R. Moses b. Jacob Cordovero (1522–1570), the outstanding kabbalist in Safed before R. Isaac Luria. His birthplace is unknown, but his name testifies to the family's Spanish origins. He was a disciple of R. Joseph Caro and of R. Solomon Alkabez, and a teacher of R. Isaac Luria. His first large systematic work is Pardes Rimmonim, which R. Cordovero completed by the age of 27. Ten years later he finished his second systematic book, the Elimah Rabbati, and also wrote a lengthy commentary on all the parts of the Zohar which has been preserved in manuscript in Modena.

The doctrine of R. Cordovero is a summary and a development of the different trends in Kabbalah up to his time, and his whole work is a major attempt to synthesize and to construct a speculative kabbalistic system. This is done especially in his theology, which is based on the Zohar, and in particular on Tikkunei Zohar and Ra'aya Meheimna. Since R. Cordovero considered these texts to be by one and the same author, he felt constrained to harmonize their different and at times even opposing conceptions.

נשלם בדפוס בפרשת תרומה תקמ"א. בסוף דברי מסדרי האותיות ישכר בער בן מנחם הלוי ודוב בער בן שלמה, ושמות פועלי הדפוס.