Reshith Chochmah ["Beginning of Wisdom": ethics]

Estimate: $1,200–$1,800
Hammer price: $2,400

Historical auction record. Hammer prices exclude buyer’s premium and taxes.

author

DE VIDAS, ELIJAH.

printer

Giovanni di Gara

Place

Venice

Publication

1579

Description

FIRST EDITION

references

Vinograd, Venice 642; Haberman, di Gara 54

summary

Rare First Edition of Classic of Ethics. Elijah de Vidas was a disciple of R. Moses Cordovero, doyen of Safed kabbalists. Despite its mystical overtones, Reishith Chochmah has become a popular classic within ethical literature. It discusses all moral aspects of Jewish life linking the motifs of aggadic and mussar literature with that of Kabbalah, thus broadly disseminating mystical ideas.

ff. 8, 1-88, 93-96, 93-248, 269-272, 253-421, (1 blank), (32). Stained, closely shaved. Modern calf-backed boards. Thick 4to

Enquire about this lot