Manuscript
Siddur with Kavanos of Arizal
Europe, 18th Century
Siddur with prayers for the entire year with Kabbalistic intentions and customs, based on the siddur edited by the great kabbalist Rabbi Meir Poppers.
This manuscript bears the distinguished provenance of a talmid of the Chasam Sofer and features his handwritten annotations.
The siddur encompasses prayers for the entire year, beginning with prayers for weekday and Shabbos, Yamim Nora’im and festivals, Hakafos, Tikkun Chatzos, order of daily study and rituals, zemiros for Shabbos with commentary, kavanos during Tekios, Haggadah shel Pesach with kavanos, Sefiras Haomer with kavanos, and more.
The manuscript is written in Ashkenazic calligraphy with neat, attractive letters, Kabbalistic charts and an illustration of the menorah. Titles and the first words of every paragraph appear in large block bordered letters along with Kabbalistic illustrations.
This siddur is based on works of the saintly Kabbalist Rabbi Meir Poppers (d. 1662) who compiled the writings of the Arizal regarding intentions of prayers and the daily order of conduct and arranged them within the format of the present siddur which was disseminated widely among Kabbalists, Gedolim and Chassidic masters. Siddurim based on Rabbi Meir Poppers’ work would eventually gain renown under several titles including Siddur Ha’Ar”i (Zolkova, 1781); Siddur Rabbi Asher (Lvov, 1788); and Siddur Rabbi Shabsai miRashkov (Koritz, 1794), although there are marked differences between the manuscripts and the printed versions of these siddurim.
The first page features the owner’s signature:
“The youth and humble Gavriel Leib son of my father Rabbi Nosson Halevi”, and the siddur itself boasts several signed annotations by the same owner. One opens with the words, “
Gavriel Leib said” while the others are merely signed “
Gavriel”. The said Gavriel is none other than Rabbi Gavriel Halevi Dessauer, Av Beis Din of Balaton Kémer, Hungary.
Rabbi Gavriel Halevi Dessauer (1805-1878) was the son of Rabbi Nosson Halevi, Dayan of Nitra, and a talmid of the Chasam Sofer. In his recommendation letter, the Chasam Sofer described his disciple: “He learned Torah in our Yeshivah and surpassed all his friends greatly”. He also inscribed a letter of approbation for Rabbi Gavriel’s seder Keses Gavriel (Pressburg, 1838). At the behest of the Chasam Sofer, Rabbi Gavriel copied a manuscript encompassing an anthology of teshuvos from the era of the Geonim (see manuscripts, National Library 3777F). Rabbi Gavriel was also a prolific author, and his printed legacy includes Yad Gavriel on Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah, Keses Gavriel on Iyov and much more.
Europe, 18th century. 205 leaves (410 sides).
Page Size: 17×22.5 cm. Thick, high-quality paper with slight stains.
Condition: First leaves have minor damage to margins; otherwise in good condition.
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