Joseph Caspi

Who was Joseph Caspi?

Joseph ben Abba Mari ben Joseph ben Jacob Caspi, was a Provençal exegete, grammarian, and philosopher, apparently influenced by Averroës. He was born at Largentière, whence his Hebrew surname "Caspi". His Provençal name was Don Bonafous de Largentera, or in French En Bonafoux de L'Argentière. He traveled much, visiting Arles, Tarascon, Aragon, Catalonia, Majorca, and Egypt, where, as he says in his Tzawwa'ah, he hoped to be instructed by the members of Maimonides' family. This hope was not realized, as the descendants of Maimonides were more pious than learned. At one time Caspi intended to go to Fez, where many renowned schools existed; but he seems to have abandoned this project and to have settled at Tarascon. He underwent much suffering at the time of the Pastoureaux persecution, and was threatened with punishment if he did not renounce his faith.

He held the position that knowledge of the future, even by the prophets and by God, was probabilistic knowledge only.