Joseph Ibn Lev

Joseph ben David Ibn Lev was born in Monastir (Macedonia). He became a rabbinic judge in his hometown at a very young age. In 1535, he settled in Salonika, where he achieved fame as a halakhic authority. His disputes with powerful community members eventually led to the murder of his son, David, by hired assassins in 1548. His second son later drowned. Following these tragedies and due to the hostile atmosphere, Ibn Lev left for Istanbul, where he was appointed head of the yeshiva endowed by Doña Gracia Nasi Mendes. Ibn Lev’s four volumes of published responsa, one of which was published posthumously, include talmudic novellae reporting discussions conducted in the yeshiva. As a tribute to his murdered son, Ibn Lev included some of his son’s glosses. In 1556, Ibn Lev became ill and from 1561 was no longer able to teach.