Isaac : Between Ethnic Memory and National Memory

Jean-Chiist(jphe Attias

11 its metamorphoses, the discourse devoted to the dead is alwavs first of all the conseciatie)n of the living." In the Je-wish world, Isaac 1Abravanel (14.S7-ir)()cS), one of the celebrated dead if ever there was one, offers a striking illtistratie^n of this general principle articulated by the historian Jean-Claude Bonnet.' The historical fis^tne of Abravanel certainly lent itself to a great investment of memorv. His bie:)graphical and iiitellecttial traje-ctejrv prcjvides an excellent avenue for the ieelaboiatie)n of the collective, as well as the individtial memorv and imaginarv. As a participant in, a victim of, and fhiallv, an interpreter of an event that was a ttirning ])e)int—the Jews' exptilsion from Spain in 1492—Abravanel appears as a kev figure. He is situated at the point of contact betvseen Christianitv (he served its kings and combated its the- ology) and Islam (he was on the ('hiistian side in the sti^tiggie against Granada, sent his son Samuel to sttidv in Salonika, and himself consid- ered settling in Ttirkish territory). He belonge-el to many Mediterrane- ans: he was an Iberian, an Italian, and (prospectively) an Ottoman. Although he reached the height of j)ower then accessible te) a Jew, he could not alter the ccjtiise of his peojjle's histe)rv bv having the- expulsion elee ree rescinded; nevertheless, he recovered from each of his falls. A faithful Jew (he preferred e\pulsie)n to ape)stasv), he was himself the grandson e)l an apostate-. His personal destiiiv incarnated that e)f an entire communitv and eontiiitied that of his familv. Finallv, he became the man of memory, assmning and overeoming the historical break and, in his messianie writings, re)ice-rullv re-asserting the expectations of hope.-' Everv thing was in place, then, for the ste)rv to be traiisfe)rmeel inte:) legend and for a halo to fe)rm around the hero, a hale) that, even

The Totem

I fiisi e-neounteied Abraxancl at the theater. It xvas in in about 1914. A pla\ was being jierformed whose title was. precisely, "Don Isade Abraxanel." The seene of the exile, with this figure leading the- \\a\ [oi hie], Wcis gri]3pitig, pe)ignant. Althe)ugh that was nu)re than twe-nt\ xears ago, it remains fresh in m\ miiiel. 1 no longer remember the name- ol the artist who incariiateel Abraxanel, but 1 can still see his fine build, his Hebre-w profile-, his bla/ing exes. His entire being exudeel a fluid magnet- ism that de^minateel anel carried awa\ the xvaxering herel ot poor e\ile-s. Aelcl to that a pe)\\erful xoiee that cliew its fe>ree lre)m an immense faith anel that se-emed to be adehessing Ge)cl. Since then, no reaeling, no studx has been able to replace that image. Neither the state minister anel his pomp, nor the philosopher, nor the exegete, haxe e-\c-r held my attention.'

We- ce)uld ne)i ce)nceixe of a descriptie)n me)i e distant fre^m the austere she)ies of histe^rical criticism. The edite^r ol Le Judciisme Srphardi. Oxaelia (iamhx, born in lSSS, had trulx encountered Abraxanel; that encounter owe-el nothini^ to be)()ks, to the le-arning e)f sche)lars e)r philosophers; anel as he re-membered il, Abraxanel was a person xvith A face, a xe)iee, a xeritable- pn\sen(r. For the mind rememberino- him, that immediate, gri}> ping, poignant," e-xe-r "fresh" |)iesence eliminated all distaiue e)f time anel space; "I e an still see- [him]." Abraxanel was pte-senl in a txvole)lel and al:)solute' sense; in the flesh of a e haiae ter "ineai nated" by the aete)i and, even me)re' ce)mpelling in tlie spectator's memorx, as a genuine ee)nte-iii- j)oraix literallx "re-presente-d" bx the- magic of the the^Uer. Ihe niai.;i( of ihc theatei, howcxe i, elocs ne)t e-xplaiii e-ve-rMhiiig. The actor (whose name Camhv de)e"s not rememfx i) e)nlv lent his boelv and talent lo a ni)th that pre-e-xisteel him.''In the Se pharelic imaginar\, Isaae Afiravanel v\crs riot e)nly "the- last of the- gafaxv e)f stars shining in the Spanish skv for more than five luindre d \ears."' He was, at the- same time, the' last of the Spaniards, the first Of the e-xile-s, anel the eve-r ' \llias present. He was the he-re), the le)rebear, the totem. To tise- Gamhv's ... . ' • e'xpressie)n (giving it a elotible- meaning he- ma\ ne)t have intended), Abravanel was indeed en teteoi ihc exile-s: the ejiie gtiieling tliem, in the lead, btit also the one the\ did ne)t lori^ct. Althe)tigii the name- of .Abravanel evokes a lost s|)lende)r, his greatness and his che)ice\s jtistifie'el all at the same time exile, priele\ anel hejpe. /\s earf\ as in seventeenth- eenttirv , Manasseh ben Israel ce)tinteel Abravanel anel his lamilv amont; the reasons for his expectatie)ns that "Goel re-se rves us foi better thini;s": "For in this ca|)tivitv' and ame)ng the^ manv iepre)ache\s which we Jews suffer, vel manv of ours are honoiablv etUertained bv' princes with a singttlar affection." The prestigiotis e .ireei of Abiavanel anel of his descendants bore witness to this."" It is thereleire iie)t surprising that Ijfuda'ismeSephardi, the official organ of the Ge)nfedeiation L nive-rselle des Jttils Sepharadim (Worlel (confed- eration e)r Sephardic Jews), devoted A ce)mplete isstie to Abravanel in W?)l, the five- hundredth annive-rsarv e)f his birth;' e:)r that Abravanel has been rectinently gloiifieel in the Sephardic ethnic/commttnal pre ss ttj) to the present, whether in conjtinctie)n with partictilar celebrations oi not.'" We can even tmderstand v\hv, bv the end e)f the nineteenth and the beginning ofthe twentieth centtuv, Abravanel had bece)me- "one ofthe most procltictive stibjects in the Eastern Sephardic theater."" He provided an "atitochthe)ne)us" subject matter that the public cotild easily

We both lea\e . . . the same- elav! I, f:)anished, btudened with m\ own mise-ries and those of niN peopfe, assauftecl h\ the curses and hatred of all, liavini!, nexliint; te) expect but the stranger's pit\, walking ttnvard the black- est, the most fri^fiteiuni; future. . . . Yoti, fulf of faith in ve)iu'selt, ftill of hope, heaeled towaref glnrv, acce)nipaiiied f)\ tfie wishes of all. . . . .\iid the same pen authorized both departures. . . . (.oef willing, CV)ltimbtis. and \()U cliscoxer some ne^v fanef, let it fic heispitabic te) Israel, and ma\ our sons one ela\ five tfiere as free men anef prospe-r, enjoxini; le-speci for tfirir beliefs and their rights. '''

The- encounter between the two nun e)pens e)nte) the ftittiie, \s\\\\ one flee-ing toward the East, the e)ther leaving fe)i the West, (.olumbtis holding out fiom one direction what the Ttirk e)ffeis from the other Man of exile, flight, and rtiin, Afiravanel, who se-es Ge)lumbus as his j)e)sitive (conquering and glorious) de)tible\ alse) incarnates the ineradicable- hope of the exiles and theii- dese endants. .\Ie»ie than aiivone- else, he- is the Cjuinte-ssence' of exile, for even alte-r his death. he has IK) rinht tej repose-, and the- ha/aicls of war erase- everv trae e- f)f [14.')] his septilcher: "Ihus the te)iiib of one- ol the most noble- sons oi Israel has remained unknown until otir own time." ' The significance and 1"'"- scope e)f that loss goes beve)nel exile, howeve-i : this lae k ol a se-pule her ' oistn/ confers e)n /Vbiavaiiel the final mark ol the "Hebrew jDre)lile'," the- "bihlical i^realiiess" eve)ked bv Cainhv."'* Ahravane-l is no less than a ne-w Moses, tlie Jewish hero par e-xe elle-ne e, the Mose-s ofvvhejiii it is written, "nej man kne)we-th of his septilcher untej this elav" (Detitero- iie)inv ,'M:(J). Like Me)se-s, Abravanel never trejcl the ground ol the- Proniised Land, but annejuneed deliverance- and ceaselesslv elenie)n- strated its proxiniitv. There is alnujst sejiiie-thinn of the in Abravanel. When s()mee)iie asks the characte-r Abravanel wliere^ he plans to go with the- exiles, Santo Senio has him re-plv: "Where (H)CI willl Towarel the land oliiiv le)ieratheis! (Extending, his hand toward the East). Toward ZionI" '' These- are- the last words of the- drama: the-v ce)mplete the inte^ratiejii of Ahr^ivanel, descendant e)f David and carrier olJenNish he)pe, iiitej the eontinuilv of the messianic historv' ol Israel. That ethnic and tejteniic memorv ejf Abravanel prejvicles a remark- able fe)cal pcjiiit for an identitv that is inclissolublv Je-wish in the most general sense ejf the word and Sephardic in the most sjjecific sense. We- could no doubt retrace the histejrv ol that liu-niorv's loiniatie)n and identify its sources, but we ne-ecl e)nlv signal here that such a memorv puts eveiv tiling to use. It can embrace the- niejst reeent coii- tenipejrarv efforts at reniembraiie e- and the- search lor ancestors (through anniverscuies and ge-nealogical lese-aich). Fee-cling, hv cleli- nitiejii, on "l e-collections that aie ha/v, oveiiappini;, all-ine Itisive or wavering, individual or svnibe)lic, susceptible to everv kind ol transler- enee-, filter, censorship, and jjiojee tion," memorv has no clilfictilts' appropriating all the- "scientific" kncjwieclge e)f the most nioclern — even the niejst critical — historical seholarship, selecting, reee)nstruct- iiig, refe)rinulatint;, and pejtuiniLi; inte) a single eoherent mold a whe)le se-l ejf disparate data.'" In this essav, I have tried merelv lo restoie- the fcjrm the- mvth took at the turn ol the iwe-ntietli ceMiturv, while- at the- sanie time- throwing some- liu,lu e)n more recent jjeiiods. For there is trtily a Sephardic, even Sejjhardist, mvth e)! Abravanel. Ahravanel se'ive-s to express be)th Sephardie being and the Sejjhaiclic lejini e)f Jewish beini!,. The L^realer the- vene-rate-cl ancestor, the- j^ieate-r those- who ve-nerate- him: for in ve-nerating Ahravaiul, the- Sepharelim aie- Cjtiite simplv ve-ne-iatiiii:; thenise-lve-s." The Jew of the Exile

[144] (.otild this memorx, xvhich is fundamentalh ethnic (culturally marked, Sephardic, Eastern) and exilic (exen though, ot because, it is messianic), Jexvish be carried fot xvard in the- reelabe)iati()ns of Zie)nist (and for the most Se)cial part Ashkena/ic) histe)riographx? The memorv transmitted bx the tribe Studies is ahvaxs a IOIIL; wax ire)m the reconstructed memorx of the natie)n. In fae t, events as well as ideejlog-x haxe led inexorablx te) a rexision of the representations e^f the- Exile, a rexisie)n fre)m xvhich Abt a\anel has not emerged rinse athed. In 19.'>7, the fixe hundredth atmixeisaix e)f Abtaxanel s birth occa- siejiied the expression e)f x'atie)tis meme)ries of the man; the French Israelite opttsctile bx' Henri Soil, the series of articles in Le Judctisme Sephardi, and se^xeral sche)laiix studies published in Germanx, Great Britain, Palestine, and the United States.^-' .Vll this xvork xvas carried otit in the shadoxv of dramatie' elene-le)pments; the rise of the perils in Germany and in Etirope, more brenidh. In Berlin itself, the Jewish communitv organized an exhi- bition e)n Abraxanel, xvhich was destroxecl bx' the Nazis; Soil compared the situation of his German coreligionists to the fate of Spanish Jexvs in the fifteenth centurx; Sante) Semo explained that his plax xvas rejected bx' the Tb(§atre-Francais out of fear of the xvaxe of antisemitism then spreading oxer Fiance; and after the blow of Krislcdlnacht on 9 November 1938, A. H. Nctx (n\ e-xplained he xvas gixing tip his series of studies on the Abrax anel familx because ol the graxitx of the circumstances.^'^ One- eanne)t oxeremphasize hoxv much memorx oxves to the present. The xear 1992 — the fixe hundredth annixersarx of the expulsion of the Jexvs fre)m Spain—was, paiadoxicallx, the occasie)n to celebrate a certain more or less imaginarx Jtideo-Spanish and Judeo-Turkish sxmbiosis. The Europe being constructed nei doubt led to this displax of ebullient optimism.^^ The xear 1937 obviouslx lent itself mtich less to such a sentiment. The destruction of Eure)pean Jexvrx, then the birth of the state of Israel, se)()n brought their sanctie)n to the effe)rts deployed bx nationalist histe)rians. In 1936, Mtzhak Fritz Baer (1888-19lomon Ibn \et ga (second half of the filteetUh centurx-lirst quartet of the sixte-enth), and Shabbetai Tsexi As part ol such a selee t company, Abravanel was invested with .1 rather partictilar and especiallv promine nt function. The lew j^ai;* s Baer devotes to him betrav a prole)undlv ambi^uotis relationshij) to the [1 I")] man. Ahr.iv.uiel is presented as "the' trtie lottnder of the se ienc e of jtidaism.' His attitude toward the Marranos (whom he consiclei c^d an A^'"- intej^ral and forever inclissot iahlc- part of thejewish jjeople) and. moie' oenc-rallv, his definition of Israel as a people and not solelv a 1 e'li,u^ic)tis coninumitv led "for the first time-" to a realist and modern aj^pioaeh to the idea ol the nation in Jewish historv. At the- same- time', however. », Abravanel remained botmcl to medieval jjatterns of thotiL;lu, l)elic-vinL; that the Jews are not sttbinitted to the voke ol nattiral law that L;ove'rns the historv ol nations; he was "almost as helpless" when ccjiifronted with the Exile as the rest of medieval Jewrv. Helj^less and fttnclanientallv passive, the man of state who vvds so effective in the se-rviee' of non-Je'v\s did not have the slightest idea how to trtilv improve the sittiation ol his coic'ligionists. He had not imagined lor a single moment liow to take practical steps toward the recleiiii3tion he himsell Was annonncini;. And the believer who had worked so hard to eonvinee the skeptie s e)l the' miractilotts powers of the Hc:)lv Land did not even consider it tiselttl to i^o there personallv.^"' At a later point, Baer rettirnecl to the regrets that the stttclv ol the tragic fate of Spanish Jewrv could avsaken in his contemporaries. In his historv of the Jews of Ghristian Spain (ptiblished in Hebrew in 1945), he observed with some bitterness that the iiie)ment had tui- dotibtecllv not vet come for a ftindainental reevaltiation of political and historical conceptions. It vvds the "mythicizing mentalitv" of the jews of the period that made them incapable ol seekini; the "real wavs of national rebirth."'' In a lev\ pai!;es, Baer imprints an historiographical imaii,c' that \\ 1<^] in llie lexisioiiist Zie)nisi eatise-. It is ifitis not stiiprising th.ii fie feft ol)fi,L!,ecf to jtiefne Ahraxaiu-f "fre)ni tiie nationafistic pe)int e)f \ie\v." His Jewish dee fare cf ofijee tixe- Wcts te) tiiufe-rstaiuf flow, fxixve-e'n tfie encf ol tfie Micl- S( »e iaf effe' Aide's (iefeiitifiecf witfi the jexvs' expulsion Ireim Spain) and tfie French Stticfie s Rex()ftilion,jtidaisiii eoiifef haxe experienced ifiiee- (e'littiries ejf spiritttaf isofationism ancf mxsticaf lnessianisin, fie)\v it cotifd haxe e-xconinuini- e alecf f Ktiiicfi Sjiino/a ancf L^ixeMi ils entfittsiastie snppe)rt to tfie false- nicssiafi Sfiafifietai Isexi. Wfiat xxas .Afiiaxanef s lole in tfiat e-xoftitiejn?^'^ In tliis ( ase\ \e-tanyafui eiiif)iacecf an fiistoi ioL!,iapfiicaf tradition iiias- te'rftiffx iiieainate'd fix Gersfioni Se hofeiii. Tfie Jews" e-xpulsion fre)ni Spain, aceoiefiiiLi; to tfiis xie-w, "i;axe rise to cfeep messianic excitement ancf tensie)n" xvfiose tiftiniate nianifestatie)n xvas tfie Safifiateaii explo- sion. Ifiat ce)ncc'|)tioii of tfie- liistorx of Jttcfaisni after tfie e xj)tifsie)n, ol tfie leinteipre tat ions ancf otitfittists of messianie fei xor efie itecf fix "ifie fie)pe' for a efivine fifieration fre)iii tfie hoiicfa^e' and degiacfatiein ot exife," ^rantecf a si^nifieant |)]ae e to tfie influence of Afii axanef.'" Foi \e'tan)afiti, Afiraxanel fiacf qtiite sinijifx fatincfied the nieist powerful messianie nioxenie nt in Jexvisfi fiiste)i x. He fiacf Li,ixen fiis pee)pfe tfie e)nfx respe)nse' tfiat was aticfifife in fiis time: tfie anne)ttnceiiieiit ol cfefivei aiiee, a cfelixerance oxei xvfiiefi Ge)cf alone xvas tfie master and wfiicfi ne) futnian fiacf tfie- |ie)xve'i to fiasten.'' Be fore' the- ex|)ufsion, Afiiaxanef fiacf fieen nnafife to sec- tfie calasiio- |)fie- coniiiiL;. In the face e)f that e atastie)pfie, fie tfiotight fie cotild resort to tiaditionaf exjieefients. A leafist as a financier ancf a dipfoniat, fie ))i()xe-el to fie too "mxstic" as a ceininitinitx feacfer. Whife he xafiaiitly foti!j,ht for "fiis jieopfe's sottf," fie fost tfie pofiticaf fiattfe: fiis leadership tincfe'iiiaf:)fx eiitaifecf "a serions fatilt." Xetanxafitt x\as sorefx teniptecf te) woncfer wfiat wottfcf fiaxe fiappenecf if "a man e)f tfie stattiie- of Afiiaxanef fiacf arisen ancf propagatecf a le-afistic eonise-, a pfaii of regaining the Pioniisecf Lancf bx settfcnient and eoloiii/aiion." Tfie fact is tfiat Afiiaxanef refnseel tfiat fiistorie al e fioiec of actiein ancf return. Ancf it was f)ecatis(- of fiis infUuMice tfiat, a ee'iittiix fate-r, Je)sepfi Nasi, cfiike- ol Naxos (ea. ir)l()-()9), eotifef elicit no le-sponse te) liis plans fe)r l eeonstrtKtion, |)fans tfien cfoonie-cf to failttie'.'-' As soon as fie raise-s tfie e|tiestion e)f Afii axaneFs Jexvisfi inteffectual fe\i!,.u X, i\e-lanxafut, rather than cite lianies and texts, verx qiiickfx' i;e-ts fosi in ocneiafitie-s of tfiat kind." It is as if xvhen /';/^/:L^7//I; Afiraxaiief, fie fiacf more- coiificfence in fiis inluilion tfian in fiis Irarnino;. re)cfax, tfiat (e)nee])tioii of tfie fiisie)rx e)f Jticfaisin and the lofe- of ;\fiiaxanef is liotU < e)n(e-sie-ef. I he inijiact of tfic- exptilsie)n fias fieen l e'exafuatecf, tfie ceii- tralitv e)l liie-ssicinie pree)e e tipations in siibsec|tient Je'wish thought has bee'ii C]tiestie)ned, and Abravanel has been piesentecl as an atvpical Itlteenth-eenturv Jewish philosopher, at least in the verv keen inte'icst [117] he manifested lor esc hatolo^ieal qtiestions."'' And without a doubt, that revision itse'll, or rather die fact that it is possible, prestipposes a j)i o- /"'"- lotmd change in mentalitv, and not onlv anionL; sciiolars. The intiinsi- ('/>>'''"l callv nationalist and Zionist interpretadoii which Xetanvalui arclentiv supported no longer corresponds to the atmospliere of the times. To everv aije' its memorv. .V " • Al:)r,i\,i On one point, however — the ))olitical passivitv of Abiavanel — Netanvahti still has his heirs, thotigh it is improbable lie wotild recoi^- ni/e them as lei^itimate. In fact, the- emphasis has shifted, and the tone has been niodiliecl Netanvaim's embarrassment, his reservations, have becc^nie accusations and virulent clentinciations. In 197(i Gershon Weiler, professor oT philosophv at Tel Vviv L'nivcr- sitv, published the fiebiew translation ol his book (orioinallvwritten in English) examiniiiL; the problem ol relations betwc-en relioion and tlie state within the context ol thejewish tradition in L;e*neial and the Jewish state in particular. Tliis global reflection elicited intense contiovcrsies in Israel. The central thesis of the book is that "the Jewish religion and the existence of this state are andtbetical to each other bv their veiv essence." At the same time, for Weiler, the Jewish ieli,tTie)us tiaclidon rests on the deliberate decision to anchor Jtidaism in lotindations that are not just apolitical, btit actuallv andpolitical; and that tradition cotild not in anv wav accommodate itself to the existence ol a sectilar Jewish state." Stich a thesis was certain to provoke storniv debates; it raised in particulaiiv clear terms the question of the relation between the Je'wisli state and halakhic atithoritv.''' Weiler, situadn^ himself e'xplicidv in the tiaditie)n of Spino/a, sees Abravanel as the theorist par excellence of what he himself is tiaekiii<; clown and vigoroush' clenotincin^.-'" He acknowledges that Abravanel remains little known, and be himself seems to knov\ him onlv second- hand: he is almost entirelv dependent on Netanvdhu (tbougb be doe-s not refrain from criticiziiiL; liim fbr errors). As the final acte)r in a eotn se begun bv Flavins Josephus (.^')7-ea. 100) and Pliilo of Alexandria ( K) B.C.E.-Trl ('.E.), and contintied bv Maimonides, Abravanel, in W'eiler's \ie'\v, repie'sentecl the fttlfillme-nt e)l the tlieoe i atic idea in Jttdaisiu. Abravarie I's approac h was disastrous both lor Jev\isli tliotinht and Jewisli history. In making Jews a political exccjDtion, in believ inii; that the svsteiii ol laws L^ovei tiin^n the non-Jewish world ce)tilcl not be a|3pliecl to tlieiii, 'c\nd in placing them, in the hist analvsis, iinclei the- direct and exi Itisive- guardianship of (iocl—conclernned to |)assivelv wait lor a rcxlernption th.it eottlel onlv eome- rre)m on hii^Hi—Af)ia\

A Face and Its Veils

And it came to pass, wfu-n Moses (cHiio down from Mount Sinai with the two Uif)fes of testimony in Moses' fianek when he tame de)wn from thi- motmt, thai Mos(-s wisi not tfiat the- skin of fiis lace she)ne' ^vhile he talked witfi him. And when Aaron and all the cfiildren of Israel saw Me)ses. f)eholef, tfie skin of his la< c- shone; anel tfie\ were afraid ic) come' nigh him. Anef Moses (.iffeel unto them; and Aaron and aff tfie rtifers of tfie con^rt-- L^ation relurneel unto fiim: anel Moses talked witfi them. And afterward all the ( hildr(-n of Isiael came niofi: anel fie ,t;a\e tlum in commandment aff (hat ifie Lord fiael spoken w'nh him in Mount Sinai. .And till Moses had efonc speaking with tlic-m, fie ptit a xeil on his face (fi\e)cltis 34:29-;KI).

Who wotilel ne)t be temi:)ted at the end ol this je)urney te) paraphrase \oltaite as he inquired al)e)tit the' existence of Moses: "Is it reallv trtie there was an Abrav.iiu-l?"''" Was there one Abravanel? Perhaps. Moie- tfian one? That is more e e-rtain. Tliese- Abravanels are so manv compe)s- ite image's of an individual whe) is ealle'd upe)n te) take a place and pla) a lofe in siieeessixe e)r eonctirient "iiieiiioiy fandse ajies."'' Tfiese eoii- trastmg, xet alxvaxs .somexvfiat related, images fiorroxv from eiiie anotfier, challenge one another, lespoiiel to one another. [149] W fial relation does tfie man .\bi axaiief, the liistorical man, haxe- xvitli diese menioix doubles? We wotifd be XVIOIIL; to belie-\e tfiat these I'""- relations are ptirelx' fictixe, artificial, or arbitral x.'- Meine)i x is exegesis, '/'"'''"H"- .... • . •-> \ll/as and the individtial is its text. The xoice of the eoiiimeiitarie-s, fie)wexei bre)ad or ce)mmanding it may se)metinies be, nexer totaffx eoxers tip the voice of the text. ^,'.i ^^ Afiiaxane'f is a figtiie fasfiioned of gold. And, in his xvi itin,u;s and actions, fie fiimself fiefped toii;e that figure. Abraxanef is one e)f tfie rare Jexvish atitfiois in tfie Middle A^e-s xvhose life, C|tiite simpf), ca)i be narrated. And it is to him, a xaltiafile aute)biogiapfiei, tfiat xve are indebted in great part for wfiat xve knoxs. He rece)tiiited exerytfiing himself: the fiiste)rv of fiis peopfe, of himseff, memorx ancf fiope. He himseff transformed fiis fife into text. Excixtfiing xvas laid e)tit so that comnientai) could ffeitirisfi. Memorx reconstittites, disconnects, ancf couples. Meiiie)r) is a kalei- doscope. And fie)m one image to the next, xve e)ften diseoxei tfie same efenieiits associated and illtiniinatecl in different xvaxs. To gixe a single example: Abravanel as practitioner and theorist of politics. No memorx oxerlooks that. Each seizes on the true originalitx in the indixidtial (xvhat other Jexv of the Exile xvent as far as he did in this area?). Thtis he ma) be peirti a) ed as the odiotis cotirt Jexv, the good "state Jexv," as a near king or niessiah, or, if necessarx, as the slave jtistifxing sei xittide and the apostle of resignation. He is practically xvhatexer xott like. Btit that is the point: xoti xvilf alxvaxs find in him xvhat xoti like. Sucfi is the price of glory and of ambigttit)'. Wliat a strange mirror mc-morx is. In it is reflected, exer ehanging, both revealed and hidden, the face of the one lemenibeied. Btit in it is also reffected, and to an eqttaf degree, the face e)f tfie one- reiiiem- bering. Jexvs and C^firistians, champions eif ethnic pride and militants of the natieinal cause-, all see in Abiaxanel either their Other or a xe-isioii of themselxes, an e'xasj)ei ating incaniatieiii of a Ie)ie-igii se-lf or a valued ima^e of an ideaf self In the end, fioxvexe-i, xvhe) efoes not knoxv xvhat is actuallx reflecteef in the mirror e)f the Other, ancf whe) does ne)t xeiiture tei be)rre)w fie)iii it.'' But must one admit it to onese-ff? Wfio xvould dreaiii of l e-eoiJjni/in|L; his or her indebtedness? Nothing se-rxes nienie)rx better than forgetlini;. And the less eine knoxvs, the iDetter one reiiieiiil)ers. Aff tfie fasliie>iiers of meme)ix ence)unteied aloni; e)ur jiath, xvith the exception of Baer and Netanxahu, lettiin onlv raiel) to the texts tlienisclxe-s."' Their ce>iii- me-ntarv is organized me)ie as stiperce)mmc-ntarv. Ignorance and con- Itisiein ofte-n prove to be u,e'nerously preidtictive' of lneanings. And soon [150] me'me)iv functions as a strticttiring force' of fe)igettini;. It ee)nceals as much as or more' than it re've'als. The' me)re it betravs the face- ofthe Jewisli one remeniiberiiiL;, anel the more-, in aneither se-nse, it betravs the traits Social ofthe* e)ne beini; remembereel. Sttidies Paraeloxical tneme)iv. It feeds on the real or imau^inarv radiance of tlu- man Abravanel. And it relavs that l adiane e and sends it back tej tis to diffraet it, tise it tip, and then veil it. Paradejxic al memorv, which forms a screen, a veil betwee'ii tis and the j)ast. /V veil or sere en, however ontei v\hieh is projected the ceimposite, moving, iitie ertain iiiia^e of our jiast anel e)iir present. Of our ftittne as v\ell.

Danslated hy fane Mane 'Indil

Notes

file traiishition ol tfiis aiticlc wds niaefe |)ossifDfe f^y tfie t^enerosin ofMnie. BerUie I\uileite.\f)ra\anel, tfie presiefeni ol the associatii m Patiinioine Historique et.\i tistique ele fa Franc c/Ahra\anc-f Internalionaf in Paris. Unless c^therwise noted, aff traiisfations arc ni\' cnvn.

f Jc-.in-C.laude Bonnc-t, "Lc-s Moris In particulai, tliis worfs anaf)ze^ ifliislres: Oraison fiuief^re, efoge tfie disc(iursc-s of auiliors such as ac aefeuiicjuc, uc-crofogie," in L(s Richard Simon (l(i:^8-17L'L'), Eieux (le niemoiie, eef. Pierre Nora, Jacciuc-s Basnagc- (f ()3;)-1723), \of. 2, IJI Xat/on (Paris, f9S(')), 239. Louis Moreri (1()4:>-S()). Pierre 2 ( )u tfie fife anef works ol Bavfe (1()49-17()7). Louis-Michel Af)ra\anel in general, anel on fiis de BoissN (d. 1793), and Arthur messianic tfiinking in particular, Auguste Beugnot (f 79."i-fS(ir)). see, in aefefition to Be-iizion 4 Sec if^id. 1 siud\ such autfiors as Nc tam.ifiu's cfassie \vork efiscusseef Israel Bedarride (17MS-18(39), f)ef(i\\ (Don istKK [hidvanel: Slales- Moise Scfi\\afi (IS;'.',)-19f S). and )iian and Pbilosoplier, .'H\ ed. [Phila- Heuri S.)if {h. 1909). efefpfii.i. f972]), |c-an-C.hristopfie •) Ovadia C'-anih\, "Reflexions sur Altias. l\(i(i( Abravanel: La Meiiionr .\f")ra\anel," Le Judahme Sejihardi el res/ieiYUKe (Paris. 1992). 57 (December 1937): 124. ;') I efe-s( 1 ifx" ifiat tradition in iii\ arti- () ()ii Sephardic histor\ as "rile with e le\ "Isaac Af:)ra\ane-1 (ir)()S- myths," see Lstfier Benf^assa anei f992): f ss.ii efe- me nioire' Aron f\.()(frigtR\ The fews of the Bal- eoniparc e'," in Menioiirs /iiives kans: Ehe fiitleo-.Sjiiinisb ((iiiinuniily, d'EsJKij^ne el du Porlii!j;al, ed. Esther l^lh to JOlli Cenluiies ((Klorcf and Benf)assa (Paris, I99(i), 27:'.-;'.()S. Cainhrief'-e, Mass., 1993), 192-9"). 7 Ganihy, "Reflexions," 125. piiblicatie)n elate as "La F"amille-"). 8 Menas.seh ben Israel, The H(rf)e of Is- See also the \,irioiis aili( lcs ejn rael [16.^)2], trans. Moses Wall, cd. Al)ia\ane'l and his lainil\ in the Henry Mechoulan and Gerard journal of the Juelee)-Spanish pro- Nahon (Oxford, 1987), l.')l, 1.^)2. gram of Israeli radio, AIn /raii- 9 The Gonfederation, founded in yerushala\im:'A]-:\7 (19S.S): 'A-Fy, (Jiiistojihr 1932 and centered in Paris, set out ibid. 38-:V.) (198,S): S-i:', (abrielged Attias to increase the influence ejf Sephar- \e'ision in JudeeKSpanisli ol a stiielv dic communities in Jewish organiza- by Elena Rejmero on die- ihenie ol Is.UK tions throughout Uie world, to link Al)ra\anil in the theater e)f the ,\l)i .i\aiicl these communities together, and Scphardim of the Fast): ibid. 4.") to elefend die tiadidons of that (1991): 10-11; anel ibid. 45 (l'))' Im-dorot ha-aharonirn (MeMliavi;i, 19()7), 2:2SS-,S<), and Fislu-l 1(> Netaruahu, l)iin Isaai Al/raj>anel, Lachowc-r, Toldot ha-si/rut ha-Ivrit lia-hculashah, LWh prinlinLi, (Tel 17 Jacc|ue's Jose Al)i .ixaiiel. La Ax ix, 19()(»), 4:.') I -!)3. lamixa Abravanel: Su orii;iii, su 3 S.into [Bc-x de] Se-mo, born in thc- Jewish istoria i su mision," Ahi lSSOs at the- latest, explained the Social c ire umstanc cs of the plax's compo- 18 Santo Se-mo, Don Isaai Ahravaiui. Suidies sition in a book xvrittc-n in Pai is S, 17; Paul r.ocjchnan, Don Isaac clurini; the ()< ctipation: Israel el le Al)r,ixane4,"" Lejudahnie Sephardi DUtnde: I'leiiiiiie JHulie (Paris: 1943), 37 (December 19;'.7): 121; Navon. KK')-40. He submitted the manu- "La Famille" (Febrnarv 19;'.S), L'2. s( 1 ipt lo S.uah Bernhardt xvhen 19 .\(eordin^ t(t Santo Semo (Don she was in Constantinople on an Isaae Abravanel, 12), the (f).it ol acting tour in 190.S; slu- was xerx arms was surmounted bx the intereste-d, althoui^h disappointc-d roxal crown ol Daxid. Navon ("La that the plax had no role lor her Famille" [Februarv 1939], 22) de- (133). The xear 190.S was that ol seribes "rwo lic^ns faeing eaeh the \bunir Turk Rexoluticjn, and other aboxe the six-branched es- the Ottoman communitA, like cutcheon of King Da\id." See also much ol the rest of the popula- Abrax.uiel, "La famiya," 4. tion, (-merged from its silence (se-e- 20 Abrax.uiel, "La famixa," 3-4. Fsthei' Benbassa, i'ne Diasjjora 21 S(-e Sanio Se-mo, Don Isaac sf'pharade en transition: Istanbul, Abravcnui, S. A7A--AA- siecles [Pans, 199;'.], 27- 22 Naxon, "La F.unille (Februarx 33). We m.u hear an echo of the 1*)3,S) '''^' hope elicited bx' the change in i^ox- 23 Abraxanel. "L.i famix.i," ;'). This crnment in the scene in xvhic h stranL;e scenai io results from the Santo Se-mc:> insists on the solidar- eompression, delormation, and it)' (in niislortune, it is true) ol appropriation of sexeral tradi- Abraxanel and the Muslim sultan tions relating to the condition of ofCranada. In oe-neral, Sanio Jexvs in France and the dexelop- Scnio i^axs tribute to all the mxths, ment of Jexvish learning; there. On from the anticpiitx of the Jexvish this matter, see- Simon se-ttlement in Spain (34-3cS) to the Sehxv.uvluchs, LIS [III/S de Erance xvarm xvelcomc- of the- Ottoman sul- (Paris, 1973), 19-20. 23, And Enn- tan Baxc-/id II (3(S), although he (lojxiedia judaica (Je rus.ilem, doe-s not lail to stigmati/c- the- 1972), s.x. "Isaac." .Utitude ol the Turkish representa- 24 See Naxon, "La Famille"" (April tixe-s in Fr.uK e duiini^ the war (l()l-()3). On the- pe-rtormance of 23 Ibid. (Februarv 193S), 23. this plax in Judeo-Spanish in Istan- 2() Joseph Nehama, xvith the collabo- bul, see Abraham (lalante-, Histoiie ration of Jesus C .mtera. des Jui/s d'lslaid)ul (Istanbul, 1941- Dil lionna/re du judeiHspao-nol (Ma- 42), f:22;>. ()n Sanio Se-mo, sc-e- drid, 1977), s.x. ".\braxanel." ( i. Fdou.ud de Naxaillcss preface- to Fnrique Saporta x' Beja, ru/nnies /\rai'l et le monde (7-10). de IDS judiiis se/ardfis (B.u e elona. 1978), 2. On the name Abravanel, 32 See Yitzhak Baer, A History of the see also Abraham I. Laredo, Les Jews in Ghristian Spain, trans. L. Noms des Juifs du Maroc: Essai Schoffman (Philadelphia, 1978), [153] d 'onomastique judeo-marocaine (Ma- 2:436-37. drid, 1978), 215-21. 33 See ibid., 509-10, especially the Jean- 27 See Encyclopaedia Judaica, s.v. "ge- testimony of Abraham Ardutiel Christofjlie nealogy." On the sense to be (510). Attias given to the recent and massive in- 34 Romero, El teatro, 500. This is crease in genealogical research, very clearly the case in Santo Isaac see Pierre Nora, "Entre memoire Semo's Don Isaac Abravanel, where Abravane! et histoire: La Problematique des Torquemada himself says: "I lieux," in Les Lieux de memoire, ed. planned it all" (25). Pierre Nora, vol. 1, La Republique 35 Santo Semo, Don Isaac Abravanel, (Paris, 1984), xxix. 61. We find practically the same 28 The Abravanel Eamily Newsletter 7 scene ("Le Christ de TAlhambra") (December 1989): 1-2, 3. The in Edmond Fleg, Ecoute Israel first issue of this newsletter was (Paris, 1954), 466-70. Fleg, how- published in Portland, Oregon, in ever, adds: "And as Moses did with November 1987. Nearly twent)' is- the Torah / He smashed the cruci- sues have now appeared at irregu- fix to pieces at the feet of the rul- lar intervals. See also the ers!" (470). See also Israel commentaries published in "El Bedarride, Les Juifs en Erance, en boletin de la famiya Abravanel," Italie et en Espagne (Paris, 1859), Aki Yerushalayim 43 (1991): 10-11. 292. For a Spanish version of this 29 On that reunion, see The story, see Jane S. Cerber, Tliejeius Abravanel Eamily Neivs letter 13 (Jan- of Spain: A History of tlie Sephardic uary 1992): 5-6, and ibid. 14 Experience (New York, 1992), 134- (June 1992): 3. Maurice 35. This scene has become such Abravanel's quote is reproduced an integral pai t of thejewish mem- in the latter issue as part of an ar- ory that it is the object of a model ticle reprinted from the New York in miniature in the Museum of Times, 23 March 1992, and also the Diaspora in Tel Aviv (see Joan cited by Meir Avital, "Enkontros Comay, Tlie Diaspora Story: Tlie Epic familiales sefaradis," Aki of tliejeioish People among the Na- Yerushalayim 13 (1992): 20. tions [Jerusalem, Tel Avi\\ and 30 Abravanel, "La famiya," 5, ex- Haifa, 1981], 136-37). plains: "This mission includes 36 Santo Semo, Don Isaac Abravanel, the obligation of all Abravanels 566, 13, 29, 69-70. The enterprise in the state or position to do so, also has the endorsement of the to help the needy and to save his Jewish astionomer Abraham neighbor from danger." For Zaccuto (58). Columbus is also Santo Semo as well, Abravanel very present in the columns of was a "savior" {Don Isaac Tlie Abravanel Eamily Neivsletter. Abravanel, 45). 37 Goodman, "Don Isaac Abra- 31 Santo Semo, Don Isaac Abravanel, vanel," 123. 24. See also ibid., 25. 38 Camhy, "Reflexions," 124. 39 Sante) Semo, Don Isaac Abravanel, 73. vember 1987): 3; ibid. 13 (January 40 Nora, "Entre memoire et 1992): \-2. Soil, Don Isaac [154] histoire," xix. Abravanel, 10-11; Santo Semo, Israel 41 "Tfie greater tfie origins," writes et le monde, 139-40. On Navon Jewish Pierre Nora, "tfie more great tfiey (born in Adrianople in 1864, mem- maele us. Eor it is oursefxes we ber of the staff of the Alliance Social \ eneratecf f)y means of tfie past" Israelite Universelle, director of Sttidies (ibicf., xxxi). Basnage afreacfy un- the Ecole Normale Israelite Ori- derstood this when he evoked the entale, and author of two novels of "circunicized Spaniarcfs, who bor- Jewish mores in the East), see the rowecf the boastful genitis of the biographical entry in his work Les countrx xvfiere tfiex flourished; 70 Ans de I'Ecole normale isiaelite mi- and xviio fiaxe tfiemsefxes descend entcdei 1865-1935) (Paris, 1935), from re)xal bfood, or from the 126. See also the moxing last install- first tribe, exen tfiougfi tfiey haxe ment of "La Eamille de Don Isaac no distinctix'e cfiaracteristic tfiat Abravanel" in Lejudaisme Sef)hardi raises tfieni afiove tfieir brotfiers" 66 (December 1938): 137. {Histoire des Juifs depuis Jesus-Chnst 44 See Benbassa and Rodrigue, Jews jiiscju Vi present pour servir de conlinu- of the Balkans, 194. ation Cl Vhistoire de Joseph, new ed. 45 On Baer, see Fncychpaeclia Judaica, [La Haye, 1716-21], 7:253). 4:82-83. Ga/i//appeared in Hebrew 42 Henri Soif, Don Isaac Abravanel in 1945 and in English in 1947. See {1437-15US), sa vie et ses oeuvres Jacob Neusner, introduction to (Paris, n.d.). On tfiis opuscufe, see Galut h\ Yitzhak Eritz Baer, ti-aiis. Attias, "Isaac Abraxanef." Vitsfiak Robert Warshow (London, 1988), 4. Baer, "Don Yitsfiak Abraxanef xe- 46 Baer. Galut, 60-68. yafiaso ef beayot ha-fiistoryah x'e-fia- 47 Baer,/(^<'5 in Christian Spain, mecfinah," Tarbiz^ (1937): 241-59; 2:442. See Gerard Nahon's severe Abraliam Hescfief, Don Jizchak judgment in Metropoles et Abravanel (Berfin, 1937); S. Leny, peripheries sepharades d'Occident: Isaac Abravanel as a Theologian (Lon- Kairouan, Amsterdam, Bayonne, Bor- don, 1939);Jacobs. Minkin, deaux, Jet usalem (Paris, 1993), 248. Abravanel and tJie Expulsion of the 48 Netanyahu, Don Isaac Abravanel. Jewsfiom Spain (New York, 1938); The second edition appeared in Erwin J. Rosentfiaf, Don Isaac 1968, the tfiird in 1972, and a pa- Abravcinel: Financier, Statesman and perback edition in 1982. On Schola K 1437-193 7{ Mane f lester, Netanyahu, see Encyclopaedia Juda- 1937); losepfi Saiacfiek, Don Isaac ica, 12:970-71. Abravanel (New York, 1938); Moshe 49 Netanyahu, Don Isaac Abravanel, Zxi Segal, "R Yitshak Abravanel be- 91; 1st ed., xii-xiii. We note in pass- tor pai shall ha-mikia," Tarliz 8 ing that Netanyahu dedicated his (1937): 261-99; J. B. Trend and Her- book to the memory of his father, bert Loewe, eds., Isaac Abravanel: Six Nathan Mileikowsky, "whose life- Lectures (Ganifiridge, 1937). work for Zionism and whose nobil- 43 On tfie exhibition, see 77?^ it)' of spirit are still sources of Abravanel Family Nexasletter 1 (No- inspiration." 50 Gershom G. Seholem, The Messia- Natan le Karaite de Troki, trans. nic Idea in Judaism (New York, Maurice-Ruben Hayoun, appen- 1971), 41, 86. See, for example, dix to Exameri de la riTigiau, bv [155] Gershom G. Seholem, Sabtuitai Elijah Delmedigo (Paris, 1992), Sevi: The Mystieat Messiah, 1626- 106-39. Abravanel appears sev- Jeaii- 1676 (Princeton, NJ., 1973), 14, eral times in tliis work: 127, 12(S, CJiristoplir where Abravanel's influence is 132 (the passage cited b\ Attias linked to that of R. Judah Loew Ne tan)ahu), and 134. of Prague (1512-1609). 54 See, among others, Moshe Idel, 51 Netanyahu, Don Iseiae Abravanel, Kabbedah: New Perspeetives (Ne'W Abia\anel 251,256-57. Haven and London, 19.S.S), 2(U- 52 Ibid., 90, 91, 89, 255-56, 156. See 67, and idem, "Religion, Thought also 225, where Abravanel is por- and Attitudes: The Impact of the traved as the incarnation of the Expulsion of the Jews," in Spain paradox of the medieval Jewish cinet the Jews: The Sephardi Expeii- condition: as soon as the future of eiiee 1492 and After; ed. Elie his people is at stake, Abravanel Kedourie (London, 1992), 123- becomes a passive dreamer and 39, esp. 125-29, 134. builds "castles in the air." 55 Gershon Weiler, Jewish Theocraey 53 A few names are cited, of course (Leiden, 19.S8), xiii, xiv. (ibid., 254): Juda Abravanel, Aza- 56 The implications of Weiler's anah- ria de Rossi (ca. I511-ca. 1578); sis ha\e been usefulh under- Moses .\lshekh (d. ca. 1593); scored by Pierre \'idal-Naquet, Menasseh ben Israel (1604-57); Les Juifs, la memoir e et le present II Joseph Solomon Delmedigo (Paris, 1991), 15-16. (1591-1655); and Samuel David 57 See \Kei\e\, Jewish Theoeraey, xiv; Luzzato (1800-1865). There are and the chapter devoted to Spi- also twe) V er) brief references, noza (86-110). and even thev are unconvincing. 58 Ibid., 69-85, 98-99, esp. 85. 70. The first cites Luzzato's evalua- 59 Ibid., 82-83. tion of Abravanel as the man w ho 60 "Is it realh true there was a liberated Jewish thought from Ai- Moses?" {Dietionriairr istotelianism, an evaluation that philosophique, with a preface bv Netanyahu himself refuses to em- Rene Pomeau [Paris, 1964], s.v. brace: "Yet the greatness of "Moise"). Abravanel was not really in this" 61 Nora, "Entre memoire ct (254). The second repeats histoire," xxxvi. Delmedigo's statement that 62 "Things do not have that simplicitA. Abravanel's works are "a gift fre>m Mytli is not oppe^sed t( > realitv as God" (326). Netanyahu omits to false is to true: it accompanies real- mention that, in this praise, i\\ and, I venture to sav, benders it" Abravanel is in good compan), (Vidal-Naque-t, Irs Juifs, 35). since Delmedigo is commenting 63 Anel, as we have seen, exe^i these on all the authors he recom- historians, when making judg- mends. See Joseph Solomon ments, desert the field of knowl- Delmedigo, Epttre a Zerah ben edge lor intuition.