R. Moshe Alshikh – Intellectual Profile

R. Moshe Alshikh
Name	R. Moshe Alshikh ר' משה אלשיך, האלשיך הקדוש
Dates	1508-1593
Locations	Turkey / Zefat
Works	Commentary on most of Tanakh
Exegetical Characteristics	Kabbalistic
Influenced by	R. Yosef Taitazak, R. Yosef Karo
Impacted on	R. Chayyim Vital

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Name – ר' משה בן ר' חיים אלשיך‎¹
Dates – c. 1520² – c. 1593
Locations – R. Moshe was born in Adrianople, studied in Salonika as a youth, and moved to Zefat, where he lived the rest of his life. He also visited the Jewish communities of Syria and Turkey.
Occupation – R. Moshe's main area of activity was as a halakhist.³ Accordingly, after arriving in Zefat, R. Yosef Karo appointed him to serve on his rabbinical court. In Zefat, R. Moshe also became known for his popular weekly sermons, which served as the basis for his Biblical commentaries.⁴ R. Moshe founded two yeshivot in Zefat and was intimately involved in communal affairs.
Family – R. Moshe had a son R. Chayyim.⁵
Teachers – R. Yosef Taitazak, R. Yosef Karo.
Contemporaries – R. Eliezer Ashkenazi,⁶ the circle of scholars in Zefat, including R. Yitzchak Luria (the "Ari"), R. Shelomo Alkabetz, and R. Moshe Cordovero, among others.
Students – R. Chayyim Vital⁷
Time period – R. Moshe lived in Zefat during a time of great spiritual ferment which saw, among other things, the advent of Lurianic Kabbalah, the publication of Shulchan Arukh, and the great controversy over renewal of semikhah. During this controversy, which began in 1538, R. Yaakov Berav conferred semikhah upon R. Moshe's teacher, R. Yosef Karo. R. Karo later ordained R. Moshe with this controversial renewed semikhah.⁸

Biblical commentaries – R. Moshe authored commentaries on most books of the Bible.⁹ This includes commentaries on the Torah,¹⁰ Earlier and Later Prophets (excluding Yechezkel),¹¹ Tehillim,¹² Mishlei,¹³ Iyyov,¹⁴ Shir HaShirim,¹⁵ Rut,¹⁶ Eikhah,¹⁷ Kohelet,¹⁸ Esther,¹⁹ Daniel,²⁰
Rabbinics and Jewish thought – Responsa.²¹
Other works – A dirge that became part of the Tikkun Chatzot service.
Lost works²² – She'arim,²³ commentary to Midrash Rabbah,²⁴ novellae on Talmudic topics.