Joseph Kara
Encyclopedia
Joseph ben Simeon Kara (Hebrew: יוסף בן שמעון קרא) was a French Bible exegete who was born and lived in Troyes. His uncle and teacher was Menahem ben Ḥelbo, whom Ḳara often cites in his commentaries, these quotations being almost the only source of knowledge concerning Menahem's exegesis.
Ḳara frequented Rashi
's house; it is even possible that he was Rashi's pupil, though this is denied by A. Epstein. At least they quote each other.
The surname "Ḳara" is usually taken to be a professional name, meaning "reader" or "interpreter of the Bible". Adolf Jellinek
points out, however, that "Ḳara," as contrasted with "Darshan," means the representative of the "Peshaṭ" ("Pashṭan").
The original or independent Bible commentaries of Ḳara are:
It is quite possible that Ḳara wrote also commentaries on Ezra and Nehemiah, but that the commentaries on these books as contained in MS. Saraval No. 27, and ascribed to Joseph Ḳara, are not genuine (A. Geiger, in Oẓar Neḥmad, iv.43 et seq.). Some comments of Ḳara on Chronicles
must have existed, as is proved by the quotations in pseudo-Rashi to those books (see II Chron. iii.15, v.9, xxv.24). According to Epstein (l.c. i.29 et seq.), Ḳara wrote additionally
, Ḳalir, Meïr Sheliaḥ Ẓibbur, Kalonymus, and others. In his commentary on Book of Job
he frequently uses the writings of Shabbethai Donnolo
, and gives very valuable extracts from the lost Baraita of Samuel
with Donnolo's commentary (comp. Epstein, l.c. pp. 34 et seq.).
His grammatical standpoint is that of Rashi. Whole Hebrew sentences are sometimes translated into French
. In his expressions he is not as terse as Rashi. He is bold enough to express the opinion that the Book of Samuel was not written by the prophet himself, but later (Commentary on I Sam. ix.9). He does not go into grammatical or philological research, and cares more for the sense of the whole sentence than for a single word. He shows more common sense than depth, and though he does not altogether hold aloof from haggadic interpretations, he takes a leading place among the exegetes of northern France, who in general preferred the rational exegesis.
Ḳara frequented Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
's house; it is even possible that he was Rashi's pupil, though this is denied by A. Epstein. At least they quote each other.
Social milieu
In Rashi's house Ḳara also made the acquaintance of Samuel ben Meïr. They likewise quote each other. Isaac Ḳara, of whose exegesis specimens are given in Monatsschrift, 1864, p. 219; 1865, p. 384, may be a son of Joseph.The surname "Ḳara" is usually taken to be a professional name, meaning "reader" or "interpreter of the Bible". Adolf Jellinek
Adolf Jellinek
----Adolf Jellinek |Drslavice]], nearby Uherské Hradiště, Moravia - December 28, 1893, Vienna) was an Austrian rabbi and scholar...
points out, however, that "Ḳara," as contrasted with "Darshan," means the representative of the "Peshaṭ" ("Pashṭan").
Works
Ḳara was a prolific exegetical writer. When he copied Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch he added numerous glosses and remarks in order to supplement and revise it; and these glosses were inserted by the scribes in the text of Rashi. They have been collected.The original or independent Bible commentaries of Ḳara are:
- According to Berliner (l.c. p. 16), a commentary on DeuteronomyDeuteronomyThe Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
i-iv. (printed l.c. [Hebr. part], pp. 6 et seq.).
- Commentaries on the Prophets published in Miḳra'ot Gedolot, Lublin, 1897 (see Samuel Poznanski in Zeit. für Hebr. Bibl. v.68); extracts from these commentaries were published by Wolf in Ha-Shaḥar, ii.289, iii.688, iv.55 (see also, L. Dukes in Orient, Lit. 1847, p. 344); by Littmann in Josef ben Simeon Kara, pp. 26–32 (from IsaiahIsaiahIsaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
and EzekielEzekielEzekiel , "God will strengthen" , is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Ezekiel is acknowledged as a Hebrew prophet...
). Those on the Book of Samuel and most of the Minor Prophets are not genuine (Porges, in Monatsschrift, 1883, p. 170; Rosin, l.c. p. 72, note 2). The JeremiahBook of JeremiahThe Book of Jeremiah is the second of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the book of Isaiah and preceding Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve....
commentary was published separately by Schlossberg (Commentaire sur Jerémie, Paris, 1881; comp. Brüll's Jahrb. vii.170 et seq.; see, also, ZunzZunzZunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
, Z.G. p. 68; Geiger, l.c. i.18); that on HoseaHoseaHosea was the son of Beeri and a prophet in Israel in the 8th century BC. He is one of the Twelve Prophets of the Jewish Hebrew Bible, also known as the Minor Prophets of the Christian Old Testament. Hosea is often seen as a "prophet of doom", but underneath his message of destruction is a promise...
, Breslau, 1861.
- Commentaries on most of the Hagiographa namely:
- ProverbsBook of ProverbsThe Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
; see the quotation in Ḳara's commentary on Eccl. vii.12. - Book of JobBook of JobThe Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
, published in Monatsschrift, vols. v., vi, and vii (see also, S.D. Luzzatto in Kerem Ḥemed, vii. 61 et seq.; A. Geiger, l.c. [Hebr. part], pp. 11 et seq.). - Canticles (i. 1-vii. 13), published by Hübsch (Ḥamesh Megillot, Prague, 1866; see Salfeld, Das Hohelied Salomo's, p. 49).
- Book of RuthBook of RuthThe Book of Ruth is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible, Tanakh, or Old Testament. In the Jewish canon the Book of Ruth is included in the third division, or the Writings . In the Christian canon the Book of Ruth is placed between Judges and 1 Samuel...
, published by Hübsch, l.c., and by A. Jellinek, l.c. (comp. A. Epstein in Ha-Ḥoḳer, i.31, note 2). - LamentationsBook of LamentationsThe Book of Lamentations ) is a poetic book of the Hebrew Bible composed by the Jewish prophet Jeremiah. It mourns the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple in the 6th Century BCE....
, published in Naples in 1486, and by Hübsch (l.c.), Jellinek (l.c.), and E. Ashkenazi (Dibre Ḥakamim, pp. 17 et seq., Metz, 1849), and by S. Buber in two different recensions in Kaufmann Gedenkbuch, pp. 8 et seq. - EcclesiastesEcclesiastesThe Book of Ecclesiastes, called , is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth , introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal...
, published by Hübsch (l.c.) and Einstein (in Berliner's Magazin, xiii. [Oẓar Ṭob]). - Book of EstherBook of EstherThe Book of Esther is a book in the Ketuvim , the third section of the Jewish Tanakh and is part of the Christian Old Testament. The Book of Esther or the Megillah is the basis for the Jewish celebration of Purim...
, published by Hübsch (l.c.), Jellinek (l.c.), and Berliner (ib. 1878; comp. ib. 1876, p. 158).
- Proverbs
It is quite possible that Ḳara wrote also commentaries on Ezra and Nehemiah, but that the commentaries on these books as contained in MS. Saraval No. 27, and ascribed to Joseph Ḳara, are not genuine (A. Geiger, in Oẓar Neḥmad, iv.43 et seq.). Some comments of Ḳara on Chronicles
Books of Chronicles
The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...
must have existed, as is proved by the quotations in pseudo-Rashi to those books (see II Chron. iii.15, v.9, xxv.24). According to Epstein (l.c. i.29 et seq.), Ḳara wrote additionally
- glosses to the pseudo-Rashi commentary on Genesis Rabbah, and
- a commentary on the MaḥzorMahzorThe 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...
(comp. ZunzZunzZunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
, Ritus, p. 198).
Characteristics
While in his glosses on the Pentateuch and in his commentaries on the Prophets Ḳara depends upon Rashi to the greatest extent, his explanations of the Hagiographa are more original. He quotes Menahem ben Saruḳ, Dunash ibn Labraṭ, Judah and Moses ha-DarshanMoses ha-Darshan
Moshe haDarshan was chief of the yeshiva of Narbonne, and perhaps the founder of Jewish exegetical studies in France...
, Ḳalir, Meïr Sheliaḥ Ẓibbur, Kalonymus, and others. In his commentary on Book of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
he frequently uses the writings of Shabbethai Donnolo
Shabbethai Donnolo
Shabbethai Donnolo was an Italian physician, and writer on medicine and astrology born at Oria. When twelve years of age he was made prisoner by the Arabs under the leadership of the Fatimite Abu Ahmad Ja'far ibn 'Ubaid, but was ransomed by his relatives at Otranto, while the rest of his family...
, and gives very valuable extracts from the lost Baraita of Samuel
Baraita of Samuel
A Baraita of Samuel was known to Jewish scholars from Shabbethai Donolo in the 10th century to Simon Duran in the 15th century, and citations from it were made by them. It was considered as lost until around 1900, when it unexpectedly appeared in print.In its present form, the Baraita is composed...
with Donnolo's commentary (comp. Epstein, l.c. pp. 34 et seq.).
His grammatical standpoint is that of Rashi. Whole Hebrew sentences are sometimes translated into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. In his expressions he is not as terse as Rashi. He is bold enough to express the opinion that the Book of Samuel was not written by the prophet himself, but later (Commentary on I Sam. ix.9). He does not go into grammatical or philological research, and cares more for the sense of the whole sentence than for a single word. He shows more common sense than depth, and though he does not altogether hold aloof from haggadic interpretations, he takes a leading place among the exegetes of northern France, who in general preferred the rational exegesis.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Heinrich Grätz, Gesch. vi.145;
- Henri Gross, Gallia Judaica, p. 227;
- Einstein, in Berliner's Magazin, xiii.206 et seq.;
- Ernest RenanErnest RenanErnest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
-Adolf NeubauerAdolf NeubauerAdolf Neubauer was sublibrarian at the Bodleian Library and reader in Rabbinic Hebrew at Oxford University....
, Les Rabbins Français, pp. 435, 438, 441, 488, 558; - 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...
, G.V. 2d ed., pp. 313, 410; - idem, Z.G. Index;
- idem, in Zeitschrift für die Wissenschaft des Judenthums, p. 318;
- Abraham BerlinerAbraham BerlinerAbraham Berliner was a German theologian and historian, born in Obersitzko, province of Posen, Prussia. He received his first education under his father, who was teacher in Obersitzko...
, Pletath Soferim, pp. 19 et seq.; - Littmann, Josef ben Simeon Kara, Breslau, 1887;
- A. Geiger, Parschandatha, pp. 18 et seq.; pp. 21 et seq. (Hebr. part);
- Kirchheim, in Orient. Lit. 1848, p. 433.
External links
- Jewish Encyclopedia article for Joseph ben Simeon Kara, by Richard Gottheil and Max Schloessinger.