Saporta (or Sasporta), Ḥanokh

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SAPORTA (or Sasporta), ḤANOKH

SAPORTA (or Sasporta ), ḤANOKH (15th century), scholar. Originally from a noble family in Catalonia, Saporta was rabbi in Adrianople after R. Isaac Ẓarefati. In addition to his Torah learning, he was also versed in the sciences. He apparently participated in an effort at that time made by the Rabbanites to reconcile the Karaites. Because of the Karaites' theological weakness, the Rabbanites sought to introduce talmudic learning among them. This explains the presence of Karaites among his pupils. His principal pupil was Mordecai *Comtino, and Saporta's system of thought and learning can be traced in Comtino's works.

bibliography:

Gurland, in: Talpioth (1895), 8; Danon, in: jqr, 15 (1924/25), 309–10; Rosanes, Togarmah, 1 (19302), 26, 47; Obadia, in: Sinai, 6 (1940), 76.