חיים בן יעקב אבולעפיה

Rav Chaim ben Yaakov Abulafia (5420/1660–5504/1744), whose name appears in English sources as Hayyim ben Jacob Abulafia, was born in Chevron and served as rav in Izmir, the Turkish city called Smyrna in older writings, where he established many takanot for the good order of the kehillah. He was a grandson of Rav Yitzchak Nissim ben Gamil, and his own grandson Rav Chaim Nissim Abulafia carried the name after him.

In his old age he took up the work for which he is best known: at the invitation of Daher al-Umar, the sheikh who ruled Teveria, he came to that city in 5500/1740 and reestablished its Jewish kehillah. Among the sefarim he left are Mikra’ei Kodesh (Izmir, 5489/1729), pieces on subjects of Tanach and Gemara; Yashresh Yaakov (Izmir, 5489/1729); Yosef Lekach (Izmir, 5490–5492/1730–32), three volumes on the Chumash; and Shevut Yaakov (Izmir, 5493/1733), a full commentary on the Ein Yaakov of Rav Yaakov ibn Chaviv. He was niftar in Teveria.