ARIAH DI ROSSI.

Graetz.--IV, p. 614 [653].

CHAPTER XXII

ISAAC ABARBANEL

Abarbanel's Philosophy and Biblical Commentaries.--Elias
Levita.--Zeena u-Reena.--Moses Alshech.--The Biur.

The career of Don Isaac Abarbanel (born in Lisbon in 1437, died in
Venice in 1509) worthily closes the long services which the Jews of
Spain rendered to the state and to learning. The earlier part of his
life was spent in the service of Alfonso V of Portugal. He possessed
considerable wealth, and his house, which he himself tells us was built
with spacious halls, was the meeting-place of scholars, diplomatists,
and men of science. Among his other occupations, he busied himself in
ransoming Jewish slaves, and obtained the co-operation of some Italian
Jews in this object.

When Alfonso died, Abarbanel not only lost his post as finance
minister, but was compelled to flee for his life. He shared the fall of
the Duke of Braganza, whose popularity was hateful to Alfonso's
successor. Don Isaac escaped to Castile in 1484, and, amid the friendly
smiles of the cultured Jews of Toledo, set himself to resume the
literary work he had been forced to lay aside while burdened with
affairs of state. He began the compilation of commentaries on the
historical books of the Bible, but he was not long left to his studies.
Ferdinand and Isabella, under the very eyes of Torquemada and the
Inquisition, entrusted the finances of their kingdom to the Jew
Abarbanel during the years 1484 to 1492.

In the latter year, Abarbanel was driven from Spain in the general
expulsion instigated by the Inquisition. He found a temporary asylum in
Naples, where he also received a state appointment. But he was soon
forced to flee again, this time to Corfu. "My wife, my sons, and my
books are far from me," he wrote, "and I am left alone, a stranger in a
strange land." But his spirit was not crushed by these successive
misfortunes. He continued to compile huge works at a very rapid rate. He
was not destined, however, to end his life in obscurity. In 1503 he was
given a diplomatic post in Venice, and he passed his remaining years in
happiness and honor. He ended the splendid roll of famous Spanish Jews
with a career peculiarly Spanish. He gave a final, striking example of
that association of life with literature which of old characterized
Jews, but which found its greatest and last home in Spain.

As a writer, Abarbanel has many faults. He is very verbose,