Abstract
Don Isaac Abravanel's composition of a Commentary on the Former Prophets was a central achievement of his stormy life (1437-1508). Not only did it reinforce his claim to retain his position as a member of the Spanish Jewish elite, even after the expulsion, but also, in the brief introductions that preface each of the two parts of the Commentary, which were written a decade apart, he was enabled prescribe a concept of leadership that he considered appropriate for responding to the disasters of the late fifteenth century. Needless to add, he considered himself an appropriate candidate to fill this leadership role. The first part of the text, which contains a commentary on the books of Joshua, Judges and Samuel, was written, according to Don Isaac himself, just after he had fled from Portugal and taken refuge in the Castilian border city of Segura de la Orden;1 this was between the 1 lth of June 1483 and the 8th of March 1484.2 Readers are to imagine that there has been first an oral delivery.
Published Version
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