Auction 49 Part I - Books, Chassidism, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters

Manuscript of Otzrot Chaim – Morocco, 18th Century

Opening: $500
Unsold
Complete manuscript, Otzrot Chaim, writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital, with commentaries and glosses of Rabbi Natan Shapira, Rabbi Moshe Zakut and Rabbi Binyamin HaCohen as well as additional glosses on the margins. Especially handsome writing, in Oriental Rashi script [Morocco?, beginning of the 18th century]. The page titles are written in special calligraphic writing, characteristic to the North-African region, with notes on the general content of the book and on the content of the chapters. For example, this title appears on many pages: "From new homiletics received by Rabbi Chaim Vital from the Ari and the commentaries of the Remez [Rabbi Moshe Zakut] and the Nasi [Rabbi Natan Shapira] and the Bach [Rabbi Binyamin Cohen Netriya]. Apparently, the manuscript was written between 1698 and 1730 since the Remez died in 1798 and here after his name appear the words "of blessed memory". However, the Rabach died in 1830 and here he is referred to with the title for the living. Most of the homiletics and glosses which appear in this manuscript were printed in the books Otzrot Chaim and Mevo She'arim and the minority of them can be found in Zohar HaRakia and in other books by Rabbi Chaim Vital. The book Otzrot Chaim, like most of the writings of the Ari and of Rabbi Chaim Vital, was edited by Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach and Rabbi Natan Shapira. The order of the homiletics differs from that which was printed in Otzrot Chaim, but this order is found in other manuscripts from the time. The pages are written in small attractive writing. The glosses and additions were mostly incorporated in "windows" beside the text and sometimes as additions on the wide margins. [131] leaves, more than 250 written pages. 19 cm. High-quality paper, fair condition, much worming to text. Unbound.
Moroccan and North African Jewry – Manuscripts and Letters
Moroccan and North African Jewry – Manuscripts and Letters