Responsa of the Rashba – Bologna, 1539 – Signature of Rabbi Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi, the Rashash

Responsa of the Rashba – Bologna, 1539 – Signature of Rabbi Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi, the Rashash
Responsa by Rabbi Shlomo ibn Aderet (the Rashba). Bologna: [Silk Weaver's Guild], [1539]. First edition.
Copy of the Rashash. His signature appears (in square script) on p. 2a: "Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi" (see enclosed material on the authentication of the signature).
R. Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi – the Rashash (1720-1777) was born in Sharab, Yemen and lived in Sanaa. Already as a young man, he was an outstanding Torah scholar and kabbalist, though modest and self-effacing. In his youth, he was faced with a difficult challenge, which brought him to vow to immigrate to Jerusalem. He left Yemen, travelling through Bombay, Baghdad and Damascus, until finally reaching Jerusalem. There, he sought employment as a servant in the home and Beit Midrash of R. Gedaliah Hayyun – dean of the Beit El yeshiva for kabbalists, concealing his greatness. He would wait on the Torah scholars of the yeshiva, quietly absorbing their teachings. When they were posed questions which they didn't know the answer to, he would secretly write the answer and leave it in the Beit Midrash. When R. Gedaliah Hayyun discovered the extent of his Torah knowledge and holiness, he took him as a husband for his daughter Chanah. After R. Gedaliah's passing in 1751, the Rashash was appointed to succeed him as dean of the Beit El yeshiva for kabbalists. He established a society for kabbalists named Chevrat Ahavat Shalom. The members of the society were bound together with specific conducts and regulations they adopted, and with mutual responsibility. Amongst the members of the society were the Chida, R. Yom Tov Algazi, R. Gershon of Kitov (brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov), and others. His disciple the Chida describes his holiness, his exceptional knowledge and understanding of the kabbalah of the Arizal, and his work in arranging the kavanot of the Arizal on prayer (Shem HaGedolim, Maarechet Gedolim, letter Shin). Of particular fame is the siddur he compiled, known as Siddur HaRashash, which contains the kabbalistic kavanot on the prayers according to the Arizal, which has since become the primary source for kabbalistic kavanot in prayer.
Ownership inscription of Yitzchak Saadiel on the title page, with his initials "Y.S.".
Several glosses in Sephardic script (some of the glosses trimmed) from various writers. Many references in Sephardic script.
The book originally comprised two title pages, the first one specifically for the table of contents at the beginning of the book, and the second, general title page, originally bound after the table of contents. The present copy is lacking the title page of the table of contents, and the general title page is bound instead at the beginning of the book.
[16], 2-167, 167-210, [1], 213-215 leaves. Lacking leaf [1] (title page for table of contents) and final leaf (leaf 216; replaced in photocopy). Extra copy of final leaf of table of contents enclosed. 28 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of past dampness (large dampstains to some leaves). Worming and open tears, slightly affecting text, repaired with paper (many paper repairs to margins and in other places, occasionally close to text). Old binding, with damage and worming.