R. Shmuel Aboab (1610–1694), Italian rabbi, was born in Hamburg, but at the age of 13 he was sent by his father to study in Venice under R. David Franco, whose daughter he later married. After serving as rabbi in Verona, he was appointed in 1650 to Venice. R. Aboab was renowned for both his talmudic and general knowledge and was consulted by the greatest of his contemporaries. He had many disciples. Modest, humble, and of a charitable nature he devoted himself with particular devotion to communal matters. He was responsible for obtaining financial support from Western Europe for the communities in Erez Israel, and in 1643 collected funds for the ransoming of the Jews of Kremsier taken captive by the Swedes. R. Aboab was one of the most energetic opponents of the Shabbatean movement. At first he dealt with its followers with restraint, in the hope of avoiding a schism and the possible intervention of the secular authorities. Subsequently, however, he adopted a more rigorous attitude. When Nathan of Gaza reached Venice in 1668, R. Samuel was among the rabbis of Venice who interrogated him on his beliefs and activities.