Solomon Ma'tuk

Solomon Ma'tuk, or Sulayman ben David Ma'tuk or Matuq (18th century) was a communal leader, astronomer and Jewish devotional poet of Baghdad, whose piyyutim are still incorporated in Iraqi Jewish liturgy.

Family origin

Sulayman ben David Ma'tuk was a descendant of Rabbi Ma'tuk, the Nasi or Prince of the Jewish community of 'Ana, in Iraq.

Iraqi Jewish tradition places in ‘Ana the ancient city of Nehardea and the centre of learning instrumental to the development of the Talmud and Rabbinic Judaism, the Nehardea Academy. The Talmud cites the Jewish community of Nehardea was known to be one of the oldest in Mesopotamia, dating from the first Babylonian exile. It was to become the first seat of the Exilarch and his Beth Din. In Baghdad the 18th and 19th century the family gained considerable renown and importance amongst Iraqi Jews.

The family produced several notable scribes and poets and had in its possession an important library of both Jewish literary and religious works, some of which were produced in Spain prior to the Edict of Expulsion.

Biography

Sulayman ben David Ma'tuk was famed in Baghdad for having the largest library in the city.

He was reputed to have been the possessor of a library of over seven thousand volumes, both manuscripts and printed books.

In his lifetime he was known across the Jewish communities of the Middle East as a great collector of Hebrew manuscripts. This included Arabic translations of the Pentateuch, Song of Songs, the Book of Ruth, Book of Esther, Book of Lamentations and the Book of Daniel.

From his work as an astronomer several geometrical manuscripts, including one combined with a commentary and a treatise on the astrolabe have survived.

During the lifetime of his grandson the family name was changed to Judah, or Yahuda or Yehuda in Hebrew.

In the early 19th century persecution at the hands of Dawud Pasha of Baghdad, drove many of the leading Jewish families of Baghdad across the Indian Ocean and to found the communities across Asia known as the Baghdadi Jews.

In the 20th century the works of Sulayman ben David Ma'tuk were studied by the renowned bibliophile David Solomon Sassoon, the grandson of David Sassoon, who had in his personal collection several books, including Jonah Gerondi's Sha'are Teshuvah, crafted in Fano in 1505, Judah Ha Levy's Kuzari, crafted on Fano in 1506 and David ibn Yahya's Limmudim, from Constantinople in 1542.

Sulayman ben David Ma'tuk's descendants include Abraham Yahuda and Tim Judah.