"
Zacuto. in "Yiiscliism (,pl2) ill matters of ritiml. ^nsiii" (ed. Filipowski. p. '~2), who is followed by •• " (cd. Hciliu, III//), Koic liii-Dorot Coiiforte, in his ascribes, without itiviug his authority, a fertaiu " Mal.iazik haliedek " to Abraliaiu book entitled ben Nathan. But Heifmann's assertion that HAI5X was the author of a work entitled "Bet Zebul (llal)itation) is wholly unwarranted; for these two words, oceurring in the inlroduelion to "Ha-Manhlg" (p. 1, 1. (i), refer to the " Ila-Maidiij; " itself, as is evident from the passaire on i>age ~', line (i. wrote also a commentary on the treatise " Kallali, " which is extant in f i-agmeiitary form only specimens of it were given in the Hebrew weekly '•Ila-Maggiil"(180.j. pp. 149. loO, ].-)7, 158).
KAHX
his long stay in Spain, Abraham learned Arabic sulliciently to translate into IIel)rew a responsum by Saadia. which is to be found in the "IlaMaidng" (ed. Beriin, p. !).")). Qute recently also his responsa were publislied in Wertheimer's
During
"(iinze Yerushalayim," 18%. ConrKHc, Knrr lia-Dnrot,
pp. 19/*, 2(»: Kenan. 1». Cu-sst?!, in the ZitnzJ,r.i linhtiiuH Frmintis, pp. rc'l, 747 JiihctM-hrifl. pp. l--i i:)7; (Jmss. (inlllii .iKflttkii. p. 2)Ni; Hell-
Bini.iOfiRAniv
iimnii. in Mmiiiziit
f. t/.
Wi^i
tti(ili. il.
Jwl,
ABRAHAM OF NIORT (now
Talmudic commen-
the department of I)ei. ijevi'es), France, in the second half of the fourteenth Isaac de Lattes, in his chronicle "Sha'aro century'. Zion," refers to him as a notable scholar and commentator on the Talmud. The name of his native town is variously s|ielled in Hebrew literature; it appears, among other forms, as C'DKT'J which Gross identities with Niort, the Latin Niortium. tator; livedat Niorl
in
.
BuiLiodP.APnv: ilmss, ddlUa Jiuliiini. pp.
- !!t'.
HIS.
L.
ABRAHAM BEN NISSIM nvi
N.
Ai;i;uM
i;i;N
HATYXTN.
G. See
English and Hebrew
author; iHiru 18U;i;died in London. I)e( 17, 18'J0. Ho published: (1) "The Autobiography of a Jewish Gentleman" (18(;()); (•>) "Autumn Gatherings," a <(illeetion of prose and |)oeli'y (London. 18(i());(;{) "HaNistarot weha-Niglot " (The S<cnt and Hevealed Things'); (4) "Curiosities (jf Judaism: Facts, Opinions, Anecdotes, and Hemarks Relative to the Hebrew Nation" (London, 187!)). BiliunriliAIMiv: Jiii:
ttimnninf
Chnm.
Di'c.
EiifjlUdi X.(/tTat«r*',
1!),
ISflO. p. ft; .llit)one.
supplement,
vol.
I.,
DiV-
Pliilatlel-
plila, isni.
B. B.
ABRAHAM, PHINEHAS bum
West Indian mer-
about tile beginning of the nineteenth century; and rlied Feb. lit, 1887. He was one of the last survivors of the body <if West Indian merchants who contributed in a high digree to the |irosperily of the West Indian colonial posses.sions. In former years Abraham was one of the largest landed proprietors in the island of various olllces outside of the JewJamaica. He held ish community. He was si'iiioi- justice of the peace for the parish of Trelawny in Jamaica, an agent of Lloyds" and the last surviving captain in the Tre;
in llie inland dI
.laniaica
militia. He was also oneof the earliest members of the Berkeley Street Synagogue, London. DliiiioiiiiMMiY: Jew. Chriin. Vri. i- 1KS7. O. L.
lawny
ABRAHAM
PROCHOWNIK ("The Powdermaker"); . legendiir personage said to have been nominated prince of i'oland, in 8-12, undei- the following cireunislances: After thi' death of Prince Popiil, the I'dles helil a cmniiil at i'lect
!i
succes.sipr.
A
chance encounter
They disagiced
is
found
in
many
folk-tales.
Binr.ioc.RAPiiv: A. Kraiislmr, Histnriimm.
ABRAHAM, PHILIP
finally decided that theperscni who first entered the city on the following moniing should be their ruler. This was none oilier than the Jew Abraham the Powder-maker (iirtirhoiriiik). who was escorted to the couneilhall and ])roelaimed in'ince of Poland. Abraham declined the honor and insisted upon their electing the wis(; Pole Piast, who became the founder of the Piast dynasty (compare the similar legend concerning S.ti, W.rii,). choice of king bj' lot or
and
'
v. (;(.MS7.
L. G.
<-liaiit
Abraham ben Hoses Alashkar Abraham Saba
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
117
1!
i'M
i..
See LoNz.No, Ahh.mi.v.m ben Rapii.ei,
1)1.
ABRAHAM BEN RAPHAEL MELDOLA. Mi;i.iMii.. .Vi:kiim Hm'Uai.i.. ABRAHAM REUBEN. See lIosuKE, KeuliK, ABRAHAM SABA: A preacher in Castile.
See
i;i;.
where he was bdin in the miildle of the tifteenth century. He became a pupil of Isimc de Leon. At the time of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain he took refuge in Portugal, where he met with furthermisfortune forscarcely had he settled in Oporto when King Emanuel ordered all Jews to be expelled from Portugal, all Jewish children to become Christians, and all Hebrew books to be burned (Dec. '^4. 1401)). Saba's two sons were forcibly taken from him, and he lied from Oporto, abandoning his entire library and sueeeeding only at the risk of his life in saving his own works in manuscript. He tied to Lisbon, but before reaching there was told of a new onU-r of the king decreeing the death of any Jew with whom a Hebrew book or lijilliii He hid his rnanuscripis (phylacteries) were f<iund. luid tetillin iinihr an olive tree and 4'ntered the city. Upon leaving Lisbon he attempted to ri'cover his hidden treasure, but being diseoviTcd bv the king's guards, he was thrown into prison, and aft<T a six months' contiiu'meiit was sent across the frontier. He went to Fez, Morocco, where he resided for ten Sikiii after his arrival he fell ill; his groat years. privations and terribU' sulTerings having nnderOn his recovery lie recommitted mined his health. to paper from iminory the following works, the original miuiuseripts cif which hail been lost in Portuiral: (1) " Eslikol iia Kofir" (. Cliislerof Campliirei. a commeutary on Ruthand Esther, (".M'Zeror
