Joseph ben Meir HaLevi ibn Migash (also renderedYosef ibn Meir Ha-Levi ibn Migash,José ben Meir ibn Megas, or simplyJoseph ibn Migash;Hebrew:יוסף בן מאיר הלוי אבן מיגאש; early 1077 – c. 1141) was a prominentrabbi, halakhic decisor (posek), and head of the yeshiva (rosh yeshiva) inLucena, inal-Andalus (modern-daySpain). He is also known by theacronymRi Migash (ר"י מיגאש), standing forRabbi Yosef Migash.
Joseph ibn Migash was probably born inSeville (thoughSteinschneider believes it wasGranada). He moved toLucena at the age of 12 to study under the renownedTalmudistIsaac Alfasi. Hestudied under Alfasi at Lucena for fourteen years. Shortly before his death (1103), Alfasiordained Ibn Migash as a rabbi, and - passing over his own son - also appointed him, then 26, to be his successor asRosh Yeshiva (seminary head). Joseph ibn Migash held this position for 38 years.
RabbiAbraham ben David, in his workSefer ha-Kabbalah (Book of Tradition), mentions Joseph ibn Migash, a grandfather who had the same name, as being a contemporary ofSamuel haNagid, and that during the dispute between the supporters of Bulukkin and the supporters ofBadis, the Berber ruler of Granada, Joseph ibn Migash had sided with Bulukkin in this dispute and fled to Askilia, to avoid punishment.[1]
It is clear that Migash was a great scholar:Maimonides in the introduction to his Mishnah commentary says "the Talmudic learning of this man amazes every one who understands his words and the depth of his speculative spirit; so that it might almost be said of him that his equal has never existed."Judah ha-Levi eulogizes him in six poems which are full of his praise. Joseph ibn Migash's best known student is probably Maimon, the father and teacher ofMaimonides. In Maimonides' Introduction to hisMishnah commentary, he heaps lavish praises upon Rabbi Joseph ibn Migash (Halevi), saying of him:“I have collected what I stumbled across from the glosses of my father, of blessed memory, as well as others under the name of our Rabbi Joseph Halevi, of blessed memory; and as the Lord lives, the understanding of that man in theTalmud is astounding, as anyone [can see] who observes his words and the depth of his comprehension, until I can say of him that 'there has never been any king like unto him before him'(cf. 2 Kings 23:25)in his method [of elucidation]. I have also collected all of the legal matters (Heb.halachot) that I found that belonged to him in his commentaries, themselves.”[2]
There is a tradition that Maimonides himself was a pupil of Joseph ibn Migash. This probably arose from the frequent references in Maimonides' works to him as an authority. It is unlikely that he was literally taught by him, as Maimonides was 3 years old at the time of Joseph ibn Migash's death.
However, Maimonides' grandson published a pamphlet with the approval of his grandfather, in which it is described that Maimonides ran away from home in his youth, met Joseph ibn Migash, and studied under him for several years.[attribution needed]
Joseph ibn Migash authored over 200responsa,She'elot u-Teshuvot Ri Migash - originally inJudeo-Arabic - many of which are quoted inBezalel Ashkenazi'sShittah Mekubetzet. Five of Ibn Migash's responsa survived in Yemen, and were published by Rabbi Yosef Qafih in 1973.[3] He specifiedChananel Ben Chushiel andAlfasi as his authorities, but disagreed with Alfasi in about thirty some odd places related toHalacha.[4]
He also authored aTalmudic commentary -ḥiddushim (novellae) on tractatesBaba Batra (linkhere) andShevuot (included in Joseph Samuel Modiano'sUryan Telitai, Salonica 1795) - which is quoted by variousRishonim. His other works have been lost.
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