Lot : 26

Commentary on Megillas Esther!

Manos Halevi
First Edition. Venice, 1585

Start price: $2,000

Est. Price: $3,000 - $5,000

Commentary on Megillas Esther!

Manos Halevi

First Edition. Venice, 1585

Megillas Esther with the classic lengthy commentary of the great kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo Halevi Elkabetz. This is a unique copy with a rare added page by the Rema of Pano (see below). This commentary was authored by Rabbi Shlomo Elkabetz in 1529 when he was only 24 years of age. As a chosson, he sent it to his father-in-law on Purim as mishloach manos (see leaf 1a).

During this era, many of the great sages of Tzfas authored commentaries on the five megillos, yet the very first one was Manos Halevi by Rabbi Shlomo Elkabetz.

The saintly kabbalist
Rabbi Shlomo ben Moshe Halevi Elkabetz (1500-1576) was one of the great sages of Tzfas who is most famous for composing the piyyut Lecha Dodi, sung in Jewish congregations around the world to welcome the Shabbos.

Rabbi Shlomo Elkabetz was the brother-in-law and spiritual master of the Ramak (see preface to Pardes Rimonim). A famous legend recounts that he learned together with Rabbi Yosef Karo one Shavuos night when a Maggid appeared to them from the heavens and taught them Torah, as Rabbi Shlomo himself divulged:
“Hashem granted we should hear the Voice speaking to us from the mouth of the chassid [Rabbi Yosef Karo]…a powerful Voice… All the neighbors heard but did not understand. It was so pleasant, and the Voice grew stronger and more powerful, and we fell on our faces…in fear…” (Shnei Luchos Habris).

Rare sefer! This copy contains an additional leaf inserted into the sefer. In this copy, on leaf 231b, directly after the words of Mahari Beirav, there is a printed essay by the Rema of Pano explaining the Zohar’s teachings on shalosh seudos. A closing statement by the proofreader Rabbi Yitzchak Gershon is printed on a separate leaf. Other known copies of this edition omit the Rema of Pano’s essay and replace it with the letter by Rabbi Yitzchak Gershon.

Venice, 1585. First Edition. Page Count: [4],

231, [1] leaves.
Page Size: 18.5 cm.
Condition: Good. New leather binding.

Bibliography: Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod#15

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