Three unpublished kabbalistic commentaries to the Pentateuch: Pinchas Hakohen and Yachya Tzalach. ‘Or Torah. * Judah ben Joseph Gizpan. Minchath Yehudah. * Shalom Hakohen. Chayei Shalom

(YEMEN)

San’a, Yemen

1864

Two Volumes. Title within elegant Oriental design composed of red, blue, yellow and black inks. Rashi script. Double columns. In Vol. I, f.47v. a kabbalistic diagram of the Ten Sephiroth of unusual beauty

Aaron Kafach, expert in Yemenite biography and bibliography, writes: “It is known that Mahari”tz [R. Yachya Tzalach] wrote a commentary on the Pentateuch, but it is not in our hands.” A. Kafach, Gedolei Rabbanei Teiman (1989), p. 56. R. Yachya Tzalach (1715-1805), known by the acronym Mahari”tz, is considered the supreme halachic authority of Yemen. His commentary to the Pentateuch, has been long thought to be lost. At the conclusion of the commentary there is an appendix, “Te'amim niphradim mi-kethav yad Maharit”z z”l [Separate reasons from the manuscript of Mahari”tz].” See EJ, Vol. XIV, cols. 683-4; W. Bacher, Jewish Quarterly Review, Original Series, Vol. XIV (1902), pp. 581-621