Manuscript of the book Adam Yashar, interpretations on the Ari teachings by Rabbi Chaim Vital. Antique Ashkenazi calligraphy from the early 17th century.
The “Adam Yashar” has been edited by Rabbi Ya’akov Tzemach, based on the manuscripts of the second edition of Rabbi Chaim Vital’s writings found in a Jerusalem Geniza. In the foreword of his book Kol Ba-Rama, Rabbi Ya’akov Tzemach writes about how he discovered the writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital in Jerusalem and how he edited them; he also mentions the importance of the “Adam Yashar”: “…And at the end of my first year in Jerusalem, I have come across a few new interpretations, many of which do not appear in any book, even in those who belong to the son of Rabbi Chaim Vital, and those are very profound insights, which were all written through Divine inspiration by Rabbi Chaim Vital himself in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak Ashkenazi… and Rabbi Chaim buried those writings away in a Geniza, and in time, some of them faded or tore… some of those leaves were scattered and with Hashem’s help I have been able to put those interpretations in their correct order and turned them into five books bearing the following titles: 1 - Kehilat Ya’akov 2 - Olat Tamid, which deals with all prayer related matters. 3 - Adam Yashar, which - as the title indicates - encompasses the essential pieces of those interpretations, and which I consider to be most important since it contains great novelty and additions…”. (See enclosed material).
The book was stored away in manuscript copies for over 200 years since it was written, until it was first printed in 1885 in Cracaw, based on a manuscript left in the holy bequest of the “Divrei Chaim” of Sanz.
The present manuscript is an earlier copy, which was apparently written close to the time the book was first authored.
Owner’s signature: “Meir Heitzfeld”.
[103 leaves], 10 cm. High quality paper and fine writing, illustrated title page from later period. Good condition, light restorations on the edges of several leaves. New, parchment binding.