Itzchaki

Itzchaki also called Ben-Jasus, and by the long Arabic name of Abu brahim Isaac Ibn-Kastar (or Saktar) bene-Jasus, a Jewish philosopher of great celebrity, and commentator, was born A.D. 982 at Toledo. Like many other Jewish savans, he followed the medical profession, and so distinguished himself that he was appointed physician to the princes of Denia and Mug'ahid, and to Ali Ikbal Addaula. He died in 1057. Itzchaki wrote (1) a Hebrew grammar, called ספר הצרופים, The Book of Syntax; and (2) on Biblical criticism, called ספר יצחקי, The Work of ltzchaki. Neither of these works is now known to us, but from Aben-Ezra, who quotes them, we learn that Itzchaki was one of the earliest assailants of the Mosaic authorship of some portions of the Pentateuch. Thus he is said to have maintained that the portion in the Pentateuch which describes the kings of Idumaea (Ge 36:30, etc.) was written many centuries after Moses (comp. Aben-Ezra, Commentaries on Genesis 36:30, 31; Numbers 24:17; flos. 1, 1). See Gratz, Geschichte der nuden, 6:53; Zeitschrift der deutsch. morenl. Gesellsch. 1854, p. 551; 1855, p. 838.