, softening the bitterness against women, in the moment heroes find themselves in abulia in face of the unknown. For this purpose, the dissertation carries out an analytical study of the referred literary pieces, following the methodological procedures of bibliographic, qualitative research, identifying the literary, sociological, historical and cultural perspectives. It tried to unveil the paths taken by the characters Percival’s sister and Solomon’s wife, along their mythical trajectory, compatible to the Judaeo- Christian tradition.
Compreendendo que a tradição judaico-cristã é mais extensa do que está grafado no cânone bíblico, este trabalho propõe-se a desvelar os caminhos percorridos por alguns mitos judaico-cristãos, isto é, estruturas míticas que amparam a construção de novos mitos, como os da irmã de Persival e da mulher de Salomão, personagens presentes n’A demanda do Santo Graal (1995), tradução portuguesa do século XV, cópia de um exemplar francês do século XIII. Neste percurso, é necessário que se considere, além do texto bíblico, alguns textos apócrifos que emprestaram motivos literários da proeminência e da humildade femininas à matéria da Bretanha, como os que estruturaram os mitos da irmã de Persival e da mulher de Salomão. Esta personagem, por exemplo, recebe apenas poucas citações na Demanda portuguesa, sendo indispensável o manuseio de La queste del Saint Graal (1923), presente na Vulgata, para se conhecer a narrativa da mulher de Salomão. De tal modo, seguindo a tradição judaico-cristã, vê-se que os motivos, dela tomados de empréstimo, continuam por ecoar discursos que ora difamam, ora defendem a mulher, tornando as personagens figuras exemplares e heroicas, ainda que carreguem o fardo da tradição antifeminina. Tal fardo misógino será percebido nas narrativas que visam a legitimar a linhagem do herói do Graal, tomando como ancestrais os reis hebreus da tradição bíblica. É neste núcleo androcêntrico que irromperão as narrativas heroicas femininas, suavizando o ranço contra as mulheres, quando os heróis mostrarem-se em abulia frente ao desconhecido. Para tanto, a tese, realizando um estudo analítico das mencionadas obras, pautando-se na pesquisa de cunho bibliográfico e qualitativa, reconhecendo o viés literário, sociológico, histórico e cultural, procurou deslindar os caminhos percorridos pelas personagens, a irmã de Persival e a mulher de Salomão, em sua trajetória mítica, segundo a tradição judaico-cristã.

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Humanas, Departamento de História, Programa de Pós-Graduação em História, 2015.
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A partir do Islã, séc.VI, a historiografia árabe acompanhou o desenrolar dos povos árabes à medida que seus domínios aumentavam. As primeiras histórias universais árabes nasceram em função da necessidade de legitimar o Islã como crença universal e verdadeira, neste momento a historiografia era tributária metodologicamente da exegese religiosa. No entanto, os árabes se interessavam cada vez pelos povos subjugados no Oriente Próximo, Norte da África e Espanha; o caldeirão cultural surgido pela confluência entre muçulmanos, judeus e cristãos contribuíram para aumentar o interesse dos historiadores árabes quanto à história de outros povos. Josippon apareceu pela primeira vez traduzido para o árabe no final do séc.X no Iêmen e em seguida iniciou seu trajeto pelos vários cantões do Oriente Próximo, Norte da África até chegar na Península Ibérica (não necessariamente nesta ordem). Historiadores árabes cristãos e muçulmanos fizeram do Josippon sua principal referência histórica após o Antigo Testamento, mas Ibn Khaldun foi mais além ao usá-lo para tentar levar sua lógica histórica até mesmo à história dos Filhos de Israel.
From 6th Century on, Arabic historiography was witnessing the emerging of Arabs inasmuch their dominion was increasing. The first Arabic universal histories were born due to the need of legitimating Islam as universal true faith; in this meantime, historiography was a tributary of religious exegesis. Notwithstanding, the Arabs was becoming interested in knowing about the subjugated people around Near East, North Africa and Spain; this cultural cauldron emerged by confluence between Islamic, Jewish and Christian contributed to the Arabs to more keen on the histories about other people. Josippon appeared translated into Arabic for the first time at the end of 10th Century in Yemen, and then it started to travel beyond Near East, North Africa and finally came to Iberian Peninsula. Christian and Muslim historians looked to Josippon as their chief historical reference after the Old Testament, but Ibn Khaldun used him in his historical logic about the history of Children of Israel.

A vontade de conhecer o passado e o património deixado já vem de algum tempo, no entanto, nos últimos anos o interesse por estes temas tem vindo a aumentar. Por esse motivo surgiu Trancoso, um lugar repleto de história e património. Este ocupou uma posição de grande importância em vários momentos da história de Portugal. Trancoso era uma das mais notáveis vilas na idade média, com um centro urbano de relevância no norte do país. A cidade distingue-se pelo seu centro histórico que ainda hoje é rodeado por uma muralha praticamente intacta, que abraça todo um vasto património de arquitetura civil e religiosa, mas também pela riqueza das suas paisagens, pelo seu património natural e por todo o seu potencial. São um conjunto de elementos únicos que ligam o homem ao património, ao passado, à sua história. A cidade destaca-se pelo seu distinto traçado urbanístico, no entanto, devido à sua posição no interior do país, ao envelhecimento da população e à emigração, esta cidade tal como outras do interior de Portugal, foram esquecidas, deixando toda essa herança ao abandono. Perante isto, e querendo combater os efeitos da passagem do tempo e da desertificação, Trancoso entrou para um programa das 12 Aldeias Históricas de Portugal, que deu à Beira Interior um plano de evolução e reconhecimento, valorizando assim a história, a cultura e o património desta região. Assim sendo, os principais objetivos desta dissertação passam por conhecer um pouco da história da cidade e a relevância de alguns edifícios e locais mais marcantes, mas também, perceber a influência da presença judaica e de como as vilas medievais surgiram e em que circunstâncias. Posteriormente, e para conhecer esta cidade medieval no seu interior, será feita uma análise morfológica. Será também abordado o tema da reabilitação em espaços urbanos, terminando com um projeto de reabilitação de um espaço público no interior do centro histórico de Trancoso.
The desire to know the past and heritage left behind has been going on for some time, however, in recent years, interest in these themes has been increasing. For this reason Trancoso comes up, a place full of history and heritage. This city, occupied a position of great importance in several moments in the history of Portugal. Trancoso was one of the most notable villages in the Middle Ages, with an important urban center in the north of the country. The city is distinguished by its historic center, which today is still surrounded by a practically intact wall, which embraces a vast heritage of civil and religious architecture, but also by the richness of its landscapes, its natural heritage and all its potential. They are a set of unique elements that unifies man to heritage, to the past, to its history. The city stands out for its distinctive urban design, however, due to its position in the interior of the country, the aging of population and the emigration, this city, like others in the interior of Portugal, has been forgotten, leaving all this legacy to abandonment. In view of this, and wanting to combat the effects of the passage of time and desertification, Trancoso joined a program of the 12 Aldeias Históricas de Portugal, which gave Beira Interior a plan for evolution and recognition, valuing history, culture and heritage this region. Therefore, the main objectives of this dissertation intends to know a little about the history of the city and the relevance of some of the most striking buildings and places, but also to understand the influence of Jewish presence and how medieval villages begun and under what circumstances. Later, and to get to know this medieval city inside, a morphological analysis will be made. The theme of rehabilitation in urban spaces will also be addressed, ending with a project for the rehabilitation of a public space within the historic center of Trancoso.