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R. Jacob b. Reuben Ibn Zur (1673–1752), rabbi, scholar, and poet; born in Fez. Among his teachers were R. Menahem Serero and R. Vidal Zarfati. Oppressive taxation induced R. Ibn Zur to move to Meknes, where he became a member of the bet din of R. Judah ibn Attar. Between 1738 and 1740 he moved to Tetuan where he also served on the bet din. At an advanced age, he ordained five of his students, who later became known as the "Court of Five" (bet din shel hamishah). R. Ibn Zur's works include responsa of considerable historical value. Some were published in the collection Mishpat u-Zedakah be-Ya'akov (Alexandria, 1894). Others are found in the works of his contemporaries and several hundred remain unpublished. He also wrote Et le-Khol Hefez, a poetical miscellany (Alexandria, 1893).
His other works, still in manuscript are: Et Sofer (Ms. Berlin), specimens of contracts, documents and form letters, most of which were published in R. Abraham Ankawa's Kerem Hemed; Leshon Limmudim, specimens of letters and essays (Ms. Berlin); and sermons and Bible commentaries. A large number of R. Ibn Zur's piyyutim are included in various collections, both printed and handwritten, of Moroccan zemirot and are among the most popular poetical creations of the Moroccan Jews.
R. Moses b. Abraham Berdugo, called "Mashbir" (c. 1679–1730), was head of the rabbinical court in Meknes, where the Berdugos settled after leaving Fez. Famous for his sense of justice (compilation Or ha-Hayyim to Deut. 1:15), he was the author of Rosh Mashbir, novellae on the Pentateuch and on some of the Talmud tractates (1840); Kenaf Renanim I, commentaries and novellae to the Bible (1909), and Kenaf Renanim II, an anthology of homilies (1932); and Divrei Moshe, responsa (1947). Other unpublished writings are at the National Library, Jerusalem (Ms. Heb. 8° 1446), Ben-Zvi Institute, Jerusalem (Ms. 736), and in private possession. The Hida (Shem ha-Gedolim), siting R. Hayyim Ibn Attar, describes the Mashbir as a man in possession of Ru'ah ha-Kodesh, the Divine spirit and inspiration. |
