Moses ben Mordecai Zacuto (c. 1625 – 1 October 1697), also known by the Hebrew acronym RaMa"Z, was a rabbi, Kabbalist, and poet. Zacuto, who was born into a Portuguese Marrano family in Amsterdam, studied Jewish subjects under Saul Levi Morteira (an elegy on the latter's death by Zacuto was published by D. Kaufmann in REJ, 37 (1898), 115). He also studied secular subjects, such as the Latin language. As a pupil of Morteira, he may also have been, as a youth still in Amsterdam, a fellow student of Baruch Spinoza.[1]
He was inclined to mysticism from his youth, and at one time fasted forty days that he might forget the Latin which he had learned, since, in his opinion, it could not be reconciled with kabbalistic truths. To continue his Talmudic studies he went from Amsterdam to Poland, as is clear from the letter of recommendation which he gave at Venice in 1672 to the delegates who had come to Italy to collect money for the oppressed Polish communities.[2] It was his intention to make a pilgrimage to Palestine, but on the way he was persuaded to remain as rabbi in Venice, where he stayed, with the exception of a short residence in Padua, from 1645 until the summer of 1673.[3] He was then called to Mantua at a fixed salary of 300 ducats, and remained there until his death, twenty-four years later. His epitaph is given by Wolf[4] and Landshuth.[5]
Mystical pursuitsedit
Rabbi Zacuto applied himself with great diligence to the study of the Kabbalah under Ḥayyim Vital's pupil Benjamin ha-Levi, who had come to Italy from Safed; and this remained the chief occupation of his life. He established a seminary for the study of the Kabbalah, and his favorite pupils, Benjamin ha-Kohen and Abraham Rovigo, often visited him for months at a time at Venice or Mantua, to investigate kabalistic mysteries. He composed forty-seven liturgical poems, chiefly Kabbalistic, enumerated by Landshuth[6] Some of them have been printed in the festal hymns Hen Kol Hadash, edited by Moses Ottolenghi (Amsterdam, 1712), and others have been incorporated in different prayer-books.[citation needed]
He also wrote penitential poems (Tikkun Shovavim, Venice, 1712; Leghorn, 1740) for the service on the evening before Rosh Hodesh, as well as prayers for Hosha'na Rabbah and similar occasions, all in the spirit of the Kabbalah. He also authored a poem containing a thousand words, each beginning with the letter א, Elef Alpin;[7] a long poem, Tofteh Arukh, or L'Inferno Figurato (Venice, 1715, 1744), in which he depicts the punishments of hell; and the oldest dramatic poem in the Hebrew language, which A. Berliner first edited under the title Yesod 'Olam (Berlin, 1874).[citation needed]
In his Shorshei Hashemot (Book of the Roots of the Names) he included long quotations of the Fez Kabbalist R' Isaiah Bakish (16-17th c.)[8]
Worksedit
Hen Kol Hadash (hymns), ed. Moses Ottolenghi (Amsterdam, 1712)
Shudda deDayyane, a guide for decisions on commercial law (Mantua, 1678; reprinted in Ha-Goren, iii. 181 et seq.)
Ḳol haReMeZ (published posthumously), a commentary on the Mishnah (which he knew by heart), with elucidations of the commentaries of Bertinoro and others (Amsterdam, 1719)
A collection of responsa with the decisions of contemporaries (Venice, 1760)
Iggerot haReMeZ, containing letters of cabalistic content written by himself and others and his poem 'Elef Alpin' (Leghorn, 1780)
Yesod Olam (Berlin, 1874)
He edited and emended also the Zohar (Venice, 1663) and other writings. A considerable number of his works, such as a commentary on the Jerusalem Talmud, homilies, and cabalistic writings, are still unpublished as of 1906.
Shorshei HaShemot (Book of the Roots of the Names), XVIIe Century (hebr.). Ed. Nehora, c. 2010.
^The letter apparently makes specific mention of the Yeshiva in Posen.
^The Jewish Encyclopedia source article mentions the fact that he seems to have had a (older?) brother called Nehemiah, at whose residence in Venice Moses Zacuto may have stayed for a while when he first arrived there. Gershom Scholem in the EJ article mentions also a possible brief stay in Verona.
^printed with a commentary at the end of the Iggerot ha-ReMeZ, pp. 43 et seq.
^See ed. 2010: Tome 1, 6-79, p. 234; 30-28, p. 379; 40-35, p. 373; 40-52, p. 801; 90-2-5, p. 477a-478b; 90-5
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "ZACUTO, MOSES BEN MORDECAI". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. Its bibliography:
Joseph Zedner, Cat. Hebr. Books Brit. Mus. pp. 588 et seq.
January 01, 1970
moses, mordecai, zacuto, 1625, october, 1697, also, known, hebrew, acronym, rama, rabbi, kabbalist, poet, zacuto, born, into, portuguese, marrano, family, amsterdam, studied, jewish, subjects, under, saul, levi, morteira, elegy, latter, death, zacuto, publishe. Moses ben Mordecai Zacuto c 1625 1 October 1697 also known by the Hebrew acronym RaMa Z was a rabbi Kabbalist and poet Zacuto who was born into a Portuguese Marrano family in Amsterdam studied Jewish subjects under Saul Levi Morteira an elegy on the latter s death by Zacuto was published by D Kaufmann in REJ 37 1898 115 He also studied secular subjects such as the Latin language As a pupil of Morteira he may also have been as a youth still in Amsterdam a fellow student of Baruch Spinoza 1 Contents 1 Travels 2 Mystical pursuits 3 Works 4 ReferencesTravels editHe was inclined to mysticism from his youth and at one time fasted forty days that he might forget the Latin which he had learned since in his opinion it could not be reconciled with kabbalistic truths To continue his Talmudic studies he went from Amsterdam to Poland as is clear from the letter of recommendation which he gave at Venice in 1672 to the delegates who had come to Italy to collect money for the oppressed Polish communities 2 It was his intention to make a pilgrimage to Palestine but on the way he was persuaded to remain as rabbi in Venice where he stayed with the exception of a short residence in Padua from 1645 until the summer of 1673 3 He was then called to Mantua at a fixed salary of 300 ducats and remained there until his death twenty four years later His epitaph is given by Wolf 4 and Landshuth 5 Mystical pursuits editRabbi Zacuto applied himself with great diligence to the study of the Kabbalah under Ḥayyim Vital s pupil Benjamin ha Levi who had come to Italy from Safed and this remained the chief occupation of his life He established a seminary for the study of the Kabbalah and his favorite pupils Benjamin ha Kohen and Abraham Rovigo often visited him for months at a time at Venice or Mantua to investigate kabalistic mysteries He composed forty seven liturgical poems chiefly Kabbalistic enumerated by Landshuth 6 Some of them have been printed in the festal hymns Hen Kol Hadash edited by Moses Ottolenghi Amsterdam 1712 and others have been incorporated in different prayer books citation needed He also wrote penitential poems Tikkun Shovavim Venice 1712 Leghorn 1740 for the service on the evening before Rosh Hodesh as well as prayers for Hosha na Rabbah and similar occasions all in the spirit of the Kabbalah He also authored a poem containing a thousand words each beginning with the letter א Elef Alpin 7 a long poem Tofteh Arukh or L Inferno Figurato Venice 1715 1744 in which he depicts the punishments of hell and the oldest dramatic poem in the Hebrew language which A Berliner first edited under the title Yesod Olam Berlin 1874 citation needed In his Shorshei Hashemot Book of the Roots of the Names he included long quotations of the Fez Kabbalist R Isaiah Bakish 16 17th c 8 Works editHen Kol Hadash hymns ed Moses Ottolenghi Amsterdam 1712 Tikkun Shovavim poems Venice 1712 Leghorn 1740 Shudda deDayyane a guide for decisions on commercial law Mantua 1678 reprinted in Ha Goren iii 181 et seq Ḳol haReMeZ published posthumously a commentary on the Mishnah which he knew by heart with elucidations of the commentaries of Bertinoro and others Amsterdam 1719 A collection of responsa with the decisions of contemporaries Venice 1760 Iggerot haReMeZ containing letters of cabalistic content written by himself and others and his poem Elef Alpin Leghorn 1780 Yesod Olam Berlin 1874 He edited and emended also the Zohar Venice 1663 and other writings A considerable number of his works such as a commentary on the Jerusalem Talmud homilies and cabalistic writings are still unpublished as of 1906 Shorshei HaShemot Book of the Roots of the Names XVIIe Century hebr Ed Nehora c 2010 References edit Scholem Gershom and Jozeph Michman 2007 Zacuto Moses ben Mordecai In Berenbaum Michael Skolnik Fred eds Encyclopaedia Judaica Vol 21 2nd ed Detroit Macmillan Reference pp 435 437 ISBN 978 0 02 866097 4 via Gale Virtual Reference Library a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link The letter apparently makes specific mention of the Yeshiva in Posen The Jewish Encyclopedia source article mentions the fact that he seems to have had a older brother called Nehemiah at whose residence in Venice Moses Zacuto may have stayed for a while when he first arrived there Gershom Scholem in the EJ article mentions also a possible brief stay in Verona Bibl Hebr iv 1200 Ammudei haAvodah p 215 l c pp 216 et seq printed with a commentary at the end of the Iggerot ha ReMeZ pp 43 et seq See ed 2010 Tome 1 6 79 p 234 30 28 p 379 40 35 p 373 40 52 p 801 90 2 5 p 477a 478b 90 5 nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Singer Isidore et al eds 1901 1906 ZACUTO MOSES BEN MORDECAI The Jewish Encyclopedia New York Funk amp Wagnalls Its bibliography Azulai Shem ha Gedolim i 153 Daniel Levi De Barrios Arbol de las Vidas p 78 Delitzsch Zur Geschichte der Judischen Poesie pp 72 et seq Ha Goren iii 175 et seq Heinrich Gratz Gesch ix 201 et seq x 170 Graziadio Nepi Mordecai Ghirondi Toledot Gedole Yisrael p 225 Moritz Steinschneider Cat Bodl cols 1989 1992 Zunz Literaturgesch pp 440 et seq Julius Furst Bibl Jud iii 201 et seq Joseph Zedner Cat Hebr Books Brit Mus pp 588 et seq Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Moses ben Mordecai Zacuto amp oldid 1209022379, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
