Benjamin ben Abraham Anaw

Who is Benjamin ben Abraham Anaw?

Benjamin ben Abraham Anaw was a Roman Jewish liturgical poet, Talmudist, and commentator of the thirteenth century, and older brother of Zedekiah ben Abraham Anaw.

Perhaps the most gifted and learned of his Roman contemporaries, Anaw possessed a thorough mastery of halakhic literature, diligently studied philology, mathematics, and astronomy, and wielded a keen, satirical pen. His poetical activity began in 1239, when the apostate Nicholas Donin assailed the Talmud and appealed to Pope Gregory IX to order its destruction and the persecution of its students. Donin's agitation filled the Roman Jews with terror, and they seem to have appointed a day for fasting and prayer. At that time—and possibly for that fast-day—Anaw composed a penitential hymn " To whom shall I flee for help"—an acrostic of twelve stanzas.

Donin's endeavors met meanwhile with great success. In June, 1239, several wagon-loads of Talmudic manuscripts were burned in Paris and Rome: at the latter place the Jewish cemetery was destroyed.