Tikunei Zohar. Mantua: Meir son of Efraim of Padua and Yaakov son of Naftali HaKohen of Gazzuolo, 1557. First edition.

First edition of Tikunei Zohar, a kabbalistic work attributed to R. Shimon bar Yochai and his companions, including seventy explanations or permutations for the word Bereshit. This edition was edited by R. Imanuel of Benevento based on ten manuscript copies. The editor added eleven additional Tikunim he had found (leaves 137-146; these Tikunim were copied from Zohar Chadash), which were henceforth printed in all editions.

At the beginning of the book are four halachic rulings permitting the printing of the Zohar and Tikunei Zohar.

Censorship inscriptions in several places (many deletions on one leaf).

Marginal glosses on some leaves, mainly by one writer, in early Italian script. Several glosses by another writer.

[4], 146, [2] leaves. 20.5 cm. Varying condition of leaves, fair to fair-good. Stains, including dampstains and traces of former dampness. Wear and creases. Tears and open tears to margins of title page and other leaves (mainly to last leaves), affecting text, repaired with paper (including to verso of title page). Bookplate. Elegant new leather binding, with defects.

Signature of censor Domenico Gerosolimitano on final leaf (1603).

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.