Students of Isaac Luria

Isaac Luria imparted his teachings orally to his disciples in Safed in the years 1570 to 1572. The names of thirty of his disciples are known. Subsequently, some of these disciples recorded his teachings in writing, adding their own interpretations and explanations. Ḥayim Vital emerged as his most prominent disciple and the main recorder of Luria’s teachings. After Luria’s death, Vital both recorded and elaborated on his master’s teachings. Some works written by other students of Luria have mistakenly been attributed to him. Vital actively sought to prevent others from recording Luria’s teachings. He gathered a group of twelve of Luria’s students, all of whom signed a document promising not to study Luria’s theory with anyone else. This group broke apart when Vital moved to Jerusalem in 1577.