Description

Pardes Rimonim is a classic work of authentic Kabbalah penned by the preeminent scholar, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (Ramak). A powerful intellect, fertile writer, and gigantic figure in Kabbalah, Ramak (circa 1520-1570) distinguished himself first in Talmudic studies while under the tutelage of Rabbi Josef Caro. However, he began his Kabbalah studies at age 20 with Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, who was both his brother-in-law and composer of Lecha Dodi. In the Pardes, Ramak also displays a marked philosophical influence by the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, i.e. Maimonides). Indeed, Ramak's encyclopedic work in Kabbalah heralded the renaissance of kabbalistic genius that emerged after him in Safed. A comprehensive work collecting the kabbalistic learning of that time, the original Hebrew version of the Pardes was a single volume composed of 32 parts and was written in both Hebrew and Aramaic