Reishith Chochmah [“Beginning of Wisdom:” ethics]

Estimate: $1,000–$1,500
Hammer price: $1,800

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. Marginalia.

references

Vinograd, Venice 642.

summary

Rare First Edition of a 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, (32). Opening eight- and concluding two index leaves supplied from a shorter copy, previous owners’ inscriptions and signatures in various places, marginal repair on final leaves, variously stained, title and introductory leaves loose and slightly frayed, affecting a few letters of the introductory poem. Modern boards. Thick 4to.

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