Manuscript, Kol Barama - Commentary on the Idra Rabba, by Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach - 18th Century - Kabbalistic ...

Manuscript, Kol Barama - Commentary on the Idra Rabba, by Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach - 18th Century - Kabbalistic Manuscript Which Belonged to the Chatam Sofer
Manuscript, Kol Barama, commentary on the Idra Rabba, according to the writings of the Ari and his disciple Rabbi Chaim Vital, by Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach. [Europe, 18th century]. This manuscript was owned by the Chatam Sofer. Later it was owned by the kabbalist Rabbi Daniel Frish of Jerusalem [author of Matok M'Dvash], who added to it his handwritten notes.
Neat Ashkenazi script. Complete manuscript (without title page), contains a commentary on the Idra Rabba [not on the Idra Zuta]. The version of the Idra Rabba appears in enlarged letters in the center surrounded by the commentary written in smaller letters.
This manuscript belonged to R. Moshe Sofer, Rabbi of Pressburg and author of the Chatam Sofer, and it was passed in his family estate. A picture of part of the manuscript appears in the book Minhagei Rabboteinu V'Halichotehem - Rabbeinu HeChatam Sofer [edited by Rabbi Akiva Menachem Sofer Rabbi of Erlau], Jerusalem 2011, p. 526.
Enclosed is an authorization of the provenance of the manuscript by R. Shimon Sofer Rabbi of Erlau, who attests that the manuscript was inherited from his father, the Ktav Sofer, who inherited it from his father, the Chatam Sofer.
Although the Chatam Sofer was primarily celebrated in his capacity as posek of thousands of responsa and as head of a yeshiva and venerable leader, he was also an acclaimed kabbalist, amazingly proficient in its wisdom. His two illustrious teachers, R. Natan Adler and R. Pinchas HaLevi Horwitz, author of the Hafla'ah were leading kabbalists and he learned much kabbalah from them. The Chatam Sofer owned an important collection of Kabbalistic manuscripts as affirmed by his grandson R. Shlomo Sofer Rabbi of Bergsaß (Berehove) (Chut HaMeshulash HeChadash, Jerusalem 2000, pp. 55-56). A manuscript of the Arizal's teaching owned by the Chatam Sofer. See Items 47 and 49.
This copy was in the possession of the kabbalist Rabbi Daniel Frish (1935-2005), author of the commentary Matok M'Dvash on the Zohar, who wrote on the front flyleaf: "This manuscript has whole passages which are not found in the printed version, and also many corrections and variations and notations, and it has been of great assistance to me while studying the version printed in Korets in 1785, Daniel Frish…". In many places in the manuscript, R. Daniel Frish notes the variations from the version printed in Korets 1785. For example, at the top of Leaf 1, he writes: "Here are 51 rules and in the printed version there are only 33 and there are many additions here".
The kabbalist Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach of Jerusalem, a leading editor of the writings of R. Chaim Vital [Maharchu] and the teachings of the Arizal. After immigrating to Jerusalem from Damascus in 1643, he began to re-edit his commentary on the Idra and added many sections after finding writings of R. Chaim Vital in Jerusalem containing many novellae. He named this commentary Kol Barama. At the beginning of this manuscript is the author's preface which ends with: "Here in Jerusalem, 5 days of the month of Menachem 1643 Ya'akov son of Chaim Tzemach" (this passage, which does not appear in the printed edition, is part of a longer preface which appears in other manuscripts of this composition. See: Yosef Avivi, Kabbalat Ha'Ari, Vol. 2, pp. 588, 658-662).
169 leaves. 21 cm. Good condition. Stains. Dark stains and faded ink on few pages. Damaged binding.