Bidspirit auction | (KABBALAH). Sepher Yetzirah [“Book of

(KABBALAH). Sepher Yetzirah [“Book of Creation”]. FIRST EDITION. With traditional commentaries including the Ramba’n and the Rava’d. Title within woodcut architectural arch. Numerous spherical charts and Kabbalistic diagrams. Upon issue, this book contained a final illustrated leaf with various Kabbalistic circular diagrams. Here, these circular volvelles have been cut out and mounted to the appropriate leaves (see ff. 8v, 10v. and 77r). It is most rare to find a copy of Sepher Yetzirah with the volvelles mounted. ff. 105. Previous owner’s marks from Tetuan. Modern calf-backed boards. Sm. 4to. Vinograd, Mantua 86; Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod 333. Mantua, Jacob Cohen of Gazolo, 1562. A FINE COPY OF THIS IMPORTANT TEXT, INCLUDING THE ELUSIVE VOLVELLES. The Sepher Yetzirah (attributed to Avraham Avinu), is not only the earliest - but also the most esoteric of all Kabbalistic texts, but certainly the most influential.   Its central subject is a compact discourse on cosmogony, commencing with the declaration that God created the world with “thirty-two secret paths of wisdom.” These paths are defined as the Ten Sefiroth along with the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet.   The first chapter elaborates upon the Sefiroth and the remaining five chapters focuses upon the function of the letters. In Talmudic times, it was believed that by utilizing the Sepher Yetzirah one could create life (see Tractate Sanhedrin f.65b).