Chemdat Yamim – First Edition – Signature and Stamps of Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya Azulai – The Chida's Father

Chemdat Yamim – First Edition – Signature and Stamps of Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya Azulai – The Chida's Father
Chemdat Yamim, ethics and conduct for Shabbat Kodesh according to the Kabbala and the Ari's school of thought. One of the leading Jerusalem sages and Kabbalists of his time. Part 1. Izmir (Istanbul), [1732]. First edition.
On the title page is a signature [the upper part is erased] and a calligraphic stamp of Rabbi "Yitzchak Zerachya Azulai". Another stamp is on the leaf after the title page.
Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya Azulai (1702-1765), son of Rabbi Yeshaya Azulai was a leading Jerusalem sage and Kabbalist in his times. Member of the Beit Ya'akov Beit Midrash, and head of the Yeshiva of the wealthy Mordechai Talok (called Gedulat Mordechai) together with his brother-in-law Rabbi Yonah Navon. Served as Dayan in the Batei Din of prominent Jerusalem Torah scholars and joined them in signing the city's list of regulations. In 1741, he was sent as an emissary from Eretz Israel to Western Europe but due to health problems had to return to Eretz Israel. His firstborn son was the Chida, who often quotes his father in his works.
Additional signatures and ownership inscriptions.
The book Chemdat Yamim and the question of the identity of its author became the source of a turbulent polemic. Rabbi Ya'akov Emden was the first to sharply oppose the book and claimed that its author was Natan Ha'Azati, Shabtai Zvi's "prophet" and that the book is full of Shabtaic philosophy. Following Rabbi Ya'akov Emden's opinion, many communities banned the book. On the other hand, other rabbis defended the book, first and foremost the Jerusalem Kabbalist Rabbi Menachem Menchen Halprin in his book Kevod Chachamim in which among other things he pointed out the fact that Chemdat Yamim was privileged to receive the approbations and recommendations of prominent rabbis. Still today, the author remains unidentified and it is uncertain if he was a Kabbalist or a follower of Shabtai Zvi. (See: A. Ya'ari, Ta'alumat Sefer", D.S. Kosovsky, Otzar Chemdat Yamim).
[2], 154, [4] leaves. This copy has only the part of Shabbat and the indexes. It is missing the 190 leaves for Rosh Chodesh and Mikra'ei Kodesh (Festivals). 21 cm. Fair condition. Spotting and wear, worm damages. Some detached leaves. Worn and damaged leather binding.