Maggid Meisharim [mystical diary in the form of a Kabbalistic-homiletical commentary to the Pentateuch and other passages as revealed by a heavenly Maggid]

KARO, JOSEPH

Vendramin per Francesco Vieceri

Venice

1649

FIRST EDITION of this part

Vinograd, Venice 1288; Mehlman, Ginzei Yisrael 1110; St. Cat. Bodl. 5940,111; Zedner p.333

Karo’s presumed authorship of this kabbalistic-homiletical commentary on the Pentateuch, has inspired contoversy due to the esoteric nature of his “maggidic” manifestations. See Z. Werblowsky, Joseph Karo Lawyer and Mystic (1977), pp. 4-6 & 9-12; on the development of the text, see ibid. pp. 24-37. The first (incomplete) volume of this work was published in Lublin in 1646 with the second part containing additional material published here for the first time. The work is a major source for our knowledge of the state of pre-Lurianic Kabbalah after the expulsion from Spain and before the advent of the Ar"i. Concerning the date of publication, Steinschneider, Zedner, Ben Yaakov and Friedberg state1654-55. However, Yudlov dates it as 1649