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Two ethical works bound together. The first title, Derekh Emet, is a Hasidic work from R. R. Meshullam Feivush ha-Levi Heller of Zbarazh. The title page states that it was brought to press by the distinguished rabbis, R. Isaiah Asher ben Isaac and R. Shimshon Horowitz Meisels, brother-in-law of R. Moses Judah ha-Levi Horowitz. The title page is dated with the verse, “Lead me in your truth, and teach me” (Psalms 25:5). It has kabbaslsitic content, as indicated by its first text line, which quotes the quotes the Zohar. Although a small work it has proven to be very popular and has been reprinted several times. Derekh Emet has been described as an expository pamphlet in its content, while in form it is epistolary.
The second book, Sefer ha-Hayyim, also a kabbalisitc work, is by R. Moses ben Hayyim Whartman. The title page describes R. Whartman as the author of Sefer Divrei Torah, Rommomut Yisrael, and Ahavat Yisrael. It is dated with the verse, “See, I have set before you [this day] life” (Psalms 30:15). It lists the five sha’arim that the text is divided into, namely, a) to recognize the life in all things, b) the principle it to know that all th eland is filled with His glory, c) to bind the substance of one’s life with the life of the Torah, d) to bind one’s life and the life of all existence to the source of life, and e) the essence of the life of the soul, mind, and thought. There are two approbations, from R. Isaiah [מושקאט] of Prague, and from R. Zev Wolff. The author’s introduction follows and then the text. Both books are set in a single column in rabbinic type, excepting headers and initial words which are in square letters.
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מבעל מחבר ספר דברי תורה [ר' משה ב"ר חיים וורטמאן] ... מלוקט מש"ס ומדרשים וזוהר ומספרים ... מהראשונים ואחרונים ומכתבי יד ... ובו חמשה שערים ... א להשגיח בהחיות שבכל דבר ... ב ... לדעת שמלא כל הארץ כבודו ... ג לקשר חיותו בחיות
התורה ... ד לקשר חיותו וחיות כל הנמצאים לחי החיים ... ה מהות חיות הנשמה והשכל והמחשבה ... בשנת ר'א'ה' נתת'י' לפניך את החיים
המחבר העלים את שמו בספרו זה כמו בספריו האחרים, אך נכד המחבר גילה אותו בהוצאה השנייה של ספר קדושת הארץ, ירושלם תרמ"ה.הסכמות: ר' ישעיה [מושקאט], פראגא;
ר' זאב יצחק, יוזעפיף. |
