Azaria Piccio

Azaria Piccio (Hebrew: עזריה בן אפרים פיגו, Azarya ben Efrayim Figo; 1579–5 or 6 February 1647) was a Venetian sofer (scribe) and ba’al darshan (preacher) who served in the Jewish communities of Venice and Pisa.^[1]

Born in Venice and originally a scholar of things secular,^[2] Piccio eventually devoted himself to the study of the Talmud.^[3] Owing to his background, his preaching was heavily laced with scientific, especially medical, references.^[3] His sermons were also composed according to Classical models.^[4] He was especially close to his mentor Leone da Modena,^[5] with whom he shared an openness toward the Modern world.^[3] David B. Ruderman writes that “while [Piccio] argues for the insufficiency of the sciences, he clearly does not dismiss their validity altogether.”^[3]

Piccio was the author of Iggerot vetshuvot (“Letters and Responsa”), published within Issacar Eilenburg’s Be’er sheva (Venice, 1614).^[6] As rabbi in Pisa, he wrote Giddule truma (1643),^[7] a commentary on Shmu’el haSardi's Sefer hatrumot. A compilation of 75 Sabbath and holiday sermons that he delivered in Venice was published under the title Bina le’ittim (1647–1648),^[8] a work which remains popular to this day, particular among Mizraẖi Jews.^[9]

Piccio had two sons, Lazzaro and Efrem, who together wrote a commentary on Yeruẖam ben Meshullam’s Toldot Adam veH̱avva. Both Piccio’s sons died during the 1629–31 Italian plague.

Piccio died in Rovigo on 5 or 6 February 1647 and was buried there. He is considered to have been “one of the last great talmudists produced by Italian Jewry”.^[2]

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