Joseph Zabara

Joseph ibn Zabara (1140-1200) was born in Barcelona in 1140 and lived most of his life there. He was educated firstly by his father, Yosef, a physician and later at the Hebrew School of Medicine in Narbonne under Joseph Kimhi, the founder of the prominent Kimhi family.[4] He was also trained in religious thought, philosophy, astronomy and Arabic. [5]

His only known extant work is the Sefer Sha'ashu'im, or in English, the Book of Delight.[4] The two first known manuscripts were published by Isaac Arish in Constantinople in 1577, and one in 15th Century Paris,[6] but the book is thought to have been finished around 1200.[4] It contains a series of stories and fables, modeled after the Kalilah wa-Dimnah.[3] It also bears similarities to Arabian Nights.[6]

Zabara was probably the first to write Hebrew in rhymed prose, with interspersed snatches of verse, a form used by Arabian poets.[4] The book is thought to be semi-autobiographical, and similarities can be seen in the book and Zabara's life.[4] His work in some sections is philogynist, while in other parts he writes misogynist satires.[4] The work is a unique case, it being the earliest known European series of fables and witticisms which were partly of Indian and partly of Greek extraction.[4]

His fables are as listed below:

• The Book of Delight at Project Gutenberg

• J.N. Mattock, "The Early History of the Maqama", "Journal of Arabic Literature", Vol. 25, 1989, pp 1-18

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Joseph Zabara". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.