SA'ADIA BEN JOSEPH

born 882, Dilaz, in al-Fayyum, Egypt died September 942, Sura, Babylonia Arabic Sa'id Ibn Yusuf Al-fayyumi Jewish exegete, philosopher, and polemicist whose influence on Jewish literary and communal activities made him one of the most important Jewish scholars of his time. His unique qualities became especially apparent in 921 in Babylonia during a dispute over Jewish calendrical calculations. He produced his greatest philosophical work, Kitab al-amanat wa al-i'tiqadat (The Book of Beliefs and Opinions) at Sura in 935. His Arabic translation of the Old Testament is exceptionally valuable for its commentaries. Additional reading Nechemiah Aloni, Ha-Egron (1969), an edition (in Hebrew) with extensive annotations; Israel Davidson (ed.), Saadiah's Polemic Against Hiwi al-Balkhi (1915), and The Book of the Wars of the Lord (1934), polemics against Sa'adia by Solomon ben Yeruhim (Hebrew edition with English translation)the introductions to both editions require revision in light of later Genizah fragments; Joseph Derenbourg, Oeuvres compltes de R. Saadia Ben Iosef al-Fayyom, vol. 3, Version arabe d'Isae (1896), and vol. 6, Version arabe des Proverbes (1894), Sa'adia's Arabic version of Isaiah and his version of the Proverbsthe Isaiah translation is accompanied by fragments of Sa'adia's lost commentary; Z. Diesendruck, Saadya's Formulation of the Argument for Creation, in Jewish Studies in Memory of George A. Kohut, 18741933 (1953), a profound article; Jakob Guttmann, Die Religionsphilosophie des Saadia (1882), traces the Greek and Arabic sources of Sa'adia's philosophy (the Arabic sources are not fully exhausted); Henry Malter, Saadia Gaon: His Life and Works (1921, reprinted 1969), the most comprehensive study on Sa'adia, although many aspects need to be revised in light of later studies; Harry A. Wolfson, Saadia on the Trinity and Incarnation, Studies and Essays in Honor of Abraham A. Neuman (1962), a very exhaustive study; Sa'adia anniversary volume, Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research (1943); Erwin I.J. Rosenthal (ed.), Saadya Studies (1943); Moses Zucker, Rav Saadya Gaon's Translation of the Torah (in Hebrew, with English summary; 1959), and A Critique Against the Writings of R. Saadya Gaon by R. Mubashshir (1955), an edition important for restoration of Sa'adianic material as well as for the study of the relationship of some of Sa'adia's contemporaries to his literary work.