This woman was the very famous Asnat Barzani (1590-1670), daughter of the great Kabbalist Shmuel Barzani. The Barzani family was the head of the Jewish community in Mosul in the 16th century. Shmuel founded numerous Yeshivot in Iraqi Kurdistan.
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Asnat was the only daughter of Shmuel Barzani. The rabbinic scholar passed all his knowledge to his beloved daughter. She was a very bright and dedicated woman: she would study the Torah night and day. She quickly gained the respect of many hakhamim who called her “Tanaait”.

When her father’s best student, Yaacov Mizrahi, asked for Asnat’s hand, Shmuel accepted under the condition the young man would enable Asnat to keep studying the Torah while staying at home.
Imagine how progressive this request was in the early 1610!

Yaacov accepted and according to her father’s will, Asnat continued studying. She was then appointed Rosh yeshiva of Mosul, thus becoming the leader of the Jewish community in Mosul and all Iraqi Kurdistan.
(Photo: Beit Knesset Sassoon, one of Mosul’s oldest synagogues)

Asnat “the Tanait” was respected by all. Here is a nice letter she received from rabbi Pinchas Harari in 1664.
She then appointed her son as Rosh Yeshiva in Baghdad, henceforth many descends of the Barzani-Mizrahi family became rabbis in Baghdad.

Asnat Barzani is a renowned figure among the Kurdistani Jewish community. Many legends and stories narrate her life and the miracles she performed. The most famous is the “Flock of Angels” and is told at Rosh Hodesh.
Asnat is buried in Amadiya where Jews go on pilgrimage.