Obj. ID: 35492  Norcia Raphael ben Gabriel, Sefer Seʼah solet, Marpe la-Nefesh and Oraḥ Ḥayyim, Amsterdam, 1757

This text was prepared by William Gross:

This volume as well as the set of three books by Raphael Norzi in which it was published are found in two printings in the Gross Family Collection: one of white paper and other on blue paper. This book on Musar is bound with the other two, W1751 and 1752. These are the second edition of these compositions, the first having been published in Venice in 1578-79.
These are three ethical works by R. Raphael ben Gabriel Norzi (Norsa, da Norcia, 1520–1583?). Norzi was motivated to write these books to serve the religious needs of the public. Although others preceded him, he undertakes this work because most men have neither the time nor the training to master many learned works, and cannot swim in the mighty waters. R. Norzi will provide a summary of the best thought on religion and conduct for those who wish to improve their understanding in these fields. These works represent a unified approach: Se’ah Solet on the essentials of life; Marpe la-Nefesh on fundamental concepts; and Orah Hayyim on ethics. Underlying all is the belief that faith is of central importance, as philosophy cannot supply a firm foundation for Jewish spirituality.

This edition, the copy on blue paper, has an additional composition, "Tochachat Megulah", that does not appear in the regular edition, B.193.