Moses Cohen Explained

Moses ben Eliezer Cohen was a Jewish writer and moralist who lived in Germany, probably at Coblenz, in the second half of the 15th century.

Work

Cohen was the author of an ethical work entitled "Sefer Ḥasidim" (Book of the Pious) written in 1473 and published by Schriftsetzer in Warsaw,^[1] 1866. This book, known also under the titles "Sefer haMaskil" (Book of the Wise) or "Sefer Ḥasidim Tinyana"^{[2] [3]} (Second Book of the Pious), gives a brief description of Jewish piety as understood at that time, and contains some valuable contributions to the history of Jewish culture. The author often quotes the "Ḥayye 'Olam" of Isaac Ḥasid and the works of Judah haḤasid.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Book: Isaac ben Jacob Benjacob. Isaac ben Jacob Benjacob. S. Ḥasidim. he:ס' חסידים. https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=50068&st=&pgnum=229. he:אוצר הספרים. he. Vilnius. 197. Aug 15, 2023.
2. Book: Trachtenberg, Joshua. Joshua Trachtenberg. HEBREW SOURCES, PRINTED. https://sacred-texts.com/jud/jms/jms40.htm#page_320. Jewish Magic and Superstition. Philadelphia. University of Pennsylvania Press. 2004. Originally published 1939. 9780812218626. 320. Aug 15, 2023.
3. Book: Sefer Ḥasidim Tinyana. he:ספר חסידים תנינא. he. Piotrków Trybunalski. 1910. Aug 15, 2023.
4. 
   Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography:
   • Zunz, in Hebr. Bibl. ix. 113;
   • Güdemann, Gesch. des Erziehungswesens . . . der Juden in Deutschland, pp. 212 et seq.