Aharon Ibn Hayyim


Aharon Ibn Hayyim was a biblical and Talmudic commentator. Born in Fez, Morocco, he served on the bet din and studied at the yeshivot of his father, Vidal ha-Zarefati and Joseph Almosnino. In 1606 he left Fez for Egypt, and made his way to Venice in 1608 where he printed his numerous manuscripts. While in Venice, Ibn Hayyim gave lectures in several congregations, and was well known by famous rabbis at the time. He died in Jerusalem in 1632, and is well known for his publications Leb Aharon, Korban Aharon, and Middot Aharon.

Leb Aharon

Leb Aharon is a commentary on Joshua and the Judges, and contains both simple explanations of the words, as well as a more in depth analysis of the text at large. While Ibn Hayyim wrote commentaries to the Mekhilta, Sifrei, Pentateuch, Prophets, and Song of Songs, Leb Aharon was his only commentary of this type to be published.

Middot Aharon

Middot Aharon is Aharon ibn Hayyim's most well-known publication, and serves as one of the only compositions that adequately discusses the thirteen hermeneutic principles as laid out by R. Ishmael. This work focuses on the development and application of the thirteen hermeneutical principles, and was largely responsible for the Sifra becoming a subject of study. Ibn Hayyim's main objective is to search for and explain the plain meaning of the text, and seeks to interpret the literal meaning, despite his often-wordy explanations.