Ben Yochai, commentary on all of R. Shimon ben Yochai's teachings in the Oral Torah and evidence that R. Shimon ben Yochai is the author of the Zohar, by R. Moshe Kunitz. Vienna: Georg Holzinger, 1815. Illustration of the tomb of R. Shimon bar Yochai on center of title page.

Written in response to the allegations of R. Yaakov Emden in Mitpachat Saparim disputing the antiquity of the Zohar.
R. Moshe Kunitz (1774-1839) was a rabbi in Buda and Pest, disciple of the Noda BiYehudah and Maharam Mintz, and a controversial figure who blended Torah and secular knowledge.

On leaves of book, handwritten glosses (in ink and pencil), by an unidentified writer, at times sharply critiquing the author.

Ownership inscriptions on endpapers: "Yitzchak Eizik Bacharach of Suvalk", "from the estate of my father R. Ch.[?] Bacharach", "Belongs to… R. Chanoch Bacharach son of… R. Yehudah Bacharach, Rabbi of[---]".

On title page, stamp: "From the library of R. Yitzchak Eizik Bacharach in Amdur [Indura]".

R. Yehudah Bacharach, author of Nimukei HaGriv, served as Rabbi of Sejny (Suwałki region); his son R. Chanoch Henich Bacharach was another renowned Torah scholar of Suwałki. The grandson, R. Yitzchak Eizik Bacharach, was a publisher of his grandfather's novellae. R. Yitzchak Eizik owned a large library, containing manuscripts and rare books he inherited from his grandfather R. Yehudah Bacharach, including the original autograph Talmudic glosses of the Vilna Gaon, and he was the one who brought them to the Vilna publishers to include in their Talmud edition.

154 pages. Approx. 40 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dark dampstains. Heavy wear and creases (mainly to title page and first leaves). Worming. Marginal tears and open tears to several leaves. Detached leaves and gatherings. Old binding, with wear and defects, mostly detached.