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Azaria Piccio (Venetian: Azarìa Piccio; Hebrew: עזריה בן אפרים פיגו, romanized: Azarya ben Efrayim Figu; Portuguese: Azarias Figo; 1579–6 February 1647) was a Venetian Talmudist, sofer (scribe) and darshan (preacher) who served in the Jewish communities of Venice and Pisa.[1]
Piccio was born in Venice in 1579. Originally destined for a medical career,[2][3] Piccio left medical school and devoted himself to the study of the Talmud.[4] Referring to this episode in his life, Piccio wrote the nowadays oft-quoted passage, “I abandoned my girlfriend,” referring to his medical studies and general preoccupation with the secular world, “and went to my true love.”[3][5]
As a rabbi, Piccio became known for his oratory skills.[3] His sermons were skilfully laced with scientific—particularly medical—references,[4] and were composed according to classical models.[3][6] His sermons in Hebrew are noted for their erudite but direct style.[3] He was especially close to his mentor Leon of Modena,[7] with whom he shared an openness toward the modern world.[4] David B. Ruderman wrote that, “while [Piccio] argues for the insufficiency of the sciences, he clearly does not dismiss their validity altogether.”[4]
Piccio had two sons, Lazzaro and Efrem, who together wrote a commentary on Yeruẖam ben Meshullam’s Toldot Adam veH̱avva. Piccio outlived both, who had perished during the 1629–31 Italian plague. Piccio died in Rovigo on 6 February 1647 and was buried there. He is today considered as having been “one of the last great talmudists produced by Italian Jewry”.[2]
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Piccio was the author of Iggerot uteshuvot (“Letters and Responsa”), published within Issacar Eilenburg's Be’er sheva (Venice, 1614).[8] As rabbi in Pisa, he wrote Giddulei Terumah (1643),[5] a commentary on Shmu’el haSardi's Sefer Haterumot. A compilation of 75 Sabbath and holiday sermons that he delivered in Venice was published under the title Binah Le’ittim (1647–1648),[9][10] a work which remains popular to this day,[3] particularly among Mizraẖi Jews.[11]
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