David Abudraham
Encyclopedia
David ben Josef ben David Abudirham (fl.
1340) (Hebrew: דוד אבודרהם) or Abu
Dirham
(commonly misspelled as Abudraham) was a rishon
who lived at Seville, Spain, and who was known for his commentary on the Synagogue liturgy. He is said to have been a student of Jacob ben Asher
(Baal Haturim). This view originates in Azulai
's Shem Gedolim. Zimmels argues that this is intrinsically unlikely, as Abudirham gives full citations of authority up to and including Asher ben Jehiel
(known as the Rosh; father of the Baal Haturim) but does not mention the Baal Haturim himself. He also mentions that he lived at the Rosh's house, and was a "friend" of the Baal Haturim.
s, from the Geonim
and all the commentators down to his own time, the material for the explanation of each portion of the prayer-book. In order to elucidate the meaning and origin of each observance connected with divine worship throughout the year, he made use of all the works concerning the rites he could obtain, some of which were very rare. In addition he gave a systematic exposition of the Hebrew calendar
, but at the same time, he lays no claim to any originality. He certainly succeeded, as no one did before him, in writing a commentary which is very valuable, if not altogether indispensable, to the student of Jewish ritual.
Though he was a believer, like most of his contemporaries, in the mystical sense of words and numbers, he combined a fair grammatical knowledge (in spite of occasional errors, as, for instance, his derivation of minḥah from menaḥ yoma), good common-sense, and a comprehensive rabbinical erudition, and thus was better qualified than many of his predecessors to give a satisfactory explanation of almost every phrase of the prayer-book. The work started by Rashi
and Meir of Rothenburg
, and prosecuted especially in France
, Spain
, and Germany
during the 14th century (see Zunz
, Ritus, pp. 22-30), found in Abudirham's profound spirituality and wise judgment a fitting conclusion and consummation.
, and the various Benedictions precede the commentary, which begins with the Night Prayer
, and then follows the order of the prayer-book, chiefly of the Sephardic minhag
, from beginning to end: first the Daily Morning, Afternoon, and Evening Prayers: then the Sabbath
, the New Moon
, and the Passover
Prayers (including the Passover Haggadah) and the Pentecost
Prayer. Considerable space is given to the prayers of the Jewish fast-days in general, besides those of the national fast-days in commemoration of Jerusalem; then follow New-year's Day and Atonement Day
and the Sukkot
festival prayers. This section is followed by a chapter on the Hafṭarot, and then follow one on the calendar and a special discourse on the Teḳufot and the superstitious belief concerning it.
The last section treats, in nine chapters, of the various Benedictions, as for example before and after meals. The closing paragraph quite characteristically contains the rules regarding the cutting of nails, and ends by stating: "This book was completed in Seville in 5100 [1339 CE] after the Creation of the World, by Abudirham." In the manner of an eclectic he frequently states, or suggests, many explanations for one fact; but a certain warmth of religious feeling pervades the whole book and makes it a harmonious unit, giving it an edifying, rather than a merely legal, character. That the work supplied a commonly felt need is shown by its nine editions. The first edition appeared in Lisbon
in 1489 (which was reprinted in Morocco as the first printed book in Africa); the second in Constantinople
in 1513; the third and fourth in Venice
in 1546 and 1566 respectively; the fifth in Amsterdam
in 1726 (in this a portion of the calendar was omitted); the sixth and seventh in Prague
in 1784 and 1817 respectively; the eighth in Lemberg in 1857; and the ninth in Warsaw
in 1877. A manuscript exists in the Friedländer Library at St. Petersburg.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1340) (Hebrew: דוד אבודרהם) or Abu
Ab (Semitic)
Ab means "father" in most Semitic languages, sometimes extended to Abba or Aba.-Arabic:Ab , from a theoretical, abstract form ʼabawun is Arabic for "father"...
Dirham
Dirham
Dirham or dirhem is a unit of currency in several Arab or Berber nations, and formerly the related unit of mass in the Ottoman Empire and Persian states...
(commonly misspelled as Abudraham) was a rishon
Rishonim
"Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...
who lived at Seville, Spain, and who was known for his commentary on the Synagogue liturgy. He is said to have been a student of Jacob ben Asher
Jacob ben Asher
Jacob ben Asher, also known as Ba'al ha-Turimas well as Rabbi Yaakov ben Raash , was likely born in Cologne, Germany c.1269 and likely died in Toledo, Spain c.1343....
(Baal Haturim). This view originates in Azulai
Chaim Joseph David Azulai
Chaim Joseph David Azulai ben Isaac Zerachia , commonly known as the Chida , was a Jerusalem born rabbinical scholar, a noted bibliophile, and a pioneer in the publication of Jewish religious writings.- Biography :Azulai was born in Jerusalem, where he received his education...
's Shem Gedolim. Zimmels argues that this is intrinsically unlikely, as Abudirham gives full citations of authority up to and including Asher ben Jehiel
Asher ben Jehiel
Asher ben Jehiel- Ashkenazi was an eminent rabbi and Talmudist best known for his abstract of Talmudic law. He is often referred to as Rabbenu Asher, “our Rabbi Asher” or by the Hebrew acronym for this title, the ROSH...
(known as the Rosh; father of the Baal Haturim) but does not mention the Baal Haturim himself. He also mentions that he lived at the Rosh's house, and was a "friend" of the Baal Haturim.
Account of Jewish ritual
Abudirham belonged to the class of writers who, in an age of decline, felt the need of disseminating in popular form the knowledge stored up in various sources of rabbinical literature. His book, popularly known as Sefer Abudirham, has no specific title beyond the name Ḥibbur Perush ha-Berakot we-ha-Tefillot, ("Commentary on the Blessings and Prayers"), probably because it was intended to serve as a running commentary to the liturgy. In the preface he states that he desired to afford the people, whom he found lacking in knowledge, the means of using the liturgy intelligently, and for this purpose he collected, from both the Babylonian and the Jerusalem TalmudJerusalem Talmud
The Jerusalem Talmud, talmud meaning "instruction", "learning", , is a collection of Rabbinic notes on the 2nd-century Mishnah which was compiled in the Land of Israel during the 4th-5th century. The voluminous text is also known as the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud de-Eretz Yisrael...
s, from the Geonim
Geonim
Geonim were the presidents of the two great Babylonian, Talmudic Academies of Sura and Pumbedita, in the Abbasid Caliphate, and were the generally accepted spiritual leaders of the Jewish community world wide in the early medieval era, in contrast to the Resh Galuta who wielded secular authority...
and all the commentators down to his own time, the material for the explanation of each portion of the prayer-book. In order to elucidate the meaning and origin of each observance connected with divine worship throughout the year, he made use of all the works concerning the rites he could obtain, some of which were very rare. In addition he gave a systematic exposition of the Hebrew calendar
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar , or Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today predominantly for Jewish religious observances. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses...
, but at the same time, he lays no claim to any originality. He certainly succeeded, as no one did before him, in writing a commentary which is very valuable, if not altogether indispensable, to the student of Jewish ritual.
Though he was a believer, like most of his contemporaries, in the mystical sense of words and numbers, he combined a fair grammatical knowledge (in spite of occasional errors, as, for instance, his derivation of minḥah from menaḥ yoma), good common-sense, and a comprehensive rabbinical erudition, and thus was better qualified than many of his predecessors to give a satisfactory explanation of almost every phrase of the prayer-book. The work started by Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
and Meir of Rothenburg
Meir of Rothenburg
Meir of Rothenburg was a German Rabbi and poet, a major author of the tosafot on Rashi's commentary on the Talmud...
, and prosecuted especially in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during the 14th century (see Zunz
Zunz
Zunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
, Ritus, pp. 22-30), found in Abudirham's profound spirituality and wise judgment a fitting conclusion and consummation.
Contents of Sefer Abudirham
Three introductory chapters on the reading of the Shema (Deut. vi. 4), the Daily PrayerShacharit
Shacharit is the the daily morning Tefillah of the Jewish people, one of the three times there is prayer each day.Shacharit is said to have been established by the patriarch Abraham when he prayed in the morning...
, and the various Benedictions precede the commentary, which begins with the Night Prayer
Maariv
Maariv is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. It is second in sales after Yedioth Ahronoth and third in readership after Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel HaYom. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Maariv saw its market share fall slightly...
, and then follows the order of the prayer-book, chiefly of the Sephardic minhag
Minhag
Minhag is an accepted tradition or group of traditions in Judaism. A related concept, Nusach , refers to the traditional order and form of the prayers...
, from beginning to end: first the Daily Morning, Afternoon, and Evening Prayers: then the Sabbath
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
, the New Moon
Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon. The new moon is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent is observed...
, and the Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
Prayers (including the Passover Haggadah) and the Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
Prayer. Considerable space is given to the prayers of the Jewish fast-days in general, besides those of the national fast-days in commemoration of Jerusalem; then follow New-year's Day and Atonement Day
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
and the Sukkot
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
festival prayers. This section is followed by a chapter on the Hafṭarot, and then follow one on the calendar and a special discourse on the Teḳufot and the superstitious belief concerning it.
The last section treats, in nine chapters, of the various Benedictions, as for example before and after meals. The closing paragraph quite characteristically contains the rules regarding the cutting of nails, and ends by stating: "This book was completed in Seville in 5100 [1339 CE] after the Creation of the World, by Abudirham." In the manner of an eclectic he frequently states, or suggests, many explanations for one fact; but a certain warmth of religious feeling pervades the whole book and makes it a harmonious unit, giving it an edifying, rather than a merely legal, character. That the work supplied a commonly felt need is shown by its nine editions. The first edition appeared in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in 1489 (which was reprinted in Morocco as the first printed book in Africa); the second in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in 1513; the third and fourth in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in 1546 and 1566 respectively; the fifth in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1726 (in this a portion of the calendar was omitted); the sixth and seventh in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 1784 and 1817 respectively; the eighth in Lemberg in 1857; and the ninth in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in 1877. A manuscript exists in the Friedländer Library at St. Petersburg.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, No. 729;
- Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. col. 855;
- S. Wiener, Cat. Bibliotheca Friedlandiana, p. 1;
- De Rossi, Annales Heb. Typographici in saeculo xv. p. 67. See also Brüll's Jahrb. ii. 165, where attention is called to the passage on the teleology of the organs of the human body, taken literally from Shabbethai Donolo, Commentary on the Sefer Yeẓirah, ed. Prague, p. 11b.
External links
- Abudirham's book - 1878 edition, 1926 edition.
- Jewish Encyclopedia article on David Abudirham, by Kaufmann KohlerKaufmann KohlerKaufmann Kohler was a German-born U.S. reform rabbi and theologian.-Life and work:Kaufmann Kohler was born into a family of rabbis...
.