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

Menachem ben MosHe HABAVLI.

Eliezer ben Isaac

Lublin

1571

Vinograd, Lublin 16.

The author served as a Dayan in Trikala, Greece and corresponded with R. Yoseph Karo before migrating to Safed in 1527, from where he renewed the Jewish settlement of Hebron, eventually settling there in 1546. In the introduction here, 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 Rimanov 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.