Joseph ibn Caspi , Joseph Ben Abba Husband Ben Joseph Ben Caspi Jacob of his complete name (1279, Argentière - 1340), also known under its name of Provence of SEN Bonfos or Gift Bonafoux of Argentière (Gift Bonafous de Largentera), is a Rabbin and Jewish philosopher averroïste of the 13th century
Biography
Resulting from a family érudite, wire of the famous adversary of philosophy, Abba Husband, he sees the day in 1279 with Argentière in the Languedoc (where as of the Roman epoch one worked money mines there and from where the origin of its name כספי, money כסף = " Kessef" in Hebrew). In 1306, it settles with Tarascon, probably following the expulsion of the Jews of France.It will carry out from there the many ones and long voyages, of which most notable are:
- of 1312 with 1314 in Spain and the East,
- in 1315, with Fès, with an aim of meeting the descendants of Maïmonide, in order to collect information on its religious philosophy, but it déchanta quickly.
- of 1330 with 1331 in Spain and Majorque.
In 1317, it is established with Arles, in Provence, where it bound with Kalonymos Ben Kalonymos (Shem Tov Ben Shem Tov) Ben Meïr, and where it wrote his introduction to the Pentateuque, the Tirat Kessef (cf will infra), which was worth to him to be scrambled with Kalonymos Ben Kalonymos and the Masters of this one.
He died in 1340, probably during a voyage
Its philosophy
Influenced by Maïmonide, Averroès and particularly Abraham ibn Ezra, of which it follows the idea of construction philosophical grammar Hebraic, it defends the idea that the literal Sens of the Writings is to be taken… literally, and will not hesitate to criticize the interpretation that makes Maïmonide of it, for which many prophetic accounts are to be taken as allegories.
In a surprising way little, its most known work is the Sefer ha-Shorashim , delivers roots, where it establishes a dictionary under the terms of the etymology and the homonymy of the biblical terms.
It shares nevertheless the rationalizing attitude of Averroès towards the miracles, regarding them as natural phenomena of which we do not have the knowledge of all the physical causes chairing it. To include/understand a miracle, it is necessary to be put in the context of its narrators, and to include/understand their points of view and their knowledge at this time precise.
In the same way, it is necessary to interpret prophecy by taking account of the fact that it was to produce an outstanding effect on crowd, and if we do not include/understand all the aspects of them, it is necessary to charge of them our distance with respect to the moment of the occurrence of the facts and speeches prophetic. The prophet includes/understands the future, because it analyzes perfectly them holding and outcomes of the present and their consequences. In the final analysis, Ibn Caspi leaves little place to the divine aspect there.
Many religious assertions do not tend so much to deliver a message " vrai" , that to teach with crowd how to behave and justify them to do it.
When prophecy and philosophy diverge, we must remember that they are not of comparable nature and cannot thus coincide, since, despite everything, we do not know why they said what they said, and why the miracles take the form which they take. If we knew it, perhaps would see us us that prophecy could be brought back, with few things close, with philosophical truths more easily comprehensible by the common run of people.
However, our comprehension of the assertions not being, and not being able to be total, we must accept them, as aspects of our faith, although we can remain convinced that these assertions are rather equivalent to the philosophical truths.
Contrary to Maimonide and Averroès, Ibn Caspi did not think that the secrecies of interpretation were to be held for intelligentsia. Within sight of the differences between contexts, times, audiences, knowledge, languages, etc, it had inevitably dug a ditch which did not have to be tried to fill. Consequently, the secrecy remained secret.
Its works
Works exegetic
-
Mishne Kessef (not to be confused with Kessef Mishne of Yossef Karo) is a comment kabbalistic and ethicophilosophic on the Pentateuque, in two parts.
- Tirat Kessef - Sefer haSod , the kabbalistic part which analyzes each book of Pentateuque in its entirety, and not by chapter or section, focusing itself on the not-legislative part of the Text.
- Matzref leKessef is a comment focusing on the simple Sens verses, but with a éthico-philosophical sight, contrary to the comments of Rachi or Ibn Ezra.
- Adne Kessef : comment of Josué, the Judges, the Kings, Isaïe, Jérémie, Ezéchiel and the Minor prophets.
- Hatsotsrot Kessef : comment of the Ecclésiaste and Proverb, Song of Songs
- Shoulhan Kessef, comment of Job
- Kapot Kessef, comment of Ruth and the Lamentations
- Glile Kessef, comment of Esther
- Hagorat Kessef, comment of Ezra, Néhémie, and of the esoteric Chronicles
- Supercommentaire of the passages of the Comment of Pentateuque of Abraham ibn Ezra
- Parshat Kessef, or Sod HaTorah, supercommentaire general of the Comment of Pentateuque of Abraham ibn Ezra
- not preserved Works
- Kfore Kessef, presentation of its interpretations of Pentateuque diverging from ibn Ezra and Maïmonide
- Mizreqè Kessef, comment on the account of creation
- Masmerot Kessef, comment of the Psalms
- Ke' arot Kessef, comment of Daniel
Lexicographical writings
- Sharsherot Kessef, dictionary Hebrew
- Retouqot Kessef, introduction criticizes with Hebraic grammar, nonprinted
- Commentaire of Sefer haRiqmah of Ibn Jannah ( not preserved )
Philosophical works
- Comment of the Guide of Stray the (towards 1330), in two parts:
- Amoude (or " Neqoudot) Kessef
- Maskiyot haKessef (on the elements esoteric of theology)
- Tsror haKessef: summary of logic, popularizing works of logic of Averroès and Al-Farabi (nonprinted)
- Troumat haKessef (1329): ethical treaty of , inspired of Plato and Aristote (nonprinted)
- Menorat Kessef: philosophical interpretation of the biblical passages relating to the Celestial Tank
Others
- One allots to him piyouttim (liturgical poems) included in particular in the ritual of Algiers, but it is probable that it is by confusion with Joseph Ben Shalom Kaspi, who lived in XVIe century.
Sources
- Jacob Gordin, " Joseph Kaspi" , article published in the Encyclopedia judaïca , Berlin, Eschkol, 1932, volume 9, p. 1025 - 30; translated from German by Cyril Aslanoff;
- in " Gordin Jacob: Writings - the revival of the Jewish thought in France" , collection Presences of the Judaism, editions Albin Michel, ISBN 2-226-07785-5
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