Jacob ben Nissim
Encyclopedia
Jacob ben Nissim ibn Shahin was a Jewish philosopher who lived at Kairouan
, Tunisia
in the 10th century; he was a younger contemporary of Saadia
. At Jacob's request Sherira Gaon
wrote a treatise entitled Iggeret, on the redaction of the Mishnah
. Jacob is credited with the authorship of an Arabic
commentary on the Sefer Yeẓirah (translated into Hebrew by Moses ben Joseph).
He asserts in the introduction that Saadia, while living in Egypt
, used to address very insignificant questions to Isaac ben Solomon of Kairouan, and that, on receiving Saadia's commentary, he found that the text had not been understood by the commentator. Jacob therefore decided to write another commentary. In the same introduction Jacob speaks of Galen
, repeating the story that that celebrated physician was a Jew named "Gamaliel." The Hebrew translation of Jacob's commentary is still extant in manuscript (Munich MSS., No. 92, 20; De Rossi MSS., No. 769); excerpts from it have been given by M. H. Landauer
and Dukes.
Kairouan
Kairouan , also known as Kirwan or al-Qayrawan , is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia. Referred to as the Islamic Cultural Capital, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city was founded by the Arabs around 670...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
in the 10th century; he was a younger contemporary of Saadia
Saadia Gaon
Saʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon was a prominent rabbi, Jewish philosopher, and exegete of the Geonic period.The first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Arabic, he is considered the founder of Judeo-Arabic literature...
. At Jacob's request Sherira Gaon
Sherira Gaon
Rav Sherira Gaon was the head of the Academy of Pumbeditha. He was one of the most prominent Geonim of his period, and the father of Hai Gaon, who succeeded him as gaon.Sherira was born in 906 and died in 1006. Rav Sherira Gaon (Hebrew: רב שרירא גאון or R. Sherira ben Ḥanina Gaon, Hebrew: רב...
wrote a treatise entitled Iggeret, on the redaction 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...
. Jacob is credited with the authorship of an Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
commentary on the Sefer Yeẓirah (translated into Hebrew by Moses ben Joseph).
He asserts in the introduction that Saadia, while living in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, used to address very insignificant questions to Isaac ben Solomon of Kairouan, and that, on receiving Saadia's commentary, he found that the text had not been understood by the commentator. Jacob therefore decided to write another commentary. In the same introduction Jacob speaks of Galen
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
, repeating the story that that celebrated physician was a Jew named "Gamaliel." The Hebrew translation of Jacob's commentary is still extant in manuscript (Munich MSS., No. 92, 20; De Rossi MSS., No. 769); excerpts from it have been given by M. H. Landauer
M. H. Landauer
M. H. Landauer was a writer on Jewish mysticism, born at Kappel, near Buchau, Württemberg. He was a son of the cantor Elias Landauer, and at the age of 18 entered the yeshivah and lyceum in Carlsruhe; later he studied at the universities of Munich and Tübingen...
and Dukes.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- M. H. LandauerM. H. LandauerM. H. Landauer was a writer on Jewish mysticism, born at Kappel, near Buchau, Württemberg. He was a son of the cantor Elias Landauer, and at the age of 18 entered the yeshivah and lyceum in Carlsruhe; later he studied at the universities of Munich and Tübingen...
, in Orient, vii. 121; - Julius FürstJulius FürstJulius Fürst , was a Jewish German orientalist.Fürst was a distinguished scholar of Semitic languages and literature...
, ib. vi. 562; - Dukes, Ḳonṭres ha-Masoret;
- Salomon MunkSalomon MunkSalomon Munk was a German-born Jewish-French Orientalist.Munk was born in Gross Glogau in the Kingdom of Prussia. He received his first instruction in Hebrew from his father, an official of the Jewish community; and on the latter's death he joined the Talmud class of R. Jacob Joseph Oettinger...
, Notice sur Aboulwalid, p. 47; - Moritz SteinschneiderMoritz SteinschneiderMoritz Steinschneider was a Bohemian bibliographer and Orientalist. He received his early instruction in Hebrew from his father, Jacob Steinschneider , who was not only an expert Talmudist, but was also well versed in secular science...
, Cat. Bodl. col. 1243; - idem, Hebr. Uebers. p. 396;
- idem, Die Arabische Literatur der Juden, § 58.K
External links
- Jewish Encyclopedia article on Jacob ben Nissim, by Kaufmann KohlerKaufmann KohlerKaufmann Kohler was a German-born U.S. reform rabbi and theologian.-Life and work:Kaufmann Kohler was born into a family of rabbis...
and Isaac BroydéIsaac BroydéIsaac David Broydé was a Jewish Orientalist and librarian.-Life:...
.