Bidspirit auction | Sefer Yetzirah. First Edition. Mantua,

Sefer Yetzirah. First Edition. Mantua, 1562. Including circular charts printed with a rare fold-out page at the end. Bound Together With Chovat HaLevavot. Mantua, 1559. - Sefer Yetzirah, attributed to Abraham Avinu, is one of the most foundational works of Kabbalistic literature. Its profound influence is evident from the many commentaries written on it by the greatest of the Rishonim, as well as the Kabbalistic interpretations of the Arizal and the Vilna Gaon. Presented here is the first printed edition of Sefer Yetzirah, accompanied by classic commentaries from: Raavad (R. Avraham ben David) Ramban (Nachmanides) R. Moshe Botarel R. Saadia Gaon R. Eliezer of Worms, author of Rokeach Also included are numerous Kabbalistic charts and diagrams, including circular charts printed with a rare fold-out page at the end. These diagrams were intended to be cut and assembled as rotating wheels, enabling the user to calculate mystical permutations of Divine Names. The fold-out diagram page is exceedingly rare and missing in most known copies. Bound together with: Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart) by Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Paquda, composed originally in Judeo-Arabic and translated into Hebrew by the renowned translator R. Yehuda ibn Tibbon, who also translated The Kuzari and Emunot Vede’ot. The author explains in the introduction that while many halachic works addressed the practical commandments, there was no foundational work addressing the inner, spiritual commandments of the heart, such as belief in Divine unity. A classic ethical text that became a cornerstone of Jewish Mussar literature, studied across the generations and translated into many languages. Numerous commentaries have been written on it throughout the centuries. This is the fourth edition of Chovot HaLevavot, and one of the most important printings. Chovot HaLevavot: Mantua, 1559 (Shin Yud Tet). Sefer Yetzirah: Mantua, 1562 (Shin Kaf Bet). Printed by Yaakov Cohen of Gazolo. Chovot HaLevavot. ק”ג, [1 blank]; ff. א'-ע”ז, ע”ט-ק”ב, [1], ק”ג-ק”ה. Sefer Yetzirah totals 105 leaves instead of 106; leaf ע”ח missing. Condition: Very good overall. Printed on thick paper. Some stains, including oil stains primarily in Chovot HaLevavot. Includes the rare rotating wheel diagram. Old binding. Ownership inscriptions on the title page of Chovot HaLevavot: “Avraham Bilgraa, ” “Shmuel Yitzchak Bilgraa.”