Chok LeYisroel [portions of Zohar, Bible, etc. divided for daily study]

VITAL, CHAIM.

The Orphan Abraham ben Moses

Cairo

1740

FIRST EDITION. Title pages within typographical borders. Each page within ruled border and printed in two columns. Scriptural texts pointed, Talmudic texts unpointed and Kabbalistic texts in rabbinic type

Vinograd, Cairo 3; Ya’ari, Cairo 3

Among the Earliest Books Printed in Egypt Except for a short-lived Hebrew printing press at Fez in 1516, this appears to be one of the earliest books printed in all of Africa. Only four Hebrew books were printed in Egypt. This work was thought to be the first until fragments of the two earlier imprints were discovered in the Cairo Genizah. European presses were not introduced into Egypt until 1798 when the French colonized the country. Chaim Vital, the formost disciple of Isaac Luria (the AR”I), advocated textual study as a means to mystical contemplation. Thus, the selected excerpts from the Torah, Prophets, Writings, Mishna, Talmud and kabbalistic literature intended for study each morning