Sforno
Encyclopedia
Sforno is the name of a prominent Jewish Italian
family, many members of which distinguished themselves as rabbi
s and scholars. The most prominent of these were the following:
. He lived at Bologna
in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and was the brother of Obadiah Sforno, who mentions him in the introduction to his commentary on the Pentateuch. Obadiah also writes that Hananeel was a financier
, and at one point, supported Obadiah financially. A responsum
of Hananeel's was inserted by Shabbethai Baer in his Beer Eshek.
scholar of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Shabbethai Bass
, and, after him, Wolf, attributed to Jacob a work entitled Iggeret ha-Ṭe'amim (Venice, 1600), containing mystic explanations of the accents. The correctness of the ascription is, however, doubted by Steinschneider, who believes that this work is identical with one of the same title by Aaron Abraham ben Baruch.
in the sixteenth century. He was the author of an epistle on the Kuzari
. A responsum (legal novella
) of his is quoted in the above-mentioned collection.
; born at Cesena
about 1475; died at Bologna in 1550. See the main article on him, Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno
.
, later at Venice; died in 1617. Several responsa of his were inserted by Jacob Heilbronner in his Naḥalat Ya'aḳob (Padua, 1622). Solomon left in manuscript commentaries on Psalms
, Proverbs
, Job
, Daniel
, the Megillot, Ezra
, Nehemiah
, and Chronicles
. He edited the Cuzari with the commentary of Judah Moscato
(Venice, 1594). On his death a funeral sermon was pronounced by Leon of Modena
, who lauded him in the highest terms.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
family, many members of which distinguished themselves as rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s and scholars. The most prominent of these were the following:
Hananeel ben Jacob Sforno
Scholar of TalmudTalmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
. He lived at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and was the brother of Obadiah Sforno, who mentions him in the introduction to his commentary on the Pentateuch. Obadiah also writes that Hananeel was a financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
, and at one point, supported Obadiah financially. A responsum
Responsa
Responsa comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them.-In the Roman Empire:Roman law recognised responsa prudentium, i.e...
of Hananeel's was inserted by Shabbethai Baer in his Beer Eshek.
Israel Sforno
Talmudist; lived at Viadano in the sixteenth century. A halakhic decision of his is quoted in a manuscript collection of 260 responsa of the Italian rabbis (No. 235).Jacob ben Obadiah Sforno
VenetianVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
scholar of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Shabbethai Bass
Shabbethai Bass
Shabbethai ben Joseph Bass , born at Kalisz, was the father of Jewish bibliography, and author of the Sifsei Chachamim supercommentary on Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch.-Life:...
, and, after him, Wolf, attributed to Jacob a work entitled Iggeret ha-Ṭe'amim (Venice, 1600), containing mystic explanations of the accents. The correctness of the ascription is, however, doubted by Steinschneider, who believes that this work is identical with one of the same title by Aaron Abraham ben Baruch.
Nissim Isaac ben Judah Sforno
A rabbi at MantuaMantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
in the sixteenth century. He was the author of an epistle on the Kuzari
Kuzari
The Kitab al Khazari, commonly called the Kuzari, is one of most famous works of the medieval Spanish Jewish philosopher and poet Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, completed around 1140. Its title is an Arabic phrase meaning Book of the Khazars...
. A responsum (legal novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
) of his is quoted in the above-mentioned collection.
Obadiah ben Israel Sforno
Venetian Talmudist of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He edited Menahem Azariah di Fano's Yemin Adonai Romemah (Venice, n.d.); and a responsum of his is inserted in Di Fano's collection of Responsa (Venice, n.d., p. 83).Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno
Italian exegete, philosopher, and physicianPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
; born at Cesena
Cesena
Cesena is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, south of Ravenna and west of Rimini, on the Savio River, co-chief of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. It is at the foot of the Apennines, and about 15 km from the Adriatic Sea.-History:Cesena was originally an Umbrian...
about 1475; died at Bologna in 1550. See the main article on him, Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno
Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno
Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno was an Italian rabbi, Biblical commentator, philosopher and physician. He was born at Cesena about 1475 and died at Bologna in 1550....
.
Osheah ben Nissim Isaac Sforno
Rabbi at Mantua in the first half of the seventeenth century. A religious poem of his was inserted by Joseph Jedidiah Karmi in his Kenaf Renanim.Solomon Samuel ben Nissim Israel Sforno
Rabbi at AstiAsti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
, later at Venice; died in 1617. Several responsa of his were inserted by Jacob Heilbronner in his Naḥalat Ya'aḳob (Padua, 1622). Solomon left in manuscript commentaries on Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, Proverbs
Book of Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
, Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
, Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
, the Megillot, Ezra
Book of Ezra
The Book of Ezra is a book of the Hebrew Bible. Originally combined with the Book of Nehemiah in a single book of Ezra-Nehemiah, the two became separated in the early centuries of the Christian era...
, Nehemiah
Book of Nehemiah
The Book of Nehemiah is a book of the Hebrew Bible. Told largely in the form of a first-person memoir, it concerns the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah, a Jew who is a high official at the Persian court, and the dedication of the city and its people to God's laws...
, and Chronicles
Books of Chronicles
The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...
. He edited the Cuzari with the commentary of Judah Moscato
Judah Moscato
Judah Moscato was an Italian rabbi, poet, and philosopher of the sixteenth century; born at Osimo, near Ancona; died at Mantua...
(Venice, 1594). On his death a funeral sermon was pronounced by Leon of Modena
Leon of Modena
Leon Modena or Yehudah Aryeh Mi-modena was a Jewish scholar born in Venice of a notable French family that had migrated to Italy after an expulsion of Jews from France.-Life:...
, who lauded him in the highest terms.