Judah Ben Eliezer Ha-Levi Minz (ca. 1435 – 1508) == ? >> Abraham ben Judah ha-Levi Minz / Avraham ben Yehuda Ha-Levi Mintz of Padua (ca. 1480 – 1530) == Livo Liva >> Hannah Mintz == Meir Katzenellenbogen ( ? – 1565) >> Samuel Judah Katzenellenbogen (1521 – 1597) == Abigail Jaffe >> Saul Wahl Katzenellenbogen (1545 – 1617) == Deborah Drucker >> Meir Wahl Katzenellenbogen (died 1631) == Hinde, daughter of Pinchas Halevi Horowitz >> Baila / Beila Katzenellenbogen == Jonah / Yonah I Frankel-Teomim (1596 – 1669) >> Ezekiel Joshua Feivel Teomim| (ca. 1637 – ca. 1726) == Pearl Leib (1640 – 1710) >> Chaim Jonah Frankel-Teomim == Sarah Oppenheim >> Magdelene Genendel Frankel-Teomim (1713 – 1778) == Simon Isaac Bondi (1711 – 1773) >> Jonas Bondi (1732 – 1765) == Bella / Belle Schifra >> Clara / Caroline Bondi (1760-1829) == Koppel Loeb of Bamberg >> Moises Loeb / Moritz Reis (1782 – 1855) == Émilie Bickartt (1784 ) >> Jonas Reis (1809 – 1877) == Marian Samuel (1825 – 1900) REIS FAMILY
Judah Ben Eliezer Ha-Levi Minz (ca. 1435 – 1508), also known as Mahari Minz, was the most prominent Italian rabbi of his time. As his surname suggests that he immigrated around 1462 from Mainz in Germany to Italy. He officiated as rabbi of Padua for forty-seven years, during which time he had a great number of pupils, among whom were his son Abraham Minz, and the latter’s son-in-law Meir Katzenellenbogen. He was also the leader of the yeshivah at Padua where he remained until his death.
It is claimed that Minz was involved in various halakhic disputes and is said to have corresponded with other famous rabbis of his time, including Elijah Mizrahi of Turkey and Israel Isserlein of Wiener-Neustadt. He also authored several ordinances (takanot) for the Jewish community of Padua.
Unfortunately, most of Minz’s writings were destroyed during the Siege of Padua in 1509 shortly after his death. However, some of his work survived. Joseph ben Abraham Minz, his grandson, discovered sixteen of his responsa, and these were published by Meïr Katzenellenbogen, who printed in the same volume his own responsa and the Seder Gittin wa-chalitzah of Abraham Minz in 1553. These responsa have been edited, and supplemented with an extended commentary and preface, by Johanan ben Moses Preschel in 1898. Judah’s responsa, though scanty, afford interesting information on the history of his age and on Jewish customs in Padua. His responsa relied heavily on his German predecessors, reflecting the connection between Italian and German Jewish traditions.
Minz lived to the remarkable age of 103! In 1505, at over 100 years old, he participated in Birkat Hachama, a rare Jewish ritual performed only once every 28 years. He died in Padua in 1508, just five days after the renowned philosopher Isaac Abarbanel, and was buried beside him. Judah Minz’s legacy continued through his descendants, including his son Abraham Minz, who succeeded him as rabbi of Padua, and his grandson-in-law Meir Katzenellenbogen, who later published some of Minz’s surviving works.
Abraham ben Judah ha-Levi Minz
Abraham was an Italian rabbi, the son of the above Judah who flourished in Padua in the first half of the 16th century. He inherited his father’s position and qualities, continuing as Rabbi and leader of the house of learning in Padua. His married Livo Liva whose father was Rabbi Yitzchak Liwa, of Ferrara. The daughter of Abraham and Livo was Hannah who married Meir Katzenellenbogen.
However, Abraham did not hold his position at Padua for very long. In June 1509 imperial forces of the Holy Roman Empire captured Padua from Venice. Whereupon Abraham presented a gift to Maximilian I which succeeded in preventing the imperial troops from harming the Jewish population. However, on July 17, 1509, just about five weeks after the initial capture, Venetian forces led by Andrea Gritti recaptured the city. Upon taking back the city the Venetian troops pillaged the houses of the Jews ruthlessly. The local rabble joined in, robbing the Jews of most everything. Abraham was then expelled by the Venetian authorities. He later became rabbi in Mantua after spending time in Ferrara.
Apparently, Abraham was involved in a notable dispute with Jacob Pollak, which resulted in them excommunicating each other, though some sources attribute this dispute to his father Judah Minz instead.
He authored several works: A number of responsa (rabbinic decisions) that were printed with those of R. Lewa of Ferrara in Venice in 1511. “Seder Gittin va-Ḥaliẓah”, a treatise on divorce and ḥaliẓah, which was printed with the responsa of his father and son-in-law in Venice in 1553.
There is some disagreement about the year of his death. According to different sources, he died either in 1530 or 1541.
