Moses ibn Habib
Encyclopedia
Moshe ibn Habib (1654–1696) was the Rishon LeZion
(Sephardic chief Rabbi of Israel), Hakham Bashi
(chief rabbi of the Ottoman Empire
) and the head of a major yeshiva
in Jerusalem.
, the author the famous book Ein Yaakov
and Joseph ibn Habib
, author of the commentary Nimmuke Yosef.
At the age of 15 Moshe moved to Jerusalem, where he enrolled in the yeshiva (academy) of Rabbi Jacob Hagiz. He married the daughter of Rabbi Yonatan (Jonathan) Galanti, whose son, Rabbi Moshe Galanti, the Rishon LeZion, was known as The Magen.
, the author of the work Peri Hadash, Rabbi Ephraim Navon, author of the work Mahane Ephraim and even his master Rabbi Jacob Hagiz recognized him as their equal and maintained halachic
discourses with him.
At some point, Rabbi Moshe was sent as an emissary to the Jewish community Turkey; however, other than the fact of his dispatch, nothing else is known about this period of his life.
When his brother-in-law Rabbi Moshe Galanti died in 1689, Rabbi Moshe ibn Habib was appointed Rishon LeZion and head of the yeshiva in his stead. His colleagues on the rabbinical court (bet din) included the Jerusalemite scholars R. Jacob Molkho, R. Yom Tov Zahalon and R. Yoseph bar Yoseph.
Though young in years, Rabbi Moshe ibn Habib was well known for his erudition and scholarship in all areas of the Torah
. However, his primary expertise was in the area of the laws of marriage an divorce and particularly in the thorny areas of the laws dealing with agunot
('anchored or chained' women). He authored two works in this area, Get Pashut and Ezrat Nashim, which remain standard references in these area to this day.
Rabbi Moshe wrote another book entitled Shammot ba-Aretz, which contains his Talmudic novellæ. The work is divide into three sections:
The work has been widely respected among Talmudic scholars since its publication, and it has been the subject of novellae by such luminaries as Rabbi Akiva Eger
and Rabbi Joseph Saul Nathanson
.
The manuscript of his responsa was lost at sea; part survived and was published under the title Kol Gadol (Great Sound) in 1907 in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Moshe served as the rabbi and Jerusalem and the head of the yehiva until the day he died in 1696, before his 43rd birthday. He did not live to see any of his manuscripts published. However, his grandson (his daughter's son) Rabbi Jacob Culi edited his manuscripts and saw to their publication. At the time there was no printing press in Jerusalem and Rabbi Jacob traveled to Constantinople with the manuscript to try to get it published. Although he arrived there in 1714, the manuscript was only published in 1725, 25 years after the author's death. The publisher cited the help of Rabbi Haim Alfandari.
Rishon LeZion (title)
This list of Sephardi chief rabbis of the Land of Israel documents the rabbis who served as the spiritual leader of the Sephardic community in the Land of Israel from the mid 17th-century to present. The Hebrew title for the position, Rishon le-Zion, This list of Sephardi chief rabbis of the Land...
(Sephardic chief Rabbi of Israel), Hakham Bashi
Hakham Bashi
Hakham Bashi is the Turkish name for the Chief Rabbi of the nation's Jewish community.-History:The institution of the Hakham Bashi was established by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, as part of the millet system for governing exceedingly diverse subjects according to their own laws and authorities...
(chief rabbi of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
) and the head of a major yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in Jerusalem.
Background and family
Rabbi Moshe ibn Habib was born in 1654 in Salonika. His father, Rabbi Shlomo ibn Habib was a scion of a distinguished family that was forced to emigrate from Spain. Among his forefathers were Rabbi Jacob ibn HabibJacob ibn Habib
Jacob ben Solomon ibn Habib was a rabbi and talmudist born at Zamora, Spain. In his youth Ibn Ḥabib studied the Talmud under R...
, the author the famous book Ein Yaakov
Ein Yaakov
Ein Yaakov is a compilation of all the Aggadic material in the Talmud together with commentaries. Its introduction contains an account of the history of Talmudic censorship and the term Gemara...
and Joseph ibn Habib
Joseph ibn Habib
Joseph ibn Habib was a Spanish Talmudist who flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries.- Nimmuke Yosef :Like his predecessor, R...
, author of the commentary Nimmuke Yosef.
At the age of 15 Moshe moved to Jerusalem, where he enrolled in the yeshiva (academy) of Rabbi Jacob Hagiz. He married the daughter of Rabbi Yonatan (Jonathan) Galanti, whose son, Rabbi Moshe Galanti, the Rishon LeZion, was known as The Magen.
Sons in law
Both of Rabbi Moshe ibn Habib's daughters married prominent scholars:- the famous scholar Rabbi Yaakov CuliYaakov CuliRabbi Yaakov Culi was a Talmudist and Biblical commentator of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries who died in Constantinople on August 9, 1732. He belonged to an exiled Spanish family, and was the grandson and pupil of Moses ibn Habib. He edited various important works. The first fruit of his...
, who initiated the collection Me'am Lo'ezMe'am Lo'ezMe'am Lo'ez , initiated by Rabbi Yaakov Culi in 1730, is a widely studied commentary on the Tanakh written in Ladino - it is perhaps the best known publication in that language.-Content:... - Rabbi Moshe Israel, the emissary of the communities of Zefat (Safed) and Jerusalem to diasporaDiasporaA diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
Jewry.
Positions, novellæ and other works
Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, despite his young age, Rabbi Moshe was immediately recognized for his extraordinary talents. Such distinguished Jerusalemite scholars as Rabbi Hezekiah da SilvaHezekiah da Silva
Hezekiah da Silva was a Jewish author born at Livorno, Italy, son-in-law of the dayan Mordecai Befael Malachi. About 1679 he left his native city for Jerusalem, Palestine, where he attended the yeshibah of Moses Galante, and ten years later he was sent to Europe to collect funds for Jerusalem...
, the author of the work Peri Hadash, Rabbi Ephraim Navon, author of the work Mahane Ephraim and even his master Rabbi Jacob Hagiz recognized him as their equal and maintained halachic
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
discourses with him.
At some point, Rabbi Moshe was sent as an emissary to the Jewish community Turkey; however, other than the fact of his dispatch, nothing else is known about this period of his life.
When his brother-in-law Rabbi Moshe Galanti died in 1689, Rabbi Moshe ibn Habib was appointed Rishon LeZion and head of the yeshiva in his stead. His colleagues on the rabbinical court (bet din) included the Jerusalemite scholars R. Jacob Molkho, R. Yom Tov Zahalon and R. Yoseph bar Yoseph.
Though young in years, Rabbi Moshe ibn Habib was well known for his erudition and scholarship in all areas of the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
. However, his primary expertise was in the area of the laws of marriage an divorce and particularly in the thorny areas of the laws dealing with agunot
Agunah
Agunah ; literally 'anchored or chained') is a halachic term for a Jewish woman who is "chained" to her marriage. The classic case of this, is a man who has left on a journey, and has not returned, or has gone into battle and is MIA...
('anchored or chained' women). He authored two works in this area, Get Pashut and Ezrat Nashim, which remain standard references in these area to this day.
Rabbi Moshe wrote another book entitled Shammot ba-Aretz, which contains his Talmudic novellæ. The work is divide into three sections:
- Yom Teruah, novellæ on Tracate Rosh Hashana (Ortakeni, 1714)
- Tosphot Yom Hakipurim, novellæ on Tracate Yoma (Constantinople, 1727 )
- Kapot Temarim, novellæ on Tracate Succah (Constantinople, 1731)
The work has been widely respected among Talmudic scholars since its publication, and it has been the subject of novellae by such luminaries as Rabbi Akiva Eger
Akiva Eger
Rabbi Akiva Eger, or Akiva Güns, , was an outstanding Talmudic scholar, influential halakhic decisor and foremost leader of European Jewry during the early 19th century....
and Rabbi Joseph Saul Nathanson
Joseph Saul Nathanson
Joseph Saul Nathanson was a Polish rabbi and posek, and a leading rabbinical authority of his day.-Biography:...
.
The manuscript of his responsa was lost at sea; part survived and was published under the title Kol Gadol (Great Sound) in 1907 in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Moshe served as the rabbi and Jerusalem and the head of the yehiva until the day he died in 1696, before his 43rd birthday. He did not live to see any of his manuscripts published. However, his grandson (his daughter's son) Rabbi Jacob Culi edited his manuscripts and saw to their publication. At the time there was no printing press in Jerusalem and Rabbi Jacob traveled to Constantinople with the manuscript to try to get it published. Although he arrived there in 1714, the manuscript was only published in 1725, 25 years after the author's death. The publisher cited the help of Rabbi Haim Alfandari.