Tag Archives: Sephardic Jews

Jew of the Week: Rabbi Abraham ben David

The Ravad

Tree of Life, depicting the Kabbalistic Sefirot

Avraham ben David (1125-1198) also known as the “RaAVaD” (a title derived from the initials of his name, as is common with many Jewish sages) was one of the greatest scholars in history. Born in Provence, France to a Sephardic family, the Raavad was the chief rabbi of Montpellier and Nimes (where Denim fabric, “De Nimes” was invented). During his tenure as the head of the yeshiva, Nimes gained a reputation as one of the greatest places of Jewish learning in the world. Rabbi Avraham spent most of his life in Posquieres. He was incredibly wealthy, financing the construction of schools with his own funds, and supporting the poor. Because of this, he was once imprisoned by the lord of Posquieres, before a count who knew of the Raavad’s greatness freed him and banished the lord. The Raavad wrote hundreds of different works, including a penetrating commentary on the entire Talmud. More importantly, he is often regarded as the “father of Kabbalah”, revealing ancient Jewish mystical teachings and clearly elucidating them. The famous diagram of the mystical Sefirot arranged in a “Tree of Life” is attributed to him. The Raavad was also a noted astronomer, philologist, and philosopher. Spanish government records reveal that his descendants were important advisers to the Spanish monarchy. Meticulous in his analysis, highly critical, and opposed to dogma, he was a man that cared only for Truth. His impact on the depository of Jewish wisdom, and on the Jewish people, is unparalleled.

Words of the Week

Because each life form, even fruit, is entrusted to a specific angel. By saying a blessing over a fruit, we empower that angel to reproduce more of that fruit. One who refrains from partaking of a fruit deprives the world of the spiritual influence that the blessing would have provided.
– Chemdat Yamim

Jew of the Week: Francisco Maldonado

Doctor with a Mission

A Scene from the Inquistion

Francisco Maldonado de Silva (1592-1639) Raised as a devout Catholic, de Silva is one of the most famous Marranos in history [Marranos were the Spanish Jews forcibly converted to Christianity by the Inquisition]. His family migrated to Chile where de Silva became a doctor. He learned of his Judaism from his father, took an interest in it and started to learn more. He returned to Judaism wholeheartedly, circumsizing himself with a pair of scissors (relax, he was a doctor). Unfortunately, being Jewish was a crime and de Silva was arrested and thrown in jail for 12 years. He refused to eat their un-kosher food and would fast for 40 days at a time. De Silva was endlessly interrogated by no less than 13 inquisitors. Amazingly, he escaped from his cell after weaving a rope of corn stalks. Instead of running away, he climbed into the adjacent cell and converted two Catholics to Judaism. Tragically, he was burned at the stake with 11 other Jews in Lima, Peru on January 23, 1639.

Words of the Week

“The [Torah] has been a Magna Carta of the poor and of the oppressed; down to the modern times no State has a constitution which the interests of the people are so largely taken into account, in which the duties so much more than the privileges of the rulers are insisted upon, as that drawn up for Israel in Deuteronomy and Leviticus.”

– T.H. Huxley, famous biologist and paleontologist, father of the Huxley dynasty which includes Julian Huxley, Aldous Huxley, Francis Huxley and Andrew Huxley.

Jew of the Week: Aryeh Kaplan

Rabbi from the Bronx

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (1934-1983) Born in the Bronx to a Sephardic-Greek family, Rabbi Kaplan produced over 60 books in his short life and wrote 47 original works in a writing career that lasted only 12 years! He translated the entire Torah, as well as the 45-volume Me’am Loez. Remarkably, he also held a Master’s degree in Physics and once said, “I use my physics background to analyze and systematize data, very much as a physicist would deal with physical reality.” He is credited with playing a dramatic role in the modern Baal-Teshuva movement. It is said that “his mind contained libraries of books waiting to be put into writing. It was the will of God that only so much be revealed and no more.” Tomorrow is his yahrzeit.

Words of the Week

Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.

– Sir Winston Churchill