Person · 5040–5105 AM · 1280 CE — 1345 CE
Rabbi Joseph ibn Kaspi רבי יוסף בן אבא מארי אבן כספי
an expositor who went to Egypt to learn from Maimonides' descendants
His byname translates the name of his native town: Largentière from argent, silver, and silver in Hebrew is kesef. He named nearly all his books with the word kesef: Tirat Kesef in 1317, Ammudei Kesef, Maskiyyot Kesef, and Tzavva'at Kaspi, a testament to his son.
He wrote about thirty books. He began writing at seventeen and lived through the Pastoureaux massacres of 1320. In his commentary on the Guide he allowed the eternity of the world, and later authorities judged him harshly for it.
The years are disputed: the Jewish Encyclopedia gives 1297–1340, modern works about 1280 and 1345. We take the latter reading and name the former.
On the timeline
Related
Sources
Rishonim
- Tirat Kesef, 1317 — an exposition of Scripture on the philosophical side
Scholarship
- The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906) — the dispute over the years, the journey to Egypt and the judgement on Maimonides' descendants
Basis: documents and evidence.