Meshullam ben Jacob of Lunel

Meshullam ben Jacob of Lunel was a wealthy man and philanthropist, and together with his sons provided for the support and maintenance of the disciples and scholars who flocked to his bet ha-midrash. He was a master of halakhah, but has also occupied himself with secular studies. His support for scholars included sponsoring the translations of books on grammar, theology, rhetoric, ethics, and parables.

Meshullam and his five sons were described by Benjamin of Tudela (1130 – 1173) as being “great and wealthy scholars, Joseph, Isaac, Jacob, Aaron, and Asher the ascetic, who had no concern with worldly matters, but devoted himself to study day and night, fasting and refraining from eating meat, and an outstanding talmudist, together with their brother-in-law Moses”. Because of them, Lunel became famous as an important center of study.