Yaakov de Castro
Yaakov de Castro (Hebrew: יעקב קשטרו), alternative spelling: Yaakov Costaro and Jacob ben Abraham Castro (1525–1610), was a rabbinic scholar, judge and exponent of Jewish law in Cairo, Egypt. A descendant of Jews who fled Portugal during the time of the Portuguese Inquisition, his family eventually came to settle in Egypt. A student of the illustrious Radbaz (Rabbi David ben Solomon ibn Abi Zimra), he is considered the last Chief Rabbi of Egypt to hold sway over the entire Jewish community in Egypt, mostly Musta'arabi Jews, after the abolition of the office of nagid, and whose halachic rulings were widespread across the land. He was a nephew (not a son, as had been believed) of the master of the mint for the Ottoman Sultan in Cairo, Abraham de Castro.
Biography
In his youth, he studied under the tutelage of Rabbi Levi ibn Habib in Jerusalem. Later, in Egypt, Rabbi Yaakov de Castro served as a judge in the rabbinic court of Cairo, known as Old Egypt. In 1570, he visited Safed in the land of Israel, where he was the honored guest in the home of Rabbi Joseph Karo, who held him in great esteem.[1] He describes this visit by saying that he saw Rabbi Joseph Karo practise in accordance with the first opinion that he brings down in one of the topics addressed in his seminal work, the Shulhan Arukh.[2]
The author of
His published works include a compendium of Questions & Responsa entitled Ohalei Yaakov,
Manner of adjudication
Rabbi Yaakov de Castro's impact was so profound that, in Egypt, they would follow the
References
- ^ Encyclopedia of Great Men in Israel (ed. Mordechai Margalioth), vol. 3, Jerusalem 1948, p. 881 (Hebrew)
- ^ `Erekh Leḥem, Oraḥ Ḥayyim, responsum # 167
- ^ David Ashkenazi Konforti, Korei ha-Dorot, Berlin 1845, pp. 41a-b
- ^ Raphael Aharon Ben Shimon, Ṭuv Miṣrayyim, Jerusalem 1908, (letter “yod”), s.v. מהר"ר יעקב קשטרו, pp.19b–20a (Hebrew).
- ^ Chaim Yosef David Azulai, Shem ha-Gedolim (part ii), letter yod, section 122, Livorno 1786, p. 46b.
- ^ Livorno
- ^ Jacob ben Abraham Castro, ʻErekh Leḥem, Istanbul 1718 (Hebrew).
- ^ Raphael Aharon Ben Shimon, Ṭuv Miṣrayyim, Jerusalem 1908, (letter “yod”), s.v. מהר"ר יעקב קשטרו, p.19b (Hebrew).
- usury, for which Rabbi Castro was asked to give an opinion.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Great Men in Israel (ed. Mordechai Margaliouth), vol. 3, Jerusalem 1948, pp. 881–882 (Hebrew).
- ^ "Ozen Aharon" (ed. Jerusalem 1886) Erekh Mem, note 100, of Rabbi Aharon Ezriel (1818-1879) of Jerusalem.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Great Men in Israel (ed. Mordechai Margaliouth), vol. 3, Jerusalem 1948, p. 882 (Hebrew).
External links
- ʿErekh Leḥem, by Rabbi Yaakov Castro
- Questions & Responsa Ohalei Yaakov, by Rabbi Yaakov Castro
- Toldot Yaakov, a Commentary on the Tractate Betzah, by Rabbi Yaakov Castro