Tikun Keri’ath Shema. Liturgy/Anonymous

(KABBALAH)

(Judah ben Jacob Back)

(Prague)

1668

Prima facie first edition. TItle within unusually elaborate decorative frame with cherubs atop. Letters of key words Shema and Ehad (2b, 3a) ornately illuminated.

Vinograd, Prague 477; St. Cat. Bodl., 3085

The Lurianic kavanoth (intentions) before retiring for the night. By the early seventeenth century, the kabbalah of ARI (R. Isaac Luria) had penetrated both eastern and western Europe. In Venice 1620, a Sepher Kavanoth was published, based on fragments of both Rabbi Hayim Vital and Rabbi Moshe Yonah. And in the 1640-50s, Rabbi Jacob Zemah composed three Siddurei Kavanoth, at least two of them condensed versions or kitsurei kavanoth. The kavanoth contained in our manual tally with the material in the authoritative Peri Ets Chayim and Sha’ar ha-Kavanoth (both of which were still in manuscript at the time of publication). The tikun keri’ath shema, a small manual of prayers before retiring, complete with Lurianic intentions, became a popular genre. To this day, the Braslav chasidim keep these petite prayerbooks in print (now embellished with tidbits of Braslav philosophy). Our specimen differs from the standard tikun in use today insofar as it provides at the end various incantations: the three angels Sanoi, Sansanoi, and Samangelif (which some hang over a baby’s crib for protection against Lilith)(11b), and a lachash or incantation from Zohar to prevent nocturnal pollution (12b).