Rabbi Avraham Galanti was a Kabbalist living in Safed in the second half of the 16th century. He was born to a family that had fled Spain in 1492, settling in Rome. Their original surname Angel had been changed to Galanti. As a young man Rabbi Avraham moved to Israel along with his older brother Rabbi Moshe Galanti and studied Kabbalah there with Rabbi Moshe Cordovero. After the passing of his teacher, he was initially skeptical of the authority of the Arizal but in the end submitted himself to him. Rabbi Avraham Galanti was accustomed to doing much fasting and sigufim but stopped doing so at the instruction of the Arizal.

Rabbi Avraham Galanti was very wealth and funded the original building on the tomb of the Rashbi and his son Rabbi Elazar. He lived a very long life and passed away in 1588 or according to others in 1561.

[edit] Writings

Rabbi Avraham Galanti wrote several Kabbalistic commentaries...

1. Kinat Setarim - on the book of Eicha it was published in the 'Kol Bokhim' lamentations for the 9th of Av.
2. Zechhut Avot - on Massechet Avot, published as one of the four commentaries in 'Beit Avot'.
3. Yerah Yakar - a commentary on the Zohar.

[edit] Kever Rabbi Avraham Galanti

Rabbi Avraham Galanti is known to have been buried in the old Beit Hakvarot of Tzfat, although the exact location is no longer known. Some claim that he is buried in the cave of the 'Elders of Tzfat' along with Rabbi Yakov Beirav and Rabbi Moshe Alsheich.