b'203 TZEMACH, YAAKOV BEN CHAIM. Shulchan Aruch al Derech HaEmeth [i.e. Nagid UMetzaveh]. With: Tikunei Teshuva. Manuscript in Hebrew written in a semi-cursive Sephardic hand on paper. Marginalia in another hand.*Accompanied by a detailed description by Prof. Yosef Avivi. ff. 71. Stained, in places, stamps removed, tears with minimal loss. Later calf, rubbed. 12mo. Meron, 26th Iyar, 1646. $10,000 - $15,000 This manuscript, with the title Shulchan Aruch al Derech HaEmeth is a different recension of the popular Nagid UMetzaveh customs and laws extracted from the writings of the Ari zal. Nagid UMetzaveh served as the basis for the Shulchan Aruch shel HaAri published in Prague, 1660, which in turn served as the source for the Kabbalistic customs cited by the Magen Avraham in his commentary to Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim (see Y. Avivi, Kabbalath Haari, Vol. II, pp. 752-53). This text thus served as the vehicle for the introduction of Lurianic customs into classical halachic works. R. Yaakov Tzemach (c.1580-1667) was born in Lisbon and moved to Salonika where he returned to live a fully Jewish life. His studies took him to Damascus and to Safed where he became the foremost student of R. Shmuel Vital. Gershom Scholem stated another factor noting the importance of Yaakov Tzemachs work: As regards Lurias personality, it is fortunate that Vitaljotted down hundreds of personal traits(many collected in) Nagid UMezaveh. (See Scholem, Major Trends, p. 255, note 2a) See also Scholems article Letoldot hamekubal R. Yaakov Zemah UPeulato Hasifrutit, Kiryat Sepher 1950, Vol 26, pp. 185-194 and I. Sonnes comments Leklaster Panav shel Rabbi Yaakov Zemach, KS 1951, Vol 27, 97-106 and Scholems rejoinder, ibid p. 107-109. In this manuscript ff. 65-71 are written in a different hand and contain Tikunei Teshuvah - atonements for various sins, based on the principles of Lurianic Kabbalah. According to Avivi, the material presented here differs signicantly from other Tikunim presented in the writings of other disciples of the Ari such as R. Chaim Vital, R.Moshe Yonah and others. Included are atonements for specic sins such as seminal emissions, sexual immorality and more general sins such as Lashon Hara and Gaava (haughtiness). The colophon (f. 64a) notes that the manuscript was composed in Meron, alongside the grave of R. Shimon bar Yochai.MANUSCRIPTS WRITTEN IN MERON ARE MOST UNCOMMON, ESPECIALLY OF SUCH AN EARLY AGE.98'