Kuntress Olat Chodesh HaRevi’i – Ahavat David , to wage war against the evil ones who follow (Shabbetai) Tzvi, those who follow Shabbetai Tzvi, Berachiah, Jacob [הולכי בשב”י]. Two title pages. Prague, 1800 [chronogram: ט’מ’א’י’ם’ ל’נ’פ’ש’]. Polemic work, uncommon, Owner’s stamp of Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Chazzan, av beit din of Lubicz and author of Siach Yitzchak .
Work by Rabbi David Flelash, author of Teshuvah MeAhavah , one of the most prominent rabbinic leaders of Prague, opposing Sabbatean derivatives. The background to this work is the decision by Prague leadership to come out against supporters of Chavah, daughter of Jacob Frank. The work was written using especially aggressive language. “Those who run to Hell after Tzvi are ousted by a broken deer [צְבִי] … those who are captured by Shabbetai, Berachiah, Jacob [הולכי בשב”י] are in the pit where a dog is broken. Work of historic importance.
In his preface, the author also writes about the madmen who gave hints about that year, 1800, that it would be the year of redemption, and he also refers to hints about the year 1840. Alongside this, he brings a letter written by Naphtali Hirz Wessely stating that the author writes “matters that are appropriate to be brought to print and disseminated among the Jewish people.” This letter says in the name of Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeschütz that Kabbalistic wisdom is not one of the fundamental beliefs of the Jewish faith, and it need not be believed. The letter was written in Hebrew mixed with German.
The author was the primary disciple of the Noda BiYehudah, the ra’ava”d of Prague, and one of the most prominent rabbis of his generation. His opinion that the Zohar did not originate with Rashb”i is well-known; he attributes its distribution to Shabbatei Tzvi and Jacob Frank.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Chazan .
[8], 32 leaf. Half-title page and detailed title page. 18 cm.
Very fine condition. Magnificent new leather binding.