Ibn Yaḥya, Joseph Ben David

Italian exegete and philosopher; born at Florence 1494; died at Imola 1539. His parents were Spanish exiles who had lived for a time in Florence and had then settled in Imola. His son Gedaliah, author of "Shalshelet ha-Ḳabbalah," relates that his father having asked to be buried in the Holy Land, his body was sent to Safed, where Joseph Caro superintended its interment. Ibn Yaḥya was the author of two works: (1) "Perush" (Bologna, 1538), a commentary on the Five Scrolls and Hagiographa, and (2) "Torah Or" (ib. 1537-38), a treatise on theology and eschatology.

Bibliography:

  * Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. col. 1476;
  * De Rossi, Dizionario, p. 133;
  * Vogelstein and Rieger, Gesch. der Juden in Rom, ii. 101.



G. I. Br.