Nissi (Nissim) ben Noah

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NISSI (Nissim) BEN NOAH

NISSI (Nissim) BEN NOAH (11th century), Karaite writer who lived in Persia. Nissi was formerly thought to be a contemporary of *Anan b. David (c. 800), but on the basis of his use of David *Alfasi's Hebrew dictionary and Judah *Hadassi's apparent knowledge of him, Harkavy placed him in the 11th century. Nissi advocated that Karaites should study rabbinic literature and the Talmud. Two works have been attributed to him, Sefer Aseret ha-Devarim (Firkovich Ms. 610), a commentary on the Ten Commandments, and Bitan ha-Maskilim (now lost), a treatise on the precepts of Jewish Law.

bibliography:

S. Poznánski, in: jqr, 11 (1920/21), 249–50; Graetz, Gesch, 5 (1895), 199–201, 443–5; Mann, Texts, 2 (1935), 1350; Z. Ankori, Karaites in Byzantium (1959), 241; L. Nemoy, Karaite Anthology (1952), 250, 381.