View source for Shlomo ibn Aderet

{{short description|Medieval rabbi, halakhist, and Talmudist}}
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| name             = Shlomo ben Avraham ibn Aderet
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| image            = Hiddoushei Berakhot par Rashba.JPG
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| birth_date       = 1235
| birth_place      = [[Barcelona]], [[Principality of Catalonia|Catalonia]], [[Crown of Aragon|Aragon]]
| death_date       = {{death year and age |1310|1235}}
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'''Shlomo ben Avraham ibn Aderet''' ({{langx|he|שלמה בן אברהם אבן אדרת}} or '''Solomon son of Abraham son of Aderet''')<ref>The name Shlomo ben Avraham ibn Aderet may be written in many different ways. His first name is written as either Shlomo or Solomon. Aderet sometimes is spelled Adret or Adereth. "Ben", a [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word, and "ibn", an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word, both mean "son". Occasionally, the "ben Avraham" is removed, leaving his name as Shlomo ibn Aderet.</ref> (1235 – 1310) was a [[medieval]] [[rabbi]], [[Halakha|halakhist]], and [[Talmud]]ist. He is widely known as the '''Rashba''' (Hebrew: {{Script/Hebrew|רשב״א}}), the Hebrew [[acronym]] of his title and name: '''Ra'''bbi '''Sh'''lomo '''b'''en '''A'''vraham.

Aderet was born in [[Barcelona]], [[Crown of Aragon]], in 1235. He became a successful banker and leader of [[History of the Jews in Spain|Spanish Jewry]] of his time. As a rabbinical authority his fame was such that he was designated as El Rab d'España ("The Rabbi of Spain"). He served as rabbi of the [[Ancient synagogue (Barcelona)|Main Synagogue of Barcelona]] for 50 years.  He died in 1310.

==Biography==
Aderet's teachers were [[Nahmanides]] and [[Yonah Gerondi]]. He was a master in the study of the Talmud and was not opposed to the Kabbala. Aderet was very active as a rabbi and as an author. Under his auspices and recommendation, part of Maimonides's commentary on the Mishnah was translated from [[Judeo-Arabic]] into [[Mishnaic Hebrew]]. Crowds of disciples attended his Talmudic lectures, many of whom came from distant places. Questions in significant numbers, dealing with ritual, the most varied topics of the Halakah, and religious philosophy, were addressed to him from Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Moravia and even from Asia Minor.

Aderet's responsum to the [[Margraviate of Moravia]] in the year 1255 represents the earliest ever recorded evidence of a permanent Jewish presence in [[Slavkov u Brna|Austerlitz]] and in [[Třešť]], as well as one of earliest recorded Jewish sources for that region.<ref>{{citation|last=Bretholz|first=Bertold|author-link =Bertold Bretholz|title=Geschichte der Juden in Mähren in Mittelalter. 1. Theil (bis zum Jahre 1350)|edition=|place=Brün, Prag, Leipzig, Wien|publisher=Rudolf M. Rohrer|year=1934|isbn=|pages=100–101|language=}}</ref>

His responsa show evidence of wide reading, keen intelligence, and systematic thought. They also afford a clear insight into the communal life of the time, portraying Aderet's contemporaries, and are of value for the study of rabbinical procedure and the intellectual development of the age in which he lived. Only half of these responsa have been published, and they total three thousand.

Among his numerous students were [[Yom Tov of Seville]] and [[Bahya ben Asher]].

A manuscript purporting to be a certificate of indebtedness, dated 1262, in favour of "Solomon Adret of Barcelona" and a passport for the same Adret, dated 1269, are still extant.<ref>Jacobs, "Sources," pp.&nbsp;16, 43, No. 130</ref>

===Defense of Judaism===
Aderet had to contend with the external enemies of Judaism and religious disputes and excesses within its ranks. He wrote a refutation of the charges of [[Raymond Martini]], a [[Dominican friar]] of Barcelona, who, in his work, ''Pugio Fidei'', had collected passages from the Talmud and the Midrash and interpreted them [[anti-Judaism|in a manner hostile to Judaism]]. These charges also induced Aderet to write a commentary on the [[haggadot]], of which only a fragment is now extant. He also refuted the attacks of a [[Islam|Muslim]] who asserted that [[holy orders|Christian priests]] had falsified the Bible. M. Schreiner<ref>"Z. D. M. G." xlviii, 39</ref> has shown that this Muslim was [[ibn Hazm]], and the book referred to was ''Al-Milal wal-Niḥal'' "Religions and Sects".

Aderet also opposed the increasing extravagances of the [[Kabbalists]], who made significant headway in the [[Iberian Peninsula]] and were represented by Nissim ben Abraham of Avila, a pretended worker of miracles, and by [[Abraham Abulafia]], the kabbalistic visionary. He combated these with vigour, but displayed no less animosity toward the philosophic-rationalistic conception of Judaism then prevailing, particularly in France, which was represented by [[Levi ben Abraham ben Hayyim]], who treated most important religious questions with the utmost freedom and was joined by [[Isaac Albalag]] and others.

===Aderet and Abba Mari===
Opposed to these was another tendency, the chief object of which was the preservation of the pure faith of Judaism. At the head of this movement stood [[Abba Mari|Abba Mari ben Moses ha-Yarḥi]]. He appealed to Aderet for assistance. An extensive correspondence ensued between the [[Hakhmei Provence]] (the sages of what is now southern France) and the northern Spanish authorities, Aderet taking an essential part. Afterward, this correspondence was collected and published by [[Abba Mari]] in a separate work, ''Minḥat Qenaot''.<ref>Published in Presburg, 1838. See full analysis in Renan's "Les Rabbins Français," pp.&nbsp;647–694.</ref>

Aderet, whose disposition was peaceable, endeavoured to conciliate the opposing spirits at first. Ultimately, he was called upon to decide on the affair. On July 26, 1305, together with his colleagues of the rabbinate of Barcelona, he pronounced the ban of excommunication (''[[ḥerem]]'') over all who studied physics or metaphysics before the completion of their thirtieth year. A protest against this ban may be found in a poem in which Philosophy "calls out in a loud voice against . . . Solomon ben Adret and against all the rabbis of France . . . who have placed under the ban all people who approach her".<ref>See [[Hartwig Hirschfeld|H. Hirschfeld]], "Jew. Quart. Rev." xii. 140</ref> Those who desired to study medicine as a profession were exempted from the ban. A particular ban was pronounced against the rationalistic Bible exegetes and the philosophic Haggadah commentators, their writings and their adherents. Enforcing these bans caused Aderet much trouble and embittered the closing years of his life. He left three sons, Isaac, Judah, and Astruc Solomon, all learned in the Talmud.

===Maimonidean controversy===
Aderet defended Maimonides during the [[Maimonidean Controversy|contemporary debates]] over his works and authorized the translation of his commentary on the Mishnah from Judeo-Arabic to Hebrew.

Nevertheless, Aderet opposed the [[rationalism|philosophic-rationalistic]] approach to Judaism often associated with Maimonides. He was part of the [[beth din]] in Barcelona that forbade men younger than 25 from studying secular [[philosophy]] or [[natural science]]. However, an exception was made for those who studied [[Jewish medicine|medicine]]. On July 26, 1305, the Rashba wrote:

"In that city [Barcelona] are those who write iniquity about the Torah and if there would be a [[Heresy in Judaism|heretic]] writing books, they should be burnt as if they were the book of sorcerers."<ref>H. Z. Dimitrovsky, ed. ''Teshubot HaRishba'', Vol. 2 (Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook, 1990) I, Pt. I, p. 361.</ref>

==Works==
Of the works of Solomon ben Aderet there have appeared in print:
* A manual on [[kashrut]] (dietary laws) and other religious laws that are observed at home, ''Torat haBayit haArokh'' (The Long Law of the House), published at Venice in 1607, at Berlin in 1762, at Vienna in 1811, etc.
* The shorter manual, ''Torat haBayit haKatzar'' (The Short Law of the House), published at Cremona in 1565, and at Berlin in 1871. A number of his commentaries and [[Chidush|novellae]] on Talmudic treatises have been printed.
* ''Mishmeret HaBayit'', a defense against [[Aharon HaLevi]]'s critique of ''Torat HaBayit''.
* ''Sha'ar HaMayim'', a work focusing on the laws of a [[mikveh]] (ritual bath).
* ''Piskei Ḥallah'' (Decisions on Ḥallah), published at Constantinople in 1518, and at Jerusalem in 1876.
* ''Avodat haKodesh'' (The Holy Service), on the laws of Sabbath and festivals, published at Venice in 1602.
* His polemical work against [[Islam]] was edited by Perles, as an appendix to the latter's monograph on Aderet.<ref name="jewishencyclopedia">{{cite web|last1=Kayserling|first1=Meyer|title=ADRET, SOLOMON BEN ABRAHAM (or RaSHBa)|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/859-adret-solomon-ben-abraham|publisher=Jewish Encyclopedia|access-date=23 July 2017}}</ref>

===Talmud commentaries===
His commentaries upon seven Talmudic treatises published at Constantinople in 1720, and at Berlin in 1756. Similar disquisitions upon five treatises were published at Venice in 1523 and at Amsterdam in 1715. He wrote besides a number of disquisitions upon single treatises. His Talmud commentaries are now known as ''Hiddushei HaRashba''.

Not all commentaries traditionally attributed to Rashba were actually composed by him. [[Elchonon Wasserman]] stated that the commentary on Sukkah attributed to Rashba was actually written by [[Yom Tov Asevilli]], the commentary on Ketubot was actually written by [[Nachmanides]], and the commentary on Menachot was written by an unknown author other than Rashba. [[Yisrael Meir Kagan]] suggested that the commentary on Menachot was by [[Isaiah di Trani]], while [[Israel Joshua Trunk]] argued that the author was [[Solomon ben Abraham of Montpellier]].<ref name=manuscripts>[http://traditionarchive.org/news/originals/Volume%2027/No.%202/The%20Role%20Of%20Manuscripts.pdf The role of manuscripts in halakhic decision-making: Hazon Ish, his precursors and contemporaries]</ref>{{rp|41}}

===Responsa===
Aderet was considered an outstanding rabbinic authority, and more than 3,000 of his [[responsa]] are known to be extant. Questions were addressed to him from Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, and even from Asia Minor. His responsa, which cover the entire gamut of Jewish life, are concise and widely quoted by halakhic authorities.

Aderet's responsa also illustrate his opposition to [[messianism]] and prophetic pretensions as a general phenomenon, with examples against [[Jewish Messiah claimants#13th century|Nissim ben Abraham]] and [[Abraham Abulafia]].

His responsa were printed in Bologna (1539), Venice (1545), Hanau (1610), and other places. The second part of his responsa appeared under the title "Toledot Adam" (The Generations of Man) at Leghorn in 1657, the third part at the same place in 1778, the fourth part at Salonica in 1803, and the fifth part at Leghorn in 1825.<ref name="jewishencyclopedia"/>

According to Elchonon Wasserman, some responsa attributed to Rashba were actually written by other authors, notably [[Meir of Rothenburg]].<ref name=manuscripts/>{{rp|41}}

===Academic genealogy===

{{tree chart/start}}
{{tree chart|boxstyle=background:lightgreen;|Ramban| |Gerondi|Gerondi=[[Yonah Gerondi]]|Ramban=[[Nachmanides]]}}
{{tree chart| |`|-|v|-|'|}}
{{tree chart| | |Rshb| | |Rshb='''Rashba'''}}
{{tree chart| |,|-|^|-|.|}}
{{tree chart|boxstyle=background:lightblue;|Bachya| |Ritva|Ritva=[[Yom Tov Asevilli]]|Bachya=[[Bahya ben Asher]]}}
{{tree chart/end}}
<br>
{{legend|lightgreen|Teachers}}
{{legend|lightblue|Students}}

==See also==
* [[History of the Jews in Spain]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{JewishEncyclopedia|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/859-adret-solomon-ben-abraham|title=ADRET, SOLOMON BEN ABRAHAM (or RaSHBa)}}
* {{JewishEncyclopedia|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/857-adret|title=ADRET}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource|he|מחבר:רשב"א|Rashba}}
* [http://jewishhistorylectures.org/2015/01/02/who-was-the-rashba-jewish-biography-as-history-by-dr-henry-abramson/ Video Lecture on Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet] by [[Henry Abramson|Dr. Henry Abramson]]
{{JewishEncyclopedia |title=ADRET, SOLOMON BEN ABRAHAM (or RaSHBa) |url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/859-adret-solomon-ben-abraham }}
{{Rabbinical eras timeline|1235|1310|Shlomo_ben_Avraham_ibn_Aderet}}
{{Rishonim}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ben Aderet, Shlomo}}
[[Category:1235 births]]
[[Category:1310 deaths]]
[[Category:13th-century Catalan rabbis]]
[[Category:14th-century Catalan rabbis]]
[[Category:Talmudists]]
[[Category:Rabbis from Barcelona]]
[[Category:Authors of works on the Talmud]]
[[Category:Hebrew-language writers]]
[[Category:Authors of books on Jewish law]]