DURAN  , a Jewish Provencal

family of rabbis and scholars, of whom the following are the most important . I . PROFIAT DURAN, called also EPH0DI . He was in 1391 compelled to profess Christianity, but remained devoted to Judaism . His chief works were grammatical and philosophical . In the former realm his most important contribution was the Ma'aseh `Ephod (completed in 1403); in the latter, his commentary to the Guide of the Perplexed by Maimonides (q.v.) . 2 . SIMON BEN ZEMAII DURAN (1361-1441), rabbi of Algiers . He was one of the first of the medieval rabbis to be a salaried official of the synagogue . Before the 14th century the rabbinical post had been almost invariably honorary, and filled by men who derived their income from a profession, epecially medicine . Duran wrote a systematic work on theology, Magen 'Aboth, but is chiefly famous for his numerous Responsa (known as Tashbaz) published in three vols. in 1738-1739 . These Responsa," Answers to questions sent from many lands," give valuable information as to social and religious conditions in the, earlier part of the 15th century .

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