Menaḥem di Lonzano

Little is known about the life of the linguist, poet, and kabbalist Menaḥem di Lonzano. He settled in Jerusalem at the age of twenty-five and later traveled extensively before returning to Jerusalem. His most famous work is Shete yadot (Two Hands) published in Venice in 1618. Each of its two parts (hands) is divided into five sections (fingers): the first comprises di Lonzano’s original writings, including moral poetry, prayers, and commentary; and the second is an anthology of midrashic material. Di Lonzano’s writings about Lurianic kabbalah aroused opposition and he was involved in a number of disputes with other scholars and poets, among them Gedaliah Cordovero and Israel Najara. Lonzano hid some of his other writings, which were subsequently printed posthumously or survived in manuscript form.