Language:
English
Year of publication:
1995
Titel der Quelle:
Prooftexts; a Journal of Jewish Literary History
Angaben zur Quelle:
15,3 (1995) 209-226
Keywords:
Ephraim ben Jacob,
;
Caesarius,
;
Jews
;
Judaism Relations
;
Christianity
;
Christianity and other religions Judaism
;
Jews History Middle Ages, 500-1500
Abstract:
Examines short medieval tales ("exemplum" in Latin, "ma'aseh" in Hebrew) written by Jews and Christians in the 12th and early 13th centuries, in order to understand mutual perceptions. R. Ephraim of Bonn's "Sefer Zekhirah" ("Book of Remembrance") tells of an imaginary attack on R. Jacob Tam by Christians, who try to persuade him to convert, eventually wounding him just as the Jews were supposed to have wounded Jesus. The Christians' belief that they could persuade the Jewish leader to convert recurs in the tale. Caesarius of Heisterbach's "Dialogus miraculorum" ("Dialogue on Miracles") contains stories of Jewish maidens being attracted to Christianity, sometimes through love for young Christian clerics. In one case, Jewish protesters enter a church where they are miraculously struck dumb, their appearance being interpreted by the Bishop as mocking the Eucharist service. Concludes that this was a period of cultural contact and borrowing between Jews and Christians. The new cultural choices also hinted at a new religious openness, which could result in conversion.
Note:
As exemplified in Ephraim of Bonn's "Sefer Zechirah" and Caesarius of Heisterbach's "Dialogus miraculorum".
,
Reprinted in his collected articles "Jewish Culture and Society in Medieval France and Germany" (209-226) ch. IX.
URL:
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