Kana
Kana (Heb. ספר הקנה), the name of one of the later cabalistic works treating of the religious rites of the Jews, has attained considerable notoriety on account of its decided opposition not only to all the Jewish ritual, to Talmudical interpretation; and to the Talmud itself, but for its fierce attacks even against Biblical Judaism. Its authorship is undecided, but of late most Jewish critics lean to the opinion that Kana and another cabalistic work entitled Pelia (פליאה, published at Kores in 1784, and often), an interpretation of the first book of the Law (Genesis), were written by one and the same person, and belong to a Spanish Jewish heretic of the 15th century or thereabout. Dr. Jellinek (Bet-tHa-Midrash, iii; Einl. p. 38 sq.) thinks both the production of an Italian or Greek Jew. See, for further details, Grlitz, Gesch. d. Juden, 8:230 sq., 458 sq. See also CABALA. (J. H.W.)
