[Avodah] Tu B'Shevat - Pri Eitz Hadar . yemach shmo on a Jew

[M Cohen]

The reliablility of the book Chemdat Yamim has been discussed on Avodah
before.
I was unaware that the sefer Pri Eitz Hadar is of the same source (see
below)
Is this well known? (true?)

a secondary question - 
does the velt apply the phrase 'yemach shmo' to a Jew
as he uses it below wrt shabbatai zvi? 

Mordechai Cohen


Tu BiShvat seder controversy
Rabbi Yoel Lieberman

Question:
Many practice the Tu BiShvat seder by following, reading, and singing from
the 
kaballistic books Chemdat Yamim and Pri Etz Hadar. Unfortunately, these
works 
have been proven to come from followers of the false messiah shabbatai zvi,
may 
his name be wiped out.

Chemdat Yamim was written by a shabbatian follower (and uses notarikons of 
Nathan of Gaza in the piyyutim), while Pri Etz Hadar was written by Nathan
of 
Gaza, the false "prophet" for shabbatai who built the movement. Why then are

these works still used? Are there any grounds in benefiting from them?

Answer:
Rav Ya'akov Emden zt"l disqualifies the book Chemdat Hayamim as being
written by 
Nathan of Gaza. Without getting into the whole debate of the validity of
this 
claim whether right or wrong, somewhat among Ashkenazim Rav Ya'akov Emden's 
attitude has been the prevalent one towards the book. However, Rav Moshe
Tzuriel 
Shlita wrote a long article on the subject and showed eighty "Gedolei
Yisrael" 
who either praised the book or quoted from it. Rabbi Chaim Palagi,
(1788-1868, 
Izmir ,Turkey) for example, gave great acclaim to the book. 

The book Pri Etz Hadar is an excerpt from Chemdat Hayamim. So we are back to

square one in our attitude to this book as well.
Many years ago I personally asked Rav Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita (May Hashem
grant 
him a refu'ah Shleima) about this issue and he told me that among Sfaradim
the 
book, Chemdat Hayamim has not been disqualified. In halacha sheets with
rulings 
of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita , he says about he eve of Tu b'shvat: "There
are 
those who have the custom of reading from the book 'Pri Etz Hadar'. The book
Pri 
Etz Hadar also has been reprinted by Rabbis today. 

If you are in a Yeshiva, then you should consult your Rabbi as what to do.
If 
you are unsure you may refrain from using these books without vilifying
them.