On Rabbi Shlomo Molcho and His Writings עַל ר׳ שְׁלֹמֹה מוֹלְכוֹ וּכְתָבָיו

Rabbi Shlomo Molcho (Rasham) was born in the year 5261 or 5262 (ר׳ שְׁלֹמֹה מוֹלְכוֹ [רַש״ם] נוֹלַד בִּשְׁנַת רס״א אוֹ רס״ב), that is, between October 1500 and March 1502 according to the secular calendar (בֵּין אוֹקְטוֹבֶּר - לְמַרְץ - לְמִנְיָנָם), in Portugal (בְּפוֹרְטוּגָל), to a family of Jewish anusim (לְמִשְׁפַּחַת יְהוּדִים אֲנוּסִים). Although he did not receive a Jewish education (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא קִיבֵּל חִנּוּךְ יְהוּדִי), while still a youth he refused to abandon the Jewish faith for another (בְּעוֹדוֹ נַעַר סֵרֵב לְהָמִיר אֶת הַדָּת הַיְּהוּדִית בְּאַחֶרֶת).

In the year 5281 (בשׁנַת רפ״א), when he was 19 or 20 years old (בְּהִיּוֹתוֹ בֶּן י״ט אוֹ כ׳), he already held the title of “Doctor” (כְּבָר נָשָׂא בְּתוֹאַר "דּוֹקְטוֹר). That same year, on 2 February 1521 (בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה, ב׳ בִּפְבְרוּאָר), he was appointed judge in the Court of Appeals (מוּנָה לְשׁוֹפֵט בְּבֵית הַמִּשְׁפָּט לַעֲרְעוּרִים), the highest court in the kingdom (הַגָּבוֹהַּ בְּיוֹתֵר בַּמַּמְלָכָה). He was also granted the rights over the office of the court’s official scribe (כָּמוֹ כֵּן, הוּעֲנְקוּ לוֹ הַזְּכוּיוֹת עַל לִשְׁכַּת סוֹפֵר בֵּית הַמִּשְׁפָּט).

In the year 5286 (בשנת רפ״ו), during December 1525–January 1526 (דֶּצֶמְבֶּר – יָנוּאָר), R’ Shlomo Molcho met David haReuveni in the royal court (נִפְגַּשׁ ר׳ שְׁלֹמֹה מוֹלְכוֹ עִם דָּוִד הָרְאוּבֵנִי בְּחַצַר בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ). At that time, Reuveni was negotiating with the king on behalf of the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and the half-tribe of Menasheh (בְּאוֹתָהּ עֵת, נָשָׂא וְנָתַן הָרְאוּבֵנִי עִם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֵׁם שִׁבְטֵי רְאוּבֵן, גָּד וַחֲצִי מְנַשֶּׁה), regarding the arming of a Jewish army to fight the Ishmaelites and conquer the Land (עַל חִמּוּשׁ צְבָא יְהוּדִי לְהִלָּחֵם בַּיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים וּלְכִבּוּשׁ הָאָרֶץ). After this meeting, Rasham circumcised himself (לְאַחַר הַמִּפְגָּשׁ, רַש״ם מָל אֶת עַצְמוֹ), began to study Torah (הִתְחִיל לִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה), and experienced a prophetic vision regarding all that would befall him (וְחָזָה חִזָּיוֹן עַל כָּל הָעָתִיד לִקְרוֹת לוֹ). A few years later, Rasham described this vision in a letter to Rabbi Yosef Taitatzak (כְּעֵבוּר שָׁנִים אֲחָדוֹת, תֵּאֵר רַש״ם אֶת הֶחָזוֹן בְּמִכְתָּב אֶל הָרַב יוֹסֵף טִיטְצָאק), one of the great sages of the generation (מִגְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר). That letter was published as the first part of Sefer Ḥeit Qaneh (הַמִּכְתָּב פֻּרְסַם כַּחֵלֶק הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל סֵפֶר חֵית קָנֶה).

In the years 5286–5289 (בשָׁנִים רפ״ו–רפ״ט), that is,(1526–1529), Rasham traveled from Portugal through Italy to Salonika, and wandered back to Italy (נָע רַש״ם מִפּוֹרְטוּגָל דֶּרֶךְ אִיטַלְיָה עַד לְסָלוֹנִיקִי, וְנָד חֲזָרָה לְאִיטַלְיָה). He composed a book of sermons (הוּא חִיבֵּר סֵפֶר דְּרוּשִׁים), which was published in Salonika in Elul 5289 (שֶׁפֻּרְסַם בְּסָלוֹנִיקִי בֶּאֱלוּל רפ״ט), that is, August 1529 (אוֹגוּסְט), and which later became known as Sefer Ha-Mefo’ar (וְשֶׁנִּוֹדַע לְאַחַר מִכֵּן כְּ״סֵפֶר הַמְּפוֹאָר״).

He began composing another Kuntres [Booklet], known as Maamar al Ha-Ge’ulah (Discourse on Redemption) (הוּא הֵחֵל בִּכְתִיבַת קוֹנְטְרֵס נוֹסָף [הַמְּכוּנֶה ״מַאֲמָר עַל הַגְּאֻלָּה״]). His name became known as a preacher and mekubal well-versed in all realms of PaRDeS (שְׁמוֹ הָלַךְ לְפָנָיו כְּדָרְשָׁן וּמְקוּבָּל הַבָּקִי בְּכָל עוֹלְמוֹת פַּרְד״ס). From afar Jews came to present their questions to him (מֵרָחוֹק בָּאוּ יְהוּדִים לְהַצִּיג לוֹ אֶת שְׁאֵלוֹתֵיהֶם), and he became known as one who could resolve every difficulty (וְנִודַע כְּאֶחָד הַמְּסֻגָּל לִפְתֹּר כָּל קֻשְׁיָא).

In Adar 5290 (בַּאֲדָר ר״ץ), that is, February–March 1530 (פֶּבְרוּאָר–מַרְץ), after arriving in Rome (לְאַחַר שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְרוֹמָא), he experienced another prophetic vision (חָזָה חִזָּיוֹן נוֹסָף), and as a result warned of a flood that would strike the city (וּבְעִקְבוֹתָיו הוּזְהַר עַל שִׁיטָפוֹן שֶׁעָתִיד לִפְגֹּעַ בָּעִיר), and of an earthquake that would affect Portugal (וְעַל רְעִידַת אֲדָמָה שֶׁתִּפְקֹד אֶת פּוֹרְטוּגָל). This vision was described in the second part of Sefer Ḥeit Qaneh (הֶחָזוֹן תּוּאַר בַּחֵלֶק הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל סֵפֶר חֵית קָנֶה). These two great disasters occurred just as he had foreseen (שְׁנֵי הָאֲסוֹנוֹת הַכְּבֵדִים הָאֵלֶּה הִתְרַחֲשׁוּ כְּפִי שֶׁחָזָה). Rasham worked with the Christian authorities to postpone the activation of the Inquisition in Portugal (רַש״ם פָּעַל אֵצֶל הַשִּׁלְטוֹנוֹת הַנּוֹצְרִיִּים לִדְחוֹת אֶת הַפְּעָלַת הָאִינְקְוִיזִיצִיָּה בְּפּוֹרְטוּגָל), and it seems he succeeded in his efforts (וּכְכָל הַנִּרְאֶה הִצְלִיחַ בְּמַאֲמָצָיו).

His sermons and public activity aroused opposition from both Church figures and certain Jews (דְּרוּשׁוֹתָיו וּפְעוּלוֹתוֹ מָשְׁכוּ אֶת הִתְנַגְּדוּתָם שֶׁל אַנְשֵׁי הַכְּנֵסִיָּה וְגַם שֶׁל מִסְפָּר יְהוּדִים). Rasham met with the pope (רַש״ם נִפְגַּשׁ עִם הָאַפִּיפְיוֹר) and received special permission to continue preaching in synagogues (וְקִיבֵּל אִשּׁוּר מְיֻחָד לְהַמְשִׁיךְ לִדְרוֹשׁ בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֶסֶת). One such sermon delivered in the city of Mantua in 5291 (דְּרָשָׁה שֶׁנָּשָׂא רַש״ם בְּעִיר מַנְטוּבָא בִּשְׁנַת רצ״א) was recorded and has reached us (נִרְשְׁמָה וְהִגִּיעָה אֵלֵינוּ).

In the year 5292 (בשְׁנַת רצ״ב), that is, August 1532 (אוֹגוּסְט), while he was writing another Kuntres [Booklet] of sermons (בְּעוֹדוֹ כּוֹתֵב קוֹנְטְרֶס דְּרוּשִׁים נוֹסָף), titled Ketavim Acharonim in the current edition (״כְּתָבִים אַחֲרוֹנִים״ בַּמַּהֲדוּרָה הַנּוֹכְחִית), and preparing it along with the previous Kuntres [Booklet] for publication (וּמֵכִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת הַקּוֹנְטְרֶס הַקּוֹדֵם לַדְּפוּס), Rasham and David haReuveni set out to meet the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (יָצְאוּ רַש״ם וְדָוִד הָרְאוּבֵנִי לִמְפַגָּשׁ עִם קֵיסַר הָאִימְפֶּרְיָה הָרוֹמִית), to attempt to influence matters concerning the Jews and Judaism (כְּדֵי לְנַסּוֹת וּלְהַשְׁפִּיעַ בְּעִנְיְנֵי הַיְּהוּדִים וְהַיַּהֲדוּת). For two hours the three sat together (שְׁעָתַיִם יָשְׁבוּ הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁה), and the Emperor, alarmed by Rasham’s proposals, arrested both guests (וְהַקֵּיסָר נִבְהַל מֵהַצָּעוֹת שֶׁל רַש״ם וְעִצֵּר אֶת שְׁנֵי אוֹרְחָיו). HaReuveni was sent to prison (הָרְאוּבֵנִי נִשְׁלַח לַכֶּלֶא), and at the beginning of the year 5293 (וּבִתְּחִלַּת שְׁנַת רצ״ג), that is, in Kislev or Tevet-November or December 1532 (בְּכִסְלֵו אוֹ בְּטֵבֵת, נוֹבֶמְבֶּר אוֹ דֶּצֶמְבֶּר), Rasham was burned at the stake by order of the Emperor, under the Inquisition (הוּעֲלָה רַש״ם עַל הַמּוֹקֵד בְּהוֹרָאַת הַקֵּיסָר עַל־יְדֵי הָאִינְקְוִיזִיצִיָּה).

Thus Yosef HaKohen reported in his Sefer Divrei haYamim (כָּךְ דִּיוֵּחַ יוֹסֵף הַכֹּהֵן בְּסֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים): And the whole city was astir over him, and the fire burned before him (״וַתֵּהֹם כָּל הָעִיר עָלָיו וְהָאֵשׁ לְפָנָיו בּוֹעֶרֶת״). And one of the Emperor’s officers said: Remove the bridle from between his teeth, for I have a word to say to him from the king (״וַיֹּאמֶר אֶחָד מִשָּׂרֵי הַקֵּיסָר: הָסִירוּ הָרֶסֶן מִבֵּין שִׁנָּיו, כִּי דָּבָר לִי אֵלָיו מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ״). And they did so (״וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵּן״). And he said to him: The Emperor sent me to say to you: Behold, if you return from your path, it will be lifted and you will live before him. But if not-your end has come (״וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו: הַקֵּיסָר שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר, הֲלֹא אִם תָּשׁוּב מִדַּרְכֶּיךָ – שֵׂאת וֶחְיֵה לְפָנָיו, וְאִם אַיִן – כָּלְתָה אֵלֶיךָ הָרָעָה״). And he neither rose nor trembled from him, and answered like a holy one, like an angel of God (״וְלֹא קָם וְלֹא זָע מִמֶּנּוּ, וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמַר כְּקָדוֹשׁ כְּמַלְאַךְ אֱלֹקִים״): “For when I walked in that religion, my heart was bitter and afflicted. And now-do as is good in your eyes. And my soul shall return to the house of her Father as in her youth, for it was better for her then than now” (״עַל אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בַּדָּת הַהִיא – לִבִּי מַר וְזָעֵף, וְעַתָּה – כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ, וְנַפְשִׁי תָּשׁוּב אֶל בֵּית אָבִיהָ כִּנְעוּרֶיהָ, כִּי טוֹב לָהּ אָז מֵעַתָּה״). And they were filled with fury at him, and cast him upon the wood on the fire (״וַיִּמָּלְאוּ עָלָיו חֵמָה וַיַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ עַל הָעֵצִים אֲשֶׁר עַל הָאֵשׁ״). And they offered him up as a burnt-offering to Hashem, a complete offering to be consumed (״וַיַּקְרִיבוּהוּ עוֹלָה לַה׳ כָּלִיל תִּקְטָר״). And Hashem smelled the pleasing fragrance and gathered his pure soul (״וַיָּרַח ה׳ אֶת רֵיחַ הַנִּיחוֹחַ וַיֶּאֱסֹף נִשְׁמָתוֹ הַטְּהוֹרָה״), and she was with Him as a nursling, delighting before Him at all times (״וַתְּהִי אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן מְשַׂחֶקֶת לְפָנָיו בְּכָל עֵת״).