Pablo Christiani

Pablo Christiani, also frai Paul, Pau Cristià and Paul Christianus, (* in Montpellier; † around 1274 in France) was as anti-Jewish Pole crap main opponent of Nachmanides at the Disputation of Barcelona ( 1263 ).

Life

Pablo Christiani was born a Jew Saul in Montpellier. He studied under Rabbi Eliezer of Tarascon and Jacob Ben Elijah of Venice. After his conversion to the Christian faith, he entered the Dominican Order. In accordance with his order, he saw his role in the conversion of his former co-religionists. Even before the disputation of Barcelona, ​​he is said to have debated with Meir ben Simon of Narbonne. When he in Provence had little success with its proselytizing of Jews, he moved his activities to Aragon.

In 1263, Christiani took part in the four-day defense of Barcelona. The defense had been initiated by the Aragonese Dominican Raymond of Penyafort and took place in the presence of King James I. The representative of the Jewish side was Nahmanides ( Rabbi Moses ben Nachman ), one of the leading rabbinic authorities of Spain. Similar to Nicholas Donin at the Paris disputation of 1240 Christiani called in his argument to the Talmud and then built the new anti-Jewish missionary strategy. However, as is usual in Christian- Jewish disputations of the Middle Ages, the Jews were allowed to only respond to the allegations themselves do not ask questions. Both sides complained after the disputation the victory.

After the disputation, the king ordered that Christiani and other Dominicans were allowed to preach in the synagogues and that the Talmud of blasphemous points ( alleged insults of Jesus and Mary) should be cleaned. Since the measures were the Dominicans far enough, they turned to Pope Clement IV, who demanded it from the king, strengthen the fight against Nachmanides. Christiani was appointed to as a member of a commission to censor the Jewish scriptures.

In later years, Christiani continued his missionary work in France. In 1269 he demanded the French king Louis IX. , A sharper attitude towards the Jews and called on him to commit this to wearing the Jewish character. In France, Christiani participate in further discussions of religion against the Jews. He disputed the end of his life with the Rabbi Mordechai ben Joseph of Avignon.