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.
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.
Worksedit
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.
Referencesedit
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.
^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.
^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 Encyclopediaedit
Moritz Steinschneider, Hebr. Uebers. pp. 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;
Jewish Encyclopedia (1901−1906), "G". Online version by the Kopelman Foundation
April 11, 2024
zerahiah, shealtiel, Ḥen, also, called, zerahiah, shealtiel, gracian, serachja, isaac, shealtiel, halevi, 1270, 1290s, spanish, jewish, physician, philosopher, translator, hebraist, flourished, about, thirteenth, century, born, either, barcelona, toledo, somet. 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 Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 References 4 Bibliography listed in Jewish Encyclopedia 5 External linksLife editZerahiah 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 editHe 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 Konigsberg 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 Katagenh 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 nbsp 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 amp Wagnalls p 93 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 amp Roberts philosophy Available online at HebrewBooks org 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 editMoritz Steinschneider Hebr Uebers pp 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 Leopold Zunz G S iii 269 idem Notes on Benjamin of Tudela ed Asher ii 32 Samuel David Luzzatto Oẓar Neḥmad ii 229 245 iii 109 111 Abraham Geiger in Jud Zeit vii 149 Carmoly Revue Orientale i 443 445 Michael Or ha Ḥayyim Heimann Joseph Michael p 370 Fuenn Keneset Yisrael pp 337 338External links editJewish Encyclopedia 1901 1906 G Online version by the Kopelman Foundation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zerahiah ben Shealtiel Ḥen amp oldid 1212110317, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
