09:44:37


[Login]   
[Book List]  
 
Bidding Information
Lot #    19418
Auction End Date    11/13/2007 12:26:30 PM (mm/dd/yyyy)
          
Title Information
Title (English)    Reshit Hokhmah
Title (Hebrew)    ראשית חכמה
Author    R. Elijah b. Moshe de Vidas
City    Amsterdam
Publisher    Orphans of Solomon Proophs
Publication Date    1737
          
Collection Information
Independent Item    This listing is an independent item not part of any collection
          
Description Information
Physical
Description		    First edition of commentary. [1], 4 of 5, 334 ff., octavo, 194:124 mm., light age staining, old hands, nice margins, lacks one f. of introduction. A very good copy bound in contemporary boards, rubbed.
          
Detailed
Description		    Ethical and moral work, oft reprinted, by R. Elijah b. Moshe de Vidas (16th century), kabbalist, author on morals, one of the great kabbalists of Safed. Vidas was a disciple and close friend of R. Moses Cordovero, whom he always called "my teacher" without mentioning his name. In 1575 he completed his major work Reshit Hokhmah, one of the outstanding books on morals in Judaism. In contrast with previous authors in this field, Vidas included kabbalistic theories in his work, which was aimed at a popular audience; in particular, he quoted at length all that is said in the Zohar on the question of morals and religious conduct. Quotations from the Zohar were annotated from manuscripts still found in Safed. The book is encyclopedic in character and is divided into five long chapters, "Fear," "Love," "Repentance," "Holiness," and "Humility." Vidas added five chapters from Israel Al-nakawa's Menorat ha-Ma'or which was then known only in manuscript. They include chapters on the mitzvot, on education, on business dealings in good faith, and on manners. At the end of these, he added Huppot Eliyahu Rabbah, a collection of rabbinical sayings which list qualities (e.g., "three good qualities..."), and Or Olam, moralizing sayings which open with the word "forever" or with the word "great"; for example, "great is charity, even more than sacrifices."

Vidas' book is written in an easy and engaging style, avoiding metaphors. It was immediately accepted as one of the most important books on morals and was printed some 40 times. The first edition was printed in Venice in 1579 during the author's lifetime. The date of Vidas' death is still unknown. Because of its great length, his book was summarized several times: Reshit Hokhmah Kazar (Venice, 1600), completed in 1580 in Asti, Italy, by R. Jacob b. Mordecai Poggetti; Tappuhei Zahav, by R. Jehiel Melli (Mantua, 1623); Toze'ot Hayyim (Cracow, before 1650) by R. Jacob Luzzatto, a preacher in Poznan. These three summaries were published many times.

          
Paragraph 2    ... ועתה נדפס מחדש פעם חמישית [!] בתוספות הגהה ... עם פירוש מספיק על כל מלות קשים ופי' הענין על מאמרי רז"ל ונקרא שמו ... לדעת חכמה, שחיבר התורני כה"רר מנחם מן בן שלמה הלוי [אמלאנדר] ...

הפירוש "לדעת חכמה" נדפס כמעט בכל ההוצאות הבאות. הסכמות: ר' דוד ישראל עטיאס ור' יצחק חיים ן' דנא די בריטו, אמשטרדם, פ' מקץ תק"ו [צ"ל: תצ"ו]; ר' אלעזר מקראקא, אמשטרדם, ג וישב תצ"ו, והסכמת ר' אברהם פרווינצאל מן ההוצאה הראשונה.

          
Reference
Description		    JE; CD-EPI 0130504
        
Associated Images
2 Images (Click thumbnail to view full size image):
  Order   Image   Caption
  1   Click to view full size  
  
  2   Click to view full size  
  
  
Listing Classification
Period
  
18th Century:    Checked
  
Location
Holland:    Checked
  
Subject
Other:    Ethics
  
Characteristic
First Editions:    Checked
Language:    Hebrew
  
Manuscript Type
  
Kind of Judaica