Reshit Chochmah

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In Kabbalah, the Reshit Chochmah is an important book on mysticism, ethics, and morality (musar), written by the 16th century scholar Rabbi Eliyahu di Vidas. It is based largely on the Zohar. Its name literally translates into “the beginning of Knowledge.”

The book is about the measure of the God's body, and was originally published in Warsaw in 1883. Reshit Chochmah describes a method of meditation that combines visualization and permutation of some letters, and is believed to impart the reader with a sense of purity and holiness, if studied on a regular basis. The book presents a combination of ethical and moral teaching with Kabbalah. The book shows the path to the uninitiated to enter the world and wisdom of Kabbalah. In a very understandable style, the book explains to the reader the ways to attain a higher level of Divine awareness which the Holy One wishes His beloved people, Israel. The book was written in a very easy and understandable style and continues to be popular since its publication.

[edit] Other information

The Shi'ur Komah is a Rabbi Moses Cordovero (16th century). Some sources said that this book was written in 11th century.