Shemariah of Negropont
Encyclopedia
Shemariah ben Elijah Ikriti of Negropont (born c. 1275) (Hebrew: שמריה בן אליהו האיקריטי) was an Jewish-Italian philosopher and Biblical exegete, contemporary of Dante
and Immanuel
. He was born probably at Rome
, the descendant of a long line of Roman Jews. His father, in his youth, went as rabbi to Crete
, whence his surname, "Ha-Yewani" (="the Greek"), or "Ha-Iḳriṭti" (= "the Cretan").
Shemariah had a critical mind, and knew Italian
, Latin, and Greek
. Up to 1305 he studied the Bible
exclusively; then he took up Talmudic aggadah
and philosophy. His reputation was such that he was called to the court of King Robert of Naples, where he devoted himself chiefly to Biblical studies and wrote commentaries on Scripture. By 1328 he had completed philosophic commentaries on the Pentateuch (especially the story of the Creation), the Book of Job
, and Canticles. He aimed at bringing about a union between Karaites and Rabbinites; the Karaites, in fact, recognized and honored him.
The death of a son (1330) interrupted his work for a time, but he soon took it up again. In 1346 he wrote his Sefer ha-Mora, a refutation of the philosophical views on the Creation. Believing that he had placed Rabbinism on a sure foundation, Shemariah undertook, in 1352, a journey to Castile
and Andalusia
, in order to convert the Karaites. He is said to have pretended to be the Jewish Messiah
, and was reviled to such an extent that the government arrested him. He died in prison. Like most of his contemporaries, he was scientifically an epigone of the great philosophers and exegetes. He also wrote Elef ha-Magen (a commentary on the aggadah
in the treatise Megillah
), some piyyuṭim, and poems.
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
and Immanuel
Immanuel
Immanuel or Emmanuel or Imanu'el . It is a theophoric name used in the Bible in and...
. He was born probably at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, the descendant of a long line of Roman Jews. His father, in his youth, went as rabbi to Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, whence his surname, "Ha-Yewani" (="the Greek"), or "Ha-Iḳriṭti" (= "the Cretan").
Shemariah had a critical mind, and knew Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Latin, and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
. Up to 1305 he studied the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
exclusively; then he took up Talmudic aggadah
Aggadah
Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...
and philosophy. His reputation was such that he was called to the court of King Robert of Naples, where he devoted himself chiefly to Biblical studies and wrote commentaries on Scripture. By 1328 he had completed philosophic commentaries on the Pentateuch (especially the story of the Creation), the 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...
, and Canticles. He aimed at bringing about a union between Karaites and Rabbinites; the Karaites, in fact, recognized and honored him.
The death of a son (1330) interrupted his work for a time, but he soon took it up again. In 1346 he wrote his Sefer ha-Mora, a refutation of the philosophical views on the Creation. Believing that he had placed Rabbinism on a sure foundation, Shemariah undertook, in 1352, a journey to Castile
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
and Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, in order to convert the Karaites. He is said to have pretended to be the Jewish Messiah
Jewish Messiah
Messiah, ; mashiah, moshiah, mashiach, or moshiach, is a term used in the Hebrew Bible to describe priests and kings, who were traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil as described in Exodus 30:22-25...
, and was reviled to such an extent that the government arrested him. He died in prison. Like most of his contemporaries, he was scientifically an epigone of the great philosophers and exegetes. He also wrote Elef ha-Magen (a commentary on the aggadah
Aggadah
Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...
in the treatise Megillah
Megillah
Megillah may refer to:Bible:*The Scroll of Esther , read on the Jewish holiday of Purim.*Megillat AntiochusRabbinic literature:*Tractate Megillah in the Talmud....
), some piyyuṭim, and poems.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- ZunzZunzZunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
, Literaturgesch. p. 367; - Heinrich Grätz, Gesch. vii.277 et seq.;
- A. Geiger, in He-Ḥaluẓ, ii;
- S. D. Luzzatto, in Oẓar Neḥmad, ii;
- Hermann Vogelstein and Paul RiegerPaul RiegerPaul Warren Rieger QSO JP was Mayor of Palmerston North from 1985 to 1998. He is currently deputy chairman of Horizons Regional Council.-References:...
, Gesch. der Juden in Rom, i.446-450.
External links
- Jewish Encyclopedia article on Shemariah of Negropont, by Crawford Howell ToyCrawford Howell ToyCrawford Howell Toy , American Hebrew scholar, was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on 23 March 1836. He graduated at the University of Virginia in 1856, and studied at the University of Berlin from 1866 to 1868...
and Ismar ElbogenIsmar ElbogenIsmar Elbogen was a Jewish-German rabbi, scholar and historian....
.