Ibn-jachja, David

Ibn-Jachja, David a Jewish scholar, was born about 1440. He was a Rabbi at Lisbon, in Portugal, and had gained great celebrity by his scholarship when he was suddenly accused of giving aid to the Spanish Maranes (q.v.), who, having witnessed the peculiar practices of the Spanish disciples of Christ, preferred to return to the faith of their fathers. Ibn-Jachja was condemned to death, and barely escaped the punishment by a flight to Naples. Later, he removed to Constantinople, and taught the sciences. He died in 1504. His works are, Leshon Limmodim, a large Hebrew grammar; and Shekel Hakkodesh, on the metric and poetical laws of the new Hebrew dialect. See Carmoly, Die Jachjiden, p. 17; Gratz, Gesch. der Juden, 9, 3; Etheridge, Introd. to Heb. Lit. p. 462; First, Biblioth. Jud. 2, 2 sq.