Volume 1

The Jewish encyclopedia : a descriptive record of the history, religion, literature, and customs of the Jewish people from the earliest times to the present day / prepared ... under the direction of ... Cyrus Adler [and others] Isidore Singer ... managing editor.

Date:: 1901-1906

Credit: The Jewish encyclopedia : a descriptive record of the history, religion, literature, and customs of the Jewish people from the earliest times to the present day / prepared ... under the direction of ... Cyrus Adler [and others] Isidore Singer ... managing editor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

123/752 (page 75)

$‘Abodah Torah Sr. Yahacob Israel Heoriques,” Amsterdam, 1()T8. He wrote in Hebrew, under the title nDT 'n'EJ’y. an account of the war between the i'ortuguese and the Dutch in Brazil, and of the sufferings of the Jews there. This work has been partiall}' published in the “Publications Am. Jew. Hist. Soc.” No. 0, 129 et seg. Bibliography: Kayserling, Bibl. Esp.-Port. Jud. pp. 4. 5; Publications of the Am. Jew. Hist. Soc. iii. 14-20, 103 et se(i., V. 125-136: Gratz. Gesch. d. Juden, x. passim; De Castro, who gives the epitaphs ol Aboab and his wives, in Keur van Grafsteenen. pp. 67 et seq. M. K. Isaac Zemah Aboab: A physician, like his brother Daniel, at Amsterdam. He was a friend of Benedict de Castro, physician in ordinary to Queen Christina of Sweden, and of Benjamin Musaphia in Hamburg. An Isaac Aboab is mentioned as living in Barbados in 1680 (“ Publications Am. Jew. Hist. Soc,” i. lOo). Jacob Aboab; 1. Rabbi at Venice ; was the son and successor of Samuel Aboab. He died after 1727 at Venice. He edited and published, at the expense of Ins wealthy elder brother, David Aboab, the rab- binical decisions of his father, and provided the book with a detailed biography of its author. He paid especial attention to Biblical antiquities and natural science. He conducted an active literary correspond- ence with Theophil Unger, a pastor at Herrenlaurn- schlitz, who was an enthusiastic collector of Hebrew manuscripts. These letters are preserved in the City Library of Hamburg (No. 335, 3). Christian Wolf mentions this Aboab in his “Bibl. Hebr.” in sixty places. Aboab also maintained, from 1682 to 1692, a scientific correspondence with the learned impe- rial councilor Job Ludolf, at Frankfort-on-the-Main. These letters are preserved in the Frankfort City Library. He wrote a number of rabbinical decisions, which are preserved in the works of others; for in- stance, in the “Pahad Yizhak” of Isaac Lampronti. 2. A jihysician at Mecca at 1626. 3. Another Jacob Aboab was one of the earliest Jewish immigrants to New York, where he arrived in 1654, probably from Holland (“Publications Am. Jew. Hist. Soc.” ii. 77, vi. 83). 4. Son of a Hebrew proof-reader, Abraham Abo.ab; was a printer at Venice, 1669-82. 5. Son of Bex.iamin Abo.vb, lived about 1675 in Amsterdam and was renowned for his keen intellect. 6. Son of Isaac Aboab, “ the last gaon of Castile ”; published the religious discourses of his father in 1538. Joseph. Aboab; Son of Samuel; was for some time rabbi at Venice. He was the author of rabbin- ical decisions, as }'et not printed. He emigrated to Palestine and died at Hebron. Judah Aboab : A grand.son of Isaac Aboab, the “ last gaon ”; was a dayj’an {juez) at Alcazarquivir in Africa. He had many disciples, among them David Fayon, who provided Immanuel Aboab with much information concerning the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and Portugal (“Nomologii,” 302). Mattathiah Aboab: Represented the congre- gation Bet Jacob in Amsterdam, in 1639, His son Itloses was later president of the united Portuguese community. Letters of denization were granted in New York (June 25, 1684) to a Moses Aboab (“Publications of the Am. Jew. Hist. Soc.” vi. 104). Raphael Aboab : Emigrated in 1669 to Surinam. Samuel Aboab: Son of Abraham; was a very prominent rabbi of the seventeenth century. He was born at Venice in 1610; died there Aug. 22, 1694. He very early began the study of rabbinical literature. When thirteen years of age, he became the pupil of the learned David Franco. From him Aboab re- ceived the intellectual tendency which be followed all his life. When eighteen years of age, he married the portionless daughter of Franco, named Mazzal- Tob, a proceeding unusual at that time. He was first appointed rabbi in Verona, whither his father and brothers soon followed him. Here he gained such a reputation for learning that discijiles from far and near sought him, and the rabbis of Italy turned to him with difficult religious questions. He became known by the name RaSHA (x cn), a word formed from the initial letters of his Hebrew name. Aboab was not only profoundly learned in all Jew- ish science, but also acquainted with secular learning and a master of several languages. He understood Latin and German, spoke Italian, and read and wrote Spanish. He was rigid, even ascetic, in his piety; fasted much, studied the Law day and night, and ate no meat on week-days. He was extremely mod- est and charitable, supported his disciples, and vis- ited the ])oor in their dwellings. In 1656 he was called to Venice as rabbi. There he became involved in the controversy concerning Shabbethai Zebi and his repre.sentative or apostle, Nathan of Gaza. The latter confessed to Aboab, as ju-esident of the rab- binical tribunal (bet din) of Venice, that his (Nathan of Gaza’s) prophecies concerning the Messianic char- acter of Shabbethai Zebi were mere deceptions. In advanced age Aboab became the victim of many misfortunes. Domestic troubles and severe illness afflicted him, and in his eightieth year he was compelled to leave Venice and his family, and to wander from jfface to place. It was only shortly before his death that he received permission from the doge and the senate of Venice to return to the city and to reassume his office, which in his absence had been conducted by his sou Joseph, who resem- bled him in piety and modesty. Before his death he called together his four sons, Abraham, David, Jacob, and Joseph, and besought them never to pronounce carelessly the name of God, to be scrupu- lously honest in all their dealings, never to calum- niate, never to give any one a contemiituous aiipel- latiou or nickname, but to care for the education of the young, and to attend synagogue daily. Of his works there have ap)ieare(i: “Debar Shemuel ” (Word of Samuel), a collection of rabbinical decisions (Venice, 1702); and, anonymously, “ Sefer ha-Zikro- not,” a treatise on ethical conduct (Venice, KioO). Rabbi Josiiu.v (Joskrii) bkn David, of Venice, com- posed an elegy upon his death, jn’inted in the collec- tion of poems “ Kos Tanhumim” (Venice, 1707). .51. K. ‘ABODAH (“Divine Service”): Originally the benediction recited during the morning sacrifice while the Temple still existed, and afterward the benediction containing the prayer for the restoration of the Temple sacrifice, recited also as jiart of the morning and evening prayer (51id. v. 10). ‘Abodah was the regular name for the divine service in the Temple, and people took an oath by the‘Abodah as they did by the Temple itself, or as is done to-day by the Bible (Levy, “Neuhebr. Worterb.” s.i\). ‘ABODAH OF THE DAY OF ATONE- MENT ; An essential part of the 5Iusaf .service of that day, based upon the detailed account given in the 5IishnahYomaof the sacrificial service performed by the high priest in the Temple at Jerusalem. The basis for this elaborate function is found in Lev. xvi. Originally this part of the service seems to have con- sisted only in the recital of the 5Iishnah treatise, Yoma. Graduall}' it was further elaborated, and be-$