Peraḥyā b. Yosef Ben Yijū

Description / Bio

A judge. Also, the Torah-learned but not business-minded nephew (and later, son-in-law) of Avraham Ben Yijū. After the death of his son, also called Peraḥyā, Avraham Ben Yijū reconnected with his brother Yosef (now living in Sicily) in order to find a groom within the family for his daughter Sitt al-Dār. "Peraḥyā [Yosef's chosen son] had left his post as a teacher in Sicily but, upon arriving in Egypt, was treated with contempt by his old uncle [...] Ben Yijū may well have hoped that Peraḥyā would replace his deceased son and might perhaps be able to take over his business. He was disappointed by his nephew's undistinguished appearance and lack of shrewdness--indispensable qualities for a successful businessman. [...] [...] The wedding of the Ben Yijū cousins [...] was not solemnized till August, 1156, by which time the bride had been orphaned." Peraḥyā then seems to have struggled financially. (Goitein and Friedman, India Book, p 82) "Despite Abraham Ben Yijū's disregard for his son-in-law, Peraḥyā soon achieved recognition in Egypt as a man of learning [...] Apparently after a short interval he was appointed judge in al-Maḥalla. The residents of that city enacted a special ordinance affirming their loyalty to him as dayyān, in response to attempts on the part of the Rayyis Abū Zikrī to oust him [...] Maimonides confirmed the al-Maḥalla ordinance and in 1187 enacted an ordinance of his own, which included a prohibition to transfer the post of judge in al-Maḥalla to anyone other than Peraḥyā." (Goitein & Friedman, India Book, p 83)