Devorà Ascarelli

[2] The dedication of her book, L’abitacolo Degli Oranti, indicates that she lived in Rome in the 16th century and was married to Joseph Ascarelli.

[1] Thought to be born into the Italian merchant class, Ascarelli was well-educated and was able to devote time to translation and other writings.

Some sources claim that a friend named David della Rocca published Ascarelli's work posthumously.

[4] Other translations in the book include prose translations of Barekhi Nafshi (Benedici il Signore o anima mia) by Bahya ibn Paquda of Saragossa, La Grande Confessione by a rabbi by the name of Nissim, and a Sephardic prayer for Yom Kippur.

[5] Others have argued that the devotional tone of Ascarelli's poetry may have been chosen in conformance with gender roles of her time.