Manuscript, Adam Yashar, investigations of the Arizal, by his student R. Chaim Vital. [Eastern lands, ca. 18th century].

Oriental semi-cursive script by two scribes. Most of the manuscript by one scribe (leaves 1-45), continued at the end (leaves 45b-52) by another scribe. Manuscript lacking at end.

Adam Yashar is a work edited by R. Yaakov Tzemach from the Mahadura Batra of R. Chaim Vital, located in a Genizah in Jerusalem. Two recensions of the work are known (see: Avivi, Kabbalat HaAri, II, pp. 611-617); the present work is another, unknown recension of the work. The nature of this recension has not been fully explored. Notably, in contrast to other manuscripts of works edited by R. Yaakov Tzemach, the present manuscript does not incorporate his glosses.

On front endpaper, several inscriptions, including an ownership inscription: "This belongs to R. Yaakov Sethon and his son… R. Chalfon Sethon" [of Aleppo].

Glosses by several writers on sides of manuscript, in Oriental script.

[53] leaves. Lacking at end. Approx. 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of mold. Wear and tears, mainly to margins. Open tears, affecting text of last leaves. Repaired with tape and paper. Stamps. New leather binding.

Manuscript, Refuat HaNefesh, prayers and practices for sickness, death and the cemetery. [Worms], 1818. Hebrew and Yiddish.

Color-illustrated title page. Square script, vocalized. The laws and prayers in Yiddish are in semi-cursive script, unvocalized. The title page states that the manuscript was copied for "the official Moshe son of David of Berstadt, now in Worms".

Refuat HaNefesh, first printed in Amsterdam, 1692, was simultaneously copied in various communities due to its importance for Bikur Cholim and Chevra Kadisha societies.

Russian Academy of Sciences Ms. A 293 is another copying of this work made in Cheshvan 1804 for the same person (possibly copied by the same scribe).

[25] leaves. Thick paper. Approx. 15 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dark stains. Original leather binding, spine torn and partially lacking, and other light blemishes.

Manuscript, Otzrot Chaim, by R. Chaim Vital, handwritten by scribe R. Eliyahu son of R. Baba David. [Persia], 1737.

Oriental script. On last leaf, colophon of scribe. One other copying of Otzrot Chaim by the same scribe is known from 1743 in Golpayegan, for the famous Torah scholar Mullah Or Shraga.

At the end of Otzrot Chaim, the scribe copied an additional three studies from the Mahadura Batra of R. Chaim Vital edited by R. Yaakov Tzemach. On margins of leaves, handwritten glosses by scribe. His signature appears on one of the leaves: "Eliyahu son of David".

The present manuscript is lacking at the beginning (although most of the work is present). At the beginning is mounted a leaf in another hand, which is known to us as that of the forger Yitzchak son of Shmuel of Persia. The leaf handwritten by Yitzchak son of Shmuel contains the "secret of Gan Eden" and an unknown Ilan Sefirot illustration. In the margins of the leaf is the catchword of the following page, from the middle of Otzrot Chaim, in the handwriting of the author of the main manuscript. Apparently, the forger attempted to thereby give it the appearance of an unknown manuscript.

On leaf [3] is bound another leaf in another hand (from the manuscript of Pri Etz Chaim), apparently also concocted to give the same impression.

On the blank page on one of the first leaves appear family inscriptions, including one on the birth of a son to the scribe, and one on the death of a physician.

[119] leaves (one leaf lacking about half). Several leaves lacking at beginning and middle of manuscript. Approx. 20 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, tears and wear. Open tears affecting text of several leaves. Detached leaves. Binding detached and damaged.

Manuscript, work on Torah portions, Bereshit-Devarim, by R. Uziel son of R. Shmuel HaKohen. Urmia (now West Azerbaijan province, Iran), 1792.

Two thick volumes. Neat Oriental script. The present book is a work on all the Torah portions, the first volume on Bereshit-Shemot and the second on Vayikra-Devarim. On the margins of the pages are additions and glosses by the same writer.

At the end of the second volume are homilies for the seven haftarot of consolation and the end of the year.

Colophon of writer at end of homily for Shabbat Shuvah.

Ownership inscription at beginning of second volume.

Volume I: [237] leaves (and more blank leaves); volume II: [298] leaves (and more blank leaves). 16.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Light wear. Several tears. Several detached leaves. Original leather bindings, somewhat damaged.

Gatherings and leaves in manuscript, sermons and eulogies, by an unknown author. [Aleppo, 19th/20th century].

Oriental script, characteristic of Aleppo, containing sermons and aggadic novellae, eulogies and figures of speech.

Inscriptions.

[26] leaves. Approx. 15-19 cm. Good condition. Detached gatherings and leaves, without binding.