Aaron Berechiah ben Moses ben Nehemiah of Modena

Who is Aaron Berechiah ben Moses ben Nehemiah of Modena?

Aaron Berechiah ben Moses ben Nehemiah of Modena was an Italian cabalist, who died in 1639. He was a pupil of Rabbi Hillel of Modena and of Rabbi Menahem Azariah of Fano.

At the request of the Ḥebrah Ḳaddisha at Mantua he instituted rites for them. He is the author of Ma'abar Yabboḳ, which contains dissertations on separation, purity, and holiness. Added to these are prayers to be offered for the sick and the dead, as well as rules for their treatment. To avert possible criticism for failing to discuss these themes philosophically, he makes use of the statement of Isaac Arama in his book Aḳedat Yiẓḥaḳ: "Reason must surrender some of its rights to the divine revelations which are superior to it." Other works written by him are:

Ashmoret haBoḳer, prayers to be said in the early morning, arranged for the society called "Me'ire ha-Shaḥar", and therefore also published under this name.

A commentary on Tiḳḳune ha-Zohar.

Me'il Ẓedaḳah, on worship and study, published at Mantua in 1767, together with Bigde Ḳodesh, on the same subject.