Ḥagiz's teacher was David Karigal who afterward became his father-in-law. In about 1646, Ḥagiz went to
Italy for the purpose of publishing his books, and remained there until after 1656, supporting himself by teaching. Samuel di Pam, rabbi at
Livorno, calls himself a pupil of Ḥagiz. About 1657, Ḥagiz left
Livorno for
Jerusalem, where the Vega brothers of Livorno had founded a
beit midrash for him, and where he became a member of the rabbinical college. There a large number of eager young students gathered about him, among whom were
Moses ibn Ḥabib, who became his son-in-law, and
Joseph Almosnino, later rabbi of
Belgrade. Another son-in-law of his was Moses Ḥayyun, father of
Nehemiah Hayyun. Another prominent student of his was Avraham Nathan ben Elisha Chaim Ashkenazi, renowned as
Nathan of Gaza, who served as the prophet of
Sabbatai Zevi. Jacob Ḥagiz was active in the opposition to
Sabbatai Zevi and put him under the
ban. About 1673, Ḥagiz went to
Constantinople to publish his
Leḥem ha-Panim (), but he died there before this was accomplished. This book, as well as many others of his, was lost. He also wrote: •
Teḥillat Ḥokhmah (), on
Talmudic methodology, published together with
Samson of Chinon's
Sefer Keritot (Verona, 1647; Amsterdam, 1709; Warsaw 1884 (without Sefer Keritot)) •
Oraḥ Mishor (), on the conduct of
rabbis (an appendix to the preceding work; 2d ed., with additions by Moses Ḥagiz, Amsterdam, 1709) •
Petil Tekhelet (), on the
Azharot of
Solomon Gabirol (Venice, 1652; 2d ed., London, 1714) •
Eẓ ha-Ḥayyim (), on the
Mishnah (Livorno, 1654–55; 2d ed., Berlin, 1716) • Ḥagiz also translated the ''Menorat ha-Ma'or'' of
Isaac Aboab into Spanish (1656) ==References==