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The Contemplative Soul
Hebrew Poetry and Philosophical Theory in Medieval Spain
Series: - Études sur le judaïsme médiéval, Volume: 25
Author:
During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Jewish poets in Islamic Spain introduced philosophical themes into their devotional verse. Drawn to Neoplatonic thought, they made liberal use of its myth of the soul to explore the human relationship with the Divine. This novel merger reflected a conviction that ideas borrowed from Greco-Arabic philosophy meshed comfortably with traditional Jewish approaches to prayer and spirituality.
This study focuses on Solomon Ibn Gabirol, Moses Ibn Ezra, Abraham Ibn Ezra, and Judah Halevi, polymath poets who also wrote philosophically-informed prose works. It probes the contemplative motifs in their religious verse, uncovering new and, at times, unorthodox layers of meaning.
The book includes the Hebrew texts of representative poems accompanied by original English translations and detailed analyses.
This study focuses on Solomon Ibn Gabirol, Moses Ibn Ezra, Abraham Ibn Ezra, and Judah Halevi, polymath poets who also wrote philosophically-informed prose works. It probes the contemplative motifs in their religious verse, uncovering new and, at times, unorthodox layers of meaning.
The book includes the Hebrew texts of representative poems accompanied by original English translations and detailed analyses.
Adena Tanenbaum, Ph.D. (1993) in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the Ohio State University.
Scholars and students in the fields of Hebrew Literature, Jewish Thought, Islamic Studies, Medieval Studies, and Religious Studies, as well as informed non-specialist readers.