Bahya ibn Paquda. Chovath HaLevavoth - Hobat Alebabot. Obrigaçam dos Coraçoens. Livro Moral de grande erudiçaõ & pia doctrina. Translated from the Hebrew of Judah ibn Tibon into Spanish by Samuel ben Isaac Abaz (Abbas).

(IBERIAN / SEPHARDIC LITERATURE)

David de Castro Tartas

Amsterdam

1670

In composing this fundamental text of Jewish thought, R. Bachiah attempted to systematize the ethical teachings of Judaism: “The Torah is divided into two parts - the duties to be performed by the organs (chovoth ha`evarim) and the duties of the heart (chovoth halev), namely those belonging to human conscience. The majority of rabbis pay primary attention to the outward observance of the Law, often without regard to the ideas and sentiments embodied within it” (Introduction) - Hence the Author undertook to compose “The Duties of the Heart” (first ed. Naples, 1489). A text of such a philosophical outlook would be of great appeal to Jews of Spanish and Portuguese extraction, perhaps only recently reacquainted with Jewish traditional practice. Hence this pioneering vernacular translation by Dutch Rabbi Samuel ben Isaac Abaz (died c. 1693), which indeed became most popular among the Sephardic communities of western Europe.