Alfez (or Alfasi), Isaac Berabbi Jacob

Alfez (Or Alfasi), Isaac Berabbi Jacob, a Jewish rabbi, was born near Fez in 1013. At the age of sixty-five he was obliged to retire to Cordova on account of a quarrel. He died at Lucena, Spain, in 1103. While at Cordova he composed a work on practical Jewish ceremonies (סֵפֶר הִהֲלָכוֹת, Book of the Halachoth), which the Jews highly esteem and popularly call "The Little Talmud." This work had a large number of editions, the first and most rare is that published at Constantinople in 1509. Sabioneta published another at Venice in 1552, more complete and more highly valued. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Furst, Biblioth. Jud. 1, 35 sq.