Samuel ibn Naghrillah

Shemuel ibn Naghrillah^[1] (Hebrew: שְׁמוּאֵל הַלֵּוִי בֶּן יוֹסֵף, romanized: Šəmuʿēl HalLēvi ben Yosēf; Arabic: أبو إسحاق إسماعيل بن النغريلة, romanized: ʾAbū ʾIsḥāq ʾIsmāʿīl bin an-Naġrīlah), mainly known as Shemuel HaNagid (Hebrew: שמואל הנגיד, romanized: Šəmūʿel HanNāgid, lit.'Samuel the Prince') and Isma'il ibn Naghrilla^[2] (993–1056), was a Jewish statesman, military commander, scholar, linguist and poet in medieval al-Andalus. He served as grand vizier of the Taifa of Granada, commander of its army in battle,^[3] and leader of the local Jewish community.^[4] Rising to unprecedented prominence in both Muslim and Jewish spheres, he became one of the most powerful and influential Jews in medieval Spain.^[5][6] He is also considered one of the greatest Jewish poets of all time.^[7]

Raised in Córdoba in a Jewish merchant family, Samuel received a broad education in Jewish law, astronomy, logic, and biblical exegesis.^[8] Following unrest in Córdoba, he settled in Granada, where he entered government service and quickly rose in rank. He led Granada's forces in battles against Seville, Carmona, and Christian mercenaries.^[9] He was a respected halakhic authority, talmudist, and philanthropist, supporting Jewish academies in Babylonia and North Africa and leading a Jewish academy in Granada. His relationships extended to towering Jewish intellectuals such as Solomon Ibn Gabirol and Nissim Gaon of Kairouan. He was involved in the Hebrew grammar debates of his time, opposing Jonah Ibn Janah, and contributed to the development of medieval Hebrew philology.

Ibn Naghrillah was a prolific and versatile poet whose Hebrew verse, considered among the finest of the Golden Age of Jewish culture in Spain, encompassed war poetry, personal laments, satire, love poetry, philosophical reflection, and didactic composition.^[10] His three principal poetic collections, Ben Tehillim (secular and battle poetry), Ben Mishlei (rhymed proverbs), and Ben Qohelet (philosophical and didactic verse), reflected biblical models and adapted Arabic meters into Hebrew. Upon his death in 1056, his son Joseph assumed his roles as vizier and leader of Granada's Jewish community; however, his lack of political finesse and growing unpopularity contributed to rising tensions that culminated in the 1066 massacre of the city's Jews and his own assassination.

Samuel was a Jew of al-Andalus born in Mérida to a wealthy family in 993. He studied Jewish law and became a Talmudic scholar who was fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, Latin, and one of the Berber languages.^[6][11][12]

Samuel was the student of Hanoch ben Moses, son of a prominent Mesopotamian Jew from Sura who had become head of the rabbinical community of the Caliphate of Córdoba. He was only twenty years old when the caliphate fell during the Fitna of al-Andalus, a disastrous civil war.

Samuel may have left Córdoba in 1013 during the Berber uprising or after 1016 when Ali ibn Hammud took the city.^[9] He settled in the port of Málaga and became either a spice merchant or grocer while devoting his leisure to Talmudic and literary studies. In 1027, at age 34, Samuel was named Nagid, or leader, of the Jewish community, the first person in al-Andalus to hold that title.^[4] His political ascent continued, and in 1037, under King Badis ibn Habus, he was promoted to Chief Vizier of Granada and commander of its Muslim army.^[4] Samuel served either as battlefield commander or in a strategic capacity for the next eighteen years, leading Granada to military success and stability.^[4] His leadership helped transform Granada into one of the most prosperous and powerful of the Taifa kingdoms.^[4]

Around 1020, he settled in Granada, where he entered the service of the royal court after the secretary of the prime minister fell ill, and soon assumed that position himself.^[9] He was eventually appointed vizier and later commander-in-chief of the Granadan army, serving in both roles until his death in 1056.^[9]

His relations with the Granadan royal court and his eventual promotion to the position of vizier happened coincidentally. Twentieth-century scholar Jacob Rader Marcus gives an account pulled from a 12th-century book Sefer ha-Qabbalah. The shop Rabbi Shemuel set up was near the palace of the vizier of Granada, Abu al-Kasim ibn al-Arif.^[6] The vizier met Rabbi Samuel when his maidservant began to ask Rabbi Shemuel to write letters for her.^[6] Eventually, Rabbi Samuel was given the job of tax collector, then secretary, and finally assistant vizier of state to the Granadan king Habbus al-Muzaffar.^[11]

When Habbus died in 1038, Rabbi Shemuel made certain that King Habbus’ second son Badis ibn Habus succeeded him, not his firstborn son Bulukkin.^[5] The reason behind this act was that Badis was more favored by the people, compared to Bulukkin, with the general Jewish population under Rabbi Shemuel supporting Badis.^[13] In return for his support, Badis made Shemuel ha-Nagid his vizier and top general.^[5] Some sources say that he held office as a viziership of state for over three decades until his death sometime around or after 1055. Other leading Jews, including Joseph ibn Migash, in the generation that succeeded Samuel, lent their support to Bulukkin and were forced to flee for their safety.

Because Jews were not permitted to hold public office in Islamic nations as an agreement made in the Pact of Umar, Shemuel ha-Nagid, a dhimmi, should hold such a high public office was rare. This is cited as an example of the Golden age of Jewish culture in Spain. That a Jew would command the Muslim army, which he did for 17 years, having them under his authority, was an astonishing feat.^[11]

サミュエル・ハナギドは、貧困層への継続的な支援、特に学者や詩人への援助で知られていた。^{[ 14 ]}学問と文学の恩人としての彼の役割は、歴史家たちに彼を中世アル・アンダルスの主要な文化後援者として特徴づけさせることになった。歴史家のハイム・ヒレル・ベン・サソンは、彼をアウグストゥス時代の影響力のあるローマの顧問であり芸術の後援者であったガイウス・マエケナスと比較した。^{[ 14 ]}彼の後援を受けた者の中には、著名な詩人であり哲学者でもあるソロモン・イブン・ガビロールがいたが、彼らの関係は緊張していたことが知られている。^{[ 14 ]}

彼はイェシーバー（ユダヤ教の高等教育機関）を創設し、そこからイツハク・イブン・ギアトやマイモニデスの父であるマイモン・ベン・ヨセフといった優れた学者たちが輩出された。

12世紀の歴史家アブラハム・イブン・ダウドは、サムエル・イブン・ナグリラが「トーラーの冠、権力の冠、レビ人の冠、そして名声の冠という4つの冠」を獲得したと記している。^{[ 4 ]}

シェムエル・ハ・ナギドの政治的手腕を象徴する逸話の一つは、バディスが王位を継承した直後に起こった。ハブスのお気に入りの甥であるヤッダイル・ベン・フバサの派閥が、新王を打倒したいので彼の支援が欲しいとサムエル・ナギドに告げた。ラビ・シェムエルは支援を装い、彼らが自分の家で会合することを許可した。彼はバディスにそのことを伝え、会合をスパイすることを許された。バディスは陰謀者たちを処刑しようとしたが、シェムエル・ハ・ナギドは政治的にそうしない方が良いと彼を説得した。最終的に彼は王からさらに尊敬され、反乱軍からも好意的に受け入れられるようになった。^{[ 12 ]}

ユダヤ人であるシェムエル・ハ・ナギドは、イベリア半島のユダヤ人コミュニティのためにハラハ（ユダヤ法）について独自に執筆することで、バビロニアのタルムード学院のゲオニムからの独立を積極的に主張しようとした。 ^{[ 15 ] [ 11 ]}シェムエル・ハ・ナギドは1020年代後半頃にスペインのユダヤ人の指導者となった。^{[ 11 ]}彼は様々な活動を通してユダヤ人の福祉を促進した。例えば、ユダヤの口伝律法に関する膨大な注釈集であるタルムードの多くの写本を購入することで、ユダヤ教の学問を促進した。また、トーラーを研究して生計を立てたい人々に奨学金を与えることで、タルムードの研究を促進した。^{[ 6 ]}

サムエルは1056年に自然死した^{[ 16 ]}。伝えられるところによると、軍事遠征後の疲労によるものだった^{[ 4 ] 。}

サムエル・イブン・ナグリラーには少なくとも３人の子供がいた。２人の息子、ヨセフ（またはイェホセフ、ユースフ^{[ 17 ]}）とエリヤサフ、そして娘が１人である。長男のヨセフ・イブン・ナグリラー（1035年 - 1066年）は８歳半で父の詩の収集者に任命され^{[ 17 ]}、詩を編集し、アラビア語の見出しを追加した^{[ 9 ]} 。サムエルの軍事遠征中、彼は戦場からヨセフに詩を送った^{[ 9 ]} 。 １０４９年、サムエルが戦争で留守にしている間に、妻は２番目の息子エリヤサフを出産し、エリヤサフはサムエルの監督の下、６歳で父の韻を踏んだことわざの編集を始めた。^{[ 9 ]}同年、サムエルはヨセフがカイロアン・イェシーバーのガオンであり、当時最も尊敬されていたトーラー学者の一人であるニッシム・ベン・ヤコブの娘と結婚するよう手配した。 ^{[ 18 ]}

1056年にサミュエルが亡くなった後、まだ21歳にも満たないヨセフがグラナダの宰相およびユダヤ人コミュニティの指導者として後を継いだ。^{[ 11 ]}父とは異なり、彼は政治的手腕に欠け、伝えられるところによれば、税収を私的な宮殿、つまり父の生前に着工されたアルハンブラ宮殿の建設に使った。 ^{[ 10 ]}彼の地位を妬む多くのイスラム教徒は、彼がユダヤ人の友人に便宜を図るためにその地位を利用したと非難した。1066年12月30日、ヨセフは暴徒の蜂起中に暗殺された。彼の遺体は市の正門で磔にされ、翌朝、暴力は虐殺へとエスカレートし、グラナダのユダヤ人人口のほとんどが殺害された。^{[ 19 ] [ 20 ]}グラナダのユダヤ人コミュニティは後に再建された。しかし、1090年に到来したアルモラヴィド朝によって再び破壊された。アルモラヴィド朝は非イスラム教徒に不寛容な清教徒であった。^{[ 5 ]}

サムエルにも娘がいたが、その名前は残っていない。^{[ 10 ]}サムエルはアラビア語で詩作した唯一の中世ユダヤ人女性詩人であるカスムナの父、あるいは祖先であったと推測されることが多いが、これらの主張の根拠は曖昧である。^{[ 21 ]}歴史家のノーマン・ロスによれば、彼の娘が後の詩集に収められているアラビア語の詩の作者であるという推測は「それらの詩が書かれるずっと前に彼女が亡くなっていたため、ばかげている」という。^{[ 9 ]}

サムエル・ハナギドは、中世スペインで最も多作で革新的なヘブライ語詩人の一人でした。彼の文学作品は、世俗詩や戦争詩を含む『ベン・テヒリム』（詩篇の息子） 、韻を踏んだ箴言集『ベン・ミシュレイ』 （箴言の息子）、教訓的で哲学的な詩からなる『ベン・コヘレト』（伝道の息子）という3つの主要な作品にまとめられています。 ^{[ 10 ]}これらのタイトルは、サムエルが自らを明確に比較した人物であるダビデ王に伝統的に帰せられる聖書の書物を意図的に想起させます。 ^{[ 10 ]}

テーマ的には、彼の詩は戦争、友情、ワイン、愛（女性と少年両方に向けて）、科学、風刺、老いと死についての考察など、幅広い範囲を網羅していた。^{[ 10 ]}彼は戦場でも詩を書いた。^{[ 6 ]} 1047年9月8日、ロンダでセビリア、マラガ、ベルベル人の連合軍を破ったとき、彼は救われたことへの感謝をヘブライ語の詩で次のように書いた。「それは私の他の救済の母のような救済であり、それらはそれにとって娘となった。」

Abba Eban wrote that Samuel HaNagid's influence in poetry, was in that he established a new style of Hebrew poetry by applying aspects of Arabic poetry to biblical Hebrew.^[11] This unique application made Hebrew poetry access the major genres of Arabic poetry.^[22] According to poetry scholar and researcher Jonathan Vardi, Samuel HaNagid's poems were originally intended for musical arrangement and performance, though the original melodies have been lost over time. What may appear to be isolated or formally repetitive poems are, in his view, parts of broader musical forms such as song cycles and contrafacta, following the traditions of musical performance in al-Andalus.^[23]

Many of Naghrillah’s poems were also written as warnings or as an interpretation of religious rules. His poem "The Reward" shows his belief that one should set time for God and time for himself. His poem The Prison talks about how the world is a cage for all of man. He claims that one should live their life unrestrained. His poem The Two Cries talks about the beginning and end of life. He talks about how people are born crying, and when people die, others cry for them. His poem Leave The Hidden Things talks about leaving the mysteries of the world for God to know.^[24]

Ibn Naghrillah's writings were not limited to poetry. He authored a halakhic work titled Hilkhata Gabrata, fragments of which survive,^[34] and is mistakenly credited with Mevo ha-Talmud (Introduction to the Talmud).^[34] He is also believed to have written a now-lost Talmud commentary and possibly a biblical commentary cited by later figures such as Abraham Ibn Ezra (12th century) and David Kimhi (1160–1235).^[35]

Today, Samuel HaNagid is considered one of the greatest Jewish poets of all time.^[7] The first line of Samuel HaNagid's poem "Av is dead, and Elul is dead" was incorporated into the Israeli poet Natan Yonatan's poem "Ne'esaf Tishrei", whose title also echoes it.^[36] The poem was set to music by Israeli pop artist Svika Pick, whose performance of it was voted "Song of the Year" for 1977–1978.^[36] In a 2022 readers' poll conducted by Maariv, it was selected Pick's most popular song.^[37]

Kfar HaNagid, a moshav in modern Israel, was named after him.

• ha-Nagid, Shemuʼel (1934). Sassoon, David Solomon (ed.). Diṿan Shemuʼel ha-Nagid / yotsʼe la-or be-faʻam rishonah be-shelemuto ʻal pi ketav yad yaḥid ba-ʻolam (k.y. S. Śaśon 589) ʻim haḳadamah u-mafteaḥ shirim ʻa.y. David ben l.a.a. Solimon ben David Śaśonדיואן שמואל הנגיד / יוצא לאור בפעם ראשונה בשלמותו על פי כתב יד יחיד בעולם (כי ששון ס' תקפט) עם הקדמה ומפתח שירים עי דוד בן לאא דלימאן דוד ששון.[Diwan of Shemuel Hannaghid] (in Hebrew). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• ha-Nagid, Shemuʼel (1966–82). Jarden, Dov (ed.). Diṿan Shemuʼel ha-Nagid; Ben Tehilim, mutḳan ʻal pi kitve yad u-defusim rishonim ʻim mavo, perush, meḳorot, shinuye nosaḥ, reshimot, mafteḥot / milon u-bibliyografyah ʻal yede Dov Yardenדיואן שמואל הנגיד : בן תהלים מתקן על פי כתבי יד ודפוסים ראשונים עם מבוא, פרוש, מקורות, שנויי נסח, רשימות, מפתחות, מלון ובבליוגרפיה / על ידי דב ירדן[Divan Shmuel Hanagid] (in Hebrew). Vol. 3. Jerusalem: הברו יוניון קולג' פרס.
• HaNagid, Shmuel (2016). Cole, Peter (ed.). Selected Poems of Shmuel HaNagid. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1-4008-8409-4.

• Golden Age of Jewish culture in Spain
• Hasdai ibn Shaprut
• Judah Halevi
• Solomon ibn Gabirol

• Ben-Sasson, H. H. (1976). "The Era of the Mishnah and Talmud (70–640)". A History of the Jewish People. Harvard University Press. pp. 385–723. ISBN 0-674-39731-2.
• Cole, Peter (2016). Selected Poems of Shmuel HaNagid. The Lockert Library of Poetry in Translation. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9781400884094.
• Fatimer, Dudi (2022). "השיר שהוליד מחדש את צביקה פיק: זהו השיר שאתם בחרתם כגדול מכולם"[The Song That Reignited Svika Pick's Career: This Is the One You Voted as His Greatest]. Maariv Online (in Hebrew). Retrieved 10 June 2025.
• Roth, Norman, ed. (2003). "Ibn Naghrillah, Samuel (993-1056)". Medieval Jewish Civilization: An Encyclopedia. Routledge Revivals. Routledge. pp. 363–366. ISBN 9781315165394.
• Shahaf, Keren (2016). "מת אב ומת אלול - ונולד פרק חדש ומוצלח בקריירה של צביקה פיק"[Av is dead, and Elul is dead - and a new and successful chapter in Svika Pick's career was born]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 10 June 2025.
• Vardi, Jonathan (2019). "Poems of Salvation by Samuel Hanagid". Hispania Judaica Bulletin (14): 1–14.
• Vardi, Jonathan (26 June 2023). "Music in the Dīwān of Samuel ha-Nagid". Medieval Encounters (Research article). 29 (4). Brill: 358–390. doi:10.1163/15700674-12340169.

• ヘンリー・アブラムソン博士によるシュムエル・ハ・ナギッドに関するビデオ講義
• 詳細については、Aryeh Tepper 著「詩人と戦士」（Jewish Ideas Daily 掲載）をご覧ください。