Two pages on Kabbalistic topics – some of the content has never been published – entirely handwritten by the G-dly Kabbalist the Rasha”sh – Rabbi Shalom Shabzi, great poet of Yemen. According to the famous Yemenite tradition, he would merit to travel on a nightly basis via Kefitzat HaDerech from Yemen to the Land of Israel. This manuscript is from a first edition that was never printed of his book Chemdat Yamim . Yemen, c. 1640.
This manuscript is from the Rasha”sh’s renowned work on the Torah, Chemdat Yamim – Parashat VaYechi, and despite the manuscript being perfectly typographically arranged and ready for print, including the Tosafot Ta’am elucidation on the sides of the leaves, there are still complete passages that did not appear in print (refer to the included photocopy). This is apparently a rare leaf from the mahadura kamma of his book Chemdat Yamim . The Rasha”sh finished writing it in 1646 and it has never been printed (the version that was printed in the end is from the mahadura batra of the manuscript that the Rasha”sh wrote in later years; refer to Kovetz Ma’amarim on the occasion of 350 years since his birth, published by Va’ad HaKlali L’Kehillat HaTeimanim, Jerusalem, 1972, p. 10). This is apparently a rare leaf from that first edition, that was never printed, and was only known until now from tradition!
This manuscript deals with the elucidation of Ya’akov Avinu’s blessings to his sons. At the end, the Rasha”sh explains at length about the virtue and greatness of Yosef HaTzaddik, who withstood his test courageously and the blessings he was granted due to his courage. To quote Porat Yosef – Just as the evil eye does not rule over the waters of the river Perath to stop it, “the evil eye cannot rule over him.”
Books by tzaddikim relate that this aspect of Yosef HaTzaddik, his mighty preservation of personal purity, sparkles in each and every Jew whenever he is faced with this test, so that he can overcome it. Clearly, the promise ” The evil eye cannot rule over him” is valid to this day.
Aside from the historic value and important revelations here, this manuscript can serve as a powerful amulet by strength of the Names written in it , and the blessing – the blessing from Ya’akov to be saved from all evil in the merit of guarding one’s eyes and thoughts – written by the very hand of one of the greatest spiritual giants from Yemen from the day of their exile from the Holy Land.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the G-dly Kabbalist Rabbi Shalom Shabzi .
[1] leaf paper written on both sides. Approximately 15×21 cm. Thick, high-quality paper.
Fine condition. Small lacks without damage to text.