Manuscript, Sefer Yirat Hashem – ethics and selected laws and customs, by R. Zechariah son of R. Saadiah Korach. [Yemen, ca. 18th/19th century].
Neat Yemenite script. Black ink on paper, with decorations in red ink. Additions in "windows" within text. Lacking title page, and lacking one or more leaves at end.
The author, a Yemenite rabbi of ca. the first half of the 17th century, contemporary and peer of R. Yitzchak Wanneh Rabbi of Ma'bar. The present work is based primarily on Sefer HaYirah by R. Yonah of Gerona, expanded with selections from ethical, kabbalistic and halachic works, including: Menorat HaMaor, Reshit Chochmah, Sefer Charedim, the writings of R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Yehudah Chayat, R. Moshe di Trani, R. Menachem di Lonzano, Rashbatz, Levush, and more.
On the first page of the introduction (p. 2a), the author cites a Talmudic teaching, adding his own comments: "The Rabbis taught: Four things require encouragement… Therefore I, Zechariah son of R. Saadiah called Korach, have selected passages from the books of the Rabbis discussing these four things, that I might save myself; and one who comes to be purified is granted assistance… And I named this book Sefer Yirat Hashem, in order to differentiate it from Sefer HaYirah by Rabbeinu Yonah the Pious, even though most of his words are incorporated in this book…".
Notably, the NLI has a manuscript (Ms. 4448) with a copying of a similar work called Sefer HaYirah by R. Zechariah son of Saadiah Korach with selections from ethical works, where the author writes that he named the book Sefer HaYirah after the eponymous work by R. Yonah. Y. Ratzabi documents another manuscript of the same work called Sefer HaYirah, scribed in 1815 by Yitzchak son of Yehudah HaLevi al-Najar (see: Areshet, V, 1972, Y. Ratzabi, MiSifrut Yahadut Teiman, pp. 165-166; Y. Ratzabi, Toratan Shelivnei Teiman, p. 249).
Thus the author R. Zechariah Korach originally named the work Sefer HaYirah after the eponymous work by R. Yonah, until he realized that this led to confusion between the two works, leading him to rename the work to Sefer Yirat Hashem in later recensions in order to differentiate the two. The present work appears to be a revision with the updated name.
Another manuscript of the present work is documented in Halachah UMasorah, XI, pp. 213-217, with facsimiles of the manuscript.
The author, R. Zechariah Korach "HaKarchi" – contemporary and peer of R. Yitzchak Wanneh Rabbi of Ma'bar (south-central Yemen) in the first half of the 17th century, author of Paamon Zahav on the Tiklal – who quotes the Tiklal commentary of R. Zechariah HaKarchi.
The author's father, R. Saadiah son of Yosef Korach, brother of R. Shalom son of Yosef Korach, author of Sefer HaSegulot (an early Yemenite kabbalist, ca. 1625). R. Saadiah was one of the prominent teachers of R. Yitzchak Wanneh, who praises him with many honorifics in his introduction to Rechev Elohim (Anaf Etz Avot, II, p. 912, note 1). In his Tiklal commentary, R. Yitzchak Wanneh also cites halachot from R. Saadiah's Sefer HaYirah [apparently, the father R. Saadiah Korach also authored a Sefer HaYirah which is no longer extant]. Another R. Zechariah Korach (son of Yosef, rather than Saadiah) is cited in R. Yachya Dahiri's Sefer HaMusar (p. 210).
On p. 114a, illustration of Lamnatzeach menorah (Tehillim 67 written in the form of a seven-branched menorah). On previous page (p. 113b), interesting preface mentioning a traditional Segulah to recite this psalm during the Omer period so as not to be damaged all year, also stating that it was engraved on a golden plate on the shield of King David.
2-114 leaves. 16.5 cm. Varying condition, good-fair to fair. Stains, wear and tears. Worming and open tears to several leaves, repaired with paper. New binding, with parchment spine.
