Ta’amei Mitzvoth [on the categories and reasons for the precepts]

Menachem ben MosHe HABAVLI

Eliezer ben Isaac

Lublin

1571

Vinograd, Lublin 16; Mehlman 893.

The author served as a Dayan in Trikala, Greece, before migrating to Safed in 1527, from where he renewed the Jewish settlement of Hebron, settling there in 1546. In the introduction to the present work, the author states that all royalties received will be put toward rebuilding the ruins of Hebron so that its inhabitants may “rest from the robbers and plunderers of the night, and in the merit of the Patriarchs (buried in Hebron) those who study day and night will not be disturbed.” The Chassidic Masters were very fond of this work, later editions contain commentaries by Tzvi of Rimenov and others. Some editions have been confused by publishers with a work bearing the same title by Menachem Recanti. For details concerning Menachem ben Moses’ origins see M. Benayahu, From Where Did R. Menachem Ha’Bavli Come to Hebron? in: Kiryath Sepher vol. 29 (1953-54), pp. 174-94; E. Roth, in Kiryath Sepher vol. 31 (1955-56), p. 399 and Benayahu’s reply pp. 399-400. See also H. Z. Dimitrovsky, in Sefunoth vol. 7 (1963) p. 67.