Die Heldenschilde

The Schiltê ha-gibborîm (The Heroic Shields) is the main work of the Jewish physician Abraham ben David Portaleone (1542-1612) from Mantua. This extensive book is divided into four parts. Portaleone refers to the main sections of his book as three shields, which consist of excerpts from the Bible, the Talmud, the Midrashim, and the Zohar, preceded by a detailed description of the Jerusalem Temple in 90 chapters. However, Portaleone does not limit himself to a description of the Solomonic Temple; rather, the numerous themes related to the Temple provide him with the opportunity to engage with various aspects of the culture of his time. Thus, the book serves as an encyclopedia, presenting different scholarly topics from the perspective of an educated Jew of the 16th/17th century against the backdrop of the Temple.