Just read this short biography by R. Yosef Bitton. I found it interesting. Below is the link of the original article in Spanish:**Yosef Bitton** **June 11, 2025** **Eliyahu Montalto (1567–1616), Physician to the King of France**I’m currently writing the second volume of my book *Forgotten Giants*, in which I tell the stories of lesser-known Sephardic rabbis. This volume focuses on rabbinic leaders after the expulsion from Spain, mainly from the 17th century. I was writing about Rabbi Shaul Levi Mortera, chief rabbi of Amsterdam in the early 1600s, and by chance, I came across a name I didn’t know: the rabbi and doctor **Eliyahu Montalto**. His story is absolutely fascinating, and I’ve been reading about him for the past few days. Today I decided to write about him and share his incredible biography with you. I feel that remembering his example is a source of inspiration and an act of justice—*Teḥiyyat HaMetim*: to resurrect and rescue from oblivion the memory of our Jewish heroes who have passed on.May the meritorious deeds of our ancestors inspire us to love God and our Torah, to cherish our present religious freedom—which we so often take for granted—and especially to appreciate the privilege of having the State of Israel.## **FROM PORTUGAL TO PISA**Eliyahu de Luna Montalto was born around 1567 in the city of Castelo Branco, in the Kingdom of Portugal. He was the son of Antonio and Catarina Aires, who were *Anusim*—Jews forced to convert to Christianity. He was officially baptized with the name Felipe.He studied medicine at the University of Salamanca and later in Coimbra, Portugal. He established himself as a physician in Lisbon, where he married Jerónima de Fonseca, the daughter of a family that had also been forcibly converted to Christianity in 1497.In 1593, he moved to Livorno, which offered residence and professional freedom to Jews and conversos from Spain and Portugal. There, he began practicing medicine professionally, and his wisdom earned him a meteoric rise in reputation.In 1606, he published his first medical treatise: *Optica intra philosophiae et medicinae aream*, a scientific work on visual processes that combined medical observations with philosophical and biblical references. For example, he developed an innovative theory that vision is generated in the brain—not in the eyes—based on a literal reading of Exodus 20:18: “All the people saw the voices.”During that same period, he taught medicine at the University of Pisa, where he was considered for the top chair of the faculty. As he reconnected in Livorno with his Jewish roots, he gradually embraced a more spiritual life. As a first step, he changed his Christian name, Felipe (meaning "friend of horses"), to **Filoteo** (meaning "friend of God").## **IN THE VENICE GHETTO**In 1607, Dr. Montalto made the most critical decision of his life: he left Pisa and moved to the Venice Ghetto, where he renounced his Christian identity and began openly practicing Judaism. He was welcomed by the Jewish community, which numbered about 6,000 members, many of whom lived in poverty and desperately needed a good physician. In Venice, he adopted the Hebrew name **Eliyahu**, and his wife, Jerónima, took the Hebrew name **Rachel**. From that point on, he lived and practiced openly as a Jew for the rest of his life. His first teacher or spiritual influencer was **Daniel Franco**, who was eventually burned at the stake in an *auto-da-fé* in Portugal for his Jewish faith.While living in Venice, Montalto studied **Halacha** (Jewish law) and Jewish philosophy, without ceasing his medical practice. His teacher was the famous Rabbi **Yehudah Aryeh of Modena** (1571–1648). Montalto actively participated in community life and became part of the leadership of the ghetto. His gravestone refers to him as “Rabbi,” suggesting he was formally given that title in Venice.His high level of culture and deep understanding of Christianity allowed him to engage in public debates with non-Jews on equal footing and with well-reasoned arguments.In 1612, he represented the Jewish community in a public debate in Padua against a Dominican friar. The friar unexpectedly withdrew from the debate, solidifying Montalto's reputation as a powerful polemicist and defender of Judaism.## **PHYSICIAN TO THE ROYAL COURT IN PARIS**Years earlier, in 1605, Montalto had passed through Paris while returning from the Netherlands. He was summoned by the royal court to treat **Leonora Galigai**, lady-in-waiting and childhood friend of **Maria de’ Medici**, wife of **King Henry IV of France**. Galigai suffered from what was then diagnosed as *bulbus hystericus*, a psychosomatic disorder. Mental illnesses in that era were typically treated by Christian clergy through exorcisms, under the belief that the person was “possessed” by an evil spirit.Rabbi Montalto approached the case with a professional medical method. He prescribed Galigai a regimen involving diet, fresh air, walks, exercise, and abstinence. According to experts **George M. Weisz** and **Donatella Lippi**, this could today be seen as an early form of psychotherapy and was revolutionary for its time. Over time, Galigai significantly improved, and Montalto’s fame grew even further. There was increasing anticipation that he would be appointed official court physician.However, **King Henry IV** strongly opposed his formal appointment because Montalto was a Jew. Although admired for his knowledge and accomplishments, the king refused to allow him to stay at court.After Henry IV was assassinated in 1610, **Queen Maria de’ Medici**, now regent for the young **Louis XIII**, summoned him back to Paris. In a letter dated May 6, 1611, Montalto clearly stated the conditions under which he would accept the post:1. Papal permission to live as a Jew and openly practice Judaism in France2. Authorization to bring ten Jews with him to ensure a daily *minyan*, including a *shochet*3. Exemption from working on Shabbat4. The right for himself and his companions to practice Judaism and consume kosher foodIt was the first time someone of his stature dared to make such a request—unprecedented in Renaissance Europe.Surprisingly, these bold conditions were accepted by Queen Maria de’ Medici. Thanks to her connections with the Vatican and her personal appeal, **Pope Camillo Borghese** granted Montalto a *dispensation* (*heter*) to practice Judaism in France. In **September 1612**, Montalto was officially appointed *Consiliarus et Medicus*—Counselor and Physician of the royal court. He became the **first Jew** to openly and publicly practice his faith in Paris since the expulsion of the Jews from France in 1394. Among the ten Jews who accompanied him from Venice was his student and assistant, **Shaul Levi Mortera**.## **DEFENDER OF THE JEWS**During his time at court, Montalto protected **converso Jews**, who were constantly harassed and discriminated against. In 1615, he prevented the dissolution of the converso community in Bordeaux and intervened to stop the expulsion of several conversos caught celebrating **Pesach** in Paris.In 1614, he published his second medical work in Paris: *Archipathologia*, dedicated to Maria de’ Medici. This psychological treatise, 817 pages long, addresses 18 types of mental and neurological disorders such as melancholy, epilepsy, insomnia, vertigo, and coma.## **DEATH AND BURIAL**In November 1615, Montalto accompanied the royal family on a trip to Spain for the wedding of **Louis XIII** to **Anne of Austria**. On the way back to France, near **Tours**, Montalto contracted a plague and died on **February 17, 1616**, corresponding to the **29th of Shebat, 5376**.Since there was no Jewish cemetery in France at the time, Montalto had stated in his will that his body be transported to **Amsterdam**, where his children lived, to be buried in the Jewish cemetery of **Beth Haim**. Queen Maria de’ Medici ordered his body embalmed—an extraordinary measure—and personally financed the transportation.His son **Moshe de Luna Montalto** and his student, **Rabbi Shaul Levi Mortera**, accompanied the funeral procession to the Jewish cemetery in Amsterdam.