Rabbi Shalom Shabazi
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Mori Shalom Shabazi, (17th century CE)
Mori Shalom Shabazi (الحاخام سالم الشبزي) -born and died in Yefrtuz (يفرس) town within Taiz governorate, was one of the major founders of the Yemeni Humeinite Poetry School (مدرسة الشعر الحميني) and a great poet. He is also revered today as one of the greatest spiritual leaders in the history of Yemenite Jewry. He wrote a commentary on the Torah called Chamdoth Yomim. His leadership was instrumental in helping the Jews of Yemen survive some of the worst persecution in its history. Mori(yemenites do not call their spiritual leaders rabbi but "Mori" aramaic for my master)Shabazi wrote a kinah or lamentation for recitation during the Ninth of Av, recalling the terrible exile of Jews in his lifetime from all cities and towns in Yemen to an inhospitible desert called Moza, during the time the jews were banished there a full 20% of their number perished. The Diwan of Mori Shabazi has become an essential part of Yemenite Jewry's spiritual and cultural lives. Mori Shabazi wrote nearly 1500 diwan on nearly all topics in Judaism, unfortunately only about 300 survived the ravages of persecution, time and the lack of a priniting press in Yemen. He wrote his Diwan(poems/songs) in Arabic, Hebrew and Aramaic.
Im Nin'elu in Popular Culture
The hit single of Ofra Haza (عوفرة حزة) Im Nin'Alu (إيم ننعيلوا) was one of his great poems in Hebrew, such as As'alk (أسألك) and many other songs performed by Zion Golan (صيون قولن), Aharom Amram (هارون عمران) and Shoshana Dhamari (شمعة طيبي).
Another of his famous poems, "Et Dodim Kallah", was performed by Mizrahi music legend Zohar Argov.
