Zohar Al HaTorah, especially proofread, with additions, with the Chida’s glosses. Livorno, 1791-1793. First edition.
Specifications: Part one: The book of Bereishit. [8], 251 leaves. Part two: The book of Shemot. 279 leaves. Part three: The book of Vayikra. 115 leaves. Part four: The book of Bamidbar – (Sefer Eleh Devarim). [1], 117-312 leaves. Three volumes, four title pages. Approximately 22 cm. Blueish paper.
The first volume is missing the addition at the end, and four leaves: 132, 249-251 were completed by hand. In the third volume on page 5, a few words were completed by hand.
Unique Features: Edition arranged and edited by the Chida in his lifetime when he lived in Livorno, with an introduction and endnotes by him, and with many glosses by him, a precise edition of the book of the Zohar with additions. At the beginning of the first part, the Chida wrote an introduction in which he writes that he added glosses to the book, and signs his name Meayin (from the young one Yosef Azoulay nero yair). At the end of the third book the Chida writes the endnotes ‘Yismach Chaim’ on which he writes about his joy when the printing was completed. The Chida also writes about the precision in this edition which was printed according to the precise Constantinople edition in which several changes were made to the wording of the previous editions, and he thanks the proofreaders, and notes that he does not agree with Rabbi Shalom Buzaglo, author of Mikdash Melech, who disagreed with many of the wordings there, and adds that he knows who the proofreader of the Constantinople edition was and what caused him make changes for the better.
Condition: Volumes 1 and 2 are in very fine condition. Volume 3 is in fine condition. Reinforcements in the first five leaves. Worming holes, primarily in the white margins. Simple bindings.