Queen Esther's garden : an anthology of Judeo-Persian literature

This anthology brings to English-language readers the riches of the Judaeo-Persian literary tradition produced by the Jewish community of Iran between the eighth and nineteenth centuries. Most of the translations were prepared specifically for this anthology from unpublished manuscripts. Extensive notes accompany each selection to clarify its meaning in Jewish and Islamic history and legend. This anthology brings to English-language readers the riches of the Judaeo-Persian literary tradition produced by the Jewish community of Iran between the eight and nineteenth centuries. Judaeo-Persian texts, written in classical Persian but using the Hebrew alphabet, reflect profound Muslim influences as well as the extent of original thought and expression among Jewish-Persian writers. The translations include fragments of early documents, verse renditions of biblical books, prayers, religious poetry, commentaries, and historical cronicles. Judaeo-Persian texts, written in classical Persian but using the Hebrew alphabet, reflect profound Muslim influences as well as the extent of original thought and expression among Jewish-Persian writers Contents Preface A Note on the Text and the Transliterations List of Abbreviations Introduction 1. Earliest Judeo-Persian Texts 2. Biblical Epics 3. An Apocryphal Epic:'Imrānī's Ḥanukkah-nāmah (The Book of Ḥanukkah) 4. Didactic Poetry: Yehudah b. David's Makhzan al-pand (The Treasury of Advice) 5. Mishnah and Midrash 6. Biblical Commentaries 7. Religious Festivals in Sermon, Commentary, and Poetry 8. Historical Texts 9. Polemics and Philosophy 10. Mysticism 11. Religious Poems 12. Panegyrics, Lyrical Poems, Quatrains Notes Bibliography Index