Auction 70
Lot 90:
Handwritten leaf – Viku’ach Livni Veshimi – in dialogue format, Rabbi Emmanuel Frances defends his brother, Yaakov, who objected to the study of Kabbalah following the Sabbatean Movement. Written by the an expert copyist. Florence, 18th Century.
The brothers, who were great poets, wrote sharply against the Sabbatean Movement. Rabbi Yaakov also spoke at against the study of Kabbakah in general, which led to a fierce dispute. In this poem, his brothger, Emmanuel, defends his brother.
This manuscript was copied by a Ben Torah copyist, who omitted some sharp passages and expressions. Mounted on verso of the leaf is a small piece of paper stating that he found the controversial poem in Florence.
The Viku’ach was published for the first time in 1893 by Rabbi Dr. Chjaim Brodi and then in a Diwan by Rabbi Emmanuel edited by Dr. Shimon Bernstein (Tel Aviv, 1932). There are some lingual variations (see Hebrew catalog text).
This is a rare documentation of an imporrtant dispute regharding the study of Kabbalah whose influnce extends to this day.
[1] leaf, written on one of its sides. On its verso, a small pieace of paper is mounted. 23X12 cm.
Fair-good condition. Tears and wear to the right edges, affecting the top of some words. Stains. Erasures and smeared ink.
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