The Leadership of Rabbi Obadia Yosef z”l

Uniting the Israeli Sephardic Jews around one set of traditions, customs and rulings  was one of the main goals and achievements of Rabbi Obadia Yosef z”l.  As we have explained, Sephardic Jews were coming to Israel from many different countries and brought with them their local customs. In many (most?) cases those practices were stricter than what Jewish Law requires. Pesah is a good example. I remember that Jews from Spanish Morocco used to cover the dining room table with seven covers and tablecloths. Or that no one would dare to buy normal sugar or common oil for Pesah. And they would even look to buy a Kosher for Pesah shampoo, etc, etc. The first book published by rabbi Obadia Yosef was Hazon Obadia, a book about the Laws of Pesah. When first published in the 50’s it was a revolutionary book.   Because Rabbi Yosef went back to the plain Halakha, without the extra stringencies coming, among others sources, from mystical views (for example, Ben Ish Hay, etc. For Rabbi Obadia Yosef the rulings of the Ari haQadosh or other meqqubalim are applicable only for Tefila, or as a private practice) or from Ashkenazi rulings (particularly in the Laws of Pesah Sephardim and Ashkenazim hold very different views. See for example this ). For this he was criticized and by many Rabbis rejected as a valid Halakhic authority.   
A very similar process happened with the laws of Nidda (family purity), the Laws of Shabbat, Kashrut in the kitchen, just to mention some popular examples.  In the 60’s and 70’s his opinions were considered by many as very liberal. It took decades until his voice became the authorized voice of mainstream Sephardic communities. 
His vision was to facilitate the practice of Judaism, something that he saw as a very needed principle for our modern days. A few weeks before he passed away he instructed his son, Rabbi Ytshaq Yosef, the newly elected Rishon LeTsion (Sephardic Chief rabbi of Israel) that as the new highest rabbinic authority he must always try to find the ways to make the practice of Tora as lenient and as accessible as possible. 
Tomorrow, BH, we will continue with this last subject.
Rabbi Obadia Yosef crying for the destruction of the Bet-haMiqdash
 
 

 



Who taught rabbi Obadia Yosef?

 

“נפלה עטרת ראשנו”
Yesterday, Rabbi Obadia Yosef was buried in Jerusalem. More than 800,000 people attended his levaya in what is considered the largest funeral in the history of modern Israel.  
From a avery early age Rabbi Obadia Yosef showed the two most important signs of a great Tora luminary: a passion for Tora studying and an exceptional memory. But that was not enough in Israel 1930’s.  In those days of financial depression the economic situation of the world was chaotic and Israel (in those days: Palestine) was obviously no exception. The Yosef family was not able to afford having one son out of the job market. For a while Rabbi Yosef was allowed to study in the most prestigious Sephardic Yeshiba, Porat Yosef, in the Old City of Jerusalem. But now, he was forced to leave his studies and work in his father’s store in the impoverished Bucharian quarter (shekhunat habukharim) in Jerusalem.  
The Yeshiva Porat Yosef was lead by a great Rabbi born in Aleppo, Syria.   Rabbi Ezra Attie  (or Attia עזרא עטייה 1887-1970). Who besides being a very pious man and one of the greatest Tora scholars of his generation had also the skills to identify leadership in his students.  In the short time that rabbi Yosef studied in Porat Yosef Rabbi Attie discovered in him the qualities of a leader: his charisma, his expectational mind and his character.  And now, he was heartbroken to find out that the young Obadia had to leave his studies.  He did not give up and did the unexpected. Rabbi Attie approached rabbi Yosef’s father and begged him to let the boy return to the Yeshiba.  He said to Mr. Yosef: “If you need help in the store, I’ll stay and work for you. Keeping me away from Tora study matters less than keeping your son away.”  The father couldn’t say no. And realizing the potential of his son as a great Tora scholar he allowed him back into the Yeshiba.  That was probably the most important turning point in rabbi Yosef’s life.
Rabbi Ezra Attie was the teacher and permanent mentor of rabbi Yosef. He also discovered and trained other important rabbinical leaders of our times. Among his students are: Rabbi Mordekhai Eliyahu z”l,  Rabbi Benzion Abba Shaul z”l and Rabbi Iytzhaq Qaduri, z”l. 
 
THE INSTALLATION OF RABBI OBADIA YOSEF 
AS THE RISHON LETSION (1973)
 
 
 

 



Rabbi Obadia ben Ya’aqob Yosef z”l, 1920-2013

Today is a very sad day for Am Israel. Hakham Obadia Yosef passed away at the age of 93.  Hakham Obadia was not just a former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel (Rishon LeTsion) but also the Rabbi that lead the Sephardim in Israel and the diaspora to  reclaim their customs, traditions and Halakhot.  
Rabbi Obadia Yosef’s passion was the study of Tora. Particularly, all the  legal aspects of Judaism. Jewish jurisprudence is a very complex discipline. And one has to read many, many books, some of them of an encyclopedic size, in order to become a master in the field. Rabbi Yosef was probably the most knowledgeable Rabbi of this generation. He was gifted with an exceptional memory which allow him to know and quote by heart thousands of rabbinic opinions, analysis and rulings. This extensive knowledge, of course, is not the product of just an exceptional memory and mental talents but mainly of an uninterrupted dedication to Tora study. I remember that his son, Rabbi Ya’aqob Yosef z”l once told us that his own passion for studying Tora began once he saw his father gently rocking the crib of one of his baby brothers with one hand, while holding and reading a book in the other hand. 
What characterized Rabbi Yosef as the leader of the Sephardic Jewry is that besides his extraordinary knowledge he also had the courage to reclaim the Sephardic Halakhic voices of the past as authoritative and binding in the present.   That was not a small task, considering that at that time he had to openly challenge other movements and schools (revisionists, extremists, assimilationist, mystical, etc.) that also claimed to represent an authentic Sephardic approach. Most of these schools considered that rabbi Obadia Yosef’s rulings were too lenient. 
As a poseq (rabbinic legislator) his main contribution was perhaps the enhancement and the virtual reinstallation of Maran Rabbi Yosef Caro and his Shulhan ‘arukh as the ultimate authority for Sephardic Jews in Israel. “qibalnu hora-ot Maran Bet Yosef” (we accepted the rulings of Rabbi Yosef Caro) is the foundation of his Halakhic legacy.  
In the coming days, BH, I will explain a little more about his opinions and books as a humble tribute to his memory
 
 

 



Maran Rabbi Yosef Caro (1488-1575)

 Rabbi Yosef Caro (also Karo or Qaro) was born in Toledo, Spain in 1488. In 1492, at the age of four, he and his family were forced to leave Toledo due to the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. His family settled in Portugal. In 1497 the Jews were also expelled from Portugal. The Jews were invited to establish themselves in the Ottoman empire. The Caro family settled in the city of Constantinople.  His father Epharim Caro was his first and most important teacher.    Rabbi Yosef Caro’s earliest work was the Kesef Mishne a commentary of Maimonide’s Mihsne Torah, where he shows the Talmudic sources and the logic behind Maimonides rulings.  His most famous book is the Shulhan ‘arukh, considered the main Code of Jewish Law (see here) 
 
In 1535 Rabbi Yosef Caro arrived to Tsefat (Safed, Israel). There he met Rabbi Ya’aqob Berab who planned to reinstitute the semikha, i.e., the formal rabbinical ordination that will enable Rabbis to legislate in all subjects and for all the Jewish people. The intention of Rabbi Berab was to establish a Bet-Din in Tsefat that will be the undisputed Halakhic voice, coming from Israel, for all Jews in the world. Solving thus the current situation in which each Jewish community had its particular and separate Halahkhic practice and customs.  
Rabbi Berab ordained four Rabbis, one of the was Rabbi Yosef Caro. According to the Hida, rabbi Yosef Caro was ordained in addition by 200 rabbis from Erets Israel and the diaspora (The title Sephardic Jews have reserved for Rabbi Yosef Caro is “MARAN” which in Hebrew stands for: ממאתים רבנים נסמך = “The one ordained by 200 Rabbis”). The Hida explained that when one follows the Shulhan ‘Arukh is not following the opinion of one rabbi but of 200 Rabbis. At that time, 200 Rabbis represented the majority of the rabbis of the world.  This is the source of the extraordinary authority given to Rabbi Yosef Caro, and the main reason why the Shulhan ‘arukh was accepted by all Jews as final and conclusive. 
 
Maran Rabbi Yosef Caro died in Tsefat in 1575. 
 
 
Some of his books are 
  • Kesef Mishne (כסף משנה) a commentary to Maimonides Mishne Tora
  • Bet Yosef (בית יוסף), a monumental commentary on the Arba’a Turim from Rabbi Ya’aqob ben haRosh. This book was aimed to systematize the laws and customs of Judaism. 
  • Shulhan ‘Arukh (שולחן ערוך).  Although it is a brief and practical summary of the Bet Yosef it is considered the unquestioned authority of the whole Jewish world.
  • Bedeq ha-Bayit (בדק הבית) additions and corrections to Beth Yosef.
  • Kelalei ha-Talmud (כללי התלמוד) a book on the methodology of the Talmud.

 

 
Click here to download the first edition of the Shulhan ‘Arukh, Venezia, 1565


Rabbi Ya’akob Hajez (1620-1674)

Rabbi Ya’aqob Hajez (aka Hagiz) was born in Fez, Morocco in 1620. In 1657 and after living in Livorno (Italy) for a few years, Rabbi Hajez settled in Jerusalem as the head of a new Bet haMidrash (=Yeshiba) founded and supported by the Vega brothers, two Jewish philanthropist from Livorno who supported the Jews living in Jerusalem.  The name of this Bet Midrash was Bet Ya’aqob but it was also known as “Yeshibat haHesger” (=the enclosed Yeshiba) because its Rabbis and students would never leave the premises of the Yeshiba unnecessarily. In that Yeshiba the students also learned foreign languages, mathematics, engineering and other secular studies.  
 
Rabbi Hajez  was known for his bright mind and critical thinking. He was one of the main (and few) strong opponents to Shabbatai Zevi, the false prophet.  Shabbatai Zevi came to Yerushalayim in 1665 and the rabbis of the city, led by Rabbi Hagiz, excommunicated him until he was forced to leave Jerusalem.  
 
Rabbi Hajez  was a very prolific writer.  Among his works we can mention:
 
Etz haHayim: A commentary on all treatises of the Mishna
 
Halakhot Qetanot: A book on Rabbinical response dealing with multiple subjects.  See for example his responsa on the kashrut of the “Scincus scincus” a reptile/fish creature (Hebrew). 
 
Tehilat Hokhma: A book on the methodology of the Talmud. 
 
Orah Mishor: A very short book on the appropriate conduct of Rabbis and Torah Scholars. In the introduction he mentions that he writes this book as a reaction to comments made by people complaining about the unethical behavior of certain Torah Scholars.  Instead of denying the accusations, rabbi Hajez  wrote this treatise demanding from those who dedicate their lives to study Torah to raise their standard of behavior (=noblesse oblige). He explains that Torah scholars are exposed to a higher degree of accountability: “talmid-hakhamim, shegagot na’asot lo kizdonot“,  a mistake made by a Torah Scholar or a Rabbi is considered negligence or even a willful offense.  
Rabbi Moshe Hajez, his son
https://henryabramson.com/2016/03/15/who-was-r-moshe-hagiz/
 


To Download the books of Rabbi Ya’aqob Hajez go to www.hebrewbooks.com (יעקב חאגיז)
 

 

To download “Orah Mishor” click  here

 


Rabbi Moshe Almosnino (Greece 1515-1580)

Rabbi Almosnino was born in Salonica in 1515. Rabbi Almosnino belonged to a prominent Sephardic family, which fled Aragon after two of his ancestors died on the stake, condemned by the Inquisition. Rabbi Moshe Almosnino was the rabbi of the main Spanish Sephardic community “Neve Shalom”. 

Rabbi Almosnino was a prolific author, and the earliest known writer in Ladino. 

  

He was also a very prominent community leader. In 1565 he represented the Jewish communities at an audience with the sultan Selim II, petitioning the confirmation of the civil rights of the Jews who lived in the Ottoman Empire.   

Anticipating by a few centuries the idea of Tora uMada (the compatibility between Tora and sciences), Rabbi Almosnino, who had great interest in  all scientific fields and particularly in astronomy, wrote commentaries on Aristotle’s Physics and on John Sacrobosco’s Sphaera Mundi. He translated and commented George von Peuerbach’s Teoriae Novae Planetarum, composed an exposition of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and a commentary on al-Ghazali’s work.

Rabbi Moshe Almosnino is the author of many important Jewish books as well.

For example:    

“Yede moshe” , a commentary on the five megillot: Shir haShrim, Ruth, Ekha (Lamentations) Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) and Esther.

“Pirqe Moshe”  an exposition of the treatise Pirqe Abot  Chapters of the fathers (Salonica 1563). 

“Tefila leMoshe” a book on the praises and wonders of the Tora. Based on the Psalms.

He also wrote in Spanish and in Ladino (Spanish with Hebrew letters)

“Regimiento de la Vida” (The rules of life), written in Spanish. He dedicated tis work to his son Shim’on (Salonica 1564). It is a guide to the moral conduct meant for educated young men not fluent in Hebrew.  It deals, among other things, with the nature of good and evil, Divine providence vis-a-vis free will, the importance of education, etc. To this book was appended a chapter called: “El Tratado de los suenyos” (A treatise on Dreams).

“Extremos y Grandezas de Constantinopla”, originally written in ladino was transliterated and republished by Jacob Cansino in Madrid, 1638. In this extraordinary book he describes the life in Constantinople. Its weather, its inhabitants, the life in the city, etc.   It is the earliest known book written in Ladino and it is priceless for historians.

Rabbi Almosnino’s most famous book, Yede Moshe (600 pages long), is a commentary to the five Meguilot, among them Meguilat Esther.

Rabbi Almosnino’s expertise was “language” and beyond his mastery of Hebrew grammar he was extremely sharp and sensitive for textual analysis of the Peshat (the text’s plain literary meaning).  As it was the way of Sephardic rabbis, he analyzes the Peshat independently from the Midrashim.

We will see now one example from his commentary to the book of Esther. Rabbi Almosnino asks himself, and the reader, why do we need the seemingly superfluous first chapter of the Meguila. What can be learned from it, vis-a-vis the main plot of the story,  Haman’s plan to exterminate the Jewish people?

Rabbi Almosnino shows that when we examine closely the first chapter of the book of Esther, we get a better idea of the magnitude of the miracle of Purim.

A few examples:

The story of Esther begins in verse 1:1, telling us that Ahashverosh reigned over 127 cities of the Persian Empire. Why would the Megilla need to tell us these seemingly irrelevant details? Because we should understand that the decree of Haman to kill the Jews of Persia, would have implied the end of the Jewish nation.  The Persian Empire, at the time of Ahashverosh, was so large that there were no Jews living outside these 127 cities. This shows us the magnitude of the miracle: 1. There was no escape for the Jews, and later on . 2. the entire Jewish nation was saved from Haman’s decree.

In the following lines, pasuq 1:3, Rabbi Almosnino draws an outstanding psychological profile of Ahashverosh. Unlike a psychologist who examines his patient’s profile from a therapy session, Rabbi Almosnino delved into Ahashverosh personality from a profound “psychoanalysis ” of  the text.

bishnat shalosh lemolkho: The Meguila describes Ahashverosh as an inexperienced, naive King.  What defines a King’s lack of experience? A King is surrounded by advisers. The advisers very often would give the King an advice that favors them personally, rather than the King or the Kingdom. But they would always disguise their advice as if they are favoring the King or the Kingdom. An experienced King is able to detect these tricks. An inexperienced King would be tricked by his advisers’ maneuvers. The book of Esther is presenting us with this fact, Ahashverosh third year in power,  to anticipate that the King is inexperienced. Later on in the Meguila, we will see all kind of maneuvers coming from Haman, which Ahashverosh was unable to detect. When Haman presented the King with his plan to kill the Jews, his way to achieve a personal vendetta for a private affront, Haman describes the plan not as related to his private interest, but to the King’s interest.”These people do not follow your rules… It is not in the interest of the King to let this people live”. The inexperienced King took the bait.

‘asa mishte lekhol sarav va’abadav. “The King threw a party to all his servants”, ergo, says rabbi Almosnino, this King is “a people pleaser”. Normally, the people would honor the King, throwing a party in his honor. But Ahashverosh was insecure of his people’s loyalty and of their love for him. He must have had the emotional need to be loved and praised, in order to feel good with himself. Therefore, his decisions will be made having in mind not the benefit of the Kingdom, but his own image. As a people pleaser he would do and execute whatever would reflect positively in his image and vice-versa.  This is why the King will eventually accepts Haman’s evil request: to please his favorite adviser. On the other hand, Haman, very cleverly, does not reveal the name of the people he wants to exterminate. Haman never mentions to Ahashverosh: “I want to kill the Jews”. He advises the King to get rid of “a” people , anonymous, unnamed. In a way that no one Ahashverosh knows would be displeased.

behar-oto et ‘osher kebod malkhuto ve-et yeqar…: “Ahashverosh threw the big party to show-off his wealth and the magnificence of his splendorous  Kingship.” Rabbi Almosnino explains that there are two major drives for powerful people: money and image/vanity (ga’ava). For some people, money is number 1 priority. And these people would sacrifice their image and honor in order to gain more money. But for other people, image/honor  is above money. These people would spend all their money to boost their image. Ahashverosh, Rabbi Almosnino says, belongs to the second group. He spent a fortune in his party just to advance his image and self-pride in the eyes of all his subjects. Rabbi Almosnino explains that vanity was the consequence of Ahashverosh’s insecurity and low self esteem. And knowing this will help us understand that because of his arrogance and insecure character, he would probably not consider backing down from his decisions.

And why is it important for the reader of the Meguilla to know this about Ahashverosh? Because later on in the Meguila, once the decree is made and signed by the King, the reader might think that if the Jews collect enough money, they will be able to buy the King’s favor and make him cancel his decree. But once we know that for this King money is below image/honor, and that backing down from his decision would have been psychologically impossible for a person with a low self esteem, you would think that there is no way to make this decree disappear! (My son Ya’aqob explains that, projecting his own personality, when Ahashverosh wishes to reward Mordekhay for his services to the crown, he does not think of a monetary reward for Mordekhay but of an honorific reward that would enhance “Mordekhay’s image”. This is why Ahashverosh accepts Haman’s suggestion to lead Mordekhay on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!”). Having all this in mind, when you read the Meguila for the first time and you see that Ahashverosh is insobornable, proud and stubborn, you say to yourself: “this decree cannot be undo”, thus, you get to better appreciate the magnitude of the miracle of Purim.
Read Rabbi Almosnino’s Books
You can find the Hebrew books of Rabbi Moshe Almosnino in  www.hebrewbooks. org
For “Regimiento de la vida” (ancient Spanish) click  here .
For “Extremos y grandezas de Constantinopla” (Spanish) click  here.

 



Rabbi Israel Moshe Hazan (1808-1863)

 

Rabbi Israel Moshe Hazan was born in Smyrne, Turkey. His parents emigrated to Jerusalem when he was three years old.  There, he studied in the Yeshiba of his grandfather the famous  Rabbi Yosef Hazan, author of hiqre leb.  
In 1842 Rabbi Hazan was appointed a member of the bet din in Jerusalem. In 1844 he traveled to London and Amsterdam. He published then a small book called qinat zion (1846) against the recently established Reform movement.  In those years the Reform movement had convened in Frankfort and Brunswick deciding among other things to abolish ritual dietary Laws (kashrut), circumcision, the observance of Shabbat (S. Holdheim conducted Shabbat services on Sunday)and declaring that they do not recognize anymore the Talmud and rabbinical tradition as authoritative.   In his short book Rabbi Hazan  explained the basics of normative Judaism and defended the principles of rabbinical tradition and their authority. 
  
Rabbi Hazan went later to Rome where he was appointed as the rabbi of that Italian community. He tried to intercede on behalf of the Jews of Italy in the court of Pope Pius IX, in the times of the infamous Mortara case (a Jewish child kidnapped by the Church who was adopted and raised by the Pope himself.  See this.) 
  
Rabbi Hazan also wrote an important book on the Halakhic laws of inheritance, which include several diagrams. The book is called Nahala leIsrael and it is based on the examination of a 
complex case of inheritance involving an Italian Jewish family.   
He also authored the book qedushat yom tob , against the attempt in Italy to abolish the second day of the festivals. And Iyyei haYam, an important commentary on the responsa of the Geonim.
His most famous book is perhaps kerakh shel romi, a collection of his responsa dealing with the application of Jewish Law on various subjects, particularly the new challenges of modern life.  
In 1862 Rabbi Hazzan settled in Haifa, but died in Beirut, Lebanon.  His remains were taken for burial to Sidon since this city is regarded as being within the Halakhic borders of Eretz Israel. 
 
                            
 Click here to download and read Rabbi Israel Moshe Hazan’s  qin-at Zion. 
 


Rabbi Ben-Zion Abraham Cuenca (1867-1937)

Rabbi Ben-Zion Cuenca was born in the old city of Jerusalem in 1867.  His last name, Cuenca, corresponds to a city in Spain. His family was among the “Expulsadaos de Castilla”, the Jewish families expelled from Castilla and Aragon in 1492. The Cuenca family settled in Salonika (Greece) and lived there for centuries. Rabbi Cuenca’s father, Abraham Cuenca, made aliya to Eretz Israel around 1850. 

Before the age of ten, rabbi Cuenca was regarded as an ‘iluy (a child prodigy) by the Rabbis of Jerusalem.  Knowing this, his father devoted all his resources to hire for him the best Rabbis and mentors. He also provided for rabbi Cuenca with a vast secular education, especially in the fields of History and languages.

At the age of 30 Rabbi Cuenca established a Yeshiba “Tiferet Yerushalaim”. In this Yeshiba, which also included general studies, were educated among others the Chief rabbi of Israel  Ben-Zion Meir Hay Uziel (see this ), the famous Sephardic Hebrew writer Yehuda Burla, and rabbi Moshe Nissim, the father of Chief rabbi of Israel Isaac Nissim  (see here)

One of the most important contributions of Rabbi Cuenca was the creation of the Halakhic Journal  “hame-asef”.   Hame-asef is a collection of Halakhic studies done by hundreds of Rabbis: Sephardim, Ashkenazim, from Israel and from the Diaspora. Bringing together so many rabbis from all different backgrounds was at that time by itself a virtual a dramatic positive innovation. Rabbi Cuenca operated singlehandedly all the stages of this publication for 19 years. The first journal appeared in 1897. Rabbi Cuenca was of course one of the main contributors. He was particularly interested in reexamining the Laws of Eretz Israel (terumot, ma’aserot, shemita, etc)  a subject that remained virtually dormant for centuries. Now, as the Yeshub of Eretz Israel was growing, these Laws needed to be reviewed, especially in light of modernity and its new challenges. In rabbi Cuenca’s own words  אחד מעיקרי מטרתנו יהיה לישא וליתן בהלכה בכל העניינים והדינים אשר ביישוב הארץ יסודן, בכל דיני קדושת הארץ בזמננו. 

In the hame-asef rabbi Cuenca introduced a short biography of the writers, which given the tremendous lack of information especially about Sephardic rabbis of the 19th century, constitutes an invaluable contribution to modern Jewish History.
Thanks to Hebrewbooks.org you can read the first volume of the המאסף here .

 



Don Isaac Abarbanel (1437-1508)

As we saw last week (see this) Rabbi “Don” Isaac Abarbanel was a famous statesman, a wealthy merchant, a Jewish philanthropist and one of the most illustrious biblical commentators and philosophers.
Despite his turbulent life Rabbi Abarbanel was a very prolific Rabbinic author.  In his youth, while in Portugal,  he wrote his first book: ‘ateret zeqenim , “the crown of the elders” where he explained some difficult Biblical passages in Exodus chapter 33.  He also wrote at a very young age “The way of the Principles” (surat haysodot) where he discussed philosophical issues like God’s individual supervision, the immortality of the soul, etc. The issues of faith and dogma were extremely important for Rabbi Abarbanel in light of the permanent pressure exerted upon the Jews of Spain and Portugal by the catholic Church in its pursuing to convert them.  Rabbi Abarbanel had to stop his literary enterprise when he was called to serve as the Finance Minister of King Alfonso 5th.  
He wrote his commentary on the Bible in Spain while he was working as the Administrator of Tax Revenues for the Kings of Spain. He began with Joshua, Judges and Shemuel.
Once in italy and now virtually retired from serving in the court he wrote his most famous and most extensive work, a commentary on the Five Books of the Tora.  He developed a very interesting exegetic style: first, rabbi Abarbanel asks 10-15 profound questions on every Biblical paragraph and then, he explains this paragraph answering systematically every question he brought.
Another important book he wrote is ma’ayane hayeshu’a, “The springs of salvation” where he explains thoroughly  the Jewish belief in the coming of the Messiah and compares it with the Christian belief in a Messiah. This book is written as a commentary of the Biblical book of Daniel. He wrote many other books on the Jewish concept of the Messiah, which was obviously one of the main points of controversy with the Church.   
“Rosh Amana”, was one of the last books he wrote. This book is a commentary on the 13 principles of Jewish faith formulated by Maimonides. 

All his books can be found in

  
One of the best books one can find about the incredible life and  ideas of rabbi “Don” Isaac Abarbanel is the book written by Professor Benzion Netanyahu z”l, the father of Israel’s Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu. Professor Netanyahu was an expert in the history of Sephardic Jews.
The book is called:   

 



Rabbi Don Isaac Abarbanel (1437-1508)

Rabbi “Don” Isaac Abarbanel (or Abravanel) was born in Lisbon Portugal, in 1437. He was a famous statesman, a very wealthy merchant, a Jewish philanthropist  and one of the most illustrious biblical commentators and philosophers. 
Abarbanel spent 45 years in Portugal where he loyally served the King of Portugal Alfonso V in all financial matters of the Kingdom. 
In 1481 upon the death of the King the new monarch Joao II falsely accused Abarbanel of conspiracy. Abarbanel was able to flee secretly to Spain and all his fortune was confiscated by the new Portuguese King.
In 1483 he established himself in Toledo, Spain. His vast experience in royal matters and state finance was well known in Spain and in a short time his services were requested by the Kings of Castilla. He was in charge of administrating the farm revenues of the Kingdom and to supply provisions for the campaign of the Kings Ferdinand and Isabella against Granada, Islam’s last Iberian citadel.  Rabbi Abarbanel became again very wealthy and during the war, he advanced considerable sums of his own money to the Kings to support his army .
In 1491 when he learned about the plan to expel the Jews from Spain, Abarbanel made a  offer to the Queen: 30,000 ducats (more than 60,000 dollars “nominal value” in that time) to revoke the edict of expulsion. His offer was rejected, but he was given the choice to keep all his privileges as a statesman and his personal wealth if he converted to Christianity. He refused, and in 1492 he left Spain empty handed with his heartbroken and impoverished Jewish brothers.
In 1493 he resettled in Naples, Italy, where he served in the court of Alfonso ll. In 1495 Naples was taken by the French. And Rabbi Abarbanel, bereft of all possessions, followed the young king Alfonso to Messina. From there they resettled in Corfu (today, an island in Greece) and lastly in 1503 he settled in Venice, where his services were employed in negotiating the commercial treaties between Portugal and the Venetian republic in the spices market.
He died in Venice in 1508 and was buried in the Jewish cemetery of Padua.
Despite his intense, agitated life and multiple exiles Rabbi Abarbanel was a very prolific writer, as we are going to see, BH next week.
Today, 13 of Sivan,
the Jewish Syrian community celebrates nes moossan, the day in which a potential blood libel against the community of Aleppo was miraculously  averted.  As far as I was able to search there is virtually nothing online about it.  I invite the readers of HOTD to share any information about this event to have an online source and ideally, an entry in Wikipedia. 
Please, send the information to: rabbibitton@yahoo.com