Manuscript of the Rama of Fano – Mahadura Kama of His Books Pelach HaRimon and Yayin HaRekach – With Glosses and ...

Manuscript of the Rama of Fano – Mahadura Kama of His Books Pelach HaRimon and Yayin HaRekach – With Glosses and Long Additions Handwritten by the Author Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Fano
Manuscript, Mahadura Kama of the composition Pelach HaRimon by R. Menachem Azariah (Rama) of Fano, with glosses and long additions in his own handwriting. Bound with Chapters 1-8 of the composition Yayin HaRekach, an abridgement of Pelach HaRimon. [Italy, before 1581].
The manuscript was handwritten by the Rama's disciples and scribes, with glosses and long additions handwritten by the Rama himself while editing and proofreading his composition.
An early version of Pelach HaRimon, written during the editing stage of the Mahadura Kama of this work, and preceding the complete manuscript copy of the Mahadura Kama written in 1581 – see below. The present manuscript contains Chapters 12-22 of the work. While other chapters of the Mahadura Kama exist in various libraries in the world (see below), this appears to be the earliest manuscript of Chapters 12-22 in existence today.
The manuscript was written by two scribes. Chapters 12-18 are written in Italian script, whereas Chapters 19-22 are written in an Ashkenazi script. The Rama of Fano wrote long additions in the margins of several leaves; he also edited the text and added corrections between the lines. Afterwards, the Rama crossed out some of his additions (these revisions and additions were later integrated into the 1581 manuscript, see below).
The last section of the manuscript (leaves [81]-[101]) contains Chapters 1-8 of the composition Yayin HaRekach, an abridgement of Pelach HaRimon, written by a third writer in Italian cursive script (this composition should not be confused with a different book by the same name, which is actually Asis Rimonim by R. Shmuel Galiko, later revised by the Rama and retitled Yayin HaRekach).
Pelach HaRimon is in essence a shortened and adapted version of the Kabbalistic teachings of R. Moshe Cordovero, the Ramak, in his book Pardes Rimonim. In 1600, the Rama printed the Mahadura Batra of this composition in Venice. In the preface, he writes that he is hastening to print the Mahadura Batra, because the Mahadura Kama had been copied numerous times and these copies had been spread extensively, even overseas, and he was concerned lest someone decide to print it. Significant differences exist between the two versions, as the Mahadura Kama was written before the Rama was introduced to the Kabbalah of the Ari, whereas the Mahadura Batra was rewritten after he studied the Ari's Kabbalah from his teacher R. Yisrael Saruk.
Several manuscripts of the Mahadura Kama, penned before the printing of the Mahadura Batra, are known today. We will detail those which are of importance to the subject matter: MS Epstein 291 at YIVO, New York, contains four chapters of the composition – Chapters 4-7 – in the hand of a scribe. The Rama edited this manuscript, adding passages, revising and correcting it. The title "Chapter 8" appears on the last leaf of the manuscript, however the scribe did not continue any further. Chapter 8 can be found in the library of Bar Ilan University, MS 1059 (formerly, Moussaieff Collection no. 185). This manuscript contains Chapter 8 only, and also has glosses and additions handwritten by the Rama (see: Y. Avivi, Ohel Shem – List of the Manuscripts in the Collection of R. Shlomo Moussaieff, Jerusalem 1992, no. 59). Now another manuscript has been discovered, with further chapters of the composition copied – Chapters 12-22, that were also under the scrutiny of the Rama of Fano, who continued to edit his work, adding, revising and correcting.
A complete manuscript copy of Pelach HaRimon exists in the library of JTS, New York – MS 1586, written in 1581. Both the revisions in the YIVO manuscript (Chapters 4-7) and those in the Bar Ilan manuscript (Chapter 8) were integrated and copied into the JTS manuscript. Our research has revealed that the revisions and additions in the present manuscript have also been integrated into the JTS manuscript, indicating that the authorship of this manuscript must have also pre-dated 1581.
The scribe who wrote Chapters 19-22, which as mentioned are written in an Ashkenazi script, might have been R. Yitzchak son of Mordechai of Poland, a disciple of the Rama who brought the Rama's responsa to press in Venice in 1600 (in his introduction to that book, he describes his arrival in Italy to study from the Rama of Fano: "G-d's Spirit carried me to Italy and I heard a holy person speaking… He was the G-dly kabbalist R. Menachem Azariah, a member of one of the most important Jewish families… the Fano family…").
For further information on this composition and on the Rama's important manuscripts, see: Y. Avivi, Manuscripts of the Rama of Fano on Kabbalistic wisdom, Sefunot, 4 (19), Jerusalem 1989, pp. 361-362. The Bar Ilan manuscript (formerly Moussaieff) is recorded in the catalog Ohel Shem (ibid). This manuscript does not appear in those records.
R. Menachem Azariah (Rama) of Fano (1548-1620) was the greatest kabbalist in Italy and was among Italy's leading poskim. Initially he studied under R. Moshe Provinzalo and then under the kabbalist R. Ezra of Fano. He also considered himself a disciple of R. Moshe Cordevero (Ramak), for although he never met the Ramak, he studied his writings and followed his school of kabbalistic thought. Later, the Rama met the kabbalist R. Yisrael Sarug (Saruk) of Safed who taught him the Ari's kabbalistic doctrine. He then became a great disseminator of the Ari's kabbalah in Italy, leading the project of editing the Ari's writings, which involved the methodical editing of dozens of works of the Ari's kabbalistic teachings that had reached Italy from Eretz Israel (see: Y. Avivi, Kabbalat HaAri, II, Chapter 9). The Rama also took part in disseminating the teachings of the Ramak. He proofread the book Or Ne'erav (printed in Venice, 1587). R. Gedalia Cordovero, the Ramak's son, writes in his foreword to Or Ne'erav: "I have found the Torah scholar the Rama of Fano… he is faithful throughout my father's house…". The Ramak's famous work, Tomer Devorah, was printed (Venice, 1589) from a manuscript possessed by the Rama of Fano, it seems he edited it as well. In 1574, R. Yosef Karo requested that the Rama supervise the printing of his book Kesef Mishneh and indeed the Rama settled for a while in Venice for that purpose. He was also the dean of an important yeshiva in Reggio and later in Mantua.
The Rama of Fano greatly influenced future generations with the many compositions he wrote (more than 30), most of them kabbalistic works. Among them are Kanfei Yonah, Asarah Maamarot (which is composed of several compositions), and his book of responsa, which is often cited in the books of poskim. Among his disciples are the kabbalist R. Aharon Berachia of Modena, author of Maavar Yabok, and R. Yaakov Lombrozo. In his book Shem HaGedolim, the Chida writes that the Rama's disciple R. Yitzchak Lombrozo attests that a Heavenly Maggid appeared to the Rama of Fano.
Throughout the generations, leading Torah scholars wrote wondrous things about the holiness of the Rama and about the importance of his compositions in both the revealed and hidden facets of Torah. The Chatam Sofer called him " The father of the kabbalists" (Responsa Chatam Sofer, Orach Chaim, Section 159). The Shelah writes in a letter: "I will give you advice and may G-d be with you, cling to the book Yonat Elem by the G-dly scholar, our teacher and rabbi the Rama, because this book is virtuous in the eyes of G-d and man…" (from a letter sent by the Shelah in Jerusalem to R. Shmuel Rabbi of Przemyśl, printed at the beginning of the book Novlot Chochmah by R. Yosef Shlomo Delmedigo). R. Yaakov Emden, the Yaavetz, lavishly praises the greatness and holiness of the Rama: "The wisdom of G-d is in him… All his words are precious, choicer than gold… The Rama is a master of kabbalistic wisdom… The words of the Rama are definitely true, without any doubt… A treasury of Torah…" (Responsa She'elat Yaavetz, I, Section 33).
[101] leaves. 20.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Ink erosion to several leaves, affecting text. New leather binding.