Rav Menashe Ben Yisrael

Rav Menashe ben Yisrael of Amsterdam, mechaber of Nishmas Odom, was a friend of Rembrandt van Rijn, who, apart from making an etching of the Rav, also illustrated his books. It was Rav Menashe, who, together with Rav Yaakov Sasportas, pleaded with Oliver Cromwell to allow the Jews to settle in England on philosophical and theological grounds.