Shefa Tal – Hanau, 1612 – Many Signatures and Long Glosses

Shefa Tal, index of Kabbalistic wisdom, by Rabbi Shabtai Sheftel Horowitz of Prague. With many Kabbalistic illustrations. Hanau, 1612. First edition. "Keys to open locked rooms… in the hidden treasures of the secrets of kabbalistic wisdom…". Important kabbalistic work based on the kabbalah of Rabbi Moshe Kordovero and his book Pardess Rimonim. One of the first kabbalah books printed in Western Europe. Many approbations by leading Torah scholars. Amongst them: Rabbi Shlomo Efraim Luntshitz, Rabbi of Prague, author of Kli Yakar and Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz author of Shnei Luchot HaBrit (Shla). Many signatures and ownership inscriptions on the title page: "…Shemaya HaKatan son of Rabbi…Moshe…"; "Ya'akov Guggenheim, Büdingen community, 1712; "Shlomo Binga Segal"; "Avraham Nathan Neta Meizlish" [Rabbi Avraham Nathan Neta Meizlish Av Beit Din of Vizhnitz and Av Beit Din of Lvov – author of Neta Sha'ashu'im Amsterdam, 1735. In 1736, he printed the book Sha'agat Aryeh and Kol Shachal. His grandsons were leading Chassidic Torah scholars: Rabbi Uziel Meizlish, Rabbi Yosef Meizlish and Rabbi Yitzchak Meizlish]. On the sheets are very long glosses in handsome Ashkenazi handwriting from 1772. The first gloss opens with the words "Here I want to reveal that which G-d has given me the merit to reach a good explanation…". The gloss is signed: "Aryeh Leib son of Yehuda Zeligman of Baisingen in Schwaben …". Many glosses with signature: "Aryeh Leib Baisingen". [10], 87, 89-94 leaves, (Leaves 93-94 are bound at the beginning of the book following the title page). 29 cm. Fair condition, tears and damages, detached leaves, many stains and major wear. Some glosses are cutoff. Torn ancient binding.