The beginning of the world in renaissance Jewish thought ma'aseh bereshit in Italian Jewish philosophy and kabbalah, 1492-1535 PDF
Preview The beginning of the world in renaissance Jewish thought ma'aseh bereshit in Italian Jewish philosophy and kabbalah, 1492-1535
The Beginning of the World in Renaissance Jewish Thought Supplements to The Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy Edited by Elliot R. Wolfson (University of California, Santa Barbara) Christian Wiese (University of Frankfurt) Hartwig Wiedebach (University of Zurich) VOLUME 27 The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/sjjt The Beginning of the World in Renaissance Jewish Thought Ma’aseh Bereshit in Italian Jewish Philosophy and Kabbalah, 1492–1535 By Brian Ogren LEIDEN | BOSTON Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Ogren, Brian, author. Title: The beginning of the world in Renaissance Jewish thought : Ma’aseh bereshit in Italian Jewish philosophy and kabbalah, 1492–1535 / by Brian Ogren. Description: Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2016] | Series: Supplements to the Journal of Jewish thought and philosophy ; 27 | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016031161 (print) | LCCN 2016031897 (ebook) | ISBN 9789004330627 (hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9789004330634 (E-book) Subjects: LCSH: Creation—Early works to 1800. | Allemanno, Johanan ben Isaac, approximately 1435–approximately 1504—Criticism and interpretation. | Abravanel, Isaac, 1437–1508—Criticism and interpretation. | León, Hebreo, approximately 1460—Criticism and interpretation. | Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni, 1463–1494—Criticism and interpretation. | Jewish philosophy—Italy—History—15th century. | Jewish philosophy—Italy—History—16th century. | Cabala—Italy—History—15th century. | Cabala—Italy—History—16th century. | Creation in rabbinical literature. Classification: LCC BS651 .O37 2016 (print) | LCC BS651 (ebook) | DDC 296.3/409024—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016031161 Brill Open Access options can be found at brill.com/brillopen. Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface. ISSN 1873-9008 isbn 978-90-04-33062-7 (hardback) isbn 978-90-04-33063-4 (e-book) Copyright 2016 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi and Hotei Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. This book is printed on acid-free paper and produced in a sustainable manner. :הבר הבהאב ,ילש זדלומשל ”.המכחב הלוכ יתבהאו יקשח תישאר“ 217 ,המלשל תולעמה ריש ,ונמילא ןנחוי— ∵ Contents Acknowledgements IX Introduction: In the Beginning 1 PART 1 Bereshit—The Wisdom of the Beginning 1 On the Wisdom of Language—Yohanan Alemanno on the Word of God and the Simulacrum of Creation 25 2 On the Wisdom of Christ—Giovanni Pico della Mirandola on the Truth of the Son and the Creation of the World 44 3 On the Wisdom of Angels—Isaac Abravanel on the Separate Intellects, Bodies, and the Garments of Creation 60 4 On the Wisdom of Beauty—Leone Ebreo on Art and Creation 77 PART 2 Tohu Va-Vohu—Astounding and Substantial Beginnings 5 Hylomorphic Time—Yohanan Alemanno on Form, Matter, and the Days of Creation 99 6 Edifices and Days—Giovanni Pico della Mirandola on Formation, Teshuvah, and the Return to Christ 117 7 Ex-Nihilo Creation—Isaac Abravanel on the Formation of the World, Evil, and Peace 134 8 Chaos and Divine Spirit—Leone Ebreo on Greek Mythology, Jewish Lore, and the Gendered Creation of the Universe 151 viii Contents Concluding Remarks: On Sources and Influences in Relation to “The Beginning” 169 Bibliography 181 Index 191 Acknowledgements Beginnings, as I attempt to show throughout this book, are processes of com- ing forth into creation that are characterized simultaneously by both continu- ity and rupture. In that regard, it is apt to note that this book itself began as an outgrowth from my previous book on reincarnation. While researching for that project, I noticed that when discussing the cyclical nature of life, many of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century figures whom I was exploring also discussed ideas of the cyclical nature of creation. This led me to further explo- rations, which ultimately led to the realization that at least four major thinkers of the period wrote extensively about concepts of creation and the beginning of time, and all four drew on similar kabbalistic and philosophical sources. All four were also parts of overlapping intellectual circles. This book is about those four thinkers concerning the creation of the world and the beginning of time, namely, Yohanan Alemanno, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Isaac Abravanel, and Judah Abravanel (better known as Leone Ebreo). In regard to the similar sources utilized by these thinkers and the overlap of ideas and of intellectual circles, I make the claim toward the very end of this book on beginnings that texts are often transindividual fields of production that elude any one single, clear-cut point of beginning. This makes it difficult, if not outright impossible, to point to any one single author as the originator of specific ideas. Inasmuch as this applies to the authors being examined here, it would be incongruous of me at best not to admit that it also applies to the case of this present book itself. Many of the ideas presented in this book spring from long lines of tradition converging in the writings of the four authors being treated. Without Alemanno, Pico, Abravanel and Ebreo, this book would not exist, and thus, in a fairly unconventional manner, it is to them that I offer the first order of acknowledgment. Beyond my conversations with those who have long been dead, the idea of turning my explorations into late fifteenth century Italian Jewish thought on the beginning into a book length study began in casual conversation with will- ing and insightful living interlocutors. Daniel Abrams provided me with an attentive ear in the halls of the Jewish National and University Library. Brian Copenhaver suggested perceptive viewpoints during the time that he genially hosted me as a fellow at the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at UCLA. Hava Tirosh-Samuelson unwaveringly offered sound advice over meals and coffee at various meetings of the Association for Jewish Studies and the American Academy of Religion. Christia Mercer offered new perspectives on Platonic philosophy during our time together in the beautiful hills of Florence. x Acknowledgements I am grateful to all of these conversation partners for encouraging me to push forward with my research and ideas, even, at times, in the face of seeming opposition and resistance. Jonathan Garb has been incredibly supportive throughout, intellectually, emotionally, and practically. Perhaps more than anyone, he has shown me the way of simultaneous continuity and rupture that marks the notion of begin- ning, and has helped me to transition from Israeli academia to (what are now not-so) new beginnings in American university life. My gratitude toward and respect for him are immeasurable. Fabrizio Lelli has been my closest and most fitting conversation partner throughout. His incredible breadth and depth of knowledge never cease to amaze, and his willingness to give erudite feedback is always unfailing. He offered some very important insights into several parts of this present work. James Nelson-Novoa read an early draft of the portions dealing with Leone Ebreo, and Moshe Idel offered some very important early feedback on the bulk of the manuscript that saved me from some grave errors. Elliot Wolfson kindly took the time and effort to carefully read through the entire manuscript in its more finalized form and suggested some invaluable modifications. I am grate- ful to all of these consummate scholars for helping to hone what now stands before the reader. Research began on this book during my time in Jerusalem as a fellow of the Shlomo Pines Foundation, and it began to be formed during my time as a fel- low of the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies of Columbia University. It was brought to completion during my time at Villa I Tatti, the Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence Italy. I thank all of these institutions for the time made available to me and for the financial support offered. My colleagues in the Department of Religion at Rice University have been extremely supportive of my intellectual endeavors. Special mention should be made of my two Department Chairs since I have been at Rice: Jeffrey Kripal afforded me the opportunity to organize the 2013 Rockwell Symposium on time and eternity in Jewish mysticism, which helped to solidify some of the theoretical foundations for this book (especially chapter five). April DeConick kindly and willingly helped me to procure a year-long academic leave of absence in order to take up residence at Villa I Tatti and to conclude this book. My gratitude also extends to Nicolas Shumway, Dean of Rice University’s School of Humanities, who enthusiastically encouraged me to apply for the fellowship at Harvard’s Villa I Tatti and who graciously accommodated the leave of absence that allowed me to bring this book to completion.
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