Editing Abraham ben David (section)

==Biography==
[[File:Abraham ben David de Posquieres 04.jpg|thumb|Burials of Kabbalists Abraham ben David le Rabad III and his son Isaac the Blind]]
[[File:Ancient medieval jewish cemetery.jpg|thumb|[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ancien+cimeti%C3%A8re+juif+m%C3%A9di%C3%A9val,+s%C3%A9pultures+des+Kabbalistes+Abraham+ben+David+le+Rabad+III+et+son+fils+Isaac+l'Aveugle/@43.6894793,4.281771,18z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1shepad+vauvert!3m4!1s0x0:0x8128fed5add96698!8m2!3d43.6894039!4d4.2814724] link to burial site]]
RABaD's maternal grandfather, Rabbi Yitzhak b. Yaakov Ibn Baruch of [[Mérida, Spain|Mérida]] (1035–1094), who had compiled astronomical tables for the son of [[Samuel ibn Naghrillah|Shemuel ha-Nagid]], was one of five rabbis in Spain renowned for their learning. Concerning the oral history of his maternal grandfather's family and how they came to Spain, the RABaD wrote: "When [[Titus]] prevailed over Jerusalem, his officer who was appointed over Hispania appeased him, requesting that he send to him captives made-up of the nobles of Jerusalem, and so he sent a few of them to him, and there were amongst them those who made curtains and who were knowledgeable in the work of silk, and [one] whose name was Baruch, and they remained in Mérida."<ref>''Seder Hakabbalah Le'Ravad'' (printed in the edition which includes the books, ''Seder Olam Rabbah'' and ''Seder Olam Zuta''), Jerusalem 1971, pp. 43–44 (Hebrew).</ref>

RABaD was born in [[Provence]], France, and died at [[Posquières]]. He was the son-in-law of [[Abraham ben Isaac of Narbonne]] ''Av [[Beth din|Beth Din]]'' (known as the ''RABaD II''). He was the father of R' [[Isaac the Blind]], a [[Neoplatonism|Neoplatonist]] and important Jewish [[mysticism|mystical]] thinker. The teachers under whose guidance he acquired most of his Talmudic learning were R' [[Moses ben Joseph]] and R' [[Meshullam ben Jacob]] of [[Lunel, Hérault|Lunel]].

RABaD remained in Lunel after completing his studies, and subsequently became one of the city's [[Rabbi|rabbinical authorities]]. He went to [[Montpellier]], where he remained for a short time, and then moved to [[Nîmes]], where he lived for a considerable period. R' Moses ben Judah<ref>''"Temim De'im"'', p.&nbsp;6b</ref> refers to the rabbinical school of Nîmes, then under RABaD's direction, as the chief seat of Talmudic learning in Provence.

The center of the RABaD's activity was [[Vauvert|Posquières]], after which place he is often called. The town is known as Vauvert today. It is difficult to determine when he moved to Posquières; but about 1165, [[Benjamin of Tudela]], at the outset of his travels, called upon him there. He spoke of the ''Ravad's'' wealth and benevolence. Not only did he erect and keep in repair a large school-building, but he also cared for the material welfare of the poor students. A street exists in Vauvert with the name "Rue Ravad"' dedicated after him on the 800 anniversary of his death. His great wealth brought him into peril of his life because, to obtain some of it, Elzéar, the lord of Posquières, had him cast into prison, where, like Rabbi [[Meir of Rothenburg]], he might have died, had not Count [[Roger II Trencavel]], who was friendly to the Jews, intervened, and by his sovereignty banished the lord of Posquières to [[Carcassonne]]. Thereupon he returned to Posquières, where he remained until his death.

Among the many learned Talmudists who were his disciples in Posquières were Rabbis Isaac ha-Kohen of [[Narbonne]], the first commentator upon the [[Jerusalem Talmud]]; [[Abraham ben Nathan]] of Lunel, author of ''HaManhig''; Meir ben Isaac of Carcassonne, author of ''Sefer haEzer''; and [[Asher ben Meshullam]] of Lunel, author of several rabbinical works. RABaD's influence on [[Jonathan ben David ha-Cohen|Jonathan of Lunel]] is also evident, though the latter did not attend his lectures.