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Copyright

Micahel Rand z"l;

Published On

2025-03-07

Page Range

pp. 287–310

Language

  • English

Print Length

24 pages

A Fragment of the Maḥberot ʿAzarʾel ben Yosef

  • Micahel Rand z"l (author)
Chapter of: Interconnected Traditions: Semitic Languages, Literatures, Cultures—A Festschrift for Geoffrey Khan: Volume 2: The Medieval World, Judaeo-Arabic, and Neo-Aramaic(pp. 287–310)
The article examines fragments of the medieval Hebrew maqama attributed to ʿAzarʾel ben Yosef, focusing on the narrative and stylistic elements preserved in two texts. These fragments explore themes of carousal, homoerotic desire, and the interplay of literary allusion and allegory. Fragment 1 portrays a narrator engaging in revelry and pursuing an intimate connection with a youth amidst an atmosphere of licentious behaviour. Fragment 2 continues with a surreal sequence involving women vying for the youth’s attention, the narrator’s expression of longing, and his subsequent arrest by watchmen. The study highlights the literary sophistication of the maqama, including its use of biblical allusion, intertextuality, and philosophical undertones. While the relationship between the fragments remains speculative, they collectively reflect the vibrancy and innovation of medieval Hebrew literature.

Contributors

Micahel Rand z"l

(author)
Former Professor of Hebrew and Aramaic at University of Cambridge

Michael Rand (PhD, New York University) was Professor of Hebrew and Aramaic at the University of Cambridge. He joined the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies in 2013 and died 17 November 2022. He was a world-leading scholar in the field of Medieval Hebrew Literature. He was working on rhymed-prose narrative (maqama) composed within the cultural and linguistic framework of the Arabic-speaking Mediterranean, after having worked on Jewish liturgical poetry (piyyut)—mostly in Hebrew, but some also in Aramaic—whose original home is Byzantine-period Palestine. Michael was a hugely respected scholar, and a much-valued colleague and friend to many. As evidence of his respect and appreciation for the jubilant, Michael’s contribution to this volume was the first to be received by the editors.