Jacob Abendana
Encyclopedia
Jacob Abendana was hakham of London
from 1680 until his death. Jacob was eldest the son of Joseph Abendana and brother to Isaac Abendana
.
Though his family originally lived in Hamburg
, Jacob and his brother were both born in Spain
. At some point in time, his family moved to Amsterdam
where he studied at the De los Pintos rabbi
nical academy in Rotterdam
. In 1655 he was appointed hakham of that city. On May 3, 1655, Abendana delivered a famous memorial sermon on the Cordovan
martyrs Marranos Nunez and Almeyda Bernal who had been burned at the stake.
Several years later, with his brother, Isaac, Jacob published the Bible commentary Miklal Yofi by Solomon ben Melekh which included his own commentary, Lekket Shikchah (Gleanings), on the Pentateuch, the Book of Joshua
, and part of the Book of Judges
. This was published by subscription in Amsterdam in 1660 with a second edition in 1685.
Having gone to Leyden seeking subscribers, Jacob met Anton Hulsius with whom he helped in his studies. Hulsius tried to convert Jacob to Christianity
which began a lifelong correspondence between the two. The Abendana brothers similarly impressed other Christian scholars, such as Johannes Buxtorf
(Basel
), Johann Coccejus (Leyden), and Jacob Golius (Leyden).
With Hulsius, Jacob entered into a polemical discussion of the verse in the Book of Haggai
: "The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former" (2:9), which Hulsius attempted to prove was a reference to the Church
. The debate lasted via correspondence from September 24, 1659 to June 16, 1660. Abendana responded with a Spanish
translation of Rabbi Judah Halevi's Kuzari
in 1663. Hulsius eventually published the correspondence between the two in 1669.
In 1675, Jacob addressed the community at the dedication of the new synagogue in Amsterdam. Five years later, in 1680, he was brought to London to succeed Joshua da Silva as Hakham of London where he served for 15 years as the hakham of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in London. Over the following years, he completed a Spanish-language translation of the Mishnah
, along with the commentaries of Maimonides
and Obadiah of Bertinoro
. The work was frequently cited by Christian theologians, though it was never published. Jacob Abendana died childless in London in 1695 and was buried in the Portuguese cemetery at Mile End.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from 1680 until his death. Jacob was eldest the son of Joseph Abendana and brother to Isaac Abendana
Isaac Abendana
Isaac Abendana was the younger brother of Jacob Abendana, and became hakam of the Spanish Portuguese Synagogue in London after his brother died....
.
Though his family originally lived in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Jacob and his brother were both born in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. At some point in time, his family moved to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
where he studied at the De los Pintos 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...
nical academy in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. In 1655 he was appointed hakham of that city. On May 3, 1655, Abendana delivered a famous memorial sermon on the Cordovan
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
martyrs Marranos Nunez and Almeyda Bernal who had been burned at the stake.
Several years later, with his brother, Isaac, Jacob published the Bible commentary Miklal Yofi by Solomon ben Melekh which included his own commentary, Lekket Shikchah (Gleanings), on the Pentateuch, the Book of Joshua
Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land....
, and part of the Book of Judges
Book of Judges
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
. This was published by subscription in Amsterdam in 1660 with a second edition in 1685.
Having gone to Leyden seeking subscribers, Jacob met Anton Hulsius with whom he helped in his studies. Hulsius tried to convert Jacob to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
which began a lifelong correspondence between the two. The Abendana brothers similarly impressed other Christian scholars, such as Johannes Buxtorf
Johannes Buxtorf
Johannes Buxtorf was a celebrated Hebraist, member of a family of Orientalists; professor of Hebrew for thirty-nine years at Basel and was known by the title, "Master of the Rabbis". His massive tome, De Synagoga Judaica Johannes Buxtorf (December 25, 1564 – September 13, 1629) was a...
(Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
), Johann Coccejus (Leyden), and Jacob Golius (Leyden).
With Hulsius, Jacob entered into a polemical discussion of the verse in the Book of Haggai
Book of Haggai
The Book of Haggai is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanak, and has its place as the antepenultimate of the Minor Prophets or the "Book of the Twelve." It is a short book, consisting of only two chapters. The historical setting dates around 520 BCE before the Temple has been rebuilt...
: "The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former" (2:9), which Hulsius attempted to prove was a reference to the Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
. The debate lasted via correspondence from September 24, 1659 to June 16, 1660. Abendana responded with a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
translation of Rabbi Judah Halevi's 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...
in 1663. Hulsius eventually published the correspondence between the two in 1669.
In 1675, Jacob addressed the community at the dedication of the new synagogue in Amsterdam. Five years later, in 1680, he was brought to London to succeed Joshua da Silva as Hakham of London where he served for 15 years as the hakham of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in London. Over the following years, he completed a Spanish-language translation of the Mishnah
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
, along with the commentaries of 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...
and Obadiah of Bertinoro
Obadiah ben Abraham
Obadiah ben Abraham of Bertinoro was a 15th-century rabbi best known for his popular commentary on the Mishnah, commonly known as "The Bartenura".He was born and lived in the second half of the 15th-century in Italy and died in Jerusalem, Palestine about 1500...
. The work was frequently cited by Christian theologians, though it was never published. Jacob Abendana died childless in London in 1695 and was buried in the Portuguese cemetery at Mile End.
Source
- Abendana, Jacob in The Jewish encyclopedia: a descriptive record of the history, religion, literature, and customs of the Jewish people from the earliest times to the present day, New York ; London : Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1901–06, volume 1, p 53.