Vidal of Tolosa
Encyclopedia
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. This work covered the entire contents of the Mishneh Torah, but by 1906 only those parts were extant which cover the following books: iii., iv., v. (ch. i.-ix. only), xi., xii. (ch. i.-iii. only), and xiii. Before the twentieth century, the commentary was never published separately, but only together with the Mishneh Torah (first at Constantinople, 1509). Vidal's second work was a commentary in Arabic on a work by Al-Ghazali
that is known in Hebrew as To'elet ha-Higgayon. This commentary was translated into Hebrew by Moses ben Joshua of Narbonne, and as of 1906 was extant in manuscript in the Library of the Vatican
. From Joseph Caro's preface to his Kesef Mishneh it appears that Vidal was a personal friend of Nissim of Gerona
.
Vidal's son Isaac was also a prominent scholar. He lived in Alcala
and corresponded with Isaac ben Sheshet
, according to Isaac's responsa
number 473.
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...
and scholar of the latter half of the fourteenth century.
Vidal resided in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, where he prepared his most important work, Maggid Mishneh, 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...
' Mishneh Torah. This work covered the entire contents of the Mishneh Torah, but by 1906 only those parts were extant which cover the following books: iii., iv., v. (ch. i.-ix. only), xi., xii. (ch. i.-iii. only), and xiii. Before the twentieth century, the commentary was never published separately, but only together with the Mishneh Torah (first at Constantinople, 1509). Vidal's second work was a commentary in Arabic on a work by Al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali
Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī , known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia was a Persian Muslim theologian, jurist, philosopher, and mystic....
that is known in Hebrew as To'elet ha-Higgayon. This commentary was translated into Hebrew by Moses ben Joshua of Narbonne, and as of 1906 was extant in manuscript in the Library of the Vatican
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
. From Joseph Caro's preface to his Kesef Mishneh it appears that Vidal was a personal friend of Nissim of Gerona
Nissim of Gerona
Nissim ben Reuven of Girona, Catalonia was an influential talmudist and authority on Jewish law. He was one of the last of the great Spanish medieval talmudic scholars. He is also known as the RaN .-Biography:The Ran was born in Barcelona, Catalonia...
.
Vidal's son Isaac was also a prominent scholar. He lived in Alcala
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares , meaning Citadel on the river Henares, is a Spanish city, whose historical centre is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, and one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain...
and corresponded with 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...
, according to Isaac's 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...
number 473.
Sources
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=890&letter=M That text cites the following sources:- Giulio BartolocciGiulio BartolocciGiulio Bartolocci was an Italian Cistercian Hebrew scholar and author of the four volume Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica.-Life:...
. Ḳiryat Sefer (Bibliotheca Magna Rabbinica). Four folio volumes, 1675-93. ii. 804a-805b. - Isaac Benjacob, Oẓar ha-Sefarim, Thesaurus Librorum Hebræorum tam Impressorum quam Manuscriptorum. Wilna, 1880. p. 384.
- 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. ed. David Cassel (Berlin, 1846), pp. 26a, 27a. - Giovanni Bernardo De RossiGiovanni Bernardo De RossiGiovanni Bernardo De Rossi was an Italian Christian Hebraist. He studied in Ivrea and Turin. In October 1769, he was appointed professor of Oriental languages at the University of Parma, where he spent the rest of his life...
. Dizionario Storico degli Autori Ebrei e delle Loro Opere (Parma, 1802; German translation by Hamberger, Leipsic, 1839). p. 328. - Gedaliah ibn Yaḥya. Shalshelet ha-Ḳabbalah. ed. Amsterdam, p. 45.
- 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. Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1891. pp. 360-361. - David RosinDavid RosinDavid Rosin was a German Jewish theologian from Rosenberg, Silesia.Having received his early instruction from his father, who was a teacher in his native town, he attended the yeshibah of Kempen, of Myslowitz , and of Prague ; but, wishing to receive a regular school education, he went to Breslau,...
. Ein Compendium der Jüdischen Gesetzeskunde aus dem 14. Jahrhundert. Breslau, 1871. p. 115, Breslau, 1871. - 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...
. Die Hebräischen Uebersetzungen des Mittelalters und die-Juden als Dolmetscher, etc. Berlin, 1893. i. 315, note 353. - 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...
. Jüdische Literatur, p. 388, note 17. - 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...
. Catalogus librorum Hebraeorum in Bibliotheca Bodleiana. Berlin, 1852-1860. cols. 2707-2708. - Johann Christoph WolfJohann Christoph WolfJohann Christoph Wolf was a German Christian Hebraist, polyhistor, and collector of books....
. Bibliotheca Hebræa (4 vols., Hamburg, 1715-33). i. 563, iii. 562. - Abraham ZacutoAbraham ZacutoAbraham Zacuto was a Sephardi Jewish astronomer, astrologer, mathematician and historian who served as Royal Astronomer in the 15th century to King John II of Portugal. The crater Zagut on the Moon is named after him....
. Sefer Yuḥasin ha-Shalem. ed. Hirsch Filipowski (London, 1857). p. 225a.