Benjamin ben Meir ha-Levi Ashkenazi
Benjamin ben Meir ha-Levi Ashkenazi of Nuremberg (fl. early 16th century) was a rabbi active in Salonica.
Biography
Benjamin was born in Germany and was a descendant of Jacob Moelin. He later settled in Salonica. Despite his German origin, he was held in high regard by the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of the city. He was appointed by the entire Jewish community of Salonica to serve as their representative on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople.
Benjamin's responsa appear in contemporary collections. He also composed lexical commentaries on the maḥzor according to the Ashkenazic rite, which were published in Salonica in 1526 and in 1555–1556. The latter edition also included several of his elegies, including one written after the great fire that devastated Salonica in 1553.[1][2]
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Ginzberg, Louis (1902). "Benjamin b. Meïr ha-Levi of Nuremberg". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 31.
- ↑ Steinschneider, Moritz (1852–60). Catalogus Librorum Hebræorum in Bibliotheca Bodleiana (in Latin). Berlin: A. Friedlaender. pp. 370, 791–792.
- ↑ "Benjamin ha-Levi Ashkenazi". Posen Library of Jewish Culture & Civilization. Retrieved 9 September 2025.