La Peyrere Labi THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA 588

stay at Brody, Kuttower was reconciled with Israel Ba'al Shem-Tob, and lie exchanged letters with him when settled at Jerusalem, where he flnallyL adopted the Hasidic system of his brother-in-law. At Jerusalem, Kuttower became the "rosh yeshi-bah" in the Midrash Hasidim organized by those

who had come to Palestine headed by Judah he-Hasid. BIBLIOGRAPHY : Abraham Kahana, R. Tisrael Ba'al Shem-

Tob, pp. 38, 96 et seq.; Simeon Dubnow, In Pardes, ii. 202-• 204, Odessa, 1894: Walden, Shem ha-Ocdolim hc-Hadmh,

p. 34. K. M. SEL.

LA PEYRERE, ISAAC. See MANASSEH B. ISRAEL.

LABAN (pi)).—1. Biblical Data: Son of Bethuel, grandnephew of Abraham, and maternal uncle and father-in-law of Jacob. His home being in Aram-naharaim (Mesopotamia; Gen. xxiv. 10), other­wise known as Padan-aram (ib. xxviii. 5), he is called "the Aramean" (ib. xxv. 20, xxxi. 20, 24 [A. V. "Syrian"]). Mention is first made of him on the occasion of the marriage of his sister Rebekah. At­tracted by the ring and bracelets which Eliezer had given her, Laban conies out to meet him, brings him into the house, and takes the lead in the negotiations concerning the departure of Rebekah. The name "Bethuel" is mentioned only once, and even then after "Laban " (ib. xxiv. 29-32,50, 53, 55; see BETHU­EL). More fully detailed are Labau's dealings with Jacob, in Gen. xxix. 13-29, xxx. 27-xxxii. 9 (see JACOB, BIBLICAL DATA).

E. G. ii. M. SEL. In Rabbinical Literature: Laban is identi­

fied by the Rabbis with Beor, Balaam's father, and with Chushan-rishathaim (Judges iii. 8), the last name being interpreted as " perpetrator of two evils " (Sanh. 105a; comp. Targ. pseudo-Jonathan to Num. xxii. 5). R. Joshua b. Levi, however, identifies Laban with Kemuel (Gen. xxii. 21), the latter name being interpreted as, "who stood up against God's people" (i>K lDp; Gen. R. lvii. 4). The name " Laban" is interpreted as " glowing with wick­edness" (ib. lx. 8), and the surname "Arammi" ( = " the Aramean "; see LABAN, BIBLICAL DATA) as an anagram of " ramma'ah " (= " impostor "; ib. Ixx. 17). Laban is called also " the master of impostors " (ib. lxxv. 6). When he saw the bracelets on Rebekah's arms (Gen. xxiv. 30) he determined to kill Eliezer; but the latter, divining his intention, pronounced the Sacred Name, by which he caused camels to remain suspended in the air above the well. This and Eli-ezer's resemblance to Abraham made Laban believe that Eliezer was Abraham. Laban therefore invited him to enter the house (Midr. Abkir, in Yalk., Gen.

' 109; comp. Midr. Hagadah on Gen. xxiv. 23). Laban's answering before his father shows that

he was impudent (Lekah Tob to Gen. xxiv. 50). His promptness in meeting Jacob (Gen. xxix. 13) was due to his eagerness for wealth; for he thought that if Eliezer, a servant of Abraham, brought with him ten camels' loaded with the goods of his master, Jacob, being Abraham's grandson, would certainly bring still greater riches. He consequently ran to meet Jacob, and, seeing the latter without camels, thought that perhaps he had gems about his person

or in his mouth. He therefore hugged and kissed him (Gen. R. Ixx. 13; comp. Midr. Hagadah, I.e.).

Disappointed at not finding anything Laban and valuable, Laban said to Jacob: " I had

Jacob. the intention to make thee my king; but, as thou possessest nothing, thou

art nothing more than a simple relative of mine " (Gen. R. La.; comp. Gen. xxix. 14).

Before Jacob's arrival Laban's flocks were scant}', as they had always decreased through pestilence (Pirke R. El. xxxvi.). When Jacob had completed his seven years of service, Laban assembled his country­men and consulted them as to the best means to re­tain him; "for," said he, "ye know that formerly we had a scarcity of water, and it is only through this righteous man that we are now blessed with an abundance of it." His countrymen advised him to substitute Leah for Rachel (Targ. pseudo-Jonathan and Yerushalmi to Gen. xxix. 22; Gen. R. Ixx. 17). Laban took pledges of his countrymen that they would not divulge his design, and then pawned the pledges for wine which he served to their owners, who were his guests. Laban took the precaution to extinguish the light in the banqueting-room, lest Jacob should at once see that it was Leah. On Jacob inquiring the reason, Laban answered that it was a custom of his country. The guests, drunk with wine, sang " ha Lia " (= " she is Leah "); but Jacob did not understand the real meaning of the exclama­tion (Gen. R. I.e.; "Sefer ha-Yashar," section " Wa-yeze"). According to Pirke R. El. (I.e.), Bilhah and Zilpah were daughters of Laban by his concu­bines (comp. Gen. R. lxxiv. 11).

Having been informed of Jacob's flight, Laban assembled, besides his family, all the strong men of his city, with whom he pursued Jacob. Michael then drew his sword and ran after Laban to kill him, but only warned him not to speak to Jacob either good or evil (Pirke R. El. I.e.). The ques­tion which suggests itself, why, if Laban had sons (Gen. xxx. 35, xxxi. 1), did he send Rachel to keep his flocks (ib. xxix. 7-10), is explained in the Mid-rash by the fact that he had no sons before Jacob's arrival, and that it was because of his association with the latter that God gave him sons (Gen. R. Ixx. 17; Num. R. xx. 16). According to the "Se­fer ha-Yashar" (I.e.), Laban had three sons, Beor (comp. Num. R. I.e.), Alub, and Murash, whom his wife Adinah bore. It was Beor, according to the same authority, who was sent by his father to inform Esau of Jacob's departure and to urge him to pursue his brother (see JACOB).

s. s. M. SEL.

589 THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA La Peyrere Labi

2. A place in the wilderness, mentioned only once (Deut. i. 1), with Paran, Tophel, and Hazeroth. In the Septuagint the name is written Ao(i6v, giving the Hebrew vocalization pp (comp. DTD = Sddo ). Modern scholars have endeavored to identify it with Libnah. Sifre (Deut. 1), followed by the three Targumim and Rashi, interprets the words ppi pan as "the calumny of the white thing," in reference to the. complaint of the Israelites concerning the manna, which was white (Num. xi. 6, xxi. 5).

E. G. ii. M. SEL.

LABATT, ABRAHAM COHEN: American pioneer; born at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1802; died at Galveston, Texas, Aug. 10, 1899. He was one of the organizers of the Reform congregation in Charleston in 1825. In 1831 he removed to New Orleans, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits and was one of the founders of the first Jewish con­gregation in Louisiana. He visited Texas in that year and again in 1837 as supercargo of the steam­ship "Columbia," the first merchantman to trade between the United States and Mexico. Labatt went to California in 1849, and was one of the found­ers of the San Francisco synagogue, laying its foundation-stone in 1856. In 1849 he obtained a dispensation for the David Crockett masonic lodge, the first regularly instituted lodge in the state of California. He served also as an alderman of San Erancisco. BIBLIOGRAPHY : Publ. Am. Jew. Hist. Soc. Ii. 139,140.

A. LABATT, LEONARD: Swedish dramatic

tenor; born in Stockholm Dec. 4, 1838; died at Christiania, Norway, March 7, 1897. He studied under Gunther and Masset, and made his debut in 1866 at the Stora Teatern, Stockholm, in Mozart's "Die Zauberflote." During the season of 1868 he was engaged at the Court Opera, Dresden, and in 1869 he joined the Vienna Imperial Opera, with which he remained until 1883. Between 1884 and 1888 he appeared on several stages in Holland and Germany (Rotterdam, Bremen, etc.), and in 1888-1889 made together with Strakosch a successful tour of the United States and Canada. In 1889 he re­turned to his native country.

Labatt's repertoire included: Vasco da Gama, Faust, Eleazar, Tannhauser, Itienzi, etc. BIBLIOGRAPHY : Salmonsen's Store Ittustrerede Konversa-

tions-Lexicon; Eisenberg, Biog. Lex. s. P. C. LABI: A Turkish family of rabbis. The most

prominent members were: David b. Joseph ibn Labi : Turkish scholar of

the sixteenth century; lived together with his brother Moses at Salonica, where his father was rabbi (e. 1540); the two brothers died during an epidemic of the plague at Salonica. Both were prominent schol­ars, and their father included in his responsa collec­tions (Constantinople, 1562) some of their work; especially noteworthy is David ibn Labi's treatise on the subject of the Talmudic term "Miggo."

Joseph, b. David Labi (commonly called Machir b. Leb) : Turkish scholar of the sixteenth century; born at Monastir; died about 1600. He was de­scended from a Spanish family of scholars, and about

1540 became rabbi of Salonica. He was one of the rabbis who enjoyed the favor of Don Joseph Nasi and of Nasi's mother-in-law, Donna Gracia. A very strong character, Labi did not comply with the duke's wish that he should be one of the signers of the sentence of excommunication against David Hamon.

Losing two adult sons during an epidemic of the plague at Salonica, Labi went as rabbi to Constanti­nople, where he remained for the rest of his life. He was the author of a valuable collection of responsa, which evidence not only his thorough knowledge of the Talmud, but also his general scholarship. It was published in four parts as fol­lows: parti., Constantinople, 1562; part ii., ib. 1566; part ill., ib. 1573; part iv., Venice, 1606 (2d ed., Fiirth, 1692). Labi wrote also novellas to the Tal­mud treatises^Ketubot, Gittin, Baba Kamma, She-bu'ot, Kiddushin, Baba Mezi'a, and 'Abodah Zarah; notes to Rashi, Tosafot, and Asheri; and a versified prayer ("Mustajab") beginning |13D DSK>D1 p"I¥ -]KD3. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Benjacob, Ozar ha-Sefarim, pp. 178, 557;

Conforte, Kore ha-Dorot, pp. 35 et seq.; Fiirst, Bibl. Jud. ii. 214; Landsbuth, 'Ammude ha-'Abodah, p. 99. G. M. L. B. LABI, JOSEPH IBN VIDAL: Prominent

Spanish scholar and orator; son of the philosopher Solomon ibn Labi; lived at Saragossa. He was one of the twenty-five rabbis who by order of Pope Benedict XIII. assisted at the disputation of Tortosa (Feb. 7, 1413 = Nov. 12, 1414), where he distin­guished himself by his oratorical ability.

Labi translated into Hebrew, under the title " Ge-rem ha-Ma'alot," a work on plants and their uses in medicine, written in Arabic by his tutor Joshua Lorki at the instance of Solomon Benveniste (d. 1411), whose children Lorki was at the time educa­ting (MS. Vienna No. 154). Of Labi's numerous other works only a few poems and letters dealing with literary matters are now extant. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Benjacob, Ozar ha-Sefarim, p. 100; Fiirst,

Bibl. Jud. ii. 215; Kraflt and Deutsch, Die Handschrift-lichen Hebr. Werke der K. K. Hofbibliothek zu Wien, pp. 120 et seq., 164 et seq.; Steinsehneider, Hebr. Bibl. xr. 56 et seq., 80etseq.; idem, Cat. Munich, p. 138; Zunz, S. P. p. 520. G. M. L. B. LABI HA-LEVI. See LEON HA-LEVI. LABI, SIMON : Spanish rabbi and scholar of

the sixteenth century. He intended to go to the Holy Land, but when he arrived at Tripoli he found its Jewish community in such a state of disorgani­zation that he deemed it more meritorious to remain there and to regulate its affairs than to proceed to Palestine. He accordingly accepted the rabbinate, and was officiating there in 1549. Under his man­agement matters rapidly improved and a model com­munity developed.

Labi was a profound cabalist, as anpearsfrom his commentary on the Zohar to Genesis (part i., Leg­horn, 1795; part ii., ib. 1805). He composed also liturgical songs, among which the well-known -Q nnj DJ 'Xnv is still used by the Spagnioli during the Friday evening service.

Labi must not be confounded with Simon Labi, the editor of the Mahzor Tripoli, who lived about a century later.

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