Moses Hagiz
Encyclopedia
Moses Hagiz (Hebrew: משה חגיז) was a Talmudic scholar, rabbi
, kabbalist, and author born in Jerusalem, Palestine
. He was one of the most prominent and influential Jewish leaders in 17th-century Amsterdam
. During Hagiz's lifetime there was an overall decline in rabbinic authority which was the result of migration and assimilation, and Hagiz devoted his career to restoring rabbinic authority. His most prominent talent was as a polemicist, and he campaigned ceaselessly against Jewish heresy in an attempt to unify the rabbinate.
, who had succeeded his son-in-law. With the death of Moses Galante (1689) support from Livorno
was withdrawn, and Hagiz found himself in very straitened circumstances. He went to Safed
to collect a claim which his mother had against the congregation, but succeeded only in making bitter enemies, who later persecuted him.
Returning to Jerusalem, he was given letters of recommendation nominating him as a Shadar to obtain support for a bet ha-midrash which he intended to establish. At Rashid (Rosetta
), Abraham Nathan gave him 30,000 thalers to deposit at Livorno for this purpose. Arriving at Livorno, he secured from Vega
, the protector of his family, a promise of further support; but his Palestinian enemies slandered him and ruined his prospects. He subsequently wandered through Italy
, and edited at Venice
(1704) the Halakot Ketannot of his father. Somewhat later he went to Amsterdam
, where he supported himself by teaching, and occupied himself with the publication of his works. In Amsterdam he made the acquaintance of Zebi Ashkenazi, then rabbi of the Ashkenazic congregation, and assisted him in unmasking the impostor Nehemiah Hayyun
. This step, however, made more enemies for him, and, like Zebi Ashkenazi, he had to leave the city (1714).
Until 1738 he resided at Altona
; he then returned to Palestine, settling first at Sidon
, and later at Safed
, where he died after 1750. He married a daughter of Raphael Mordecai Malachi, and was therefore a brother-in-law of Hezekiah da Silva
. He had no children.
has been interpolated by later scribes (ib. No. 108). In regard to his character reports differ; some represent him as filled with sincere religious zeal, others as a contentious wrangler (Grätz, Gesch. 3d ed., x. 479-482). Jacob Emden
describes him as a time-server, and even as religiously insincere, though he respected him as a friend of his father (Megillat Sefer, pp. 117-122, Warsaw, 1896). Hagiz wrote:
Other works of his remained unpublished. He also wrote numerous prefaces to the books of others. His writings are signed "המביח", the initial letters of "Moses ben Jacob Hagiz."
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, kabbalist, and author born in Jerusalem, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. He was one of the most prominent and influential Jewish leaders in 17th-century Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. During Hagiz's lifetime there was an overall decline in rabbinic authority which was the result of migration and assimilation, and Hagiz devoted his career to restoring rabbinic authority. His most prominent talent was as a polemicist, and he campaigned ceaselessly against Jewish heresy in an attempt to unify the rabbinate.
Biography
His father, Jacob Hagiz, died while Moses was still a child. The latter was therefore educated by his maternal grandfather, Moses Galante (the Younger)Moses Galante (the Younger)
Moses ben Jonathan Galante , grandson of Moses Galante, was a 17th-century rabbi at Jerusalem. He served as the first Rishon Le'Zion and was called Magen with reference to the initials of his name...
, who had succeeded his son-in-law. With the death of Moses Galante (1689) support from Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
was withdrawn, and Hagiz found himself in very straitened circumstances. He went to Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
to collect a claim which his mother had against the congregation, but succeeded only in making bitter enemies, who later persecuted him.
Returning to Jerusalem, he was given letters of recommendation nominating him as a Shadar to obtain support for a bet ha-midrash which he intended to establish. At Rashid (Rosetta
Rosetta
Rosetta is a port city on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. It is located east of Alexandria, in Beheira governorate. It was founded around AD 800....
), Abraham Nathan gave him 30,000 thalers to deposit at Livorno for this purpose. Arriving at Livorno, he secured from Vega
Judah Vega
Judah Vega was the first rabbi of the second synagogue of Amsterdam, Neveh Shalom, which was established in 1608. After a short time he resigned his office, and in 1610 went to Constantinople, where he is said to have written a work entitled Jazania , which treated of the life of the Jewish...
, the protector of his family, a promise of further support; but his Palestinian enemies slandered him and ruined his prospects. He subsequently wandered through Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and edited at Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
(1704) the Halakot Ketannot of his father. Somewhat later he went to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, where he supported himself by teaching, and occupied himself with the publication of his works. In Amsterdam he made the acquaintance of Zebi Ashkenazi, then rabbi of the Ashkenazic congregation, and assisted him in unmasking the impostor Nehemiah Hayyun
Nehemiah Hayyun
Nehemiah Hiyya ben Moses Hayyun was a kabalist from Bosnia. His parents, of Sephardic descent, lived in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where probably he was born, although in later life he pretended that he was a Palestinian emissary born in Safed. He received his Talmudic education in Hebron.-Excommunicated...
. This step, however, made more enemies for him, and, like Zebi Ashkenazi, he had to leave the city (1714).
Until 1738 he resided at Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
; he then returned to Palestine, settling first at Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
, and later at Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, where he died after 1750. He married a daughter of Raphael Mordecai Malachi, and was therefore a brother-in-law of Hezekiah da Silva
Hezekiah da Silva
Hezekiah da Silva was a Jewish author born at Livorno, Italy, son-in-law of the dayan Mordecai Befael Malachi. About 1679 he left his native city for Jerusalem, Palestine, where he attended the yeshibah of Moses Galante, and ten years later he was sent to Europe to collect funds for Jerusalem...
. He had no children.
Works
Moses Hagiz was not only a great Talmudic scholar, but also a man of wider secular learning than most of the rabbis of his time. According to Wolf, who knew him personally (Bibl. Hebr. iii. 908), he understood several languages and was somewhat familiar with modern history (see his Mishnat Hakamim, Nos. 627 and 682); he advocated the study of secular sciences (ib. No. 114), and admitted that the ZoharZohar
The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...
has been interpolated by later scribes (ib. No. 108). In regard to his character reports differ; some represent him as filled with sincere religious zeal, others as a contentious wrangler (Grätz, Gesch. 3d ed., x. 479-482). Jacob Emden
Jacob Emden
Jacob Emden also known as Ya'avetz, , was a leading German rabbi and talmudist who championed Orthodox Judaism in the face of the growing influence of the Sabbatean movement...
describes him as a time-server, and even as religiously insincere, though he respected him as a friend of his father (Megillat Sefer, pp. 117-122, Warsaw, 1896). Hagiz wrote:
- Lekeṭ ha-Kemah, novellae to the Shulhan Arukh (OraH Hayyim and Yoreh De'ah, Amsterdam, 1697 and 1707; Eben ha-'Ezer, Hamburg, 1711 and 1715)
- Sefat Emet, on the religious significance of Palestine for Jews (Amsterdam, 1697 and 1707)
- Eleh ha-Mitswot, on the 613 commandments (Wandsbeck, 1713)
- Sheber Posh'im, polemics against Hayyun (London, 1714)
- Lekeṭ ha-Kemaḥ, commentary on the MishnahMishnahThe Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
(Wandsbeck, 1726) - Perure Pat ha-Kemaḥ, commentary to Book of DanielBook of DanielThe Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
(Amsterdam, 1727) - Zeror ha-Hayyim, ethics (Wandsbeck, 1728)
- Mishnaṭ Hakamim, ethics (ib. 1733)
- Shete ha-Leḥem, responsa (ib. 1733)
Other works of his remained unpublished. He also wrote numerous prefaces to the books of others. His writings are signed "המביח", the initial letters of "Moses ben Jacob Hagiz."
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Grätz, Gesch. x., passim, especially pp. 479-482, where the older sources are quoted;
- Jacob EmdenJacob EmdenJacob Emden also known as Ya'avetz, , was a leading German rabbi and talmudist who championed Orthodox Judaism in the face of the growing influence of the Sabbatean movement...
, Megillat Sefer, Warsaw, 1896.