Title page of the first edition of Rabbi Recanati's commentary on the Torah (Venice, 1523)
Menahem ben Benjamin Recanati (Hebrew:מנחם בן בנימין ריקנטי;1223–1290) was an Italian rabbi who was born and died in the city ofRecanati, who devoted the chief part of his writings to theKabbalah.[1][2]
In addition to thehalachic rulings collected in Piskei Recanati (his only halachic work), Recanati wrote a kabbalistic commentary on theTorah, a commentary on thesiddur, and discussions of thecommandments. Piskei Recanati was first published inBologna, 1538, and was published several times thereafter.
Perush 'Al ha-Torah (Venice, 1523), a work full of mystical deductions and meanings based upon a textual interpretation of theBible; it describes many visions and celestial revelations claimed to have been experienced by the author, who was influenced by kabbalistic ideas, and expresses the highest respect for all kabbalistic authors, even the most recent apocryphal ones. The work was republished with a commentary byMordecai Jaffe, at Lublin in 1595[2][3] and was also translated intoLatin byPico di Mirandola.[2]
Perush ha-Tefillot andṬa'ame ha-Miẓwot, published together (Constantinople, 1543–1544; Basel, 1581). Like the preceding work, these are strongly tinctured withGerman mysticism. Recanati frequently quotesJudah he-Hasid ofRegensburg,Eleazar of Worms, and their disciples, and alludes also to the Spanish kabbalists,Nahmanides among them. He is rarely original, quoting almost always other authorities. Although Recanati had a high reputation for sanctity, he exercised less influence on his contemporaries than upon posterity. To assist him in his kabbalistic researches, he studied logic andphilosophy; and he endeavors to support the Kabbalah by philosophical arguments.[2]
Menahem Recanati – Commentary on the Daily Prayers: Flavius Mithridates’ Latin Translation, the Hebrew Text, and an English Version, edited with introduction and notes by Giacomo Corazzol, two volumes, 860 pages. [THE KABBALISTIC LIBRARY OF GIOVANNI PICO DELLA MIRANDOLA 3, Giulio Busi, general editor] Torino: Nino Aragno Editore, 2008.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906)."Menahem ben Benjamin Recanati".The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. RetrievedJan 20, 2016.Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography:
