Sefer Hayetzirah
First Edition
Mantua, 1562
Sefer Yesod!
Fundamental, ancient kabbalistic work attributed to Avraham Avinu with early commentaries attributed to the Rasag, Raavad, Ramban, the Baal Rokeach and the Spanish kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Butril.
Sefer Yetizrah
Sefer Yetzirah is one of the oldest known kabbalistic works, and also one of the most trusted, as evident from the commentaries of the Arizal and Vilna Gaon.
Without a doubt, Sefer Yetzirah is the single most fundamental kabbalistic sefer along with the Sefer Hazohar by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
The present sefer encompasses kabbalistic formulas shaped in a circle that are intended for the combination of Holy Names that can be calculated by inserting a smaller circle into the middle of the large one. For this purpose, the last pages of the sefer boast a large page of small circles which is meant to be cut and connected into the interior of the larger circles. In this very rare copy of Sefer Yetzirah, all small circles were cut out of the original folded chart and glued into the relevant pages on leaves 8b, 10b, 33a and 77a.
The leaf from which the above mentioned circles were cut out is an exceedingly rare find and missing from the majority of extant copies of this sefer. Neither the Jerusalem National Library nor the Bibliography of Hebrew Books has even a record of it in their respective bibliographies. The present sefer, however, has every part of the page cut out and added into the proper place.
Mantua, 1562. First Edition. Page Count: 108 leaves.
Page Size: 20.5 cm.
Condition: Good with elaborate new leather binding and matching case.
Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod #333
Provanance: Lunzer-Valmadonna Collection
Although the sefer attributes one of the commentaries to the Rasag it has been verified that the rasa”g did not author this commentary. His actual commentary was printed recently in the Kapach edition.
In his preface to Eitz Chaim, Rabbi Chaim Vital writes that the commentary attributed to the Raavad was likewise not written by him, but authored by a great kabbalistic sage.
Regarding the Ramban’s commentary, the Ramak in Pardes Rimonim notes that “We haven’t yet confirmed that this commentary is the Ramban’s.”
The Rokeach’s commentary is abridged from its original form and printed in completion in Premishla, 1883.
Distinguished provenance!
This sefer belonged to prominent Italian Rabbanim and scholars.
1. The title page features the autograph of
Rabbi Yaakov Daniel Ulamo along with a record of the purchase of the sefer from
Rabbi Shmuel Baruch Borgi.
Rabbi Yaakov Daniel Ulamo (d. 1757) was the Av Beis Din of Ferrara and author of Eden Aruch (Venice, 1743). He had the privilege of meeting the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh in Ferrara (see Rabbi Chananel Nifi, Zatzal, p. 137).
Rabbi Shmuel Baruch Borgi (d. 1737) was an esteemed Torah scholar inFerrara, a dayan on the Beis Din of Mahari Lampronti, and the author of Pachad Yitzchak. He received semichah from the Ramaz.
2.
Rabbi Yaakov Baruch Cohen Vitaly was an august Italian sage. He is mentioned by Rabbi Chananel Nifi, ibid p. 225).
3.
Rabbi Yosef Chaim Yareh was Av Beis Din of Ferrara and Mantua in the 19th century.
…………………………………
Any inquiries about this lot ?
