Rachel Morpurgo - 19th-century Italian Jewish poet

Judaism, Wntr, 2000 by Yael Levine Katz

Apart from sonnets, which comprise a considerable portion of Rachel's poems, [26] six of her poems assume the form of emblem-riddles. Generally, these were preceded by an enigmatic picture or a verbal description of it, i.e., the riddle's image. Three of Rachel's poems include such a verbal description. [27]

Rachel composed a riddle for Tamar Luzzatto, wife of the rabbi of Padua Mordecai Samuel Ghirondi (1799-1852) and cousin to both Rachel and Shadal. [28] Ghirondi was also author of Toledot Gedolei Yisrael, an avid collector of Hebrew manuscripts and a close friend to Shadal. [29] The solution to the riddle is the lulav, which in the bible is called "Kapot Temarim" (branches of palm-trees) (Leviticus 23:40), Tamar being the personal name of Rachel's cousin.

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A small riddle, without a meter and rhythm in honor of the wise-hearted woman, and on whose tongue is the law of kindness, Tamar Luzzatto, a woman of valor, her husband is prominent in the gates, the great Rabbi in the faithful city Padua, Rabbi Mordecai Samuel Ghirondi,

I have heard a rumor

That even though you are modest

When the time will arrive.

All of the Congregation of Jeshurun

At your palm will bless you

And also water you:

Fear not this

Because your mate in all this

Will not demean you:

He is glorious and magnificent

As a citron tree.

In 1851, Rachel composed a poem in honor of the birthday of educator and scholar Mayer Randegger (1780-1853). [30] From 1810 he began teaching Shadal German and French, and was "first responsible for his interest in the broad vista of general European culture." [31] He fulfilled a decisive role in the shaping of several aspects of his scholarship. It was owing to his insistence that Shadal commenced sending his essays on Hebrew synonyms to the Hebrew literary journal Bikkurei ha-Ittim, and to his encouragement that Shadal published the compilation of poems that he had composed in his teens. [32] Mayer's son, Giuseppe Aron, was Shadal's first student, and Shadal regarded him as a son. He too became an educator, and remained in close contact with Shadal. In 1851, Randegger published a Passover haggadah that included an Italian translation rendered by his daughter. [33] The opening section of Rachel's poem makes special mention of Randegger's daughter, whose rendition had been shown to her. Upon seeing this, Ra chel "rejoiced in the joy of the Torah."

"Oh! desolate valley," a lyric poem composed in 1867 [34] and included in an anthology of Hebrew poetry edited by Asher Barash published in Jerusalem in 1938, [35] Joseph Klausner thought to be her best. [36]

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Nor have I done anything here that they should have put me in the dungeon (Genesis 40:15).-

Oh. Desolate Valley

Oh! desolate valley darkness mist

How long will you keep me chained in bronze fetters?

I would rater die, rater dwell in the shade of God

Than sit solitary in the depths of the waters!

The eternal hills I watch from afar

And glorious flowers their faces will don eternity.