Sepher Tziyoni [Kabbalistic homilies to the Pentateuch, with poems]

Upon issue, the entire first edition of one thousand copies of the Tziyoni issued in 1559 was seized and destroyed by the Dominican Friars of Cremona zealously seeking to enforce Pope Paul IV’s Index of that year. Despite Pope Paul IV’s Bull “In Coena Dominis,” a bare handful of copies survived. See D. Amram, the Makers of Hebrew Books in Italy (1963) pp. 310-15. Concerning the typographical variants between the first and second editions, see M. Benayahu, Ha’dephus Ha’ivri Be’Cremona (1971) pp.79-83 (illustrated). For information on the author, his descendents and his kabbalistic method, see Sh. Weiss, Tsefunei Tziyoni (1985) introduction; and B. Huss, Demonology and Magic in the Writings of R. Menahem Ziyyoni, in: Kabbalah, Vol. X (2004) pp. 55-72.