KAPUZATO, MOSES HA-YEVANI

KAPUZATO, MOSES HA-YEVANI (fl. second half of 15th century), rabbi in Salonika. Moses was the author of a commentary on the Pentateuch in which he takes issue with Abraham ibn Ezra, Maimonides, and in particular with Karaite exposition. He was the author of the poem – a reshut for Passover: "Imrei Higyonai Ashir ve-Azamer la-Adonai" included in the Romaniot maḥzor and the Kaffa and Aleppo rites. He was a trenchant opponent of the Karaites, who reacted violently to his criticism. He sharply criticized Aaron b. Joseph, author   of the Sefer ha-Mivḥar and the Karaites abraham bali , the physician, author of the Iggeret ha-Issur Ner shel Shabbat, and caleb abba afendopulo answered his criticisms. He was especially attacked by Elijah bashyazi in his Aderet Eliyahu for daring to speak against Aaron b. Joseph, against the Karaite scholars, and for following in the wake of mordecai comtino . Moses is also mentioned by Karaites of later generations, such as Joseph Bagi (end of 15th and beginning of 16th centuries) in his Iggeret Kiryah Ne'emanah. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Zunz, Lit Poesie, 509; J. Fuerst, Geschichte des Karaeerthums, 2 (1865), 297, 303; A. Berliner, Aus Meiner Bibliothek (1898), XXVI; Markon, in: Festschrift… A. Harkavy, (1908), Heb. pt., 463; Davidson, Oẓar, 1 (1924), 270, no. 5922; Rosanes, Togarmah, 1 (19302), 32f. (Simon Marcus)