Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 2.pdf/635

585 by Lucca and Ricordi ing in Venice. Bibliography Private

in Milan.

Bassani

now liv-

is

sources.

B.

s.

BASSANI, ISAIAH



Italian rabbi, of the first

balf of the eighteenth century the son of Israel Hezekiah Bassani, who was a pupil of Moses Zaeuto and of Judah Briel of Mantua. Prom 1702 to 1707 he was rabbi at Cento, as appears from the documents of the fraternity Shomerim Laboker at Reggio. In 1712 he was at Padua, as is proved by the approbation (" haskamah ") he wrote to the " Hon Ashir " of Immanuel Ricchi, and he was still living there in 171

'

(Lampronti, " Pahad Yizhak, " X 34) from Padua he went to Reggio, where he died, some time after 1736. Moses Haj'yim Luzzatto was one of his pupils. The writings that Isaiah Bassani left prove him to have been a man of immense learning, with a wonderful versatility of mind. Many of his rabbinical decisions are contained in Lampronti 's " Pahad Yizhak." One of his poems, written when Zebulon Conegliano passed his examination in medicine at Padua, Aug. 14, 1716, has been published by Abraham Baruch Piperno in his collection of Hebrew

poems by Italian-Jewish authors Q2J? t>lp, 9«)- Two of his letters have been published in " Kerem Hemed, In the library of the Talmud Torah of Ferrara is preserved the manuscript of an unpub163.

iii.

Isaiah Bassani, "Mishpat la-'Ashusee Psalm for the Oppressed

lished

work by

kim

(Judgment

"



cxlvi. 7). Capitoli delta Fraternita di Reagio, SlmLampronti, Pahad Yizhak, as above la-Bolter in Revue Etudes Juivex, xxxix. 133; Steinxliii. 566. in Mcmatsschrift, sctmeider, V. C. L. G.

Bibliography



merim



Kaufmann,

BASSANI, ISRAEL BENJAMIN:

Rabbi at

Reggio, Italy born in 1703 died at Reggio Jan. 20, son of Isaiah Bassani. He 1790 (5 Shebat, 5550) was a skilful poet, both in Hebrew and in Italian. In honor of Francisco III. of Este, duke of Modena, Bassani composed eighty elegant Hebrew poems, to which he affixed Italian versions, in ottava rima Many other poems of his are con(Venice, 1750). tained in the "Kol 'Ugab" of A. B. Piperno; among





them may be mentioned especially the

thirty sestinas

below 876), Bassani is also the author of "La Corona Estense," Venice, 1753, a collection of sonnets in Hebrew, with a translation into Italian verse, dedicated to Francisco III. duke of Este; and "Moda'ah" (Announcement), Leghorn, He 1771, a letter concerning the case of I. Natof. also published " Todat Shelamim"(Thank-Offerings,) Venice, 1741, a collection of various halakic writings. In the archives of the Jewish community of Reggio, there are hundreds of Bassani 's Hebrew letters and several volumes of responsa and Hebrew sermons, besides a work on the principles regulating the Jew-

on

Bass Bassevi

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

585

electricity

(ib.

36J,



,

A eulogistic biographical sketch of Bassani was written by Benedetto Frizzi (Ferrara,

ish calendar. 1791).

Bibliography: A. B. " Piperno, Kol 'Ugab, Cat. Hebr. Booltx Brit. MUX.

p. 847>;

V. C.

HAYYIM



Bibliography:

Conlorte,

Kore ha-Dnrot,

ed. Cassel, pp.

Casuist B. and rabbi of Constantinople in the seventeenth cen:

U,

48, 51.

M. B.

L. G.

BASSANO

City in the province of Venice, Here, as in all the surrounding places, Jews were living at a very early period, engaged in commerce and industry, and especially in money-lending, as is shown by contemporary documents dating back to 1264. In the first half of the fifteenth century, they formed a large and prosperous commuSubsequently they were persecuted; and, in nity. 1468, a decree of perpetual banishment was issued against them. Nevertheless they returned, only to be again banished by the city council in 1481. No documents are extant to show the existence of a Jewish congregation, recognized and regulated by law. The Jews were obliged to live huddled together in one little street, still called "Callesella dei Zudii " but, as their numbers increased, more spacious quarters were assigned to them, which popular tradition still calls " II Ghetto. While some of the Jewish families, Bassan, Bassano, Bassani, may have been called from this city, the name is more probably of Hebrew origin. Some slight notices of the Jews of Bassano may be found in the rare pamphlet of Brenteri, " Fondazione There are no longer any del Monte di Pieta," 1882. Jews at Bassano, nor are there any traces of a syn:

Italy.



agogue or a cemetery. V. C.

g.

BASSEVI, HENDEL: Daughter of Ebert Geronim, and second wife of Jacob Bassevi, son of Abraham Bassevi and president of the congregation She died in the summer of 1628. Her of Prague. tomb is embellished with the family coat of arms— a blue lion with eight red stars upon a black field which was bestowed upon her husband in recognition of his services by the emperor Ferdinand in Bassevi was also accorded free choice of res1622. idence, was allowed to engage in any form of trade, was exempt from

taxes,

and was permitted

to enter'

His family was ennobled the imperial dwelling. and received the title "von Treuenberg."

She adopted orHendel was very charitable. phans, endowed brides, supported needy scholars, paid for the illumination of synagogues, and equipped schools wi th books. Indeed at the beginning of the Thirty Years' war, when Hebrew books were ruthlessly confiscated, Hendel did much to provide for ,

the endowment of synagogues and the distribution of prayer-books in Austria, Moravia, and other countries.

Bibliography: Hock, Gal 'Ed. p. 23, Prague, 1856; idem, Proper FamiUen, s.v. Basxcvi; Porges, Alterthilmer aer Prayer.Tnxcfstadt,

p. 63.

A F BASSEVI VON TREUENBERG, JACOB -

G.

L. G.

BASSANI, JEHIEL

Zedner,

His responsa (Constantinople, 1737) are valued for their keen analysis and terse style. Bassani maintained a learned correspondence with the great Oriental teachers of his time and he is several times mentioned in the responsa of Joseph di Trani and Mci'r de Boton. Judah Lerma, rabbi of Belgrade, was one of his pupils.

tury.

(called also

-

Jacob Schmieles ["son

Court Jew and financier; born

of Samuel"]):

in 1580; died at

Jung-