INTRODUCTION:
Around 1161, Rabbi Avraham ben David, known as Ibn Daud (1110-1180) wrote
a philosophical and historical work entitled Sefer haKaballah, or Book
of Tradition (History).[1]
In this book he wrote an account about the Dalet Shevuim or
Four Captives:
In 960 C.E. (4720) a ship carrying four great rabbis was apparently sent on a fundraising mission for the Babylonian Yeshiva of Sura[2] to more affluent Western countries around the Mediterranean in order to raise funds.[3]
In 960 C.E. (4720) a ship carrying four great rabbis was apparently sent on a fundraising mission for the Babylonian Yeshiva of Sura[2] to more affluent Western countries around the Mediterranean in order to raise funds.[3]
The rabbis were Rabenu Shemaria, Rabenu Chushiel, Rabeinu Moshe and a fourth ‘whose
name,’ says ibn Daud, ’is not known to me.’
THE STORY:
After the four greatest rabbis of Babylonia had completed their business in Italy, and after their ship left Bari in southern Italy, it
was captured by a Muslim pirate Ibn Rumahis[4] who was
on a mission to seize Christian vessels. He soon realized that he could get a
huge ransom for these four highly respected rabbis (in addition to the
collected money they must already have had on them).
Subsequently R. Shemaria was ransomed by the Jews of Alexandria and became
the Chief Rabbi of Egyptian Jewry. R. Chushiel was ransomed by the community of
Kairouan (Tunisia) and headed Tunisian community. (He was the father of Rabbenu
Chananel who was the teacher of the Rif.) And R. Moshe was redeemed in
Cordova and led the Spanish Jewish community, creating foundations for the
Sefardic communities. Some say that the fourth and nameless rabbi may have been
ransomed by the communities of France and Germany, and hence the founding of
the communities of Ashkenaz.[5]
This event explains how, around the year 1000, the centers of Torah scholarship dramatically moved from the disintegrating communities of Babylonia, and transferred to North Africa, Europe and
particularly Spain. It marked a significant shift of
rabbinic authority from old Babylonia to the new West (and hailed the arrival of a new
period in Jewish history known as the era of the Rishonim).
The story is embellished with details of how, on the way to Spain, R.
Moshe’s wife was threatened by the pirate. She quickly asked her learned
husband if she could allow the sea to take her life, rather than submit to the
pirate – and would she arise again in the time of messiah? To which he simply
replied with the verse; “I will bring back from the depths of the sea.“[6] His wife understood the message and she
immediately jumped overboard and was never seen again.
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ANALYSIS OF THE STORY - THE PIVOTAL PROBLEM:
Ibn Daud's story of the Four Captives is taken literally as historic fact by many.
But others adopt a different view entirely. We shall attempt to take an
impartial look at both interpretations of the story:
Unbelievably, it was only after the discovery of the Cairo Geniza (see previous post) towards the end of the 1800’s,
that a letter came to light, written (between 1000 and 1008) by R. Chushiel of
Tunisia to R. Shemaria of Egypt. (Imagine finding the handwritten and original
letter almost a thousand years later!)
In this letter - which appears to discredit the story of the Four Captives
- R. Chushiel wrote that he was simply travelling from his homeland of Italy
visit his colleague R. Shemaria in Egypt, and passed through Kairouan
(Tunisia). He never completed his journey to Egypt because the Tunisian
community wanted to keep him on as their rabbi. No mention is made whatsoever
of any capture by pirates or ransom. The trip was made voluntarily without any
coercing at all.[7]
ARGUMENT 'FOR':
The story of the Four Captives is said to have taken
place in 960. (Some say 990.) That would leave a period of about forty years
from the piracy event, to the year in which R. Chushiel wrote his letter from
Tunisia to R. Shemaria in Egypt.
During this time period, it is feasible that R. Chushiel
may have left Tunisia, where he was ransomed, and traveled back to his homeland of Italy and then
returned again but uneventfully to Tunisia. Hence his letter, dated somewhere between
1000 and 1008, described his latest uneventful journey and had no need to
reference the events surrounding the capture and the trauma of some years
before. [8]
ARGUMENTS 'AGAINST':
1. From other fragments of documents discovered in the Geniza, it is
evident that R. Shemaria’s father, R. Elchanan had already been living in, and
acting as Chief Rabbi of Fostat (old Cairo) since the mid 900’s! This creates
difficulties for the story of R. Shemaria having been ransomed by Egyptian
Jewry - as may have already been born and now living in Egypt at the time of the ‘capture’.[9]
2. The Sura Yeshiva in Babylonia closed down in 948, which was twelve years
before 960 when the fateful trip was said to have taken place.[10]
3. Many believe that these rabbis were Italian, and not Babylonian. This
may be borne out by the fact that soon after their arrival in their respective centers
of Tunisia and Egypt, the study of the Talmud Yerushalmi (The Palestinian
Talmud) became widespread and popular.
Till then it was only the Talmud Bavli (The Babylonian Talmud) that was
studied in those locations. This may have been because the Talmud Yerushalmi
was commonly used in Italy already for centuries – but was, until then,
something apparently unknown to most Babylonian scholars.[11]
[In a similar vein, R. Chushiel's son, Rabenu Chananel often cited the
(more practical) Talmud Yerushalmi. This is in keeping with classical Sefardic
ideology which emphasizes the practical over the theoretical, as opposed
to Ashkenazic thought which generally leans more towards the theoretical and analytical aspects of
Torah learning.
Rabenu Chananel's student the Rif is also known for his teachings which are
predominantly on the more practical sections of the Talmud, and similarly
draws extensively from the Yerushalmi.
In fact, some early Yeshivot at that time focused almost exclusively on the
Rif and used his teachings as the primary text, to the exclusion of the Talmud
Bavli. This is evidenced by the fact that the printed format, even in our
modern day editions of the Talmud, has the Rif text presented as identical to
the text of the Talmud itself!
This may add weight to the view that the Talmud Yerushalmi was brought from
Italy to North Africa, by Italian not Babylonian rabbis.]
4. There is also the rather critical view that Ibn Daud wanted to cement
the relatively new Spanish Torah community within the overall picture of Torah
transmission beginning at from Sinai - to Israel - to Babylonia - and now to
the West (and particularly to Spain). On this view, he told his epic story of
almost Biblical proportions, of the transference of rabbinic authority from
Babylonia to the West.
Some go so far as to infer that Ibn Daud needed to create an aura of
great importance around the new West so that Western rabbinic authority would never
again be regarded as secondary to Babylonian rabbinic authority. Thus through
this story he was able to show how the mantle of rabbinic leadership was
‘legitimately’ transferred from East to West. And as a result, it would also
end the dependence of Spanish Jewry on Babylonian leadership. Now Spain could,
and indeed did, stand as an independent bastion of Torah scholarship.[12]
In the actual Ibn Daud text it is stated that the dayan or
judge of Cordova at that time, R. Natan, was; "righteous, but the
Spanish people were not familiar with the words of the rabbis."
However, once R. Moshe was firmly installed in Spain, Ibn Daud wrote that; “all
questions which had previously been directed to the Babylonian academies were
now directed to him (R. Moshe).” Now halachik questions could be
asked and answered in Spain, without having to wait a year for an answer from
Babylonia.
As a further consequence of the ‘sanctioning’ of the Spanish rabbinic
community, much needed funds could remain in Spain as the community began to
withdraw their financial support of the Babylonian communities – because now; “the
Spanish scholars had many disciples and the knowledge of Talmud spread (through
them) throughout the world.”[13]
We know that fundraising for Babylonia must have been a major issue at the
time because the story frames the reason for the journey as a ‘fundraising
mission’. But now the funds could ‘legitimately’ remain is Spain.
To back this view, it is further suggested that Ibn Daud's story, which doesn’t
appear in any other writings of that time, borrowed motifs from common themes
in previous Jewish history, to make it more palatable for the burgeoning
community of Spanish Jews.
One motif was the earlier Talmudic account of Jewish women and girls, who rather
than await a ghastly alternative, chose drowning at sea while en route to enslavement
in Rome after the conquest of Jerusalem. This was notably also carried out on
the basis of the selfsame verse; “I will bring back from the depths of the
sea.” (See Gittin 57b)
Another ‘borrowed’ theme was R. Moshe arriving in Spain as an unknown and
humble captive rising rapidly to fame - which has much in common with the well
known Hillel story of the Talmud.[14] (See Pesachim 66a, where
Hillel haBavli suddenly rose to Nasi and Rosh.)
Interestingly, even the non-Jewish Spanish community felt a similar need to
create a sense of worth and dignity for themselves by; “consciously
imitating Baghdad” and by; “importing talented architects and
scientists from the East” to bolster their standing as a new, emerging and
independent culture.[15]
5. It should also be borne in mind that one of the reasons why Ibn Daud
wrote his Sefer haKaballah was as a response to attacks by the Karaites who questioned the historic
legitimacy of rabbinic Judaism. Thus, in a sense, he was mandated to present an
account of the seamless passing of the rabbinic baton from generation to
generation, and particularly from East to West.
6. It's interesting to see how differently two contemporary Jewish historians interpret the story of the Four Captives:
a) Rabbi Nissan Mindel of Chabad writes; "By divine providence, these great Jewish centers received great spiritual leaders in a most amazing and unprecedented way..." (Emphasis mine.)
a) Rabbi Nissan Mindel of Chabad writes; "By divine providence, these great Jewish centers received great spiritual leaders in a most amazing and unprecedented way..." (Emphasis mine.)
7. As an aside, to illustrate the need throughout the ages to show
that Jewish migration is always 'sanctified', there is the legend concerning
the more recent movement of Jews westward into Europe. They were unsure where to
settle until 'a piece of paper fell from the skies' inscribed with the words poh
lin (stay here). And that is how the Jews named Poland and made it
their home...
"History informs the path of the wise man. However, it is the nature of people to innovate and embellish (history) when presenting it at the public arena. This compounds distortion instead of accurately recording facts. And for the most part, people relish these distortions and imaginings. Thus a concerted effort must always be made to establish historical facts."
(Loose translation of Emuna uBitachon, Ch. 1, 8)
"History informs the path of the wise man. However, it is the nature of people to innovate and embellish (history) when presenting it at the public arena. This compounds distortion instead of accurately recording facts. And for the most part, people relish these distortions and imaginings. Thus a concerted effort must always be made to establish historical facts."
(Loose translation of Emuna uBitachon, Ch. 1, 8)
CONCLUSION:
Had R. Chushiel’s letter in his own handwriting (and the other documents) never been discovered, we may never have had validation to question Ibn Daud's
account of the Four Captives.
What is interesting, though, is that it is not just the latter generations
who have posed such challenging questions to Ibn Daud's account - but it is the
very letter written by R. Chushiel, himself an alleged player in the very drama, who preceded Ibn Daud by almost two
hundred years - that may be the biggest obstacle to his version of this chapter
of our history.
It is on our interpretation and understanding of R. Chushiel's letter - a 65 x 23cm strip of
parchment - that the ‘history’ or ‘legend’ of
the Four Captives either stands or falls.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Sefer haKaballah le Rav Avraham ben David.
Jewish History and Thought: An Introduction, by Menahem Mansoor.
Destiny Foundation, Init 2 - The Legend of the Four Captives, by Rabbi
Berel Wein.
The Four Captives, by Nissan Mindel, Published by Kehot.
Fustat on the Nile: The Jewish Exile in Medieval Egypt, by Elinoar Bareket.
Solomon Schechter: A Bibliography, 1938, by Adolph S. Oko.
[1] Kaballah in this instance should not be confused with Mysticism, as
here it rather connotes tradition or history. Ibn
Daud (sometimes known as Rabad) is not to be confused with Raavad (1125-1198)
although they both have the same names and lived at the same time. Ibn Daud
lived in Spain while Raavad lived in France. Ibn Daud is mentioned in Avodah Zara 38 and appears to have been one of the Baalei haTosefot.
[2]There is also a contrary view that one of the Four Captives R. Shemaria was
sent from Fostat (old Cairo), where he was born, to study in the Babylonian
academy of Pumpedita, under Rav Sherira Gaon and Rav Hai Gaon, from whom he
receives his ordination. On this view, he would have been sent by the
Academy of Pumpedita and not by the Academy of Sura. (See Fustat on the Nile,
by Elinoar Bareket.) - This difference may have some bearing later on in the
story, as the Sura Academy was closed in 948, whereas the Pumpedita
Academy survived almost a hundred years longer until 1040.
[3] Some say this was a mission to raise money for poor brides, others
say it was to attend a rabbinical conference known as a kallah (which
also means bride).
[4] Some say it was Ibn Rumhas. According to Sefer haKaballah he was the Admiral of all the Spanish fleets.
[5] See The Destiny Foundation – The Legend of the Four Captives by Rabbi
Berel Wein.
[6] Ps 68:23 - ‘ashiv mimetzulot yam.’
[7] This letter was published by Solomon Schechter, J.Q. R. Xi. 643.
[8] Some put the date of the piracy event at 990 (which lessens the
window period for the ‘second trip’ following the capture till the letter of
1000/8). But it would still be feasible for a second trip to have been made
during those ten to eighteen years. It is interesting, however, to see
that apparently R. Chushiel’s colleague R. Shemaria was reluctant to travel
again by sea after his traumatic capture episode.
[9] One could, however, still argue that he went from Egypt to Pumpedita
to study and from there he was sent on his failed mission. (As per a version mentioned
in Fustat on the Nile, by Elinoar Bareket. See note 2.)
[10] See Note 2 above.
[11] Jewish History and Thought: An Introduction, by Menachem Mansoor, p.
212.
[12] See The Story of the Four Captives, Proceedings of the American
Academy for Jewish Research 29 (1960-1961), pp. 55-131, by Gerson D. Cohen.
[13] Rabad, Sefer haKaballah, pp. 66, 71.
[14] This style of writing was not necessarily ‘devious’ as it represented
much of the writings of the day. Even R. Chushiel’s letter is described as
being; ‘ “poetanic” to a degree, the Hebrew being full of allusions to
Biblical and Talmudical passages.” (See Geniza Specimens. A Letter of
Chushiel by S. Schechter, JQR 1899)
[15]Jews of Spain, by Jane Gerber. P. 29
[16] The Destiny Foundation, Init 2, The Legend of the Four Captives
Text from Sefer haKaballah:
[16] The Destiny Foundation, Init 2, The Legend of the Four Captives
Text from Sefer haKaballah:
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