Also known as R' Adonim Halevi, R' Donash was a grammarian and
paytan (liturgical poet). His works include the Shabbat song Dror
Yikra and Dvai Hasair, the (now) traditional preface to birkat
hamazon at weddings. It is not known where he was born, but he
studied in Baghdad under Rav Saadiah Gaon, who may have been his
uncle. Expert in the rules of Hebrew grammar and the meaning of obscure
Hebrew terms, R' Donash often disagreed with R' Saadiah and even
wrote a work, Teshuvot Al R' Saadiah Gaon, disputing many of his
teacher's definitions. In another work, R' Donash lists
approximately 200 instances in which his understanding of word
roots and definitions clashes with those given in the Machberet of
his contemporary, R' Menachem ben Saruk. Rashi frequently quotes
R' Donash, and R' Avraham Ibn Ezra lists him among the "Elders of
the Holy Tongue."
R' Donash has been called the father of Sephardic Hebrew poetry.
He borrowed certain forms from Arabic poetry, for which he was
criticized by R' Menachem. (This criticism appears to have been
connected to their disagreement over the relationship of Hebrew to
Arabic. R' Menachem disagreed with the convential wisdom that
Hebrew and Arabic words share common etymologies.) R' Donash also
was among the first poets of note to write secular poetry in
Hebrew. (Sources: The Artscroll Rishonim p.51-53; Shem Hagedolim,
Ma'arechet Aleph No. 115)
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