Historic Discovery: Rabbi Yisrael Najara's Lost Work

Historic Discovery: Rabbi Yisrael Najara's Lost Work

"The author of Koreh HaDorot determined that this sefer was written but not printed (!) There is no complete copy. Aside from [6] leaves in my possession, there are another two leaves known to be in the Frankfurt municipal library." (Ginzei Yisrael-Mehlman)

Precious find! Four leaves from the sefer Pitzei Ohev, the lost work of the G-dly songwriter Rabbi Yisrael Najara, author of the Shabbat hymn "Y-h Ribon Olam V'Almayah" which is sung throughout all Jewish communities. The sefer was printed in Kuru Chesme [Constantinople], c. 1698, and disappeared completely. (Aside from a few surviving leaves.) These are [4] leaves from the lost work unknown until now; they are from the introduction, the first verse and the beginning of the sefer, and they are very important.

Sefer Pitzei Ohev is "the first and most beloved work by Rabbi Yisrael Najara" - as referred to by Meir Benayahu (Asufot p. 238). However, the sefer vanished completely. Except for a few leaves that survived in the bindings of other sefarim, not even one copy remains. Leading bibliographers published articles about the sefer, and the mystery grew to the extent that some claimed that the sefer was not even printed; that it was just a legend. This is obviously incorrect, as the leaves here attest. [Along with another approximately eight leaves that survived.] What follows is a selection of observations by bibliographers.

Dr. Yisrael Mehlman, in his sefer Gnuzot Sefarim (published by Beit Akad Sefarim HaLeumi, Jerusalem, 1976, p. 115 ) quotes the words of Avraham Ya'ari in his book HaDefus HaIvri B'Kushta: Sefer Iyov with the Pitzei Ohev commentary by Rabbi Yisrael Najara. Kuru Chesme, c. 1598 ... Six individual and blemished leaves (from Chapters 1-6). Dr. Mehlman adds there: "The author of Koreh HaDorot determined that this sefer was written but not printed (!) There is no complete copy. Aside from [6] leaves in my possession, there are another two leaves known to be in the Frankfurt municipal library." These leaves that Dr. Mehlman refers to are presently in the National Library, [in the Rare Books Collection, which notes that they were scanned from the Mehlman Collection]. Those leaves are from the middle of the sefer, and these leaves here are, as stated, from the beginning of the sefer [from: the preface, the first verse, and more] hence their extreme importance. They can shed light on Rabbi Yisrael Najara's lost work.

In Asufot - the Jewish studies annual publication, Part IV (edited by Meir Benayahu, Jerusalem, 1987), it says about the sefer: "This sefer was also seen by R' David Conforti at R' Yisrael Najara's in Gaza, and he noted that it was not printed. Already in 1904, Aharon Frieman announced his discovery: 'In the binding of Sefer Iyov with the commentary written by the youth Yitzchak Cohen (Constantinople 1545), two leaves were found from the work Pitzei Ohev printed in Constantinople.' In The Mehlman Collection (presently in Beit HaSefarim no. R75A148) there are six leaves printed from this sefer also taken from a binding. The printing is definitely Donna Reyna in Kuru Chesme, as it was printed 1597-1598. It was apparently not fully printed; only the first six chapters were printed."

Professor Shaul Regev also published a lengthy and important article on the subject (printed in Asufot, Part IV, pp. 320-350): "R' Yisrael Najara is primarily known as a songwriter, but he was also involved in Jewish thought and drush. It is known that he wrote a commentary on sefer Iyov called Pitzei Ohev, but it was not renowned to the same extent his songs, which were published and printed many times. His works of thought have only had few passages printed ... According to Conforti, the work Pitzei Ohev was not printed at all. Ben Ya'akov also says that it was not printed. In contrast to this opinion, Beit Akad Sefarim says that Sefer Pitzei Ohev was printed in Kuru Chesme in 1598. The National Library has leaves printed from the Mehlman Collection ... They were discovered in the binding of a sefer; they are in poor condition and apparently only the first leaves were arranged for print, no more."

The introduction to MiYemei Yisrael writes about the sefer: "I found something most powerful to study Sefer Iyov ... Its roots are from the tree of life and its whispers are from the tree of knowledge. It discusses the seats of judgement and hasgachah and all the opinions ... The evil suffering that comes upon righteous people, for proper reasons, causes everyone who is perplexed ..." In his commentary, Najara says that Hashem brought them on.

(Rhyming in the original) "In the chambers of this sefer, deep inside ... I found upright judgments, true Torah, sweet rulings, and Chaza"l's sayings explained, and lyrical derushim ... Go to the house of my beloved ... If due to religion and roots one is perplexed, Pitzei Ohev is [for him]." The introduction to Sefer She'erit Yisrael, written after 1600, refers to this sefer being printed. Hints to this sefer can be found in his work of derushim, Mikveh Yisrael. (Asufot, ibid.)

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the G-dly songwriter Rabbi Yisrael Najara.

[4] leaves of paper. 20 cm.

Poor-moderate condition. Stains. Worming perforations. Blemishes and tears. Similar condition to the leaves in the National Library.