Ahimaaz ben Paltiel
Encyclopedia
Ahimaaz ben Paltiel (Capua
, 1017-Oria
, 1060) was a Italian-Jewish
liturgical poet and author of a family chronicle
. Very little is known about his life. He came of a family some of whose members are well known in Jewish literature as scholars and poets; for example, Hananiel ben Amittai, and his nephew Amittai ben Shephatiah. Ahimaaz had two sons, Paltiel and Samuel. The family tree of this clan is given by Ahimaaz in his Chronicle:
Benjamin of Tudela
mentions an Ahimaaz ben Paltiel in Amalfi
in southern Italy, in the year 1162 (see his Travels, ed. Asher, i. 13, 14). This may well have been a descendant of his earlier namesake; for it is known that two brothers of the grandfather of Ahimaaz ben Paltiel were sent with presents to Paltiel by the prince of Amalfi. In a list of twenty-two selihah (elegiac
) poets (Italy, fifteenth century?), Ahimaaz ben Paltiel is mentioned as the author of two poems; and a Mahzor
of the Roman rite attributes to him a selihah for the Fast of Esther
.
, Bari
, Otranto
, Gaeta
, Benevento
, Capua
, Amalfi
, in southern Italy, and Pavia
in northern Italy. Written about one hundred years before Abraham ibn Daud
, it covers a period (850-1054) our knowledge of which is extremely scanty; the only information hitherto having been obtained from a few inscriptions and from notices in the works of Shabbetai Donolo, who also was a native of Oria. Only one manuscript of the Chronicle is known to exist; it is in the library of the cathedral at Toledo, Spain
. It bears the title Sefer Yuhasin (Book of Genealogies) and is written in the peculiar rimed prose which the Arab
al-Hamdani
had, in the makamat, brought into prominence fifty years before Ahimaaz, and which Hariri
perfected fifty years after him: the same style that in Hebrew
literature was affected by Judah al-Harizi and Immanuel of Rome
.
According to the traditions preserved by Ahimaaz, his family had its origin among the captives whom Titus
brought to Italy after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. The first person he mentions is Amittai
of Oria, whom he calls sabbar and payyat, a man versed in Talmud
ic halakha
and a writer of liturgical poetry. In the Chronicle are given the first authentic data concerning the wonder-working Aaron of Babylon, the reputed teacher of Kalonymus of Lucca; also through an account by Rabbi Silano additional information is gleaned about the Jewish community of Venosa
, some epitaphs from which place had previously been published by G. J. Ascoli. Of the sons of Amittai, the Chronicle dwells especially upon Shephatiah, one of the earliest and most prolific liturgical poets (about 850-860), and gives some reliable data on the persecutions which the Byzantine
Jews had to suffer under Basil I
; on the Saracen
invasion of Sicily
and Italy (872); on another liturgical poet, Amittai ben Shephatiah; and on the disputation which Hananiel ben Amittai was forced to hold with the archbishop of Oria. The author is obviously proud of the honor done to his family by one of its members, Paltiel, the vizier of al-Muizz and Abd al-Mansur (962-992) of Egypt
; perhaps the first of the Egyptian nagid
s, whom De Goeje has tried to identify with Jauhar al-Rumi or al-Saqlabi. Ahimaaz closes with short accounts of Hananiel, of his son Samuel in Capua, and of Paltiel ben Samuel (988-1048), father of the author himself.
The unique manuscript in Toledo bears the name of Menahem ben Benjamin in its signature. It is uncertain whether the word used there, (finished), refers to the composition or to the copying of the work. This signature is also in rimed prose; and it seems probable that at least part of page 132 (lines 12-23) in Neubauer's edition is by Menahem and not by Ahimaaz, for it contains an account of the author in language that one would not expect an author to use of himself.
There is no evidence that Ahimaaz made use of any literary records: he simply gathered together traditions that had been current in his family. In describing the activity of the vizier Paltiel, he refers to the Chronicles of Egypt as containing further data on the subject. Even in this case it is improbable that he has any individual work in mind. The body of the Chronicle contains no dates: a few are to be found in the last two sections, part of which may be, as stated above, a later addition.
s had determined to put to death; how Hananiel is able to bring his cousin to life again; how heaven directly helps the same Hananiel; and how the moon remains obscured for a whole night in order to cover up an error made in an astronomical calculation. The tale is told of the Sefer ha-Merkabah, a wonderful book from which Shephatiah draws his knowledge of heaven's mysteries: before this book a light burned upon the Sabbath day. In order that the book should not fall into the hands of those that were unworthy to use it, it was put into a case of lead
and thrown to the waves, which receded perceptibly and carried away the mysterious gift. The power of Paltiel as an astrologer is dwelt upon; it was this power which, in a measure, insured for him the friendship of the conqueror of Egypt. In this Chronicle are also found the first traces of the story of the Wandering Jew
. Filled as it is with these legends, one would be tempted to disregard the Chronicle as a historical source. But the naïveté with which the story is told shows that there is no attempt at historical reconstruction; and one can feel certain that the basis upon which Ahimaaz's work rests is reliable family tradition.
The language in which the Chronicle is written bears out this view. In its formation of new nouns and verbs, in its biliteral roots, its peculiar plural endings, and in its use of the construct state, it recalls the style of Donolo and of the liturgical poets of the school of Eleazar Kalir
. Nor are evidences wanting of the influence of the Arabic and the Romance languages
. From the rime one can also learn the pronunciation of Hebrew in the days of the author. The Chronicle contains a poetical elegy on Paltiel, which has a double alphabetic acrostic, as well as an acrostic
upon the full name of the author.
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
, 1017-Oria
Oria, Italy
Oria is a town and comune in the Apulia region, in the province of Brindisi, in southern Italy. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oria.- History :...
, 1060) was a Italian-Jewish
History of the Jews in Italy
The history of the Jews in Italy goes back over two thousand years. Jews have been present in Italy from the Roman period until the present.-Antiquity:-Pre-Christian Rome:...
liturgical poet and author of a family chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
. Very little is known about his life. He came of a family some of whose members are well known in Jewish literature as scholars and poets; for example, Hananiel ben Amittai, and his nephew Amittai ben Shephatiah. Ahimaaz had two sons, Paltiel and Samuel. The family tree of this clan is given by Ahimaaz in his Chronicle:
Benjamin of Tudela
Benjamin of Tudela was a medieval Jewish traveler who visited Europe, Asia, and Africa in the 12th century. His vivid descriptions of western Asia preceded those of Marco Polo by a hundred years...
mentions an Ahimaaz ben Paltiel in Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
in southern Italy, in the year 1162 (see his Travels, ed. Asher, i. 13, 14). This may well have been a descendant of his earlier namesake; for it is known that two brothers of the grandfather of Ahimaaz ben Paltiel were sent with presents to Paltiel by the prince of Amalfi. In a list of twenty-two selihah (elegiac
Elegiac
Elegiac refers either to those compositions that are like elegies or to a specific poetic meter used in Classical elegies. The Classical elegiac meter has two lines, making it a couplet: a line of dactylic hexameter, followed by a line of dactylic pentameter...
) poets (Italy, fifteenth century?), Ahimaaz ben Paltiel is mentioned as the author of two poems; and a Mahzor
Mahzor
The mahzor is the prayer book used by Jews on the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Many Jews also make use of specialized mahzorim on the three "pilgrimage festivals" of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot...
of the Roman rite attributes to him a selihah for the Fast of Esther
Fast of Esther
The Fast of Esther is a Jewish fast from dawn until dusk on Purim eve, commemorating the three-day fast observed by the Jewish people in the story of Purim...
.
Chronicle of Ahimaaz
Ahimaaz is better known as the compiler of the Chronicle mentioned above, which, though intended merely to glorify his own immediate ancestors, gives much important information in regard to the history of the early Jewish settlements in such towns as OriaOria, Italy
Oria is a town and comune in the Apulia region, in the province of Brindisi, in southern Italy. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oria.- History :...
, Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
, Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
, Benevento
Benevento
Benevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
, Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
, Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
, in southern Italy, and Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
in northern Italy. Written about one hundred years before Abraham ibn Daud
Abraham ibn Daud
Abraham ibn Daud was a Spanish-Jewish astronomer, historian, and philosopher; born at Toledo, Spain about 1110; died, according to common report, a martyr about 1180. He is sometimes known by the abbreviation Rabad I or Ravad I. His mother belonged to a family famed for its learning...
, it covers a period (850-1054) our knowledge of which is extremely scanty; the only information hitherto having been obtained from a few inscriptions and from notices in the works of Shabbetai Donolo, who also was a native of Oria. Only one manuscript of the Chronicle is known to exist; it is in the library of the cathedral at Toledo, Spain
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
. It bears the title Sefer Yuhasin (Book of Genealogies) and is written in the peculiar rimed prose which the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
al-Hamdani
Al-Hamdani
The name al-Hamdani may refer to:*Abū Muhammad al-Hasan al-Hamdānī , an Arab geographer, historian and astronomer*Abu Firas al-Hamdani , an Arab poet* Ibn al-Faqih al-Hamadani...
had, in the makamat, brought into prominence fifty years before Ahimaaz, and which Hariri
Hariri
Hariri is a surname and derivative of harir which indicates a mercantile background at one point in that field.-Lebanon:*Bahia Hariri, Lebanese politician; sister of Rafic Hariri...
perfected fifty years after him: the same style that in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
literature was affected by Judah al-Harizi and Immanuel of Rome
Immanuel the Roman
Immanuel ben Solomon ben Jekuthiel of Rome was an Italian-Jewish scholar and satirical poet. He was a member of a prominent, wealthy family and occupied an important position in Rome, possibly secretary or treasurer of the Jewish community there...
.
According to the traditions preserved by Ahimaaz, his family had its origin among the captives whom Titus
Titus
Titus , was Roman Emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, thus becoming the first Roman Emperor to come to the throne after his own father....
brought to Italy after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. The first person he mentions is Amittai
Amittai
- In Islam :Amittai is also mentioned in Islam in Prophet Muhammad's Hadith, in which Muhammad emphasizes upon the belief that all prophets are equal in their importance and greatness:...
of Oria, whom he calls sabbar and payyat, a man versed in 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....
ic halakha
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
and a writer of liturgical poetry. In the Chronicle are given the first authentic data concerning the wonder-working Aaron of Babylon, the reputed teacher of Kalonymus of Lucca; also through an account by Rabbi Silano additional information is gleaned about the Jewish community of Venosa
Venosa
Venosa is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervasio, Rapolla and Spinazzola....
, some epitaphs from which place had previously been published by G. J. Ascoli. Of the sons of Amittai, the Chronicle dwells especially upon Shephatiah, one of the earliest and most prolific liturgical poets (about 850-860), and gives some reliable data on the persecutions which the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
Jews had to suffer under Basil I
Basil I
Basil I, called the Macedonian was a Byzantine emperor of probable Armenian descent who reigned from 867 to 886. Born a simple peasant in the Byzantine theme of Macedonia, he rose in the imperial court, and usurped the imperial throne from Emperor Michael III...
; on the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
invasion of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Italy (872); on another liturgical poet, Amittai ben Shephatiah; and on the disputation which Hananiel ben Amittai was forced to hold with the archbishop of Oria. The author is obviously proud of the honor done to his family by one of its members, Paltiel, the vizier of al-Muizz and Abd al-Mansur (962-992) of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
; perhaps the first of the Egyptian nagid
Nagid
Nagid, , is a Hebrew term meaning a prince or leader. This title was often applied to the religious leader in Sephardic communities of the Middle Ages, generally in Egypt. Among the individuals bearing this title are the following:* Samuel ha-Nagid...
s, whom De Goeje has tried to identify with Jauhar al-Rumi or al-Saqlabi. Ahimaaz closes with short accounts of Hananiel, of his son Samuel in Capua, and of Paltiel ben Samuel (988-1048), father of the author himself.
The unique manuscript in Toledo bears the name of Menahem ben Benjamin in its signature. It is uncertain whether the word used there, (finished), refers to the composition or to the copying of the work. This signature is also in rimed prose; and it seems probable that at least part of page 132 (lines 12-23) in Neubauer's edition is by Menahem and not by Ahimaaz, for it contains an account of the author in language that one would not expect an author to use of himself.
There is no evidence that Ahimaaz made use of any literary records: he simply gathered together traditions that had been current in his family. In describing the activity of the vizier Paltiel, he refers to the Chronicles of Egypt as containing further data on the subject. Even in this case it is improbable that he has any individual work in mind. The body of the Chronicle contains no dates: a few are to be found in the last two sections, part of which may be, as stated above, a later addition.
Popular beliefs and superstitions
The Chronicle of Ahimaaz is, however, of interest from another point of view. It is full of accounts of wonderful deeds and of superhuman efforts; and gives an interesting picture of the popular beliefs and superstitions of the author's day. It narrates the exploits of Aaron, who is able to lock up an evil spirit in a chest by means of the Shem (ineffable name of God); how his pupil Shephatiah is able miraculously to cover a great distance in a very short time so as to avoid profaning the Sabbath day; how Shephatiah is able to save the life of a child that two female demonDemon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s had determined to put to death; how Hananiel is able to bring his cousin to life again; how heaven directly helps the same Hananiel; and how the moon remains obscured for a whole night in order to cover up an error made in an astronomical calculation. The tale is told of the Sefer ha-Merkabah, a wonderful book from which Shephatiah draws his knowledge of heaven's mysteries: before this book a light burned upon the Sabbath day. In order that the book should not fall into the hands of those that were unworthy to use it, it was put into a case of lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and thrown to the waves, which receded perceptibly and carried away the mysterious gift. The power of Paltiel as an astrologer is dwelt upon; it was this power which, in a measure, insured for him the friendship of the conqueror of Egypt. In this Chronicle are also found the first traces of the story of the Wandering Jew
Wandering Jew
The Wandering Jew is a figure from medieval Christian folklore whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. The original legend concerns a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion and was then cursed to walk the earth until the Second Coming...
. Filled as it is with these legends, one would be tempted to disregard the Chronicle as a historical source. But the naïveté with which the story is told shows that there is no attempt at historical reconstruction; and one can feel certain that the basis upon which Ahimaaz's work rests is reliable family tradition.
The language in which the Chronicle is written bears out this view. In its formation of new nouns and verbs, in its biliteral roots, its peculiar plural endings, and in its use of the construct state, it recalls the style of Donolo and of the liturgical poets of the school of Eleazar Kalir
Eleazar Kalir
Eleazar ben Kalir was one of Judaism's earliest and most prolific of the paytanim, liturgical poets. Many of his hymns have found their way into festive prayers of the Ashkenazi Jews synagogal rite....
. Nor are evidences wanting of the influence of the Arabic and the Romance languages
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
. From the rime one can also learn the pronunciation of Hebrew in the days of the author. The Chronicle contains a poetical elegy on Paltiel, which has a double alphabetic acrostic, as well as an acrostic
Acrostic
An acrostic is a poem or other form of writing in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line, paragraph or other recurring feature in the text spells out a word or a message. As a form of constrained writing, an acrostic can be used as a mnemonic device to aid memory retrieval. A famous...
upon the full name of the author.
Resources
; citing:- For Ahimaaz as a liturgical poet, see:
- Rabbi Leopold ZunzLeopold ZunzLeopold Zunz was a German Reform rabbi and writer, the founder of what has been termed "Jewish Studies" or "Judaic Studies" , the critical investigation of Jewish literature, hymnology and ritual...
, Literaturgesch. pp. 264, 626. - The first accounts of the manuscript of the Chronicle (Nos. 86, 25 in the catalogue of the library of the Cathedral of Toledo) were given by NeubauerNeubauerNeubauer is a surname, and may refer to:* Adolf Neubauer, Rabbinical scholar* Alfred Neubauer, Mercedes Grand Prix racing manager* Dagmar Neubauer, German athlete* Harald Neubauer, German far right politician and journalist...
, in Rev. Ét. Juives, xxiii. 236;
-
- idem, in Jew. Quart. Rev. iv. 614 t seq. Neubauer published the full text in his Mediœval Jew. Chron. ii. 111-132, from a facsimile and a photograph of the original. A complete résumé of the contents is given by Kaufmann, in Monatsschrift, 1896, pp. 462-473, 496-509, 529-554, together with emendations of the text, a discussion of its linguistic peculiarities, and a reprint of the elegy in a poetical form (not recognized as such, however, by Neubauer).
- Rabbi Leopold Zunz
- Further corrections of the text may be found in the reviews by:
- BrodyBrodyBrody is a city in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Brody Raion , and is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of the oblast capital, Lviv...
, Zeit. f. Hebr. Bibl. iii. 159 et seq.; - BacherBacherBacher may refer to:*Adam Bacher , South African cricketer*Ali Bacher , South African cricketer and cricket official*Gertrud Bacher , Italian heptathlete*Julius Bacher , German playwright and novelist...
, in Rev. Ét. Juives, xxxii. 144-151.
- Brody
- On the identity of Paltiel, see:
- KaufmannKaufmannKaufmann is a surname with many variants such as Kauffmann, Kaufman, and Kauffman. In German, the name means merchant. It is the cognate of the English Chapman . "Kaufmann" may refer to:- Kaufmann :* Aloys P. Kaufmann , Mayor of St...
, Beiträge zur Gesch. Aegyptens aus Jüd. Quellen, in Z.D.M.G. li. 436-442; - De Goeje, Paltiel-Djaubar, ib. lii. 75-80.
- Kaufmann
- On the general value of the Chronicle, see
- Moritz SteinschneiderMoritz SteinschneiderMoritz Steinschneider was a Bohemian bibliographer and Orientalist. He received his early instruction in Hebrew from his father, Jacob Steinschneider , who was not only an expert Talmudist, but was also well versed in secular science...
's remark in Monatsschrift, xliv. 239
- Moritz Steinschneider