Bidspirit auction | From the library of Rabbeinu

From the library of Rabbeinu the Rashash — signed in His Holy Handwriting Sefer Maaseh Rokeach, on the allusions in the number of chapters of the Mishnayot, by the holy Gaon and Divine Kabbalist Rabbi Elazar Rokeach, Av Beis Din of Brody and Amsterdam. Amsterdam, 1740. First edition — a copy received by the Shadar Rabbi Mordechai Pesachyah Ashkenazi as a gift from the Rebbetzin Chavah Rokeach, widow of the author — a Sefer Segulah for Simchah. On leaf 2a appears the signature of the holy Rashash:  ”שלום מזרחי שרעבי ה”י”   On the title page appears a self-written inscription and dedication in Sephardic script: ”ניתן לי במתנה מאת אלמנת הצ' המחבר זלה”ה הצעיר מרדכי פתחי' אשכנזי ס”ט” The author, the holy Gaon and Divine Kabbalist Rabbi Elazar Rokeach (1685–1742), Av Beis Din of Brody and Amsterdam, printed his work Maaseh Rokeach late in life during his travels to Eretz Yisrael. In this Sefer he sets forth lofty allusions and secrets, according to Kabbalah, concerning the number of chapters found in the six orders of the Mishnah, the number of chapters in each order, and the number of chapters in each tractate. In the author’s words in his introduction: “This was not done by chance or happenstance, but all was written by Hashem, Who granted him understanding, and he arranged everything intentionally according to allusion and secret.” He likewise writes regarding “the calculation of the letters of the openings of the chapters and the final letters of the chapters, all of it coming with intent according to allusion and secret.” The Sefer was printed in several editions, with enthusiastic approbations from Gedolei Yisrael attesting to the great holiness of the Sefer and its author. Rabbi Moshe Berin Blum, Av Beis Din of Vishnawitz, writes in his approbation to the second edition (Mahilov, 1817): ... כאשר הופיע עליו רוח אלקי ממרום, כידוע ומפורסם בכל העולם שהגאון הלז השתמש ברוח קדשו כאחד מהראשונים... The Admor of Belz, shlit”a, writes in his approbation to the 1993 edition: ידוע לכל שהספה”ק הנ”ל היה חביב מאד אצל רבוה”ק נבג”מ, ובשנת תשט”ו נתן כ”ק דודי מרן אדמו”ר זצ”ל ברכתו להדפסת הספה”ק הלז, ואמר בשם אביו כ”ק א”ז אדמו”ר מהרי”ד זצ”ל, שהלימוד בספה”ק הזה מסוגל לשמחה Rabbeinu Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi — the holy Rashash (1720–1777), a holy and awe-inspiring man of God, among the foremost transmitters of the tradition of the Arizal, and among the greatest who delved deeply and innovated in the understanding of the writings of the Arizal. As is known from Sefarim and from tradition, the Rashash merited a revelation of Eliyahu Hanavi. Rabbi Chaim Palaggi, in his Lev Chaim, writes that he received as tradition that the Arizal’s promise at the time of his passing—that if the generation would merit it, he would return—was fulfilled in the revelation of the soul and Torah of Rabbeinu the Rashash zy”a. Accompanied by an expert certificate identifying the Rashash’s signature. [1], 121; 6 leaves. 24 cm. Wide margins. Good condition. Tear to the margin of leaf 2, restored. Stains. Wear. New leather binding.