A starting-point for this volume will therefore be sought in the meeting-place in which the Rabbis, exiled from the Holy City, found a new fatherland in the Book of books.
CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE 5 CHAPTER I THE "VINEYARD" AT JAMNIA 19 Schools at Jamnia, Lydda, Usha, and Sepphoris .-- The Tannaim compile the Mishnah .-- Jochanan, Akiba, Meir, Judah .-- Aquila.
II FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS AND THE JEWISH SIBYL 33 III THE TALMUD 43 The Amoraim compile the Palestinian Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud .-- Representative Amoraim: I (220-280) Palestine--Jochanan, Simon, Joshua, Simlai; Babylonia--Rab and Samuel.
II (280-320) Palestine--Ami, Assi, Abbahu, Chiya; Babylonia--Huna and Zeira.
III (320-380) Babylonia--Rabba, Abayi, Rava.
IV (380-430) Babylonia--Ashi (first compilation of the Babylonian Talmud).
V and VI (430-500) Babylonia--Rabina (completion of the Babylonian Talmud).
IV THE MIDRASH AND ITS POETRY 55 Mechilta, Sifra, Sifre, Pesikta, Tanchuma, Midrash Rabbah, Yalkut .-- Proverbs .-- Parables .-- Fables.
V THE LETTERS OF THE GAONIM 68 Representative Gaonim: Achai, Amram, Zemach, Saadiah, Sherira, Samuel, Hai.
VI THE KARAITIC LITERATURE 75 Anan, Nahavendi, Abul-Faraj, Salman, Sahal, al-Bazir, Hassan, Japhet, Kirkisani, Judah Hadassi, Isaac Troki.
VII THE NEW-HEBREW PIYUT 83 Kalirian and Spanish Piyutim (Poems) .-- Jannai .-- Kalir.
VIII SAADIAH OF FAYUM 91 Translation of the Bible into Arabic .-- Foundation of a Jewish Philosophy of Religion.
IX DAWN OF THE SPANISH ERA 99 Chasdai Ibn Shaprut .-- Menachem and Dunash, Chayuj and Janach .-- Samuel the Nagid.
X THE SPANISH-JEWISH POETS (I) 107 Solomon Ibn Gebirol.--"The Royal Crown."-- Moses Ibn Ezra .-- Abraham Ibn Ezra .-- The Biblical Commentaries of Ibn Ezra and the Kimchis.
XI RASHI AND ALFASSI 119 Nathan of Rome .-- Alfassi .-- Rashi .-- Rashbam.
XII THE SPANISH-JEWISH POETS (II) 126 Jehuda Halevi .-- Charizi.
XIII MOSES MAIMONIDES 134 Maimon, Rambam--R.

Moses, the son of Maimon, Maimonides .-- His Yad Hachazaka and Moreh Nebuchim .-- Gersonides .-- Crescas .-- Albo.
XIV THE DIFFUSION OF SCIENCE 144 Provencal Translators .-- The Ibn Tibbons .-- Italian Translators .-- Jacob Anatoli .-- Kalonymos .-- Scientific Literature.
XV THE DIFFUSION OF FOLK-TALES 153 Barlaam and Joshaphat .-- The Fables of Bidpai .-- Abraham Ibn Chisdai .-- Berachya ha-Nakdan .-- Joseph Zabara.
XVI MOSES NACHMANIDES 160 French and Spanish Talmudists .-- The Tossafists, Asher of Speyer, Tam, Isaac of Dompaire, Baruch of Ratisbon, Perez of Corbeil .-- Nachmanides' Commentary on the Pentateuch .-- Public controversies between Jews and Christians.
XVII THE ZOHAR AND LATER MYSTICISM 169 Kabbala .-- The Bahir .-- Abulafia .-- Moses of Leon .-- The Zohar .-- Isaac Lurya .-- Isaiah Hurwitz .-- Christian Kabbalists .-- The Chassidim.
XVIII ITALIAN JEWISH POETRY 178 Immanuel and Dante .-- The Machberoth .-- Judah Romano .-- Kalonymos .-- The Eben Bochan .-- Moses Rieti .-- Messer Leon.
XIX ETHICAL LITERATURE 189 Bachya Ibn Pekuda .-- Choboth ha-Lebaboth .-- Sefer ha-Chassidim .-- Rokeach .-- Yedaiah Bedaressi's Bechinath Olam .-- Isaac Aboab's Menorath ha-Maor .-- Ibn Chabib's "Eye of Jacob."-- Zevaoth, or Ethical Wills .-- Joseph Ibn Caspi .-- Solomon Alami.
XX TRAVELLERS' TALES 200 Eldad the Danite .-- Benjamin of Tudela .-- Petachiah of Ratisbon .-- Esthori Parchi .-- Abraham Farissol .-- David Reubeni and Molcho .-- Antonio de Montesinos and Manasseh ben Israel .-- Tobiah Cohen .-- Wessely.
XXI HISTORIANS AND CHRONICLERS 211 Order of the Tannaim and Amoraim .-- Achimaaz .-- Abraham Ibn Daud .-- Josippon .-- Historical Elegies, or Selichoth .-- Memorial Books .-- Abraham Zacuto .-- Elijah Kapsali .-- Usque .-- Ibn Verga .-- Joseph Cohen .-- David Gans .-- Gedaliah Ibn Yachya .-- Azariah di Rossi.
XXII ISAAC ABARBANEL 225 Abarbanel's Philosophy and Biblical Commentaries .-- Elias Levita .-- Zeena u-Reena .-- Moses Alshech .-- The Biur.
XXIII THE SHULCHAN ARUCH 232 Asheri's Arba Turim .-- Chiddushim and Teshuboth .-- Solomon ben Adereth .-- Meir of Rothenburg .-- Sheshet and Duran .-- Moses and Judah Minz .-- Jacob Weil, Israel Isserlein, Maharil .-- David Abi Zimra .-- Joseph Karo .-- Jair Bacharach .-- Chacham Zevi .-- Jacob Emden .-- Ezekiel Landau.
XXIV AMSTERDAM IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 243 Manasseh ben Israel .-- Baruch Spinoza .-- The Drama in Hebrew .-- Moses Zacut, Joseph Felix Penso, Moses Chayim Luzzatto.
XXV MOSES MENDELSSOHN 253 Mendelssohn's German Translation of the Bible .-- Phaedo .-- Jerusalem .-- Lessing's Nathan the Wise.
INDEX 263.