"Foundation of Jewish Prayer and Tikkun Chatzos" – Shaarei Tzion, Prague 1682 – Printed During the Author's ...

"Foundation of Jewish Prayer and Tikkun Chatzos" – Shaarei Tzion, Prague 1682 – Printed During the Author's Lifetime!

Shaarei Tzion, containing seven sections on topics including Tefillah, Tikkun Chatzos, Kavanah for Krias Shema, Tikkun Yom Kippur Katan, Leshem Yichud, personal prayers, and requests, all based on the teachings of the Arizal and his disciples, by the holy Kabbalist, Rabbi Nosson Neta Hanover zt”l. Printed in Prague, 1682, during the lifetime of the sacred author!

The sefer Shaarei Tzion is a foundational work for tefillos and bakashos according to the path of the Arizal, and it has been printed in numerous editions. It had a major influence on the custom of reciting Tikkun Chatzos—a core element of Klal Yisrael’s tefillah.

The holy Kabbalist Rabbi Nosson Neta Hanover, author of Shaarei Tzion (passed away 20th of Tammuz, 1683), was one of the early great mekubalim. In his youth, he lived in Ostroh, and some say he was a talmid of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli zt”l. After marrying, he moved to Zaslaw, but due to the persecutions of the years 1648–1649, he fled with the Jewish communities to Italy (his escape is described in his renowned work on those persecutions, Yeven Metzula). During this time, Rabbi Nosson Neta traveled as a maggid and delivered derashos in various cities. He also mentions a sefer of his derashos titled Neta Sha'ashuim (which was never printed).

In Italy, he encountered the mekubal Rabbi Chaim HaKohen, author of Tor Barak, a talmid of the Maharach Vital, who taught him Kabbalah. He also met Rabbi Nosson Shapiro, author of Matza Shmura, who gave him access to the kisvei ha’Arizal that he had brought with him. Rabbi Nosson Neta diligently studied these writings and authored his famous sefer Shaarei Tzion based on them. He served as Rav in several cities, including Yassy and Focșani, and toward the end of his life in Ungarish Brod. Some claim that Rabbi Nosson Neta was martyred during the Kuruc uprisings in 1683. His other works include Shaarei Tzion and Yeven Metzula. One of his well-known piyutim, Ana Kel Yotzer Hakol, is still sung in Chassidic circles such as Satmar and Sanz before Hakafos on Simchas Torah.

This is a rare edition and is not complete in the Seforim catalogs.

51 leaves, good condition, some staining, bound in a beautiful binding with gold embellishments.