[Kabbalistic commentary on the hidden meanings of the letters of the Aleph-Beth]. Anonymous (Attributed to Rabbi Akiva)

Othioth De-rAbi Akiva

(Isaac Prostitz)

Cracow

1579

Third edition. Inscription on title in Yiddish: “Received as a gift on Purim 1642, Raphael ben Gershon of Alsace.”

Vinograd, Cracow 55; Mehlman, 1048; not in Adams

Ascribed to the Mishnaic-era Rabbi Akiva, this work presents Aggadic homilies tinged with Kabbalistic renderings to each letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. The names of the letters, even the individual letters that spell each name of each letter - all are infused with individual mystical value and ethical importance. Much is made of the combinations of letters, especially those forming the names of God. Also discussed is the role of the Angel Metatron as meditor between God and man. According to Waxman, “this kind of teaching is really in direct opposition to the teachings of Akiva and other scholars of his age, who on the contrary, endavored to minimize the importance of the angels...and yet, stragely enough, such teachings [are] ascribed to him.” See M. Waxman, Vol. I, pp.382-3