CORIAT

CORIAT , family of scholars originating in Marrakesh. The first known member was isaac (1) coriat (1580), dayyan of the community, kabbalist, and the author of works of which only fragments, published in the writings of his descendants, have survived. solomon edited the *Azharot of Isaac b. Reuben *al-Bargeloni (Leghorn, 1650). The pious and learned abraham (1) settled in Tetuán, where his son judah (1; d. 1788) was dayyan. Those of his works which survived the sack of the city in 1790 were published in a collection under the titles Tofaḥ Saviv, a selection of his father's religious decisions, and Nofekh Sappir (Pisa, 1812). His son isaac (2; d. Jerusalem, 1805) was the author of Ma'aseh Rokem (Pisa, 1806), containing (1) novellae on Kiddushin by Asher b. Jehiel (ha-Rosh), entitled Simḥah La-Ẓaddik; (2) his own commentary on Kiddushin, entitled Paḥad Yiẓhak; (3) his commentary on Bava Meẓi'a, entitled Ma'aseh Nissim. Judah's second son abraham (2; d. 1806) was dayyan at Tetuán, Mogador, Gibraltar, and Leghorn. His work Zekhut Avot (Pisa, 1812) contains information on the Jews of Morocco and Leghorn. Abraham's son judah (2; d. 1787 in Tetuán) wrote Ma'or ve-Shemesh (Leghorn, 1838), a collection of extracts of various kabbalistic works, including some of the novellae written by his maternal grandfather, Judah (Abenatar) *Attar, rabbi of Fez. abraham (3), son of Judah (2), was av bet din in Mogador, where his poems and liturgical songs were destroyed during the bombardment of the city in 1844. He also wrote sermons and responsa, published under the title Berit Avot (1848). The son of Abraham (3), isaac (3; d. 1905), merchant, philanthropist, and scholar, wrote Naḥalat Avot (1899) on various religious questions and on the practices and customs of the Mogador community. nissim, son of Isaac (3), represented Holland at the court of the sultan at Marrakesh at the beginning of the 20^th century. samuel coriat (d. 1853) was farmer-general of revenues and government treasurer in Tetuán. He played an important role in the economic life of Morocco from 1818 as purveyor to the sultan. His nephew isaac (d. 1890) settled in Mogador in 1862 on the instructions of the government, and he became one of the five merchants of the sultan. Isaac distinguished himself during the Spanish-Moroccan war of 1859–60 by his devotion to public welfare.

bibliography:

Benjacob, Oẓar, 33, no. 635d.; J.M. Toledano, Ner ha-Ma'arav (1911), 104, 107, 192, 200–1; J. Ben-Naim, Malkhei Rabbanan (1931), 9b, 45a, 75a; C. Didier, Promenade au Maroc (1844), 149–50; I. Benwalid, Va-Yomer Yiẓḥak, 2 (Leghorn, 1855), nos. 151, 153; Miège, Maroc, 2 (1961), 107, 140, 560; 3 (1962), 35; 4 (1963), 210.

[David Corcos]