In the 10th century CE in Spain, the Jewish scholar Menahem ben Saruq composed the Mahberet, the first complete Hebrew dictionary of the Bible. This work systematically organized biblical vocabulary and revealed the three-consonantal basis of Hebrew roots, a fundamental insight for Hebrew grammar. Menahem served as secretary to Hasdai ibn Shaprut, the Jewish statesman of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba, and his dictionary became a cornerstone of Hebrew linguistic study.

The Mahberet provided Hebrew poets with a comprehensive lexical tool for understanding and composing biblical-style poetry, directly influencing the golden age of Hebrew poetry in Spain. Its grammatical insights enabled poets to craft verses with greater precision and allusive depth. Menahem's work also established Hebrew lexicography as a discipline, inspiring later scholars like Ibn Janah and shaping the poetic traditions of Jewish communities throughout the Diaspora.