Yaakov Culi

RabbiYaakov Culi(a.k.a.KuliorKholiorChuli;Hebrew:יעקב כולי) was aTalmudistandbiblical commentatorof the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries who died inConstantinopleon August 9, 1732.

Yaakov Culi
יעקב כולי
Personal
Died	August 9, 1732 Constantinople,Ottoman Empire
Nationality	Ottoman Jew
Notable work(s)	Me'am Loez Ezrat Nashim Simanim le-Oraita
Other names	Kuli, Kholi, Chuli
Occupation	Talmudist, biblical commentator

Biography

He belonged to an exiled Spanish family, and was the grandson and pupil ofMoses ibn Habib.He edited various important works. The first fruit of his literary activity was the publication of his grandfather's writings. To this end he leftSafed,where he seemed to have lived, and relocated toConstantinople.While engaged on the works of his grandfather, he entered (1714) into close relations with the chief rabbi of Constantinople,Judah Rosanes(also known as Mishneh LaMelech, the title of his most important work), at the time generally regarded the highest authority of the Orient. Rosanes appointed Culidayan,which, together with his position as teacher, secured to him a sufficient livelihood. In 1727 Culi published his grandfather's workShammot ba-Aretz,a book of notes on various portions of theTalmud.

In that year Rosanes died. He left voluminousliterary remainsin a very chaotic condition. To introduce order into this chaos a scholar of the first rank was needed. Culi was entrusted with this task. But even for him it meant a labor of several years. First, in 1728, he edited Rosanes' bookParashat Derakhim,a work bothmidrashicandhalachicin content. Three years later he finally published Rosanes' voluminousMishneh laMelekh,one of the most famous commentaries onMaimonides'Mishne Torah,enriched with numerous important notes of his own. To both these works Culi wrote a preface.

In the same year, he edited also his grandfather'sEzrat Nashim,in the beginning of which there are tworesponsaof his own.

His most important work is his commentary on theTorah,entitledMe'am Loez,written in Salonika.This work, which is held in high regard by the Jews of the East, is a very elaborate encyclopedic commentary inLadino,dealing with Jewish life in all its relations. Its material was taken from theTalmud,theMidrash,and earlyrabbinic literature.However, Rabbi Culi only managed to write his work onGenesisand on two-thirds ofExodusbefore he died. Because of the overwhelming popularity of theMe'am Loez,other prominent rabbis ofTurkeytook over this endeavor and completed the remaining volumes.

Culi also wrote ahalakicwork under the titleSimanim le-Oraita,which remained inmanuscript.

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Kayserling, Meyer;Ginzberg, Louis;Grünhut, Lazarus(1901–1906)."Culi, Jacob".InSinger, Isidore;et al. (eds.).The Jewish Encyclopedia.New York: Funk & Wagnalls.Its bibliography:

• Preface to the Index of Ḥabib'sGeṭ Pashuṭ,and to Rosanes,Mishneh la-Melek;
• responsumNo. 1, end of Ḥabib's 'Ezrat Nashim;
• Azulai.Shem ha-Gedolim,s.v., and Judah Rosanes;
• Meyer Kayserling,Bibl. Esp.-Port.-Jud.pp. 55, 66;
• Moritz Steinschneider,Hebr. Bibl.xvii. 15et seq.;
• idem,Cat. Bodl.col. 2926.