H Abraham Isaac Antebi (1765-1858)

H Abraham Isaac Antebi was born in Aleppo in 1765. He was the son of H Isaac Shabtai Antebi and the student of H Isaac Berakha and H Isaiah Dabbah. When his father passed on, he succeeded him as the head of the Bet Din (Rabbinical Court) in Aleppo. By 1817, he was appointed as Chief Rabbi of Aleppo. He is the uncle of H Yaaqob David Antebi, the Chief Rabbi of Damascus, who was involved in the Damascus Affair of 1840. 

 

His deputy for many years was H Haim Mordekhai Labaton. Their joint tenure was marked by stability and by efforts to strengthen the esteem and the authority of the Bet Din, whose status had been somewhat undermined by the Ottoman reforms, leaving only matters of personal status under its jurisdiction.

 

H Antebi's strong views and attitudes on Torah, Halakha, Qabbalah, in the face of the Enlightenment, prevented the downfall of Halakha observance among the Aleppo Jewish community. He served as Chief Rabbi of Aleppo for more than 40 years.

 

In addition to the many pizmonim that he composed (included on this website), he wrote books on a variety of topics:

 

(1) "Yosheb Ohalim" (Livorno, 1825) - This book is divided into two sections: "Ohel Abraham" and "Ohel YisHaq." The subject of "Ohel Abraham" are Torah sermons on the Exodus and on Passover. The subject of "Ohel YisHaq" are sermons written by his father, H Isaac Shabtai Antebi. This book was written in a time when H Antebi was living in a tent-camp outside Aleppo with many other refugees who escaped from the city after it was destroyed by an earthquake in August 1822.

 

(2) "Penei HaBayit"- Analytic commentary on the teachings of Rabbi Shelomo ben Adrat (Rashba) with regard to the rules of slaughtering. In 1849, he published another book bearing the same name "Penei HaBayit" consisted of original Torah thoughts. This book was bound also with his father's book, "Bet Ab", original thoughts on the Rambam.

 

(3) "Mor VeAholot" - 1843 - Responsa on a variety of topics.

 

(4) "Ohel Yesharim" - (Livorno, 1843) - Exhortations for moral and spiritual development, collected from many books and from the Midrashim. The most important part of this book is the last one: "Shaar HaShir", against the custom of singing Arab flirtation songs. In the end of this book, there is a collection of his pizmonim.

 

(5) "Hokhma U'Musar" (Livorno, 1850) - On ethical conduct, to which is added "Derekh Huqekha" laws of the festivals (original thoughts and rulings on the laws of Passover) and also contains Huqei Nashim, matrimonial law based chiefly on the responsa of David b Solomon Abi Zimra.

 

(6) "Penei Ohel Moed" (Jerusalem, 1959) - Containing two eulogies which were delivered on the death of H Abraham Antebi by H Haim Mordekhai Labaton and another unknown scholar. There are also Shabbat sermons for Rosh haShana and for the "the special Sabbaths" which are four in the year (the Shabbats before Yom Kippur, Purim, Pesah, and Shabuot).

 

H Abraham Antebi's works are an important source for the cultural social and economic life of the Jews of Syria. To this day, legends are current in praise of him and the wonders, which he performed.

 

H Abraham Antebi passed away in Aleppo on 28 Tevet 1858 at age 93.

 

May his memory be blessed.