David ben Zakkai
David ben Zakkai · Historical & Religious Figures
Exilarch of Babylonian Jewry who appointed Saadia Gaon and fought him for four years
IXe siècle, Bagdad, califat abbasside (Irak) — 940, Bagdad, Irak
Bagdad
David ben Zakkai is recognized among Jewish contributors to Historical & Religious Figures — Exilarch of Babylonian Jewry who appointed Saadia Gaon and fought him for four years
Origins and early life
David ben Zakkai was exilarch of the Jews of Babylonia from about 917 until his death in 940 — the Resh Galuta, hereditary lay head of the largest Jewish community of the world, descended from the house of David and recognized by the Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad.
Work and career
His reign is remembered for one decision and one quarrel. In 928 he did something no exilarch had done: he appointed as Gaon of the academy of Sura a foreigner, the Egyptian scholar Saadia ben Joseph, the greatest Jewish mind of the age — and two years later, when Saadia refused to countersign an inheritance ruling that David had issued as judge, seeing in it an injustice, the two men broke.
Later years
Each deposed the other's ally: David named a rival gaon, Saadia conferred the exilarchate on David's brother Hasan, who died in exile; the dispute ran through the courts of the caliph al-Qahir and the Jewish notables of Baghdad for four years, until they were reconciled around 937 and Saadia returned to Sura. The affair, told by the sources of both sides, remains the most vivid picture we have of how Babylonian Jewry governed itself. David died in 940, and Saadia, who had cared for his orphaned grandson, followed him two years later.
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Source: https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4983-david-ben-zakkai
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Exilarch of Babylonian Jewry who appointed Saadia Gaon and fought him for four years
Source: https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4983-david-ben-zakkai
