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Machzor Shaar Bat Rabim, Part II – Prayers for the High Holidays, "following the rite of the holy Ashkenazi community", with the Hadrat Kodesh commentary, by R. Yitzchak son of R. Yaakov Yosef HaLevi. Venice: Bragadin, [1712-1715].
Hundreds of glosses, including dozens of especially long glosses, in Italian cursive script, in the handwriting of the Ramchal, R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto - Kabbalistic explanations and kavanot conforming to the Ramchal's approach.
The Ramchal used this machzor while leading the prayers at the Ashkenazi synagogue in Padua, and in it he wrote the kavanot and yichudim necessary for performing tikunim and yichudim in the upper spheres while standing in prayer.
This machzor with the Ramchal's glosses was documented by his biographers, citing Padua elders who reported that "the Ramchal was chazzan in the Ashkenazi synagogue for the High Holiday prayers, and he therefore wrote many Kabbalistic notations in his machzor for those days, for use while praying" (see below).
The Ramchal wrote the commentaries and kavanot in the margins and between the lines of the machzor. In the margins, he wrote long passages with introductions to the kavanot, explaining the general idea of the prayer or piyyut according to esoteric Kabbalistic thought. These introductions begin with the words "Inyan" (matter) or "Sod" (secret), for example: "The Inyan of the Books of the Living and the Books of the Dead", "The Sod of the Kedusha", "The Sod of Aleinu", "The Inyan of Kol Nidrei", "The Inyan of the Vidui", etc. These passages are particularly long and are actually self-contained essays based on the Kabbalistic approach of the Ramchal. Between the lines, the Ramchal wrote hundreds of kavanot to the words of the prayers, mostly written above the relevant words (but sometimes also beside or below the words).
The Ramchal wrote the kavanot and glosses to the following prayers: Mussaf for the first and second days of Rosh Hashanah, the Arvit prayer, Mussaf and Ne'ila of Yom Kippur. He did not annotate the Shacharit and Mincha prayers. This is due to the fact that following the Ashkenazi custom, the Mussaf prayers and the Arvit and Ne'ila prayers on Yom Kippur, which are the central prayers, are led by the choicest chazzan. The Ramchal used this machzor to lead those prayers, and he therefore wrote in it the kavanot that he would use when filling this role.
Interestingly, the Ramchal marked special te'amim (cantillation marks) above some of the words in the machzor, similar to those in the scriptures alluding to the melody, attesting to the fact that he used this machzor in his capacity as chazzan (these te'amim can be seen in the Aleinu prayer [p. 131a], in the Kol Nidrei prayer [p. 198b], etc.). Another sign that he led the prayers are the kavanot that he wrote to the last verses of the piyyutim, repeated out loud by the cantor alone.
In the margins of p. 122b, the Ramchal writes a special prayer that he composed for his success as chazzan (similar to the style of the Hineni HeAni prayer), describing at length his humbleness and trembling before G-d, and requesting that G-d strengthen him, heed his prayers and bless the Jewish People with "a good sweet year, a year of compassion, redemption and deliverance… and strengthen me to sing before you and no harm or mishap should befall me…". In a long gloss on p. 131b, the Ramchal explains at length the Kabbalistic secret of the potency of the chazzan's prayer.
In R. Yosef Almanzi's biography of the Ramchal (Kerem Chemed, 3), he writes of the Ramchal being chazzan during the High Holidays in the Padua community and explicitly mentions this machzor: "An elder of our community says that he heard from his father or from his grandfather that the Ramchal was chazzan in the Ashkenazi synagogue for the High Holiday prayers, and he therefore wrote many Kabbalistic notations in his machzor for those days, for use while praying" (ibid, p. 115). Almanzi also writes of "a commentary in the actual handwriting of the Ramchal to the machzor… which is in the possession of my beloved dignitaries, heirs of R. Moshe Aryeh Trieste, apparently like the elders related that the Ramchal was chazzan in the Ashkenazi synagogue and led some of the High Holiday prayers" (ibid, p. 140, note 42).
Most of the kavanot in the machzor (with the exception of those to Birkat Avot which are the kavanot of the Arizal) are exclusive to the Ramchal and to his Kabbalistic approach. Where the commentary features the Ramchal's own approach and is not based on the Ari's writings, the Ramchal added an introduction or explanation in the margin, illuminating the basis of the kavanot written between the lines. In addition, the Ramchal explains sections of the Ashkenazi piyyutim according to his Kabbalistic approach, and above the words of the piyyutim notes allusions and their parallels in upper worlds – a unique and original phenomenon.
Most of the glosses of the Ramchal are written in a clear, neat script in black ink. In a number of places, the Ramchal's glosses are written in a vigorous, cursive script in reddish-brown ink.
Most of the commentaries and the kavanot written by the Ramchal in this machzor were not copied by his disciples, and remained unknown until the discovery of this machzor. Nonetheless, a few of these glosses were copied and printed, some in Kitzur HaKavanot by R. Yisrael Chizkiya Treves and others in "Commentary on the piyyutim of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur according to Kabbalah" (printed in the Warsaw 1889 edition of Daat Tevunot). One gloss was printed only in part. Upon studying p. 127b of this machzor, we discover that the Ramchal wrote this passage in two parts on two different occasions. The first part is written in dark ink and the end in lighter ink, and only the first part was copied and printed by his disciples. Evidently, the Ramchal first wrote the beginning and his disciples copied that part, and later, the Ramchal completed his commentary and wrote the second part, which does not appear in the copy made by his disciples.
This machzor served the Ramchal while leading the prayers, and contains hundreds of his handwritten glosses. In the machzor, he marked with te'amim the melodies he would use, and he wrote kavanot for when standing before G-d, to make tikunim and yichudim in the upper spheres.
R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto – the Ramchal (1707-1746), Torah luminary and great Kabbalist, merited revelations of Eliyahu HaNavi and angels, and his book Zohar Tinyana contains their teachings. He authored Mesillat Yesharim and many other Kabbalistic and ethical works. Due to the polemic opposing the Ramchal's teachings, he was compelled to hide away some of his kabbalistic writings. This composition in his very own handwriting remarkably survived and was discovered in recent years.
Large-format volume. Fine, impressive condition. 372, 377-384 leaves. 35 cm. Thick high-quality paper. Wide margins. Good condition. Most leaves are clean, with a few stains. Dark stains to several leaves. Dampstains on last leaves. Repaired tears to title page and to a few other leaves. Worming to a few leaves. Early leather binding, repaired. Ownership inscription in Ashkenazi script on the inner side of the front cover. Gilt-tooled binding with the initials G.W. inside a medallion. Damage to binding, lacking clasps.
The glosses of the Ramchal in the machzor were unexpectedly discovered by R. Yosef Avivi, some 20 years ago. He edited and published them under the name Machzor Ramchal (Jerusalem 1995), including a facsimile of the leaves of the machzor containing glosses and a comprehensive introduction containing many details and comparisons to the Ramchal's Kabbalistic approach apparent in his other writings. The description above is based on Avivi's work in that book, see there for more details and information.
Miniature manuscript on parchment - year-round machzor for the High Holy Days, Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot and Rosh Chodesh. [Italy, 15th century].
Illuminated Hebrew manuscript - unusual and exceptionally unique - of the Late Middle Ages.
Miniature manuscript, written on both sides of a single sheet of parchment cut into 76 circles, each with a diameter of approximately 3.5-4 cm, attached to one another at their margins. There are seven rows of circles, with eleven circles in each row (one circle is missing), for a total of 151 pages of text (one side of one of the circles is blank). This unique format allows for dynamic use of the manuscript, enabling the reader to fold the various circles into different configurations in order to expose the appropriate prayer segments. Upon completion of the prayers, the entire manuscript can be folded to the diameter of a single circle, and be easily stored and carried.
The manuscript is written in Italian semi-cursive script, within circular frames. The initial words are decorated with miniature leaves and ornamented in vivid blue and red colors. Several of the paragraph indentations are marked in red (tab marks). Headings are framed or underlined with curved lines. Instructions are written or decorated in red. The style of illumination and the shape of the letters match those of other Hebrew manuscripts written in Europe in the late Middle Ages.
Contents of the Manuscript:
The manuscript includes the text of the Amidah prayers for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot according to the Italian rite, as well as "Inyan Rosh Chodesh", which includes Mussaf for Rosh Chodesh, Mussaf for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh and "Hallel for the entire year".
The liturgical poem (piyyut) "Reshut D'Nishmat L'Harav Yoav" appears preceding Mussaf for Rosh Hashanah - a piyyut by R. Yoav ben Yechiel of Rome (Davidson, Thesaurus of Medieval Hebrew Poetry, no. 3291).
The Neilah prayer for Yom Kippur, as well as the prayers for Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, do not contain the first three blessings nor the final three blessings, whose text is standard. The scribe only included the unique middle blessing of each prayer.
Order of Text:
Pages [1-15]: Amidah prayer for Shacharit, Minchah and Arvit of Rosh Hashanah.
Pages [15-22]: "Avinu Malkeinu" prayer.
Pages [23-60]: Mussaf for Rosh Hashanah (complete text, including the Malchuyot, Zichronot and Shofarot blessings). Page [60] contains a concluding colophon: "The Rosh Hashanah prayers are complete, praise G-d", as well as the title: "Seder Yom HaKippurim".
Page [61]: Instructions for the Minchah prayer of Yom Kippur eve, followed by the decorated heading: "Tefillat Tzom Kippur".
Pages [62-82]: Amidah prayer for Yom Kippur.
Page [83]: This page is blank (the text completely faded). It apparently included the final line of the "Elokai Netzor" prayer of the Yom Kippur Amidah, as well as the title for Mussaf of Yom Kippur.
Pages [84-97]: Mussaf for Yom Kippur (the three final blessings were not copied, and the reader is referred to the previous Amidah).
Pages [98-103]: Neilah prayer.
Page [104] concluding colophon: "The Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayers are complete, praise G-d, Amen Selah".
Page [105] opening title: "Tefillah of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot".
Pages [106-110]: Amidah prayer for Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot.
Pages [111-132]: Mussaf for Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot (separate paragraphs for each holiday; the texts for the eight days of Sukkot are titled: "Mussafin shel Chag"). Page [132] contains a concluding colophon: "The prayers for Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot are complete, praise G-d, Amen".
Pages [133-137]: Mussaf for Rosh Chodesh with the title: "Inyan Rosh Chodesh".
Pages [137-142]: Mussaf for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh titled: "Mussaf for Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh".
Pages [143-152]: "Hallel for the entire year". A page is missing between pages [146] and [147], with part of the text of Hallel missing.
Only a few Christian and Muslim manuscripts from the 15th century that bear some similarity to this manuscript are known; the best-known of them is the Codex Rotundus, a "book of hours" (Christian devotional) manuscript written and illuminated in Bruges during the 15th century, known as the Rotundus due to its circular shape. None of these manuscripts, however, include the most striking and unique features of the manuscript offered here - namely, its miniature dimensions, it being written on a single sheet of parchment that can be folded to pocket size, and it being written in Hebrew. These three features make this manuscript an extremely rare and exceptionally unique item.
There are only two known items which are similar to this manuscript: In 1984, Sotheby's auctioned a similar manuscript, consisting of 49 circles with a diameter of 6.5 cm, containing the prayers for Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot. A similar manuscript is held in the collection of the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles. It consists of 64 circles and contains the Passover Hagaddah.
Enclosed is a metal case (with glass remnants), similar to a pocket-watch case, used to store the manuscript.
[152] pages. Each circle has a diameter of 3.5-4 cm. The entire sheet (unfolded) is 43X27 cm. Condition varies; fair to good. The first circle of the first row is missing (part of the text of Hallel was written on its verso, see above). One circle detached. P. [83] is blank and darkened (its text was apparently worn and completely faded). Stains, tears and damage to text on the outermost circles. Stains from oxidation due to contact with the metal carrying case when folded. The inner circles are in good condition, with slight staining. Corrosion and damage to metal case. Broken and missing glass.
Die ganze Welt in einem Kleberblat, Welches ist der Stadt Hannover meines lieben Vaterlandes Wapen [The Whole World in a Clover Leaf, which is the Coat Of Arms of my Beloved Hometown of Hannover], hand-colored engraving. [Germany, late 16th century or 17th century].
A figurative map depicting the world in the form of a clover leaf. The three parts of the clover leaf represent the three continents of the Old World – Asia, Europe and Africa; a part of the New World – America – is seen in the bottom corner of the map. At the center of the trefoil, and therefore in the center of the world, is Jerusalem.
The map was first published in the book "Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae" (Travel Book through Holy Scripture; 1581) by German cartographer Heinrich Bünting, and soon became one of the most recognized and beloved images of Jerusalem. America, whose discovery led to a transformation in cartographic representations of the world, is depicted in this map in the bottom corner, as a minor addition to the Old World.
The clover leaf design is a tribute to Bunting's hometown Hanover, the arms of which show a trefoil, as indicated in the title of the map.
In Jerusalem itself, the map became most popular when the new city started growing, partly due to the Universitas bookshop, which sold color reproductions of the map as souvenirs. In 2009, a large model of the map by artist Arman Darian was placed at the entrance to the City Hall of Jerusalem.
Engraved map: approx. 25.5X35.5 cm, in an approx. 58.5X69 cm double sided frame (showing both sides of the map). Good condition. Minor blemishes. Unexamined out of frame.
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