Abraham ben Judah Leon

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ABRAHAM BEN JUDAH LEON

ABRAHAM BEN JUDAH LEON (second half of 14th century), disciple of Ḥasdai *Crescas. Abraham came to Spain from his native Candia (Crete) sometime after 1375, the year in which he completed a Hebrew translation of Euclid's Elements. In 1378, he finished his quadripartite theological tome entitled Even Shetiyyah ("Foundation Stone") "in the house of my master … Don Ḥasdai Crescas." The nature of the relationship between this work and Crescas' teachings remains a matter of debate, though the two contain many similarities. Abraham's work is often called Arba'ah Turim ("Four Columns") on the basis of the title page of the lone manuscript in which it survives.

bibliography:

Sh. Rosenberg, "The Arba'ah Turim of Abraham bar Judah, Disciple of Don Ḥasdai Crescas" (Heb.), in: Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Thought, 3 (1983–84), 525–621; E. Lawee, "The Path to Felicity: Teachings and Tensions in Even Shetiyyah of Abraham ben Judah, Disciple of Hasdai Crescas," in: Mediaeval Studies, 59 (1997), 183–223.

[Eric Lawee (2nd ed.)]

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Abraham ben Judah Leon

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