The Chayun Controversy: Tochachas Megulah VeHatzad Nachash by Kabbalist Rabbi Yosef Ergas
London, 1715
The sefer ‘Tochachas Megulah VeHatzad Nachash’ against "the notorious abomination", the Sabbatean Nechemiah Chiya Chayun.
Composed by the saintly kabbalist Rabbi Yosef Ergas, author of ‘Shomer Emunim’ and among the greatest Rabbanim of Italy.
The first part of the sefer contains a small pamphlet called ‘Tochachas Megulah’ about the kabbalistic system in general and against Chayun. This pamphlet was initially published separately and in response, Chayun wrote a pamphlet called ‘Shalheves Kah’. To ‘Shalheves Kah’ Rabbi Yosef Ergas responded with an additional work, which comprises the majority of the present sefer, called ‘HaTzad Nachash’, in which he proves how Chayun distorted his words.
At the beginning of the sefer is an introduction by the famous opponent, Rabbi Moshe Chagiz, who reviewed the sefer at the author’s request.
Very rare polemic pamphlet!
See in catalog additional rare pamphlets from this controversy.
The saintly kabbalist, Rabbi Yosef Ergas (1685-1730), author of ‘Shomer Emunim’, was among the greatest scholars of Italy and an outstanding genius in Hidden and Revealed Torah, to the extent that great later Achronim, the author of ‘Mishneh LeMelech’ and the author of ‘Machaneh Ephraim’, wrote about him: "And all the people… shall not turn from him right or left." (Shu”t Divrei Yosef end of section 39).
He fought forcefully against Nechemiah Chayun and compiled against him the present sefer ‘Tochachas Megulah VeHatzad Nachash’.
London, 1715.Singular edition. Page Count: [2], 62 leaves.
Size: 18.8 cm.
Condition: Good. Beautiful new leather binding.
A leaf in Ashkenazi script is bound before the title page, from Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Moshe Doctor of Lissa, containing words against those who destroy religion and among them, he mentions "the enemy and adversary" Chiya Chayun.
Provenance: Lunzer-Valmadonna Collection.
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The "Nachash" Controversy (Nechemiah Chiya Chayun)
Before his Sabbatean nature became known to the world, Nechemiah Chiya Chayun (c. 1668-1730) earned the respect of many great Rabbanim in Europe of that time and even received haskamas for his writings from Rabbi David Oppenheim of Prague and the kabbalist Rabbi Naftali Katz, author of ‘Semichas Chachamim’.
In 1713 he printed his work ‘Oz L’Elokim’ containing Sabbatean heresy and apostasy, and afterwards arrived in Amsterdam and only distributed this work to his close associates.
After one copy was secretly smuggled for review by the Chacham Tzvi and Rabbi Moshe Chagiz, these Rabbanim began to wage a total war against him. A major battle began to develop between Chayun’s opponents on one side, and the Portuguese community in Amsterdam on the other which supported Chayun, during which the Chacham Tzvi was forced to resign from his position as Av Beis Din of the city’s Ashkenazi community.
After some time, Chayun too was forced to abandon the city and wandered throughout Europe until he died in 1730 in an unknown location. Though this calmed the controversy, its echoes persisted for many years.
During the passionate controversy, many polemic pamphlets were printed, and stormy letters were sent to Rabbanim in all corners of the world. Halachic rulings were issued on some of the controversial writings, instructing them to be burned. This is why almost no original documents from this controversy have survived.
Apparently, due to the strong control of the Portuguese community in Dutch Amsterdam, it was not possible to print material there against Chayun, and therefore the pamphlets were sent to London to be printed.
