Ben Yochai [commentary to the Zohar]

KUNITZ, MOSES

Georg Holzinger

Vienna

1815

FIRST EDITION. Vignette of the cave of Shimon b”r Yochai on title

Vinograd, Vienna 409

Written as a defense of the integrity of the Zohar: A response to the attacks of Jacob Emden in his Mitpachat Sepharim who purported the Zohar to be a far later composition than the era of Shimon b”r Yochai. In his introduction, Kunitz states he toiled over this work all night for eight consecutive years. The enigmatic Kunitz, although purportedly an Orthodox Rabbi, had leanings to Reform and participated in their convocation at Braunschweig. Nevertheless, his Halachic works contain responsa to and from such diverse figures as R. Nathan Adler, R. Elazar Flekeles of Prague, R.Baruch Jeiteles, Y. Reggio, and others of the like