The exact period of Jarchi's life is also uncertain. According to the most respectable authorities, he was born in Troyes, in France, in the year 1030, and lived to the age of 75, or, as others say, 64 years. Of his life and history very little is known, although much is related that is fabulous, particularly that he spent seven years in wandering about in various countries, in order to atone for some sin of his father. He was brought up under the superintendence of Rabbi Jacob Ben Jakar, and probably also of Rabbi Gershom, and pursued his studies in the place of his nativity. Jarchi is the author of a commentary on the entire Hebrew Bible. He wrote also a commentary on the Talmud, and on the Pirke Avoth ; also some other works, a brief notice of which may be found in Wolf's Bibliotheca Hebræa, Vol. I. pp. 1067, 1068. The importance and extensiveness of his works have gained for him with posterity, the honor of being regarded as one of the most learned Jews in the departments to which he devoted himself; although he is certainly less judicious in many of his expositions than some others of his nation. This will appear by no means surprising, when it is recollected that his literary acquirements were very limited. Accord *Basnage places his birth in the year 1105, and of course makes him flourish in the twelfth century. See Book viii. chap. xiii. sec. 27, and Book ix. chap. x. sec. 17. ing to Jost, he was unacquainted with natural science, history, geography, mathematics, and languages; and yet so completely did he master the common sources of Jewish learning, the Bible, the Talmud, and other more recent works, as to make them his own, and to explain them in general to the satisfaction of his pupils. Other writers however, speak of him as being acquainted with ancient languages, philosophy, medicine, and astronomy. They add, also, that with the view of improving himself by foreign instruction, he travelled into Italy, Greece, Palestine, Egypt, Persia, and Germany, visiting all the cities distinguished for Hebrew literature, interrogating the professors, discussing with them points of difficulty, and noting with exactness their various replies. Still he was not distinguished for extraordinary talents or remarkable perspicacity; neither was he excited by any dominant inclination to triumph in argument over an antagonist, or to produce something novel. His ruling desire was, to seize upon the simple sense of the sources of religious knowledge, in the hope of illustrating their true meaning. With this object in view, he entered upon his laborious undertaking. He endeavored to explain the more important passages, sometimes grammatically, sometimes by paraphrasing and sup * * Bartolocci, Part iv., p. 378, 381. Biographie Universelle, Tom. 37, p. 109. Basnage calls him one of the most learned of the Book viii. chap. xiii. sect. 27. French Rabbies. plying what was supposed to be elliptical, and occasionally by means of a French translation. His commentaries are compiled principally from the Chaldee Targum, the Talmud, and other ancient Jewish authorities, the very language of which is often retained. Where his predecessors had introduced legendary narratives, and allegories founded on certain expressions, he contented himself with giving the statements without examining into their truth. Rhenferd says that Jarchi is by no means given to fictions, but relates with remarkable diligence and fidelity the opinions of his predecessors on the more important parts of scripture. By fictions, he means probably, original inventions; for Jarchi abounds with Rabbinical conceits, drawn, with fidelity no doubt, from writers of higher antiquity. To elicit the philological meaning, rather than to discuss the truth of the results arrived at, characterizes the commentaries of Jarchi, and the school of which he may be considered as the founder. Posterity is more indebted to his patience and industry, than to his genius or profoundness. It is the laborious ox, rather than the soaring eagle, to which this Rabbi may be compared. The style of this commentator is obscure, both on account of its conciseness and the number of foreign words, particularly French, which he introduces. Wolf informs us, that Rendtorf of Hamburg prepared on the whole of Jarchi's commentary, notes and observations, which might serve the purpose of a lexicon and version. He mentions also, the commentary of Balthazar Scheid, as very useful in reading Jarchi, because it contains explanations of all the foreign words. Vol. I. p. 1065, 1066. The commentary on the Pentateuch was translated into Latin by John Frederick Breithaupt, and published at Gotha, 4to, in 1710, with brief and learned notes. Also in 1713, the same writer published at the same place, in 4to, a Latin translation of the commentary on the greater and minor prophets, Job, and the Psalms. Other portions of Jarchi's works have also been translated by different persons. JUDAH HALLEVI, Author of the Book Cosri. Well RABBI JUDAH HALLEVI, (that is, the Levite,) BEN SAMUEL, a Spanish Jew of the twelfth century, was a man of uncommon talent. versed in Rabbinical and Arabian literature, he endeavored to spread the influence of learning, and a knowledge of the most important truths, by means of poetry. As he was wealthy, his circumstances afforded him leisure to polish his compositions, according to the principles of prosody then generally admitted. In the judgment of a nearly contemporaneous critic,* he drew largely from the deep treasury of poetic thought and feeling, and surpassed all the writers of his nation who had attempted to build the lofty verse. His hymns of praise are marked by force and ardor, * Al Charisi, about the year 1200. This writer has laid down some very excellent practical rules, which poets of all periods might apply with advantage. They may be found in Jost's history, vol. vi., p. 159, 160.-Many of Judah's poems and other finished compositions are contained in books of prayers. Bartolocci, part iii. p. 64. |