Who Was Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinoro? The Jews of Italy pt. VII

Brief overview of the life and work of Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinoro (Bartenura), best known for his commentary on the Mishnah but also an important communal leader in late 15th-early 16th century Jerusalem. Part VII of the Jews of Italy series, see henryabramson.com for more.

[@milkhoney1631]

I live a 10 minutes drive from Bertinoro, i had no idea about this character, fascinating person and lesson in general, Grazie!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tiamatxvxianash9202]

Thank You Dr. Abramson. Your weaving of Rabbi Ovadiah into the tapestry of the Venetian Republic's history was 1st rate.

[@ericstevens1968]

Excellent as always. I find these lectures really engaging, and I always learn some fascinating new information. Please keep up the great work.

[@BuckthornStudios]

Just got a full 23-vol set of "The Mishnah Elucidated" from ArtScroll highlighting Ovadiah's contributions. Really enjoying this lecture helping me explore this amazing person!

[@luiscecilio8807]

thank you. Long life to you Prof.

[@LauraGlorybelle]

Thank you for your lectures (and thank you for leaving Gru in the internet edit).

[@tallmikbcroft6937]

שלום love the series!

[@TaborsJourneyInKenya]

Great Series! 🍿

[@markjacobi3537]

Wonderful lecture I listened to it from Melbourne Australia! Quick question please: Do we know why R. Ovadia Tzl waited until he arrived in Israel THe Holy Land before writing his monemental work/commentary on The Mishna?

[@eliandmichal]

Any chance of doing a lecture on Rabbi Obadiah Sforno? He was also a prominent Italian rabbi and doctor with connections to some very high up in the church whom he taught Hebrew and Jewish philosophy, and even wrote a book of Jewish philosophy in Latin. I would be very happy to sponsor such a lecture.

[@eliandmichal]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD ok, thanks for letting me know. I really really enjoy your lectures! Would love to hear you live if you ever come to visit Israel

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Have to finish the Jewish History Lab series first.

[@carolbyrne48]

Dear Henry Abramson, I am traveling to Israel with my family, for a short visit in late February 2020 and will visit Jerusalem with the view to visiting Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinoro grave and place a stone there from the town of Bertinoro. I am fascinated by this great man, my husband and son are both born in Bertinoro, while we live in Greece we have a family home in Bertinoro and will visit again for Christmas 2019. Do you know where his grave is or point me in the direction to find it, this is very important to me. Thank you in advance.

[@avrohommaline4008]

carol byrne I am seeing this message a bit late, but here are the exact coordinates for next time (enter it on google maps it should bring you there) 31°46'27.1"N 35°14'15.2"E

[@satis8507]

I love these videos, although im not jewish, i have a huge interest in jews history

[@kameelfarag1981]

I am a Christian, and enjoy your lectures. My interest is mainly the Old Testament as a revelation through inspiration. I love the book of Genesis, and have question to you if you can answer it to me from your understanding will be so much appreciated . How can God test Abraham with evil to give his son as a sacrifice? While God himself calls this act an abomination towards pagan god Mulok.

[@anonoymousone9972]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4Srn2yOqMaqjpo This is an explanation by a Rabbi, specifically aimed at Christians who want to learn what the Jewish perspective is. Starts at 00:11:43.

[@ericstevens1968]

Greetings, brother. There are many Jewish explanations for this. One that I heard, the source being Chabad, is that Abraham and Isaac were meant to demonstrate their willingness to kill and die if G-d wanted. However, G-d wants no such thing, and desires rather that we should live. If we are even willing to fervently kill or die for G-d, then we should certainly be willing to fervently live and nurture life for G-d, once we come to realize that this is what HaShem truly desires more. That was part of HaShem's lesson in testing Abraham. Christian explanations will not be compatible with Jewish ones. The different Jewish explanations for this incident hinge on the fact that Isaac was NOT sacrificed because G-d did not allow it. Christians, however, believe that the ram which Isaac was replaced with is a prefigurement of Jesus. Since Jesus WAS human, and Jesus WAS killed as a sacrifice, the substitution of Isaac doesn't solve the problem of human sacrifice being an abomination.

[@wesleyclayswank6732]

I have a female ancestor who has the middle name favorite.

[@tamarfischer283]

Well that was a very fascinating lecture about a fascinating life but i have a complaint you messed up the merchant of venice plot which is not so bad but saying that shakespeare portrays shylock with sympathy is just laughable. If u know shakespeare youll see theres always an element of sympathy for the crook but make no mistake shylock is a vengeful, murderous man without any understanding of mercy. He is also portrayed as a miserly man who prefers his money over his daughter. The play is deeply anti semitic regardless of what modern day lovers of Shakespeare prefer to believe

[@administratiekantoorj.m.ge4673]

Dear mr Abramson, Please tell your daughter(s) that you really are funny!

[@mordechaiberger3410]

Where was his wife and children during all this

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Dunno

[@mordechaiberger3410]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD did he have children

[@davidsavage6324]

Maybe you could do a small video on the Ramban's testimony of visiting the Temple ruins which testifies that the Wall is actually the remains of the Roman Fortress Antonia and that the current Temple Mount being called as such is a Byzantine tradition dating from the tenth or eleventh century. I know its too controversial but I just worry a lot about whether or not it would matter if the Temple was built on a new location, if the holiness is in part dependent in being built on the previous ruins-- I believe tradition says (as far back as Adam, I think) a Foundation Stone representing the Pineal gland called Penu'el, I believe, was laid where the Temples would eventually be built. Or maybe just a hypothetical video on whether or not it is halakhically required for the Temple to be built on the same location. I also wonder a lot about whether it will be built before or after the Ascension into Fourth Density Positive Existence/Olam HaBa, which will be 60 or 100 times more harmonious/delightful than our current noetic and physical swamp. And I wonder if the Elephantine Temple locus will ever be the site of a future Holy site; and I hope the Samaritans will be able to rebuild their Temple, at least post-Ascension. And I hope that I live to see Rabbanites, Beta Israel, Samaritans and Karaites and other exiles collectively embrace the true location of Mount Sinai: (rediscovered by Ralph Ellis; he also rediscovered the real King David's sarcophagus and mummy in Tanis, Egypt, known to history as Pharaoh Pa-Seba-Ka-Net [sic]) the Great Pyramid/Pillar of Chanok mentioned by Yeshayahu. So I love to envision a Jewish Hajj to Giza (with no worshipping of the Sphinx or any idol children, of course [was the second Sphinx still around at Matan Torah? And did people still remember that the Sphinx was originally Mehit the Lionness-headed goddess guarding a great Archive under her paw) [Ha ha Sex-changed Sphinx!] and did the Israelites have access to the Archive or did the previous priests get slaughtered before they could divulge?) on Shavuot, open to the world, of course unlike Mecca currently. (My interpretation of Lost Books of Adam and Eve is that they got banished to Giza And lived in the Great Pyramid and that the Cave of Treasures where Adam and Eve were mummified was actually under the Great Pyramid. (That part where Adam's mummy talks is so trippy!)) And on the day tradition accords the Noachide Laws being given, likewise a Hajj to (Turkey?) to where the Noachide Laws would have been given would be quite a future heritage of pilgrimage possibilities to look forward to! Shalom.

[@anonoymousone9972]

The Roman fortress you refer to was much higher than and overlooked the Temple area. The assertion that the Wall was a Roman construction appears to arise from Christian sources, due to the New Testament passage about the complete destruction of the Temple. These claims are made for theological reasons and do not have historical or archaeological evidence.

[@davidsavage6324]

What about all the Tanakh sources that hold the Temple was on the same site as the pool of Siloam ; I agree that the NT describes the Fortress Antonia overlooking the Temple. And what about Nachmanides's testimony how he visited the Temple ruins and confirms Jesus' testimony (I believe he was around in the Jewish Revolt as a military leader) that not one stone remained on another. He didn't describe a great Wall remaining. The current identification is Byzantine tradition from tenth or eleventh century. It's funny how my people always misplace our spiritual treasures; Mt. Sinai as the Great Pyramid; the Temple site; the Phaoronic identity of Dawid and Shlomo; the Extraterrestrial nature of Merkavah and Hechalot mysticism; the Ark and war Ark and Menorah (but that doesnt really count as the Romans seized it all; all that's left is for Mossad to bust em outta of the Vatican Archives (not just codices and books; but extraterrestrial technology, artifacts and books)) I'm really essentially expressing myself rather than expecting to convince others; the only outdoor synagogue in the world in our Holy City is very special; I certainly don't think it's spiritual dynamics should change as far as a place of worship; and just because you don't believe in it being Temple remains shouldn't stop you from worshipping at that Holy place; and no one questions it's antiquity; I respect not wanting to give up a tangible connection to our Second Temple. I just disagree.

[@davidsavage6324]

On forcing Jews out of Venice; that implying that they were already extremely well-entrenched. According to Dr. Stephen Pidgeon (editor of the wonderful Eth Cepher Uber Bible; a biblical mitzvah-fulfilling Sabbatarian Trinitarian Paulene Christian) Venice was originally founded by the tribe of Asher, who early on cemented Venice as a significant port of trade, transforming the swampland (which I would imagine, like early Zionists plagued by malaria, would have taken a high death toll to drain). It's interesting sometimes how nontraditional lore dovetails with mainstream history. Dr. Stephen treats the Diasporas more circumspectly than anyone else In aware of. After watching that hour plus lecture with the map icon, it leaves you thinking the world has more Israelite genetics than you would have ever imagined!

[@anonoymousone9972]

Venice was founded by Romans because it was a highly defensible location. The supposed scattering of the 10 lost tribes would have occurred almost 1000 years before, so even accepting the Biblical account as historically accurate, the tribe of Asher would not have existed at that point.Dr Pidgeon's doctorate is in philosophy, not history, and I don't see any evidence for his claims other than possibly some folklore. By the way, "mitzvah-fulfilling" and "Pauline Christian" are mutually exclusive; for instance, Paul tells his followers not to circumcise themselves. Also, the Jewish mitzvot are specifically addressed only to the Jews. Gentiles are not required to keep them (in fact, for a gentile to TRY and keep certain mitzvot is the only way for him to actually break those commandments - the gentile is commanded NOT to observe the Sabbath the way a Jew would). Finally, Trinitarian worship is against the commandments as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4CUp5hqfdhnhtE I suggest you watch this video for a Jewish perspective on what God commanded Jews to do, and what he commanded non-Jews to do. It's a presentation by a very interesting Rabbi.