=Ashdod= (Azotus), Philistine port, =1=, 54. the Ark of the Covenant at, =1=, 71. left in the possession of the Philistines by David, =1=, 117. conquered by Uzziah, =1=, 231. destroyed, =1=, 496. revenue from, left to Salome, =2=, 120. =Asher, the tribe of=, acquires land in the north, =1=, 37. relation of, to the Phoenicians, =1=, 53. twenty towns of, given to Hiram, =1=, 164. descendants of, around Nishabur, =3=, 433. =Asher, tribesmen of=, join Gideon, =1=, 62. join Solomon’s fleet, =1=, 170. =Asher of Udine=, apostate, charges Jews with blasphemy, =4=, 584. =Asher ben Jehuda=, hero of Solomon Ibn-Sakbel’s romance, =3=, 318. =Asher ben Meshullam=, ascetic, =3=, 396-7. =Asher ben Yechiel= (Asheri, 1250-1327), Tossafist, =4=, 34-5. accepts the evidence of baptized Jews, =4=, 37. settles in Toledo, =4=, 37. opposed to the study of science, =4=, 37-8, 39, 50, 86-7. opinion of, sought by Abba-Mari, =4=, 38. influence of, on the Spanish Jews, =4=, 51. as Talmudist, =4=, 51. severity of, =4=, 53. sons of, =4=, 87. prefers Germany, =4=, 90, 96. _See also_ Asheri family, the. =Asher Lämmlein=, poses as the forerunner of the Messiah, =4=, 482. adherents of, =4=, 483. =Asher, Saul=, deplores the decay of morality among the Jews, =5=, 419. writes against Fichte, =5=, 463. =Asheri.= _See_ Asher ben Yechiel; Jacob ben Asheri; Jehuda ben Asher I; Jehuda ben Asher II. =Asheri family=, the, loses members by the Black Death, =4=, 113. members of, martyrs in 1391, =4=, 169-70. _See_ Asher ben Yechiel. =Ashi= (352-457), principal of the Sora academy, wealth of, =2=, 605. re-builds the academy of Sora, =2=, 606. receives the title of Rabbana, =2=, 606. authority of, =2=, 606. makes Sora the center of Jewish life, =2=, 607. collects the Talmud, =2=, 607-9. completes the work of Judah I, =2=, 609. decisions of, =2=, 609. at the court of Jezdijird, =2=, 610. suppresses the Messianic hope, =2=, 610-11. death of, =2=, 611. successors of, =2=, 626. son of, =2=, 626. =Ashkabá=, prayer for the departed at the Babylonian academies, =3=, 101. =Ashkenasi.= _See_ Saul Cohen Ashkenasi. =Ashkenazi.= _See_ Solomon ben Nathan. =Ashkenazi, Jacob=, Talmudist and Sabbatian, =5=, 150. =Ashkenazi, Jacob Emden.= _See_ Emden, Jacob. =Ashkenazi, Zevi.= _See_ Zevi Ashkenazi. =Ashmodai=, a demon introduced from Magianism, =1=, 403. =Ashmun=, a Canaanite god, =1=, 54. =Ashura=, name for the Atonement Day among the Arabian Jews, =3=, 58. fast day instituted by Mahomet, =3=, 73. =Asia=, the Jews of, esteem Mahometans, =3=, 88-9. loses the leadership of Judaism, =3=, 207. Karaites obtain influence in, =3=, 207. low estate of Judaism in, =3=, 440. Messianic hopes in, =4=, 497. _See also_ East, the; Abbasside Caliphate, the.