Isaac Nathan ben Kalonymus
Encyclopedia
Isaac Nathan ben Kalonymus was a French Jewish philosopher and controversialist. He lived at Arles
, perhaps at Avignon
also, and in other places, in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
He belonged to the well-known Nathan family, which claimed its descent from David; he was probably the grandson of the translator Maestro Bongodas Judah Nathan. According to the statement of Isaac himself, in the introduction to his concordance (see below), he was completely ignorant of the Bible
until his fifteenth year, his studies having been restricted to the Talmud
and to religious philosophy.
Later he took up other branches of learning, and owing to his frequent association with Christians and to the numerous anti-Jewish writings of Jewish apostates that appeared at that time, he turned his attention to religious controversy.
(Geronimo de Santa Fé after baptism; Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi
, Bibliotheca Antichristiana, pp. 76–77); Mibẓar Yiẓḥaḳ, anti-Christian polemics (De Rossi, l.c.); Me'ah Debarim, for the instruction of youth, twenty-one essays on various topics, the Biblical names of God forming one, another being on the Masorah
(collection of I. S. Reggio and Schorr); Me'ammeẓ Koaḥ, on virtue and vice, in three parts (Neubauer, Cat. Bodl. Hebr. MSS. No. 2232); Meïr Netib, a Biblical concordance upon which the author worked from 1437 to 1447, with a philosophico-exegetical introduction (Petiḥat Meïr Netib).
The Meïr Netib was the first Bible concordance in Hebrew, and was distinguished from the similar Latin work of Arlotus of Prato in that its vocabulary was arranged in the order of the roots. In the introduction the author says that his work aimed to facilitate the study of Biblical exegesis
and to prevent Jewish converts to Christianity from making, in their religious controversies, incorrect quotations from the Bible, as was often the case with Geronimo de Santa Fé. The "Meïr Netib," with its complete introduction, was first published at Venice (erroneously under the name of Mordecai Nathan) in 1523; in 1556 it was published at Basel by Buxtorf
, but with only a part of the introduction.
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, perhaps at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
also, and in other places, in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
He belonged to the well-known Nathan family, which claimed its descent from David; he was probably the grandson of the translator Maestro Bongodas Judah Nathan. According to the statement of Isaac himself, in the introduction to his concordance (see below), he was completely ignorant of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
until his fifteenth year, his studies having been restricted to the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
and to religious philosophy.
Later he took up other branches of learning, and owing to his frequent association with Christians and to the numerous anti-Jewish writings of Jewish apostates that appeared at that time, he turned his attention to religious controversy.
Works
Isaac was the author of the following works (some are still extant, and some are known only through citations): a refutation of the arguments contained in the epistle of the fictitious Samuel of Morocco, who endeavored to demonstrate from the Bible the Messiahship of Jesus (introduction to Nathan's concordance); Tokaḥat Mat'eh, against Joshua LorkiJoshua Lorki
Joshua ben Joseph ibn Vives al-Lorqui was a Spanish-Jewish physician who lived at Alcañiz. In 1408, at the command of the rich and influential Benveniste ben Solomon ben Labi, he wrote a work in Arabic on the value and effects of various foodstuffs and of simple and composite medicaments...
(Geronimo de Santa Fé after baptism; Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi
Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi
Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi was an Italian Christian Hebraist. He studied in Ivrea and Turin. In October 1769, he was appointed professor of Oriental languages at the University of Parma, where he spent the rest of his life...
, Bibliotheca Antichristiana, pp. 76–77); Mibẓar Yiẓḥaḳ, anti-Christian polemics (De Rossi, l.c.); Me'ah Debarim, for the instruction of youth, twenty-one essays on various topics, the Biblical names of God forming one, another being on the Masorah
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
(collection of I. S. Reggio and Schorr); Me'ammeẓ Koaḥ, on virtue and vice, in three parts (Neubauer, Cat. Bodl. Hebr. MSS. No. 2232); Meïr Netib, a Biblical concordance upon which the author worked from 1437 to 1447, with a philosophico-exegetical introduction (Petiḥat Meïr Netib).
The Meïr Netib was the first Bible concordance in Hebrew, and was distinguished from the similar Latin work of Arlotus of Prato in that its vocabulary was arranged in the order of the roots. In the introduction the author says that his work aimed to facilitate the study of Biblical exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
and to prevent Jewish converts to Christianity from making, in their religious controversies, incorrect quotations from the Bible, as was often the case with Geronimo de Santa Fé. The "Meïr Netib," with its complete introduction, was first published at Venice (erroneously under the name of Mordecai Nathan) in 1523; in 1556 it was published at Basel by Buxtorf
Buxtorf
Buxtorf may refer to:* Johannes Buxtorf * Johannes Buxtorf II...
, but with only a part of the introduction.