Creator Bio
Judah Ibn Quraysh
9th Century–10th Century
The North African lexicographer Judah Ibn Quraysh is thought to have moved from Tāhert, Algeria, to Fez in 908. He was a foundational figure in the study of the Hebrew language. He may also have been a physician. Ibn Quraysh was responsible for initiating the first thoroughgoing comparative study of Semitic languages, focusing on Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic, but also briefly touching on Latin and Berber. Ibn Quraysh’s “Epistle” proved decisive in later studies of Hebrew, particularly among Andalusi authors.
Content by Judah Ibn Quraysh
Primary Source
Epistle
I have seen that you have broken with the custom of [reciting] the Aramaic translation of the Torah in your synagogues, and in this, you have submitted to the ignorant among you, who claim they do not…
Primary Source
To You, my heart says
To You, my heart says: Your works are marvelous, and my soul knows this greatly
—and the eternity and the splendor.
To You, the divine beings make music when the morning stars…