Bidspirit auction | Sefer Yesod in Kabbalah Yonas

Sefer Yesod in Kabbalah Yonas Elem by the Rema of Pano Amsterdam 1648. First Edition. * Ma’amar Yonas Elem is a profound Kabbalistic treatise on the unfolding of the spiritual realms, by the renowned sage Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Pano, the leading kabbalist of Italy. The Shelah HaKadosh saw this work while it was still in manuscript form and wrote about it in his famous Iggeres (as cited on the title page of the present sefer): “I will advise you, and may G-d be with you — cleave to the sefer Yonas Elem composed by the G-dly Rem”a z”l; this sefer is upright in the eyes of G-d and man…” The Rema of Pano was a prolific author, composing numerous Kabbalistic essays, most of which were later compiled under the title Asarah Ma’amaros. Three of these were printed by the author himself in 1597, while the remainder were published in the ensuing centuries. This sefer is essentially an expanded adaptation of Kanfei Yonah by Rabbi Moshe Najara, a disciple of the Arizal, incorporating also teachings from Rabbi Yisrael Saruk along with the author’s own chiddushim. The present edition is the first printing of this ma’amar, as the author himself notes elsewhere (as cited in Shem HaGedolim). “There is also a later edition (mahadura basra) that was printed only in recent years Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Pano (1548–1620) , an eminent Italian kabbalist, left an indelible mark upon the study of Kabbalah. His dozens of works became sifrei yesod of Kabbalah, the most famous of all being Asarah Ma’amaros. Already in his youth, he was known among the sages of Italy. In 1574, at the age of twenty-six, Rabbi Yosef Karo entrusted him with his work Kesef Mishnah for printing in Venice. At the time of printing the present sefer, the Rema was only thirty years old. Rabbi Yehonasan Eibischitz described him as “the great, holy, and pure Rav” (Kreisi U’Pleisi, Kuntres Beis HaSafek), while the Yaabetz wrote: “A delightful man who reigns in the wisdom of truth… and who in all the house of the Zohar is as faithful as him; may there be many more born like him… as is evident from his wisdom in the Sefer HaMa’amaros.” (Shu”t Sheilas Yaabetz, vol. I, siman 33) Amsterdam, 1648. First edition. Page Count: 38 leaves. Condition: Good; old stains. New leather binding. Bibliography: Stefansky Sifrei Yesod, no. 357; Rabbi Yosef Avivi in his essay, Kisvei HaRema MiPano BeChochmas HaKabbalah.