Auction 72 - Rare and Important Items
Manuscript – The Ari's Writings – Mevo Shearim, Sefer HaGilgulim, Pri Etz Chaim – Hitherto Unprinted Sections – Kabbalistic Illustrations – Europe, Early 18th Century
Opening: $6,000
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000
Sold for: $10,000
Including buyer's premium
Manuscript volume, containing several works of the Ari's kabbalah, by his disciple R. Chaim Vital (Maharchu). [Europe, ca. early 18th century].
The volume contains the following compositions: Mevo Shearim, Sefer HaGilgulim, Parts III-IV of Pri Etz Chaim, and kavanot for mikveh immersions and yichudim of Kabbalat Shabbat corresponding to the weekly Torah portions (see details below), some with hitherto unprinted sections and revisions. Fine scribal writing in cursive Ashkenazi script, with marginalia containing glosses and corrections.
The volume is divided into four sections, each of which opens with a title page. The center of each title page is inscribed by hand, with borders decorated using the printed woodcut borders of the Keter Yosef siddur (Berlin, 1699), cut from its title page and reapplied here (this is a woodcut that was commonly used by printing presses in Berlin and Frankfurt an der Oder; it bears the Tetragrammaton on top and the German eagle on bottom). Hence, it appears that this volume was written close to that time.
The content of this manuscript:
1. Sefer Toldot HaAdam (Mevo Shearim) authored by R. Chaim Vital and arranged by R. Natan Shapira (see: Y. Avivi, Kabbalat HaAri, II, pp. 703-704), containing the glosses of R. Y. Tzemach and R. M. Zaccuto (Kol HaRemez).
Part III contains an additional chapter – Chapter 18, which does not appear in the printed editions; the first edition (Korets, 1783) closes this part with Chapter 17. This chapter was added, apparently by the compiler of this manuscript, from other writings of the Ari (teachings from Derech Etz Chaim and from Pri Etz Chaim are cited). Following this appears Chapter 19, which while absent in the abovementioned Korets edition, does appear at the end of Part III of the second printed edition (Salonika, 1806, edited by R. Sh. Molcho, p. 80a).
Many glosses appear in this section, including glosses of "Tzemach" and "Kol HaRemez" as well as some completions of omissions and errata (in one place, a leaf with a gloss was cut and folded to protect the gloss from being trimmed).
2. Part II of Sefer Gilgulim by R. Chaim Vital.
Sefer HaGilgulim was printed in two separate redactions: one by R. M. Poppers, printed in Frankfurt am Main in 1684 (see Y. Avivi, pp. 653, 656), and another by R. N. Shapira, printed in Przemysł in 1875 (see Y. Avivi, pp. 708-710). Both redactions comprise 36 chapters, which are followed by chapters of selections. The chapters of selections were called by some "Part II", as mentioned by Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Sieniawa, author of Divrei Yechezkel, in his introduction to the Przemysł 1875 edition.
This manuscript apparently contains a third redaction, which was never printed (possibly the original redaction of R. Y. Tzemach, found in MS Bodleian 1867, leaf 364 and onwards – see Y. Avivi, p. 610 – which we did not inspect).
3. Pri Etz Chaim, Part III, Tikunim for sins that R. Chaim Vital received from the Ari.
Appearing in a "window" within the text on the first page is an enumeration of nine things which sanctify a person, the only other known source for which is Shenei Luchot HaBrit (p. 242a), quoting "the holy writings of the disciples of the Ari".
4. Pri Etz Chaim, Part IV, Shaar HaYichudim by R. Chaim Vital that he received from the Ari.
At the end of the volume – kavanot for mikveh immersions and yichudim of Kabbalat Shabbat corresponding to the weekly Torah portions.
Only the kavanot of mikveh immersions for the weekly portions of Toldot through VaYigash and the weekly portion of Shemot appear here, and the yichudim of Kabbalat Shabbat only appear for the portions of Vayigash through Shemot. To the best of our knowledge, this composition has never been printed.
Several kabbalistic illustrations, angelic script, and various forms and combinations of Divine Names.
The following are some additions which to the best of our knowledge have never been printed: Section 1, p. 73b, bears a long gloss in a "window" within the text; Section 4, p. 38a, contains two glosses opening with the letters "A.M." [Says Meir?]; ibid, p. 40a, in parentheses: "It seems to me, Meir…"; ibid, p. 48b, a gloss in a "window": "It seems to me to correct…".
Stamp of "Jews' College, London" on the first leaf. Stamp of Daniel Itzig (on the second leaf and on p. 41b), and an ownership inscription on p. 10a: "R. Daniel Berlin" – R. Daniel Yoffe (Itzig) of Berlin (1723-1799), a community head and the primary leader of the Jewish communities of Berlin and Prussia from 1764 until his passing in 1799. He was an avid collector of books and manuscripts and established a library and study hall in his home, for the use of rabbis and scholars, whom he also supported financially. R. Yosef Teomim, the Pri Megadim, composed most of his books in the house of R. Daniel Yoffe in Berlin, and he acknowledges and thanks him in the prefaces of his books.
[231] written leaves (original foliation on some leaves). 19.5 cm. Good condition. Stains and dampstains. Tears and wear. Last leaves are in fair condition, with damage and coarse tears, repaired. New binding.
Provenance:
1. The Beth Din & Beth HaMidrash Collection – London, MS 88.
2. Christie's, New York, June 1999, lot 73.
The volume contains the following compositions: Mevo Shearim, Sefer HaGilgulim, Parts III-IV of Pri Etz Chaim, and kavanot for mikveh immersions and yichudim of Kabbalat Shabbat corresponding to the weekly Torah portions (see details below), some with hitherto unprinted sections and revisions. Fine scribal writing in cursive Ashkenazi script, with marginalia containing glosses and corrections.
The volume is divided into four sections, each of which opens with a title page. The center of each title page is inscribed by hand, with borders decorated using the printed woodcut borders of the Keter Yosef siddur (Berlin, 1699), cut from its title page and reapplied here (this is a woodcut that was commonly used by printing presses in Berlin and Frankfurt an der Oder; it bears the Tetragrammaton on top and the German eagle on bottom). Hence, it appears that this volume was written close to that time.
The content of this manuscript:
1. Sefer Toldot HaAdam (Mevo Shearim) authored by R. Chaim Vital and arranged by R. Natan Shapira (see: Y. Avivi, Kabbalat HaAri, II, pp. 703-704), containing the glosses of R. Y. Tzemach and R. M. Zaccuto (Kol HaRemez).
Part III contains an additional chapter – Chapter 18, which does not appear in the printed editions; the first edition (Korets, 1783) closes this part with Chapter 17. This chapter was added, apparently by the compiler of this manuscript, from other writings of the Ari (teachings from Derech Etz Chaim and from Pri Etz Chaim are cited). Following this appears Chapter 19, which while absent in the abovementioned Korets edition, does appear at the end of Part III of the second printed edition (Salonika, 1806, edited by R. Sh. Molcho, p. 80a).
Many glosses appear in this section, including glosses of "Tzemach" and "Kol HaRemez" as well as some completions of omissions and errata (in one place, a leaf with a gloss was cut and folded to protect the gloss from being trimmed).
2. Part II of Sefer Gilgulim by R. Chaim Vital.
Sefer HaGilgulim was printed in two separate redactions: one by R. M. Poppers, printed in Frankfurt am Main in 1684 (see Y. Avivi, pp. 653, 656), and another by R. N. Shapira, printed in Przemysł in 1875 (see Y. Avivi, pp. 708-710). Both redactions comprise 36 chapters, which are followed by chapters of selections. The chapters of selections were called by some "Part II", as mentioned by Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam of Sieniawa, author of Divrei Yechezkel, in his introduction to the Przemysł 1875 edition.
This manuscript apparently contains a third redaction, which was never printed (possibly the original redaction of R. Y. Tzemach, found in MS Bodleian 1867, leaf 364 and onwards – see Y. Avivi, p. 610 – which we did not inspect).
3. Pri Etz Chaim, Part III, Tikunim for sins that R. Chaim Vital received from the Ari.
Appearing in a "window" within the text on the first page is an enumeration of nine things which sanctify a person, the only other known source for which is Shenei Luchot HaBrit (p. 242a), quoting "the holy writings of the disciples of the Ari".
4. Pri Etz Chaim, Part IV, Shaar HaYichudim by R. Chaim Vital that he received from the Ari.
At the end of the volume – kavanot for mikveh immersions and yichudim of Kabbalat Shabbat corresponding to the weekly Torah portions.
Only the kavanot of mikveh immersions for the weekly portions of Toldot through VaYigash and the weekly portion of Shemot appear here, and the yichudim of Kabbalat Shabbat only appear for the portions of Vayigash through Shemot. To the best of our knowledge, this composition has never been printed.
Several kabbalistic illustrations, angelic script, and various forms and combinations of Divine Names.
The following are some additions which to the best of our knowledge have never been printed: Section 1, p. 73b, bears a long gloss in a "window" within the text; Section 4, p. 38a, contains two glosses opening with the letters "A.M." [Says Meir?]; ibid, p. 40a, in parentheses: "It seems to me, Meir…"; ibid, p. 48b, a gloss in a "window": "It seems to me to correct…".
Stamp of "Jews' College, London" on the first leaf. Stamp of Daniel Itzig (on the second leaf and on p. 41b), and an ownership inscription on p. 10a: "R. Daniel Berlin" – R. Daniel Yoffe (Itzig) of Berlin (1723-1799), a community head and the primary leader of the Jewish communities of Berlin and Prussia from 1764 until his passing in 1799. He was an avid collector of books and manuscripts and established a library and study hall in his home, for the use of rabbis and scholars, whom he also supported financially. R. Yosef Teomim, the Pri Megadim, composed most of his books in the house of R. Daniel Yoffe in Berlin, and he acknowledges and thanks him in the prefaces of his books.
[231] written leaves (original foliation on some leaves). 19.5 cm. Good condition. Stains and dampstains. Tears and wear. Last leaves are in fair condition, with damage and coarse tears, repaired. New binding.
Provenance:
1. The Beth Din & Beth HaMidrash Collection – London, MS 88.
2. Christie's, New York, June 1999, lot 73.
Manuscripts – Kabbalah
Manuscripts – Kabbalah