You don’t need to go further than his name to get a sense that Hacham Zvi Ashkenazi (1658-1718) must have been a unique and eccentric character. “Hacham” is a Sephardi honorific roughly equivalent to the term “rabbi.” Yet, as his last name lays bare, Hacham Zvi was an Ashkenazi scholar.
With only one exception (Isaac Bernays), there are no other Ashkenazi rabbinic figures of renown who used this title. But the anomaly of his name is just the beginning.
Hacham Zvi frequently broke with Ashkenazi practice in favor of Sephardi custom. At the same time, while serving the Ashkenazi community in Amsterdam, he was run out of the city by the Sephardi establishment. Why did he take on many Sephardi practices and a Sephardi title? And why was Amsterdam’s Sephardi leadership so unnerved by him?
Ashkenazi-Sephardi divide
Hacham Zvi’s place in the Ashkenazi-Sephardi divide is just the tip of the iceberg. He was a maverick in many other areas as well. His opponents might have even called him a gadfly.
The combination of his highly developed scruples, stubbornness, and independence contributed to the difficulty that he had in holding down official rabbinic positions. And yet his influence was profound.
PORTUGUESE SYNAGOGUE interior, known as the Esnoga, modeled after the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Thanks to his mastery of the rabbinic tradition and his renown, his opinion on matters of Halacha (Jewish law) was sought from far and wide. The collection of responsa that he published in his lifetime has become highly authoritative and is an important part of the halachic canon.
Despite the curiosity that an intriguing and enigmatic figure like Hacham Zvi engenders, until recently a comprehensive biography had yet to be published. Fortunately, Rabbi Yosie Levine’s book Hakham Tsevi Ashkenazi and the Battlegrounds of the Early Modern Rabbinate has come to fill this gaping hole in Jewish scholarship. Levine’s volume offers an in-depth academic study of this seminal figure.
Deep dive
Delving deeply into the historical record, Levine traces the entire outline of Hacham Zvi’s life. We learn the circumstances of his youth that led his family to send him to study in the Sephardi bastion of Torah of Salonika (Thessaloniki, Greece) and his subsequent wanderings in the Ottoman Empire. We come to understand why the title of Hacham makes some sense for this Ashkenazi rabbinic scion.
We learn of the tragic death of Hacham Zvi’s first wife and his daughter, killed by cannon fire in the war between the Holy League and the Ottoman Empire. Then, we follow him on his flight from the war to Sarajevo’s Sephardi community, where he was appointed rabbi for a short period, and through major dislocations and relocations from Altona to Amsterdam to Poland, to name just a few.
Through Levine’s scholarship, we get much more than a chronology of Hacham Zvi’s life. He provides the lenses and background information that allow his readers to appreciate this character on much deeper levels.
The author presents the cosmopolitan nature of the varied port cities that Hacham Zvi called home and their historical importance. He informs us of the improved state of communications contemporaneous with the rabbi and how that impacted rabbinic responsa. Through Levine’s scholarship, we learn of the rise of lay leadership and their challenge to the rabbinic elite of the day.
One of the most profound examples of the framework that Levine offers is the backdrop he provides to appreciate what was perhaps the greatest controversy of the rabbi’s life.
Great controversy
Levine lays out for us in brief the story of the rise and fall of the false messiah Shabtai Zvi (1626-1676) and, in greater detail, the phenomenon of crypto-Sabbateanism that survived Shabtai Zvi’s apostasy and death.
He introduces us to the polemics of the late 17th and early 18th century around this phenomenon. To help explain the continuum of the relationship to this controversial event, he even coins the term “social Sabbatean” to characterize Rabbi David Oppenheim (1664-1736), the chief rabbi of Prague. It is against this backdrop of the widespread tolerance for and even acceptance of Sabbateanism that we can understand why Hacham Zvi’s approach of virulent vocal opposition caused him so much trouble.
The Sephardi community of Amsterdam issued two bans against Hacham Zvi and involved the civil authorities as well. This led to his abandonment of one of the world’s most lucrative and prestigious rabbinic positions.
At the same time, Levine explains, Hacham Zvi’s vehement opposition brought an end to the prevailing rabbinic approach of suppression and silence in the face of this heresy.
Another area of his long-lasting significance lies in his responsa’s impact on modern discussions of Jewish law. In the penultimate chapter of his work, Levine explores a number of responsa, the significance of which became fully developed only in modern times.
Particularly poignant are some of his responsa, which have become points of departure for any discussion of cloning and organ transplants in Jewish law.
A robust exploration awaits readers of the book. The volume is well written, meticulously sourced, and profoundly insightful.
Levine has done an excellent job of opening up this fascinating and seminal figure in a comprehensive fashion.
The writer is a tour guide, educator, and translator.
HAKHAM TSEVI ASHKENAZI AND THE BATTLEGROUNDS OF THE EARLY MODERN RABBINATE
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
1. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia
2. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Address
3. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Rooms
4. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Amenities
5. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Offers and Deals
სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
