Menahem ben Benjamin Recanati (Hebrew: מנחם בן בנימין ריקנטי; 1223–1290) was an Italian rabbi who was born and died in the city of Recanati, who devoted the chief part of his writings to the Kabbalah.
Works
In addition to the halachic rulings collected in Piskei Recanati (his only halachic work), Recanati wrote a kabbalistic commentary on the Torah, a commentary on the siddur, and discussions of the commandments. Piskei Recanati was first published in Bologna, 1538, and was published several times thereafter.
- Perush 'Al ha-Torah (Venice, 1523), a work full of mystical deductions and meanings based upon a textual interpretation of the Bible; it describes many visions and celestial revelations claimed to have been experienced by the author, who was influenced by kabbalistic ideas, and expresses the highest respect for all kabbalistic authors, even the most recent apocryphal ones. The work was republished with a commentary by Mordecai Jaffe, at Lublin in 1595 and was also translated into Latin by Pico di Mirandola.
- Perush ha-Tefillot and Ṭa'ame ha-Miẓwot, published together (Constantinople, 1543–1544; Basel, 1581). Like the preceding work, these are strongly tinctured with German mysticism. Recanati frequently quotes Judah he-Hasid of Regensburg, Eleazar of Worms, and their disciples, and alludes also to the Spanish kabbalists, Nahmanides among them. He is rarely original, quoting almost always other authorities. Although Recanati had a high reputation for sanctity, he exercised less influence on his contemporaries than upon posterity. To assist him in his kabbalistic researches, he studied logic and philosophy; and he endeavors to support the Kabbalah by philosophical arguments.
- Pisḳe Hilkot, Bologna, 1538.
References
- Menahem Recanati – Commentary on the Daily Prayers: Flavius Mithridates’ Latin Translation, the Hebrew Text, and an English Version, edited with introduction and notes by Giacomo Corazzol, two volumes, 860 pages. Torino: Nino Aragno Editore, 2008.
- Novick, Rabbi Leah (2014-07-07). On the Wings of Shekhinah: Rediscovering Judaism's Divine Feminine. Quest Books. ISBN 9780835631167.
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One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Menahem ben Benjamin Recanati". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. Retrieved Jan 20, 2016.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography:
- Moritz Güdemann, Gesch. ii. 180 et seq.;
- Zunz, Literaturgesch. p. 369;
- idem, in Geiger's Jüd. Zeit. iv. 139;
- Gedaliah ibn Yaḥya, Shalshelet ha-Ḳabbalah, p. 48b
- לבֿושׁי אור יקרותֿ [Mordecai Jaffe's commentary on Recanati] (in Hebrew). Lublin. 1595. OCLC 233048483. Retrieved Jan 20, 2016.
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