Years: c. 1505–1584
Primary city: Safed
Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz was a kabbalist and liturgical poet in sixteenth-century Tzfas. He is known for composing Lecha Dodi, a mystical hymn welcoming the Shabbos that became incorporated into the prayer service of Jewish communities worldwide. A prolific author of biblical commentaries and kabbalistic works, he served as a spiritual instructor in Tzfas and contributed to the development of Kabbalah during the city's period of mystical scholarship.