R. Yehuda Ayash was one of the most famous rabbis of Algiers. As av bet din (1728–56) all disputes were referred to him and he carried on a voluminous correspondence with the rabbinical authorities of Morocco, Italy, and Egypt. He had gathered many pupils and his Sabbath sermons drew crowds of listeners. In 1756 R. Ayash decided to go to Palestine and devote himself entirely to study. He visited Leghorn in 1756 and then reached Jerusalem. R. Judah Ayash's works (published in Leghorn) include Lehem Yehudah, notes on Maimonides (1745); Beit Yehudah (1746); responsa followed by Minhagim, customs of Algiers from the 15th century (1746); Benei Yehudah (1758); Ve-Zot li-Yhudah (1760); commentaries on the halakhah; Matteh Yehudah and Shevet Yehudah (1783), critical notes on the code of Joseph Caro; and Afra di-Ara (1783).