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Selected Religious Poems of Solomon ibn Gabirol (JPS Library of Jewish Classics)

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Of all the Jewish medieval poets who flourished in the golden age of Spanish-Jewish culture, Solomon ibn Gabirol was the greatest. This collection of devotional poetry was translated into English verse by Israel Zangwill from a critical text by Professor Israel Davidson who was an authority on Hebrew poetry and Jewish liturgy.

In the Introduction, Davidson discusses the scant biographical information and the nature and impact of Gabirol's timeless work, as well as those of his contemporaries. Born in Malaga in 1021 or 1022, Solomon was a prominent philosopher and poet, and a contemporary of El Cid, Spain's national hero. He belonged to the third period of Hebrew poetry in Spain.

Orphaned at a young age, Gabirol spent his formative years in Saragossa and began his literary career when at about sixteen. He was supported by patrons, first Yekutiel then Samuel HaNagid. His other literary works include Biblical exegesis, Hebrew grammar, philosophy & ethics. More than 300 poems survive, half secular and half religious. Written in Arabic, only two of his more than 20 books on ethics and philosophy have survived, one of which is the famous Fountain of Life (Fons Vitae).

The influence of the Sefer Yetzirah on his poetry is marked, and his lyrics have a permanent appeal to the emotions, aspirations and yearning of mankind. Davidson quotes from Moses ben Ezra and Harizi, two medieval critics who appreciated his work. He concludes by affirming that Gabirol's words are a sanctuary to which the weary in heart turn for consolation, the troubled in mind for guidance and all lovers of beauty for partaking in exuberant joy.

A chapter on the translation by Israel Zangwill comes next. The poems in this volume were all incorporated or designed for the liturgy of the synagogue. In them, one encounters the devotional spirit rooting itself more in individual expression than in tradition. There is a strong personal quality about them. Gabirol was the first Hebrew poet to use secular images and philosophy in his verse and also the first really great Hebrew poet to employ rhyme and meter.

Before Gabirol, rhyme or meter was not used much. Biblical poetry has parallelism but it is mainly the accent that counts; in other words, it was free verse. The English translations are in rhyme in order to preserve the singing element, except for the magnificent Keter Malkut (The Royal Crown) which takes up 41 pages. The original Hebrew rhymes but has no fixed metre. A long philosophical poem, its exquisite beauty of expression complements its profundity of thought.

There are 50 poems, from At The Dawn to The Royal Crown. The English versions are on the left page and the Hebrew on the right. They are most moving and spiritually uplifting, especially those dealing with the wounded heart of Israel. They are like a melody of eternal hope which brings the reader closer to God. All of them are stirring and memorable, but those I remember well after the first reading include The Messiah, Before My King, My Refuge, Ecstasy, The Redemption, God and Israel, My Lord and King, Lord of the World and Lord of Heaven.

The book concludes with Notes on the Introduction, Notes on the Text (on the poems - mainly references to scripture and grammatical explanations), a Hebrew version of the previous and a short section titled Technical Payyetanic Terms in this Collection. These appear to be liturgical elements preceding prayers and benedictions, probably the same as what is called "antiphons" in Christian devotional music, for example the work of Hildegard von Bingen.

For those interested in Jewish devotional music from around the world, I recommend the CD Kabbalah Music: Songs of the Jewish Mystics by Laura Wetzler. It includes three tracks from the Spanish Sephardi tradition: Kol Haneshama Meditation, Respondemos and Yom Zeh L'Yisrael. Youth by Matisyahu is a splendid example of a more contemporary and popular type of spiritual music in the Jewish tradition.

Complete list of poems:

At the Dawn
My Soul Shall Declare
The Messiah
Invitation
Three Things Conspire
Before My King
Open the Gate
Pour Out Thy Heart
Six Years Were Decreed
`Tis Joy to Me
My Refuge
Ecstasy
I Have Sought Thee Daily
Humble of Spirit
For a Marriage
The Sun
The Redemption
God and Israel
Reassurance
Duologue
Establish Peace
Judgment
Prayer for the Hazzan
Two Things Have Met
For New Year's Day
My Lord and King
Blow Ye the Trumpet
Let the Isles Rejoice
For the Day of Memorial
God Dwelleth High
For Atonement Eve
Lord of the World
Lord, What is Man?
The Day of Judgment
Lamentation
The Dwellers in Clay

Solomon ibn Gabriol 1021-1058 is one of the great Jewish medieval poets and thinkers. He lived a difficult life of wandering . His poetry is filled with a strong sense of the majesty of God. And his works are part of the Jewish liturgy.