Solomon Alkabetz
 |
Solomon Alkabetz | |
|---|---|
 Alkabetz's grave in Safed | |
| Personal | |
| Born | c.1505[1] Salonica,Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 1584 Safed,Ottoman Empire |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Buried | Safed Old Jewish Cemetery |
Solomon ha-Levi Alkabetz[note 1](Hebrew:שלמה הלוי אלקבץ,romanized:Shlomo ha-Levi Alkabetz;c. 1505– 1584) was arabbi,kabbalistandpoet.He is perhaps best known for his composition of the songLekha Dodi.[2]
Biography[edit]
Solomon Alkabetz was likely born around 1505 into aSephardicfamily inSalonica.[1]the son ofMoses Alkabetz.He studiedTorahunderJoseph Taitazak.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 workManot ha-Levi.He settled inAdrianúpolis,where he wroteBet Hashem,Avotot Ahava,Ayelet AhavimandBrit HaLevi.He dedicated this latter work to his admirers in Adrianople. His students includedSamuel ben Isaac de Uçeda,author of theMidrash Shmuelon thePirkei Avot,andAbraham ben Mordecai Galante,author ofYareach Yakaron theZohar.His circle includedMoshe AlshichandJoseph Karo,as well as his famous brother-in-lawMoses ben Jacob Cordovero.
Following the practice described in theZoharof reciting biblical passages known as the "Tikkun'" on the night ofShavuot,Rabbi Solomon and RabbiJoseph Karostayed awake all that night reading. During the recitation of the required texts, Rabbi Karo had a mystical experience: TheShekhinahappeared as amaggid,praising the circle and telling them to move to theLand of Israel.When they stayed up again on the second night of Shavuot, the Shekhinah was adamant about their moving to the Land of Israel. Alkabetz recorded the account.[3]Before moving to the Land of Israel, he made a sermon passionately discussing the rebuilding of theTemple in Jerusalemwith messianic enthusiasm.[2]
He settled in Safed aged thirty,[2]likely in 1535.[4]
In Safed, he made significant contributions to the development of Kabbalah, serving as a mystical instructor to Moses Cordovero, who later became his brother-in-law and one of Safed’s most esteemed Kabbalists before the arrival ofIsaac Luria.[2]Alkabets was deeply involved in the spiritual life of the city, exemplified by his authorship of "Lekhah Dodi,"a liturgical song sung during theShabbatservice. This influence persisted even as Lurianic Kabbalah, promoted byHaim VitalandIsrael Sarug,eventually eclipsed Cordoverian Kabbalah in popularity and status among Kabbalists.[2]
He is buried inthe Old Safed Cemetery.
Views and opinions[edit]
His works written in Adrianupolis center on the holiness of thepeople of Israel,the Land of Israel, and the specialness of themitzvot.Alkabetz accepts the tradition thatEstherwas married toMordecaibefore being taken to the king's palace and becoming queen and even continues her relationship with Mordechai after taking up her royal post. The view ofmidrasharticulated by Alkabetz and other members of the school of Joseph Taitatsak represents an extension of the view of the authority of the oral law andmidrash halakhatoaggadahand thus leads to the sanctification and near canonization of aggadic expansions of biblical narrative.[5]
Published works[edit]
In print[edit]
- Ayalet Ahavim(completed 1532, published 1552) onSong of Songs.
- Brit HaLevi(1563), a kabbalistic commentary on theHaggadah.
- Lekha Dodi(1579), a mystical hymn to inaugurate theShabbat.
- Manot HaLevi(completed 1529, published 1585) on theBook of Esther.
- Or Tzadikim,a book of sermons.
- Shoresh Yishai(completed 1552, published 1561) on theBook of Ruth.
Manuscripts[edit]
- Apiryon Shlomo,Beit Hashem,Beit Tefilla,interpretations of the prayers.
- Divrei Shlomo,on the section of Scripture known asWritings.
- Lechem Shlomo,on the guidelines for the sanctification of meals, according toKabbalah.
- Mittato shel Shlomo,on the mystical significance of sexual union.
- Naim Zemirot,onPsalms.
- Pitzei Ohev,on theBook of Job.
- Shomer Emunim,on the fundamental principles of faith.
- Sukkat Shalom,Avotot Ahavah,on theTorah.
Notes[edit]
- ^Also spelt Alqabitz, Alqabes
References[edit]
- ^abRingel, Joseph."Alkabetz, Solomon".In Stillman, Norman A. (ed.).Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World.doi:10.1163/1878-9781_ejiw_SIM_0001490.Retrieved27 January2024.
- ^abcdeSilver, M. M. (2022).The history of Galilee, 1538-1949: mysticism, modernization, and war.Lanham: Le xing ton Books. p. 73.ISBN978-1-7936-4943-0.
- ^Introduction to the book,Magid Mesharim
- ^Berenbaum, Michael;Skolnik, Fred,eds. (2007)."Alkabeẓ, Solomon ben Moses ha-Levi".Encyclopaedia Judaica(2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference.ISBN978-0-02-866097-4.
- ^Walfish, Barry (Fall 2002). "Kosher Adultery? The Mordecai-Esther-Ahasuerus Triangle".Prooftexts.22(3).
Further reading[edit]
- 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)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
