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Two independent and very different works, each important in its field, bound together. The first title is Limmudei Azilut, a kabbalisitic exposition on the Sha’ar ha-Yihudim by R. Hayyim ben Joseph Vital, as learned from the R. Isaac Luria (ha-Ari). R. Vital was the leading disciple of ha-Ari. The title page states that this holy work was published previously from a manuscript belonging to the kabbalist, the pious R. Moses Sofer of Psavarsk with glosses. However, due to the numerous errors it was almost impossible to learn from it; furthermore, that manuscript was deficient, lacking two folios. Now, providentially, the pious R. Joseph Alter Epstein, av bet din in Margove and currently in Ozran located this manuscript among the manuscripts of the zaddik, the holy gaon R. Solomon Rokeah of Belz and it is corrected from all errors. Also another complete manuscript was located with the missing folios, which has also been extensively reviewed to ensure that it too is free of errors. There is an introduction from the previous edition, and an introduction to this edition from R. Epstein. The text follows in two columns in rabbinic type. From 37a is the commentary of the Italian kabbalist R. Israel Sarug on Sifra de-Zinnusa. Gershom Scholem suggests that not only Sifra de-Zinnusa but also Limmudei Azilut was written by R. Israel Sarug and has erroneously been attributed to R. Vital.
R. Hayyim ben Joseph Vital was born in Safed and studied in yeshivot there, especially under R. Moses Alshekh, his teacher in exoteric subjects. In 1564 he began to study Kabbalah, at first according to the system R. Moses Cordovero, and, after R. Isaac Luria’s (Ari) arrival in Safed, under the latter, becoming the Ari’s principal disciple. After the Ari’s death, R. Vital began to arrange the Ari’s teachings in written form, elaborating on them according to his own understanding, becoming the primary transmitter of the Ari’s teachings. R. Vital later moved to Jerusalem, serving as rabbi and head of a yeshivah from late 1577 to late 1585, where he wrote the last version of his presentation of the Lurianic system. In 1586 he returned to Safed, remaining there until 1592. In 1590 R. Vital was “ordained” as rabbi by his teacher R. Moses Alshekh, and then returned to Jerusalem in 1593 remaining several years, occasionally returning to Safed. His last move was to Damascus where he died. R. Vital was a prolific writer, his works encompassing Talmud, response, homilies, and even astronomy. R. Vital assembled his major writings into two vast works Ez ha-Hayyim and Ez ha-Da’at. The former is the inclusive name for all those writings in which he elaborated on the teaching of Isaac Luria. These works went through several versions and adaptations, for Vital began to arrange what he had heard from Luria immediately after his death, remained absorbed in this task for more than 20 years. R. Israel Sarug (fl. 1590–1610) was an Egyptian kabbalist. He probably belonged to an Egyptian family of rabbinic scholars with kabbalistic leanings. A manuscript written in 1565 in Cairo (British Museum 759) was copied for R. Sarug; Israel Sarug, whose signature as owner appears on the manuscript, was probably his son. R. Sarug may have known the Ari while the latter was in Egypt and have become acquainted then with some of his early teaching and kabbalistic behavior. Although he was not one of R. Luria's pupils in Safed, he later claimed to have been one of his main disciples. He had access to some of the writings of the Ari’s disciples (R. HayyimVital, R. Moses *onah, R. Joseph ibn Tabul) and from them constructed his own version of R. Luria's doctrine, adding important speculations of his own.
The second work is Divrei Avraham, a super-commentary on the Da’at Kedoshim of R. Abraham David of Butshatsh by R. Ezekiel ben Abraham Frenkel. In two parts, each with its own title page and foliation, Divrei Avraham, together with Da’at Kedoshim, is a comprehensive on the Shulhan Arukh Yoreh De’ah dealing with shehitah and related subjects. It is set in two columns, Da’at Kedoshim in the inner column in square letters, Divrei Avraham in the outer column in a rabbinic font. |
