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Lecturer(s)
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Visi Tamás, doc. Ph.D., M.A.
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Course content
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Creation: Biblical Exegesis and Sciences in Medieval Jewish Thought 1. Introduction: the creation of the world in the Bible, philosophical allegory: Philo of Alexandria, rabbinic interpretation of the creation narrative, Bereshit rabba, ma'aseh bereshit, Sefer Yetsira, early Christian interpretation, Hexaemeron-literaure, allegorical vs. literal interpretations, St. Basil's Hexaemeron, St. Ambrose's Hexaemeron 2. Introductory Hebrew text reading: Abraham Ibn Ezra, Short commentary on Genesis 1:1 3. John Philoponus' De opficio mundi: historical context and outline of content. The controversy over Greek sciences and the flatness (versus sphericity) of earth. Miaphysite vs. dyophysite theology and exegesis 4. Introductory Syriac text reading: Emmanuel bar Shahhare, Memra 8 (the fourth day of creation / the impetus God inserted into the celestial bodies / the magnet theory) 5. Syriac biblical commentaries: introduction. Syriac text reading: Isho'dad of Merv on the flatness of earth. 6. Karaite biblical exegesis: introduction. The Jewish reception of Syriac exegesis: Dawud al-Muqammas' studies in Nisibis and his lost commentary on the creation narrative. Judeo-Arabic text reading: al-Qirqisani on the sphericity of earth 7. The "meteorological" interpretation of Genesis 1: John Philoponus. The Syriac reception of Philoponus. Introductory Syriac text reading: Jacob of Edessa on the atmosphere 8. Target passages: Jacob of Edessa on the "firmament" being a region of the atmosphere (Syriac text reading). Moses bar Kepha's summary of Jacob's theory 9. Target passages: Sa'adyah gaon's commentary on Genesis (Judeo-Arabic and Hebrew text reading), the Jewish reception of the "meteorological" interpretation 10. Target passages: Abraham Ibn Ezra's Short commentary on Genesis 1:6 (Hebrew text reading) 11. Target passages: Moses Maimonides, The Guide of the Perplexed 2:30 (Judeo-Arabic and Hebrew text reading). Parallels between Philoponus and Maimonides. The enigma of transmission 12. Target passages: Moses Maimonides, The Guide of the Perplexed 2:30 (Judeo-Arabic and Hebrew text reading). Summary: Jewish and Christian intellectual traditions about the creation of the world.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
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Learning outcomes
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Creation: Biblical Exegesis and Sciences in Medieval Jewish Thought
Analytic reading of complex and highly conceptualized texts which are rich in cultural references.
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Prerequisites
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Ability to read English.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Student performance, Systematic Observation of Student, Seminar Work
Credits: attendance and participation in discussion of texts (50%) oral exam in one of the target readings (Hebrew or Syriac or Judeo-Arabic) or a short paper on one of the topics discussed (max. 5 pages) (50%) Tolerated absences: 2.
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Recommended literature
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+ V závislosti na tématu semináře/Depending on the topic of seminar.
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T. Visi. The "Meteorological" Interpretation of the Creation Narrative from John Philoponus to Saadia Gaon. 2021.
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T. Visi. The "Meteorological" Interpretation of the Creation Narrative: John Philoponus's Legacy in Abraham Ibn Ezra and Moses Maimonides. 2022.
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