**Rav Shmuel HaLevi** the Nagid passed away at a ripe old age in the year 4816. [(See year 4880 and 4887) And his son Rav Yosef the Nagid sat on his father's throne, and see year 4825.] And in his days there were five great ones of Israel in Sepharad and two of them were named Yitzchak.

The first: Rabbi Yitzchak bar [(Yaakov bar, Seder HaKabbalah chapter 44, page 71)] Baruch (ben Albali from the community of Cordoba.

The second: Rabbi Yitzchak bar Yehuda ben Giat. These two were Sephardim.

**Rabbi Yitzchak bar Baruch** the aforementioned [(see year 4951, student of Rabbeinu Tam) was ordained in rabbinics in the year 4856 (Yuchsin in Seder HaKabbalah of the Rema) and in Shita LeShinuyim 36b, Rabbi Yitzchak bar Baruch of Goliya from Cordoba was ordained in the year 4897] from the great ones of the city. [Seder HaKabbalah writes that he was from the enslaved of Judah and he was the maternal grandfather of the Raavad and passed away in the year 4874. And immediately afterward he wrote that Rabbi Yitzchak bar Baruch of Cordoba composed Kupat HaRochlim and did not complete it because he died in 4856, and Rabbi Baruch his son went after his father's death to study from the Rif and established many students including the Raavad.

And he died in 4890, thus concluded. It appears from his words that this is another Rabbi Yitzchak. And it truly seems that it is the same one and there is no second.] He was born in Iyar 4796 and loved Torah and sought wisdom, and there came to Cordoba a great sage Rabbi Frigors from France and the Ritz did him many favors [(and learned from him. Seder HaKabbalah chapter 42b)] and Rabbi Yitzchak provided all his needs, and Rav Shmuel HaLevi the Nagid loved him when he was still a youth and would send him his books and gifts.

And this Rabbi Yitzchak wrote a treatise on the calendar for Rabbi Yosef bar Shmuel HaLevi the Nagid, and Rabbi Yosef HaLevi honored him with money and he went to him in Granada, and on the day of devastation in Granada [(see year 4825)] a miracle was performed for him and he was saved, and afterward he acquired many books because he was very wealthy and from the books of the Nagid that were scattered throughout all the lands he acquired very many. And he composed the book Kupat HaRochlin and explained many difficult laws in the Talmud and was wise in secular wisdom.

When he was thirty-five years old his fame went forth in the world and he was ordained in rabbinics and authority in the year 4829, and the Ishmaelite king Al-Ma'amah appointed him as ruler over his household who would consult him in the wisdom of astrology and he stood in greatness for two years. He passed away in the city of Granada in Nisan 4856, and his days were 59 years. He established many students, and he was the maternal grandfather of the Raavad who wrote the book HaKabbalah.

And among his students were Rabbi Baruch his son [(who after his father's death went to study from the Rif and established many students including the Raavad, Seder HaKabbalah chapter 56a)] and Rabbi Yosi bar Tzadok ben Tzaddik [(and in Yuchsin in Seder HaKabbalah of the Rema: Yosef ben Tzadok)], a great sage and paytan, and some say he was ordained as a judge in Cordoba at the end of the year 4898 and passed away in 4909, [Yuchsin in the generations of the Geonim and in Seder HaKabbalah of the Rema and Seder HaKabbalah chapter 44, and one must reconcile the matters for in some places there are printing errors, and see Seder HaKabbalah chapter 45, page 72, in the letter that the Rambam wrote to Rabbi Shmuel ben Tibon, he mentions the book Olam Katan that Rabbi Yosef HaTzaddik composed and praised the merit of his book. In my opinion this is the same one].

**And Rabbi Yitzchak** son of the Rabbi, Rabbi Yehuda ben Giat (the aforementioned) from the great ones of the city of Alicante, loved Torah and sought wisdom from his youth. And Rav Shmuel and his son Rav Yosef the Nagids, the aforementioned, honored and respected him. And by decree of Rabbi Yosef the aforementioned [(see year 4825)] Rabbi Azariah, son of this Rabbi Yitzchak Giat, fled and he remembered the kindness of his fathers and honored him and they sought to establish him as head over the community of Alisana and the remaining communities of Sepharad while he was still a youth.

And Rabbi Azariah HaLevi passed away, and this Rabbi Yitzchak was ordained in the year 4849 and became very ill and his servants brought him to Cordoba and he passed away there on the Sabbath day. And his servants took him out and they traveled all night and it became light for them in Alisana and he was buried with his fathers [(and Seder HaKabbalah chapter 44, page 72 writes he died in 4874)]. And he was a great paytan [(and composed a pleasant song for Purim and Tosafot (Shita)] and knew secular wisdom and taught much Torah and established great students.

And among his greatest students was a great sage and paytan and one who feared Heaven, Rabbi Yosef the judge bar Yaakov ben Sadal, ordained as judge in Cordoba in Shevat 4872 and passed away in Nisan 4884 and he judged Israel for fourteen years [(and composed the book Aseret HaDibrot, and he was also a student of Rabbi Yosi bar Tzadok the aforementioned, Seder HaKabbalah chapter 44, page 72)] Yuchsin in the generations of the Geonim and Seder HaKabbalah of the Rema.

The third: **Rabbi Yitzchak bar Moshe** ben Sakhni from the community of Denia, sometimes called Chaver and sometimes called Rav, but he was not a Chaver to these nor did he hold power in their days. He went to the eastern lands and was ordained as Gaon and sat on the throne of Rav Hai, [Yuchsin there. And Seder HaKabbalah chapter 44, page 71 writes that we heard that after his death there was no gatekeeper left in the land, and there were great disputes between this Rabbi and the Rif and he died in 4874].

The fourth: **Rabbi Yitzchak bar Yaakov Albargeloni** (and in Shita: Abarzaloni) came to the city of Denia and his honor there was great and he married among the great ones and judged them until the day of his death. And he was a paytan and composed Azharot and commentary on Ketubot which testifies to his wisdom [Yuchsin there (and he was also called Rabbi Yitzchak from Fas, brought in the Maharik section 146, Rabbi Yitzchak ben Mar Reuven, and the Ramban was his grandson.

See year 4958)].

The fifth: **Rabbi Yitzchak bar Yaakov ben Alfasi** from Kala'a Chaman, and he was the greatest of them all, student of the Rabbi Rav Nissim bar Yaakov and Rav Chananel [(see year 4810)] and they persecuted him, the son of Al-Ma'an the father, and his son Chaim until he fled to Sepharad [(to the city of Alisana, Seder HaKabbalah)] in the year 4848 [(and in Shita 4841, should read 4848. And so too Yuchsin in Seder HaKabbalah of the Rema and so too in Sema in the introduction)] and Rabbi Yosef HaNasi bar Meir ben Shatrmikesh was appointed and entered the city of Cordoba and stood there a little and afterward went to the city of Alisana and headed there until his death, as the head, and passed away at about age sixty in Nisan 4862 [(and below he writes 4892 and so too the Tzeda LaDerech in introduction chapter 15 and so too Seder HaKabbalah chapter 44, page 71: some say 4862 and some say 4892)].

And he established many students (and among his greatest students was Rabbi Yosef Migash [(see year 4900)] and his fame went forth everywhere. And from the days of Rav Hai there was none found like him in wisdom. [The Tzeda LaDerech there wrote that Rabbi Yitzchak author of Tosafot said about him that there was no son of man to compose a work like his except that forgetfulness dwells upon him. The Rambam wrote in the introduction to Mishnayot on Zera'im that there is no refutation of the Rif in his laws except in a few laws, not reaching ten in any manner. (The name Alfasi is like "from Fas" in Arabic, and Seder HaKabbalah writes his land was Pis).

And the father of his father Rabbi Yitzchak bar Reuven established the gates called Sha'arei Alfas according to some, but in Responsa Moreinu Baruch section 273 and in Hagahah Mordechai HaKetuvot chapter HaKotev he writes that the Alfasi was the grandfather of the author of the Sha'arim, thus concluded (see year 4942). He wrote in Responsa Maharshal section 29 that he received from Rav Chananel and Rav Yekutiel, brother of Rabbeinu Eliyahu the Elder].

**Rabbi Yosef HaNasi** ben Al-Paraz humbled the Karaites and expelled them from all the fortresses of Castile except for one small fortress that was given to them because he did not want to destroy them since capital punishment is not enacted in this time, etc. And after his death the wicked Shartun woman raised, etc., thus concluded. But the Holy One Blessed Be He preceded the remedy to the affliction and put it in the heart of King Di Alphonso to appoint over the spice guild on behalf of the King, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi ben Rabbi Yosef HaNasi ben Ezra whose fathers were from the great ones of Granada and inheritors of power and rulership in every generation in the kingdom of Badinim ben Chavos [(who lived in the generation of Rabbi Shmuel HaLevi the Nagid, see Yuchsin in the generations of the Geonim)], king of the Philistines.

And it is well known among the community of Granada that they are from the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the children of Judah and Benjamin and not from the villagers and cities of the Perizi. But this Rabbi Yehuda, his fathers and relatives were five ministers: Rabbi Yitzchak the great, the second Rabbi Moshe, the third Rabbi Yehuda, the fourth Rabbi Yosef - all of them, their lineage testifies about them that they are from the royal seed and the nobles.

And this Rabbi Yehuda released prisoners through his efforts and sent the oppressed free and broke the yoke and untied the bonds. And in his house at his table the exiles found rest and he satisfied the hungry and gave drink to the thirsty and clothed the naked and led with cattle every stumbler until they reached the city of Toledo with honor because of his reverence and honor that he had over his master who brought him while he was still a youth and lad.

He acquired livestock and silver he did not consider and gold he did not desire and he did not take for himself from any of his portion from the service of the king. And these righteous deeds were a great merit for him, for God sent him before the exile, etc. And the king appointed him over his household and ruling over all that was his, and he requested from the king not to give the heretics an opening in the land of Castile and the king agreed to do so and the heretics were subdued and did not raise their heads again, [Yuchsin at the end of the generations of the Geonim].