Auction 58 Rare and Important Items
Oct 31, 2017 (Your local time)
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LOT 15:

Manuscript - Otzrot Chaim - "Western" Editing, With Hitherto Unprinted Glosses by Kabbalists Rabbi Avraham Azulai ...

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Manuscript - Otzrot Chaim - "Western" Editing, With Hitherto Unprinted Glosses by Kabbalists Rabbi Avraham Azulai and Rabbi Avraham Ibn Musa - Morocco, 18th Century
Manuscript, Otzrot Chaim, Ari's teachings by R. Chaim Vital, with "western" editing, and hitherto unprinted glosses by Kabbalists R. Avraham Azulai and by R. Avraham Ibn Musa. [Morocco, 18th century].
Western-Sephardi script, with many marginalia.
Otzrot Chaim was edited by R. Ya'akov Tzemach, with Seder HaAtzilut as R. Chaim Vital heard from his teacher the Arizal. Since the book does not contain the entire Seder HaAtzilut, Moroccan kabbalists re-edited the book and incorporated several She'arim of the book Mevo She'arim. This is a manuscript of the composition with "western" editing, which incorporates several she'arim of Mevo She'arim. This version only exists in manuscripts which were copied in North Africa and was first printed in Livorno in 1849.
This manuscript was enriched by glosses of eminent 18th century Moroccan kabbalist, R. Avraham Azulai (died in 1741), one of the teachers of R. Shalom Buzaglo, author of Mikdash Melech on the Zohar, and R. Avraham Ibn Musa (died 1733), disciple of R. Ya'akov Marrache of Tetouan. Their glosses are signed with the initials "A.A" [Avraham Azulai] and with "A.B.M." [Avraham ben Musa].
The Chida relates about R. Avraham Ibn Musa (Shem HaGedolim) that he would debate on kabbalistic topics with R. Avraham Azulai of Marrakech, apparently regarding their glosses on Otzrot Chaim; and seems to indicate that the disagreement between them was apparent in their glosses. Some of their glosses were printed in the Livorno edition, however, these printed glosses do not reveal any dispute between the two luminaries. On the other hand, in Ginzei Meir Benayahu, a pamphlet exists with a copy of the glosses of R. Avraham Azulai and of R. Avraham Ibn Musa. These glosses were copied as a separate entity, not on the sheets of the book Otzrot Chaim and the pamphlet contains glosses not printed in Livorno and indeed, disagreements and disputes between the two kabblists are apparent (see: M. Benayahu, R. Avraham Ibn Musa and his son R. Moshe: Of the leading spokesmen of the Ari's kabbalistic teachings in North Africa, Sefer Michael 5, Tel Aviv, 1978, pp. 22-24). Some of these glosses were printed before the 1844 Livorno edition as an independent booklet within the book Mekom Binah, Salonika 1813, however, there too, the glosses were not printed in their entirety.
This manuscript contains all the glosses, but here they are incorporated into the book sheets - each gloss in its appropriate place, and the debates mentioned by the Chida are manifest. R. Yosef Avivi, expert of manuscripts of the kabbalistic teachings of the Arizal, writes of the significance of this manuscript: "I do not know of any other manuscript of Otzrot Chaim with the notations of R. Avraham Azulai and of R. Avraham Ibn Musa in their entirety and each in its appropriate place on the sheets of the book".
As aforementioned, some of these glosses were printed in the book Mekom Binah, Salonika 1713, and some in the 1748 edition of Otzrot Chaim, Livorno, but some of these glosses have never been printed.
Ownership inscriptions: "Shlomo son of Masud", "Mordechai…" "Masud Karkus".
[141] leaves (and many blank leaves at the beginning of the volume). Incomplete manuscript. Original pagination appears at the top of the leaves: 25-165. Approximately 23 cm. Fair condition. Stains, dampstains. Wear and tears. One detached leaf. Tears affecting text in several places. New leather binding.
Written according to the (enclosed) article by R. Yosef Avivi - expert of manuscripts of the kabbalistic teachings of the Ari.

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