Aharon Ibn Hayyim

Aharon Ibn Hayyim (‎ 1545–1632) was a biblical and Talmudic commentator. Born in Fez, Morocco, he served on the bet din and studied at the yeshivot of his father, Vidal ha-Zarefati and Joseph Almosnino. In 1606 he left Fez for Egypt, and made his way to Venice in 1608 where he printed his numerous manuscripts. While in Venice, Ibn Hayyim gave lectures in several congregations, and was well known by famous rabbis at the time.

Leb Aharon Leb Aharon (Aaron's Heart) is a commentary on Joshua and the Judges, and contains both simple explanations of the words (peshat), as well as a more in depth analysis of the text at large (derush). This commentary is significant because Aharon Ibn Hayyim inserted the so-called Mekhilta de Arayot (Weiss Edition 91c-93b) into the Sifra and it was printed in Weiss' edition. The manuscript tradition (Vatican 66) has inserted this piece from another source. Aharon Ibn Hayyim's commentary also discusses the relevant parallel texts from rabbinical literature.