The title on the book he is holding reads "שירי החליפות," which was the title of his translation of several parts of Ovid's Metamorphoses. In case, by the way, anyone thinks that he is marginal and his relationship with Ramchal can be dismissed, this particular translation was actually begun by his more famous friend, Rabbi Isaiah Bassan, who is associated much more strongly and firmly as Ramchal's teacher.
He is briefly mentioned in the Chida's Ma'agal Tov (pg. 82), as follows:
In terms of his physicianship, Meir Benayahu wrote1 that at the time Padua was a unique Jewish community in that "its poets were also its rabbis and its physicians."
Although it forever remains unfortunate that there is no portrait of Ramchal, it is still worthwhile to see one of the גאוני וחסדי פאדובה from the time and environment in which he was raised.
1רבי אברהם הכהן מזאנטי ולהקת הרופאים-המשוררים בפדובה in Hasifrut 26 (1978).
He is briefly mentioned in the Chida's Ma'agal Tov (pg. 82), as follows:
In terms of his physicianship, Meir Benayahu wrote1 that at the time Padua was a unique Jewish community in that "its poets were also its rabbis and its physicians."
Although it forever remains unfortunate that there is no portrait of Ramchal, it is still worthwhile to see one of the גאוני וחסדי פאדובה from the time and environment in which he was raised.
1רבי אברהם הכהן מזאנטי ולהקת הרופאים-המשוררים בפדובה in Hasifrut 26 (1978).
