Two pages in the holy handwriting of the saintly Mekubal Rabbi Avraham Galanti, distict disciple of the Rama”k – a page from his work “Kol Bochim – Kinas Setarim”, his Kabbalistic commentary to Megillas Eicha – the manuscript mentions “My teacher ZaTzal” – the Rama”k, as well as his famous brother Rabbi Moshe Galanti – Tzefas, 1588.
According to the Chida, Rabbi Avraham Galanti is the one who funded the construction of the courtyard of the Rashbi’s Tziyun in Meron.
The page before us contains ~47 lines of a lengthy commentary on the verse in Eicha “Their heart cried to Hashem, the walls of Tzion…” (2, 18) based on Kabbalah.
The Sefer “Kol Bochim” was first printed in Venice in 1589, published by the Rama of Pano.
On the page, the author writes: "צעק לבם, פי'[רש]
מורי זלה"ה בספ"ר [=בספר פרדס רימונים] לב בבינה". – “Their heart cried,
my teacher Zatza”l exp(lained) in Sefer Pardes Rimonim: heart in Binah” (The Ramak passed away on the 23rd of Tammuz, 5330 (June 26, 1570). He completed writing Pardes Rimonim in 1569, and it was first printed in Salonika in 1584).
On the second page he writes: “It will be understood according to what the Zohar explains…
and it is missing in the Seforim and the wise man, our teacher the Rabbi, brother of Yeffet, the elder, may his light shine, at the end of the index of the Zohar ‘which he printed.” By “brother of Yeffet, the elder” he’s referring to his illustrious brother Rabbi Moshe Galanti, who was a distinct disciple of the “Beit Yossef”, and the author of Sefer “Mafte’ach Hazohar” (Index of the Zohar), which was printed in Venice, 1566. (Rabbi Moshe Galanti, who was Rabbi Avraham’s older brother, passed away after 1612.)
[Regarding the year when Rabbi Avraham Galanti passed away, there are those who erroneously write that it was ca. 1560. However, from the text on this page it is clear that they are mistaken, and he could not have passed away before 1570, the year when his Rabii, the Rama”k passed away. On the title page of the Venice, 1589 edition of his Sefer “Kol Bochim” he is referred to with “OBM”. Thus he passed away not before 1570, and certainly before the printing in 1589. In the book “Toldos Gedolei Yisrael” (A. Carmuli, Metz, 1828, p. 69) is brought that the Sefer “Kol Bochim” was written in 1588, but he does not quote references to this. Based on this data, it appears that the author passed away in 1588 or 1589, which means this page was written in the last year of his life.]
The Chida writes in “Shem HaGedolim” regarding Rabbi Avraham Galanti: “Our teacher the Rabbi Avraham Galanti is the holy one, exalted in holiness…
and he was from the giants of Rabbeinu the Rabbi Moshe Kordoveiro OBM. And he authored the Sefer “Yerach Yakar”, a commentary on Zohar… and it is a precious light… and also of his was printed Sefer “Kinas Setarim” which was called “Kol Bochim”…
And I heard from one Rabbi OBM that he has received this that the Rabbi, Rabbi Avraham of which we speak was wealthy and from his money he built the courtyard of Meron where the graves of the Rashbi and Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yitzchak, may their memory protect us, are located.”
[1] p. (2 written sides). 21cm. Moisture stains on margins. Good condition.
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