7— The Pugio Fidei
1. On Friar Raymond, see André Berthier, "Un maître orientaliste du XIIIe siècle: Raymond Martin, O. P.," Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum VI (1936) 267-311, and Tomas and Joaquin Carreras y Artau, Historia de continue
la filosofia espanola * (2 vols.; Madrid, 1939-1943), I, 147-170. On Friar Raymond and the Jews, see Reuven Bonfils, "The Image of Judaism in Raymond Martini's Pugio Fidei" (Hebrew), Tarbiz * XL (1971); Ina Willi-Plein, "Der Pugio Fidei des Raymond Martinis alse in exemplar versuch kirchlicher Auseinandersetzung mit dem Judentum," in Ina Willi-Plein and Thomas Willi, Glaubensdolch und Messiasbeweis (Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1980); Cohen, The Friars and the Jews, 129-169; Robert Chazan, "From Friar Paul to Friar Raymond: The Development of Innovative Missionizing Argumentation," Harvard Theological Review LXXVI (1983): 289-306. [BACK]
2. See Berthier, "Un maître orientaliste." [BACK]
3. Jean Régné, History of the Jews in Aragon: Regesta and Documents, 1213-1327, ed. Yom Tov Assis (Jerusalem, 1978), 47, #249. [BACK]
4. This work remains unedited. [BACK]
5. The Pugio Fidei was published in 1687 in Leipzig; this edition was reprinted in 1967 in Farnborough. Ch. Merhaviah published an interesting note on the Hebrew citations in the Sainte Genevieve manuscript—"The Hebrew Version of the Pugio Fidei in the Sainte Genevieve Manuscript" (Hebrew), Kiryat Sepher LI (1976): 283-288—and suggested that further study of manuscripts would be most useful. From the examples he provided I have concluded that for the purposes of this analysis, examination of the manuscript versions of the Pugio Fidei would be superfluous. [BACK]
6. Cohen, The Friars and the Jews, 129, n. 2. [BACK]
7. Saul Liebermann, Shkiin (Jerusalem, 1939), 46. [BACK]
8. For a summary of this debate, see Baron, A Social and Religious History, IX, 299, n. 10; see also Chazan, "From Friar Paul to Friar Raymond," 306, n. 60. [BACK]
9. It is striking that in this matter the historical judgment of the talmudist Liebermann was superior to that of the historian of medieval Spanish Jewry, Baer. [BACK]
10. Pugio Fidei, 259-478.
11. Ibid., 482-548.
12. Ibid., 549-626.
13. Ibid., 627-893. In a famous story found in seven different places in Raymond Lull's writings, Lull criticizes a Christian missionizer, identified by modern scholars as Friar Raymond, for disproving Islam but failing to offer positive proofs for the truth of Christianity. Whether or not this criticism was fair with regard to Friar Raymond's missionizing among the Muslims I leave to others to decide. It is certainly not fair to say that he restricted himself to the negative in mounting his arguments against the Jews. For the Lullian sources, see Bonner, Selected Works of Ramon Llull, 56, n. 21, and 96, n. 12.
14. Ibid., 895-957. [BACK]
10. Pugio Fidei, 259-478.
11. Ibid., 482-548.
12. Ibid., 549-626.
13. Ibid., 627-893. In a famous story found in seven different places in Raymond Lull's writings, Lull criticizes a Christian missionizer, identified by modern scholars as Friar Raymond, for disproving Islam but failing to offer positive proofs for the truth of Christianity. Whether or not this criticism was fair with regard to Friar Raymond's missionizing among the Muslims I leave to others to decide. It is certainly not fair to say that he restricted himself to the negative in mounting his arguments against the Jews. For the Lullian sources, see Bonner, Selected Works of Ramon Llull, 56, n. 21, and 96, n. 12.
14. Ibid., 895-957. [BACK]
10. Pugio Fidei, 259-478.
11. Ibid., 482-548.
12. Ibid., 549-626.
13. Ibid., 627-893. In a famous story found in seven different places in Raymond Lull's writings, Lull criticizes a Christian missionizer, identified by modern scholars as Friar Raymond, for disproving Islam but failing to offer positive proofs for the truth of Christianity. Whether or not this criticism was fair with regard to Friar Raymond's missionizing among the Muslims I leave to others to decide. It is certainly not fair to say that he restricted himself to the negative in mounting his arguments against the Jews. For the Lullian sources, see Bonner, Selected Works of Ramon Llull, 56, n. 21, and 96, n. 12.
14. Ibid., 895-957. [BACK]
10. Pugio Fidei, 259-478.
11. Ibid., 482-548.
12. Ibid., 549-626.
13. Ibid., 627-893. In a famous story found in seven different places in Raymond Lull's writings, Lull criticizes a Christian missionizer, identified by modern scholars as Friar Raymond, for disproving Islam but failing to offer positive proofs for the truth of Christianity. Whether or not this criticism was fair with regard to Friar Raymond's missionizing among the Muslims I leave to others to decide. It is certainly not fair to say that he restricted himself to the negative in mounting his arguments against the Jews. For the Lullian sources, see Bonner, Selected Works of Ramon Llull, 56, n. 21, and 96, n. 12.
14. Ibid., 895-957. [BACK]
10. Pugio Fidei, 259-478.
11. Ibid., 482-548.
12. Ibid., 549-626.
13. Ibid., 627-893. In a famous story found in seven different places in Raymond Lull's writings, Lull criticizes a Christian missionizer, identified by modern scholars as Friar Raymond, for disproving Islam but failing to offer positive proofs for the truth of Christianity. Whether or not this criticism was fair with regard to Friar Raymond's missionizing among the Muslims I leave to others to decide. It is certainly not fair to say that he restricted himself to the negative in mounting his arguments against the Jews. For the Lullian sources, see Bonner, Selected Works of Ramon Llull, 56, n. 21, and 96, n. 12.
14. Ibid., 895-957. [BACK]
15. See above, chap. 6. [BACK]
19. Ps. 78:67.
20. Ibid., 87:2. [BACK]
19. Ps. 78:67.
20. Ibid., 87:2. [BACK]
21. I Chron. 2:55. [BACK]
22. Deut. 17:10. [BACK]
23. Pugio Fidei, 313. While Friar Raymond indicates that this midrash can be found in Bereshit Rabbah, it does not appear in extant versions of this collection. [BACK]
24. The second and briefer quotation adds nothing of substance. [BACK]
25. Pugio Fidei, 314, citing T. J., Sanhedrin, 1b. [BACK]
26. Pugio Fidei, 314, citing T. B., Sanhedrin, 41a. The biblical verse is Deut. 17:8. There is a longer version of the same report in T. B., 'Avodah Zarah, 8b. [BACK]
27. Recall the objection of Nahmanides that Friar Paul's use of rabbinic exegesis to Gen. 49:10 results in proof that the Messiah came long after Jesus. This objection is obviated by the more sophisticated argumentation of Friar Raymond. [BACK]
28. Pugio Fidei, 316, citing T. B., Sanhedrin, 5a. [BACK]
29. Pugio Fidei, 316. [BACK]
30. Deut. 1715. [BACK]
31. Pugio Fidei, 318, citing T. B., Baba Batra, 3b. [BACK]
32. See above, chap. 6. [BACK]
33. Chavel, Kitvei, I, 307. [BACK]
34. Isa. 10:34. [BACK]
35. Pugio Fidei, 348, citing T. P., Berakhot, 17a-b. The biblical citation is Isa. 11:1. [BACK]
36. Isa. 66:7. [BACK]
37. Pugio Fidei, 349. The passage, cited from Bereshit Rabbah, is not found in extant versions of this work. [BACK]
38. Pugio Fidei, 350. Again, extant versions of Bereshit Rabbah do not include this story. [BACK]
39. Pugio Fidei, 353, citing Ruth Rabbah, 10a. The biblical quotation is from Mal. 3:16. [BACK]
40. Pugio Fidei, 352.
41. Ibid., 349-350.
42. Ibid., 352.
43. Ibid. This argument is actually the same as that leveled by Rabbi Moses in 1263. [BACK]
40. Pugio Fidei, 352.
41. Ibid., 349-350.
42. Ibid., 352.
43. Ibid. This argument is actually the same as that leveled by Rabbi Moses in 1263. [BACK]
40. Pugio Fidei, 352.
41. Ibid., 349-350.
42. Ibid., 352.
43. Ibid. This argument is actually the same as that leveled by Rabbi Moses in 1263. [BACK]
40. Pugio Fidei, 352.
41. Ibid., 349-350.
42. Ibid., 352.
43. Ibid. This argument is actually the same as that leveled by Rabbi Moses in 1263. [BACK]
44. It is a bit difficult to understand how these arguments rebut the fourth and fifth of the rabbinic texts cited—the story of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi, Elijah, and the Messiah and the homily on Mal. 3:16. Neither of these two arguments would seem to apply to these texts. It is interesting to note that Abner of Burgos, well grounded in rabbinic literature and committed to its use for proselytizing purposes, had no hesitation in using the homily on Mal. 3:16; he did not seem to share Friar Raymond's concern. See Judah continue
Rosenthal, "The Third Letter of Abner of Burgos" (Hebrew), Studies in Jewish Bibliography and Booklore V (1961), Heb. sec., 43. [BACK]
45. Pugio Fidei, 394, citing T. B., Sanhedrin, 97a-b. This passage was earlier cited by Alan of Lille—see above, chap. 5, n. 1. [BACK]
46. Pugio Fidei, 394, citing T. B. 'Avodah Zarah, 9a. This is a most problematic citation, since extant versions of 'Avodah Zarah, 9a, read exactly as that in Sanhedrin. [BACK]
47. Pugio Fidei, 395, citing T. B., Sanhedrin, 98a. [BACK]
48. Pugio Fidei, 396, citing T. B., Sanhedrin, 98b. [BACK]
49. Pugio Fidei, 397, citing T. B., Yoma, 10a. [BACK]
50 . Pugio Fidei, 396, citing T. B., 'Avodah Zarah, 8b. [BACK]
51. Pugio Fidei, 397. Once more the supposed source, Bereshit Rabbah, does not offer this quotation in its extant versions. [BACK]
52. Zech. 2:82. [BACK]
53 . Pugio Fidei, 398. Again, the extant versions of Bereshit Rabbah do not include this citation. [BACK]
54. Pugio Fidei, 776-777.
55. Ibid., 777-778.
56. Ibid., 778.
57. Ibid., 778-779.
58. Ibid., p. 780.
59. Ibid., 781, citing T.J., Berakhot, 11b. The biblical verses are Jer. 23:7-8. Recall the references to these passages in the Mahazik * Emunah, noted in the previous chapter. [BACK]
54. Pugio Fidei, 776-777.
55. Ibid., 777-778.
56. Ibid., 778.
57. Ibid., 778-779.
58. Ibid., p. 780.
59. Ibid., 781, citing T.J., Berakhot, 11b. The biblical verses are Jer. 23:7-8. Recall the references to these passages in the Mahazik * Emunah, noted in the previous chapter. [BACK]
54. Pugio Fidei, 776-777.
55. Ibid., 777-778.
56. Ibid., 778.
57. Ibid., 778-779.
58. Ibid., p. 780.
59. Ibid., 781, citing T.J., Berakhot, 11b. The biblical verses are Jer. 23:7-8. Recall the references to these passages in the Mahazik * Emunah, noted in the previous chapter. [BACK]
54. Pugio Fidei, 776-777.
55. Ibid., 777-778.
56. Ibid., 778.
57. Ibid., 778-779.
58. Ibid., p. 780.
59. Ibid., 781, citing T.J., Berakhot, 11b. The biblical verses are Jer. 23:7-8. Recall the references to these passages in the Mahazik * Emunah, noted in the previous chapter. [BACK]
54. Pugio Fidei, 776-777.
55. Ibid., 777-778.
56. Ibid., 778.
57. Ibid., 778-779.
58. Ibid., p. 780.
59. Ibid., 781, citing T.J., Berakhot, 11b. The biblical verses are Jer. 23:7-8. Recall the references to these passages in the Mahazik * Emunah, noted in the previous chapter. [BACK]
54. Pugio Fidei, 776-777.
55. Ibid., 777-778.
56. Ibid., 778.
57. Ibid., 778-779.
58. Ibid., p. 780.
59. Ibid., 781, citing T.J., Berakhot, 11b. The biblical verses are Jer. 23:7-8. Recall the references to these passages in the Mahazik * Emunah, noted in the previous chapter. [BACK]
60. Dan. 7:7. [BACK]
61. Pugio Fidei, 788, citing Midrash Tehillim on Ps. 75:11 The biblical verse is Lam. 2:3. [BACK]
62. Pugio Fidei, 788.
63. Ibid., 789. [BACK]
62. Pugio Fidei, 788.
63. Ibid., 789. [BACK]
64. See above, chap. 6. [BACK]
65. The verse is Hosea 9:12. [BACK]
66. Pugio Fidei, 895. [BACK]
67. Hos. 9:15. [BACK]
68. T. B., Yoma, 9b. [BACK]
69. Pugio Fidei, 902-903 [BACK]
70. Chavel, Kitvei, 1, 305. [BACK]