El Call in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain — Southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula)

El Call: Rabbi Samuel Ha-Sardi Stone

— Medieval Jewish Quarter, 12th-14th centuries —

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 19, 2019

1. El Call: Rabbi Samuel Ha-Sardi Stone Marker

The marker consists of three panels. The top is a stone inscribed in Hebrew (which is a replica, while the original resides in a nearby museum). The middle panel, effectively a historical marker, provides a Spanish-language translation of the top panel plus a sentence of context. (The 1820 date is when the Ha-Sardi stone was found.) The third panel (MUHBA) provides Catalan, English and Hebrew translations of the top panel.

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

First panel, in Hebrew:
הקדש רבי שמואל הסרדי נבת

Second panel, in Spanish:

Traduccion
El Santo Rabino Samuel Hasareri. Nunca se acabe su vida. Año 692.
Se halló con otros restos del tiempo de los judíos en esta casa levantada sobre las ruinas de la que fundo Santo Domingo. Año 1820.

English translation of second panel: Interpretation. The Holy Rabbi Samuel Hasareri - living eternally. Year 692. It (the stone) was found with other remains from the time that Jews were living in this house, and upon whose ruins Sant Domènec was founded and raised. Year 1820.

-

Third panel:

(Catalan:) Làpida (reproducció) "Pia Almoina / Rabí Xemuel / Ha-Sardí. La persona generosa prospera"*

* Proverbis 11,25. El desenvolupament de les tres lletres d'aquesta darrera frase, abreujada, presenta dubtes d'interpretació. També podria ser «Que

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feliçment romangui», «La seva ànima reposi al Paradís» o «El seu llum crema perpètuament».

(English:) Inscription (reproduction) `Pious Foundation / Rabbi Samuel / Ha-Sardi. / He who is generous thrives' *

* Proverbs 11,25. The unfolding of the three letters in this last abridged sentence poses doubts as to its meaning. It could also be 'May he remain joyful', 'May his soul rest in Paradise' or 'His light burns perpetually'.

(Hebrew:) Not transcribed.

Erected by Ajuntament de Barcelona, Museu d'Historia de Barcelona. (Marker Number C5.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. A significant historical year for this entry is 1820.

Location. 41° 22.945′ N, 2° 10.532′ E. Marker is in Barcelona, Cataluña (Catalonia). It is in El Call. Marker is at the intersection of Carrer de Marlet and Carrer de l'Arc de Sant Ramon del Call on Carrer de Marlet. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Barcelona, Cataluña 08002, Spain. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. El Call: Carrer de L'Arc de San Ramon del Call (within shouting distance of this marker); Memorial to the Victims of the Bombing of January 30, 1938 (within shouting distance of this marker); El Call: Placeta de Manuel Ribé (within shouting distance of this marker); El Call: Carrer de Sant Domènec

Rabbi Samuel Ha-Sardi Stone Marker - MUHBA plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 19, 2019

2. Rabbi Samuel Ha-Sardi Stone Marker - MUHBA plaque

(within shouting distance of this marker); El Call: Els Quatre Cantons del Call (within shouting distance of this marker); El Call: Carrer de Sant Sever (within shouting distance of this marker); El Call: Carrer de Sant Honorat (within shouting distance of this marker); Gustau A. Muñoz (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Barcelona.

More about this marker. This is a somewhat confusing marker, as none of the three panels make much sense on their own without referring to the others. Essentially, the story being told by the three is that in 1820, a stone referencing Rabbi Samuel Ha-Sardi, along with some other remnant of Jewish life in the area, was found. That part is simple enough, but the panels do raise a few questions. One is why the second panel contains a 692 AD date, yet references a 13th Century holy man. Another is as to the purpose of the stone, whether it was a gravestone, a memorial, a capstone, or perhaps something else?

Also see . . .
1. Samuel ben Isaac ha-Sardi (Wikipedia).
(Submitted on November 22, 2019.)

2. Hebrew inscriptions of Barcelona on House No. 1 of Marlet Street (in Spanish)

Rabbi Samuel Ha-Sardi Stone Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 19, 2019

3. Rabbi Samuel Ha-Sardi Stone Marker - wide view

The marker is visible here mounted to the wall on the left side of the "street".

. In this fascinating 1906 article, Fidel Fita, the Spanish Director of the Royal Academy of Madrid, describes the inscription and its meaning. He explains how the 1820 Spanish translation marker is in error by including a date of 692. This incorrect date probably came from a misunderstanding of the last three characters in the original inscription. He believed that they indicated Psalms 25:13, although the modern marker indicates Proverbs 11:25. (Submitted on November 22, 2019, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 9, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 716 times since then and 57 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 22, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 2. submitted on November 9, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 3. submitted on November 22, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.