Letter handwritten and signed by the kabbalist R. Moshe Zacuto – the Remez, to his disciple R. Binyamin HaKohen Vitali – the Rabach. Mantua (Italy), [ca. 1680].
In his letter, R. Moshe Zacuto relates to his disciple R. Binyamin HaKohen that he has resolved to immigrate to Eretz Israel, and that there are those who are trying to dissuade him from taking this step: "For the last three weeks, many letters have been sent to me from individuals as well as leaders of the Amsterdam community, pleading me to serve as their rabbi and offering a high salary, and they even wrote to R. Shmuel Aboab that he should try to convince me to fulfill their wishes. I responded to all of them on the same lines – that I yearn for the Holy City. Also from the Venice community, some of my disciples came to entice me to return to them, and I dismissed them all with good words and they left in peace...". R. Moshe Zacuto writes that he has yet to inform the leaders of the Mantuan community of his decision, since he is waiting to know whether it is possible to safely cross the pirate-ridden sea. Meanwhile, he is holding on to his present position, in case his plans to immigrate do not materialize. R. Moshe Zacuto also mentions in this letter his intentions to establish a yeshiva in Jerusalem, and writes that he revealed this to his associate R. Shlomo Rocca of Urbino, who has started soliciting support for the yeshiva.
This letter reveals the great affection of R. Moshe Zacuto for his disciple R. Binyamin HaKohen (see below). The letter opens with warm expressions of his fondness for R. Binyamin, and concludes with rhymed prayers and wishes, signed: "Mantua, one who loves you like a father, Moshe Zacuto, 47th day of the Omer".
It is known that R. Moshe Zacuto attempted to reach Eretz Israel three times. Already when he left Amsterdam in 1644, he planned on settling in Eretz Israel, but he was retained on the way by the rabbis of Venice and acceded to their requests to serve as rabbi of the city. He later made a second attempt to immigrate in 1670, informing his disciples of his departure, and actually taking leave from them. Yet for reasons unknown to us, he remained in Venice. Ten years later, in 1680, he again began preparations to set out for Eretz Israel, and his disciple R. Binyamin HaKohen asked to accompany him. The present letter was written in Mantua (which R. Moshe Zacuto reached in 1673), and is presumably related to his third attempt to immigrate to Eretz Israel in 1680. This plan too was not ultimately realized.
To the best of our knowledge, the present letter was hitherto unpublished (following the opening line, there is an inscription in Italian script, by a different writer: "Copied but not published"). This letter was also not mentioned by the biographers of R. Moshe Zacuto (see: G. Scholem, LiShe'elat Yachasam shel Rabbanei Yisrael el HaShabta'ut, Zion 13-14 [1948-1949], pp. 57-58; Avraham Naftali Tzvi Roth, Al Tochniot HaAliyah shel R. Moshe Zacut VeTalmido R. Binyamin HaKohen BiShnat 5440, Zion 15 [1950], pp. 146-149; Benayahu, Dor Echad BaAretz, Jerusalem 1988, pp. 338-339. Roth published in his article a later letter from R. Moshe Zacuto to R. Binyamin HaKohen, in which he announces to him the cancellation of his trip to Eretz Israel, as a result of the great pressure exercised on him not to abandon the Mantua community).
The Remez – R. Moshe Zacuto (1612-1697), outstanding Torah scholar and holy kabbalist. He was one of the transmitters of the Arizal's kabbalah in Italy and Europe. Born in Amsterdam, he later studied there under R. Shaul Morteira. He was also a disciple in Torah and kabbalah of R. Yitzchak of Posen and R. Elchanan of Vilna. He received his main education in kabbalah from R. Binyamin HaLevi, a disciple of the Arizal. The Chida in Shem HaGedolim writes that he had a heavenly maggid, and R. Gur Aryeh HaLevi of Mantua testified that he heard the angel speaking to him. He served as rabbi of Venice together with R. Azariah Piccio, and later of Mantua from 1673 until his passing on Sukkot 1697 (year of the birth of the Baal Shem Tov). He authored: Responsa of R. Moshe Zacuto, Kol HaRemez on Mishnayot, Iggerot HaRemez, Shuda DeDayanei, commentary on the Zohar, Tofteh Aruch, Yesod Olam, Tikkun Shovavim, and more. He composed numerous piyyutim and compiled many kabbalistic prayer orders and tikkunim, recited until this day.
R. Moshe Zacuto was the main channel through which the teachings of the Arizal reached Europe. He examined, clarified and corrected the many compositions of the Arizal's teachings which he obtained, until he reached the most precise text (see: R. Yosef Avivi, "Solet Nekiyya" - Rabbi Moses Zacuto's Sifter, Pe'amim 96 [2003], pp. 71-106). The Beit Midrash of R. Moshe Zacuto was an important source of accurate and reliable transcripts of the writings of the Arizal, produced under the supervision and guidance of R. Moshe Zacuto, who thus disseminated kabbalah amongst his disciples and through them to other kabbalists (see: R. Yosef Avivi, Kabbalat HaAri, II, p. 724 onwards).
When his first plans to immigrate to Eretz Israel failed, R. Moshe Zacuto settled in Venice and decided to teach the Arizal's kabbalah to a group of elite disciples, and through them disseminate kabbalah in Italy, seeing it as a protection and antidote against the foreign winds blowing at that time. Two of his foremost disciples were R. Binyamin HaKohen Vitali and R. Avraham Rovigo. When his disciples were compelled to part from him (R. Avraham Rovigo settled in Modena and R. Binyamin HaKohen in Alessandria), they began exchanging letters regularly, in accordance with the wish of R. Moshe Zacuto to continue guiding them and teaching them by correspondence. R. Moshe Zacuto encouraged his disciples to write to him at all times, and sent them many reply letters (several of these letters were published in Iggerot HaRemez, Livorno 1780, from copyings produced by R. Binyamin HaKohen).
R. Moshe Zacuto was particularly attached to his disciple R. Binyamin HaKohen, and he showed him tremendous affection. He drew him close, taught him most of his Torah, and rabbinically ordained him. He would conclude his letters to him with a declaration of his fatherly love for him: "as a father placates his son". In the present letter as well, he signs with a similar expression "one who love you like a father".
R. Binyamin HaKohen later became one of the leading Italian kabbalists in his times, and was also renowned as a prominent halachic authority. Just like his teacher, he copied and disseminated the writings of the Arizal. His son-in-law, R. Yeshayahu Bassan, was the famous teacher of the Ramchal. In his final years, R. Binyamin HaKohen corresponded with the Ramchal. In one of his letters, the Ramchal refers to him as "the leader of the Jewish tribes".
Recipient's address on verso, handwritten by R. Moshe Zacuto – "...R. Biniamin Coen", with his wax seal, featuring a Star of David.
[1] double leaf. 20.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Folding marks. Minor marginal tears and wear.