Rav Moshe Provenciali was born in the year 5264/רסד. He was one of the gedolim of Italian Jewry and was a contemporary of the Beis Yosef, the Rama miFano, and Maharam Padavo. His rabbinic seat of rule was in Mantova, together with his brothers Rav Dovid and Rav Yehuda Provenciali. These three brothers were great luminaries for their countrymen, and Rav Moshe, the eldest, was known as a great gaon and mekubal, as well as a great posek. The Chida writes that Rav Moshe was an expert in dayanus in Mantova at the Beis Din established by the Ramaz, Rav Moshe Zakuso. He was so well-respected that they wrote not to pay attention to the teshuvos of any Achronim except for his and those of the Kenesses haGedola. With the exception of one controversy, in which Rav Moshe and the other rabbonim of his generation did not see eye-to-eye regarding a matter of kiddushin, he was universally lauded and respected. The Gur Aryeh on Shulchan Aruch cites his responsa, as does the Chida, who says he saw them in manuscript.
Rav Moshe argued in favor of the printing of the Zohar, against the wishes of Maharam Padavo, who felt it was forbidden to print such secrets and make them available to the masses. He was also one of the opponents of the philosophical sefer Me’or Eynaim by Rav Azariya Rossi. His talmidim included Rav Yehuda Moscati (author of Nefutzos Yehuda) and his brother, Rav Dovid Provenciali.
He passed away at the age of 72 on 4 Elul in the year 5336/שלו, and was eulogized by all the sages of his generation.
