Hayyim ben Joseph Vital (Calabria, 1543 – Damascus, 23 April 1620) was a foremost exponent of Kabbalah.
Born in Calabria, Italy, as a young boy, Hayyim Vital was educated by the scholar, Rabbi Moses Alshech. Other than that, most of his early life is full of legends. For instance, it is claimed that at the age of twelve, he was told by a chiromancer that when he reached the age of twenty-four, he would find himself standing before two roads, and ...
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Hayyim ben Joseph Vital (Calabria, 1543 – Damascus, 23 April 1620) was a foremost exponent of Kabbalah.
Born in Calabria, Italy, as a young boy, Hayyim Vital was educated by the scholar, Rabbi Moses Alshech. Other than that, most of his early life is full of legends. For instance, it is claimed that at the age of twelve, he was told by a chiromancer that when he reached the age of twenty-four, he would find himself standing before two roads, and would rise or fall according to his choice. Rabbi Joseph Karo is said to have paid especial attention to Vital's early talents and in 1557 requested that Alshech take special care in his education as he was destined to succeed his teacher in the world of Torah study. That same year, Vital first became acquainted with the kabbalist Rabbi Lapidot Ashkenazi, who would have a lasting influence on him.
Hayyim Vital apparently married at a young age. According to one legend, his first wife was Hannah, the daughter of a certain Moses Saadia. It was...
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