(BIBLIOGRAPHY)

Chaim Joseph David Azulai (1724-1806), Jerusalem-born, of mixed Sephardic-Aschkenazic parentage (his mother was the daughter of R. Joseph Bialer, who accompanied R. Judah Chasid to Eretz Israel), was one of the leading scholars of his day, not to mention his unusual prolificity as an author. His bibliographical work Shem ha-Gedolim, broken down into two parts according to authors and titles, outstripped the 2,200 entries in the earlier Siphthei Yeshenim of R. Shabbethai Bass by an additional 1,300 entries. In fact, Azulai’s method of collecting information much resembles that of Moritz Steinschneider, considered the father of Jewish scientific bibliography. During Azulai’s travels throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Europe he visited libraries, recording in his diaries the various books and manuscripts he encountered. See EJ, Vol. III, cols. 1019-1020