"Polmos HaZohar" – Sefer Yuchasin, Kraków 1580/1581 – First Edition with the Hagahos of Rabbeinu HaRema
Sefer Yuchasin, a historical chronicle detailing world events up to the year 1500, authored by the great Spanish sage Rabbi Avraham Zacuto, with glosses and additions by Rabbi Moshe Isserles (Rema). Kraków, 1580/1581
– First Edition containing the Rema’s annotations.
The Zohar Controversy ("Polmos HaZohar")
The work was originally printed in Constantinople in 1566, but the present edition omits a passage regarding Rabbi Yitzchak of Acco’s account of Rabbi Moshe de Leon as the author of the Zohar. The original author had expressed skepticism regarding the story, but fearing the backlash of mekubalim, the passage was omitted in this edition.
The Rare Page
This copy includes the rare folio (Leaf 7b), which contains a passage from an ancient manuscript detailing a chronology from Creation until the era of the kings. In many copies, this page is blank. Bibliographers have documented the existence of special copies with an inserted paper overlay containing this passage, which was later scanned into Otzar HaChochma.
However, in the present copy, this page appears to be the original printing, likely bound into the volume post-publication. Faint signs of wear and letter erasure suggest that a covering sheet was once affixed to obscure this text and was later removed.
Condition: Good. Minor stains, slight wear, and censor erasures. Elegant leather binding.
Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, #536.
