Samuel de Medina

Samuel De Medina

Rabbi Samuel ben Moses de Medina (abbreviated RaShDaM, Hebrew רשד"ם or Maharashdam; 1505 – October 12, 1589), was a Talmudist and author. He was principal of the Talmudic college of that city, which produced a great number of prominent scholars during the 16th and 17th centuries. His teachers were the noted Talmudists Joseph Taitazak and Levi Ibn Chaviv, and among his schoolmates were Isaac Adarbi, Joseph ibn Leb, and Moses Almosnino. While on a mission to Constantinople he met the noted grammarian Menahem Lonzano, who studied under him for some time and who therefore speaks of him as his teacher (David Conforte, Kore ha-Dorot, ed. Cassel, p. 44a).

Among Samuel's many disciples who attained prominence were Abraham de Boton and Joseph ibn Ezra. He had a controversy with Joseph Karo and other rabbis at Safed, against whom he wrote a polemical letter (Ketav Tochachah; see Azulai, Shem haGedolim, s.v.). He died at Salonica. A grandson of his was Samuel Hayyun, author of Bene Shemuel, novellae and responsa (Salonica, c. 1613).