Joseph Ben Abba Mari Ben Joseph Ben Jacob Caspi
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Joseph ben Abba Meir ben Joseph ben Jacob Ibn Kaspi, also known as Yosef Caspi (1280
Arles Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
—1345
Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
),Kahan. M. Joseph Kaspi - from Arles to Majorca. ''Iberia Judaica'' VIII
016 HV-016 is a former military unit of Norway, that was a part of the Home Guard. It was established after 1985 to "stop terror- or sabotage actions that could weaken or paralyze Norway's ability to mobilize its military and its ability to resist". ...
pp. 181-192. At https://www.academia.edu/22766219/Kahan_M_JOSEPH_IBN_KASPI_-FROM_ARLES_TO_MAJORCA_._2016_Iberia_Judaica_VIII._pp._181-192.
was a
Provençal Provençal may refer to: *Of Provence, a region of France * Provençal dialect, a dialect of the Occitan language, spoken in the southeast of France *''Provençal'', meaning the whole Occitan language *Franco-Provençal language, a distinct Roman ...
exegete, grammarian, and philosopher, apparently influenced by Averroës.


Biography

His family hailed from
Largentière Largentière ( ; ''L'Argentièira'' in Occitan) is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southern France. It is located in the narrow valley of the Ligne, approximately ten kilometres ...
, from whence his Hebrew surname "Caspi" (made of silver) derived. His Provençal name was Don Bonafous de Largentera, or in French En Bonafoux de L'Argentière. He traveled much, visiting
Arles Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
,
Tarascon Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Tarasc ...
,
Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
,
Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
,
Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
(where he must have foregathered with Judah Leon ben Moses Mosconi), and
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, where, as he says in his ''Tzava'ah'' (ethical will), he hoped to be instructed by the members of
Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...
' family. This hope was not realized, as the descendants of Maimonides were more pious than learned. At one time Caspi intended to go to
Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...
, where many renowned schools existed; but he seems to have abandoned this project and to have settled at Tarascon. He underwent much suffering at the time of the Pastoureaux persecution, and was threatened with punishment if he did not renounce his faith. He held the position that knowledge of the future, even by the prophets and by God, was probabilistic knowledge only.


Works

Caspi was one of the most prolific writers of his time, being the author of 29 works, the greater part of which are still extant in manuscript and the titles of the remainder being known from the list which he had the precaution to make. He began his literary career at the age of seventeen. At thirty he devoted himself to the study of logic and philosophy, which he eagerly cultivated until his death. The following is a list of his writings in their chronological order, some of them being no longer in existence: *''Perush'', commentary on
ibn Janah Jonah ibn Janah or ibn Janach, born Abu al-Walīd Marwān ibn Janāḥ ( ar, أبو الوليد مروان بن جناح, or Marwan ibn Ganaḥ Hebrew: ), (), was a Jewish rabbi, physician and Hebrew grammarian active in Al-Andalus, or Islamic ...
's grammatical work *Supercommentaries on Abraham ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch. (One of these commentaries is purely grammatical, bearing the title "Porashat Kesef" (Sum of Money), and is still extant in manuscript (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, MS. No. 184, and elsewhere) *''Terumat Kesef'' (Oblation of Silver), summary of Averroes's commentaries on
Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of phil ...
's ''Ethics'' and
Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
's ''Republic'', according to the Hebrew translation of Samuel of Marseilles (Parma MS. No. 442; Neubauer, "Cat. Bodl. Hebr. MSS." No. 1427) *''Tzawwa'at Kaspi'' (Testament of Caspi), or ''Yoreh De'ah'', moral sentences dedicated to the author's son, and published by Eliezer Ashkenazi, Leipzig, 1844 *''Mattot Kesef'' (Staves of Silver), commentaries on the Bible, with the exception of the Pentateuch *''Matzref le-Kesef'' (Crucible for Silver), commentary on the Bible *''Kefore Kesef'' (Cups of Silver), giving the author's reasons for the rejection of various explanations of Ibn Ezra and Maimonides *''Kesef Siggim'' (Silver Dross), questions and answers on the seeming contradictions in the Bible *''Tzeror ha-Kesef'' (Bundle of Silver), or ''Qitztzur Higgayon'', a compendium of logic (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, MS. No. 986) *''Retuqot Kesef'' (Chains of Silver), or ''Pirqe Yosef'' (Chapters of Joseph), treatise on grammar *''Shulchan Kesef'' (Table of Silver), divided into four chapters called "regel" (foot), treating of prophets and miracles ("Cat. Peyron," p. 209) *''Tirat Kesef'' (Palace of Silver), or ''Sefer ha-Sod'' (Book of Mystery), mystic commentary on the Pentateuch (Vatican MSS. Nos. 36, 46) *''Adne Kesef'' (Thresholds of Silver), forming the second part of the preceding work and containing mystical explanations of the Biblical books other than the Pentateuch *''Mizreqe Kesef'' (Basins of Silver), explanations of Biblical passages respecting the creation *''Mazmerot Kesef'' (Sickles of Silver), commentary on Job (Munich MS. No. 265) *''Menorat Kesef'' (Candelabra of Silver), commentary on the Merkabah (Heavenly Chariot) (Neubauer, "Cat. Bodl. Hebr. MSS." No. 1631) *''Chagorat Kesef'' (Girdle of Silver), commentary on Ezra and Chronicles (ibid. No. 362) *''Kappot Kesef'' (Spoons of Silver), commentary on Ruth and Lamentations (Munich MS. No. 265; Cambridge MS. No. 64) *''Gelile Kesef'' (Scrolls of Silver), commentary on Esther (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, MS. No. 1092; Munich MS. No. 2653) *''Chatzotzerot Kesef'' (Trumpets of Silver), commentaries on Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs (Neubauer, "Cat. Bodl. Hebr. MSS." Nos. 362, 1349; Parma MS. No. 461) *''Qa'arot Kesef'' (Bowls of Silver), in which Caspi endeavored to prove that the Law contains the idea of spiritual happiness and immortality, to explain the Biblical doctrine that God visits the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, and to explain the relation of wickedness to prosperity *Ammude Kesef'' (Pillars of Silver) and ''Maskiyyot Kesef'' (Images of Silver), commentaries on Maimonides' ''
Guide of the Perplexed ''The Guide for the Perplexed'' ( ar, دلالة الحائرين, Dalālat al-ḥā'irīn, ; he, מורה נבוכים, Moreh Nevukhim) is a work of Jewish theology by Maimonides. It seeks to reconcile Aristotelianism with Rabbinical Jewish the ...
'', published by Werbluner, with notes and corrections by R. Kirchheim, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1848 *''Sharsherot Kesef'' (Chains of Silver), or ''Sefer ha-Shorashim'' (Book of Roots), on Biblical lexicography (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, MS. No. 1244) *''Kappot Kesef'' (Spoons of Silver), in which Caspi explains some Biblical problems concerning the history of the Jews *''Mezamrot Kesef'' (Songs of Silver; in other lists, Shulchan Kesef), a commentary on the Psalms *''Tam ha-Kesef'' (The Silver Is Finished), on the destruction of both temples,
Jeremiah Jeremiah, Modern:   , Tiberian: ; el, Ἰερεμίας, Ieremíās; meaning " Yah shall raise" (c. 650 – c. 570 BC), also called Jeremias or the "weeping prophet", was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish ...
's prophecies, and the arrival of the
Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...
*''Qebutzat Kesef'' (Collection of Silver), containing a list of Caspi's works, published by Isaac ben Jacob Benjacob in the ''Debarim 'Attiqim'', Leipzig, 1844 *''Gebi'a Kesef'' (Mug of Silver), or ''Yoreh De'ah'' (Teacher of Science), supplement to the mystical commentaries on the Bible ("Cat. Peyron." p. 208; Munich MS. No. 265). The initial chapters may have been written as refutation of the apostate Abner of Burgos . Kaspi finds great theological significance in the
number 3 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
(Chap.V), and he speaks in this work about the origins of the concept of
The Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the Fa ...
found in
Christian philosophy Christian philosophy includes all philosophy carried out by Christians, or in relation to the religion of Christianity. Christian philosophy emerged with the aim of reconciling science and faith, starting from natural rational explanations wit ...
, attributing it to an earlier ternary division made among the
Separate Intelligences Separate or separates may refer to: *Soil separates, three kinds of soil mineral particles: sand, silt, and clay *Separate (song), 2016 song by South African songstress Amanda Black *Separates (clothing), Mix-and-match separates, clothing * ''Sep ...
by Aristotelian thinkers (e.g., Abu-Nasr). He also expounds the different philosophical implications of the diverse names of God in the
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
. Joseph Caspi's name is also to be found attached to many liturgic poems of merit. These, however, may belong to his namesake, Joseph Caspi ben Shalom of the sixteenth century, a liturgic poet of some importance. Caspi's works were diversely estimated. Ibn Tzartzah,
Moses of Narbonne Moses Narbonne, also known as Moses of Narbonne, mestre Vidal Bellshom, maestro Vidal Blasom, and Moses Narboni, was a medieval Catalan philosopher and physician. He was born at Perpignan, in the Kingdom of Majorca, at the end of the thirteent ...
, and Efodi speak in praise of them. The kabbalist Johanan Aleman recommends Caspi's commentaries on account of their mystic character. On the other hand, Isaac Abrabanel and
Simon Duran Simeon ben Zemah Duran, also Tzemach Duran (1361–1444; ), known as Rashbatz () or Tashbatz was a Rabbinical authority, student of philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, and especially of medicine, which he practised for a number of years at Palm ...
emphatically declare him to be antireligious because, among other things, in his commentary on the
Moreh Givat HaMoreh (Hebrew: גבעת המוֹרֶה), in Arabic: Jebel ed-Duhy, is a hill in northern Israel on the northeast side of the Jezreel Valley. The highest peak reaches an altitude of , while the bottom of the Jezreel Valley is situated at ...
he admitted the eternity of the universe (i. 9, 70; ii. 26).


References

* * * Hannah Kasher
Joseph Kaspi
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy The ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (''SEP'') combines an online encyclopedia of philosophy with peer-reviewed publication of original papers in philosophy, freely accessible to Internet users. It is maintained by Stanford University. Eac ...
, 6 June 2006. {{DEFAULTSORT:Caspi, Joseph ben Abba Mari ben Joseph ben Jacob 1297 births 1340 deaths 13th-century French Jews Provençal Jews Medieval Hebraists Jewish philosophers Hebrew-language writers People from Tarascon 14th-century French Jews