Ḳav ha-yashar

All notes by Chaim Meiselman: BHB seems to be mistaken on the variants printed by Wust. notes From the YIVO Encyclopedia, entry ’Mysticism and Mystical Literature’: [Kav ha-Yashar:] ... an ethical-kabbalistic collection of stories, moral guidance, and customs, it reflects a deliberate effort to popularize Safedian Kabbalah by adopting a much more understandable style in Hebrew; a Yiddish translation by the author reflects a similar approach. Together with kitsurim (condensations) of Shene luḥot ha-berit, popularizing works such as Shevet musar, and pamphlets offering guidance for daily conduct in light of kabbalistic practice (hanhagot), Kav ha-yashar anticipated the popularization of Kabbalah by Hasidic masters in the vernacular, which started a generation later. This is a variant of the two original prints of the work ’Ḳav ha-yashar’ by Tsevi-Hirsch Kaidanover. Steinschneider (op. cit.) notes two variants very similar printed by Johannes Wust in Frankfurt-am-Main in 1705-6 (depending on how one calculates the chronogram). The reason stated for the variants are different chronograms, with references to Shabbetai Tsevi, the false messiah of the 17th century. While the easy explanation can be attributed to the author’s name (Tsevi-Hirsch), the references at the time were considered overtly Sabbatean. Chronograms included: ו’תרא ’אותו’ כי ’טוב’ לפ"ק - in gematariah הוי רץ כצבי, a standard innuendo to Sabbetai’s messianism. This description (’rats ke-tsevi’) was used numerous times over the 18th century to accuse individuals of covert belief and teaching of Sabbetai-Zevi’s being the messiah. Printed in small script with block headers; a ledge separates the header from the text. references Benjacob, I. Otsar ha-sefarim, p. 515 #3 Friedberg, B. Bet eked sefarim, v.3 p. 882 #26 (#1) Steinschneider, M. Cat. librorum hebraeorum, p. 2755 #7429 (1)