Leaf Handwritten by Rabbi Chaim Vital – From His Work Etz HaDaat Tov

Leaf Handwritten by Rabbi Chaim Vital – From His Work Etz HaDaat Tov
Manuscript, homilies, handwritten by the author R. Chaim Vital. [Safed, ca. second half of 16th century].
Leaf written on both sides. Over 70 lines handwritten by R. Chaim Vital; part of his work Etz HaDaat Tov.
The present leaf contains two eulogy homilies upon the death of Torah scholars. The first is a brief homily for Parashat Shelach: " Eulogy... for this deceased man who was well-rounded. I then eulogized the Holy Land itself, which has lost its righteous inhabitants...". The second is a homily for Parashat Noach, and also pertains to a "Torah scholar who passed away". This homily is incomplete. At the end of the second page, R. Chaim Vital writes about the deceased: " I was surprised... this deceased person was amongst the elite of the generation, how could he have died through the attribute of strict justice. I reconsidered and said... it is due to the sins of the generation". The identity of the prominent Torah scholars eulogized by R. Chaim Vital in these homilies is not known to us.
The holy kabbalist R. Chaim Vital (Maharchu) was the foremost disciple and transmitter of the teachings of the holy Arizal. He was born in 1542 in Safed, which was at the time the spiritual center for eminent and G-d fearing Torah scholars. R. Yosef Karo, author of Shulchan Aruch, led the Torah scholars of the city at that time, including the Ramak, R. Shlomo Alkabetz (author of Lecha Dodi), the Mabit, R. Moshe Alshech and others. R. Chaim Vital studied Torah from R. Moshe Alshech, leading disciple of the Beit Yosef. In his book Sefer HaChezyonot, R. Chaim Vital mentions his studies under the Alshech in 1557 (at the age of 14), and relates that R. Yosef Karo instructed his teacher R. Moshe Alshech that year, in the name of the angel who spoke to him, to be very conscientious to teach him with all his might. R. Moshe Alshech also ordained R. Chaim with the authority of the semicha he himself received from R. Yosef Karo. Concurrently, R. Chaim Vital began studying Kabbalah in the study hall of R. Moshe Cordovero, the Ramak. In 1570, R. Yitzchak Luria, the Arizal, moved from Egypt to Eretz Israel and settled in Safed. That year, the Ramak died and the Arizal succeeded him. The Arizal's eminence was recognized in Safed and R. Chaim Vital became his closest disciple and the supreme authority on the Arizal's kabbalistic teachings.
R. Chaim Vital began writing Etz HaDaat Tov in his youth, prior to becoming a disciple of the Arizal, yet continued writing and editing the work thereafter. Unlike other works by R. Chaim Vital, of which many transcripts were produced, this work remained uncopied (apart from one partial transcription). The Chida attests in his book Shem HaGedolim (Maarechet Sefarim, in his entry): "Etz HaDaat Tov in manuscript, composed by R. Chaim Vital, homilies on the entire Torah using various approaches. Very pleasing, and I had the merit of reading it". The original composition handwritten by R. Chaim Vital reached the library of the Beit El yeshiva for kabbalists owned by the Gagin family, and sections of it later reached different places (two sections ["gates"] of the composition were part of the collection of the Imrei Emet of Ger; about the manuscript's wanderings, see: Ohel Re'em, by R. Moshe Hillel, pp. 283-287). Publication of the manuscript only began in 1871, when part of it was published in Zhovkva. Additional parts were later printed in various places (in Jerusalem, 1903 and 1906; the part on Tehillim was printed together with the novellae of the Sfat Emet, Piotrkow 1926). A full edition of the composition based on the manuscript was published in Jerusalem 2008, including the present section.
[1] leaf (two pages handwritten by R. Chaim Vital). 20.5 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dampstains and several dark stains, affecting several characters. Ink faded in upper part of leaf. Tears and worming, slightly affecting text, professionally restored with paper. Placed in elegant leather binding.