Manuscript, Etz Chaim – teachings of the Arizal from R. Chaim Vital, edited by R. Meir Poppers with glosses by R. Yitzchak of Posen, scribed by R. Yisrael son of R. Asher of Seltz (Sialiec). [Altona, first half of the 18th century, 1729?].
Particularly neat and meticulous, tiny cursive Ashkenazic script. The manuscript opens with an illustrated title page, and is decorated throughout with splendid illustrations and ornaments, inspired by the title pages and decorative elements found in 18th century Hebrew books printed in Germany and the surroundings, as well as by the typography and decorative elements used by 17th century Amsterdam printers (the illustrations even reproduce the fine lines seen in woodcuts or engravings; manuscripts created by artists of the Moravian school of art were similarly influenced by printed illustrations and ornaments, see Shalom Sabar, Seder Birkat HaMazon, Vienna, 1719/20; see below). The page layout, the initials words and the design of the letters in this manuscript all follow this style.
The illustrated title page depicts Moses and Aaron, angels, and other figures. Besides decorated initial words and various ornaments, the manuscript fratures kabbalistic diagrams and illustrations. It concludes with various kabbalistic illustrations, including circles representing the various Olamot, Ilan Sefirot illustrations, and more. A title page on leaf 215 depicts two lions holding a shield topped with a crown; the shield inscribed: "Glosses relating to the book Etz Chaim" (the leaves which follow contain glosses from the school of R. Moshe Zacuto, later printed at the end of the book Mevo She'arim, Jerusalem 1904).
A chapter from the book Mevo She'arim and a text printed at the end of Sefer Yetzirah (Warsaw 1884) were copied at the end of the volume.
A large plate at the end of the manuscript, folded in three, depicts an Ilan Sefirot – decorated diagram of Hishtalshelut HaOlamot, comprised of circles (some intersecting).
Large open tears to title page, affecting text. The remaining text indicates the book title, a chronogram (possibly incomplete) and part of the scribe's name.
The scribe of this manuscript is R. Yisrael son of R. Asher of Seltz, son-in-law of R. Yuspa Buchbinder of Altona. Four other manuscripts of the book Etz Chaim are known to have been scribed by him (all four with splendid title pages, illustrations and ornaments inspired by engravings and other elements used in printed works): Bodleian Library – Oxford, Mich. 620 (Neubauer 1673), scribed in 1724; Jewish Museum – Prague, Ms. 69, scribed in 1730; National Library of Denmark – Copenhagen, Ms. Hebr. 43, scribed in 1749; Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad – Brooklyn, Ms. 1188. The title pages of these manuscript all state that they were scribed by R. Yisrael son of R. Asher of Seltz, son-in-law of R. Yuspa Buchbinder of Altona.
The chronogram on the present title page indicates the year 1729 (though it is possible that additional letters were marked in the lacking part of the chronogram, resulting in a later year).
The present version of Etz Chaim is different to the one printed in Korets in 1782. According to R. Yosef Avivi, this is the first redaction of R. Meir Poppers. This redaction was in the possession of R. Yitzchak of Posen, who added his own glosses. This manuscript includes the glosses of R. Yitzchak of Posen, which were written by one of his sons-in-law (these glosses were published by Avivi in his essay Glosses on the Book Etz Chaim by R. Yitzchak of Posen, Moriah, year XIII [1984], issues 1-2, pp. 33-34). These glosses were integrated by the scribe of this manuscript in in-text "windows", in smaller script.
On the title page, later stamps of several generations of the Schlesinger family: "Dr. L. Schlesinger, Hamburg Schlump 11" [his stamp also appears on p. 219a; this is presumably Rabbi Dr. Lipman son of R. Elyakim Getzel Schlesinger, dayan in Hamburg and disciple of the Aruch LaNer, see: B.Z. Jacobson, Esa De'i LemeRachok, p. 54]; "David Schlesinger, Wien"; "Elyakim Schlesinger of Jerusalem… London"; "David Schlesinger, Tel Aviv…". Handwritten ownership inscription: "This book is from the estate of my father, R. David Schlesinger; belongs to both of us, Elyakim and Ze'ev Nachum Schlesinger". Stamps on the title page and in other places: "Moshe ChalfIn".

[3], 27, [1], 27-170, 172-173, 175, 178-219 leaves; [1] large plate folded in three. Lacking leaves 171, 174, 176-177. 36.5 cm. Fair-poor condition. Entire manuscript damaged due to oxidation and ink erosion. Significant browning to text block on many leaves; text occasionally almost illegible. Closed and open tears, with extensive damage to text. Large open tears to title page and several other leaves. All leaves (including folded plate) coated with tissue paper; some paper repairs. Part of title page text and illustration completed by hand. New leather binding.

Reference: Shalom Sabar, Seder Birkat HaMazon, Vienna, 1719/20 – The Earliest Known Illuminated Manuscript by the Scribe-Artist Aaron Wolf Schreiber Herlingen of Gewitsch, in Zechor Davar LeAvdecha: Essays and Studies in Memory of Prof. Dov Rappel, edited by Shmuel Glick and Avraham Grossman, Jerusalem: The Center for Jewish Educational Thought in Memory of Dov Rappel, Lifshitz College, pp. 455-472.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, GR.011.012.