Physical Description:

First edition. [179] ff. quarto 230:175 mm., title, initial, ff in facsimile,  wide margins, age and damp staining, expertly restored. A good copy bound in modern leather over boards.

Detailed Description:   

An anonymous work on the 613 precepts in the order of their appearance in Scripture, giving their reasons and their laws in detail. The various attempts to identify the author have proved unsuccessful; the most widely held view is that he was R. Aaron b. Joseph ha-Levi of Barcelona, the identification being based on an obscure allusion in the introduction: "A Jew of the house of Levi of Barcelona." From certain references in the book (precept 400) it has been concluded that the author was a pupil of R. Solomon b. Abraham Adret. The first edition (Venice, 1523) gives "Rabbi Aaron" as the author. Elsewhere the name of the author is given as Baruch (R. David ibn Zimra, Mezudat David, precept 206). The book was compiled at the end of the 13th century. Some deduced the date of its composition from the date 1257 mentioned in precept 326 with reference to the sabbatical years, but the passage in question is taken from the novellae of R. Solomon b. Abraham Adret to Avodah Zarah 9a.

The book is mainly based on the Sefer ha-Mitzvot and the Mishneh Torah of Maimonides, at times whole sections being copied verbatim (precepts 173, 485). The author used Ibn Hasdai's Hebrew translation of the Sefer ha-Mitzvot. He also used the works of other authors, including those of Alfasi and chiefly of Adret and Nahmanides. The uniqueness of the work lies in the section dealing with the explanation of the principles of the precepts, especially "the simple description" (precept 98). His explanations are based on common sense. His style and presentation are clear and understandable befitting its educational aim for youth and ordinary people. Many editions of the work have appeared. The best known is that containing the commentary Minhat Hinnukh of R. Joseph Babad. Other well-known authors to devote compositions to it include R. Judah Rosanes and R. Isaiah Pick.

Hebrew Description: