Secrets of Practical Kabbalah from the Rash"sh from a Heavenly "Maggid"

Secrets of Practical Kabbalah from the Rash"sh from a Heavenly "Maggid"

"As explained to me by Mar Chalma ..."

Very beautiful manuscript discussing deep issues in practical Kabbalah and superseding natural conduct through mystical powers. Two pages written beautifully and exceptionally clearly, perfectly typeset, handwritten by the G-dly Kabbalist Rabbi Shalom Shabazi, leading poet and Kabbalist of Yemen in his generation. Tradition relates that he would undergo kefitzat haderech every Friday from Yemen to the Land of Israel. This manuscript is from the first edition of his never-printed sefer, Chemdat Yamim. Yemen, c. 1640.

This manuscript discusses parashat VaYetze, the symbolic meeting between Lavan and Ya'akov after the latter fled, when Lavan, according to the Rasha"sh here, unsuccessfully attempted to damage Ya'akov Avinu, the imahot and the shevatim, through sorcery. The sacred Rasha"sh expounds in this rare manuscript upon the spiritual powers in the world, both sacred and via sorcery, through which one can overcome nature - how they work, and how they can be superseded.

We will point out that this manuscript was prepared for print, including the tosefet ta'am at the sides of the pages, yet it still contains many differences from the final printed sefer. This is therefore likely a leaf from the mahadura kamma of the sefer Chemdat Yamim. He completed the sefer in 1646, but it was not printed, and was only known about through tradition! (The text that was eventually printed is from the mahadura batra of the manuscript, written by the Rasha"sh years later. Refer to Kovetz Ma'amarim published upon the Rasha"sh's 350th birthday, published by the Va'ad HaKlali L'Kehillat HaTeimanim, Jerusalem, 1972, p. 10.)

Aside from the unique content of the manuscript, which discusses practical aspects of Kabbalah and detecting sorcery, and how they can be harnessed for use by people, the manuscript also contains a chiddush the Rasha"sh heard from a maggid - a Heavenly angel who appeared to select gedolei Yisrael [the most famous of whom was the author of Shulchan Aruch]. The Rasha"sh refers to the maggid as "Mar Chalma." "Mar Chalma" is cited by the Rasha"sh in all his sefarim at total of only thirteen times. This is one of those thirteen wondrous mentions of the Heavenly maggid, handwritten by the Rasha"sh himself!!

Manuscripts by gedolei Yisrael from all circles are known to have been used across the Diaspora as tried-and-true amulets for protection and success. This is therefore a powerful amulet handwritten by one of the two giants who emerged from the Yemenite exile from the day they were expelled from the Holy Land (both of which, astonishingly, were known by the same abbreviation, Rasha"sh). It contains Kabbalistic sacred Names, which grant mystical powers to amulets, like the soul in a body. Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for five examples in the text.

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the G-dly Kabbalist, Rabbeinu Shalom Shabazi - the Rasha"sh, and a short discussion about the maggid, Mar Chalma .

[2] pp, approximately 21.5x14.5 cm. Thick, high-quality paper.

Very fine condition. Aging stains. Magnificent new leather binding, as befits this sacred writing.