Astruc Remoch facts for kids
Astruc Remoch (also known as Raimuch) was a Jewish doctor who lived in Spain during the 1300s. He became a Catholic and later tried to convince other Jewish people to change their religion as well.
Remoch worked as a doctor in a Spanish town called Fraga. He knew many important Jewish people of his time, including Benveniste ibn Labi from Zaragoza.
Contents
A New Path: Becoming Catholic
In 1391, Astruc Remoch was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church. He chose a new name, Francisco Dias-Carni. After his conversion, Remoch strongly believed that the Catholic Church was the only way to salvation. This belief made him try very hard to convert his old Jewish friend, En-Shealtiel Bonfos. Bonfos was likely the son of another doctor named Isaac Bonfos.
The Letters: A Debate of Beliefs
Remoch, now known as Francisco, wrote a letter to his friend En-Shealtiel Bonfos. In this letter, written in Hebrew, he criticized Jewish beliefs and supported Christian ones. This was a very sensitive topic at the time, especially because of the Inquisition, a period when the Catholic Church was very strict about religious beliefs.
Bonfos wrote a careful reply to Remoch. He made sure to avoid saying anything that the Church might find offensive.
A Poet's Strong Reply
Another person, a poet named Solomon ben Reuben Bonfed, also wrote a reply to Remoch's arguments. Solomon's response was much bolder and less careful. He used a special kind of writing called rhyming prose to attack each of Remoch's points.
Solomon first apologized for getting involved in a private discussion. However, he then insisted that as a Jewish person, he could not stay silent. He argued that the Christian belief system was not supported by the Bible. He even wrote, "You twist and distort the Bible text to establish the Trinity."
Sources
- JewishEncyclopedia.com - RAIMUCH (REMOCH), ASTRUC
- POLEMICS AND POLEMICAL LITERATURE (Jewish Encyclopedia) - BibleWiki
See Also
In Spanish: Astruc Rimoc para niños
