Bidspirit auction | Introductions & Rules for Study

Introductions & Rules for Study of Kabbalah: Sefer Pischei K-a. First Edition. Prague, 1609. Signature of Rabbi Tzvi Hirch Ash. - Ten chapters of principles for the beginner kabbalah student by the saintly kabbalist Rabbi Yissachar Ber ben Rabbi Pesaycha of Kremnitz. The ten chapters, called gates, follow the Ten Sefiros. Prague, Gershom ben Bezalel Katz, 1609. First Rare Edition. Title-page serves as introduction. Illustration featuring tree of the Ten Sephiroth on f. 10v. ff. (16). 18 Cm. Most of the title page & first page in facsimile. The Holy Kabbalist Rabbi Yissachar Ber ben Rabbi Pesachya of Kremnitz was one of the foremost Ashkenazic kabbalists. He compiled his momentous kabbalistic work based on the teachings of the Ramak, and only learned of the Kisvei Ha’Ari from the letters of Rabbi Shlomo Shlomil of Tzfas, who addressed one of his most famous letters to Rabbi Yissachar. In that letter, Rabbi Shlomo implores his colleague to settle near him in Tzfas and learn the Torah of Rav Chaim Vital “As my heart tell me with certainty that your honor is the sage who Moreinu Rav Chaim expressed is the gilgul of the Arizal” (Taalumos Chochmah, Hanau, 389 leaves, Leaf 47b). This sefer was originally intended as the preface to Rabbi Yissachar’s masterwork, a commentary on the Zohar which was never printed. It is believed that he concealed his writings after his exposure to the kabbalistic works of the Arizal. The author writes in his introduction that in addition to being named for his father (Petachiah), the work is also an opening (Petach) leading from the threshold to the Inner Chamber of God (Ya-h). See Andrea Gondos, Kabbalah in Print: Literary Strategies of Popular Mysticism in Early Modernity (doctoral dissertation, Concordia University, 2013) pp. 209-. Reverse of final leaf with antique signature ''Tzvi Hirsch Ash”. There were several important Rabbis with that name. Stefansky Sifrei Yesod number 344 in the footnotes.