Throughout the ages Hebrew literature was influenced by the literature of the surrounding cultures, and in the Age of Andalusia, by Arabic literature in particular. A pioneering comparative study is presented which sheds light on the motifs of white hair and old age which the Jewish poets used in their complaint and aesthetic poetry, under the influence of Arabic poetry.

     The foremost two experts on the question of the connection between Arabic and Hebrew poetry, Yehuda Ratzhabi and Yisrael Levin, have mainly examined secular poetry. In addition, Pagis sought to incorporate the new approach proposed by Shirman, who studied medieval Arabic and Hebrew poetry. Tobi discussed the link between the two poetry corpuses noting that although sacred Hebrew poetry was rooted in ancient Israelite piyut it was not impervious to Arabic influence, though to a lesser degree than secular poetry. In their studies, Ratzhabi and Levin provided many parallels showing that the Jewish poets of Andalusia were very familiar with Arabic poetry, not only borrowing its form and rhetoric but also themes and subject matter. The contact between the two poetries led to the influence of Arabic poetry on Hebrew poetry only after certain processes in the two societies, which brought them close together. It was no accident that Hebrew poetry imitated Arabic poetry; this was clearly intended by the poets. The Jews of Andalusia saw Arabic poetry as superior to all other forms of poetry and felt that they should copy their methods in their own writing.

     The study aims to fill the gap in Ratzhabi's last study which discusses borrowed motifs and parallels between the two poetries but misses (and short-changes) two great Muslim poets. The first of these is Ibn Ḥamdīs (1058-1137) and the second is Ibn Khafāja (1005-1133). There are countless examples of parallels between these poets' writings and the writing of the Jewish poets discussed in Ratzhabi's book, R. Moshe Ibn Ezra (1055-1138) and R. Yehudah Halevi (1075-1141) in particular.

Title

Hebrew Higher Education

Publisher

National Association of Professors of Hebrew

Publisher Country

United States of America

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

18

Year

2016

Pages

83-104