BASILEA, AVIAD SAR-SHALOM. Emunath Chachamim [“The Faith of Sages”: In defense of Kabbalah]

In this work by the rabbi of Mantua, Aviad Sar-Shalom Basilea (c.1680-1749), an attempt is made to prove that the Kabbalah is well within the mainstream of Jewish tradition. To make his point, the author musters proofs not only from rabbinic texts but also from Greek, Arabic and Renaissance philosophy. Besides being a kabbalist of renown, Basilea had a profound knowledge of philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and the natural sciences. As evidence of Basilea’s prowess in the secular sciences, this copy contains a two-leaf Italian appendix discussing geographical issues, complete with diagrams of latitude and longitude. See EJ, Vol. IV, col. 299; S. Simonsohn, History of the Jews in the Duchy of Mantua (1977), pp. 696-7