This Chasdai, the son of Isaac, of the family of Shaprut (915-970), was a physician and a statesman.  He was something of a poet and linguist besides; not much of a poet, for his eulogists say little of his verses; and not much of a linguist, for he employed others (among them Menachem, the son of Zaruk, the grammarian) to write his Hebrew letters for him.  But he was enough of a scholar to appreciate learning in others, and as a patron of literature he placed himself in the front of the new Jewish development in Spain.  From Babylonia he was hailed as the head of the school in Cordova.  At his palatial abode was gathered all that was best in Spanish Judaism.  He was the patron of the two great grammarians of the day, Menachem, the son of Zaruk, and his rival and critic, Dunash, the son of Labrat.  These grammarians fought out their literary disputes in verses dedicated to Chasdai.  Witty satires were written by the friends of both sides.  Sparkling epigrams were exchanged in the rose-garden of Chasdai’s house, and were read at the evening assemblies of poets, merchants, and courtiers.  It was Chasdai who brought both the rivals to Cordova, Menachem from Tortosa and Dunash from Fez.  Menachem was the founder of scientific Hebrew grammar; Dunash, more lively but less scholarly, initiated the art of writing metrical Hebrew verses.  The successors of these grammarians, Judah Chayuj and Abulwalid Merwan Ibn Janach (eleventh century), completed what Menachem and Dunash had begun, and placed Hebrew philology on a firm scientific basis.

Thus, with Chasdai a new literary era dawned for Judaism.  His person, his glorious position, his liberal encouragement of poetry and learning, opened the sealed-up lips of the Hebrew muse.  As a contemporary said of Chasdai: 

    The grinding yoke from Israel’s neck he tore,
    Deep in his soul his people’s love he bore. 
    The sword that thirsted for their blood he brake,
    And cold oppression melted for his sake. 
    For God sent Chasdai Israel’s heart to move
    Once more to trust, once more his God to love.

Chasdai did not confine his efforts on behalf of his brethren to the Jews of Spain.  Ambition and sympathy made him extend his affection to the Jews of all the world.  He interviewed the captains of ships, he conversed with foreign envoys concerning the Jews of other lands.  He entered into a correspondence with the Chazars, Jews by adoption, not by race.  It is not surprising that the influence of Chasdai survived him.  Under the next two caliphs, Cordova continued the centre of a cultured life and literature.  Thither flocked, not only the Chazars, but also the descendants of the Babylonian Princes of the Captivity and other men of note.