Peirot Gnoser by the Author of Ohr HaChaim. First Edition, Printed in the Author's Lifetime. Amsterdam, 1742

Peirot Gnoser by the Author of Ohr HaChaim. First Edition, Printed in the Author's Lifetime. Amsterdam, 1742

Peirot Gnoser.  The text of the Shulchan Aruch appears at the center of the page, with two " Peirot" (Gnoser) around it. One is the well-known commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, the " Pri Chadash" by Rabbeinu Chizkiya da Silva, and the second is " Pri To'ar" by Rabbi Chaim Ben-Attar, author of Ohr HaChaim.

The edition before us was the first edition of Peirot Gnoser and was printed in the lifetime of Rabbi Chaim Ben-Attar. Given that his composition " Pri To'ar" contains many critiques on the " Pri Chadash, " he printed his work together with the " Pri Chadash." One of the Jews of Livorno, his friend Shlomo ben Yitzchak Aluf, dealt with printing this work. Due to the tedious permit process required in Venice, the manuscript was sent to Amsterdam to be printed.

Rabbi Chaim Ben-Attar  [1696-1743] was one of the greatest biblical commentators in the period of the Later Authorities, a Kabbalist and a halachic adjudicator. The Ba'al Shem Tov said of him that he hears Torah every night from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and therefore his sefarim are considered in Chassidic circles as first-rate, and are attributed as having holy and pure influence to the soul who studies them. The author of Divrei Chaim of Sanz writes: " The author of Ohr HaChaim  certainly wrote this book with Divine inspiration ... and therefore ... he who denies his Divine inspiration ... is an unbelieving apostate ..."

Interesting owner's signature on leaf 46.

[4], 275 leaves. 32 cm. Fine condition. Aging stains. Minimal worming perforations, primarily in the white margins. Tear in leaf [2], with damage to two words. Professional completion to the white margins of the title page. Original leather-covered wooden binding, slightly worn.