Abraham de Boton
Encyclopedia
Abraham Hiyya de Boton (Hebrew: אברהם די בוטון) was a
Talmudist and rabbi, a pupil of Samuel de Medina
, who later dwelt for the most part at Salonica as rabbi and leader of a Talmudic academy
. The name "Ḥiyya" was given him during a dangerous sickness (Ḥiyya = "life"; "may he live!"). He was for a time rabbi at Polia
(Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, p. 95); in 1601 he lived in Palestine
(David Conforte
, Ḳore ha-Dorot, pp. 47b, 51a), and in 1603 was at Constantinople
(Michael, ib.). He died between 1603 and 1609.
Even during his lifetime Boton was distinguished as a Talmudist of wide learning and acumen, though he himself did not have a work printed. His chief work is Lehem Mishneh (Double Bread; also Dispute of the Mishnah), Venice, 1609: it bears also the title Mishneh Torah. It is a commentary on Maimonides
' Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah, or Mishneh Torah
, especially on those passages which apparently contradict the Talmud
. He not only refers to such passages as had been previously noticed, but discovers a large number of others. At the same time Boton endeavors to establish harmony between the seeming discrepancies by every possible method of interpretation. Leḥem Mishneh also contains many remarks on Maggid Mishneh, Don Vidal of Tolosa
's commentary on the Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah. The work is now widely spread, and is incorporated with most editions of the Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah that have appeared in the last two centuries. Conforte relates (ib. p. 45a) that his teacher Mordecai Kalai told him and other pupils that the Leḥem Mishneh was the joint work of Kalai and Boton, who were fellow-students; and Kalai is even reported to have said that most of the observations in Leḥem Mishneh were his own. This aspersion loses force through the fact that though Kalai lived in the same city, he never made this claim against Boton publicly.
Another work of Boton's was Leḥem Rab (Great Meal, or Great Dispute), responsa, published by his grandson Abraham (No. 4), Smyrna, 1660. The novellæ on Baba Ḳamma in Abraham Akra's Meharere *Nemerim must be the work of another and earlier Abraham de Boton.
Talmudist and rabbi, a pupil of Samuel de Medina
Samuel de Medina
Rabbi Samuel ben Moses de Medina , was a Talmudist and author; born 1505; died October 12, 1589, at Salonica. He was principal of the Talmudic college of that city, which produced a great number of prominent scholars during the 16th and 17th centuries...
, who later dwelt for the most part at Salonica as rabbi and leader of a Talmudic academy
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...
. The name "Ḥiyya" was given him during a dangerous sickness (Ḥiyya = "life"; "may he live!"). He was for a time rabbi at Polia
Polia
Polia is a comune in the Province of Vibo Valentia in the Italian region Calabria, located about 30 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 20 km northeast of Vibo Valentia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,224 and an area of 31.8 km².Polia's origins date back to V|VIII...
(Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, p. 95); in 1601 he lived in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
(David Conforte
David Conforte
David Conforte was a Hebrew literary historian born in Salonica, author of the literary chronicle known by the title Ḳore ha-Dorot.-Biography:...
, Ḳore ha-Dorot, pp. 47b, 51a), and in 1603 was at Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
(Michael, ib.). He died between 1603 and 1609.
Even during his lifetime Boton was distinguished as a Talmudist of wide learning and acumen, though he himself did not have a work printed. His chief work is Lehem Mishneh (Double Bread; also Dispute of the Mishnah), Venice, 1609: it bears also the title Mishneh Torah. It is a commentary on Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
' Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah, or Mishneh Torah
Mishneh Torah
The Mishneh Torah subtitled Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka is a code of Jewish religious law authored by Maimonides , one of history's foremost rabbis...
, especially on those passages which apparently contradict the Talmud
Talmud
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 not only refers to such passages as had been previously noticed, but discovers a large number of others. At the same time Boton endeavors to establish harmony between the seeming discrepancies by every possible method of interpretation. Leḥem Mishneh also contains many remarks on Maggid Mishneh, Don Vidal of Tolosa
Vidal of Tolosa
Vidal of Tolosa was a Spanish rabbi and scholar of the latter half of the fourteenth century.Vidal resided in Catalonia, where he prepared his most important work, Maggid Mishneh, a commentary on Maimonides' Mishneh Torah...
's commentary on the Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah. The work is now widely spread, and is incorporated with most editions of the Yad ha-Ḥazaḳah that have appeared in the last two centuries. Conforte relates (ib. p. 45a) that his teacher Mordecai Kalai told him and other pupils that the Leḥem Mishneh was the joint work of Kalai and Boton, who were fellow-students; and Kalai is even reported to have said that most of the observations in Leḥem Mishneh were his own. This aspersion loses force through the fact that though Kalai lived in the same city, he never made this claim against Boton publicly.
Another work of Boton's was Leḥem Rab (Great Meal, or Great Dispute), responsa, published by his grandson Abraham (No. 4), Smyrna, 1660. The novellæ on Baba Ḳamma in Abraham Akra's Meharere *Nemerim must be the work of another and earlier Abraham de Boton.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- David ConforteDavid ConforteDavid Conforte was a Hebrew literary historian born in Salonica, author of the literary chronicle known by the title Ḳore ha-Dorot.-Biography:...
, Ḳore ha-Dorot, pp. 37b, 43a, 43b, 44a, 45a, 48a, 50b, 51a; - AzulaiChaim Joseph David AzulaiChaim Joseph David Azulai ben Isaac Zerachia , commonly known as the Chida , was a Jerusalem born rabbinical scholar, a noted bibliophile, and a pioneer in the publication of Jewish religious writings.- Biography :Azulai was born in Jerusalem, where he received his education...
, Shem ha-Gedolim, ed. Benjacob, i.7; - Heimann Joseph MichaelHeimann Joseph MichaelHeimann Joseph Michael was a Hebrew bibliographer born at Hamburg. He showed great acuteness of mind in early childhood, had a phenomenal memory, and was an indefatigable student. He studied Talmudics and received also private instruction in all the branches of a regular school education...
, Or ha-Ḥayyim, No. 182; - Benjacob, Oẓar ha-Sefarim, p. 260;
- idem, Leḥem Mishneh, Amsterdam, 1703.