Jacob ben Abraham Faitusi (died July 1812 in Algiers) was a Tunisian Jewish scholar. He settled in the later part of his life at Jerusalem, whence he was sent as a collector of alms to Italy and Algeria.
Faitusi was the author of Berit Ya'aqob (Livorno, 1800), the contents of which were as follows: sermons; Bezalel Ashkenazi's "Shittah Mequbbetzet" on Sotah, with the editor's notes, entitled "Yagel Ya'aqob"; glosses of the Geonim on the Talmudical treatises Nedarim and Nazir, with the editor's notes; commentaries on Nazir by Abraham ben Musa; "Sha'are Tzedeq," a commentary, attributed to Levi ben Gershon, on the thirteen hermeneutic rules of Rabbi Ishmael; novellæ on Chullin and Pesachim; and poems, entitled "Qontres Acharon."
Faitusi wrote also Yerek Ya'aqob (Livorno, 1842), sermons arranged in the order of the Sabbatical sections, with an appendix entitled "Ya'ir Kokab mi-Ya'aqob," containing novellæ and responsa. He also edited Mizbach Kapparah of Nachmanides; Bezalel Ashkenazi's Shittah Mequbbetzet on Zebachim and various tosafot of Rabbi Perez, Eliezer of Touques, and others on several Talmudical treatises, with an appendix entitled "Ranenu le-Ya'aqob" (Livorno, 1810) containing Talmudic novellæ and sermons by Jacob (republished with additions by Saul ha-Levi, Lemberg, 1861); "Sefer Mar'eh ha-Ofannim" (Livorno, 1810), containing Asher ben Jehiel's novellæ on Sotah, Aaron ha-Levi's "Shittah" on Betzah, and an appendix entitled "Yagel Ya'aqob," containing novellæ on Pesachim, Betzah, Rosh Hashanah, Mo'ed Katan, Avodah Zarah, and Makkot.
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, is the entire spectrum of works authored by rabbis throughout Jewish history. The term typically refers to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writings. It aligns with the Hebrew term Sifrut Chazal, which translates to “literature [of our] sages” and generally pertains only to the sages (Chazal) from the Talmudic period. This more specific sense of "Rabbinic literature"—referring to the Talmud, Midrashim, and related writings, but hardly ever to later texts—is how the term is generally intended when used in contemporary academic writing. The terms mefareshim and parshanim almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts.
The Tosafot,Tosafos or Tosfot are medieval commentaries on the Talmud. They take the form of critical and explanatory glosses, printed, in almost all Talmud editions, on the outer margin and opposite Rashi's notes.
Bezalel ben Abraham Ashkenazi was a rabbi and talmudist who lived in Ottoman Israel during the 16th century. He is best known as the author of the Shitah Mekubetzet, a commentary on the Talmud. Among his disciples were Isaac Luria and Solomon Adeni.
Yom Tov ben Abraham of Seville commonly known by the Hebrew acronym Ritva, was a medieval rabbi and rosh yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Seville, known for his commentaries on the Talmud.
Shlomo ben Avraham ibn Aderet was a medieval rabbi, halakhist, and Talmudist. He is widely known as the Rashba, the Hebrew acronym of his title and name: Rabbi Shlomo ben Avraham.
Aharon ben Joseph haLevi, known by his Hebrew acronym Ra'AH, was a medieval rabbi, Talmudic scholar and Halakhist.
Joseph ibn Migash or Joseph ben Meir HaLevi ibn Migash or Yosef Ibn Meir Ha-Levi Ibn Megas or José ben Meir ibn Megas was a Rabbi, Posek, and Rosh Yeshiva in Lucena. He is also known as Ri Migash, the Hebrew acronym for "Rabbi Joseph Migash".
Zerachiah ben Isaac ha-Levi Gerondi, called the ReZaH, RaZBI or Baal Ha-Maor was born about 1115 in the town of Gerona, Catalonia, Spain – hence the name Gerondi – and died after 1186 in Lunel. He was a famous rabbi, Torah and Talmud commentator and a poet.
Yaakov ben Yaakov Moshe Lorberbaum of Lissa (1760-1832) was a rabbi and posek. He is most commonly known as the "Ba'al HaChavas Da'as" or "Ba'al HaNesivos" for his most well-known works, or as the "Lissa Rav" for the city in which he was Chief Rabbi.
Isaac ben Sheshet Perfet (or Barfat) (1326–1408) (Hebrew: יצחק בן ששת) was a Spanish Talmudic authority, also known by his acronym, Rivash (ריב"ש). He was born at Valencia and settled early in life at Barcelona, where he studied at the school of Nissim of Gerona.
Isaiah di Trani ben Mali (the Elder) (c. 1180 – c. 1250) (Hebrew: ישעיה בן מאלי הזקן דטראני), better known as the RID, was a prominent Italian Talmudist.
Jonah ben Abraham Gerondi, also known as Jonah of Girona and Rabbeinu Yonah, was a Catalan rabbi and moralist, cousin of Nahmanides. He is most famous for his ethical work The Gates of Repentance.
Perez ben Elijah of Corbeil was a French tosafist, son of the Talmudist Elijah of Tours. In Talmudic literature he is designated by the abbreviations RaP, RaPaSh, and MaHaRPaSh.
Jacob ben Abraham Kahana was a rabbinical author. His father was rabbi at Brestowitz, government of Grodno. Jacob was the son-in-law of Rabbi Issachar of Vilna, brother of the Vilna Gaon. He lived with his father-in-law, and was supported by him for many years, so that he was able to devote his time to the study of the Law; and he became one of the leading Talmudical scholars in Vilna. After Issachar's death Jacob was appointed trustee of the charities of the city. He died in Vilna.
Eliezer ben Solomon Ashkenazi was a Rabbi and Talmudical scholar born in Poland about the beginning of the 19th century, who resided afterward in Tunis. He published at Metz in 1849, under the title Dibre Hakamim, a selection of 11 ancient manuscripts:
Rabbi Eliyahu ben Solomon Abraham ha-Kohen ha-Itamari (1640-1729) was a Dayan, almoner and preacher. He was born in Smyrna, where he was educated by R. Benjamin Melamed, a leading Rabbi of Izmir (Smyrna) and became a homiletic preacher. R. Eliyahu's opposition to Shabbetai Zevi and his associates earned him much grief at home. He apparently cared for orphans as his writings display an extremely detailed knowledge of the physical and psychological suffering of the poor. A prolific writer he is best remembered for his ethical work Shevet Mussar, which has seen numerous editions and been translated into many languages. The first edition of Shevet Mussar was issued in Constantinople in 1712.
Issachar Bär ben Judah Carmoly was an Alsatian rabbi.
Masʽud Hai Rakkaḥ, also spelled Raccah, was a Sephardi Hakham and shadar who led the 18th-century Jewish community of Tripoli, Libya, for 20 years. He was considered one of Libya's leading rabbis and is credited with laying the foundation for that community's development into one of "sages, scribes, and kabbalists". He is the author of Maʽaseh Rokeaḥ, a four-volume commentary on Maimonides'sMishneh Torah.
Yaakov de Castro, 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, 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 of the master of the mint for the Ottoman Sultan in Cairo, Abraham de Castro.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Gotthard Deutsch and Isaac Broydé (1901–1906). "Faitusi, Jacob ben Abraham". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia . New York: Funk & Wagnalls.