French Jewish Pilgrim Isaac HaKohen Ben Moses
Following the expulsion from France, the Jewish geographer and physician Isaac HaKohen Ben Moses, better known as Ishtori Haparchi, travelled to Spain and then to Egypt. He finally settled in Beit She'an, Israel, in 1313 CE, where he reestablished the Jewish community.
After seven years traversing the Land, he authored the first Hebrew book in the Land of Israel, “Kaftor vaferech”, in 1322 CE. The book deals with the geography, topography, botany, history, astronomy, and laws of the Land, listing the names of towns and villages and identifying 180 ancient Biblical sites.
He wrote: “Searching for the location of different historical sites in Eretz Yisrael was more precious to me than an astronomer’s scanning the sky to map the stars…”
Overview
When the Jews were expelled from France, Jewish French scholar Ishtori Hafarchi (pen name of the 14th-century Jewish physician, geographer, and traveller, Isaac HaKohen Ben Moses) settled in Eretz Israel. He authored the first Hebrew book on the land of Israel, “Kaftor vaferech”, in 1322 CE., having surveyed the land to find the exact location of every town in the Bible. He mentions Beit Shean, Tsfat (Safed), Ramla and Gaza.
He wrote:
“Searching for the location of different historical sites in Eretz Yisrael was more precious to me than an astronomer’s scanning the sky to map the stars…”
David Rossoff. Where Heaven Touches Earth: Jewish Life in Jerusalem from Medieval Times to the Present. p.15.
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