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{{Short description|Provençal rabbi}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Abba Mari ben Moses ben Joseph <br/>{{Script/Hebrew|אַבָּא מָרִי בַּר מֹשֶׁה הַיַּרְחִי}}
<!-- |image = he:Abba Meri Hayarchi.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = The title page of a printed copy of Abba Mari's work, ''Minḥat Ḳenaot''. -->
|birth_date = {{circa}} 1250
|birth_place = [[Lunel, Hérault|Lunel, France]]
|death_date = {{circa}} 1306
|known_for = [[Provençal Rabbi]] and author of ''Minḥat Ḳenaot''
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}}
The descendant of men learned in [[rabbinic literature|rabbinic]] lore, Abba Mari devoted himself to the study of [[theology]] and [[philosophy]], and made himself acquainted with the writings of [[Maimonides|Moses Maimonides]] and [[Nachmanides]] as well as with the ''[[Talmud]]''.<ref name=EB1911/>
In Montpellier, where he lived from 1303 to 1306, he was much distressed by the prevalence of [[Aristotle|Aristotelian]] [[rationalism]], which (in his opinion) through the medium of the works of Maimonides, threatened the authority of the [[Old Testament]], obedience to the law, and the belief in [[miracle]]s and [[revelation]]. He therefore, in a series of letters (afterwards collected under the title ''Minhat Kenaot'', i.e., "Offering of Zealotry") called upon the famous rabbi [[Solomon ben Aderet]] of [[Barcelona]] to come to the aid of orthodoxy. Ben Aderet, with the approval of other prominent Spanish rabbis, sent a letter to the community at Montpellier proposing to forbid the study of philosophy to those who were less than twenty-five years of age, and, in spite of keen opposition from the liberal section, a decree in this sense was issued by Ben Aderet in 1305.
Upon the expulsion of the Jews from France by [[Philip IV of France|Philip IV]] in 1306, Abba Mari settled at [[Perpignan]], where he published the letters connected with the controversy. His subsequent history is unknown.
==Defender of Law and Tradition==
Leader of the opposition to the [[rationalism]] of the Maimonists in the Montpellier controversy of
==Opponent of Rationalism==
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Encouraged, however, by letters signed by the rabbis of [[Argentière]] and Lunel, and particularly by the support of [[Kalonymus ben Todros]], the ''[[Nasi (Hebrew title)|nasi]]'' of [[Narbonne]], and of the eminent Talmudist [[Asheri of Toledo]], Ben Adret issued a decree, signed by thirty-three rabbis of Barcelona, excommunicating those who should, within the next fifty years, study [[physics]] or [[metaphysics]] before their thirtieth year of age (basing his action on the principle laid down by Maimonides, ''Guide for the Perplexed'' part one chapter 34), and had the order promulgated in the synagogue on Sabbath, July 26, 1305. When this [[heresy]]-decree, to be made effective, was forwarded to other congregations for approval, the friends of liberal thought, under the leadership of the Tibbonites, issued a counter-ban, and the conflict threatened to assume a serious character, as blind party zeal (this time on the liberal side) did not shrink from asking the civil powers to intervene. But an unlooked-for calamity brought the warfare to an end. The expulsion of the Jews from France by [[Philip IV of France|Philip IV]] ("the Fair"), in, caused the Jews of Montpellier to take refuge, partly in [[Provence]], partly in Perpignan and partly in [[Majorca]]. Consequently, Abba Mari removed first to [[Arles]], and, within the same year, to Perpignan, where he finally settled and disappeared from public view. There he published his correspondence with Ben Adret and his colleagues.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>
==
Abba Mari collected the correspondence and added to each letter a few explanatory notes. Of this collection, called ''
As the three cardinal doctrines of Judaism, Abba Mari accentuates: (1) Recognition of God's existence and of His absolute sovereignty, eternity, unity, and incorporeality, as taught in revelation, especially in the ''[[Ten Commandments]]''; (2) the world's creation by Him out of nothing, as evidenced particularly by the Sabbath; (3) special [[Divine providence]], as manifested in the Biblical [[miracle]]s. In the preface, Abba Mari explains his object in collecting the correspondence; and in the treatise which follows he shows that the study of philosophy, useful in itself as a help toward the acquisition of the knowledge of God, requires great caution, lest we be misled by the Aristotelian philosophy or its false interpretation, as regards the principles of
The correspondence refers mainly to the proposed restriction of the study of the Aristotelian philosophy. Casually, other theological questions are discussed. For example, letters 1, 5, and 8 contain a discussion on the question, whether the use of a piece of metal with the figure of a lion, as a [[amulet|talisman]], is permitted by Jewish law for medicinal purposes, or is prohibited as [[idolatry|idolatrous]]. In letter 131, Abba Mari mourns the death of Ben Adret, and in letter 132 he sends words of sympathy to the congregation of Perpignan, on the death of Don Vidal Shlomo (the [[Meiri]]) and Rabbi Meshullam. Letter 33 contains the statement of Abba Mari that two letters which he desired to insert could not be discovered by him. MS. Ramsgate, No. 52, has the same statement, but also the two letters missing in the printed copies. In
▲The correspondence refers mainly to the proposed restriction of the study of the Aristotelian philosophy. Casually, other theological questions are discussed. For example, letters 1, 5, and 8 contain a discussion on the question, whether the use of a piece of metal with the figure of a lion, as a [[amulet|talisman]], is permitted by Jewish law for medicinal purposes, or is prohibited as [[idolatry|idolatrous]]. In letter 131, Abba Mari mourns the death of Ben Adret, and in letter 132 he sends words of sympathy to the congregation of Perpignan, on the death of Don Vidal Shlomo (the [[Meiri]]) and Rabbi Meshullam. Letter 33 contains the statement of Abba Mari that two letters which he desired to insert could not be discovered by him. MS. Ramsgate, No. 52, has the same statement, but also the two letters missing in the printed copies. In the ''Sefer ha-Yarḥi'', Abba Mari refers to the great caution shown by the rabbis of old as regards the teaching of the mysteries of philosophy, and recommended by men like the [[Hai Gaon]], Maimonides, and [[David Kimhi]]. A response of Abba Mari on a ritual question is contained in MS. Ramsgate, No. 136; and Zunz<ref>''Literaturgeschichte der Synagogalen Poesie,'' p. 498</ref> mentions a ''ḳinah'' composed by Abba Mari.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/>
''
At the close of the work are added several eulogies written by Abba Mari on Ben Adret (who died in 1310), and on Don Vidal, [[Solomon of Perpignan]], and Don [[Bonet Crescas]] of Lunel.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia/> ==References==
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mari, Abba}}
[[Category:13th-century births]]
[[Category:14th-century deaths]]
[[Category:People from Lunel]]
[[Category:14th-century French rabbis]]
[[Category:Provençal
[[Category:French Orthodox rabbis]]
[[Category:Jewish refugees]]
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