Ben HaMelech V'HaNazir. Zhitomir, 1850

Ben HaMelech V'HaNazir. Zhitomir, 1850

Ben HaMelech V'HaNazir by Rabbi Avraham HaLevi ibn Chassidai, early and unique mussar work with commentary. Zhitomir, at the press of Rabbis Chanina Lipa, Aryeh Leib and Yehoshua Heschel Shapira.

Ben HaMelech V'HaNazir is a unique mussar work originating in the Buddhist East that moved on to Christianity until ibn Chassidai came along, translated it into Hebrew and "converted" it. Ibn Chassidai inserted extreme tendentious changes: Form, language, style and type, both materially and in its worldview. These changes place the book in its Hebrew version as independent and original, with different goals from those of the Buddhist and Christian versions. On the title page of the version before us: "The first virtue is a sufficient commentary on a poem by one of the sages of the time, and the second virtue is the removal of all the errors of the first prints due to the printers' lack of knowledge."

Rabbi Avraham HaLevi ben Shmuel ibn Chassidai [who lived in Barcelona in the early 13th century] was known as "The Prince" ["הנשיא"]. He was a man of science, philosopher, poet and translator, one of the leaders of the Jewish community in Barcelona. Ibn Chassidai was one of the Ramba"m's close supporters during the philosophy controversy, and in his letters on the topic he defended the Rada"k, who was counted among the Ramba"m's close supporters, and was attacked by those opposed to him due to his support for the Ramba"m. His other works include: Sefer HaTapuach (mistakenly attributed to Aristotle); Moznei Tzedek; Sefer HaYesodot and more.

143 pp, 16 cm.

Fine condition. Aging stains. Isolated worming perforations, restored. Semi-leather binding, marbleized paper.