Letter: On Arabic Meter

Judah Ḥayyūj ben David al-Fāsī, also known as Abū Zakariyyā Yaḥyā, was a prominent Andalusi grammarian and linguist. Born in Fez, Ḥayyūj moved to Córdoba under the influence of the courtier Ḥasday Ibn Shaprūṭ. Andalusi philologists of the eleventh and twelfth centuries held Ḥayyūj in high esteem, crediting him with discovering and proving that all Hebrew verb roots contain (at least) three letters. Ḥayyūj was apparently the first Andalusi Jew known to write in Arabic. His Book of Small Pearls (Kitāb al-nutaf) employs the methodology of Arabic grammarians. Ḥayyūj seems to have been a student of the grammarian Menaḥem Ibn Sarūq and was involved in the controversy between Menaḥem and Dunash ben Labraṭ.

Isaac Ibn Gikatilla (or Chiquitilla) was a poet in Lucena, Spain. Along with two other well-known poets, he defended Menaḥem Ibn Sarūq against the criticisms of Dunash ben Labraṭ. Moses Ibn Ezra noted that Isaac had a rivalry with his contemporary Isaac Ibn Mar Saul, but the former’s poetry was better, exhibiting a more erudite use of Arabic. Although none of Isaac’s secular poetry survives, his “Azharot” (warnings) seems to be the first poetic enumeration of the 613 commandments produced in al-Andalus (Muslim Spain). Isaac taught philology throughout his life and mentored Jonah Ibn Janāḥ, especially in Arabic poetics.

Ibn Qapron, 10th CenturyActive in Córdoba in the second half of the tenth century, Isaac Ibn Qapron was a disciple of Menaḥem Ibn Sarūq. He denounced the use of Arabic metrics in Hebrew poetry. Instead, he proposed the use of syllabic meter for the Hebrew language, a technique he uses in the one liturgical poem of his that survives. Also extant is a grammatical work he coauthored with Isaac Ibn Gikatilla and Judah Ibn Da’ud.

Active in Córdoba in the second half of the tenth century, Isaac Ibn Qapron was a disciple of Menaḥem Ibn Sarūq. He denounced the use of Arabic metrics in Hebrew poetry. Instead, he proposed the use of syllabic meter for the Hebrew language, a technique he uses in the one liturgical poem of his that survives. Also extant is a grammatical work he coauthored with Isaac Ibn Gikatilla and Judah Ibn Da’ud.