Isaac Ben Solomon Luria

Isaac Ben Solomon Luria, also known as the Ari or Arizal, born in 1534 in Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire, and died in 1572 in Safed, was a foremost rabbi and Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Syria. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Kabbalah and is the founder of what is known as Lurianic Kabbalah.

Luria's teachings revolve around the concepts of tzimtzum (contraction) and shevirat ha-kelim (breaking of the vessels), which are central to his mystical cosmology. These ideas explain the process of creation and the presence of evil in the world, providing a framework through which the phenomena of the world can be understood. Luria's insights have profoundly influenced not only Jewish mysticism but also the broader spectrum of Jewish thought.

Despite his relatively short life, Luria's impact on Kabbalah has been immense. He did not write down his teachings; instead, his disciples, primarily Hayyim Vital, recorded his lectures and disseminated them. Luria's mystical system has been embraced by many subsequent generations and remains a cornerstone of contemporary Kabbalistic study and practice.

Books

Kabbalah of Creation: Isaac Luria's Earlier Mysticism (English, Hebrew and Hebrew Edition)