Solomon ha-Levi Alkabetz[note 1] (Hebrew: שלמה הלוי אלקבץ, romanized: Shlomo ha-Levi Alkabetz; c. 1505 – 1584) was a rabbi, kabbalist and poet. He is perhaps best known for his composition of the song Lecha Dodi.
Solomon Alkabetz was likely born around 1505 into a Sephardic family in Salonica.[1] the son of Moses Alkabetz. He studied Torah under Rabbi Yosef Taitatzak. In 1529, he married the daughter of Yitzhak Cohen, a wealthy householder living in his hometown. Alkabetz gave his father-in-law a copy of his newly completed work Manot ha-Levi.[2] He settled in Adrianople where he wrote Beit Hashem, Avotot Ahava, Ayelet Ahavim and Brit HaLevi. This latter work he dedicated to his admirers in Adrianople. His students included Rabbi Shmuel Ozida, author of Midrash Shmuel on Avot, and Rabbi Avraham Galante, author of Yareach Yakar on Zohar. His circle included Moshe Alsheich and Yosef Karo, as well as his famous brother-in-law Moshe Cordovero.
Following the practice described in the Zohar of reciting biblical passages known as the Tikūn on the night of Shavuot, Rabbi Solomon and Rabbi Joseph Karo stayed awake all that night reading. During the recitation of the required texts, Rabbi Karo had a mystical experience: The Shekhinah appeared as a maggid, praising the circle and telling them to move to the Land of Israel. When they stayed up again the second night of Shavuot, the Shekhinah was adamant about their moving to the land of Israel. The account was recorded by Alkabetz.[3] He likely settled in Tzfat in 1535.[4]
He is buried in Old Cemetery of Tzfat.
Views and opinionsedit
His works written in Adrianople center on the holiness of the people Israel, the Land of Israel, and the specialness of the mitzvot. Alkabetz accepts the tradition that Esther was married to Mordechai before being taken to the king's palace and becoming queen, and even continued her relationship with Mordechai after taking up her royal post. The view of midrash articulated by Alkabetz and other members of the school of Joseph Taitatsak represents an extension of the view of the authority of the oral law and halachic midrash to aggadic midrash and thus leads to the sanctification and near canonization of aggadic expansions of biblical narrative.[5]
Published worksedit
In printedit
Ayalet Ahavim (completed 1532, published 1552) on Song of Songs.
Brit HaLevi (1563), a kabbalistic commentary on the Passover Haggada.
^ abRingel, Joseph. "Alkabetz, Solomon". In Stillman, Norman A. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World. doi:10.1163/1878-9781_ejiw_SIM_0001490. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
^Walfish, Barry (Fall 2002). "Kosher Adultery? The Mordecai-Esther-Ahasuerus Triangle". Prooftexts. 22 (3).
Further readingedit
Joseph Yahalom, "Hebrew mystical poetry and its Turkish background," in Andreas Tietze and Joseph Yahalom, Ottoman Melodies Hebrew Hymns: a 16th century cross-cultural adventure (Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1995), pp. 9–43.
Bracha Sack, The Secret Teaching of R. Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz (Ph. D., Brandeis University, 1977)
solomon, alkabetz, solomon, levi, alkabetz, note, hebrew, שלמה, הלוי, אלקבץ, romanized, shlomo, levi, alkabetz, 1505, 1584, rabbi, kabbalist, poet, perhaps, best, known, composition, song, lecha, dodi, alkabetz, grave, safedpersonalbornc, 1505, salonica, ottom. Solomon ha Levi Alkabetz note 1 Hebrew שלמה הלוי אלקבץ romanized Shlomo ha Levi Alkabetz c 1505 1584 was a rabbi kabbalist and poet He is perhaps best known for his composition of the song Lecha Dodi Solomon AlkabetzAlkabetz s grave in SafedPersonalBornc 1505 1 Salonica Ottoman EmpireDied1584Safed Ottoman EmpireReligionJudaism Contents 1 Biography 2 Views and opinions 3 Published works 3 1 In print 3 2 Manuscripts 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksBiography editSolomon Alkabetz was likely born around 1505 into a Sephardic family in Salonica 1 the son of Moses Alkabetz He studied Torah under Rabbi Yosef Taitatzak In 1529 he married the daughter of Yitzhak Cohen a wealthy householder living in his hometown Alkabetz gave his father in law a copy of his newly completed work Manot ha Levi 2 He settled in Adrianople where he wrote Beit Hashem Avotot Ahava Ayelet Ahavim and Brit HaLevi This latter work he dedicated to his admirers in Adrianople His students included Rabbi Shmuel Ozida author of Midrash Shmuel on Avot and Rabbi Avraham Galante author of Yareach Yakar on Zohar His circle included Moshe Alsheich and Yosef Karo as well as his famous brother in law Moshe Cordovero Following the practice described in the Zohar of reciting biblical passages known as the Tikun on the night of Shavuot Rabbi Solomon and Rabbi Joseph Karo stayed awake all that night reading During the recitation of the required texts Rabbi Karo had a mystical experience The Shekhinah appeared as a maggid praising the circle and telling them to move to the Land of Israel When they stayed up again the second night of Shavuot the Shekhinah was adamant about their moving to the land of Israel The account was recorded by Alkabetz 3 He likely settled in Tzfat in 1535 4 He is buried in Old Cemetery of Tzfat Views and opinions editHis works written in Adrianople center on the holiness of the people Israel the Land of Israel and the specialness of the mitzvot Alkabetz accepts the tradition that Esther was married to Mordechai before being taken to the king s palace and becoming queen and even continued her relationship with Mordechai after taking up her royal post The view of midrash articulated by Alkabetz and other members of the school of Joseph Taitatsak represents an extension of the view of the authority of the oral law and halachic midrash to aggadic midrash and thus leads to the sanctification and near canonization of aggadic expansions of biblical narrative 5 Published works editIn print edit Ayalet Ahavim completed 1532 published 1552 on Song of Songs Brit HaLevi 1563 a kabbalistic commentary on the Passover Haggada Lecha Dodi 1579 a mystical hymn to inaugurate the Shabbat Manot HaLevi completed 1529 published 1585 on the Book of Esther Or Tzadikim a book of sermons Shoresh Yishai completed 1552 published 1561 on the Book of Ruth Manuscripts edit Apiryon Shlomo Beit Hashem Beit Tefilla interpretations of the prayers Divrei Shlomo on the section of Scripture known as Writings Lechem Shlomo on the guidelines for the sanctification of meals according to Kabbalah Mittato shel Shlomo on the mystical significance of sexual union Naim Zemirot on Psalms Pitzei Ohev on the Book of Job Shomer Emunim on the fundamental principles of faith Sukkat Shalom Avotot Ahavah on the Torah Notes edit Also spelt Alqabitz AlqabesReferences edit a b Ringel Joseph Alkabetz Solomon In Stillman Norman A ed Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World doi 10 1163 1878 9781 ejiw SIM 0001490 Retrieved 27 January 2024 Introduction to Manot HaLevi Introduction to book Magid Mesharim Berenbaum Michael Skolnik Fred eds 2007 Alkabeẓ Solomon ben Moses ha Levi Encyclopaedia Judaica 2nd ed Detroit Macmillan Reference ISBN 978 0 02 866097 4 Walfish Barry Fall 2002 Kosher Adultery The Mordecai Esther Ahasuerus Triangle Prooftexts 22 3 Further reading editJoseph Yahalom Hebrew mystical poetry and its Turkish background in Andreas Tietze and Joseph Yahalom Ottoman Melodies Hebrew Hymns a 16th century cross cultural adventure Budapest Akademiai Kiado 1995 pp 9 43 Bracha Sack The Secret Teaching of R Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz Ph D Brandeis University 1977 External links editSolomon Alkabetz at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Solomon Alkabetz amp oldid 1199754917, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
