AZBAN, MORDECAI BEN ISAAC:

By: Kaufmann Kohler, Meyer Kayserling

Cabalist and rabbi in Leghorn; born in the interior of Africa; died at Jerusalem 1740. At Leghorn he had a controversy with Abraham Ḥayyim Rodriguez, which is printed in the latter's collection of decisions, entitled "Oraḥ le-Ẓadiḳ." He went as rabbi to Aleppo, and later to Jerusalem, where he remained till his death. Azban composed "Zobeaḥ Todah"(Thank-Offering), which contains a lengthy penitential prayer ("widdui gadol") with reference to the various human organs so far as they lead man to sin (Constantinople, 1733). This work was modeled after Eleazar Ascari's "Sefer Ḥaredim." He also wrote "Yissa Berakah" and other works of a mystic nature.

K. M. K.