
Prof. Jonathan Jacobs
Email:
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Education
2003 | Ph.D. | Bar-Ilan University | Bible Studies |
1997 | M.A. | Bar - Ilan University | Bible Studies |
1992 | B.A. | Jerusalem College | Education |
1989 | Teachers’ Diploma | Herzog College | Jewish Studies |
Awards and Scholarships
During the Ph.D
2002 | Fellowship awarded by the Miriam Goldstein and Yaakov Dinar Family Foundation |
2001 | Mozes S. Schupf Foundation Fellowship |
2000 | Hay Foundation Fellowship |
1999 | Award for Excellence by the Scholarship and Awards Committee for Ph.D. Students |
1999 | Rector’s Award for Excellence |
After the Ph.D
2017 | Izhak Ben-Zvi Prize for the book Nahmanides' Torah Commentary Addenda Written in the Land of Israel |
2013 | Mifal HaPais Council for the Culture and Arts |
2010 | Rector's Prize for Excellent Teacher |
2006, 2008, 2009, 2011 | Award for Excellence in Education |
Grants
External
2020–2023 |
The Israel Science Foundation (ISF), " The Attitudes of Medieval Commentators to Biblical Ambiguity" (with Prof. Jonathan Grossman) |
2017 | The Israel Science Foundation (ISF), assisting in Publication the Research "Bekhor Shoro Hadar Lo: R. Joseph Bekhor Shor Between Continuity and Innovation" |
2009-2012 | The Israel Science Foundation (ISF),"The Addenda to Nahmanides' Torah Commentary Written in Eretz Israel" (with Prof. Yosef Ofer) |
Internal
2021 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan,
“’Scripture Interprets Itself’ in Rashbam’s Torah Commentary” |
2020 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, “Saul’s Meal at Endor” |
2019 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, "Byzantine Bible commentaries on 12th–13th Centuries" |
2018 | Foundation Ihel, Bar Ilan University, "Byzantine Bible commentaries on 12th–13th Centuries" |
2018 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, "Rabbi Joseph Bekhor Shor’s Influence on Radak’s Commentary on the Pentateuch" |
2017 | Foundation Ihel, Bar Ilan University, "Nahmanides and Ibn Ezra’s Commentaries on Genesis and Exodus" |
2017 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, "Nahmanides and Ibn Ezra’s Commentaries on Genesis and Exodus" |
2016 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan,"Inner Biblical Exegesis in Rashbam's Commentary on the Torah". |
2015 | Vice President for Research |
2015 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan,"Inner Biblical Exegesis in Bekchor-Shor's Commentary on the Torah". |
2014 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, "The 'Narrative Parable' in the School of Rashi and His Disciples (11th-12th centuries)". |
2013 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, " The Leqah Tov Commentary on Song of Songs" |
2012 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, "The Addenda to Nahmanides' Torah Commentary Written in Eretz Israel". |
2011 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, "The Scope of Dissemination of Rashbam's Commentary on the Torah in the 12th-14th Centuries". |
2010 | Beit Shalom, Kyoto, Japan, "Rabbi Joseph Kara as an Exegete of Biblical Narrative". |
Publications
List of publications
Thesis:
The Story of Jephthah, Literary Analysis, (supervised by Prof. Shmuel Vargon), Ramat-Gan 1997 (in Hebrew).
Ph. D. Dissertation:
Measure for Measure as Literary and Ideological Tool in the Biblical Storytelling, (supervised by Prof. Moshe Garsiel), Ramat-Gan 2002 (in Hebrew).
Books
- Measure for Measure in the Biblical Storytelling, Alon-Shvut 2006 (in Hebrew) 264 pp.
- Nahmanides' Torah Commentary Addenda Written in the Land of Israel (with Prof. Yosef Ofer), Jerusalem 2013 (in Hebrew) 718 pp.
- Bekhor Shoro Hadar Lo - R. Joseph Bekhor Shor between Continuity and Innovation, Jerusalem 2017 (in Hebrew) 352 pp.
Articles
- "The story of King Saul's Anointment (I Samuel 10-11), megadim 38 (2003), pp. 59-71 (in Hebrew).
- "The Character of Abraham in the Akeda Story", B'rosh Hashanah Yikkateivun, Studies on Rosh Hashanah, Alon-Shvut 2003, pp. 119-132 (in Hebrew).
- "Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul and Disquieted in Me? - An Analysis of Psalms 42-43", Megadim 40 (2004), pp. 63-74 (in Hebrew).
- "Word Pairs that Shape Measure for Measure in the Bible", Leshonenu 66 (2004), pp. 219-232 (in Hebrew).
- "From Fear to Love, an Analysis of Psalms 130-131", U-Ve-Yom Tzom Kippur Yehatemun, Studies on Yom Ha-Kippurim, Alon-Shvut 2005, pp. 317-326 (in Hebrew).
- "The Character of Ester, an Analysis of Ester 2", Ya-ale Hadas, Maale-Michmas 2005, pp. 63-72 (in Hebrew).
- "Later Addenda to Rashbam’s Commentary on the Torah", Tarbiz, 76, 3-4 (2007), pp. 445–469, (in Hebrew).
- "'Extrapolating One Word from Another' - Rashbam as an Interpreter of the Bible on its Own Terms", Shnaton - an Annual for Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, 17 (2007), pp. 215–231 (in Hebrew).
- "Inner-Biblical Interpretation in Rashbam's Qoheleth Commentary", Teshura Le-'Amos, Collected Studies in Biblical Exegesis Presented to 'Amos Hakham, Ed. M. Bar-Asher, N. Hacham, Y. Ofer, Alon-Shevut 2007, pp. 71–84 (in Hebrew).
- "The 'Principle of Anticipation' in Rashbam's Commentary on the Torah", Studies in Bible and Exegesis, Vol. 8, Presented to Elazar Touitou, Ed. S. Vargon, A. Frisch, M. Rachimi, Jerusalem 2008, pp. 451–479 (in Hebrew).
- "Retrospection as an Exegetical Device in Rashbam's Torah Commentary", Iggud - Selected Essays in Jewish Studies, vol. 1, Jerusalem 2008, pp. 125-142 (in Hebrew).
- "Characterizing Esther from the Outset: The Contribution of the story in Esther 2:1-20", JHS 8\16 (2008).
- "The Role of the Secondary Characters in the Story of the Anointing of Saul (I Sam. ix-x)", VT 58 (2008), pp. 495-509.
- "The Death of the Sun of David and Bat-Sheva (2Sam. 12, 13-25)", Megadim 50 (2009), pp. 135-142 (in Hebrew).
- "Shrugging Off a Kindness in Biblical Narrative: David Repays His Enemy's Evil with a Good", Studies in Bible and Exegesis, Vol. 9, Presented to Moshe Garsiel, Ramat-Gan 2009, pp. 129-142 (in Hebrew).
- "Was Ramban Familiar with Rashbam’s Commentary on the Torah?", Madaei-Hayahadut 46 (2009), pp. 85-108 (in Hebrew).
- "Inner-Biblical Exegesis in the Commentary of Rashbam on the Bible – Rashbam’s Terminology in Referring to a Cited Verse", REJ 168 (2009), pp. 463-480.
- "'But It Seems to Me; … but I Say': Later Additions to Rashbam’s Torah Commentary", HUCA 80 (2009), pp. 143–172.
- "Does Rashbam’s Commentary on the Torah Acknowledge the Commentaries of Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra?" JJS 61, 2 (2010), pp. 291-304.
- "Was Radak Familiar with Rashbam’s Commentary on the Torah?", Shnaton - an Annual for Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, 20 (2010), pp. 117-135 (in Hebrew).
- "Willing Obedience with Doubts: Abraham at the Binding of Isaac", VT 60 (2010), pp. 546-559.
- "The Downfall of Jephthah", Studies in Bible and Exegesis, Vol. 10, Presented to Shmuel Vargon, Ramat Gan 2011, pp. 71-95 (in Hebrew).
- "To what Degree was Rashbam Familiar with Midrash Leqah Tov?", Avraham Reiner (ed.), Ta-Shma: Studies in Judaica in Memory of Israel M. Ta-Shma, Allon Shevut 2011, pp. 475–499 (in Hebrew).
- "Rashbam's Major Principles of Interpretation as deduced from a manuscript fragment discovered in 1984", REJ 170 (2011), pp. 443–463.
- "Rabbi Joseph Kara as an Exegete of Biblical Narrative: Discovering the Phenomenon of Exposition", JSQ 19 (2012), pp. 73–89.
- "Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch as a Peshat Commentator: Literary Aspects of his Commentary on the Pentateuch", RRJ 15 (2012), pp. 190–200.
- "Books Encountered by Ramban after He Arrived in the Land of Israel", JSIJ 11 (2012), pp. 105–118 (in Hebrew).
- " 'The way of the world, the knowledge gained by humans, the meaning of the verse' - Rashbam's Major Principles of 'Peshat' Interpretation", Rashi and his Disciples, ed. Avinoam Cohen, Jerusalem 2013, pp. 65–82 (in Hebrew).
- "The Death of David's Son by Bathsheba (II Sam 12:13-25): A Narrative in Context", VT 63 (2013), pp. 566–576.
- "The Text of Rashbam's Commentary on the Torah according to Breslau MS and other Sources", Zer Rimonim: Studies in Biblical Literature and Jewish Exegesis Presented to Professor Rimon Kasher, ed. Michael Avioz, Elie Assis, Yael Shemesh, Atlanta 2013, pp. 468–488 (in Hebrew).
- "Nahmanides' Addenda to his Commentary on the Pentateuch in light of Ms Cambridge 525", JJS 65 (2014), pp. 113–128 (with Yosef Ofer)
- "The Leqah Tov Commentary on Song of Songs - its Place in the History of Biblical Exegesis and its Relationship with the Commentary of Rashi", Shnaton - an Annual for Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies 23 (2014), pp. 225–241 (in Hebrew).
- "The Allegorical Exegesis of Song of Songs by R. Tuviah ben Eliʽezer – 'Lekaḥ Tov', and its Relation to Rashi's Commentary", AJS Review 39 (2015), pp. 75–92.
- "Inner-Biblical Exegesis in Rashbam's Commentary on Qohelet", It’s Better to Hear the Rebuke of the Wise Than the Song of Fools (Qoh 7:5): Proceedings of the Midrash Section, Society of Biblical Literature, Vol. 6, Edited by W. David Nelson and Rivka Ulmer, New Jersey 2015, pp. 167–188.
- "The 'Anticipation Principle' in the Biblical Commentary of R. Joseph Bekhor Shor", HUCA 87 (2016), pp. 251–277
- "The Influence of Land of Israel on Ramban's Torah Commentaries", 'Al-'Atar - Journal of Land of Israel Studies 19 (2017), pp. 37–55 (in Hebrew).
- "Use of the 'Narrative Parable' by Northern France Disciples (11th-12th centuries)", Shnaton 25 (2017), pp. 223–251.
- "The Four Senses of ‘ki’: The Teaching of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish and the 'Tradition of the Verses' in Medieval Exegesis", Leshonenu 79 (2017), pp. 96–111 (in Hebrew).
- "Why was Rashbam’s Commentary Not Widely Disseminated? – A Re-Examination", Beit Mikra 62 (2017), pp. 41–79 (in Hebrew).
- "'Scripture Interprets Itself' in Rashbam’s Torah Commentary", From Creation to Redemption: Progressive Approaches to Midrash, Proceedings of the Midrash Section, Society of Biblical Literature, Vol. 7, Edited by W. David Nelson and Rivka Ulmer, New Jersey 2017, pp. 57–83.
- "Nahmanides, and Ibn Ezra’s Commentaries on Exodus", Hispania Judaica Bulletin 13 (2017), pp. 51–70.
- "'And There Renew the Kingship': The Double Coronation of Saul (1 Samuel 10-11)", SJOT 32 (2018), pp. 189–200.
- "Rashbam's approach to Targum Onqelos in his Commentary to the Torah", Aramaic Studies 16 (2018), pp. 64–77.
- "Nahmanides and Ibn Ezra’s Commentaries on Genesis", JJS 70 (2019), pp. 45–67.
- "From France to Provence: Rabbi Joseph Bekhor Shor’s Influence on Radak’s Commentary on the Pentateuch", JSQ 26 (2019), pp. 146–161
- "The Possibility of God: revealing his form Man According to Rashbam’s Commentary on the Pentateuch", Da'at 87 (2019), pp. 85–103 (in Hebrew)
- "Retrospection as an Exegetical Devise in Rashbam’s Torah Commentary", Torah is a Hidden Treasure: Proceedings of the Midrash Section, Society of Biblical Literature, Volume 8, Edited by W. David Nelson and Rivka Ulmer, New Jersey 2019, pp. 151–176.
- "Analogies between Minor Characters: The Example of Michal", Characters and Characterization in the Book of Samuel, Benjamin J.M. Johnson and Keith Bodner (eds.), London 2020, pp. 157–166.
- “‘biblical parable’ in Rabbi Meyuhas ben Elijah’s Commentary on the Torah”, The Shamir, The Letters, The Writing and the Tablets: Studies in the Bible and in the Ancient Near East, Postbiblical Literature, Ancient Language and ancient Cultures in Honor of Professor Shamir Yona, Eds. Eliyahu Asis and others
- "Virtue Ethics in the Thought of Naḥmanides", Jewish Virtue Ethics, eds. Alan Mittleman and Geoffrey Claussen
- “Onqelos in Byzantium in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries: The Relationship of R. Samuel of Rossano and R. Meyuhas ben Elijah to the Aramaic Translation”, Accepted for publication in RRJ
- "Rabbi Meyuhas ben Elijah: His Geographical Provenance, Works, and Chronology", Accepted for publication in REJ
Book Reviews
- "The Plain Meaning of the Text (On: To Settle the Plain Meaning of the Vers: Studies in Biblical Exegesis)", Shnaton - an Annual for Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies 22 (2013), pp. 255–273 (in Hebrew).
- "Reuel and his Friends - Jewish Byzantine Exegetes from around the Tenth Century C.E.", Beit Mikra 58, 1 (2013), pp. 167–176.
- On "The Challenge of Received Tradition: Dilemmas of Interpretation in Radak's Biblical Commentaries, by Naomi Grunhaus, New York 2012", Shofar 32, 4 (2014), pp. 167–169.
- "מול תעמולת הנוצרים" (על הספר: פירוש 'מדרש חכמים' על התורה), מקור ראשון גיליון 1079 (13.4.2018), מוסף שבת עמ' 22–23.
- “The Plane meaning of Song of Songs (on: The way of Lovers, Sara Japhet and Barry Dov Walfish)”, Shnaton - an Annual for Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies 26 (2020), pp. 437–446 (in Hebrew)
Encyclopedia Entries
Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (EBR), Berlin, Boston: Walter de Gruyter
- “Isaac ben Samuel 'Al-Kanzi'”, EBR vol. 13 (2016), pp. 289–291
- “Isaiah ben Mali di Trani”, EBR vol. 13 (2016), pp. 345–346
- “Karo, Isaac”, EBR vol. 15 (2017), pp. 52–54
- “Masnut, Samuel ben Nissim”, EBR vol. 17 (2019), pp. 1264–1265
- “Meiri, Menahem ben Solomon”, EBR vol. 18 (2020), p. 478–480
- “Menahem ben Helbo”, EBR vol. 18 (2020), pp. 598–599
- “Menahem ben Simeon of Posquieres”, EBR vol. 18 (2020), pp. 605–607
- “Menahem ben Solomon”, EBR vol. 18 (2020), pp. 607–608
- “Meyuhas ben Elijah”, EBR vol. 18 (2020), pp. 1078–1080
- “Mizrahi Elijah”, EBR vol. 19 (2021)
- “Moshe ben Nahman (Nahmanides)”, EBR vol. 19 (2021)
- “Moskoni, Judah Leon ben Moses”, EBR vol. 19 (2021)
- “Nethanel al-Fayyumi”
- “Nethanel ben Isaiah”
- “Nissim ben Reuven ("Ran")”
- “Solomon ben Issac, ha-Levi”
Une histoire juive de la France, ed. Sylvie Anne Goldberg, Editions Albin Michel, Paris
- “Rachi de Troyes et son école”
New Hebrew Encyclopedia, Jerusalem
- “Measure for Measure“
- “Joseph Bekhor Shor”
- “Hizkuni (Hizkiya bar Manoah)”
- “Eliezer of Beaugency”
- “Samuel ben Nissim Masnut”
- “Menahem ben Helbo”
- Last modified: 4/07/2022