Elijah Ben Abraham

Karaite scholar of the twelfth century. He was the author of a work entitled "Ḥaluḳḳot ha-Ḳara'im weha-Rabbanim," on the controversy between Karaites and Rabbinites (published by Pinsker in his "Liḳḳuṭe Ḳadmoniyyot," Supplement, pp. 99-106). Elijah wasthe only Karaite who quoted a work of Saadia's—the "Kitab al-Rudd 'ala 'Anan," according to Pinsker (ib. p. 19). That Elijah lived not later than the twelfth century is shown by the fact that the last Karaite scholar quoted by him was Japheth ben ha-Maskil, a contemporary of Judah Ḥadassi. Pinsker identifies Elijah ben Abraham with Elijah B. Judah Tishbi, supposing that he was only the copyist, not the author, of the "Ḥaluḳḳot."

Bibliography:

  * Pinsker, Liḳḳuṭe, Ḳadmoniyyot, pp. 19, 225;
  * Steinschneider, Jewish Literature, p. 312, note 21;
  * idem, Hebr. Bibl. v. 52-53;
  * Gottlober, Biḳḳoret le-Toledot ha-Ḳara'im, p. 157.



K. M. Sel.