VIDAS, ELIJAH BEN MOSES DE
- VIDAS, ELIJAH BEN MOSES DE
- VIDAS, ELIJAH BEN MOSES DE (16th century),
kabbalist, author on morals, one of the great kabbalists of Safed. Vidas
was a disciple and close friend of moses cordovero , whom he
always called "my teacher" without mentioning his name. In 1575 he
completed his major work Reshit Ḥokhmah, one of the
outstanding books on morals in Judaism. In contrast with previous
authors in this field, Vidas included kabbalistic theories in his work,
which was aimed at a popular audience; in particular, he quoted at
length all that is said in the zohar on the question of morals and
religious conduct. Quotations from the Zohar were annotated from
manuscripts still found in Safed. The book is encyclopedic in character
and is divided into five long chapters, "Fear," "Love," "Repentance,"
"Holiness," and "Humility." Vidas added five chapters from
israel al-nakawa 's Menorat ha-Ma'or which was then
known only in manuscript. They include chapters on the
mitzvot, on education, on business dealings in good faith,
and on manners. At the end of these, he added Ḥuppot Eliyahu
Rabbah, a collection of rabbinical sayings which list qualities
(e.g., "three good qualities…"), and Or Olam, moralizing
sayings which open with the word "forever" or with the word "great"; for
example, "great is charity, even more than sacrifices."
Vidas' book is written in an easy and engaging style, avoiding
metaphors. It was immediately accepted as one of the most important
books on morals and was printed some 40 times. The first edition was
printed in Venice in 1579 during the author's lifetime. The date of
Vidas' death is still unknown. Because of its great length, his book was
summarized several times: Reshit Ḥokḥmah Kaẓar (Venice,
1600), completed in 1580 in Asti, Italy, by Jacob b. Mordecai Poggetti;
Tappuḥei Zahav, by
Jehiel Melli (Mantua, 1623); Toẓe'ot Ḥayyim (Cracow, before
1650) by Jacob Luzzatto, a preacher in Poznan. These three summaries
were published many times.
-BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Steinschneider, Cat Bod, 950–2, no. 4973; Michael, Or. 184–5; M.
Wilensky, in: HUCA, 14 (1939), 457–69; S.A. Horodezky,
Olei-Ẓiyyon (1947), 69–82.
(Gershom Scholem)
Encyclopedia Judaica.
1971.
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