Bidspirit auction | First Edition of Kessef Mishne

First Edition of Kessef Mishne – Glosses by Rabbi Chaim Hakohen, Disciple of Rabbeinu Chaim Vital - Glosses handwritten by the Gaon and Mekubal Rabbi Chaim Hakohen, disciple of Rabbeinu Chaim Vital and Raavad of Aleppo on the beginning of vol. III of the Rambam’s Yad Hachazaka with Kessef Mishne. Venice, 1574. First edition of the Kessef Mishne. Missing title page. Glosses and signatures by the holy Gaon and Mekubal Rabbi Chaim Hakohen, disciple of Rabbeinu Chaim Vital and Raavad of Aleppo, on the beginning of vol. III of the Rambam which includes Sefer Hafla’ah and the beginning of Sefer Zera’im. Bragadin Press, Venice, 1574. This is the first edition of the Kessef Mishne, published proofread by Rabbi Chizkiya and the Rema of Pano. 81 pp. Erased owner’s signature on the first page and an additional signature “Moshe ibn Niyon” at the beginning of Sefer Zera’im, with [4] scholarly glosses in Solitreo script, one of which concludes with the signature of the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Hakohen. The holy Gaon Rabbi Chaim, son of Rabbi Avraham Hakohen (1585-1655) – from the disciples of Rabbeinu Chaim Vital. Apparently born in Egypt and immigrated to Eretz Yisrael, where he became a distinct disciple of Rabbeinu Chaim Vital. In his younger years he would speak publicly on topics of Mussar in the Shuls. Ca. 1615, when he had become renowned as an immense Gaon of both the revealed and hidden Torah, as well as being wondrously versed in Shas, he moved to Aleppo and served his great Rebbi, Rabbeinu Chaim Vital, during his last years in Damascus. Later on he was appointed Av Beis Din of Aleppo, a position he held for many years, as he received multitudes of letters requesting his Halachic opinions. After authoring many Seforim on Kaballah, he set sail to take them to print. However, the ship was attacked by Maltese pirates, and most of his manuscripts were plundered. He returned to Aleppo and wrote additional Seforim, which he subsequently published in Constantinople, Venice, and Amsterdam. He continued traveling to Livorno, to print additional Seforim there and passed away there. From his Seforim are “Mekor Chaim” (a Kabbalistic commentary on Shulchan Aruch), Tur Bareket, Torat Chacham, and more. New, luxurious leather cover. The volume is missing the title page and the binding pages at the end. Stains. A few moth holes. Good condition. We would like to inform you that the auction house has received several comments challenging the determination identifying the signature in this book as the signature of the holy Gaon Rabbi Chaim, son of Rabbi Avraham Hakohen.