This research aims to check the assumption that the cultural icons of Jewish communities in Islamic countries,in the Mediterranean Basin during the early Middle-Ages,were Jewish poets,or at least rhyming experts and p...This research aims to check the assumption that the cultural icons of Jewish communities in Islamic countries,in the Mediterranean Basin during the early Middle-Ages,were Jewish poets,or at least rhyming experts and poetry“technicians”.Through vast study of Genizah documents,in the purpose of outlining the shape of the leadership of Jewish communities in these Islamic countries,I realized that all leaders whose portraits I have studied,out of hundreds of letters and documents—were poem writers.Some of them were real poets,who created poems and liturgics of rare poetic qualities,and some were mere“technicians”who joined rhymes according to accepted rules of their time.By looking at those“technicians”poems,it seems that the writing has cost them a considerable mental effort,and yet they continued with the poem writing.The assumption is that in order to become a role model or a cultural hero,as we call it today,the leaders had to write poems and use them as a means for political and social advancement.展开更多
Down through the ages, Jewish society has routinely adopted Biblical terms and put them to use for a variety of purposes. Over the course of time, these words have undergone all sorts of transformations that have chan...Down through the ages, Jewish society has routinely adopted Biblical terms and put them to use for a variety of purposes. Over the course of time, these words have undergone all sorts of transformations that have changed their essence and meaning, serving totally different objectives at every stage of history, while always retaining their Biblical origins. Tracing a word＇s evolution from the Book of Books lent authority and power, but mainly a sense of identity and belonging, since the Biblical code was a basic system that could be identified by Jewish society in any era or any place. In this article, I try to follow after three Biblical terms, and find out in what way people used them through ages.展开更多
文摘This research aims to check the assumption that the cultural icons of Jewish communities in Islamic countries,in the Mediterranean Basin during the early Middle-Ages,were Jewish poets,or at least rhyming experts and poetry“technicians”.Through vast study of Genizah documents,in the purpose of outlining the shape of the leadership of Jewish communities in these Islamic countries,I realized that all leaders whose portraits I have studied,out of hundreds of letters and documents—were poem writers.Some of them were real poets,who created poems and liturgics of rare poetic qualities,and some were mere“technicians”who joined rhymes according to accepted rules of their time.By looking at those“technicians”poems,it seems that the writing has cost them a considerable mental effort,and yet they continued with the poem writing.The assumption is that in order to become a role model or a cultural hero,as we call it today,the leaders had to write poems and use them as a means for political and social advancement.
文摘Down through the ages, Jewish society has routinely adopted Biblical terms and put them to use for a variety of purposes. Over the course of time, these words have undergone all sorts of transformations that have changed their essence and meaning, serving totally different objectives at every stage of history, while always retaining their Biblical origins. Tracing a word＇s evolution from the Book of Books lent authority and power, but mainly a sense of identity and belonging, since the Biblical code was a basic system that could be identified by Jewish society in any era or any place. In this article, I try to follow after three Biblical terms, and find out in what way people used them through ages.
