Elijah Loans

Who was Elijah Loans?

Elijah ben Moses Ashkenazi Loans was a German rabbi and Kabbalist. He belonged to the Rashi family, and on his mother's side was the grandson of Johanan Luria, and on his father's of Josel of Rosheim. After having studied in his native city under the direction of Jacob Ginzburg and Akiba Frankfort, Loans went to Cracow, where he attended the lectures of Menahem Mendel. While there he prepared for publication the "Darke Mosheh" of Moses Isserles. At the beginning of the seventeenth century Loans was called to the rabbinate of Fulda, which he left in 1612, occupying successively the rabbinates of Hanau, Friedberg, and Worms, in which last-named city he remained until his death.

Loans was a diligent student of Kabbalah, and for this reason was surnamed "Ba'al Shem." He was also accomplished in music and calligraphy, and various legends circulated regarding his personality. He was the author of the following works: Rinnat Dodim, a commentary on Canticles; Miklol Yofi, a commentary on Ecclesiastes; Wikkuaḥ Yayin 'im ha-Mayim, a poem with a commentary; Ma'agle Ẓedeḳ, a commentary on Baḥya's "Ḥobot ha-Lebabot"; Ẓofnat Pa'aneaḥ, a commentary on the "Tiḳḳune Zohar"; a commentary on Genesis Rabbah; and Adderet Eliyahu, a commentary on the Zohar.