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David de Pomis

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David de Pomis
Born1524 Edit this on Wikidata
Spoleto Edit this on Wikidata
Died1594 Edit this on Wikidata (aged 69–70)
Venice Edit this on Wikidata
OccupationPhysician, philosopher, linguist Edit this on Wikidata
A discourse in Human suffering and How to Escape It, 1572, Venice

David ben Isaac de Pomis (David de' Pomi) (1524–1594) was an Italian-Jewish physician, rabbi, linguist, philosopher, a significant figure in the intellectual exchange between Jews and Christians, and publisher of a 1587 trilingual Hebrew-Aramaic, Latin, and Italian dictionary known as Semah David, and De Medico Hebræo Enarratio Apologica, an apologetic work which deals with Jewish medicine.[1][2]

Biography

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Born into a wealthy family of bankers in Spoleto, Umbria, his father lost his fortune in the wars.[3][4] His family claimed descent from King David.[5] Legend has it his family, called "Min HaTapuchim," or of the apples (pomis or pomeria), was relocated from Jerusalem to Rome by Titus.[6][7][8] In 1527, when Pomis was 2, the Sack of Rome prompted his family to relocate to Camerino. Along the way, the convoys carrying their possessions were attacked and their goods taken. Now poor, they relocated to Bevgna and then to Todi.[7][8] He studied at the University of Perugia and graduated with his medical degree in 1551, before settling in Magliano Sabino, but was compelled to migrate from town to town for a lengthy period due to the Church's anti-Jewish legislation.[9][1]

Pope Paul IV's bull prevented Jewish physicians from treating Christians.[10] However, Pope Pius IV granted Pomis the right to treat Christian patients in 1565, but died 5 days later, and his successor Pope Pius V rescinded the grant.[3] Pomis then moved to Venice after 1569.[11] In Venice he established relationships with Margaret of Savoy, Giacomo Contarini, Pasquale Cicogna, and Francesco Maria, Duke Urbino, as well as Jewish leaders such as Samuel Judah Katzenellenbogen.[4]

Pomis translated Ecclesiastes into Italian and wrote a work on the bubonic plague,[3] and wrote other works of biblical exegesis.[12][13] He is notable for his call for equality and religious liberty for Jewish people.[14] His Zemah David was dedicated to Pope Sextus V, who had reversed the earlier anti-Jewish physicians bull.[15] He cites David Kimhi's Shorashim, Nathan ben Yehiel's Arukh, and Elia Levita's Tishbi.[16][17][9] He was cited by Johannes Buxtorf and Joseph Scaliger.[18] His Medico Hebræo earned praise from Aldus Manutius the Younger.[5] His work defended Jews against anti-Jewish sentiment, recounting the anti-Jewish actions of the time and refuting anti-Jewish claims, and emphasized medical humanism and compassion.[19][20]

Further reading

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  • Pomis, David de (1587). Dittionario novo Hebraico ...: in 3 lingue (in Hebrew).

References

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  1. ^ a b Torbidoni, Michela (2022), "Pomis, David ben Isaac de: Born: 1524, SpoletoDied: ca. 1594, Venice", in Sgarbi, Marco (ed.), Encyclopedia of Renaissance Philosophy, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 2630–2634, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-14169-5_159, ISBN 978-3-319-14168-8, retrieved 2024-09-09
  2. ^ Graetz, Heinrich (2020-07-25). History of the Jews: Volume 4. BoD – Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3-7523-3834-8.
  3. ^ a b c Heller, Marvin J. (2022-12-05). The Sixteenth Century Hebrew Book: Volume Two. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-53167-3.
  4. ^ a b Bartolucci, Guido (2023-08-23), "Mobility and Creativity", Maimonides Review of Philosophy and Religion Volume 2, 2023, BRILL, pp. 303–321, doi:10.1163/9789004508668_010, ISBN 978-90-04-50866-8, retrieved 2024-09-09
  5. ^ a b "POMIS, DE - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  6. ^ Friedenwald, Harry (1942). "Apologetic Works of Jewish Physicians". The Jewish Quarterly Review. 32 (3): 227–255. doi:10.2307/1452355. ISSN 0021-6682. JSTOR 1452355.
  7. ^ a b "David de Pomis, Italian Rabbi, Physician Philosopher and Philologist". 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  8. ^ a b "POMIS, David de' - Enciclopedia". Treccani (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  9. ^ a b Brisman, Shimeon (2000). A History and Guide to Judaic Dictionaries and Concordances. KTAV Publishing House, Inc. ISBN 978-0-88125-658-1.
  10. ^ Yachnin, Paul (2015-10-22). Shakespeare's World of Words. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4742-5290-4.
  11. ^ Maimonides Review of Philosophy and Religion Volume 2, 2023. BRILL. 2023-09-04. ISBN 978-90-04-50866-8.
  12. ^ Freedman, Harry (2024-02-15). Shylock's Venice: The Remarkable History of Venice's Jews and the Ghetto. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-3994-0726-7.
  13. ^ Veltri, Giuseppe (2009). Renaissance Philosophy in Jewish Garb: Foundations and Challenges in Judaism on the Eve of Modernity. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-17196-1.
  14. ^ Karp, Jonathan; Sutcliffe, Adam (2017-11-30). The Cambridge History of Judaism: Volume 7, The Early Modern World, 1500–1815. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-13906-9.
  15. ^ Fuchs, James L.; פוקס, ג'ימס (1989). "ספרי רפואה יהודיים ויחסי יהודים-נוצרים בראשית העת החדשה באירופה / Jewish Medical Compendia and Jewish-Christian Relations in Early Modern Europe". Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies / דברי הקונגרס העולמי למדעי היהדות. י: 83–90. ISSN 0333-9068. JSTOR 23535618.
  16. ^ Berns, Andrew D. (2015). The Bible and Natural Philosophy in Renaissance Italy: Jewish and Christian Physicians in Search of Truth. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-06554-3.
  17. ^ Burnett, Stephen G. (2005-06-23), "Christian Aramaism", Seeking Out the Wisdom of the Ancients, Penn State University Press, pp. 421–436, doi:10.5325/j.ctv1w36pmb.32, ISBN 978-1-57506-562-5, retrieved 2024-09-09
  18. ^ Mandelbrote, Scott; Weinberg, Joanna (2016-05-23). Jewish Books and their Readers: Aspects of the Intellectual Life of Christians and Jews in Early Modern Europe. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-31815-1.
  19. ^ Shulvass, Moses A. (2023-08-28). Jews in the World of the Renaissance. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-67039-6.
  20. ^ Mampieri, Martina (2019-11-26). Living under the Evil Pope: The Hebrew Chronicle of Pope Paul IV by Benjamin Neḥemiah ben Elnathan from Civitanova Marche (16th cent.). BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-41515-7.
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