Judah Kalaẓ (Khallaṣ) was a cabalist and moralist. He lived in Algeria, probably at

Tlemçen Tlemcen (; ar, تلمسان, translit=Tilimsān) is the second-largest city in northwestern Algeria after Oran, and capital of the Tlemcen Province. The city has developed leather, carpet, and textile industries, which it exports through the po ...

, at the beginning of the sixteenth century. The surname ''Kalaẓ'' is derived from the Arabic ''khallaṣ'' (= "collector of taxes"). Kalaz was descended from a Spanish family, members of which settled in Algeria after the

expulsion from Spain Expulsion from Spain may refer to: *Expulsion of Jews from Spain (1492 in Aragon and Castile, 1497–98 in Navarre) *Expulsion of the Moriscos (1609–1614) See also *Forced conversions of Muslims in Spain The forced conversions of Muslims in ...

. A grandson of his, also named ''Judah'', was rabbi at Tlemçen at the end of the sixteenth century. Kalaẓ was the author of a valuable work on ethics entitled ''Sefer ha-Musar'' (Constantinople, 1536–37). He frequently quotes the ''Zohar'' and other cabalistic works, which he held in great esteem.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalaz, Judah Algerian Jews Jewish writers Hebrew-language writers Kabbalists Year of death unknown Year of birth unknown