Judah Halevi

Judah haLevi (also Yehuda Halevi or ha-Levi; ; ; c. 1075 – 1141) was a Sephardic Jewish poet, physician and philosopher. Halevi is considered one of the greatest Hebrew poets and is celebrated for his secular and religious poems, many of which appear in present-day liturgy.

Judah haLevi was born in Tudela, in the region of Navarre, then part of Muslim Spain. Although little is known about his early life or education, it is clear that he was well-versed in Arabic, Hebrew, and classical sciences including medicine and philosophy. In his youth, he began composing Hebrew poetry, and his reputation eventually reached Moses ibn Ezra in Granada. After initial difficulties in traveling due to political shifts, haLevi was able to establish literary connections across major Jewish centers in al-Andalus.

HaLevi's poetic corpus includes a wide array of genres, including panegyrics, friendship poems, wine songs, riddles, didactic verse, and wedding poems. However, he is best remembered for his "Zion poems" which powerfully express longing for the Land of Israel. Among the most enduring is ''Tziyyon ha-lo tishali'' ("Zion, do you not inquire?"), which became part of synagogue liturgy and was imitated widely. Another famous poem, ''Libi BaMizrah'' ("My Heart is in the East"), articulates his internal conflict between the comforts of Spain and his spiritual connection to Zion, contrasting the "West" (Spain) with the "East" (Israel). In addition to poetry, HaLevi wrote a philosophical treatise commonly known as ''The Kuzari'', which presents a polemical defense of Jewish faith. The speaker affirms the truth of revealed religion and argues for the spiritual centrality of the Jewish people and their unique connection to the Land of Israel.

Late in life, Judah HaLevi resolved to leave Spain and settle in the Holy Land. He reached Egypt in 1140, where he was warmly received and remained in Alexandria for a year at the request of admirers. In 1141, he sailed for the Land of Israel (at that point the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem) though he likely died shortly after, possibly at sea or near the gates of Jerusalem. Provided by Wikipedia