Leon of Modena

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Leon de Modena or Yehudah Aryeh de Modena (1571-1648) was a Jewish scholar born in Venice of a notable French family which had migrated to Italy after the expulsion of the Jews from France.

He was a precocious child, and grew up to be a respected Rabbi in Venice. However, his enduring reputation within traditional Judaism suffered due to a number of factors including an unyielding criticism of emerging sects within Judaism, an addiction to gambling and lack of stable character - As Heinrich Graetz points out this latter factor prevented his gifts from maturing. "He pursued all sorts of occupations to support himself, viz. those of preacher, teacher of Jews and Christians, reader of prayers, interpreter, writer, proof-reader, bookseller, broker, merchant, rabbi, musician, matchmaker and manufacturer of amulets."

Though he failed to rise to real distinction he earned a place by his criticism of the mystical approach to Judaism. One of Leon's most effective works was his attack on the Kabbala (Ari Nohem, first published in 1840), for in it he demonstrated that the "Bible of the Kabbalists" (the Zohar) was a modern composition. He became best known, however, as the interpreter of Judaism to the Christian world.

He wrote a fascinating autobiography entitled "Chaye Yehuda," literally "the life of Judah". In this highly candid and sometimes emotional work he admits to being a compulsive gambler. He also mourns his children (two of whom died in his lifetime - one from natural causes and one killed by gangsters). Another son was a ne'er-do-well who traveled to Brazil, and only returned to Venice after his father's death.

At the behest of an English nobleman he prepared an account of the religious customs of the Synagogue, Riti Ebraici (1637). This book was widely read by Christians; it was rendered into various languages, and in 1650 was translated into English by Edward Chilmead. At the time the Jewish question was coming to the fore in London, and Leon of Modena's book did much to stimulate popular interest. He died in Venice.

See H. Graetz, History of the Jews (Eng. trans.), vol. v. ch. iii. Jewish Encyclopedia, viii. 6; Geiger, Leon de Modena.

See also The Autobiography of a Seventeenth-Century Venetian Rabbi: Leon Modena's Life of Judah. L. Modena; M.R. Cohen, ed. This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.