Moses Zacuto

Born in Amsterdam, Moses Zacuto was a rabbi, kabbalist, commentator, poet, playwright, and community leader. He began his studies at the Ets Ḥayim Talmud Torah in Amsterdam, where he was educated in both Jewish and non-Jewish literature. For a while he lived in Hamburg, and later in Poznań (Posen), where he improved his knowledge of kabbalah. In 1644, Zacuto began a journey to the land of Israel, but he ended up remaining in Venice. In 1673 he relocated to Mantua to serve as the community’s rabbi. He wrote commentaries on biblical and rabbinic texts, literature, and responsa, among other works.