Algazi, Solomon ben Abraham
ALGAZI, SOLOMON BEN ABRAHAM
ALGAZI, SOLOMON BEN ABRAHAM (1673–1762), rabbi and halakhist. Algazi, who was apparently born in Jerusalem, was the half brother of Ḥayyim b. Moses *Abulafia, who restored the Jewish settlement in Tiberias.
Algazi was a pupil of Hezekiah da Silva. He served in the bet din of Abraham Yiẓḥaki, and taught in his yeshivah. One of his outstanding pupils was Judah Navon, author of Kiryat Melekh Rav. In 1728 Algazi immigrated to Cairo, where he also served in the bet din and c. 1740 was elected chief rabbi of Egypt. Algazi rescinded the resolution of the Egyptian rabbis not to study the Peri Hadash of da Silva which was made on the ground that he differed in several instances from Maimonides and other leading halakhists; all Algazi's decisions were based on da Silva. He also wrote responsa and a book on Maimonides, now lost but which was seen by Ḥayyim Joseph David *Azulai in 1753.
bibliography:
Azulai, 1 (1852), no. 23; M. Benayahu, Rabbi Ḥ.Y.D. Azulai (Heb., 1959), 571.