Moses Cordovero (Ramak)

The great systematizer of Safed: Pardes Rimonim reconciled four centuries of Kabbalah into one architecture; Or Yakar, his Zohar commentary, runs to over twenty volumes; Tomer Devorah turned the Tree into table manners. Luria arrived in Safed in time to eulogize him — reportedly seeing a pillar of fire follow the bier — and then quietly replaced his system. Both remain: Cordovero is the Tree at rest, Luria the Tree in crisis.