Editing Microcosm–macrocosm analogy (section)

===Middle Ages===
The microcosm–macrocosm analogy was a common theme among medieval Jewish philosophers, just as it was among the [[Arabic philosophers]] who were their peers. Especially influential concerning the microcosm–macrocosm analogy were the ''[[Epistles of the Brethren of Purity]]'', an encyclopedic work written in the 10th century by an anonymous group of [[Shi'a Islam|Shi'i Muslim]] philosophers.<ref>{{harvnb|Jacobs|Broydé|1906}}; {{harvnb|Kraemer|2007}}. On the microcosm–macrocosm analogy in the ''Epistles of the Brethren of Purity'', see e.g., {{harvnb|Widengren|1980}}; {{harvnb|Nokso-Koivisto|2014}}; {{harvnb|Krinis|2016}}.</ref> Having been brought to [[al-Andalus]] at an early date by the [[hadith scholar]] and [[Alchemy and chemistry in the medieval Islamic world|alchemist]] [[Maslama al-Majriti]] of the [[Umayyad state of Córdoba]] (died 964),<ref>{{harvnb|De Callataÿ|Moureau|2017}}.</ref> the ''Epistles'' were of central importance to [[Sephardic Jews|Sephardic]] philosophers such as [[Bahya ibn Paquda]] (c. 1050–1120), [[Judah Halevi]] (c. 1075–1141), [[Joseph ibn Tzaddik]] (died 1149), and [[Abraham ibn Ezra]] (c. 1090–1165).<ref>The ''Epistles of the Brethren of Purity'' were of much less importance to [[Maimonides]] (1138–1204), who also ignored Joseph ibn Tzaddik's work on the microcosm–macrocosm analogy; see {{harvnb|Kraemer|2007}}.</ref>

Nevertheless, the analogy was already in use by earlier Jewish philosophers. In his commentary on the ''[[Sefer Yetzirah]]'' ("Book of Creation"), [[Saadia Gaon]] (882/892–942) put forward a set of analogies between the cosmos, the [[Tabernacle]], and the human being.<ref name="auto">{{harvnb|Kraemer|2007}}.</ref> Saadia was followed in this by a number of later authors, such as Bahya ibn Paquda, Judah Halevi, and Abraham ibn Ezra.<ref name="auto"/>

Whereas the physiological application of the analogy in the rabbinical work ''Avot de-Rabbi Natan'' had still been relatively simple and crude, much more elaborate versions of this application were given by Bahya ibn Paquda and Joseph ibn Tzaddik (in his ''Sefer ha-Olam ha-Katan'', "Book of the Microcosm"), both of whom compared human parts with the heavenly bodies and other parts of the cosmos at large.<ref>{{harvnb|Jacobs|Broydé|1906}}; {{harvnb|Kraemer|2007}}. Physiological applications of the microcosm–macrocosm analogy are also found and in, a.o., the [[Hippocratic Corpus]] (see {{harvnb|Kranz|1938|pp=130–133}}), and in the Zoroastrian work [[Bundahishn]] (see {{harvnb|Kraemer|2007}}).</ref>

The analogy was linked to the ancient theme of "[[know thyself]]" (Greek: γνῶθι σεαυτόν, ''gnōthi seauton'') by the physician and philosopher [[Isaac Israeli ben Solomon|Isaac Israeli]] (c. 832–932), who suggested that by knowing oneself, a human being may gain knowledge of all things.<ref name="auto"/> This theme of self-knowledge returned in the works of Joseph ibn Tzaddik, who added that in this way humans may come to know God himself.<ref name="auto"/> The macrocosm was also associated with the divine by Judah Halevi, who saw God as the spirit, soul, mind, and life that animates the universe, while according to [[Maimonides]] (1138–1204), the relationship between God and the universe is analogous to the relationship between the intellect and the human being.<ref name="auto"/>