Biography
Rav Samuel ben Samson (Rav Shmuel ben Shimshon) was a rav of the Kingdom of France who traveled to Eretz Yisrael in 4970/1210. He visited many of its towns and villages, among them the Old City of Yerushalayim, where he went up and davened on Har HaBayit and on Har HaZeitim, as well as Me’arat HaMachpela in Chevron, Beit She’an, Teveria, and Tzfat. His companions included Rav Yonatan ben David HaKohen, whom he likely served as secretary; two further rabbanim traveled with them, and the four went as far east as Mosul.
His account of the journey holds the first mention of Tzfat in Jewish history, recording a kehilla there of at least fifty. According to George Sarton, some three hundred Jews of England and France, moved by his account, settled in Eretz Yisrael in 4971/1211.
רבי שמואל ב"ר שמשון היה נוסע יהודי-צרפתי, שביקר בארץ ישראל בתחילת המאה ה-13 ופרסם את קורות מסעו. לכתביו יש חשיבות מחקרית רבה בפן הגאוגרפי וההיסטורי של ארץ ישראל בימי הביניים.
Samuel ben Samson was a rabbi who lived in the Kingdom of France and made a pilgrimage to Palestine in 1210, visiting a number of villages and cities there, including the Old City of Jerusalem. There, he ascended and prayed on the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. He also visited the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, as well as Beth-Shean, Tiberias, and Safed. Among his companions were Jonathan ben David ha-Cohen, and it is likely that ben Samson served as his secretary. Two other rabbis were travelling with them, and the four travelled as far east as Mosul. According to George Sarton, some 300 medieval English and French Jews inspired by ben Samson's account settled in the land of Israel in 1211.
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