Creator Bio
Joseph Solomon Delmedigo
1591–1655
Joseph Solomon Delmedigo (also known as Yashar) was born in Candia (Crete) but traveled to Padua to study at the university there, where he was a student of Galileo in astronomy, in addition to learning medicine and philosophy. He also visited Leone Modena in Venice. Delmedigo returned to Crete in 1613 to practice medicine. However, his pursuit of secular knowledge led him to embark on a life of wandering, first in the Middle East and later in Europe. Delmedigo later served as a physician in Germany. He wrote works on geography, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry, some of which have not survived. He finally settled in Prague in 1648 and remained there until his death.
Entries in the Posen Library by This Creator
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Technical Diagram from Joseph Delmedigo’s Elim
This is a technical diagram from Joseph Delmedigo’s Sefer Elim (Book of Elim), a scientific and philosophical work published by Menasseh Ben Israel.
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Elim: Ma‛ayan ganim (Elim: A Garden Spring)
And moreover, that which is called “external wisdom” is indeed the daughter of my father [see Genesis 12:20], a good doctrine (Proverbs 4:2) and a gift of God [see Ecclesiastes 3:13], who graces us…
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Mikhtav Aḥuz (Letter of Aḥuz)
In sum, many rabbis in these times understand nothing about the spheres and their workings, just as oxen and donkeys lack understanding [see Isaiah 1:3]. They have violated laws, broken statutes…
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Novelot ḥokhmah (Fallen Fruit of Wisdom)
[ . . . ] Now you know and are witness that I have composed several works on various topics. However, I did not write them in order to publish them; rather, I prepared them for my own use, to…
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Elim: Ma‛ayan ḥatum (Elim: A Sealed Spring)
You asked how an object can move without being touched, and this indeed is a puzzling matter to all sages. To explain this issue, I must first discuss some rudiments of the science of music, for if…