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Sepher Raziel ha-Gadol (BPH Ms M207) 17th–century manuscript on paper, probably preceding the edition of 1701. This manuscript, which according to an introductory note was compiled on the basis of a Hebrew manuscript and a Latin one, consists of 1. (parts of) works belonging to Hekhalot/Merkabah mysticism; 2. Hasidic Ashkenazy works, e.g. Eleazar of Worms’ Sod Ma’aseh Bereshit; 3. descriptions of the Sefirot and exegeses of the Holy Names. |
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[Hayyim ben Joseph Vital]. Otzerot Hayyim (BPH Ms M371) Manuscript on paper, 1748. Hayyim Vital (1543–1620) was the most important follower of the Safedian Kabbalist Isaac Luria. Before he met Luria, Vital had occupied himself between 1567 and 1569 with alchemy: one of his autographs contains magical practices and alchemical-metallurgical recipes. The first printed edition of these Treasures, a compendium of Vital’s writings edited by Jacob Zemah, came out in Korzec in 1783. A selection of Vital’s well-known Etz Hayyim came out in 1684, but none of his other works were published before 1773. His influence on Kabbalists was thus mainly exerted through the circulation of manuscript copies of his works.
Annotations in Hebrew on the fly-leaf facing the opening page with the date 1849; annotations in Hebrew on the final fly-leaf and a note in the upper margin: ‘Came into my hands here in Tunis when I was in charge as an emissary from Hebron 5592' [=1772], signed Abraham al-Naqâr. Possibly Abraham ben Joseph Alnakar (1740?–after 1803), a Sephardic liturgical scholar who was born in Fez and lived in Algiers for a while. |