Information AboutAsenath Barzani |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ASENATH BARZANI | |
| 1590 births | |
| barzani | |
| 1670 deaths | |
| rabbis | |
| barzani, asenath | |
| judaism and women | |
| jews and judaism in kurdistan | |
| kurdish people | |
| people from mosul | |
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THE LIFE OF RABBI ASENATH Until the modern era, very few women were given the title of "Rabbi". But sometimes a woman’s wisdom and learning were so exceptional that this title was given to her. After Rabbi Barzani died, many Jews made pilgrimages to her grave in Amadiyah in Iraqi Kurdistan . Rabbi Asenath was the daughter of Rabbi Samuel Barzani, who headed many Yeshiva s during his lifetime, and whose authority in Kurdistan was absolute. He was a master of Kabbalah, and he was said to have taught the secrets of Kabbalah to his daughter,Asenath. His daughter adored her father, whom she regarded as a king of Israel . He was her primary teacher, and after his death she took over many of his duties. Not only did Asenath serve as a rabbi, but she became the head of the Yeshivah of Mosul, and eventually became known as the chief teacher of Torah in Kurdistan . In another source, it is said that, "Asenath Barzani in sixteenth-century Kurdistan supplicates the Torah sages of Amadiya so she can support the yeshiva her husband established in Mosul until her young son could take over"(see {Link without Title} ). A FLOCK OF ANGELS She was a poet and an expert on Jewish literature, and there are many Kurdish legends about the miracles she performed, such as the one described in “A Flock of Angels”. After Rabbi Samuel died, he often came to his daughter in dreams. He would reveal dangers to her and tell her how to ward them off, saving many lives. On one occasion, inspired by her father, she encouraged the Jews of Amadiyah to celebrate Rosh Hodesh outdoors, despite dangers from their enemies. As they proceeded with the celebration, there were shouts and they saw flames shoot up into the sky. The Synagogue had been set on fire! Thank God, no one had been inside it. At that very moment, Rabbi Asenath whispered a secret name, one that she had learned from her father. The people saw a flock of angels descending to the roof of the synagogue. The angels beat the flames with their wings, until every last spark had been put out. Then they rose up into the heavens like a flock of white doves and were gone. And when the smoke cleared, they saw that another miracle had taken place: the synagogue had not burned. Nor was a single letter of any of the Torahs touched by the flames. And they were so grateful to Rabbi Asenath that they renamed the synagogue after her, and it is still standing to this day. REFERENCES
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