Hoter ben Shlomo
Encyclopedia
Hoter ben Shlomo, (c.1400–c.1480) was a scholar and philosopher from Yemen
who was heavily influenced by the earlier works of Nethanel ben al-Fayyumi, Maimonides
, Saadia Gaon
and al-Ghazali
.
The connection between the "Epistle of the Brethren of Purity
" and Ismailism might have suggested the adoption of this work as one of the main sources of what would become known as “Jewish Ismailism” as was found in Late Medieval Yemenite Judaism. This “Jewish Ismailism” consisted of adapting to Judaism a few Ismaili doctrines about cosmology, prophecy, and hermeneutics. There are many examples of the Brethren of Purity
influencing Yemenite Jewish philosophers and authors in the period 1150-1550.
For example, chapter two of the Judaeo-Arabic theologic-philosophical work by Natanel Ibn al-Fayyumi, "The Garden of Intellects" (Bustan al-‘uqul), written in Yemen in 1165, includes a correspondence between numbers 1-10 and ten scientific and philosophical concepts (soul's faculties, senses, directions, bodily substances and parts, etc.) most of which are identical to those listed by the Brethren of Purity
.
Some traces of Brethren of Purity
doctrines, as well as of their numerology
, are found in two Yemenite philosophical midrashim written in 1420-1430: "The Glad Learning" (Midrash ha-hefez) by Zerahyah ha-Rofé (a/k/a Yahya al-Tabib) and the "Lamp of Intellects" (Siraj al-‘uqul) by Hoter ben Solomon.
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
who was heavily influenced by the earlier works of Nethanel ben al-Fayyumi, Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
, Saadia Gaon
Saadia Gaon
Saʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon was a prominent rabbi, Jewish philosopher, and exegete of the Geonic period.The first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Arabic, he is considered the founder of Judeo-Arabic literature...
and al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali
Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī , known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia was a Persian Muslim theologian, jurist, philosopher, and mystic....
.
The connection between the "Epistle of the Brethren of Purity
Brethren of Purity
The Brethren of Purity were a secret society of Muslim philosophers in Basra, Iraq, in the 10th century CE....
" and Ismailism might have suggested the adoption of this work as one of the main sources of what would become known as “Jewish Ismailism” as was found in Late Medieval Yemenite Judaism. This “Jewish Ismailism” consisted of adapting to Judaism a few Ismaili doctrines about cosmology, prophecy, and hermeneutics. There are many examples of the Brethren of Purity
Brethren of Purity
The Brethren of Purity were a secret society of Muslim philosophers in Basra, Iraq, in the 10th century CE....
influencing Yemenite Jewish philosophers and authors in the period 1150-1550.
For example, chapter two of the Judaeo-Arabic theologic-philosophical work by Natanel Ibn al-Fayyumi, "The Garden of Intellects" (Bustan al-‘uqul), written in Yemen in 1165, includes a correspondence between numbers 1-10 and ten scientific and philosophical concepts (soul's faculties, senses, directions, bodily substances and parts, etc.) most of which are identical to those listed by the Brethren of Purity
Brethren of Purity
The Brethren of Purity were a secret society of Muslim philosophers in Basra, Iraq, in the 10th century CE....
.
Some traces of Brethren of Purity
Brethren of Purity
The Brethren of Purity were a secret society of Muslim philosophers in Basra, Iraq, in the 10th century CE....
doctrines, as well as of their numerology
Numerology
Numerology is any study of the purported mystical relationship between a count or measurement and life. It has many systems and traditions and beliefs...
, are found in two Yemenite philosophical midrashim written in 1420-1430: "The Glad Learning" (Midrash ha-hefez) by Zerahyah ha-Rofé (a/k/a Yahya al-Tabib) and the "Lamp of Intellects" (Siraj al-‘uqul) by Hoter ben Solomon.