ר׳ שמואל דוד לוצאטו

ר׳ שמואל דוד לוצאטו (1800–1865), known by the acronym שד״ל, was an Italian Jewish biblical commentator, philologist, poet, translator and educator. Born in Trieste to a modest artisan family, he acquired Hebrew, Aramaic and European languages largely through intensive self-education, composing Hebrew poetry while still a child. After supporting himself as a tutor and contributing to Hebrew journals, he was appointed in 1829 to the newly founded Collegio Rabbinico in Padua, where he taught Bible, grammar, Jewish history and theology for the rest of his life. His wide European correspondence placed him near the centre of Wissenschaft des Judentums, yet he defended revelation, Jewish practice and rabbinic tradition while sharply criticizing philosophical systems he believed displaced compassion and religious loyalty. His philological work combined manuscripts, Masorah, ancient translations and comparative Semitics. אוהב גר advanced study of Targum Onkelos; בתולת בת יהודה renewed interest in the poetry of ר׳ יהודה הלוי; and his Italian Bible translations and Hebrew commentaries influenced modern Jewish exegesis. Many biblical commentaries and letters were issued by his family after his death. He died in Padua in September 1865.