A Jewish Reading of Jerome’s <em>Tobias</em>

The Book of Tobit is an ancient Jewish story that was rediscovered and reworked by medieval Jewish scholars. Among the medieval Hebrew versions of Tobit, Hebraeus Londini , the Hebrew Tobit of London, stands out. This version is unique because it is a reworking of Jerome’s version of Tobit in the Vulgate a Christian retelling of the story. But why create a new version of Tobit based on the Vulgate? One the one hand, the work of the Jewish editor indirectly highlights the Christian elements and interpretations Jerome introduced to Tobit. One the other hand, the Jewish editor re-Judaized the version to appeal to and instruct Jewish audiences anew, encouraging attachment to their heritage. Abandoning the Jewish faith, often through forced conversions, was commonplace in the Middle Ages. Hebraeus Londini emphasizes key themes in Jewish thought and practice, especially in its original prayers, as part of the effort to counteract this. Most importantly, it strongly encourages Torah obedience. The reappropriation and reworking of Jerome's Latin Tobit suggests that Hebraeus Londini 's creation was influenced by the issue of Jewish-Christian relations during those difficult times.