Ahimaaz ben Paltiel
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Ahimaaz ben Paltiel | |
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Native name | אחימעץ בן פלטיאל |
Born | 1017 CE Oria |
Ahimaaz ben Paltiel (
Chronicle of Ahimaaz
Ahimaaz is best known as the compiler of the Chronicle, composed in 1054, which, though intended merely to glorify his immediate ancestors, gives much important information regarding the history of the early Jewish settlements in such towns as
According to the traditions preserved by Ahimaaz, his family had its origin among the captives whom
Basil I atrocities
Of the sons of Amittai, the Chronicle dwells especially upon
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 rhymed 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 demons 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
References
- ^ Kohen, E. "History of the Byzantine Jews: A Microcosmos in the Thousand Year Empire", p. 91, 2007
- ^ see Revue Études Juives, xxxii. 147.
- ^ compare Neubauer's ed., pp. 111-113, 132, 133
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Richard Gottheil (1901–1906). "Ahimaaz ben Paltiel". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.; citing:
- For Ahimaaz as a liturgical poet, see:
- Rabbi Leopold Zunz, 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 Neubauer, 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).
- Further corrections of the text may be found in the reviews by:
- Henrik Bródy, Zeit. f. Hebr. Bibl. iii. 159 et seq.;
- Bacher, in Rev. Ét. Juives, xxxii. 144–151.
- On the identity of Paltiel, see:
- David Kaufmann, Beiträge zur Gesch. Aegyptens aus Jüd. Quellen, in Z.D.M.G. li. 436–442;
- De Goeje, Paltiel-Djaubar, ib. lii. 75–80.
- On the general value of the Chronicle, see
- Moritz Steinschneider's remark in Monatsschrift, xliv. 239