Isaac of Ourville (Hebrew: יצחק מאורביל Yiṣḥaq me-Orvil, fl. late 13th century[1]) was a medieval French rabbi, author of the mostly-lost Sefer haMenahel, a book of halakha (Jewish ritual law).
Life and Time
editIsaac appears to have been a contemporary of Perez of Corbeil (died c. 1297);[2] Isaac cites Moses of Coucy's Semag, from the generation before Perez, while segments of Isaac's Menahel are, in turn, cited alongside the Perez's teachings.[3] His master was Hayyim of Blois,[4] who is possibly identical with Hayyim ben Isaac the Frenchman (Hebrew: חיים בן יצחק הצרפתי), the author of Ez Hayyim on Jewish monetary law, a disciple of Samuel of Evreux.[3]
Toponym
editCarmoly and others read אורביל as "Orbeil", a village in the Puy-de-Dôme department, while Gross considered this unlikely, as Orbeil probably had no Jewish population in medieval times. According to Gross, אורביל is probably Ourville (Ourville-en-Caux), Seine-Maritime, or perhaps Orville, Orne.[4] Isaac is thus sometimes named האורבלי HaOrvili (or HaOrbeli). He was confused by Samuel David Luzzato with a similarly named rabbinical authority, Isaac ben Dorbolo, after Rapoport's misinterpretation of the latter's patronymic as "d'Orbolo".[5]
Work
editMost of his only known work, the halakhic Sefer HaMenahel (Hebrew: המנהל "the Guide"), is lost, but select portions have survived as follows:
- Quoted by name in the closely related pair of halakhic works, Orhot Hayyim by Aaron ben Jacob ha-Kohen and Kol Bo.[4]
- Incorporated anonymously into the halakhic decisions of Menahem Recanati.[1]
- Quoted by name in two manuscripts of commentary to the Sefer Mitzvot Katan, JTS Rab. 1033 and Bodleian Opp. 338.[1] A third manuscript of commentary to the SM"K, once held by the Collegio Rabbinico Italiano, also contained content from the Menahel,[6][7][8] but the Collegio's entire library was confiscated by the Nazis in December 1944 and has never been recovered.
- MS Paris heb. 407 f. 236r includes a list of Gershom ben Judah's bans copied out of the Menahel.
References
edit- ^ a b c Emanuel, Simha (2008). פסקי ר' מנחם מרקנטי. Shenaton Ha-mishpaṭ Ha-ʻIvri. 25. Hebrew University of Jerusalem: 158–159. LCCN 74647727.
- ^ Renan, Ernest (1877). "Les rabbins français". In Hauréau, B. (ed.). Histoire littéraire de la France. Vol. XXVII. Paris: Imprimerie nationale. p. 448. LCCN f01002304.
- ^ a b Goldmints, A. Y. (2001). "Foreword". In Hayyim ben Isaac (ed.). Ez Hayyim (in Hebrew). Goldmints, A. Y. (ed.). Jerusalem: Mekhon Yerushalayim. p. 12. LCCN 2004418780.
- ^ a b c Gross, Heinrich (1897). Gallia Judaica (in French). Paris: L. Cerf. pp. 27–28. ISBN 978-1-02-240123-5. LCCN 51050586.
- ^ Taylor, Charles (1900). Appendix to Sayings of the Jewish Fathers. University Press. p. 13.
- ^ Luzzatto, Samuel David; לוצטו, שמואל דוד בן חזקיה (1882). אגרות שד"ל (in Hebrew). דפוס זופניק עט קנאללער. p. 669.
- ^ Harkavy, Albert (1871). Collection of pamphlets and articles by Albert Harkavy on various topics in Jewish history and Slavic history (in Hebrew). p. 37.
- ^ Elbogen, J. and A. (1902). Revue des études juives (in French). Ed. Peeters. pp. 99–111, 204–217.
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