Collection of Kabbalistic and Philosophical Treatises [Spain: Late 14th Century]

191 leaves (9 3/4 x 6 1/2 in.; 250 x 165 mm). Written on vellum in Sephardic semi-cursive Hebrew script in brown ink with additions and notations in a later hand in black ink; ruled in blind; catchwords. Early foliation in ink, modern foliation in pencil, both foliations defective. Four prefatory 19th century paper leaves.  First 8 leaves of text heavily damaged and mended, with loss; slight worming in margin of final leaves repaired, lower half of folio 203 renewed, evidently not lacking text, some marginal soiling; Modern morocco. 

Ephraim ben Israel Asher- his inscriptions on fol. 28r, 42v; 58v, 127r; 182v. variously dated 1695 and 1701; Mordecai Samuel Ghirondi,  (1799-1892)-prefatory paper leaves; Solomon Halberstam (Kohelet Shlomo, Vienna 1890, no. 53.

Hartwig Hirschfeld, Descriptive Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts of the Montefiore Library (London, 1904). No. 487. An extensive assessment of the present manuscript by Dr. Shlomo Zucker is available upon request.

an important early kabbalistic manuscript

CONTENTS:
Fol. 1r-v: Table of contents, includes some works no longer included in the codex, added by Mordecai Samuel Ghirondi (1799-1852).

Fols. 3r-15v: Sha'ar ha-Shamayim, kabbalistic treatise in prose using Biblical verses expressing the idea that Written and Oral Tradition are all alluded to in the Ten Commandments, hidden therein is the secret of the Divine Name, and what one can achieve according to the kabbalah of the Sefirot. This work was authored by Jacob ben Sheshet Gerondi (Spain, mid 13^th century). First published as Likutei Shem Tov and attributed erroneously to Shem Tov Gaon in Likutim m'Rav Hai (Warsaw, 1798). Finally printed under its correct title and attributed to its correct author by M. Martara in Otzar Nehmad, 3 (1860, pp. 153-165). This is one of 12 manuscripts of this treatise still extant. (see G. Scholem, An Index to Commentaries on the Ten Sefirot, [Hebrew] in Kiryat Sefer vol. x, p. 502, no. 31.)

Fols. 16r-28r: Commentary on the Thirteen Divine Attributes [Exodus 34:6-7], by Judah ben Yakar, (died between 1201-1218), the teacher of Moses ben Nahman (Nahmanides) in the 13^th century. Included are kabbalistic interpretations of the eighteen benedictions and references to his commentary on the prayers. Edited from this unique manuscript by S. Yerushalmi in the appendices to his edition of the author's commentary of the prayers (Jerusalem 1979). On the author who has been confused with Jacob ben Yakar, see S. Yahalom in Sidra xvii (2002) pp. 79-107.

Fols. 28v-41v: Prayers and Supplications of kabbalistic nature using the Divine Names. The first prayer, Tehina Nehona (28v-31r) is based on the teachings of the early German pietists (Hasidei Ashkenaz). Two following kabbalistic prayers are attributed to Sa'adia Gaon erroneously (31r-41v), one of them edited from this manuscript in Otzar ha-Tefilot, London 1997, no. 131. These supplications were probably written by an early French kabbalist as stated in the notation on the margin by a later hand. There he mentions Ibn Ezra's diatribe against the early French poets where this second supplication is used as an example.

Fols. 41v-42v: Sod Keriyat Shema Al Derech ha-Nistar (mystical secrets of the Shema prayer).

Fols. 43r-51v:  Abridgement of Sefer Sha'ar ha-Razim by Todros ben Joseph HaLevi Abulafia (Spain c. 1225-1298), in 53 paragraphs. There are important variants between the text in the present manuscript and the printed edition by M. Kusnir-Oron, Jerusalem 1989. Likewise, there are texts here that are not in the printed version. On 51r, Psalm 67 in the shape of a menorah, added later perhaps by a previous owner. The name Ephraim ben Israel appears on the margin next to the illustration. On 51v, a charm for one who finds a treasure but is unable to take it, in a semi-cursive script from the 16^th century.

Fols. 52r-58r: Commentary on Azriel of Gerondi's Sha'ar ha-Sho'el, a treatise on the The Sefirot in the form of questions and answers. Unlike other manuscripts of this treatise, this one identifies the author of the commentary as Ya"eh (an abbreviation) ben Immanuel (however, it is likely nothing more than a pseudonym). This commentary was printed for the first time in 1850. see G. Scholem, An Index to Commentaries on the Ten Sefirot, [Hebrew] in Kiryat Sefer vol. x, p. 500, no. 9.)

Fols. 58v-59r: An exposition based on letters of verses regarding the Divine Names. This exposition is based on early kabbalistic texts known as Heikhalot.

Fols. 59r-61r: Commentary on the Kaddish Prayer by Peretz ha-Kohen. This is the earliest manuscript that attributes this commentary to Peretz. Two earlier manuscripts found in Parma, Cod. Parm. 2784 (dated 1286) and Cod. Parm. 2785 (dated 1289), are not attributed to anyone. However, a later manuscript in Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris, Heb. 850, does attribute this work to Peretz.

Fols. 61r-82v: A Kabbalistic Commentary on the Prayers. According to Scholem in Studies in Memory of A. Gulak and S. Klein (Jerusalem 1942) [Hebrew] pp. 201-202, the commentary was composed by Ezra ben Solomon and includes additions by Azriel of Gerondi. However, Y. Tishby maintains that the entire commentary is from Azriel (see, Sinai, vol. xvi (1945) pp. 169-178). Parts of this work are found in other manuscripts (Paris, Heb. 850 pp. 18r-44r; Bodleian in Oxford, Ms. Opp. 483; Valmadonna Trust, London, no. 267), however, this is the most complete text extant. The commentary was never published and includes the following: A commentary on Kedusha (Keter Elyon) (61r); Sod ha-Berakhot, what one should intend at each of the benedictions of the Silent Prayer (62r); another rule by Azriel, also referring to the Silent Prayer and the Ten Sefirot (62r-v); Sod Netilat Yadayim, (mystical interpretation of washing hands); Sod ha-Tefilah, Yotzer – Shemoneh Esrei, kabbalistic commentary of the Morning Prayers until the Silent Prayers (63r-77r); Bi'ur Tefilot Rosh HaShanah Al Derech ha-Emet, a commentary on the Rosh ha-Shanah prayers based on kabbalistic teachings (although the text differs from other manuscripts of Azriel's commentary on these prayers, the content is the same) (78r-82r); later additions added in places the original copyist left blank, include: The secret of Elijah's ascension to heaven, remedies for predicting the future and others.

Fols: 83-99: Lacking.

Fols. 100r-156r: Keter Shem Tov, a kabbalistic supercommentary on Moses ben Maimon's commentary on the Pentateuch (the kabbalistic parts), by Shem Tov ibn Gaon, a student of Solomon ibn Aderet (Rashba) and Isaac ben Tudros, the latter giving an approbation to this work. This commentary was never published but for a brief version of it, by Abraham Koriat in Meor V'Shemesh, Livorno 1839. Another copy is found in the Montefiore Collection ms. 13.

Fols. 156v-157r: List of Biblical books and their authors and a chronological list of events from Abraham until the destruction of the Second Temple. A chronological list from Adam until the year 1332, lends us to assume that the original manuscript from which the present one was copied, was written in 1332. The author then calculates the years remaining until the end of days. On fol. 157r a list of kabbalists from Abraham ben David of Posquieres (d. 1198) who received this tradition from his father who intern received it from Elijah the Prophet. He passed it on to his son Abraham and from there it was transmitted to Isaac Sagi-Nahor and the sages of Gerondi: Azriel, Ezra and Nachmanides.

Fol. 157v: A commentary on kabbalistic symbols by the compiler of this composition as well as novella on the commentary of Nachmanides on the Pentateuch (regarding the repetition of the building of the Tabernacle) based on mystical interpretation. These commentaries were copied copiously in one later manuscript (Venice 1548) Munich, Cod. Heb. 40.

Fols. 158r-176v: Anonymous commentary on the kabbalistic secrets of Nahmanides' commentary on the Pentateuch. This commentary extends only until pericope Hukat. Two later copies of this commentary are found in mss. Paris, Biblioteque Nationale, Heb. 838, and Munich, Cod. Heb. 40 (includes the extracts found in fols. 156-157 in this ms. – an indication that this later manuscript was copied from the present one).

Fols. 177r-211v: An esoteric philosophical commentary on Song of Songs by Abraham ben Isaac ha-Levi Tamakh (d. 1393). Include Biblical text with vowels and cantillations. This philosophical work was appended to the kabbalistic compilation shortly after it's composition towards the end of the 14^th century, presumably just prior to the persecutions of 1391, when the community of Gerona was devastated. Profiat Duran (Isaac ben Moses HaLevi) writes in a eulogy about the author "a leader of his generation, of the respected in Gerona." In 1391 Tamakh made an attempt to travel to Israel, only to return to Spain. The commentary was first printed in Sabbioneta 1558. Critical edition based on eleven manuscripts including this one by L. A. Feldman (Assen, 1970).

On fol. 209v the name Joseph, possibly the name of the scribe, is singled out.