Category: Acharonim
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Premodern Travel to Israel and the Aliyah of R. Ovadia Bartenura in 1486-88
Introduction In spite of the hardships of travel, the sequence of repressive regimes that ruled in the Land of Israel, and lack of economic development and opportunity, Jews have always made their way back to their homeland when they were able. A few major figures, such as Yehuda ha-Levi and Ramban, are known for their…
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Yedidya Norzi and Menachem Lonzano: An Early Modern Tale of Two Biblical Scholars
The words of birkat kohanim, the priestly blessing as recorded in the Torah (Bemidbar 6:26-24), leap out at us from the painstakingly unfurled silver scrolls dated c. 600 BCE, above. Well, not exactly leap, unless you read paleo-Hebrew, or what the rabbis of the Talmud call כתב ליבונאה, “Libonah script” (in contrast to what they term…