Isaac Luria was a prominent Jewish mystic and Kabbalist born in 1534 in Jerusalem. He is best known for developing a new system of Kabbalistic thought, which emphasized the concept of Tzimtzum, the idea that God contracted to create space for the world. His teachings transformed Jewish mysticism and influenced many later thinkers. Luria's ideas were primarily disseminated through his student, Chaim Vital, who recorded Luria's teachings in texts such as the Etz Chaim. Luria's approach to Kabbalah focused on the themes of creation, divine sparks, and the process of redemption, making his work foundational in the study of Jewish mysticism.