Japheth ben David ibn Ṣaghīr

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JAPHETH BEN DAVID IBN ṢAGHĪR

JAPHETH BEN DAVID IBN ṢAGHĪR (14th century), Karaite scholar and physician in Cairo. Japheth was a pupil of Israel ha-Ma'aravi, and followed his example in rejecting the use of objective analogy (hekkesh) in the rules applying to matrimony and incest. He was the author of Sefer ha-Mitzvot, of which parts 5 to 9 have been preserved in manuscript. In it Japheth quotes many earlier Karaite scholars, including *Daniel b. Moses al-Qūmisī, as well as works of some Rabbanite authors.

bibliography:

Steinschneider, Arab Lit, 244; Mann, Texts, 2 (1935), 282 n. 76.

[Isaak Dov Ber Markon]

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