Zechariah al-Ḍāhirīā

Zechariah al-D.āhirīā was a significant figure in the history of Hebrew literature in Yemen. Born and raised in Yemen, al-D.āhirīā traveled to the land of Israel, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, India, and Persia. He described these journeys in his best-known work, Sefer ha-musar (Book of Moral Instruction), written in rhymed prose. He wrote this book while imprisoned during the Turco-Yemenite war (1568–1573). In addition to descriptions of al-D.āhirīā’s travels, Sefer ha-musar includes information on current events in Yemen, together with moral tales, fables, riddles, polemics, and discussions of philosophy, mysticism, and messianism. The book serves as an important source regarding contemporaneous Jewish communities in the land of Israel. Al-D.āhirīā was well-versed in kabbalah and played an important role in disseminating it in Yemen. He also wrote a commentary on the Pentateuch that included kabbalistic and philosophical aspects as well as liturgical poems and halakhic works, some of which have survived in manuscript.