Judah Loew ben Bezalel, Bohemian rabbi, mystic and philosopher (b. 1520)
Judah Loew ben Bezalel (Hebrew: יהודה ליווא בן בצלאל; between 1512 and 1526 – 17 September 1609), also known as Rabbi Loew (alt. Löw, Loewe, Löwe or Levai), the Maharal of Prague (Hebrew: מהר״ל מפראג), or simply the Maharal (the Hebrew acronym of "Moreinu ha-Rav Loew", 'Our Teacher, Rabbi Loew'), was an important Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic, and philosopher who, for most of his life, served as a leading rabbi in the cities of Mikulov in Moravia and Prague in Bohemia.
Within the world of Torah and Talmudic scholarship, Loew is known for his works on Jewish philosophy and Jewish mysticism and his work Gur Aryeh al HaTorah, a supercommentary on Rashi's Torah commentary. He is also the subject of a 19th-century legend that he created the Golem of Prague, an animate being fashioned from clay.
1609Sep, 17
Judah Loew ben Bezalel
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Events on 1609
- 9Apr
Expulsion of the Moriscos
Philip III of Spain issues the decree of the "Expulsion of the Moriscos". - 9Jul
Freedom of religion
Bohemia is granted freedom of religion through the Letter of Majesty by the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II. - 30Jul
Fort Ticonderoga
Beaver Wars: At Ticonderoga (now Crown Point, New York), Samuel de Champlain shoots and kills two Iroquois chiefs on behalf of his native allies. - 11Sep
Manhattan Island
Henry Hudson discovers Manhattan Island and the indigenous people living there. - 13Sep
Hudson River
Henry Hudson reaches the river that would later be named after him - the Hudson River.