Bidspirit auction | Raza Meheimna by the kabbalist

Raza Meheimna by the kabbalist R. Yitzchak Eizek HaLevi of Żurawica – Lviv, 1791 – First Edition - Raza Meheimna  by the kabbalist R. Yitzchak Eizek HaLevi of Żurawica – Lviv, 1791 – First Edition Raza Meheimna, kabbalistic secrets of the Hebrew alphabet, by the kabbalist R. Yitzchak Eizek HaLevi of Żurawica. Lviv, [1791]. First edition. The author, kabbalist R. Yitzchak Eizek HaLevi (d. 1783), was a shochet and bodek in Żurawica, a village near Przemyśl. In the approbations to this book, the author is described as a hidden tzaddik who lived in utter poverty in seclusion in the forest, passionately and fervently serving G-d. The author of Brit Kehunat Olam recounted that ”tears would stream from his eyes when slaughtering an animal”. R. Yitzchak Eizek is said to have requested of the Yismach Moshe (who in his youth lived in nearby Przemyśl) that he come and study kabbalah under his tutelage, however, the Yismach Moshe was not well acquainted with him and refused. R. Yitzchak Eizek was dispirited by the refusal of the Yismach Moshe and therefore, before his death, instructed that all his kabbalistic writings be buried with him because the world is not worthy of them. After his passing, the Yismach Moshe greatly regretted his refusal and, wishing to do good to the soul of the author, arranged that his writings be copied and those copies be buried in his grave, leaving the original manuscripts to be prepared for print. The Yismach Moshe himself oversaw the copying, editing and printing of this book (see preface of the publisher and Tehilla L'Moshe, Sighet 1906, pp. 3b-4a).