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Moshe ben Avraham Provençal (1503–1576) was an Italian posek, Hebrew grammarian, and mathematician.^[1]

Provençal's surname suggests that his family hailed from Provence. In the aftermath of Provence's incorporation into France in the 1480s, the local Jewish population was expelled between 1498 and 1501.^[2] Like much of the exiled Jewish population,^[3] it is likely that Provençal's family fled from Provence to Italy in the years shortly before his birth.

Provençal was born in Casale Monferrato in north-west Italy.^{[citation needed]} In 1535, he composed a poetic guide to the rules of Hebrew grammar entitled B'shem Kadmon, which was later published in Venice by the author's grandchildren in October or November 1596.^[4] By 1550, he was Chief Rabbi of Mantua, in the North-Italian Duchy of Mantua.^[5]

During the infamous Tamari-Venturozzo divorce scandal of 1564, the Italian rabbinate was split over the validity of Samuel Venturozzo's bill of divorce. The halakhic debate quickly descended into a fierce and raging legal feud which eventually came to include halakhic giants from Safed and Thessaloniki. Provençal spearheaded the rabbinic group arguing that Venturozzo's bill of divorce was invalid.^[6] In 1566, Provençal published a pamphlet making his case and arguing that the opposing rabbis did not follow proper judicial protocol.^[7] By 1574, the debate was resolved, and the Italian rabbinate was reconciled. Provençal died on 30 July 1576.^[8]

Provençal's responsa, known as She'elot u'Teshuvot Rabbeinu Moshe Provençal (first printed: 2 vols., Jerusalem, 1989–98), have often been studied and quoted by later rabbinical authorities.

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