Fundamentally different from other more prominent, Jewish traditions and experiences, the Sephardic tradition has long served to bind together the various Jewish communities of the Mediterranean basin. In The Sephardic Legacy, Henry Toledano immerses readers in the medieval historical context that gave rise to the Sephardic tradition, arguing that the golden age of Jewish culture in Spain would not have been possible without the stimulus and inspiration of Islamic civilization. Along the way, Toledano covers such topics as the flourishing of Jewish culture and science, Hebrew poetry, the systematic codification of Jewish law, Jewish philosophy, and the impact of Islamic civilization on the development of critical biblical exegesis.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
1. Sephardic Culture—Definitions
2. Distinguishing Features of Sephardic Culture
3. Historical and Cultural Roots of Sephardic Judaism
4. Biblical Exegesis and Hebrew Philology in Medieval Spain
5. Hebrew Poetry in Medieval Spain
6. Sephardic Codification of Jewish Law
7. Medieval Jewish Philosophy
8. The Three-Fold Zionist Legacy of Yehudah Halevi
9. The Spanish Legacy among Moroccan Jews
Appendix: The "Heiter Nefihah" Controversy between the Megorashim and the Toshavim
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Introduction
1. Sephardic Culture—Definitions
2. Distinguishing Features of Sephardic Culture
3. Historical and Cultural Roots of Sephardic Judaism
4. Biblical Exegesis and Hebrew Philology in Medieval Spain
5. Hebrew Poetry in Medieval Spain
6. Sephardic Codification of Jewish Law
7. Medieval Jewish Philosophy
8. The Three-Fold Zionist Legacy of Yehudah Halevi
9. The Spanish Legacy among Moroccan Jews
Appendix: The "Heiter Nefihah" Controversy between the Megorashim and the Toshavim
Notes
Bibliography
Index