Solomon Petit Explained

Solomon Petit was a 13th-century French Tosafist who settled in Acre, Palestine, where he gathered a following of mystics and instigated a new campaign against the philosophical writings of Maimonides.^[1] When the Exilarch of Damascus, Yishai ben Chezkiah, learned of the renewed anti-Mainmonist agitation, he threatened Petit with excommunication, which was later invoked.^[2] Petit ignored the threats and set off on a mission to Europe to gather signatures from German rabbis endorsing his position.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Book: Hava Tirosh-Samuelson. Happiness in premodern Judaism: virtue, knowledge, and well-being. 10 May 2011. 2003. Hebrew Union College Press. 978-0-87820-453-3. 278.
2. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=45&letter=Y Yishai (Jesse) Ben Hezekiah
3. Book: Heinrich Graetz. History of the Jews: From the Revolt Against the Zendik (511C. E) to the Capture of St. Jean D'Acre by the Mahometans (1291. 10 May 2011. 31 December 2009. Cosimo, Inc.. 978-1-60520-945-6. 626–633.