Introduction to the History of Hebrew Philosophy

—for whatever name he called each thing, that was its name. (a)
Indeed, this wisdom bestowed by the most benevolent Deity, although greatly diminished and weakened through the Fall The "Fall" refers to the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which Christian tradition held damaged human intellect and nature.; it is not, however, likely that it was entirely lost. And so he retained, among other things, the ability to recognize their nature from the characters and signs This refers to the "doctrine of signatures," the belief that God marked every living thing with physical signs that reveal its inner properties or medicinal uses. by which every thing reveals itself. (b) By this knowledge, he no doubt sought to ward off the hardships of this life as best he could and to promote the happiness of himself and his children.

(a) Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–339 AD) was a historian and bishop known as the "Father of Church History." rightly emphasizes this: everything that he called original Hebrew: הוא שמו (hu shemo) was its very name. By saying this was its name, what else does he indicate than that the appellations were assigned according to nature? original Greek: Διὰ τοῦ Φάναι τοῦτο ἦν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, τὶ ἄλλο ἢ κατὰ φύσιν τιθέσθαι τὰς προσηγορίας περίστησι. When he says, it was its very name, what else does he mean than that the names were bestowed as nature required? Preparation for the Gospel, Book XI, chapter 6. Johannes Buxtorf the Younger Johannes Buxtorf II (1599–1664) was a prominent Swiss scholar of Hebrew and Jewish tradition. reports the opinions of the Hebrews aiming at the same point in his Philological-Theological Dissertations, dissertation I, section 24, pages 17 and following. As for what these same authors otherwise relate concerning Adam, we willingly omit those things; they can be read, carefully collected together, in the work of Giulio Bartolocci Giulio Bartolocci (1613–1687) was a Cistercian monk and scholar who compiled the Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica, a massive bibliography of Jewish literature.