Sefer Hachinuch by Rabbi Aharon Halevi of Barcelona. Venice, [1600].

Sefer Hachinuch by Rabbi Aharon Halevi of Barcelona. Venice, [1600].

An important Sefer Yesod listing and elucidating all Taryag Mitzvot according to the author, based on Seder Parashiyot HaTorah.

"All the Mitzvot given by G-d to His people Yisrael included in Sefer HaTorah…"

The book was written in continuance of the works of Counters of Mitzvot such as the Rambam's Sefer Hamitzvot, Sefer Mitzvot Gadol and Sefer Mitzvot Katan. However, unlike them, the author also wrote the Tamei Mitzvot, their Dinim, the sanction imposed on those who break them and additional details.

Several commentaries were written on the book elucidating and discussing its sources, the most famed of these being the Minchat Chinuch.

The author of the book:

The author of Sefer Hachinuch chose to hide his identity, describing himself in the introduction to his book only as a Jew of the house of Levi from Barcelona. In his words on Mitzvah 315, there is a hint that he wrote a commentary on Masechet Beitzah; however, such a work was not found.

In this second edition, there are important variations compared to the first edition that was printed in Venice in 1523.

Venice, [1600]. Second edition. Signatures.

228 leaves. Good condition. The edges of the title page are completed. The 8 leaves following the title page are approx. a centimeter shorter than the rest of the copy. Bright brown stains on the upper part of a few dozen leaves. Worm holes that were restored with an old transparent filling. Bound in an ancient leather binding.