Siddur. With Kavanoth [mystical meditations] of the RaSha’Sh (R. Shalom Sharabi)

(LITURGY).

(Safed)

(19th-century)

Hebrew Manuscript written in square Hebrew characters alternating with Oriental cursive script. Stamp of former owner "Shlomo J. Hakim, Safed" on f.7r

An impressive manuscript. The Siddur Rasha”sh contains innumerable kabbalistic meditations, many of them arranged in diagrammatic form. Entire pages of this Siddur are devoted to the meditations upon a single word. Therefore because it required additional time for the prayer leader to mentally engage all of the kavanoth or mystical intentions, prayers conducted in this manner can be very lengthy. Followers of these practices are known as “mekhavnim” - from the word “kavanah," or meditators. The founder of this method of prayer, R. Shalom Sharabi (the RaSha’Sh, 1720-77) the venerated Yemenite mystic and leader of Beth El in Jerusalem, is said to have been the reincarnation of Isaac Luria. The Siddur RaShaSh was first published in 1911. See EJ Vol. XIV, cols. 1307-1308