Isaac ben Moses Arama

Who was Isaac ben Moses Arama?

Isaac ben Moses Arama was a Spanish rabbi and author. He was at first principal of a rabbinical academy at Zamora; then he received a call as rabbi and preacher from the community at Tarragona, and later from that of Fraga in Aragon. He officiated finally in Calatayud as rabbi and head of the Talmudical academy. Upon the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, Arama settled in Naples, where he died in 1494.

Arama is the author of Aḳedat YiẓḦaḳ, a lengthy philosophical commentary on the Pentateuch, homiletic in style. From this work he is frequently spoken of as the "Ba'al 'Aḳedah". He also wrote a commentary upon the Five Scrolls, and a work called Ḥazut Ḳashah, upon the relation of philosophy to theology; also Yad Abshalom, a commentary on Proverbs, written in memory of his son-in-law, Absalom, who died shortly after his marriage.