Christians, Noṣerim, and Nebuchadnezzar's Daughter
In his monumental commentary on the Babylonian Talmud, Bet ha-Beḥirah, Menaḥem ben Solomon ha-Meiri explains the word noṣerim (which appears in b'AZ 6a, 7b and bTa'an 27b) as referring not to Christians but rather to a sect of Babylonian sun worshipers who took their name from Nebuchadnezz...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Penn Press
1991
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| In: |
The Jewish quarterly review
Year: 1991, Volume: 81, Issue: 3/4, Pages: 411-426 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | In his monumental commentary on the Babylonian Talmud, Bet ha-Beḥirah, Menaḥem ben Solomon ha-Meiri explains the word noṣerim (which appears in b'AZ 6a, 7b and bTa'an 27b) as referring not to Christians but rather to a sect of Babylonian sun worshipers who took their name from Nebuchadnezzar and kept Sunday as a holy day. Jacob Katz, who emphasizes Meiri's irenic tendencies, has characterized this interpretation as "a clear instance of divesting the text of its plain sense under the pressure of one's inner convictions." This paper addresses the issue of whether anything more than a fanciful or tendentious etymology stands behind Meiri's interpretation, answers that question affirmatively, and identifies a likely referent for the noṣerim of Meiri's comment. Specifically, it is suggested that Meiri here identifies the noṣerim with the naṣurai, or Mandaeans. Evidence is adduced to show that as early as the eleventh century the name of Nebuchadnezzar was linked with this sect; and a Mandaean folk-tale which conforms closely to the substance of Meiri's comment is cited and discussed. Possible lines of transmission for information concerning the Mandaeans from the Near East to Provence are also elaborated. |
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| ISSN: | 1553-0604 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The Jewish quarterly review
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/1455326 |