Prayerbook with Kavvanot (Kabbalistic Meditations) of Shalom Sharabi, Scribe: Natan ben Joseph, Jerusalem: 1881

5 volumes (11 x 8 1/2 in.; 280 x 220 mm). Unpaginated; written on thick paper with brown ink in late 19th century Oriental semi-cursive and square scripts. Vol. I on ruled paper; vols. II-V blind ruled. Numerous diagrams. Lightly browned. Marbled endpapers. Vol. I, contemporary emerald crushed morocco, gilt extra, cartouche in center gilt-tooled, supralibros; vols. II-IV, marbled edges, 18th c. tree-calf, gilt extra, deeply embossed cartouche at center. Paper labels on spine. Rubbed.

Shalom Shar'abi (1720-1777) was a charismatic eighteenth-century Yemenite Rabbi considered by his acolytes to be divinely inspired by the prophet Elijah. Shar'abi initiated what is still the most active school of mysticism in contemporary Middle Eastern Jewry. This meditative tradition continues to rise in popularity not only in Jerusalem where it originated but throughout the Jewish World.

As a young man Sharabi emigrated to Jerusalem where he attended the kabbalistic yeshiva Bet El, founded in 1737 by the renowned kabbalist Gedaliah Hayon, whom Sharabi succeeded in 1751. Among the characteristic mystical practices of Bet El most closely associated with the writings and personality of Sharabi are the infusion of ritual prayers with mystical "intentions," or kavvanot. The kavvanot themselves are the product of thousands of years of development and incorporate many traditions and bodies of lore, the principle aspect of which is the meditation on God's sacred names during the recitation of prayers.

The first volume bears the supralibros inscription of Grand Rabbi David Biderman of Lelov (1844-1918), scion of the Lelov dynasty of Hasidim who accompanied his father, Elazar Mendel and grandfather, Moses of Lelov, to the Holy Land in 1851, the first Hasidic dynasty whose Grand Rabbis took up residence in Jerusalem. Vols. II-V were purchased by the present owner from a descendant of the Biderman family.

These volumes represent a significant portion of Sharabi's kavvanot for both daily and holiday prayers:

Vol I, labeled Hatzot u-Birkat ha-Shahar [Midnight Vigil and Morning Blessings]. Also contains the kavvanot for recitation of Shma before retiring and annulment of vows.

Vol II. contains kavvanot for Rosh ha-Shanah, Yom Kippur night, The Amidah (eighteen blessings), Tahanun, Alenu, Sanctification of the New Moon and the holiday of Purim.

Vol III contains kavvanot for entering the synagogue and the daily morning prayer service (until Borchu.)

Vol IV contains kavvanot for Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hakkafot, and Na'anuim (waving of the Lulav or palm frond.)

Vol V is entirely comprised of kavvanot for Sefirat ha-Omer (the enumeration of the forty-nine day period between passover and Shavuot.)