Chemdat Yamim. Part II. First Edition. Owners' Signatures and Notations

Chemdat Yamim. Part II. First Edition. Owners' Signatures and Notations

Chemdat Yamim Part II - daily schedule, conduct, Kabbalistic prayers and rectifications. Izmir, 1731.

First edition of the renowned book enveloped in mystery. Since the book's publication, and through our times, over hundreds of years, no one has determined the author's identity with certainty. There are those who attributed it to Nathan of Gaza, and rejected it as a result. On the other hand, there are others who found lofty concepts within. Avraham Ya'ari wrote an entire book about the attempt to discover the author's identity (Ta'alumat Sefer, Jerusalem, 1954), and there have since been many articles on the topic. Approximately ten years ago, there was even a thick book written, Otzar Chemdat Yamim, that compiled what has been written about this mystery. (View an expanded discussion on the Winner's and Bidspirit websites.)

The book Chemdat Yamim deals with kabbalah in general and the Ar"i's kabbalah in particular. It was first published in this edition (Izmir, 1731) by the Rishon L'Tziyon, Rabbi Yisrael Ya'akov Algazi, father of Mahar"it Algazi, from writings he found in Safed. Questions as to the author's identity and character - whether he was earlier or later, whether he was Sabbatean or loyal to tradition, are matters of dispute - as a result of which the customs written in the book are also disputed. The book was printed 54 years after the death of Shabbetai Tzvi. There are poems written in the book which include the acrostic "נתן עזתי", as well as essays known for their reference to Sabbateans. The Ya'avetz stated very sharply regarding it: "I looked into it for a short while and recoiled, and then I understood its character, and traces of Sabbatean heresy concealed in innumerable abominations and hints." It is told that one motza'ei Shabbat, the Ba'al Shem Tov said that a book was published by Shabbatai Tzvi's sect, and it will drag many Jews along with it with its slick language - he was referring to Chemdat Yamim (as brought down in Shabchei HaBesh"t). Rabbi Yehudah Pattiyah, as well, one of the Iraqi Kabbalists and rabbis, stated that he rectified the author's soul after much exertion (as brought down in Ruchot Mesaprot). On the other hand, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, disciple of the Vilna Gaon, expressed a positive opinion of the book, saying that even if the book's author is indeed Nathan of Gaza, the book itself contains nothing invalid, and it was apparently written before he turned to Sabbateanism. The author of Leshem characterized the author as "one of the most holy" (Leshem Shevo V'Achlamah, sermons on the world of chaos [דרושי עולם התוהו, ב"ח], sermon 4, branch 24, section 68, in the paragraph starting "והנה"). This book, in the new edition (2003), opens with Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef's foreword: "Enthusiasm for the sanctity of Shabbat and Yom Tov only enters my heart by reading this book of Torah."

The title page bears ancient owners' signatures and there are owners' inscriptions on the leaf preceding the title page. Among the book's leaves there are about ten leaves lacking; they have been completed in ancient script, all Oriental.

[2] 282 leaves, 20 cm. Approximately 10 leaves are lacking from the book; they have been completed in ancient script. (Refer to the photocopies.)

Fine condition. Aging stains. Partially detached leaves and binding. Original leather binding.