A Manuscript of a Transcript of the Book Otzrot Chaim, with Never-Printed Glosses by the Kabbalists Rabbi Avraham ...

A Manuscript of a Transcript of the Book Otzrot Chaim, with Never-Printed Glosses by the Kabbalists Rabbi Avraham Azulai and Rabbi Avraham Ibn Mussa – Morocco – Tunisia –1740's
A manuscript of a transcript of the book Otzarot Chaim, the teachings of the Ari from Rabbi Chaim Vital, with never-printed glosses by the Kabbalists: Rabbi Avraham Ibn Mussa in the name of his rabbi Rabbi Yaacov Maragi, and Rabbi Avraham Azulai. Morocco, circa 1740's. The book Otzarot Chaim was edited by Rabbi Yaacov Tzemach and it contains the sederha'atzilut as Rabbi Chaim Vital heard from his rabbi the Ari. As the book does not contain the full sederha'atzilut–the Kabbalists in Morocco re-edited it and integrated several she'arim from the book MevoShe'arim into it. In the pages of the manuscript before us are glosses of the foremost Kabbalists in Morocco in the 1740's, Rabbi Avraham Azulai (died in 1741) – who was one of the teachers of Rabbi Shalom Buzaglo author of MikdashMelech on the Zohar and Rabbi Avraham Ibn Mussa(died in 1743)–a disciple of Rabbi Yaacov Maragi. Their glosses are signed with the initials A.A. [Avraham Azulai] and "Ab"m" [Avraham Ben Mussa]. The Chida relates about Rabbi Avraham Ibn Mussa (in the book Shem Hagedolim) that he had arguments about Kabbalah with the Rabbi Avraham Azulai…as can be seen in their glosses to the book Otzrot Chaim". From this it appears that the debate between the pair can be can be seen from their glosses. Some of their glosses were printed in the Livorno edition, but the printed glosses do not attest to any dispute between them. However, in Ginzei Meir Banyahu an entire booklet appearsin which the glosses of Rabbi Avraham Azulai and Rabbi Avraham Ibn Mussa were printed. These glosses were copied out separately, not on the pages of the book Otzrot Chaim, and contain glosses not printed in the Livorno edition, and indeed disputes and disagreements between the two sages appear in them (see: M. Benayahu, Rabbi Avraham Ibn MussaU'bno Rabbi Moshe: M'RosheiHamedabrimB'KabbalatHa'AriB'Tzfon Africa, sefer Michael H, Tel Aviv 1978, pages 22-24). Some of these glosses were printed prior to the1844 Livorno edition as a separate booklet within the book Makom Binah, Salonika 1813, but there too the glosses were not printed in full. In the manuscript before us the glosses of the aforementioned sagesappear in full, but here they are in their place on the pages of the book – each gloss in the place it refers to, and here too the arguments the Chida refers to appear. 282 pages, pleasant handwriting, 20 cm. Old slightly blemished leather binding, partially detached, detached leaves. Stains and water stains. Very slight worming holes. Overall condition: Good.