Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol on Shemot, by R. David son of Amram Adeni. [Yemen, ca. 16th century].

Thick volume in early Yemenite script. Glosses on margins, most short references to verses. Some notes with commentary. The manuscript lacks several leaves at the end (ends in middle of Parashat Pekudei, Shemot 40:20). Several of the first leaves written in another hand.

Ownership inscriptions: "David son of Saadiah son of Zechariah son of Saadiah Aziri of Wadi al-Sirr" (p. 14b), "Yachya son of Salim al-Nahari…" (pp. 38a, 62a).

Midrash HaGadol is an early midrashic work on the Torah authored by R. David son of Amram Adeni – who lived in Aden, Yemen, during the period of the Rishonim, likely ca. early 14th century. The work is based on many early-Rabbinic and Geonic sources, including works which have since perished or survive only partially, such as Mechilta, Sifra and other early midrashic works. Some of the midrashim in this work are known from no other source. Each Torah portion begins with a Reshut piyyut – a beautiful poetic sermon introduction by the author. Midrash HaGadol was well-known and common among Yemenite Jews; many Yemenite rabbis studied it and composed several commentaries on it.

[240] leaves (incomplete). 26 cm. Varying condition. Most leaves in good-fair condition. Large open tears to first and last leaves, affecting text, repaired with paper filling. Stains, including large, dark dampstains to some leaves. Tears. Worming. New leather binding (rubbed).

Manuscript, Tikun Pesach and Passover Haggadah – with Keriei Moed, including: Tikun for seventh day of Pesach; Shavuot night; Idra Rabba; Azharot for Shavuot; and Hoshanot with Etz Chaim commentary by R. Yichya Tzalach. [Yemen, ca. 19th century].

Neat Yemenite script. Partially vocalized.

The Hoshanot here appear with the lengthy commentary from Tiklal Etz Chaim authored by the R. Yichya Tzalach (the Maharitz), known as Perush Gadol (the lengthy commentary). It contains comments and novellae according to the methods of Peshat, Sod and Halachah, as well as comments and instructions copied from early Tiklal books, including commentaries of R. Yitzchak Wanneh, author of Paamon Zahav, and others.

At the end of the commentary on Hoshanot, copy of colophon by the author, Maharitz: "…Such is the prayer of the young and brokenhearted, supplicating and crying, and hoping for the kindness of G-d, Yichya son of R. Yosef son of my master and teacher Tzalach. Finished and completed, praise be to the Creator of the world".

[138] leaves. 23 cm. Overall good condition. Many stains and wear. Light worming to last leaves. Most leaves of thick, high-quality paper, apart from Haggadah at beginning of volume, written on darker and somewhat shorter paper. Bookplate. New binding, with parchment spine.

Manuscript, anthology of practical kabbalah, selections from the teachings of the pre-Expulsion kabbalistic circles of Spain. [Spain or North Africa, ca. 1490].

Sephardic semi-cursive and cursive scripts, by several writers.

Hashbaot and kabbalistic prayers, permutations of Holy Names and names of angels, dream questions, amulets and segulot for various matters, with diagrams and angelic script. The present anthology contains selections from the pre-Expulsion kabbalistic circles of Spain, such as the circle of Sefer HaMeshiv, the permutations circle and others.

The first part of the manuscript (leaves 1-24) is written by a single scribe in Sephardic semi-cursive script, and the second part (leaves 25-41) is written in several different hands and scripts.

The first part includes: Prayers according to various Names and permutations; lists of names of angels of different types; Holy Names and hashbaot for various matters, including for quick travel (Kefitzat HaDerech), "opening of the heart", annulling evil decrees, for various sicknesses and aches, for protection, for a barren woman, protection from wild animals, protection from "fire, a bad person and torrents of water", "for all kinds of victory", for unlocking without a key, for blinding someone, for summoning demons, and more. On leaf 14, passages from Otzar HaChaim – the mystical diary of kabbalist R. Yitzchak of Acre. On p. 10a: "This tradition was said by R. Yaakov the physician son of R. Moshe…"; on p. 15a: hashbaah for riding a horse; on leaf 23: "Prayer of Rav Hamnuna… which he received from… the angel of wisdom…".

The second part comprises passages from various scribes, including various selections. On leaves 25-26: "Kabbalistic secrets…"; "From Sitrei HaTorah…", "More selections from commentary on the secrets of the Guide for the Perplexed…". On leaves 27-28: Hashbaah of demons for seeing the future. On leaves 29-30: Prayers and names of angels "for opening of the heart", "for public speaking", "for granting of knowledge", for speedy travel, and more. On p. 31a: "This is what I, Shlomo son of… R. Yitzchak Alnaqua received from my father, who received it from the Ashkenazi in Germany…". On leaves 31-32, additional selections from the diary of R. Yitzchak of Acre. The next leaves contain various selections on permutations and secrets of Holy Names, segulot for various matters, and more. On p. 30a is a later addition: "…This is tried and tested by R. Yaakov Dardiman".

On p. 17a appears a marginal gloss on placing Holy Names in the mouth of a dog or corpse "and they will answer whatever you ask…": "And this is forbidden by Torah law. From me, David son of R. Shmuel HaLevi". Another gloss by the same writer appears on p. 20a, signed "the statement of David" (this may be the kabbalist R. David son of R. Shmuel HaLevi of Seville, known as the Mul Draa, expelled from Spain and one of the first kabbalists of the Draa Valley in Morocco).

On p. 25b, marginal gloss, signed with initials.

Throughout the manuscript, the paper bears watermarks matching Briquet nos. 11159 and 11162 (there dated to 1483 and 1487 respectively). Watermarks of this type appear in the first edition of Kol Bo, printed in Naples and dated (based on the watermark and other factors) to 1490, see: A.K. Offenberg, A Choice of Corals: Facets of Fifteenth-Century Hebrew Printing, Nieuwkoop 1992, Chapter 3.

[41] leaves. 20 cm. Fair-good condition (condition of leaves varies). Stains (many stains and dark stains to some leaves). Many open tears, affecting text on some leaves, repaired with paper filling. New binding.

Manuscript, commentary on Pirkei Avot based on the kabbalah of the Arizal. [Egypt, ca. 1720s-1730s].

Neat Oriental semi-cursive script (the Mishnah text is written in square script; some pages' layout specially designed in geometrical shapes and trees). At beginning of manuscript, initial panel with rectangular frame, decorated with a symmetrical vegetal pattern in red, blue and gold.

The scribe of the manuscript is R. Shmuel Abudarham, who copied manuscripts of the Arizal's kabbalah in the 1720s-1730s, apparently in Egypt (for a partial list of manuscripts he copied, see: R. Moshe Hillel, Ohel Re'em, p. 194, no. 70 of list of manuscripts, and note 166 there. The Budapest Ms. mentioned there was written in 1729. Other manuscripts R. Shmuel Abudarham copied are St. Petersburg Ms. Evr. Antonin A 7; and the Kehillot Yisrael Ms. described in the preface to Siddur HaAri – Chemdat Yisrael, published by Ahavat Shalom, Jerusalem 2016, second manuscript).

The present item is an organized commentary on Pirkei Avot, with the Mishnah text in large square script. The commentary is arranged in two sequences according to the order of the chapters: the first sequence of the commentary was printed in Shaar Maamarei Razal by R. Chaim Vital, Thessaloniki 1862 (leaves 16-23 at end of book), based on a copying by R. Avraham Castro (on the misattribution of this commentary to R. Chaim Vital, see Etz Chaim edition of Machon Ahavat Shalom, Gate III – Shaar HaMaamarim, Jerusalem 2017, preface – p. 10).

The second sequence contains selected commentaries based on the Arizal's kabbalah. At the beginning are several passages by R. Yaakov Tzemach (labeled "Tzemach"); on leaves 64-66, a passage "from R. Tabul"; on leaves 66-69, passages from R. Natan Shapiro. This part has not been printed.

Leaf 27 was completed at a later time in a different script, but is evidently also the handwriting of R. Shmuel Abudarham.

On interior of the front endpaper, remains of colorful decorations and faded text, apparently an impression transferred from a decorated title page at the beginning of the manuscript that was cut off and removed at some point.

At the end of the manuscript, on leaves left blank by the first scribe, appear several pages in another hand (Oriental cursive script): On leaves 71-72, kabbalistic segulot for plague. On p. 73b, kabbalistic commentary on the Mishnah: "If I am not for myself, who is for me?..." (with the Mishnah in square script and the commentary in cursive script). The commentary is signed "David son of R. Moshe" (possibly the kabbalist R. David son of R. Moshe Didia Majar, author of Chasdei David, disciple and peer of the Rashash and a prominent member of the Beit El kabbalistic yeshiva, d. 1800). On other pages of last leaves – many pen trials.

Stamps on several leaves: "Shlomo HaLevi Horowitz – Zgierz".

[75] leaves. 16 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Browning of paper. Open tears affecting text as a result of ink erosion in several places. Marginal tears to several leaves, some repaired with paper. Original leather binding, with light damage.

Manuscript, kabbalistic works by R. Avraham Abulafia and various selections on kabbalah. [Italy, ca. 16th century].

Italian cursive script.

The manuscript begins (pp. 1a-44b) with Sitrei Torah by R. Avraham Abulafia. The beginning is lacking (a later hand wrote on the first page "Book of Yenachamenu", and again at the end of the work: "Up to this point is the Book of Yenachamenu", because the manuscript begins mid-section with the words "Zeh Yenachamenu").

Next (pp. 44b-47a) are copied various selections on kabbalah: "One studying Sefer Yetzirah must purify himself…" – instructions for creating a golem (printed in the commentary of the Rokeach on Sefer Yetzirah, Przemyśl 1883, leaf 16); "Nikud HaAlfa Beitot… I found this in a good kabbalistic book"; "SheHem HaMezuzot", at the end "I found no more" – an early kabbalistic essay, appearing in several manuscripts (see: Gershom Scholem, Kitvei Yad BeKabbalah, p. 72); "Perush MiSod HaSefirot" – an unknown recension of a commentary on the Ten Sefirot attributed to R. Yaakov son of R. Yaakov HaKohen (see: Gershom Scholem, Kabbalot R. Yaakov VeR. Yitzchak Bnei Yaakov HaKohen, Madaei HaYahadut, II, 1970); "Commentary on Sefer Yetzirah, how He combined them… I also found this in a good kabbalistic book" – appears in the commentary of R. Saadiah Gaon to Sefer Yetzirah; a fragment cited in Meirat Einayim by R. Yitzchak of Acre (Jerusalem 1993, pp. 240-242) from the kabbalah of R. Baruch Togarmi (the kabbalistic teacher of R. Avraham Abulafia).

Next (pp. 47b-56a) appears Part I of Imrei Shefer by R. Avraham Abulafia (up to p. 45 of the printed edition). At end of manuscript: "All three parts concluded… And there remains of this book the main part, which I will write in a dedicated place, which is called Yediah Kelalit in his introduction".

On p. 56b – unidentified kabbalistic fragment.

On pp. 56b-57b – Arugat HaChochmah UPardes HaMezimah by R. Avraham ibn Ezra. Interrupted in middle.

On p. 24b, inscription by a later writer, from 1665 ("386 years" later than the date 1280 mentioned by R. Avraham Abulafia).

[57] leaves. Lacking at beginning and end. Approx. 22 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains. Worming. New binding.