Don Isaac Abravanel: Statesman and Philosopher [Paperback]

Benzion Netanyahu (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 23, 1998

Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508) was a major historical figure during the waning of the Middle Ages. Statesman, diplomat, courtier, and financier, he was, at the same time, a scholar of encyclopedic learning, a philosopher, an exegete, a prolific author, a mystic, and an apocalyptist. In Abravanel, B. Netanyahu suggests, two long lines of tradition met and concluded: that of medieval Jewish statesmen and that of medieval Jewish philosophers. In what is both a biography and an exploration of Abravanel's thought and influence, Netanyahu describes how Abravanel illuminated the grave crisis and profound transformation experienced by the Jewish people after the Spanish expulsion. First published in 1953, Don Isaac Abravanel has been out of print for several years. This new edition includes revisions in the text, notes, and bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A basic reference and one which cannot be ignored by any responsible scholar in the fields of Spanish and Jewish studies. . . . It is one of those rare books which make interesting reading both for scholars and for the general reader interested in Judaism and its rich cultural and religious history."-Francisco Márquez, Harvard University

"This is the study of the life and ideas of Don Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508), a major figure at the end of the Middle Ages and during the transformation of Judaism after the Spanish expulsion. The author traces Abravanel's tumultuous career as a financier and statesman in Portugal, Spain, Naples, and Venice and analyses his world outlook, view of history, poltical ideas, and mystical messianism."-W. Charles Heiser, S. J., Theology Digest, Fall 1999

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Cornell University Press; 5 Rev Upd edition (December 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801484855
• ISBN-13: 978-0801484858
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,497,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biography of a Jew whose Influence far exceeds his Fame, January 23, 2002

By 

Joshua Zev Levin (Willow Grove, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don Isaac Abravanel: Statesman and Philosopher (Paperback)

Don Isaac Abravenel lived at the juncture of the Medieval and the Renaissance, and through the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. His writings help preserve the Jews through this troubled time, but also delayed the resettlement of the Land of Israel.

Ben-Zion Netanyahu (father of the hero of Entebbe, and of the recent Israeli PM) first tells of the life of Abravenel, and then discusses his outlook and religion. This unusual treatment works very well. Netanyahu first introduces us to the attitudes and assumptions of the people who lived at the time, which are so often very different than our own, and then discusses how Abravenel fit into, or differed from, that zeitgeist. By building step by step -- World Outlook, View of History, Political Concepts, and finally Messianism, the author educates us about Abravenel's world, as well as his beliefs. I was surprised at Abravenel's prediction that the coming of the Messiah would be immediately preceded by a war between Christians and Moslems.

The endnotes, bibliography, and index are all very helpful.

[This review is based on the original 1953 edition.]

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biography of a Jew whose Influence far exceeds his Fame, January 23, 2002

By 

Joshua Zev Levin (Willow Grove, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don Isaac Abravanel: Statesman and Philosopher (Paperback)

Don Isaac Abravenel lived at the juncture of the Medieval and the Renaissance, and through the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. His writings help preserve the Jews through this troubled time, but also delayed the resettlement of the Land of Israel.

Ben-Zion Netanyahu (father of the hero of Entebbe, and of the recent Israeli PM) first tells of the life of Abravenel, and then discusses his outlook and religion. This unusual treatment works very well. Netanyahu first introduces us to the attitudes and assumptions of the people who lived at the time, which are so often very different than our own, and then discusses how Abravenel fit into, or differed from, that zeitgeist. By building step by step -- World Outlook, View of History, Political Concepts, and finally Messianism, the author educates us about Abravenel's world, as well as his beliefs. I was surpred at Abravenel's prediction that the coming of the Messiah would be immediately preceded by a war between Christians and Moslems.

The endnotes, bibliography, and index are all very helpful.

[This review is based on the original 1953 edition.]

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Scholarly Study, March 25, 2007

By 

Yohanna bat Yisrael, PH.D. (N.H., USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don Isaac Abravanel: Statesman and Philosopher (Paperback)

Benzion Netanyahu's brilliant scholarly study of Don Isaac Abravanel will be of interest to any serious student of medieval life during the period of the Spanish Inquisition. This biography of the statesman, philosopher, mystic, writer, and royal financier is painstakingly researched, using an abundance of primary source material. It is an indepth, masterfully written examination which meticulously scrutinizes and illuminates the life of Abravanel in the royal court and, later, as a Jewish exile in Naples and Vienna, where he solidifies his political and religious world view. Highly recommended as a serious, contemplative work. This is an interesting and enlightening read, particularly for the historian and scholar.