Letter handwritten and signed by the Holy kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Zacuto – the Remaz.
Mantua (Italy), Rosh Codesh Tebeth, 1687. With his wax seal, featuring a Star of David.
Recipient’s address on verso, handwritten by Rabbi Moshe Zacuto – "…R. Menasa ….."
Unpublished.
He ends his letter with beautiful warm blessings "And I pray to the One with the Merkava, may His salvation hasten near, and may He guide us with mercy and love. Successful in Torah and abundant blessings, may He rejoice and flourish in all goodness."
The Remez – Rabbi 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 Rabbi 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).
Rabbi 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 Rabbi Binyamin HaKohen Vitali and Rabbi Avraham Rovigo.
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.
20.3 Cm.
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Lot #247