David Nieto was born in 1654 in Venice. He studied medicine and philosophy as well as Jewish texts, and his first work focused on calendrical calculations and errors. After serving as a physician and rabbi in Italy, he moved to London to lead its Spanish and Portuguese community. There, Nieto shared views about the relationship between God and nature that earned him accusations of heresy; he was eventually cleared with further explanation and the support of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ashkenazi (Chakham Tzvi). Nieto argued for the legitimacy of rabbinic tradition in his Matteh Dan (Kuzari Part II) and against Sabbateanism in his Esh Dat.
Works on Sefaria
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