(Attributed to R. Chasdai Crescas). Kelimath HaGoyim [“Shame of the Gentiles.”]

DURAN, ISAAC (PROFIAT)

(Italy)

1572

Manuscript in Hebrew, written in a neat, cursive Italian hand, on paper.

An important polemic concerning belief in the Messiah and more specifically, concerning the Christian faith. The work was attributed erroneously to R. Chasdai Crescas, however it actually originated from his student, Profiat Duran. Born in Catalonia, the author (c. 1350 – c. 1415) was a physician, philosopher and grammarian who in official records also appears under the name Honoratus de Bonafide. The present manuscript contains some variations to the printed version which first appeared in installments in the journal Hatzofeh LeChochmas Yisrael (1914-15). See the critical edition: E. Talmage, Polemic Writings of Profiat Duran (1981).