Bidspirit auction | Tiphteh Arukh. Venice, 1715. First

Tiphteh Arukh. Venice, 1715. First edition - Tiphteh Arukh – a poem on the subjects of ḥibbut ha-kever (the ordeal of the grave) and the punishments of Gehinnom, by the renowned Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Zacuto (the Ramaz), with an explanation of the words and a commentary on the content by Rabbi Aviad Sar Shalom Basilea.  A unique and remarkable work, consisting of a long didactic poem of twenty-five stanzas, composed by Rabbi Moshe Zacuto, one of the foremost Kabbalists and poets of 17th-century Italy. The poem presents, in elevated and moving verse, the mystical and ethical concepts surrounding the soul’s journey after death, the purification process in the grave, and the stages of judgment in the heavenly realms. Alongside the poem appears an extensive commentary and glossary prepared by Rabbi Aviad Sar Shalom Basilea of Mantua, himself a major Kabbalist and author of Emunat Ḥakhamim and Mishnat Ḥasidim. His commentary clarifies both the linguistic and metaphysical aspects of the poem, explaining its complex imagery, difficult expressions, and the underlying kabbalistic ideas drawn from the writings of the Ari and his disciples. The collaboration of these two giants of Italian Kabbalah—the Ramaz and Rabbi Aviad—renders the work a significant bridge between the poetic-mystical and the systematic-interpretative traditions of Italian Kabbalists. This is the first edition, printed in Venice during the final flowering of Hebrew printing in that city, and later reprinted several times throughout the 18th century due to its wide influence. It is considered one of the most striking poetic expressions of the afterlife in Jewish mystical literature, blending awe and beauty in the depiction of divine judgment and ultimate redemption. 24 leaves. 21 cm. Very good condition. White, high-quality paper. Minor worming holes. A clean, well-preserved copy of this rare and highly influential kabbalistic poem.