Toras Chacham by the Kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Hakohen
Venice, 1654
Large volume replete with commentary and explanations on the weekly Torah portions by the saintly kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Hakohen of Aleppo, prime disciple of Rabbi Chaim Vital.
First & Only Edition
Rabbi Chaim Hakohen (1585-1655) was an eminent kabbalist and prolific author who wrote many sefarim, only some of which appear in print. In his preface to Toras Chacham, he recounts that upon journeying from Aleppo to Italy in order to print his sefer, his boat was attacked by bandits near Maltese, forcing him to jump into the water and abandon his writings on board. Eventually, he was able to reconstruct his writings from memory, and printed them in Italy with the help of his contemporary kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Zacuto, the Ramaz, who composed a long poem that was printed in the introduction to this sefer
During his stay in Venice, Rabbi Nosson Nutta Hanover, famed kabbalist and author of Shaarei Tzion which was reprinted in multiple editions, sought his guidance and wisdom. Rabbi Nosson Nutta cleaved to Rabbi Chaim who became a powerful influence in his life, enhancing his knowledge and grasp of kabbalah and providing his student with a direct line to the teachings of his own master, Rabbi Chaim Vital. Rabbi Nosson Nutta thus became the next link in the golden chain of the Arizal’s Torah. He would later print Rabbi Chaim Hakohen’s famed liturgical poem “Kol barama nishmah” which is recited during Tikkun Chatzos in his sefer Shaarei Tzion.
Venice, 1654. First & only edition was not reprinted. [6], 473, [5] leaves. Page size: 29.5 cm. Light water stains. Last page reinforced. Antique half-leather binding.
The title page features the owner’s signature of famed philanthropist Rabbi Yochanan Shlomo Catzigin of Casale, dated 1701 he is known as well for assisting Rabbi Nosson Shapira print his kabbalistic work Matzas Shimurim.
