2 Elul · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Isaac ben Sheshet - Rivash
2 Elul is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Isaac ben Sheshet - Rivash (ריב"ש) - an outstanding scholar of the Talmud.
Yahrzeit - 2 Elul
Burial place - Algeria
He was born in Valencia and settled at an early age in Barcelona, where he studied at the school of Rabbi Nissim of Gerona.
Isaac was a descendant, on his father's side, of Sheshet Benveniste, and a descendant of Azriel of Gerona through his father's paternal grandmother. Although Isaac, while still young, gained a worldwide reputation as a Talmudic scholar, and halachic questions were addressed to him from all countries, he earned his living through trade until he was about fifty years old, when he was compelled to accept the position of rabbi.
Together with six other prominent men of Barcelona, among them his younger brother Yehuda ben Sheshet and his teacher Nissim ben Reuven, he was thrown into prison on a false accusation. After his acquittal, he accepted the rabbinate of Zaragoza; but troubles still awaited him.
To the grief caused by the death of his brother Yehuda and his son-in-law was added strife within the community, stirred up by the Dayan Yosef ben David. As a result, Isaac accepted the less prestigious rabbinate of Calatayud; but when he was about to leave Zaragoza, the heads of that community persuaded him to stay. Isaac soon settled in Valencia, where he headed a Talmudic academy.
After spending some time in Miliana, he settled in Algiers, where he was received with great honor.
A certain Spanish refugee, who had settled in Algiers before him, wished to become the leader of the community, and, seeing a rival in Isaac, began to persecute him. To give Isaac the authority necessary to act against this man, Saul ha-Kohen Astruc persuaded the government to appoint Isaac as rabbi of Algiers. But this only created an even stronger enemy in the person of Simeon ben Tzemach Duran, who disapproved of any government interference in rabbinic affairs.
Despite these events, the Jews of Algiers held Isaac in great esteem, and on the anniversary of his passing, which occurred in 1408, pilgrimages are still made to his grave to this day. His tombstone was restored by the community of Algiers in 1862. On the tombstone is an elegy composed by Rabbi Mari ibn Caspi: "Ce Monument a été restauré par la communauté Israélite d'Alger en l'honneur du Rabbin Isaac bar Chichat, né en Espagne, décédé à Alger en 1408, dans sa 82 année. Alger le 11 août, 1862" - (This monument was restored by the Jewish community of Algiers in honor of Rabbi Isaac bar Sheshet, born in Spain, who died in Algiers in 1408 at the age of 82. Algiers, August 11, 1862). However, the accuracy of the date of his death given in this epitaph is questioned by some scholars, who argue with some authority that Isaac died at least a year later.
Rabbi Isaac bar Sheshet was the author of 518 responsa, to which great halachic significance is attributed by such figures as Rabbi Yosef Karo, Rabbi Yaakov Beirav, and many others. They also carry great historical significance, as they reflect the conditions of Jewish life in the fourteenth century. In some of them, details of the author's life can be found.
Isaac's responsa were first published under the title "Sheelot u-Teshuvot" in Constantinople in 1546–1547. A newer collection of responsa was published by David Frenkel in Munkács under the title "Sheelot u-Teshuvot ha-Rivash ha-Chadashot".
In addition to this, he wrote novellae on the Talmud, which no longer exist. They are mentioned by him in his responsum (No. 106), and some of them, concerning tractate Ketubot, are cited by Betzalel Ashkenazi in Shitah Mekubetzet. Azulai stated that he had seen a manuscript containing Isaac ben Sheshet's commentary on the Pentateuch.
May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael!
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_ben_Sheshet)