Simone Luzzatto
Encyclopedia
Simone Luzzatto (1583-1663) was a prominent rabbi
in the Jewish
ghetto
of Venice, Italy. He shared the rabbinate of Venice with another very famous rabbi, Leone de Modena
.
, gained him a good deal of popularity; including a rather interesting work that deemed it was acceptable to travel by gondola
on Shabbat
(a day during which motorized travel is normally forbidden to religious Jews).
Another of his important works written in Italian
is entitled Socrate, which argues that human reason cannot attain its goals if unaided by divine revelation.
who were being expelled from their homes throughout Italy (and, indeed, the rest of Europe). Fearing the same fate might befall Venetian Jewry, Luzzatto took preemptive action, writing a pamphlet
in classical Socratic style which presented clear and rational arguments against such an expulsion taking place in Venice.
, amongst others). Luzzatto argued for toleration
of the Jews on the basis of their economic and social usefulness. The Jews, he wrote, performed tasks usually taken on by foreign merchants which, advantageously, were able to remain under control of the republic.
Further breaking from tradition, the discourse was not written in Hebrew
, but rather in eloquent Italian. As a result, the discourse was successful in convincing the Doge to rule against the expulsion edict, allowing the Jewish population of Venice to remain and the crisis averted.
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
in the Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
ghetto
Venetian Ghetto
The Venetian Ghetto was the area of Venice in which Jews were compelled to live under the Venetian Republic. It is from its name in Italian , that the English word "ghetto" is derived: in the Venetian language it was named "ghèto".-Etymology:...
of Venice, Italy. He shared the rabbinate of Venice with another very famous rabbi, Leone de Modena
Leon of Modena
Leon Modena or Yehudah Aryeh Mi-modena was a Jewish scholar born in Venice of a notable French family that had migrated to Italy after an expulsion of Jews from France.-Life:...
.
Works
Luzzatto was educated by some of the most outstanding rabbis of his period. By the age of 22, many of his works were being published and discussed throughout the Jewish community. These works, called responsaResponsa
Responsa comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them.-In the Roman Empire:Roman law recognised responsa prudentium, i.e...
, gained him a good deal of popularity; including a rather interesting work that deemed it was acceptable to travel by gondola
Gondola
The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in...
on Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
(a day during which motorized travel is normally forbidden to religious Jews).
Another of his important works written in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
is entitled Socrate, which argues that human reason cannot attain its goals if unaided by divine revelation.
Expulsion of Jews
During this period there were a great many JewsJews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
who were being expelled from their homes throughout Italy (and, indeed, the rest of Europe). Fearing the same fate might befall Venetian Jewry, Luzzatto took preemptive action, writing a pamphlet
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
in classical Socratic style which presented clear and rational arguments against such an expulsion taking place in Venice.
Discourse
The resulting work, entitled Discorso circa il stato de gl'Hebrei et in particolar dimoranti nell'inclita città di Venetia ("Discourse Concerning the Condition of the Jews, and in particular those living in the Fair City of Venice") was completed in 1638. Breaking from previous Rabbinic tradition, his work was not directly addressed to Venetian Jewry or to the official rabbinate of the time, but was instead addressed to the leaders of the Venetian Republic (called the dogeDoge of Venice
The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...
, amongst others). Luzzatto argued for toleration
Toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
of the Jews on the basis of their economic and social usefulness. The Jews, he wrote, performed tasks usually taken on by foreign merchants which, advantageously, were able to remain under control of the republic.
Further breaking from tradition, the discourse was not written in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, but rather in eloquent Italian. As a result, the discourse was successful in convincing the Doge to rule against the expulsion edict, allowing the Jewish population of Venice to remain and the crisis averted.