Shemonah Sha’arim [Lurianic kabbalah]. WITH: Sha’ar Ha’kavanoth [mystical meditations and customs for prayer]

(VITAL, CHAIM).

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Hebrew manuscript in Sephardic cursive script. Marginalia in a different hand. Brown ink on paper

The dissemination of the Kabbalistic teachings of R. Isaac Luria (The AR”I Za”L), follows a convoluted route. The version recorded by his deciple, R. Chaim Vital have the reputation for being the most authoritative. However, different version exist among Vital’s writings. The most important edition, is that edited by his son Samuel Vital and contained many of his own notes, which begin “Amar Shmuel,” (Samuel said). This manuscript follows R. Samuel’s recension and includes his notes. A previous owner’s inscription on f.1, states that this manuscript was purchased in 1769 and the owner takes it upon himself; “not to have pleasure from the monetary value [of the manuscript], neither by selling it, pawning it or using it to pay a debt or obligation.” The previous owner is from the family Eyush, possibly the family of R. Judah Eyush, the author of Ve’zoth Le’yehudah