The rare first edition of an enormously popular work of musar.

Despite their temporal and geographic distance from one another, Rabbis Moses Nahmanides (1194-1270) and Elijah ben Solomon Zalman of Vilna (1720-1797) had much in common: encyclopedic intellects, significant engagements with esoteric teachings, and strong affinities for the Holy Land. Both men journeyed there, in 1265 and before 1783, respectively, although only Nahmanides arrived successfully. Both also composed ethical wills in the form of letters to members of their families in the course of their travels. Nahmanides sent his letter to his son Nahman (first edition: Mantua, 1623), while R. Elijah directed his missive to his mother, wife, and children. The combination of these two texts under the title Sefer alim li-terufah (a play on the dual meaning of the word aleh = leaf; see Ezek. 47:12) proved fortuitous, and the book was reprinted (of🐼ten with Yiddish translation) seven times in the next thirty years alone. To this day students continue to probe these ✃documents for their wisdom and religious depth.