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Samuel Ibn Matut lived in Guadalajara, Spain, where, in 1370, he authored "Meshobeb Netibot," a Hebrew work incorporating a commentary on "Sefer Yesira" (= "The Book of Creation"), in which he harmonizes Greco-Arabic philosophy with Jewish mysticism, "Kabbalah." In his view, these two disciplines compliment each other both in man's quest for knowledge of the true nature of reality, as well as in man's resultant connection to divinity. While philosophy---the exercise of human reason---enables one to think correctly, establish a coherent conceptual system, and to intellectually ascend the levels of that system, Kabbalah---whose source Ibn Matut finds in prophetic inspiration---enables one to know particulars that are not available by means of philosophical investigation (which deals only with universals). The apex of this intellectual ascent is the Active Intellect: while alive, one can come to know it conceptually; and thereby, after death one can come to know it directly. After the work's rhymed introduction, in Part I Ibn Matut presents a synopsis of his philosophical system. Much of his first four chapters are adapted (without attribution) from the Arabic "Kitab al-Hada'iq" of Ibn al-Sid of Badajoz (= "al-Batalyusi"). Other sources cited throughout include Maimonides, Abraham Ibn Ezra, Avicenna, Ibn Tufayl, al-Ghazali, as well as the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, and Midrash. From Chapter 5 of Part I, two recensions are in evidence. Part II of "Meshobeb Netibot" contains the running commentary on "Sefer Yesira," and Part III contains expanded treatment of the Kabbalah-philosophy synthesis as relevant to particular themes, such as God, His attributes, emanation, the duration of the world, good and evil, angels, etc. Ibn Matut ends the work with a colophon. This dissertation contains introductory chapters reconstructing, from manuscript evidence, Ibn Matut's life, work, and thought, his intellectual community, his influence, and the manuscript transmission of his works. Then follows the annotated translation of "Meshobeb Netibot's" rhymed introduction, Parts I and II, and the colophon. The two recensions are presented synoptically. Next, all these sections are given in a critical edition of their original Hebrew, with a preliminary edition of Part III inserted before the colophon.
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