Naphtali Hirsch Treves

Naphtali Hirsch ben Eliezer Treves (or Naphtali Hirz) was a kabalist and scholar of the 16th century who officiated as Hazzan in Frankfort-on-the-Main. He was the author of Perush (1560), a famous cabalistic commentary on the Siddur (prayer-book), and probably also of Naftule Elohim (Heddernheim, 1546), an index to Bahya ben Asher's commentary on the Pentateuch. The preface to the Naftule Elohim consists partly of the result of private studies and partly of quotations from other cabalistic works. Treves wrote, too, a supercommentary on Rashi, which is still extant. Naphtali Hirz engaged in disputations with Christian scholars, and he made comments on the pronunciation of German language. He is especially important for his accounts of Jewish customs and ceremonies.