(The SHeLa”H HaKodosh). Shnei Luchoth Habrith. With Vavei Ha'Amudim by the author’s son, Shabthai Sheftel

HOROWITZ, ISAIAH BEN ABRAHAM HALEVI

Immanuel Benveniste

Amsterdam

1648-49

FIRST EDITION. Vavei Ha'Amudim is bound here first (as per the Friedberg copy)

Vinograd Amsterdam 163; Fuks 223

The Rare First Edition. A native of Prague, R. Isaiah Halevi Horowitz (1565?-1630) settled in Jerusalem in 1621, where he was appointed Rabbi of the Aschkenazic Community of the city and where he availed himself of the esoteric teachings of R. Isaac Luria and his disciples. These kabbalistic teachings were duly incorporated in his magnum opus, Shnei Luchoth HaBerith. Part Halachic Code and part Kabbalistic treatise, the Shnei Luchoth Habrith exerted great influence on the life of the Aschenazi Jewish world and helped more than any other work to introduce the Kabbalah into daily religious life. Prof. Scholem observed that " its expressive power and rich content made it a classic." G. Scholem, Kabbbalah (1974) p. 195. Many of the fundamental teachings of the Chassidic Movement derive their source from the SHela"H HaKadosh