Obadiah ben Abraham Yare Bertinoro

Obadiah ben Abraham Yare Bertinoro was Italian banker, rabbi and Mishnah commentator. His family derived from the town Bertinero in northern Italy, and Obadiah lived and worked as a banker in nearby town Citta di Castello.

Little is known about his life prior to 1486. In that year he left Citta di Castello, went on via Rome to Naples and stayed there and at Salerno for four months. Next year he reached Palermo and stayed there for three months, preaching every Sabbath. He was offered to become rabbi, what he refused and sailed by way of Messina and Rhodes for Alexandria, where he arrived early in 1488. Obadiah then proceeded to Cairo, where the nagid (leader of community) Nathan ha-Kohen Sholal received him with great honor. Obadiah was offered to stay in Cairo but he continued his journey via Gaza, Hebron, and Bethlehem, reaching Jerusalem just before Passover in 1488. In Jerusalem, Obadiah became the spiritual leader of Jerusalem Jewry, and has established regular courses of study and preached twice a month in Hebrew. He was also made responsible for the collection of funds from Italy for the support of the poor. From 1491 to 1495, he left Jerusalem and became rabbi of Hebron. However, Obadiah’s fame rests on his commentary on the Mishnah which was completed in Jerusalem and published in Venice (1548–49).