Abraham ben Nathan

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ABRAHAM BEN NATHAN

ABRAHAM BEN NATHAN (Abu Isḥāq Ibrahim ibn ʿAṭā ʾ; c. 1025), first nagid of the Jewish community of Kairouan. He was court physician to Badis, the viceroy of Tunisia, and to al-Muʿizz his son and successor, who became independent ruler. Abraham did much for the Jewish communities of North Africa. Two poems praising the nagid for his communal activities are extant. Isḥāq ibn Khalfon, the court poet, dedicated several of his poems to his benefactor. He was honored in a song of praise by R. *Hai Gaon. Abraham exchanged responsa with R. *Samuel b. Hophni, the gaon of Sura. The latter's son, R. Israel, dedicated a book on liturgical laws to him.

bibliography:

Poznański, in: Festschrift Harkavy (1908), 175–220; Brody, in: ymḤsl, 3 (1936), 27–31; Goitein, in: Zion, 27 (1962), 11–23, 156–65; idem, in: Tarbiz, 34 (1965), 164–9. add. bibliography: Hirschberg, Afrikah 1, (1974), 112–13, 211–13; M. Ben-Sasson, Qayrawan, 348–62.

[Simha Assaf /

Abraham David (2nd ed.)]

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