Bidspirit auction | Kabbalistic Sefer Yesod: Chessed LeAvraham

Kabbalistic Sefer Yesod: Chessed LeAvraham by Rabbi Avraham Azulai - First Edition. Amsterdam, 1685 Ancient Signatures - Sefer Chessed LeAvraham - Kabbalistic Sefer Yesod with printed Kabbalistic illustrations, after which its author, the Mekubal Rabbi Avraham Azulai, the Chida's great-grandfather, is known.  Chessed LeAvraham published by Rabbi Meshulam Zalman ben Rabbi Avraham Brech of Gorizia who was exiled from Vienna and printed by Emanuel Atias in Amsterdam. With approbations by the rabbis of Amsterdam: Rabbi Yitzchak Abuhav (da Fonseca), Rabbi Yaakov Sasportas and Rabbi Shlomo di Oliveira.  First edition, Amsterdam - 1685 . Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod 363. 20 cm. Originally: [5], 65, 28 leaves. In this copy: 3 leaves of the foreword are missing - it is interesting to note that this copy is unique due to the fact that the remaining leaf of the foreword in this copy was printed in Rashi fonts whereas in all other known copies, it was printed in square fonts. We could not find a similar copy and cannot explain the variation. Stains. Moth damage. Taping and other blemishes - on verso of the title page affecting the text. Mostly good overall condition. Late binding.  Enclosed is a handwritten leaf with quotes from the book, which was found among the leaves - not studied.  Ancient signatures on the title page - not studied.   A Sefer Yesod on which following editions were based. It should be noted that in the same year, a different edition of this book was published in Sulzbach (see: Moreshet Catalog 74a, lot 7). However, this edition that was printed in Amsterdam is the one on which following editions are based although the author's great-grandson, the Chida, in Shem Hagedolim wrote of it that it contains many errors and several lines are missing from almost every leaf.  Rabbeinu the Chida also notes in Shem Hagedolim that the book was authored by his great-grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Azulai, when he was in Gaza, escaping a plague that had broken out in Hebron in 1619. The author in his foreword states that he wrote the book to thank G-d and titled it Chessed LeAvraham for two reasons: first, to remember Chassdei Hashem who saved him from the Plague and second, to indicate that anyone who studies the book is a Gomel Chessed with him ... Added to this book on leaves 16-21: an abridged version of Sefer Tomer Devorah be Rabbi Moshe Cordovero and on leaves 22-28, an elucidation of Mamar Razal al Davar Hanistar by Rabbi Chaim Vital, copied from a manuscript that was sent by Rabbi Chaim Vital to a philanthropist who asked for an elucidation of the Mamar (Bereshit Rabba 43, 3): ”רבי לוי בשם רבי יוסף בן זמרא אמר פסיעותיו של אברהם אבינו היו שלשה מילין”.