Yihye Bashiri | |
---|---|
Born | 1661 |
Nationality | Yemenite |
Occupation | Rabbi
Professional Scrivener Sofer |
Yihye Bashiri (Hebrew: יחיא בשירי), also spelt Yahya al-Bashiri (b. ? – d. 1661[1]), known by his pen-name Avner bar Ner ha-Sharoni,[2] and by the acronym Maharib (moreinu harav yihye bashiri), was a Yemenite Rabbi, professional scrivener and sofer of the Masoretic Text whose works of Hebrew manuscripts now account for many now stored in public libraries across the globe, including the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (Rab.1276; Rab. 36; Rab. 4550), Cambridge University Library (Add.1726, p. 1-a; Add. 3407), the Russian State Library (MS. Günzburg 869) and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (MS. 764), et al. Rabbi Yiḥyah Salaḥ coined him the epithet, "the great scribe of the Law."[3] A man of uncommon piety, he is also known for an act of intervention on behalf of his community in Yemen, which brought miraculous deliverance to the Jews of Sana'a when they stood in danger of annihilation by the king, on account of libel and slander brought against them.