Who Was Natan of Rome? (Jews of Italy Part V)

Brief overview of the life and work of Natan ben Yehiel of Rome, author of the important Talmudic dictionary "the Aruch." Part V of the Jews of Italy series. For more information please visit henryabramson.com.

[@isaacchetrit2735]

Wow! So interesting, your lectures opened up a window for me into a world i didn’t know was so interesting and for that i’m grateful Thank you!

[@charlesedwards5333]

I was there in person and it was a phenomenal lecture. Major props to the Dean!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Much appreciated, Charles!

[@joshuastringer8735]

Is there an English translation? Sorry big uniglot here LOL

[@mariaasombrada3964]

You are doing such a great job preserving Jewish history, as complicated as it is. Thank You Dr Abramson! !אותך

[@mariaasombrada3964]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD Would you consider preparing a lecture on Janusz Korczak (Henryk Goldszmit) in the future? I see him as a secular mirror character of Rebbe Shapira. I would most gladly sponsor that!

[@edoboleyn]

49:20 I’m not disputing the challenges and unique pleasures of physically hunting down information, but I assure you, academic research on the internet does have parallels to the other, more appealing books on the shelf! 8) The other article or book in the next link, on another page, sometimes seems so much more interesting than the ones required for an assignment or other task. Love these lectures! I’m a long-time fan who just came back to discover the recent series on Jews in Italy, just when I’m about to head there for school, myself. Thank you and thanks to all your supporters for making these lectures possible!

[@cupidchussid]

Fascinating lecture. Minor corrections, ארוך=long ערוך=arrangement/setting. Also, the Hirsch dictionary is a contemporary work based on RSRH's commentaries on תנ"ך, סידור etc. Thanks again!

[@menachemsalomon]

Thank you, and _yashar koach._ I'd assume the movement of the Kalonymous family from Lombard to Mainz under Charlemagne would be part of next year's series on the Jews of France?

[@markjacobi3537]

Very interesting lecture Yasher Koach Dr Abramson! enjoyed listening from Melbourne Australia (Down Under!) A few questions please: Please can you tell me: 1. How one goes to see nowadays these Jewish catacombs under Rome? 2. Is there actual proof that R Natan of Rome corresponded with the Great Teacher of Israel Rashi? 3. Is there actual proof Natan of Rome was a 'Baal Teshuva'?

[@thomasweitzel4059]

At 10:36, you said that "If Jews declared themselves Christians they were no longer responsible for Fiscus Iudaicus." Do you have a reference for this statement that shows Jews could become Christian to avoid Fiscus Iudaicus? In 'Lives of the Caesars: Domitian' Suetonius said, "Besides other taxes, the tax on the Jews was levied with utmost rigor." And, Domitian levied Fiscus Iudaicus against even non-Jews accused of adopting Jewish practices including Christians, God-fearing Gentiles, and falsely accused Gentiles as is evidenced in Cassius Duo's 'Roman History' (68.1.2). At that time, only Jews were exempt from emperor worship and the Roman cult whereas Christianity was illegal as it was considered atheism and a capital offense. Long after Nerva's reforms of Fiscus Iudaicus, Christians were still being hunted and exterminated (see Pliny the Younger, 'Letters' 10.96 for example).

[@ranasido9983]

Thomas Weitzel jews are hunted untill this day ...early christians also but when shift of faith came on ...then the hunted joined the hunters ...of jews

[@thomasweitzel4059]

@@ranasido9983 Christians are also hunted to this day in North Korea, by ISIS, etc. But, the events you are talking about were millenia away from the 2nd Temple period. My point is that Christianity at this time was not distinct from Judaism, otherwise there would be no Birkat HaMinim in the Amidah, for example. Gentile antisemitism predates Christianity because the spirit of Amalak infects the hearts of wicked men in every generation; surely, you can't blame all of Christianity or the poor crucified Jewish Yeshua of Nazareth for that. Many kosher, Torah-observant Jews were Christians at this time and they all paid Fiscus Iudaicus, our topic of discussion. In order to see history accurately, we must avoid anachronistic bias.

[@thomasweitzel4059]

@@ranasido9983 Shalom, my friend! And, of course, it was the Roman Gentiles who hunted Christians and slaughtered Jews, particularly after the Bar Kokhba revolt and before Christianity became the State religion of Rome in 313AD.

[@geraldgriffin8220]

can't use Goths anymore either -- people will think of kids in black clothes boots eye makeup....