ИСТИНА

Each line of the discussed poem by medieval Hebrew author Yehuda al-Harizi (1165, Toledo – 1225, Aleppo) from his collection of maqamāt “Tahkemoni” blends three languages: Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic. This example of poetic multilingualism is explored in the context of literary conventions of the maqamāt genre, evolution of Jewish literature, medieval theories of the genesis and kinship of languages, and messianic aspect of multilingualism in medieval Judaism. Interpretation of the poem is unlocked by two major concepts: while literary motif of disguise, which also serves as a metaphor of distinction between the idea and its “verbal vestments”, gives access to medieval notions of multilingualism as change of clothes, medieval Jewish “linguistic messianism” considers multilingualism an essential part of the Divine revelation and merging of languages – part of messianic redemption.