Ilan ha-Kadosh [“Holy Tree”: Diagram of Kabbalistic Universe]

(KABBALAH).

(Eastern Europe

Late 17th-early 18th century)

Sepia ink on vellum. Lengthy Scroll incorporating numerous Kabbalistic devices, charts and other displays on 4 membranes stitched. 8 inches wide x 87 inches long (1st membrane 22"; 2nd membrane 27"; 3rd membrane 20"; 4th membrane 18"). The colophon has faded and is mostly illegible, with the exception of a few words: "Ba'aluth...ish Yerushalayim" ["Possession of...Jerusalem"]

This scroll has been recently examined by Prof. Menachem Kallus of Jerusalem, who writes: "The literary contents are taken from YaShaR me-Kandia's Ta'alumot Chochmah, fol. 53a ff, "Kitzur Olam ha-Tikun" (also reprinted in Va-Yakhel Moshe, in the name of R. Yisrael [Zolkiew ed., fol. 36a])..." "R. Yisrael" referred to is R. Israel Sarug, who ostensibly received from R. Isaac Luria (AR"I) teachings (concerning the "Olam ha-Malbush") not recorded in R. Chaim Vital's corpus "Ets Chaim." Sarug transmitted this tradition to Joseph Solomon Delmedigo of Crete (YaShaR me-Kandia). To this day, scholars - both traditional kabbalists and academicians - are divided as to whether these represent authentic Lurianic teachings. The Sephardic kabbalists (especially Syrian kabbalists, partial to R. Chaim Vital of Damascus) dismiss them as fraudulent, while the Aschkenazic kabbalists (both Mithnagdim, followers of the Vilna Gaon, such as R. Chaim of Volozhin and lately R. Solomon Elyashiv, author "Leshem Shevo ve-Achlamah," and Chassidim, such as Chabad) accept the validity of the Sarugian Kabbalah. Among academicians, the late Prof. Gershom Scholem went to great lengths to prove that R. Israel Sarug was posturing when he claimed to have been a disciple of R. Isaac Luria