Manuscript of the Book 'Adam Yashar' – Drushim by the Ari – the Earliest and Most Accurate Copying of the Book ...

Manuscript of the Book 'Adam Yashar' – Drushim by the Ari – the Earliest and Most Accurate Copying of the Book, Including the Author's Preface – Glosses by the Kabbalist 'Ha'Ma'amitz' – the 17th Century
Manuscript, the book 'Afam Yashar', Drushim by the Ari, by his leading disciple Rabbi Chaim Vital. Edited by Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach. Ancient Western script, from the 17th century.
This is the most ancient, complete and most likely, accurate manuscript of this important Kabbalistic composition! On the margins of the leaves, glosses hand-signed by the Kabbalist Rabbi Massud Amsalem, the Ma'amitz.

The book 'Adam Yashar'
The book was edited by the kabbalist Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach according to manuscripts of Mahadura Batra by Rabbi Chaim Vital, which were found in a Geniza in Jerusalem in the early 17th century. Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach was considered one of the leading editors of the writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital and the Ari. For more than two hundred years, the book existed only in copying of manuscripts until it was printed in Krakow in 1885.

The importance and rareness of the manuscript
The book was copied many times, each copying different from the previous one.
His first edition of the book did not satisfy Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach and he reedited it. This reedition was titled "Adam Yashar B'. The book 'Adam Yashar A' was copied in several manuscripts yet was not printed as is. It was included in a book titled "Arba me'ot Shekel Kesef' (Koretz 1804).
Most copies of the book 'Adam Yashar' are actually of 'Adam Yashar B'. however, before us is the original copy of Adam Yashar A. the copying before us is also unique in that it is most likely the earliest copying of the book that exists today and was done around the time the composition was written. This is indicated by the preface of Rabbi Ya'akov tzemach, which appears at the beginning of the manuscript before us and begins with the words: "Sefer Adam Yashar … and I have copied everything from a manuscript by the Rabbi … here Jerusalem 1645, the speech of Ya'akov bar Tzemach".
This copy is known only from the copy before us!!! In all other copies, it does not exist; therefore, it was unknown until the copy before us was discovered.
At the end of the manuscript appears the Kabbalistic composition 'Etz Chaim', according to the version of Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach, which includes six leaves. The script is identical to the script of the beginning of the manuscript.
On the margins of the leaves there are comments by Rabbi Ya'akov Tzemach, signed "Tzemach" and they are an integral part of the composition he had edited. They are also in the script of the early copyist.

Glosses by the Ma'amitz
In certain places, among the lines as well as on the margins of the leaves, there are handwritten corrections and scholarly glosses signed: "Ha'Ma'amitz" [the Hebrew initials of "Ha'Tza'ir Massud Amsalem Yishmerehu Tzureinu]., that is the Kabbalist Rabbi Massud ben Rabbi Yosef Amsalem who was a rabbi in the early 19th century and was known for his collection of ancient Kabbalistic manuscripts.

113 leaves. 22 cm.
Condition: New impressive leather binding. Some of the leaves are professionally restored. There is almost no omission of text.