Detailed
Description |
|
Two classic works, the first on poetry the second on the rules of grammar for the Hebrew language by R. Moses ben Shem Tov ibn Habib (d. before. 1505). The title page describes them as two works, more precious than fine gold, to instruct the Hebrews, the foundations of the pure language, and the way of versifying. It states that they were written in 1486 (in Bitonto) and first printed in Venice in 1546. This last is not correct for there was a prior Constantinople, c. 1510-14, edition. Printed with the book is Shiri ha-Ivri by R. Ezri min Adumim, which is the sixth part of Me’or Einayim, with additions from R. Wolf Heidenheim.
R. Habib, a grammarian, poet, translator, and philosopher, was born in Lisbon but left Portugal well before the expulsion of the Jews. He went first to North Africa, and then to southern Italy, residing in such locations as Naples, Bitonto, and Otranto. His grammatical work, Marpe Lashon, was written in Bitonto in 1486. Marpe Lashon, a brief summary of the rules of grammar, reflects the influence of R. Profiat Duran (Efodi) who sought to base Hebrew grammar upon logic. Prior to writing Marpe Lashon, and completed in December, 1484, Ibn Habib wrote a larger grammatical work, entitled Perah Shoshan (flowers of lilies, Kings I 7:26), which he refers to in Darkhei No’am and is extant in manuscript. Perah Shoshan is quoted by R. Abraham de Balmes in his Mikneh Avram (Venice, 1523). Darkhei No’am, on the rules of poetry was written the same year as Marpe Lashon. Written in a clear and lucid style, Ibn Habib employs the principles of Aristotle’s Poetics. He disapproves of secular poetry and attempts to demonstrate that rhyme and meter were facets of Hebrew poetry in biblical times. As a proof, Ibn Habib notes that when in Valencia he saw a tombstone, at the top of a hill, on which was chiseled the inscription, “Lift up a lamentation, in a bitter voice, for the great general, whom God has taken.” Unable to read the remainder, which was rubbed out, Ibn Habib was able to discern that it concluded with, “the words of Amaziah,” that is, the biblical king of Judah.
Ibn Habib also wrote, at the behest of a student, Azariah ben Joseph, a commentary on the Behinat Olam of Jedaiah ha-Penini Bedersi, printed with the Constantinople ([1520]) and Ferrara (1552) editions of that work. He translated works on medicine and refers to a work entitled Kiryat Arba’ah, pertaining to the number four, of uncertain subject and no longer extant. |
