Perhaps one who delves into this book will think that its author gathered all of its laws in his effort and his good research from the words of the Tannaim (early Talmudic sages) and the Amoraim (later Talmudic sages). And if this were so, it would require that the author be an expert in all of the corners of our Gemara — the Babylonian and the Jerusalem [Talmuds], the Sifra, the Sifrei and the Tosefta. Hence he who knows himself and what wisdom he has is fitting to publicize the truth to all who listen to his voice. And he should not make the unblemished craft of God into “a bow of duplicity” and trickery, as one who is glorified “by the children of foreigners,’ as a weak one that arms himself with ‘the shields of the mighty,” as a lowly one among men who crowns himself with the crowns of kings. Behold he calls — from his place he informs and testifies with trustworthy testimony to all readers that the majority of the words of the book are taken from the books of the pillars of the world that are famous in stature and wisdom from all of the nations: Rabbi Yitschak Alfasi (Rif) and Rabbi Moshe bar Maimon (Rambam), they should be remembered for the good. “The statute of the firstborn,” the glory and the greatness in this book is theirs. And [also] upon the “three-fold strand” in wisdom, understanding and knowledge is Rabbi Moshe bar Nachman, may his memory be blessed. He composed a very esteemed book about the tally of the commandments besides several, several precious compositions. These are the “mighty ones from yore” who spent most of their time clarifying the words of the Sages, blessed is their memory. They “plunged into the powerful waters” and brought up pearls in their hands from the words of the Gemara. And the day that we came to their sanctuary and to the room of their instruction, we found “a well of living waters, gardens and orchards, loaves and vessels of cloth” set up there. I said, “With what would it be pleasing to serve in front of the mighty ones, as they have already clarified all the things for us? Would it not be in ordering the six hundred and thirteen commandments according to the [weekly readings]? Perhaps the youths will be more stimulated in them from this; they will put their hearts into them on Shabbat and holidays; and return from going crazy in the plaza of the cities, “to the light of the living light.” The delicate children will ask, “one to his neighbor,” “How many are the commandments of this Shabbat,” and the land will be full of “knowledge and foresight.” And behold the explanation of each one is arranged in front of them, and without toil will they find pleasing words in their listings. The holy seed will be blessed from God — “they and their children and all that they have in all of the places of their dwellings.” And I will be included in the blessing with them. And I bring an oath with the ineffable name [of God] upon any transcriber [of this book], that he write this letter at its beginning — and [so] life and peace shall be with him — in order that all will give its splendor and its glory to its bearer and its parent. And may one who corrects any error after concentrated investigation receive his full compensation from the Omnipresent God. And let there be peace upon Israel, amen.
אוּלַי יַחְשֹׁב מְעַיֵּן בְּסֵפֶר זֶה, שֶׁהַמְּחַבְּרוֹ קִבֵּץ כָּל דִּינָיו בִּיגִיעוֹ וְטוּב עִיּוּנוֹ מִדִּבְרֵי הַתַּנָּאִים וְהָאָמוֹרָאִים. וְאִלּוּ כֵן הָיָה, יִתְחַיֵּב לִהְיוֹת הַמְּחַבֵּר בָּקִי בְּכָל פִּנּוֹת גְּמָרָתֵנוּ בַּבְלִית יְרוּשַׁלְמִית וְסִפְרָא וְסִפְרֵי וְתוֹסֶפְתָּא. לָכֵן הוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ עַצְמוֹ וְחָכְמַת מֶה לוֹ, רָאוּי לְפַרְסֵם הָאֱמֶת לְכָל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלוֹ, וְאַל יַעֲשֶׂה מְלֶאכֶת הַשֵּׁם תְּמִימָה, כְּקֶשֶׁת רְמִיָּה בִּצְדִיָּה וְעָרְמָה, כְּמִתְהַדֵּר בְּיַלְדֵי נָכְרִים, כְּחַלָּשׁ מִזְדַּיֵּן בְּשִׁלְטֵי הַגִּבּוֹרִים, וְכִשְׁפַל אֲנָשִׁים מִתְעַטֵּר בְּכִתְרֵי הַמְּלָכִים. הִנֵּה הוּא קוֹרֵא מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, מוֹדִיעַ וּמֵעִיד עֵדוּת נֶאֱמָנָה לְכָל קוֹרֵא בּוֹ, שֶׁרֹב דִּבְרֵי הַסֵּפֶר נִלְקָטִים מִסִּפְרֵי עַמּוּדֵי הָאָרֶץ הַמְפֻרְסָמִים בְּמַעֲלָה וְחָכְמָה בְּכָל הַגּוֹיִם, הָרַב רַבִּי יִצְחָק אַלְפָסִי וְהָרַב רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה בַּר מַיְמוֹן, לְטוֹבָה זְכוּרִים. לָהֶם מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּכוֹרָה הַהוֹד וְהַגְּדוּלָּה בְּחִבּוּר זֶה. וְאֶל הַחוּט הַמְשֻׁלָּשׁ בְּחָכְמָה בִּתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת, הָרַב רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה בַּר נַחְמָן זַ"ל, הוּא חִבֵּר סֵפֶר נִכְבָּד מְאֹד בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַמִּצְוֹת, לְבַד כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה חִבּוּרִים יְקָרִים. אֵלֶּה הַגִּבּוֹרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם, שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ רֹב זְמַנָּם לְבָרֵר דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים לִבְרָכָה זִכְרָם, צָלְלוּ בְּמַיִם אַדִּירִים וְהֶעֱלוּ מִדִּבְרֵי הַגְּמָרָא פְּנִינִים בְּיָדָם, וְיוֹם בּוֹאֵנוּ אֶל בֵּית מִקְדָּשָׁם וְאֶל חֶדֶר הוֹרָאָתָם, מָצָאנוּ שָׁם בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים, גַּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִים, גְּלוּסְקָאוֹת וּכְלֵי מֵילָת לְפָנֵינוּ עֲרוּכִים. אָמַרְתִּי בַּמֶּה אֶתְרַצֶּה לָבוֹא לְשַׁמֵּשׁ לִפְנֵי הַגִּבּוֹרִים, וּכְבָר בֵּרְרוּ לָנוּ הֵם כָּל הַדְּבָרִים, הֲלֹא בְּסֵדֶר תרי"ג מִצְוֹת עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַסְּדָרִים, אוּלַי יִתְעוֹרְרוּ יוֹתֵר בָּהֶן מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ הַנְּעָרִים, יָשִׂימוּ לֵב בָּהֶם בְּשַׁבָּתוֹת וּבַחַגִּים, וְיָשׁוּבוּ מֵהִשְׁתַּגֵּעַ בִּרְחוֹב הֶעָרִים, לֵאוֹר בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים, אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ הַיְלָדִים רַכִּים, יִשְׁאֲלוּ מִצְוֹת שַׁבָּת זוֹ כַּמָּה, וּמָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דַּעַת וּמְזִמָּה. וְהִנֵּה פֵּרוּשׁ כָּל אַחַת נָכוֹן לִפְנֵיהֶם, וּמִבְּלִי יְגִיעָה יִמְצְאוּ דִּבְרֵי חֵפֶץ בְּסִימָנֵיהֶם, זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ יִתְבָּרְכוּ מֵאֵל הֵם וּבְנֵיהֶם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם, בְּכָל מְקוֹמוֹת מוֹשְׁבוֹתֵיהֶם, וַאֲנִי בִּכְלַל הַבְּרָכָה עִמָּהֶם. וּמַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי בַּשֵּׁם הַמְּיֻחָד לְכֹל מַעְתִּיקוֹ, שֶׁיִּכְתֹּב אִגֶּרֶת זוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, וְהַחַיִּים וְהַשָּׁלוֹם יִהְיוּ אִתּוֹ, לְמַעַן יִתְּנוּ הַכֹּל הוֹדוֹ וְתִפְאַרְתּוֹ, לְיוֹלְדוֹ וּלְהוֹרָתוֹ. וְהַמְּתַקֵּן בּוֹ כָּל שְׁגִיאָה אַחַר הָעִיּוּן הַמְכֻוָּן, מֵאֵל שַׁדַּי תִּהְיֶה שְׁלֵמָה מַשְׂכֻּרְתּוֹ, וְשָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמֵן.
Perhaps one who delves into this book will think that its author gathered all of its laws in his effort and his good research from the words of the Tannaim (early Talmudic sages) and the Amoraim (later Talmudic sages). And if this were so, it would require that the author be an expert in all of the corners of our Gemara — the Babylonian and the Jerusalem [Talmuds], the Sifra, the Sifrei and the Tosefta. Hence he who knows himself and what wisdom he has is fitting to publicize the truth to all who listen to his voice. And he should not make the unblemished craft of God into “a bow of duplicity” and trickery, as one who is glorified “by the children of foreigners,’ as a weak one that arms himself with ‘the shields of the mighty,” as a lowly one among men who crowns himself with the crowns of kings. Behold he calls — from his place he informs and testifies with trustworthy testimony to all readers that the majority of the words of the book are taken from the books of the pillars of the world that are famous in stature and wisdom from all of the nations: Rabbi Yitschak Alfasi (Rif) and Rabbi Moshe bar Maimon (Rambam), they should be remembered for the good. “The statute of the firstborn,” the glory and the greatness in this book is theirs. And [also] upon the “three-fold strand” in wisdom, understanding and knowledge is Rabbi Moshe bar Nachman, may his memory be blessed. He composed a very esteemed book about the tally of the commandments besides several, several precious compositions. These are the “mighty ones from yore” who spent most of their time clarifying the words of the Sages, blessed is their memory. They “plunged into the powerful waters” and brought up pearls in their hands from the words of the Gemara. And the day that we came to their sanctuary and to the room of their instruction, we found “a well of living waters, gardens and orchards, loaves and vessels of cloth” set up there. I said, “With what would it be pleasing to serve in front of the mighty ones, as they have already clarified all the things for us? Would it not be in ordering the six hundred and thirteen commandments according to the [weekly readings]? Perhaps the youths will be more stimulated in them from this; they will put their hearts into them on Shabbat and holidays; and return from going crazy in the plaza of the cities, “to the light of the living light.” The delicate children will ask, “one to his neighbor,” “How many are the commandments of this Shabbat,” and the land will be full of “knowledge and foresight.” And behold the explanation of each one is arranged in front of them, and without toil will they find pleasing words in their listings. The holy seed will be blessed from God — “they and their children and all that they have in all of the places of their dwellings.” And I will be included in the blessing with them. And I bring an oath with the ineffable name [of God] upon any transcriber [of this book], that he write this letter at its beginning — and [so] life and peace shall be with him — in order that all will give its splendor and its glory to its bearer and its parent. And may one who corrects any error after concentrated investigation receive his full compensation from the Omnipresent God. And let there be peace upon Israel, amen.