The Genre of the Maqama in Hebrew Literature: Evolution and Style

Abstract

The age of Muslim Spain was one of the most significant periods in the history of Hebrew literature since its beginnings. At a time when Hebrew no longer served for everyday speech it became the common language of poets. This change did not occur in a vacuum; it was the product of the influence of Arabic language and culture. Hebrew poetry copied the patterns of Arabic poetry in the Arab East and in al-Andalus, giving rise to genres previously unknown in Hebrew literature, such as the maqama  and the muwashshat. The same is true of the motifs, maxims and proverbs, which at first were newcomers to the Jewish world but which in a short time were transmuted into integral elements of Jewish culture on Andalusian territory.

In this study we shall examine one aspect of these influences, namely the evolution of the genre of the maqama in Hebrew literature, from its birth to this day in al-Andalus, Europe, the Middle East and Israel after the establishment of the State in 1948, and shed light on it most important sources, practitioners and styles.