Meir Abraham ben Todros HaLevi Abulafia (ibn Kalonymus), RaMaH - Realy the Ramah's father?

Started by Avishai Ben-Abba on Saturday, April 18, 2020
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According to the Ramah's tree he was the son of Todros of Toledo, which makes more sense looking at the etymology of the name Abulafia.

That he is son of Todros ben Meir HaLevi Abulafia is also confirmed by the chart in the Encyclopedia Judaica, 2nd Ed., Vol. 1, p. 341 (source for chart is H. Brody, in Yedi’ot ha-Makhon le-Ḥeker ha-Shirah ha-Ivrit 2(1936), 6)

This further negates the patriline connection between this Abulafia branch and Rav Kalonymus "HaZaken" Someone with curatorial authority should disconnect Todros Abulafia, Halevy from Rabbi Yehuda ben Kalonymus However, it should be noted that there is still a connection between Kalonymus HaZaken and a branch of Abulafias through the marriage of Salva bat Meir HaLevi Abulafia to Shmuel ben Abraham if the latter's pedigree to Abraham ben Shmuel haChassid is correct.

So, should we change the father from Todros Abulafia, Halevy ?

The text gives yet another father Todros ben Judah.

Meʾir ben Ṭodros Abulafia (ca. 1170–1244), known as the Rama, was a Talmud commentator, thinker, and poet who lived in Toledo. He was the scion of a wealthy and scholarly family, the son of Todros ben Judah, to whom the physician Judah ben Isaac dedicated his poem, The Conflict of Wisdom and Wealth, published in 1214.

"ABULAFIA, TODROS BEN JUDAH HALEVI (1247–after 1298), Hebrew poet. He was born in Toledo and spent most of his life there. Todros was a member of a well-known
family of the city, although his kinships with other Abulafias, such as Meir *Abulafia, or with “the Rav,” Todros ben Joseph *Abulafia, are not completely clear." EJ, 2nd. Vol. 1, p. 344

My impression is that the later EJ has taken into account the JE when distinguishing between Todros Ben Judah and Todros ben Meir as being two different people, but anyhow the name of Todros' father isn't as important as making sure to disconnect the Levitic Abulafias from the non-Levitic Rav Kalonymus "HaZaken" which is now okay. Thanks.

I guess you could write that there is a conflict between JE and EJ as to Todros's father's given name and leave either or both names on the profile.

PS: I also just noticed that the birth year given in EJ for Todros b. Judah is 1247, which is after the death year given in both JE and EJ of Meir b. Todros: 1244. So at least the Todros b. Judah from EJ could not be the father of Meir b. Todros 'Ha-Ramah'.

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