BONGORON or BONJORN, DAVID BEN YOM-ṬOB:

Astronomer; lived at Perpignan in the middle of the fourteenth century. The name "Bongorn" or "Bonjorn" is the Provençal equivalent of the Hebrew name "Yom-Ṭob," the Provençal Jews often prefixing to their own names those of their fathers. Judah Mosconi, in his supercommentary on Ibn Ezra, mentions Bongoron as one of the greatest astronomers of that time. Steinschneider connects the name of Bongoron with that of , who was implicated in the divorce case of Bona Dona, daughter of En Astrug Caravida of Gerona, mentioned by Isaac de Lattes (Responsa, pp. 127-139) and by Ḥisdai Crescas ("Zikkaron Yehudah," p. 23b). Steinschneider further supposes that Bongoron is identical with the astrologer and philosopher David ben Yom-Ṭob ibn Bilia, father of the astronomer Jacob Poel.

Bibliography:
  • Steinschneider, Hebr. Bibl. vii. 66;
  • idem, in Berliner's Magazin, iii. Hebrew part, pp. 8, 41;
  • idem, Cat. Bodl. col. 2118;
  • Gross, Gallia Judaica, p. 496.
G. I. Br.
Images of pages