Samuel ben Samson (also Samuel ben Shimshon) was a rabbi who lived in France and made a pilgrimage to Palestine in 1210, visiting a number of villages and cities there, including Jerusalem.[1] Amongst his companions were Jonathan ben David ha-Cohen, and it is likely that ben Samson served as Rabbi Jonathan's secretary.[1] Two other rabbis were travelling with Samuel ben Samson and Rabbi Jonathan and the four travelled as far east as Mosul.[2] According to George Sarton, some 300 English and French Jews who were inspired by ben Samson's account went to Palestine to settle there in 1211.[2]

The first mention of Safed in Jewish history comes from ben Samson's 13th century writings, where he mentions the existence of a Jewish community of at least fifty members there.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Janin, 2002, p. 113.
  2. 1 2 Sarton, 1931, p. 514.
  3. ↑ Schechter, 2003, p. 206.

Bibliography

  • Adler, Elkan Nathan (2004), Jewish Travellers, p. 107, ISBN 0-415-34466-2
  • Janin, Hunt (2002), Four Paths to Jerusalem: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Secular Pilgrimages, 1000 BCE to 2001 CE, McFarland, ISBN 978-0-7864-1264-8
  • Sarton, George (1931), Introduction To The History Of Science Volume II From Rabbi Ben Ezra To Roger Bacon, The Williams & Wilkins Company
  • Schechter, Solomon (2003), Studies in Judaism: Second Series (Jewish Studies Classics 3), Gorgias Press LLC, ISBN 978-1-59333-039-2
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