The Prayers of the The Prayers of the PhilosophersPhilosophers

Tzvi LangermannTzvi LangermannNovember 2012November 2012AAR, ChicagoAAR, ChicagoRevised February 2014Revised February 2014

MS Parma Palatina 1753MS Parma Palatina 1753

Among the liturgical poets Among the liturgical poets represented in the Parma represented in the Parma

Codex:Codex:• Solomon Ibn Gabirol• Abraham Ibn Ezra• Judah ha-Levy• Bahya ben Paquda• Moses Nahmanides (RAMBAN) • Saadia Gaon• Ibn Tibbon• Shlomo ha-Nasi, Yedidya ha-Nasi

Prayer by R. Elia of CandiaPrayer by R. Elia of Candia

Prayer Ascribed to MaimonidesPrayer Ascribed to Maimonides

“God, Creator of All;Foundation of Foundations, Secret of Secrets;

His name is He, and He is His name; I will praise and glorify His name,Even though it is silence that is His praise,

And speechlessness that is His glorification.”

Hippocrates' Morning Hippocrates' Morning PrayerPrayer

MS Parma, fol. 124BMS Parma, fol. 124BAristotle's Morning PrayerAristotle's Morning Prayer

“The Prayer of Aristotle Each Morning: I am that I am; The Eternal that will not perish, and the Originator of everything. Save me from your great fire.”

Ḥunayn ibn IsḤunayn ibn IsḥḥāqāqĀĀdābdāb al-Falāsifa al-Falāsifa

Prayer of “Ibn Tibbon” Every Prayer of “Ibn Tibbon” Every MorningMorning

“ Blessed be the Highest of the High, the Cause of Causes and the Agent of Agents; Who was, is and will be; Other than You there is no God. I implore you, for the sake of Your great, holy, and awesome name, to save me from the misdoings of matter, which perishes without leaving a trace;

Ibn Tibbon’s Prayer Ibn Tibbon’s Prayer (cont.)(cont.)

may I have a share in that which emanates from the holy place, so that I may gaze into the awesome, resplendent light, and take refuge with you there. Please, Lord of all, save me from your great and wondrous fire.”

Prayer of “Zerahya”Prayer of “Zerahya”

• The Same Prayer, with a few interesting variants, is the same morning prayer displayed earlier, ascribed to Hippocrates

• The Same Prayer is found in several other Hebrew manuscripts, where it is ascribed to Socrates

• ‘The Prayer of Socrates’ is said to have been translated by Zerahia ben She’altiel Hen (late 13th century)

• Hence this Zerahia is probably the author, in the sense of redactor, of the prayer we are looking at

Structure & contents of the Structure & contents of the prayerprayer

I. OPENING HYMN OF PRAISE (“PHILOSOPHICAL” ASPECTS: GOD BEYOND TIME & SPACE, FIRST LIGHT, ETC.)

II. SUPPLICATION (REDEMPTION FROM IGNORANCE; TRANSFER FROM ‘NATURE’ TO ‘INTELLECT’, FROM HUMAN TO ANGELIC NATURE)

III.CONFESSION (SHORTCOMINGS IN PRAISING GOD, IMPROPER UNDERSTANDING)

IV. SECOND SUPPLICATION (TO BE SAVED FROM ‘NATURE’, ELEVATED TO HIGHER RANKS; REFERENCES TO SEFER YESIRA)

AMEN!AMEN!