Sefer HaIyun

Midrash Aggadah Sefer HaIyun

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 15, 2025

"The Book of Ayun (Insight)": Secrets in Kabbalah regarding the matters of God's existence. The author of "Siftei Yeshenim" attributed it to Rabbi Chamai Gaon, and Rabbi Shem Tov in "The Book of Beliefs" (Gate 4, Chapter 7) wrote: "And in 'The Book of Ayun' by Rabbi Chamai, the head of the matters, the great Kabbalist from the sages of the Mishnah (the earliest code of rabbinic law) and the Talmud, etc." Brecanti, in his commentary on Genesis, on the verse "And Enoch walked [with God]", wrote: "In this language, Rabbi Chamai wrote in his book called 'The Book of Ayun', 'Do not be tempted to focus your heart on it during prayer', end quote. It can be found in the manuscript of the Rad"a, its beginning was printed in the book 'Lekutim' from Rav Hai Gaon, section 5, and its end is there under the name 'Shaar HaShamayim' by Rabbi Yitzhak Giktillia (Warsaw, 1898)."

Themes

Prayer Divine Names Writing Wisdom Kabbalah

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