Bakashah...With commentary by Moshe Narol Katz

Moshe Narol Katz was originally the Rabbi of Narol in South-eastern Poland before fleeing from the Chmielnicki massacres of “Tach Ve-tat” (1648- 49). Later in life he accepted the pulpit in Metz, Alsace-Lorraine. His son, Tuvia Cohen, was the celebrated author of the scientific work Maaseh Tuvia. In a beautiful poetic style, the author laments the loss of the Torah centers of Poland. “Whereas in the past all chapters of the Talmud were studied, now all that is known are the chapters of “those that are burned, choked or hung (leaving) those that go into exile” (ff. 3b)