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Bidding Information
Lot #    22919
Auction End Date    3/3/2009 11:04:00 AM (mm/dd/yyyy)
          
Title Information
Title (English)    Megalleh Amukkot
Title (Hebrew)    מגלה עמוקות
Author    [First Ed. - Kabbalah] R. Nathan Nata Spira
City    Cracow
Publisher    (Menahem Nahum Meisels)
Publication Date    1637
          
Collection Information
Independent Item    This listing is an independent item not part of any collection
          
Description Information
Physical
Description
   First edition. [5], 166; 16, [8] ff. octavo 170:148 mm., usual light age staining, lower and inner margins reinforced on each page, loss of several words on the lower inner margin in the first and last 20 ff., bound in modern full leather over boards.
          
Detailed
Description
   Rare first editin of kabbalistic work providing two hundred-fifty-two explanations of Moses’ prayer at the beginning of parashat Va-Ethannan to cross the Jordan and see Erez Israel (Deuteronomy 3:23 ff.) by R. Nathan Nata ben Solomon Spira (Shapira, c. 1585-1633). R. Spira, a grandson of R. Nathan Nata ben Samson Spira (Shapira, d. 1577) served, from 1617, as rabbi in Cracow, not accepting a salary as he was self sufficient and did not need the money. He later was av bet din and also headed a yeshivah in that city. Although a Talmudic scholar of considerable repute, R. Spira’s reputation and great esteem in which he is held is based on his deep interest in Kabbalah, striving to and greatly responsible for the dissemination of Lurianic Kabbalah in Poland. Megalleh Amukkot, his most important work, was brought to press by his sons.

The title is from “He uncovers deep things (megalleh amukkot)” (Job 12:22). An architectural frame surrounds the text, which praises the author and states that the contents of the book are described in the introduction. Next are the introductions, in a single column, from R. Spira’s sons, Solomon and Moses. Sixteen paragraphs, all but the first two in Solomon’s introduction, and the three paragraphs of Moses’ introduction, begin, “gave” נתן, a play on Nathan, praising qualities of their father. Solomon relates that his father actually wrote 1,000 interpretations Megalleh Amukkot but said, “it is sufficient רב לך (252)” (Deuteronomy 3:26), and that when his father recited Tikkun Hazot it was with a sad voice sufficient to raise sukkot David, and that the prophet Elijah revealed to him that the ministering angels used this refrain, a dirge recited by the heavenly family over the destruction of the Temple. The text follows, in two columns in square letters, homilies and kabbalistic interpretations on the prayer of Moses. It is followed by an index and the epilogue of the of the editor. It had been R. Spira’s intent to interpret Va-Ethannan in 1,000 ways but he passed away before he could reach that goal. R. Spira also wrote a commentary on the entire Torah, also entitled Megalleh Amukkot (Lvov, 1785); Hiddushei Anshei Shem, glosses to the Sefer ha-Halakhot of Rav Alfasi, today published with editions of that work; and a work explaining the small letter alef in the word Va-Yikra (Leviticus 1:1) in 1,000 different ways, no longer extantm as well as works that remain in manuscript. Spira’s tombstome states that, “here is buried the holy, godly man from the early sages, upon whom it was said that Elijah spoke to him “face to face” (var. cit.).

          
Paragraph 2    (רנ"ב אופנים ... פשטי' ... על תפלת משה ... סודות ... הפרשה ... ואתחנן ... לגלות רזין קדישין) ... חיברו ... ר' נתן שפירא (בן מהר"ר שלמה) ז"ל, ר"מ ואב"ד דקק"ק (קראקא ... להוציא לאור ... הספר הזה ... רחש לבי ... מראשה לסופה סדרתי ... ולפעמי' הוספתי ... מה שלקטתי מפניני מאמריו ... אשר ... קבלתי ושמעתי, ולפעמי' ... משלי הוספתי ... ובתוך ב חצאי לבנה ציינתי ...והוספתי ... עוד ... מקו[ם] מוצאו ומובאו בנגלה ובנסתרה במקרא ובמשנה ובגמרא במפרשים ובמדרשים ... גם כללי הספר [מפתחות] ... לשלמה בן ... המחבר ז"ל, חתן ר' פייבש ש"ן מק"ק ווינא) ... לפרט הגאון ה'מחבר נ'תן ב'ן מ'הרר ש'למה זל

בראש הספר: הקדמות בני המחבר, העורך ר' שלמה (דף [1,ב-5,א]) ור' משה (דף [5,ב]). דף קסו,ב: אמר המגיה ... שמואל ... בלא"א ... ר' יצחק ז"ל ה"ה איש אפטא נקרא ר' שמואל דרעזלש. דף [8]: דברי המדפיס ... [בענין] דברי יעקב אבינו ז"ל בהשביעו את יוסף והטרידו להעלותו אל ארץ כנען ... ולא השביע שאר בניו. על הספר, עיין: ג. שלום, שבתי צבי, חלק א, תל-אביב תשי"ז, עמ' 63-64.

          
Reference
Description
   BE mem 501; Heller, 17th Cent.; CD-EPI 0181315
        
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Listing Classification
Period
17th Century:    Checked
  
Location
Russia-Poland:    Checked
  
Subject
  
Kabbalah:    Checked
  
Characteristic
First Editions:    Checked
Language:    Hebrew
  
Manuscript Type
  
Kind of Judaica