Critical Notes on al-Fāsī

On Isaac al-Fāsī, on the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ketubbot

Abraham says: I know in my heart that I am among the most insignificant creations of God, and I have not acquired even one of the minor sciences of the wise men, due to the heaviness of my nature and the hardships that have plagued me and the vicissitudes of time that befall man. I lay my hands upon my mouth [see Job 40:4], for I am not wise, I am not intelligent and cannot speak. But I said [to myself], maybe they will think me a silent fool who cannot differentiate between good and bad. That is why I have opened my mouth to speak. Perhaps I will humbly fail sometimes and succeed at other times. I have seen in Sefer ha-halakhot [Book of the Laws] of al-Fāsī things that are too wondrous for me, and maybe without [truly] seeing [them]—as the eyes of a person who looks directly at the sun become dull, due to the weakness of his nature. And the truth is that I should have closed my eyes and shut my mouth and followed him, whether to the right or left, without straying. But as it is the work of heaven, and the work is great, and for flesh and blood it is endless, one who engages in it receives his reward, even if he is mistaken or gives an unintentionally wrong response. Therefore, I did not hold back from examining his claims, as best I could, sometimes to refute and on other occasions to provide support, even though I cannot [fully] refute his contentions, and this too I did only because: The Lord was pleased, for His righteousness’ sake, to make the Torah great and glorious (Isaiah 42:21).