Mubashshir ben Nissi Ha-Levi

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MUBASHSHIR BEN NISSI HA-LEVI

MUBASHSHIR BEN NISSI HA-LEVI (tenth century), Babylonian scholar who lived in *Baghdad; also known as Ibn Ussaba or ʿUnnāba. Mubashshir comments on the works of *Saadiah Gaon, contained in Kitāb Istidrāk al-Sahw ("Book of Correction of Errors"), fragments of which were found in the Cairo *Genizah and printed. The purpose of his book is not quite clear; the introduction leads one to believe that he sought to point out Saadiah's errors rather than to correct them, and the contents of the book strengthen this impression to the extent that at times the author seems to agree with Saadiah Gaon's Karaite critics. The book had a large circulation, especially in Spain, and is mentioned by many Jewish scholars.

bibliography:

A. Harkavy, Zikkaron la-Rishonim ve-gam la-Aḥaronim, 1, no. 4 (1891), 68–73, 182–5; Levin, Oẓar, 8 (1938), 86 (third section); Mevasser b. Nissi ha-Levi, Hassagot Al Rav Saadyah Gaon, ed. by M. Zucker (1955); Baron, Social, 5 (1957), 390 no. 21; 7 (1958), 15–16; S. Abramson, in: Sinai, 57 (1965), 15–17; M. Zucker, ibid., 58 (1966), 95–98; S.M. Stern, in: rej, 126 (1967), 113–7.

[Abraham David]