Solomon ben Simon Duran

Who was Solomon ben Simon Duran?

Solomon ben Simon Duran, known as Rashbash, was a medieval rabbi with antagonistic views towards the Kabbalah, and the son and successor of Simon ben Zemah Duran.

Solomon was born in Algiers, and in his youth became familiar with the Talmud and rabbinical literature, and with a resoluteness remarkable for his time he protested against the Kabbala. Like his father, he was the author of many responsa; his letter, written in the language of the Talmud, to Nathan Nagara in Constantine has been separately reprinted, with an index of passages. His defense of the Talmud, written in 1437 against the attacks of the convert Geronimo de Santa Fé, appeared under the title Milḥemet Ḥobah, and also the title Setirat Emunat ha-Noẓrim, after the second part of his father's Ḳeshet u-Magen. It was also published separately at Leipzig in 1856. His treatise Tikkun Soferim, which has frequently been ascribed to his father, is printed as an appendix to the work Yabin Shemu'ah, Leghorn, 1744. A dirge written by him has been preserved in manuscript.