He was primarily a disciple of Rabbis Moses ben Jacob Cordovero (known as the Ramak) and also Isaac Luria.

He wrote Reshit Chochmah, or "The Beginning of Wisdom," a pietistic work that is still widely studied by Orthodox Jews today.

Just as his teacher Rabbi Moses Cordovero created an ethical work according to kabbalistic principles in his Tomer Devorah, Rabbi de Vidas created an even more expansive work on the spiritual life with his Reishit Chochmah.

This magnum opus is largely based on the Zohar, but also reflects a wide range of traditional sources.

[2] Aaron ben Menahem Mendel of Kamenitz, the first hotelier in the Land of Israel,[3] references his visit to the grave of Eliyahu de Vidas in his 1839 book Sefer Korot Ha-Itim.