Author of Mesilas Yesharim Son of Rav Yaakov Chai and Diamenta (Margalit) Luzzato Born around 1707 ה'תס''ז in Padua, Italy. He was a child prodigy and his father hired the best teachers and tutors to teach him. After bar mitzvah, he studied in the Yeshivah of Rav Yehuda Mintz (Mahari Mintz) in Padua where his uncle, Rav Yashaya Bassan, author of Shut Lachmei Todah, served as Rosh Yeshiva. Rav Yitzchok Chaim HaKohen Katz Cantarini (min ha’chazzanim) served as his rebbe and teacher. He taught him dikduk and lashon, grammar and rhetoric. The Ramchal became a master poet and authored at least two poems that survived, titled, Tefilah v’Shir al Geulas Mitzrayim for leil Pesach, and, Tefillah v’Shir L’Matan Torah for Shavous. He mastered Shas, Zohar, and all the kisvei Arizal by age fourteen. By age seventeen, he authored the sefer, Lashon Limudim about Hebrew poetry, grammar, and rhetoric.
In תפ''ו at around age eighteen/nineteen, he received semicha alongside his friend, colleague, and disciple, Rav Moshe David Valli, whom he met when he joined the chevra of Mevakshei Hashem known as Meitivei Tza’ad in Padua. There he also met and befriended the great Rav Yaakov Chazak—later, Rav of Padua-- regarding whom the Chida writes that he never saw keri his entire life, he was so pure and righteous!
Rav Yeshaya Basan left Padua for Reggio in תפ''ב due to the request of his father-in-law, Rav Binyamin Kohen, that he succeed him in this position since Rav Binyamin was of advanced age and his health was failing. The Ramchal took over the yeshiva in Rav Yeshaya’s absence. At the same time, he continued his spiritual growth in the aforementioned chevra where he advanced his studies in the secrets of Torah, eventually mastering them on a level that was above all his colleagues.
The Ramchal testified before Rav Binyamin Kohen that on Rosh Chodesh Sivan ה'תפ''ז, he fell asleep while he was engaged in a kabbalastic yichud, and when he awoke, he heard a voice saying “I have descended to reveal deep secrets from the Holy King.” The voice said that he was a maggid sent from Heaven on High to reveal to the Ramchal secrets and then proceeded to teach him further yichudim so that he might merit the revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi. Another voice then taught him the secrets of Koheles. Eliyahu told him that the archangel Metatron would also visit him and Rav Moshe Chaim eventually learned to discern between the three of them whenever they visited and taught him. Additionally, many holy souls descended and revealed themselves to him in the form of men. (Igros Ramchal 15) One particular maggid was revealed as Shemaiel (Igros Ramchal 29).
At age twenty-five, the Ramchal married Tzipora, the daughter of Rav Dovid Pinchi of Mantuba. She bore him his only son named Dovid Chaim after his father and grandfather. Eventually, he settled in Amsterdam where he taught only the revealed Torah in the yeshivah. This is where he published his sefer, Mesillas Yesharim.
In תק''ג, he fulfilled his dream to settle in Eretz Yisroel. He set sail for the Holy Land and eventually settled in Akko. Eventually, he brought over his wife and son. Unfortunately, he perished in a plague together with his son and wife at age thirty-nine on 26 Iyar תק''ו in Akko near Tiveria and was laid to rest in Eretz Yisroel near the Tanna, Rabbi Akiva.
