אמר יוסף בן כספי: אחר ההודעה לאל ית׳ אשר נתן חכמה אל הרב רבינו משה נר אלוקים נר ישראל אשר באורו נראה אור, אתחיל ואומר הכוונה1מ: הכונה בספר הזה לכתוב כל מה שנוכל מסתרי התורה שלא ראינו לכתוב בספר מצרף כסף וטירת כסף ומזרק כסף ומנורת כסף. וקראתי ספר זה יורה דעה, דמיון אל שם מורה התורה, כי זה פירושם. ויכונה2מ: מכונה על שמי גביע הכסף הוא אשר ישתה אדוני בו. ואתחיל במכוון בע״ה.3מ: ב״ה **Parenthetical insertions in the body of the translated text have been inserted by the translator to facilitate a clearer understanding of Kaspi’s text. Scriptural verses are translated in accordance with the 1917 JPS translation. Hence the tetragrammaton is rendered as “Lord”; ’Elokim as “God.” Annotation
In the notes that follow, references to the chapters in Part I of this book are given in arabic numbers (e.g., Chapter 1) and references to chapters of the Gevia‘ Kesef are given in roman numbers (e.g., chap. I).Joseph Ibn Kaspi said: After giving thanks to God, who bestowed wisdom on our teacher Moses, the light of God and the light of Israel, in whose light we see light,11. These terms refer to Moses Maimonides, not Moses the lawgiver, for these honorifics are used by Kaspi elsewhere to describe Maimonides. See, for example, “our teacher Moses” (MK II 294; AS I 68); Maimonides as the source of illumination is mentioned on AK I 46, 51, 111. I will begin by saying that the intention of this work is to write whatever I can regarding the secrets of the Torah that I did not see fit to write in the Maṣref La-Kesef, Ṭirat Kesef, Mizraḳ Kesef, and Menorat Kesef.22. In the chapter introducing the Gevia‘ Kesef, the relation of these works to the Gevia‘ Kesef has been discussed. I have called this book Yoreh De‘ah (“The Guide to Knowledge”),33. In all the references to the Gevia‘ Kesef in Kaspi’s writings, this name is not found. One reason for mentioning this name in this context might be the desire to indicate the importance of this work as a source of knowledge. In the Munich MS of the Ḳevuṣat Kesef, another name, ’Oṣar ’Adonai, is mentioned. similar to the name Moreh Ha-Torah (“The Guide to the Torah”), for that is its meaning. Its agnomen reflecting my own name is Gevia‘ Kesef (“The Silver Goblet”), “it is that in which my lord drinketh.”44. Gen. 44:2, 5. We can begin with what is intended, with the help of the Lord.