Nathan ben Abraham

Nathan ben Abraham belonged to a leading family of Jerusalem Rabbanites. After studying in Qayrawān, Tunisia, he married the daughter of Mevorakh ben Eli from Fustāt (Old Cairo). Around the age of forty, he returned to Palestine and took up the position of av bet din (“head of the court,” the secondmost-senior member of the Palestinian academy) in Jerusalem, which by tradition would have belonged to another high-ranking member of the academy. Nathan’s assumption of this post eventually sparked a series of disputes over his suitability to lead the Palestinian academy. Throughout his career, Nathan maintained a positive relationship with Palestinian Karaites, who supported him. Although he was unsuccessful in his bid for the position of gaon, a compromise was reached between Nathan’s camp and his opponents, permitting him to continue to serve as av bet din, a post he held until his death.