Manuscript of Sefer Etz Chaim (Derech Etz Chaim); exceptionally unique version including additions and glosses which do not appear in other manuscripts. Fine and eloquent Ashkenazi writing. By copyist Rabbi Yerachmiel son of Menachem Nachum of Rzeszów, (1747).
The copyist, apparently a prominent Kabbalist, notes upon title page that this manuscript was copied “under extraordinary and intensive supervision from two books of Etz Chaim”; the first, a manuscript from Safed from well-known library of the Ga’on Rabbi David Oppenheim Av Beit Din of Prague “comprised of additional chapters… which are not included in the Etz Chaim books of these countries”. The second book is from “the manuscript of some genius, which was extensively proofread”, including “many glosses by his disciples”.
On title page it is also noted that “this book contains an additional virtue, which is inexistent in any other Etz Chaim book; we have copied and drawn the tree, which was found among the Kabbalists, and was copied by an ancient scholarly Kabbalist” – apparently the blank 16 leaves at the end of the volume were designated for the copying of the “holy tree” which was never completed.
Sefer Etz Chaim (Derech Etz Chaim) was written and edited by Kabbalist Rabbi Meir Paprosh based on writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital. Writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital which he received from the Ari were written in many pamphlets and in various compositions, however were archived by him. The manuscripts were discovered by Rabbi Ya’akov Tzemach and other Kabbalists who craved to study from the Torah of the Ari and Rabbi Chaim Vital. A portion of these pamphlets, which were not in order, were discovered, and Kabbalists labored to edit and arrange them, thereby forming several compositions. Between 1646 and 1650 Rabbi Meir Paprosh edited a complete edition of all the pamphlets and compositions which were in his possession. He arranged them in three sections: ‘Derech Etz HaChaim’, ‘Pri Etz Chaim’ and ‘Nof Etz Chaim’. Derech Etz Chaim was copied many times; its first printed edition was in the Kyritz printing press in 1782, followed by several other editions.
Majority of manuscripts are similar in order of chapters and wording to the abovementioned edition, however, some vary slightly and include the rare version which was copied from the first edition of Rabbi Meir Paprosh (for additional information at length see attached article).
The uniqueness of this manuscript is that it was edited based upon several manuscripts, by comparison of versions of distinguished manuscripts which were in possession of the copyist, who paid close attention to the slight variations between the books and completed that which was missing while noting the source of each passage which does not appear in the other manuscripts.
Everything stated here is in accordance with assessment of Rabbi Yosef Avivi, who describes the value of this manuscript in a lengthy article (of 4 pages), attached.
1-196, (leaves 197-198 blank), 199-205 leaves; (16 blank leaves). 33 cm. Approx. 45 lines per page. Wide margins, quality paper, good condition. Foxing. Torn binding, missing spine.