Kol Bo
Encyclopedia
Kol Bo is a collection of Jewish ritual and civil laws, the meaning of the title being "all is in it"; who its author was has not yet been ascertained. The work in content resembles other codes, as, for instance, the Orḥot Ḥayyim, though in its form it is very different.
After the regular code, terminating with the laws of mourning (No. 115), there comes a miscellaneous collection, containing the "taḳḳanot" of R. Gershom and of Jacob Tam, the Ma'aseh Torah of Judah ha-Nasi I, the legend of Solomon
's throne, the legend of Joshua b. Levi, a cabalistic dissertation on circumcision
, a dissertation on gemaṭria
and noṭariḳon
, sixty-one decisions of Eliezer b. Nathan; forty-four decisions of Samson Zadok (TaShBeẒ), decisions of Isaac of Corbeil, and responsa of Perez ha-Kohen, decisions of Isaac Orbil, of the geonim Naṭronai, Hai Gaon
, Amram Gaon
, Nahshon Gaon, laws of the "miḳweh" taken from Perez's Sefer ha-Miẓwot, responsa
, and finally the law of excommunication of Naḥmanides
. For this reason it is quoted under the title of "Sefer ha-Liḳḳuṭim" in Abḳat Rokel, No. 13.
, seems to have suggested that the Kol Bo is an abridgment of the Orḥot Ḥayyim. This is also the opinion of the Chida
, and according to Aaron Schlitzstadt, the epitomizer was a certain Shemariah b. Simḥah, in the 14th century; others think that it was Joseph ben Tobiah of Provence. By some scholars it is attributed to a pupil of Perez ha-Kohen; by others it is identified with the "Sefer ha-Nayyar"; and by Gedaliah ibn Yaḥya it is attributed to Isaac ben Sheshet
. Benjacob concluded that the author of the Kol Bo was Aaron ben Jacob ha-Kohen
, author of the Orḥot Ḥayyim, and that the Kol Bo was an earlier form of the Orḥot. Its lack of system and the inadequacy of its authorities are due, Benjacob considers, to the youth of the author. Zunz
refutes Benjacob's arguments, his opinion being that the Kol Bo is a compendium of the Orḥot Ḥayyim. The oldest edition bears neither place nor date, but Joseph Zedner
conjectures that it was published at Naples in 1490; the second edition is dated "Constantinople, 1519."
Its Contents and Peculiarities
The Kol Bo does not pretend to any order; the laws that were later arranged in Oraḥ Ḥayyim are found together with those that were later arranged in Yoreh De'ah and Eben ha-'Ezer. Likewise, many laws are entirely missing in the Kol Bo. It is peculiar also in that some of the laws are briefly stated, while others are stated at great length, without division into paragraphs.After the regular code, terminating with the laws of mourning (No. 115), there comes a miscellaneous collection, containing the "taḳḳanot" of R. Gershom and of Jacob Tam, the Ma'aseh Torah of Judah ha-Nasi I, the legend of Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
's throne, the legend of Joshua b. Levi, a cabalistic dissertation on circumcision
Brit milah
The brit milah is a Jewish religious circumcision ceremony performed on 8-day old male infants by a mohel. The brit milah is followed by a celebratory meal .-Biblical references:...
, a dissertation on gemaṭria
Gematria
Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...
and noṭariḳon
Notarikon
Notarikon is a method of deriving a word, akin to the creation of an acronym, by using each of its initial or final letters to stand for another word, forming a sentence or idea out of the words. Another variation entails using the first and last letters, or the two middle letters of a word,...
, sixty-one decisions of Eliezer b. Nathan; forty-four decisions of Samson Zadok (TaShBeẒ), decisions of Isaac of Corbeil, and responsa of Perez ha-Kohen, decisions of Isaac Orbil, of the geonim Naṭronai, Hai Gaon
Hai Gaon
Hai ben Sherira , was a medieval Jewish theologian, rabbi and scholar who served as Gaon of the Talmudic academy of Pumbedita during the early 11th century. He was born in 939 and died on March 28, 1038...
, Amram Gaon
Amram Gaon
Amram Gaon was a famous Gaon or head of the Jewish Talmud Academy of Sura in the 9th century. He was the author of many Responsa, but his chief work was liturgical.He was the first to arrange a complete liturgy for the synagogue...
, Nahshon Gaon, laws of the "miḳweh" taken from Perez's Sefer ha-Miẓwot, responsa
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...
, and finally the law of excommunication of Naḥmanides
Nahmanides
Nahmanides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Naḥman Girondi, Bonastruc ça Porta and by his acronym Ramban, , was a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.-Name:"Nahmanides" is a Greek-influenced formation meaning "son of Naḥman"...
. For this reason it is quoted under the title of "Sefer ha-Liḳḳuṭim" in Abḳat Rokel, No. 13.
Author
As to the author of the Kol Bo, there are different opinions; Joseph Caro, in saying that the words of the Kol Bo are identical with those of the Orḥot Ḥayyim of Aaron ben Jacob ha-KohenAaron ben Jacob Ha-Kohen
Aaron ben Jacob ha-Kohen was a Provençal rabbi, one of a family of scholars living at Narbonne, France , and who suffered the expulsion of the Jews in 1306....
, seems to have suggested that the Kol Bo is an abridgment of the Orḥot Ḥayyim. This is also the opinion of the Chida
Chaim Joseph David Azulai
Chaim 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...
, and according to Aaron Schlitzstadt, the epitomizer was a certain Shemariah b. Simḥah, in the 14th century; others think that it was Joseph ben Tobiah of Provence. By some scholars it is attributed to a pupil of Perez ha-Kohen; by others it is identified with the "Sefer ha-Nayyar"; and by Gedaliah ibn Yaḥya it is attributed to Isaac ben Sheshet
Isaac ben Sheshet
Isaac ben Sheshet Perfet was a Spanish Talmudic authority, also known by his acronym, Rivash . He was born at Valencia and settled early in life at Barcelona, where he studied under Perez ha-Kohen, under Hasdai ben Judah, and especially under R...
. Benjacob concluded that the author of the Kol Bo was Aaron ben Jacob ha-Kohen
Aaron ben Jacob Ha-Kohen
Aaron ben Jacob ha-Kohen was a Provençal rabbi, one of a family of scholars living at Narbonne, France , and who suffered the expulsion of the Jews in 1306....
, author of the Orḥot Ḥayyim, and that the Kol Bo was an earlier form of the Orḥot. Its lack of system and the inadequacy of its authorities are due, Benjacob considers, to the youth of the author. Zunz
Zunz
Zunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
refutes Benjacob's arguments, his opinion being that the Kol Bo is a compendium of the Orḥot Ḥayyim. The oldest edition bears neither place nor date, but Joseph Zedner
Joseph Zedner
Joseph Zedner was a German Jewish bibliographer and librarian.After completing his education, he acted as teacher in the Jewish school in Strelitz , where the lexicographer Daniel Sanders was his pupil. In 1832 he became a tutor in the family of the book-seller A...
conjectures that it was published at Naples in 1490; the second edition is dated "Constantinople, 1519."
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- 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, ii.; - Benjacob, Oẓar ha-Sefarim, p. 239;
- 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, p. 25b; - Gross, in Monatsschrift, xviii. 444;
- ZunzZunzZunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
, Ritus, pp. 32, 179-180; - M. Schlesinger, in the introduction to his edition of Aaron ha-Kohen of Lunel's Orḥot Ḥayyim, Berlin, 1902.
External links
- Jewish Encyclopedia article for Kol Bo, by Cyrus AdlerCyrus AdlerCyrus Adler was a U.S. educator, Jewish religious leader and scholar.-Biography:Adler was born in Van Buren, Arkansas, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania in 1883 and gained a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1887, where he taught Semitic languages from 1884 to 1893...
and M. Seligsohn.