Name Shalom Buzaglo | Died 1780 | |
Shalom Ben Moses Buzaglo (Hebrew: בוזאגלו, שלום בן משה) (also Buzagli, Buzaglio) (1700–1780) was a Moroccan kabbalist born in Marrakesh, student of R. Avraham Azulai, Yaakov Pinto and Yeshayahu HaKohen. He was a disciple of the Kabbalist Abraham Azulai, rabbi of Morocco, and filled the position of dayyan. Owing to voyages in the Orient made in his capacity of collector of alms for the relief of the poor in Palestine, he became acquainted with the chief Kabbalists of the period. He also visited Europe, and sojourned for some time in London. He was tortured by the Sultan and left for England in 1745, where he remained until his death.
Although his Kabbalistic works bear his name on the title-page, they are merely compilations of teachings attributed by Azulai, his teacher, to Isaac Luria and Hayyim ben Joseph Vital. Buzaglio took part in the discussion, which arose among many Kabbalists, as to whether Jews should be allowed to undergo vaccination, which had been discovered shortly before that day. Buzaglio pronounced himself in favor of vaccination, but disputed the priority of Jenner in regard to its discovery.
Published works
(1) Mikdash Melek (The Sanctuary of the King), a commentary on the Zohar, published by Meldola (4 vols., Amsterdam, 1750);
(2) Hadrat Melek (The Beauty of the King), a commentary on the Zohar, compiled from Isaac Luria and Hayyim Vital (2 vols., Amsterdam, 1766; London, 1772);
(3) Kisse Melek (The Throne of the King), annotations on the Tikkune Zohar (Amsterdam, 1769);
(4) Hod Melek (The Majesty of the King), commentary on the book Zeni'uta of the Zohar (London, no date);
(5) Sefer ha-Zohar, notes on the Zohar, published together with the text (London, 1772);
(6) Kebod Melek (The Honor of the King), a collection of Kabbalistic derashot (London, no date);
(7) Ma'aseh she-Hayah Kak-Hayah (What Happened Was in This Fashion), report of the proceedings of a lawsuit (London, 1774);
(8) Kuntras Ma'aseh Adonai Ki Nora Hu (Fascicle on the Work of God, Which Is Majestic), an appeal to the public concerning the authority of Buzaglio's judgment in a lawsuit, in Hebrew and Judaeo-German (London, 1774);
(9) Tokahat le-Shobabim we-Takkanah le-Shabim (Admonition for Transgressors and Rehabilitation for the Repentant), consisting of two letters to Israel Meshullam Solomon, also concerning Buzaglio's lawsuit (London, 1774).
He authored a number of commentaries on Zohar:
This is the first systematic commentary on the Zohar to be published.
"These were based mainly on Lurianic Kabbalah, including all the scattered work of Isaac Luria's disciples, which Buzaglo usually copied word for word, occasionally quoting other opinions. Although this book does not convey the literal meaning of the Zohar, it has continuing value for scholars." Encyclopaedia Judaica. Scholem, Bib. Kabbalistica, 188:15. Vinograd, Amsterdam, 1633. Zedner 163.