Baer, Issachar Ben Pethahiah Ben Moses

Cabalist; lived at Kremnitz, Hungary, at the beginning of the seventeenth century. He seems to have traveled in the East and sojourned some time at Safed; and he frequently refers in his writings to the cabalistic school established in that place. Baer is the author of the following works: (1) "Pitḥe Yah" (The Gates of God)—divided into ten chapters, containing an introduction to the Cabala, on the basis of Cordovero's "Pardes Rimonim," Prague, 1609; (2) "Yesh Sakar" (There Is Reward), containing all the ritual laws found in the Zohar, Prague, 1609; (3) "Meḳor Ḥokmah" (Source of Wisdom)—explanations of the difficult words and expressions of the Zohar, with an appendix containing all the legends found in the Zohar, Prague, 1610; (4) "Yod'e Binah" (They Who Have Understanding), a large work on the Zohar that does not seem to have been printed.

Bibliography:

  * Wolf, Bibliotheca Hebrœa, iii. 638;
  * Jellinek, in Literaturblatt des Orients, vii. 254;
  * Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. cols. 1064-65.



K. I. Br.