ha-Levi, Judah (c. 1080–1140)

Spanish poet, philosopher, and physician. Over 1,100 of his poems survive, 800 of which are secular and 300 religious. His religious verses are still used as prayers by Jewish congregations. He wrote a defence of Judaism, Sefer ha-Kuzari/The Book of the Khazar.

He was born in Toledo, in the kingdom of Castile. According to tradition, he met his death while undertaking a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.