Chemdat Yamim, mussar and conduct, according to Kabbalah and the teachings of the Arizal. Parts 1-4: For Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Festivals, the month of Elul, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. [Venice, 1793]. Title pages and titles in red ink.
On the title page of Part 3: signature of Rabbi Refael Ochana who signs "Me the R.O.H." Several glosses in Oriental writing, signed: "A.M.R.A." "R.A.H.".
Rabbi Refael Ochana (1850-1902), renowned Tiberias Torah scholar was born in Meknes, Morocco and in 1865 immigrated to Eretz Israel. In 1881, he traveled to Bukhara as emissary of the Tiberias Kollel and was the first to bring charity boxes of R' Meir Ba'al Ness to Bukhara. He wrote many books: Shir Chadash (Jerusalem, 1889), Yishuv Ma'aravi (Jerusalem, 1896), Tovat Mareh, (Jerusalem, 1897, Mareh HaYeladim (Jerusalem, 1900), etc.
Chemdat Yamim and the identity of its author are the focus of an intense controversy. A manuscript of the book reached the Kabbalist Rabbi Ya'akov Yisrael Elgazi from anonymous hands. the first edition of the book was printed in Izmir in 1731-1732. Rabbi Ya'akov Emden was the first who fiercely opposed the book claiming that it was written by Natan Ha'Azati – the "Prophet" of Sabbatai Zevi, and that it was full of Sabbatean beliefs. Following Rabbi Ya'akov Emden, many communities banned the book. However, many others defended the book. the Jerusalem Kabbalist Rabbi Menachem Menchin Halprin wrote a work titled Kevod Chachamim in which among other things, he specified the fact that Chemdat Yamim was approbated and recommended by leading rabbis. the identity of the author, and whether he was a G-dly Kabbalist or a Sabbatean is still unknown (See: E. Ya'ari, Ta'alumat Sefer"; D.S. Kosovsky, Otzar Chemdat Yamim).
4 volumes, 25-25.5 cm. Varying condition. Some volumes have worming and stains. New bindings.