Shiltei HaGiborim [“Shields of the Mighty”]

An encyclopedic work on war, music, numismatics, weaponry, architecture - all analyzed in order to elucidate the composition of the Temple in Jerusalem. “Portaleone’s treatment is so discursive as to make the work a compendium of all branches of science known in his day, in which all of the ten languages he knew were amply used.” EJ, Vol. XIII, cols. 908-9. Abraham Portaleone (1542-1612), a successful medical practitioner, wrote Shiltei HaGiborim toward the end of his life. He explains his motivation for writing a scientific work with such a specific religious bent in his introduction, addressed to his sons (f. 2v): “The Lord has seen fit to oppress me. I have been ill-disposed for two years now… I reviewed my deeds, and I saw upon reflection that in addition to my sins, which are more numerous than the hairs of my head, I have greatly neglected the study of the Lord’s Torah, for I imbibed the Greek scholars. I aspired to pursue philosophy and medicine and …I did not study the inheritance of Jacob as is proper. For this reason, the Lord was wroth with me.” Seeking to repent, Portaleone channeled his impressive secular knowledge in order to further facilitate the understanding of Torah. This is implied in the very name of his work, which implies that secular wisdom is a shield to the mighty.